Soulbound: Chronicles Of A Shadow Assassin-Chapter 44: The First Training

Jiang Yichen paused his action of putting on his boots, his eyes widening in shock as he turned around to face Mingyu. "What was that for?" he asked, his voice laced with aggrievement.

Mingyu simply let out a soft tsk, shaking his head in disappointment. "You are not agile," he said, his voice firm and critical. "Otherwise, you would have been able to easily evade the rod." He looked down at the rod, his eyes still flashing with disappointment.

"Pick it up," he ordered, his voice commanding. His gaze never left the rod, and his tone brooked no argument. Jiang Yichen hesitated for a moment, still looking at Mingyu in confusion, before bending down to pick up the rod.

As Jiang Yichen bent down to pick up the rod, he asked, "What are you doing?" His voice was laced with bewilderment, and his eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Mingyu pick up the second rod from the ground.

Mingyu’s face remained straight, his expression unreadable. "I want to see how good my student is," he said, his voice firm and detached. "So I can forget how miserable I feel." His words were cryptic, and Jiang Yichen’s confusion deepened.

"Huh?" Jiang Yichen’s response was instinctive, but before he could ask for clarification, Mingyu sprang into action. With a swift motion, he spun the rod in his hands, the movement fluid and precise. Jiang Yichen’s eyes widened as Mingyu aimed the rod at him, and he barely dodged the first attack.

The rod whizzed past Jiang Yichen’s ear, its trajectory swift and deadly. Mingyu didn’t give him a moment’s reprieve, attacking again with a swift strike. Jiang Yichen’s instincts kicked in, and he dropped to his knees, narrowly avoiding the rod’s path.

As he tried to stand up, Mingyu landed a swift blow to his buttocks, the rod connecting with a loud thwack. Jiang Yichen’s eyes went wide, and he let out a pained yelp, his face contorting in surprise and discomfort.

The sound of the rod hitting Jiang Yichen’s buttocks echoed through the air, and Mingyu’s expression remained unyielding. His eyes gleamed with a fierce intensity, his focus solely on the training exercise.

The force of the hit sent Jiang Yichen stumbling forward, his hands clutching his buttocks in a futile attempt to ease the pain. His face scrunched up in a mixture of agony and shock, he faced Mingyu with a incredulous expression. "Why did you hit me?" he demanded, his voice laced with hurt and indignation.

Mingyu’s response was delivered with a straight face, his tone matter-of-fact. "You have no swordsmanship. That much has been seen." He dropped the rod to the ground with a clatter, his eyes never leaving Jiang Yichen’s face. "Then show me how you fight."

Jiang Yichen’s eyes narrowed, sensing that Mingyu was belittling him to rile him up. A puff of breath escaped his lips as he raised both fists, standing in a fighting stance. With a burst of determination, he launched himself at Mingyu, his fist flying towards Mingyu’s face.

Mingyu effortlessly dodged the attack, his movements fluid and almost lazy. Jiang Yichen tried again, but Mingyu hit his hand, moving it away from his face. Undeterred, Jiang Yichen launched a third attack, but Mingyu was ready. He seized Jiang Yichen’s right hand, then his left, twisting them in a swift motion.

Jiang Yichen spun around, his arms flailing wildly, before Mingyu landed a precise punch to his gut. The force sent Jiang Yichen skidding backwards, his hands clutching his stomach and chest in a futile attempt to ease the pain. A twisted expression contorted his face as he let out a pained groan.

"Aish..." Jiang Yichen’s voice trailed off, his eyes flashing with anger as he glared at Mingyu. "You little..." He paused, biting back the curse that threatened to spill from his lips. "Gosh, that hurts." Mingyu’s deadpan expression only seemed to fuel Jiang Yichen’s ire.

Despite the pain, Jiang Yichen charged forward, his fists flying wildly. Mingyu sidestepped him with ease, intentionally placing his leg in Jiang Yichen’s path. Jiang Yichen let out a yelp as he tripped and fell to the floor, landing with a thud.

As he struggled to get up, Mingyu’s words cut through the air like a knife. "You fight poorly as well." He shook his head, his expression a mask of disappointment. "You are way worse than I had expected."

Jiang Yichen’s eyes flashed with hurt as he looked up at Mingyu, his face twisted in a mixture of pain and indignation. "That’s because I never got to learn properly," he defended himself, his voice laced with a hint of petulance.

Mingyu’s response was a disapproving click of his tongue, a silent judgment that seemed to cut deeper than any words could.

....

The training session for the day had come to an end, and Mingyu and Jiang Yichen were walking back to Jinxing, surrounded by the serene woods not far from Crystal Cove Lake.

As they strolled, Mingyu turned to Jiang Yichen with a thoughtful expression. "You’ve had 12 masters before me," Mingyu said, his voice laced with a hint of curiosity. "You might not have learned how to practice spells, but you should have at least picked up some basic martial arts."

Jiang Yichen shrugged, his eyes gazing off into the distance. "I didn’t feel motivated to do so," he replied, his tone casual.

Mingyu let out a soft, short hum of laughter, almost mocking. "Simply say it was because you were lazy," he said, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I’ve noticed you never do anything around the house and only laze around all day."

Jiang Yichen’s face remained calm, but a hint of defensiveness crept into his voice. "I know all the sword styles by heart. You can test me."

"Did you think I recognized you just because of your eyes?" Jiang Yichen asked, his voice low and measured. "I saw you using the tansu sword style. That was what hit the nail on the head."

Mingyu paused, his eyes locking onto Jiang Yichen’s, causing Jiang Yichen to pause too. "You are all talk and no action," Mingyu said, his tone dripping with skepticism.

Jiang Yichen’s face lit up with a challenge. "I can do more than talk," he said, his voice rising.

Without warning, Mingyu swiftly aimed the rod at Jiang Yichen’s side, but Jiang Yichen evaded it with ease.

"Ooh!" Jiang Yichen exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise and excitement. "Did you see that? I’m a quick learner." He boasted, his tone childlike and eager for validation.

Mingyu remained silent, his expression unyielding, but Jiang Yichen didn’t seem to notice. He continued to beam with pride, his enthusiasm unbridled. Mingyu’s silence only seemed to fuel Jiang Yichen’s determination.

"In no time, I’ll be able to master the first step you spoke about—gathering my spiritual power," Jiang Yichen said, his voice filled with conviction. "How long does it take?"

Mingyu’s expression turned thoughtful, his eyes gazing off into the distance. "I was a fast learner, but it took me two years to master it," Mingyu said, his voice measured. "People who are slow take around 5 to 10 years. As for you..." He paused, clicking his tongue, "You may master it really quick. You are Jiang Renxing’s son after all."

Jiang Yichen’s face crumpled, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "Why mention him all of a sudden?" Jiang Yichen asked, his voice tinged with irritation. "I have nothing to do with him." Mingyu’s gaze drifted away, his expression enigmatic.

"He was a genius who took only one year to master the first step," Mingyu said, his voice low and mysterious. "If you achieve that feat, the rumors that say you are not his son would subside." He looked away, his tone dripping with skepticism. "But of course, I doubt it would be possible."

Jiang Yichen’s face set in determination, his eyes blazing with a fierce competitive spirit. "If he took a year, I’ll do it in just 6 months," he said, his voice firm. "No, in fact, I’ll do it in 3 months."

Mingyu’s expression remained unimpressed, his tone dry. "Bluff," he said, but Jiang Yichen’s face remained serious, his jaw set in determination.

"I’m trying to be determined, so do not discourage me," Jiang Yichen said, his voice firm and resolute before turning to walk away.

As Jiang Yichen turned to walk away, Mingyu’s hand shot out, grasping his arm and stopping him in his tracks. For a moment, Jiang Yichen’s face lit up with a glimmer of hope, thinking Mingyu might finally acknowledge his efforts or offer some words of encouragement.