Theo's training regime (2/2)

There were over a hundred different gardens like the one Theo picked scattered across the sect grounds. Some of them served to help people relax, and others doubled as the training grounds for the cheaper end of masters and disciples.

Normally, those gardens would be filled with silence, respect, and focus.

Not in Theo's garden though.

Because after wringing them dry for hours upon end, Theo finally allowed his disciples to take a rest.

Everyone fell as they stood. The embrace of the cold ground never appeared as sweet as before, offering the desired release from the overwhelming exhaustion.

'Is it over yet?' Kaya took in a huge breath and held it in her breast. She hoped to calm her heart down so that she could put her body into a proper resting state.

Gasping for air while desperately releasing all the exhaustion would only lead to secondary pains tomorrow.

"Ha…. Ha…. Ha…" Kaya breathed out more or less steadily.

"I will be leaving you guys here for tonight." Theo stood up and announced from his favorite spot in the middle of the garden. "I would advise you to get some rest," he added as he turned around and headed towards the exit without a second to think about it.

"And just like that, he's gone," Luo commented once he was certain his voice wouldn't reach Theo's ears.

All five of them lay down on the ground, desperate to alleviate the mind-draining exhaustion.

'It was just a simple run,' Kaya protested in her thought. 'How could it be so damn draining?' she wailed to the heavens, too juiced out to form even a single, more cohesive thought.

"Is this how our life is supposed to look like?" Tiana moaned, wiggling on the ground as she was unable to find that one, perfectly comfortable position that would allow an optimal rest.

No matter what part of her body she laid down on, it would make some of her muscles uncomfortable. A small annoyance, but in due time, it would only further drag her mood and motivation down.

"Certainly, this isn't what I thought I was signing up for," Hugo seconded everyone's stance on the topic.

"You have quite the gall to speak when you are in the best shape out of all five of us," Luo commented, letting his wits out the second he had some spare energy to do so.

"It's not my fault seniors were lazy with their basic training." Hugo gave the other party a provocative smile… before bending down as holding his head up for the confrontation proved too much effort for the youngest of the disciples to bother.

"This guy is really weird…" Kaya muttered. She didn't comment on the ongoing conversation nor did she reply to Tiana's question. She simply put her own comment out there.

But in the mess of the group that it was quickly becoming, all five of Theo's disciples understood her feelings.

The budding conflict died off on its own when neither party had enough spare energy to keep it up.

Silence filled the garden, a result of everyone focusing their attention on mere survival.

What's more, as the hour was turning late by now, the cold winds started to come in.

Sweaty as they were after hours of exhaustive exercise, they were now bound to stay outside, inviting all sorts of colds for the next morning?

"Whatever…" Luo waved his hand as he forced himself to sit down. His body instantly weighed him over, making the man heavily lean forward. "This is one day out of the way," he mentioned.

The entire group was too tired to listen to any sort of lecture. But the rational voice of their companion in hell proved weirdly interesting. Not a single one of Luo's fellow disciples could now just ignore his remark.

"Our master said it will be all over in a month," Luo continued crafting his theory. "Worst case scenario, we only have thirty days like this to come," he pointed out the bright side… that turned out increasingly dark.

"Thirty more days of hell like this?" Narid pulled his lips together. "There is no way we could survive something like that," he protested in a small voice, too tired for even the strongest emotions to get any rise out of him.

Luo gulped down.

The words of encouragement that he wanted to share ended up bringing everyone's mood even further down.

"Guys, let me ask you this," Luo started, gathering all his wit for the last attempt at raising everyone's morale.

Kaya looked deeply into her companion's eye. She could vaguely sense a distant pressure to get a grip on the group dancing in the back of Luo's eyes.

It wasn't a hint of Luo's greed for authority, she was sure about it. The aura of greed for power didn't fit the feeling that she had.

'Does he knows something that he doesn't want to share with us?' Kaya guessed.

The girl clenched her jaws and nodded her head.

'The fact that we passed the selection doesn't mean the competition is over,' Kaya thought, realizing the inevitable. 'And while they are going to be my most likely allies in the future, for now, I need to pay attention to my business first and foremost!'

"Do our master feels like…" Luo hesitated for a second. "An average cultivator to you?"

Luo's voice filled the void in the garden, giving everyone something to think about it.

Kaya's hands twitched before forming into fists.

"It will be for the best if we go to sleep," Kaya spoke, refusing to let the initiative slip out of her hands.

'We are too tired to bother with power plays,' the girl thought, thinking through every last word she would allow through her lips. 'So this makes it a perfect stage to see who everyone is made for!'

"Master said we will need this rest," Tiana agreed with Kaya, backing her up. "And after today, I'm quite sure those are not the words we should treat lightly!"