Chapter 18: Training (Request for Votes)

“Do you know where your ex-wife and daughter are living now?”

Lu Guanchang shook his head. “I haven’t been in contact for many years. I have no idea where they went.”

Shen Siyuan was speechless.

“You’re making things difficult for me,” Shen Siyuan said with some frustration.

“And besides, how exactly do you want me to help? Tell your daughter that your son isn’t your biological child, so she should sue him to claim your inheritance?”

Lu Guanchang fell silent at those words. At that moment, the disgusting tumors on his face began to slowly fade, revealing a kind and gentle expression. This surprised Shen Siyuan greatly; he couldn’t understand why this was happening.

This was very different from the ghosts in the Great Wilderness.

Although appearances reflect the heart, the Great Wilderness was filled with spiritual energy. Those ghosts, though unaware of cultivation, instinctively absorbed the spiritual energy, allowing them to maintain their human forms.

But in the modern city, where spiritual energy was absent, how could Lu Guanchang revert to his true form?

Shen Siyuan pondered briefly and then arrived at an answer: it was because of his daughter.

Since appearances reflect the heart, thinking of his daughter restored his kindly visage. That was truly remarkable.

“I… I want to meet my daughter. There are some things I must explain to her clearly. Whether she wants to claim what belongs to her, that’s up to her,” Lu Guanchang said.

“That would be simple if I knew where she lived, but I don’t. I can’t help if I don’t know their location.”

“Just promise me, sir. I will find them myself. Being like this now actually makes it easier,” Lu Guanchang smiled.

At that moment, the tumors on his face began to grow back again.

“Why didn’t you look for them sooner?”

Lu Guanchang sighed but did not explain.

Shen Siyuan didn’t press further. “Alright, once you find them, come back to see me.”

“Thank you, Mr. Shen.”

Lu Guanchang bowed to Shen Siyuan and then turned to leave.

Watching Lu Guanchang’s retreating figure, Shen Siyuan felt he was still hiding something.

But he didn’t dwell on it. Once Lu Guanchang found his wife and daughter, he would trap him inside the Ten Thousand Souls Banner to prevent any deceit.

Shen Siyuan gave himself a mental pat on the back for his cleverness, then turned towards the supermarket near the residential complex.

He couldn’t just give up training because he hadn’t yet opened the space inside the Ten Thousand Souls Banner to retrieve the stored rare spiritual materials. Shen Siyuan decided to train on his own for now.

The consumption of the “Eighteen Aspects of the Great Arhat” was immense, so he needed to buy some high-calorie, high-protein snacks to stock up.

***

After returning home with his purchases, Shen Siyuan took out a yoga mat he had bought online. He removed his shirt and long pants, leaving only shorts.

His physique wasn’t great. In school, his abs were faintly visible, but after starting work, long hours of sitting and lack of exercise had caused a slight belly to appear.

However, his skin was fair and delicate, naturally so, unlike many other men whose body hair was thick and dark.

Standing on the yoga mat, Shen Siyuan slowly assumed the first posture recorded in the Eighteen Aspects.

He twisted his body, stretched his shin bones, forming a strange pose.

At first, it was bearable, but after a few breaths, his entire skeleton felt twisted, his muscles and bones aching as if being torn. Large beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.

At this stage, most people would give up, but if he did, the first aspect would be wasted.

So he gritted his teeth and persisted. Gradually, sweat began to flow like streams down his body, soaking large portions of the yoga mat.

At the same time, a burning sensation arose from his dantian and slowly spread throughout his body.

His senses seemed heightened; the pain was everywhere and so intense it made his consciousness blur.

Shen Siyuan endured, even entering a meditative state to alleviate the pain, which actually helped.

But soon, overwhelming hunger engulfed him and his body weakened, forcing him to stop.

Trembling from soreness, he reached for the water and food he’d prepared, swallowing it down greedily.

His body felt as if it hadn’t eaten for days; his stomach churned rapidly, digesting the food and accelerating his recovery.

His pain soon vanished, as if everything had been a dream.

He resumed training and repeated this cycle.

Without rare spiritual materials, training was truly arduous.

“Sweet Potato, what are you doing?” a voice called.

Dou Dou was lying on the floor, sticking out her little backside, curiously watching Shen Siyuan.

He didn’t answer because he couldn’t speak right now.

Seeing his silence, Dou Dou imitated him, copying the same posture. But without a physical body, this exercise was useless for her and she felt no pain—she just thought it was fun.

Shen Siyuan gasped for breath and stopped, then grabbed some food again.

“Sweet Potato, are you sick? If you’re sick, you need to see a doctor,” Dou Dou asked with concern.

The little one thought Shen Siyuan was ill because of his pained expression.

Finally catching his breath, Shen Siyuan said, “I’m not sick. I’m training.”

“Training? Why? You look so uncomfortable,” Dou Dou asked, puzzled.

“To become stronger,” Shen Siyuan replied.

Dou Dou pondered this, then furrowed her brows, bared her teeth, and made a painful face.

“What are you doing?” Shen Siyuan laughed at her odd expression.

“I’m training. I want to become stronger,” Dou Dou said.

Hearing this, Shen Siyuan almost spat out his water.

“You think that will make you stronger?”

“Of course! The more uncomfortable it is, the stronger you’ll become.”

Suddenly, Shen Siyuan felt she made a lot of sense.

“Why did you come back so soon?”

“It’s no fun outside, Sweet Potato. I want to watch cartoons.”

Dou Dou looked around the room and sighed deeply.

“What’s wrong? Why the sigh?”

“Sweet Potato, you’re so poor. There’s no TV at home,” Dou Dou said.

Shen Siyuan was speechless.

Indeed, there was no television in his small apartment, but he still let Dou Dou watch cartoons on his computer.

While Dou Dou watched cartoons, Shen Siyuan went to the bathroom to take a shower.

He was drenched in sweat multiple times, his body emitting an unpleasant odor. He even took the yoga mat to the bathroom to wash it thoroughly.

The training was effective; his muscles felt tighter and more toned.

When Shen Siyuan came out of the bathroom, he caught sight of a figure flickering briefly inside the room.

He glanced at Dou Dou sitting in the chair, grinning foolishly at the cartoons.

It seemed there was someone—or something—following the little one home with her.