P.O.V - David.

After the hiking we needed to hunt for what to eat.

Due to our training, most of the beasts nearby have either been killed or driven away.

So we needed to go quite far away across the mountain.

But to get there they needed to run.

So the next training was a race, through this terrain filled with rocks and trees without Ki.

You could trip and fall, or break a bone or suddenly bash into a tree so you had to be exceedingly conscious while also trying not to fall behind.

I always went ahead of them and waited for them at the finish line.

Hmmm, lets see if the normal lineup would change this time.

After waiting for almost a minute I hear the footsteps of someone against the dry leaves, the person was panting heavily as he approached me.

In just fifty seconds he had crossed over 14km.

Coming into view I see someone I most definitely did not expect to see.

I was hoping to see a change in lineup but c'mon, this is just too much.

In first place, standing bent over and holding his knees panting before me was Hoon.

The one who usually takes fifth in this excercise.

I begin clapping.

"Wow, how? what did you do Hoon?"

"Haah...Gi...hah...give me a minute Master...I need to... I need to catch my breath."

I wait for a bit and dashing out from the trees next was Beom, the usual No.1 in this excercise.

He pauses in shock as he sees someone else had arrived before him, and not just anybody, Hoon.

"Huh? brother Hoon?"

"Y...hah...yes, it is I...hah... I have arrived...hah... before you..." Hoon replying haphazardly.

While Beom was still standing surprised, the next came through, it was Nari.

She was at first relaxed seeing Beom but when she stepped further and saw Hoon her expression changed.

"Huh? how is he here?" She asks.

"We are all wondering the same thing Nari." I reply.

Hoon proceeds to sit on the ground.

After Nari was Conan who also joined in being surprised by seeing Hoon there.

Next was Byeol and then Ae-Cha and in last place was Hwa.

After that, aside from Hoon, every other person followed the usual lineup.

I have them all sit on the ground.

Then I told Hoon to explain how he made it in first place, if he actually got that much faster or there was something else.

And what he gave was a really satisfying answer.

He explained that after a while of sprinting through the forest he began to see a better path, or rather, he devised a better path in his head.

Rather than dodging numerous trees, always watching your steps and leaping off the trunk and branches of tree, this was a much more simple path, but due to a massive tree partially blocking it no one bothered to check it out.

But during the last race he checked it out and as long as you could pass that huge tree, it was relatively smooth sailing from there.

I applauded him.

Its not always about using your muscles or internal energy, the brain is also a very useful tool in the Murim.

I then ask him how he got past the tree and he explained that he during the last race he examined the tree and noticed a little gap covered by its branches.

So he climbed up the tree and through those branches he passed through the gap and appeared on the path.

"I see, well, regardless of how you got her you indeed came first, congrats Hoon." I congratulate him a give him an applaud, the other children join me and also applaud him.

He began blushing.

Since Hwa took last she had to perform 100 squats.

After that it was time to hunt.

They were to hunt 10 level 5 beasts and make it back, they could also steal the kill of the other, though I made that rule, none of them have done that which I dont know how to feel about that.

I feel like their comeradee is that strong but at the same time the aim of that was to show them that they could never trust anyone in this world and had to always be on guard but now due to their strong bonds none of them are willing to take from the other...

I heave a sigh and then order them to begin.

They set off but this time they could use their Ki.

After a while of waiting Conan dashes back first carrying ten beasts on his shoulders with the blood of the beast smeared over his hands and face.

I kinda feel bad for the beasts, I'm not a fan of indiscriminate killing but... we've got to train and they are the best for this.

Coming next was Nari, also having blood smeared over her hands and also on her face.

Next was Hwa, then in fourth was Beom, then Hoon, then Byeol and last place in this excercise as usual was Ae-Cha.

As punishment she had to perform a hundred hand stand push ups.

After they all arrived it was now time to go back.

They took a total of twenty five minutes to hunt these beasts and return.

Now to return, it was another race, but this time, they could use their Ki.

And although I commended Hoon for being able to discover a shortcut I prohibited him from following there again.

Of course they had to carry the beasts they have on them.

During the first time of this exercise most of them tried hunting some beasts of large sizes but

But after the first where they had to carry them all back on their own they began looking for smaller beasts which would still be a Level 5 Spirit Beast.

I arrive at the entrance of the cave and I await their appearance.

Since they were using Ki it shouldn't take them past four seconds for all of them to reach here.

It takes me about twenty seconds to get here from there, of course without Ki... Well I don't even have a Dantian in the first place so...

Anyways, twenty seconds after I've left they begin.

Just under two seconds, bursting through past the trees was of course Nari as she comes to a stop just before the entrance.

Next was Conan, and then Beom and then Hwa, then Hoon, then Byeol and last again was Ae-Cha, well this was the usual line up.

I didn't like it, I do not like seeing the usual lineup, it kinda shows stagnancy.

I heave a sigh and immediately they knew.

"Wa... wait wait Master..." They began pleading.

"Hundred handstand push ups, now!" I order.

The grumbled a little but soon immediately got down, hands down and legs up, they began.

After completing it they were completely exhausted.

They collapsed to the ground panting and looking at me like I'm some sort of demon.

"Alright then, lets all go in."

For their muscles to grow well only excercises were not enough, they needed to eat well.

That's another reason w e hunt alot.

Of the beasts they hunt, they eat three after cooking it and save two down and then give the rest to Mother bear and her cubs and Turbo.

Well, I don't think I can call them cubs anymore.

They've grown to be almost the size of their mother.

Normally they'd leave and begin living their separate lives but maybe due to our presence they stayed.

On thing I loved though was that they were boding with each other.

They previous cubs which are now grown bonded well with the children.

I loved it because since they were Spirit Beasts they could form a Spirit contract with each other, exactly seven of them excluding the mother so they fit well with the seven children.

As Black Scaled bears at birth they are already on the level of a Level 6 Spirit Beast and right now they are already all on Level 8, that's on the level of a Peak Early Peak Martial Expert.

The Mother who continued growing little by little is now almost about to breakthrough to become a Level 11 Spirit Beast.

A Beast on the Level of a Martial GrandMaster.

If one could form a pact with it...

Anyways we sat and ate and so did the Beasts.

After eating I let them rest.

I sit in a lotus position trying to concentrate.

You may be wondering... 'Bruh, you don't have a Dantian what could you be trying to do?'

Well, you right, I still do not have a Dantian.

I've tried to create a new one numerous times over the course of this one year but I've never once succeeded.

Of course I'm not giving up, there has to be a way and I'll find it.

Then, what could I possibly be trying to do...

Well, I'm just trying to practice my usage of External Ki.

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