Training and Adaptation

“Mo Bai… is something wrong?” Seeing Mo Bai suddenly fall silent and stare at his own wrist, Bai Xia nervously asked in a low voice.

If it wasn’t good news, she hoped her deskmate wouldn’t suddenly tell her she had some incurable disease or something.

Although she wasn’t sure if that was even possible, Mo Bai’s expression seemed a bit off.

Fortunately, her worries were unnecessary.

The next moment, Mo Bai let out a soft laugh, ruffling the girl’s small hand and shaking his head. “Nothing.”

“It’s just that your body can’t handle the power inside you right now. Just pay a little more attention during your next battles, and that’s all.”

“Th-this…”

Bai Xia nodded vaguely. She understood what he meant, but still wondered if there was a way to fix it. She really didn’t want to experience that feeling again.

That inexplicable sense of losing control was deeply uncomfortable.

The girl raised her delicate, fair hand and looked at it, then glanced up at Mo Bai. “So… is there any way to help me adapt faster?”

“Um…” Mo Bai hesitated.

His little maid wasn’t even human, and he wasn’t sure whether human training methods would work for her.

Besides, there weren’t many precedents for someone like Bai Xia, who had suddenly gained such powerful abilities. So he wasn’t certain what the right approach was.

If something went wrong, it wouldn’t be good.

“Probably not. This kind of thing usually has to be mastered on your own,” Mo Bai said with a helpless shrug, deciding to play it safe. Forced growth was never a good idea.

Moreover, most transcendents developed their abilities gradually through cultivation. Unless they obtained some rare external boost, a situation like Bai Xia’s would be almost impossible.

Fortunately, the impact wasn’t too severe. As long as she paid attention, it would be manageable.

“Okay.” Bai Xia sighed, realizing that improving her strength still depended on her own efforts.

But if Mo Bai said she had performed well, did that mean she could secure a better rank in the selection if she worked harder?

Thinking of this, Bai Xia grew a little excited. “So, shall we continue?”

“Sit for a while first, silly.” Mo Bai tapped the girl’s small head. As he looked at her tiny, charming figure, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.

After all, the energy in Bai Xia’s body should originate from the blood he had fed her.

If they continued training like this, wouldn’t he be able to help his little maid “recharge” again that night?

A subtle smile crept across Mo Bai’s lips. He casually ruffled Bai Xia’s hair, comforting the girl who had just been discouraged but was now full of enthusiasm. “There’s no need to rush. You haven’t even started proper training yet, and your raw strength alone has already eliminated sixty percent of the competition.”

“Is that so…”

“Of course. So you should train more in the future.”

Such a starting point made even Mo Bai marvel at the natural superiority of outsiders, whose baseline far exceeded that of ordinary transcendents.

Unfortunately, humanity’s research on outsiders was still limited, and the source of their power remained unclear—even to Mo Bai. He only knew it might be related to certain forbidden entities, but most of that information was classified. Even someone at his father’s level, as a Sword Bearer, was bound by strict confidentiality.

After resting with the little one for a few minutes, Mo Bai—now recovered—brought Bai Xia back to the center of the training field. After all, real combat wasn’t just about attacking; one also had to learn how to defend and evade.

So, as Bai Xia attacked, he would also counterattack, training her reaction speed.

Mo Bai summoned a longsword into his hand, twisting his wrist so the blade shimmered with a flowing, icy light. Then he said seriously, “This time, you need to attack and avoid my counters. An opponent won’t just stand there and let you hit them.”

“Okay, I understand.” Bai Xia adjusted her breathing and assumed a fighting stance once more.

The energy she had replenished the day before was already depleted by a third from their earlier exchange, so she couldn’t afford to be reckless this time. After all, her goal wasn’t just to grow stronger, but also to learn control.

A burst of crimson energy enveloped the girl again, her white hair fluttering as she dashed forward, aiming a punch at Mo Bai.

Unfortunately, her speed was still insufficient against a now-serious Mo Bai. He simply sidestepped, easily avoiding her attack, then extended his foot slightly—

A sharp cry echoed through the training field.

Bai Xia stumbled and rolled half a meter across the ground, landing awkwardly and momentarily dazed.

“Didn’t I tell you? No one in a real fight will stand still and let you hit them,” Mo Bai said with a faint smile, observing her.

Her power was undeniably strong, but her control and technique were lacking.

Bai Xia understood his point—but being tripped like that was humiliating.

She had expected to lose to some flashy sword technique, not by such a simple move.

Damn it—being bullied was one thing, but getting toyed with during training was another!

“Again!” Bai Xia stood up, glaring at Mo Bai with determination.

If she couldn’t even keep up in training, how could she ever face him confidently?

Damn it—humans shouldn’t underestimate a blood maid!

However, after several more exchanges, Bai Xia found herself being completely toyed with. Every time she thought she was about to land a hit, Mo Bai would evade at the last moment, or casually block her attack.

Gradually, Bai Xia became aware of her own shortcomings: she relied too heavily on close combat and had no ranged abilities to pressure her opponent, making it difficult to land decisive blows.

Still, battle was the best teacher. After a few rounds, Bai Xia began to find her rhythm, her red eyes glowing with a deeper crimson—enough to make Mo Bai slightly concerned.

“Bai Xia, don’t push yourself too hard.” Mo Bai frowned and moved to intervene.

But Bai Xia shook her head. “It’s okay, Mo Bai. I can handle it.”

For her future… she had to give it everything she had.

Even if she didn’t fully understand why she felt so driven, her body had already taken over, pushing her toward her limits. The energy surrounding her petite frame grew denser, almost solidifying, subtly distorting the space around her.