Chapter 28: Three Months of Arduous Training

"Su Ye, this is already your limit! It's been seven days—take a break!" Jiang Liuying looked at Su Ye, whose body still trembled with effort before her, and felt a surge of pity. This Su Ye was truly relentless; to break through, he had devoted almost every moment to cultivation.

At this moment, Su Ye was drenched in sweat, as if he'd just been fished out of a river. Little Die, standing beside Jiang Liuying, watched with fear in her eyes; she had never seen Young Master Su Ye so determined.

"Young Master, is simply tempering your body enough? Don't you need to open your acupoints? Should I prepare another medicinal bath for you?"

Su Ye pushed his physical limits, panting, "Two more hours, then I'll soak in a medicinal bath. Don't worry about me. My cultivation is different from others; they focus on opening acupoints, but I'm restoring myself."

With that, he continued challenging his endurance in the Martial Hall.

Anyone else would have struggled to last a day, but Su Ye had persisted for a week. The greatest factor was Jiang Ziyang’s support, allowing him daily medicinal baths for rapid recovery.

In Su Ye's eyes, no matter how talented one was, powerful cultivation always needed resources—like Yu Zhisha, who had likely consumed countless resources.

Jiang Liuying sighed, "Hurry up, I checked the weather. It should rain tonight."

"Really? Hahaha—good!" Su Ye was overjoyed. If it rained, he could once again hear thunder.

His chance to break through had come.

Without delay, he rushed to soak in a medicinal bath, then emerged.

Since rain was forecast in Sheep City, Su Ye didn't need to run to the seaside. He chose the nearest hilltop instead, so he could better witness the thunder.

Jiang Liuying brought several family martial artists along, and their vehicle wound up the mountain road almost to the summit.

As soon as they reached the top, heavy rain began to pour, and Su Ye dashed straight out of the car.

"Hey—be careful! The lightning here could kill you," Jiang Liuying called out, watching Su Ye charge into the storm as if he were mad.

The other martial artists, including the maid Little Die, stared in shock at Su Ye standing in the rain in the dark.

Was this cultivation? It looked more like a lunatic after heartbreak!

Boom—

Boom—

Thunder rumbled. From inside the car, they glimpsed Su Ye’s fleeting figure. He seemed nearly frenzied, shouting and roaring at the thunder above.

The tempest had already left Su Ye soaked to the bone.

Little Die stared, her eyes instantly wet with tears. She whispered, "I know Young Master Su Ye loves listening to thunder, but does he always do this? This is the first time we've accompanied him in three years. Has he always been alone before?"

Jiang Liuying trembled at her words, as if something had struck her heart, her throat suddenly blocked. Yes, not just tonight.

For three years, once so proud, he had endured ridicule. How desperately he longed to cultivate again! All those times he listened to thunder, he must have suffered endless pain—having nine thunder veins forcibly taken from him, while his enemy basked in glory.

How had he survived all these years alone?

"He longs too much to restore his thunder veins. But, foolish boy, how can listening to thunder restore them..." Jiang Liuying turned away, unwilling to watch, her delicate nose reddening. She clenched her fist quietly: Should she help him, just once?

Three hours passed; the night rain and thunder faded away.

Su Ye staggered back, soaked, climbed into the car, and promptly fainted.

"Ah... Su Ye, what's wrong? Wake up! Your nose and ears are bleeding—even your eyes! Hurry, drive home!"

Back at the Jiang household, Su Ye fortunately regained consciousness, or everyone would have been out of their minds with worry.

After insisting on another medicinal bath, Su Ye resumed his arduous cultivation.

Jiang Liuying watched, sighing inwardly, glancing at her pale wrist where veins showed faintly, then walked step by step toward the underground vault.

Beneath the Jiang family estate lay a labyrinth of mechanisms. Before a certain door, the third steward stood guard.

"Steward, I want to cultivate and break through. Open the door, please—I need a few blood ambers."

The steward hesitated, troubled. "Miss, your body hasn't recovered, and this spirit beast hasn't eaten for so long, I fear..."

"It's fine, just open the door," Jiang Liuying said firmly.

When the door opened, it revealed a vast greenhouse filled with plants, flowers, and an artificial stream. Bright lights made it seem a hidden paradise.

In the stream lay a bizarre beast, crocodile-like, with two crystal-clear wings and a long, narrow mouth.

This spirit beast was the Jiang family’s heirloom treasure; when fed Jiang family blood, it would slowly crystallize blood amber within its wings.

"Miss—" The steward wanted to speak.

"Don't worry about me. Please leave," said Jiang Liuying, gazing at the spirit beast and taking a deep breath as she approached.

The steward could only sigh and withdraw.

Within a few hours, he received three blood ambers from Jiang Liuying.

"Three—so many, Miss, you..."

Jiang Liuying’s lovely face was pale, her steps unsteady. "I'm fine. Give them to Su Ye. No need to say more."

The steward rushed to support her, gazing at the blood ambers, unsure what to say, his weathered face full of helplessness.

The good news was, upon receiving the blood ambers, Su Ye successfully opened several acupoints in succession.

Another week later, Su Ye found Jiang Liuying in delight. "Look, I’ve broken through many acupoints!"

"Congratulations..." Jiang Liuying’s face remained pale.

"It’s all thanks to your family’s blood ambers. Otherwise, after listening to thunder, I could only break through the seventh acupoint. Now I’ve reached ten. Why is your face so pale? Are you alright?" Su Ye asked.

"I’m fine… What could be wrong? You men have no idea about the pain women endure every month," Jiang Liuying brushed it off with a casual excuse.

Su Ye reached to touch her forehead, but Jiang Liuying slapped his hand away, gritting her teeth playfully, "What are you doing? Trying to take advantage of me? I’ll smack you, believe it!"

"Have you no conscience? Who was it last time, practicing until you were freezing and burning all over? I took care of you day and night, and you never accused me of taking advantage. Fine, I won’t say more. Does your family have any more blood ambers?"

Jiang Liuying glanced at him, her rosy lips moving, subconsciously touching her still-healing wrist wound. "Wait two more days. The spirit beast needs time to crystallize blood amber. Plus, it’s fierce. Picking blood amber from its wings requires caution."

"Let me do it. You’re clumsy, and don’t hide it—the wound on your wrist was from a bite, wasn’t it?" Despite Jiang Liuying’s attempts to hide, Su Ye noticed her injury, and his usual banter softened.

"You… mind your own business. If you went, you’d be bitten to death… The challenge tournament is coming up soon. Focus on your training!" Jiang Liuying shot him a fierce look.

"Then—I’ll await good news! Rest assured, your kindness and the Jiang family's favor, I, Su Ye, will repay a thousandfold in the future." Su Ye clenched his fist, vowing.

He knew his request was excessive, but for now, it was his only path!

"Tsk~ repay? See if you can pay next month’s meal bill first! I’m leaving!" Jiang Liuying walked a few steps, then turned her head. She was a stunning beauty, and her glance over her shoulder, hair swinging, dazzled, making it impossible to look away.

"Um… I’ll have the steward deliver the blood amber to you tomorrow morning…"