41 Chapter 41 Similar Yet Different

Closing the book Mo Xiaowen stood there in silence. Without making a sound he stood there for seconds, minutes, hours. It wasn't that the book was extremely profound, but he was just trying to process it all.

He reread it a few times, trying to understand it more and more. But still while he could understand and even empathise with Zhao Wuji to an extent, he was still somewhat disgusted as he read the book.

Although from a poor background, Zhao Wuji had talent like no other, being truly Peerless within the Flood Dragon Kingdom, yet he threw everything away because of one loss. It sounded absurd to Mo Xiaowen.

And then it clicked. "What have I been doing." He muttered to himself hoarsely. One loss, in his case it wasn't the loss of a battle, but the loss of a friend. "This isn't what he would've wanted, I haven't even fulfilled his request yet!" Mo Xiaowen admonished himself.

"Zhao Wuji, thank you." He said before putting the diary away. It was funny really, Zhao Wuji's messages always had the opposite affect on Mo Xiaowen. From that day last year, to even now at Mo Xiaowen's darkest point, Zhao Wuji was oddly always guiding Mo Xiaowen.

"I refuse to be a loser, I refuse to wallow in my sorrow any longer, and I refuse to quit cultivation! The day you left was the day I decided to surpass myself, be it once, twice, ten times, a hundred, a thousand. As many times as I can until I die! When we meet, I will show you the difference between you and I, a fallen genius, and a hardworking talentless goon!"

With that declaration, Mo Xiaowen cleared up his residence, before entering the cultivation room. He had yet to train that day, and so he began with the Internal Rupture Technique.

Through the discomfort and pain, he grew, inside and out. From that day on, he got his life back on track, while not much had changed from an outside perspective, inwardly Mo Xiaowen had changed. His goals were still the same, but his conviction to reach them was stronger.

In the morning he'd once again train, then go for his breakfast, before tending to his gardens. The boy would then eat lunch before training his punching and movement technique. He'd then eat dinner and go to sleep.

A month later, Mo Xiaowen was standing amidst the woods behind his residence. Standing still, eyes closed and breathe controlled, his fists were by his sides ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"THWACK!"

Opening his eyes, his fists lashed out crushing breaking any tree his fist came into contact with. From completely splintering them to, splitting them in two. Compared to a month ago, Mo Xiaowen's punching was much better.

His intent with each punch was now clear, unlike previously when it was murky and unclear. Each punch didn't aim to be anything apart from better than the last, whether that be in strength, or speed.

Like this Mo Xiaowen enhanced his Punch of the Mantis Shrimp, not by much but every single bit counted towards the greater whole. Nearly an hour later Mo Xiaowen stopped punching out and reviewed his own training.

Some time later the boy then began moving through the woods, he moved in ways that almost looked unreal. This was Fish in Water the movement technique he had selected upon reaching the 6th Stage.

It was a more esoteric technique and Mo Xiaowen had selected it back then by chance. Initially he was intrigued by the concept, imagine if a human could move his or her body in air as a fish could in water? Weren't the possibilities theoretically endless.

At least that's what Mo Xiaowen thought, and what pushed him to learn the technique, and he was quite pleased with the results. While he couldn't fly or outright perform unbelievable acts, his agility and speed were much greater after learning the technique.

'I guess this is what Zhao Wuji meant by freedom.....a good goal but one he abandoned at the drop of a hat.' Mo Xiaowen noted as he moved through the trees at high speed. It wouldn't be wrong to say that in the 9th Stage of Body Tempering Mo Xiaowen didn't have many opponents.

Another hour later, he arrived back at his residence drenched in sweat from head to toe. "That was fun." He muttered to himself making his way into the garden. But before he could even enter a loud sound echoed out of his body.

"BOOM!"

Looking around, and then to himself, Mo Xiaowen was shocked, before his eyes began tearing up. It had taken him 2 years 5 months and 12 days, but finally he had reached the peak of Body Tempering. The 10th Stage.

"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The boy howled in excitement and happiness. He was so happy he couldn't help but run around the woods once again.

"What's going on in there? Is the Howling Demon back at it again?"

"I am not sure, but rather than howling in pain he seems to be happy this time?"

"I wonder what it could be?"

"Did you guys hear that loud boom earlier?"

The disciples discussed amongst themselves, but Mo Xiaowen didn't know nor would he care, right now he was celebrating.

Truth be told, when he had originally joined the Sect at most he thought he'd reach the 10th Stage of Body Tempering, but now he had reached it, safe to say Mo Xiaowen was very pleased with himself at the moment.

Body Tearing Paste, Body Tearing Grasses, Internal Rupture Technique, he had endured unimaginable pains to get to this point but now he finally felt it, it was all worth it.

'10th Stage, next is the Qi Gathering Realm!' He thought excitedly, before calming down some time later. "This is only the beginning of my path...now I have a promise to fulfill."

Heading back to his residence, Mo Xiaowen didn't bother entering and went straight to Old Ox's old residence, today he'd finally see Old Ox's final request.