Only I Cultivate
Chapter 33: Training

Chapter 33: Training

The day after his discharge, Feng Fan headed straight to the SIF headquarters. Since he had been in the hospital, the team’s car was no longer with him, it was now in Liang Mingxia’s possession.

He considered taking a taxi but quickly dismissed the thought. He was too broke. Even a bus fare was a stretch for his current financial situation.

’Today, I’ll make sure Director Mao gives me an advance payment!’

Luckily, it only took him half an hour to run there. His current cultivation stage not only made him faster but also gave him far more stamina.

Upon arriving, Feng Fan walked straight into Director Mao’s office—without knocking.

"Director Mao, I’m back! Did you miss me?" A grin tugged at Feng Fan’s lips as he met Mao Jiang’s displeased gaze.

"Couldn’t you at least knock?" Mao Jiang sighed.

Ignoring the comment, Feng Fan strode up to his desk and slammed his hands down. "Director Mao, please, give me an advance payment!"

Mao Jiang frowned. "An advance? Why? Didn’t you get enough bonuses from the two ghosts you dealt with?"

Feng Fan froze.

’Wait... that’s right! I completely forgot about the extra payments for each ghost!’

Without wasting a second, he pulled out his phone and downloaded his bank’s app. After going through the necessary steps to verify his identity, he logged in—and his eyes widened at the five-figure balance staring back at him.

"Fifty thousand dollars?!" He was dumbfounded. He had never expected the bonus to be worth so much more than his salary!

As Feng Fan basked in his unexpected wealth, Mao Jiang’s expression darkened.

"Kid, don’t you know it’s against regulations to use the phone provided by SIF for personal matters? Buy your own phone already."

Feng Fan laughed heartily. "Sorry, I was too poor before, but now, I’ll definitely get one!"

’From now on, I, Feng Fan, will eat three meals a day!’

Mao Jiang sighed. He had dealt with enough Hunters to be used to their eccentricities, so he simply ignored Feng Fan’s antics and moved on.

"Alright, since your money problems are solved, let’s talk about something important."

Feng Fan stopped laughing and straightened up. "I’m ready to work again, Director Mao!"

The thought of capturing more ghosts, and earning even more money, made Feng Fan excited. He could already imagine being sent on a new mission.

But Director Mao leaned back in his chair. "Calm down. You won’t be taking on any missions for a month."

Feng Fan’s excitement vanished instantly.

"I discussed this with Luo Li," Director Mao continued, "and we decided you’ll undergo training with her and two more instructors before you take on another mission."

Feng Fan frowned but quickly accepted their decision. ’I already have enough money for a while, so it’s not a problem. Besides, I do need to improve my combat skills. I can’t rely on just throwing black flames forever.’

He nodded. "Thank you, Director Mao. I’m ready to train."

"Good. Head to the training center—the same place where you took your entrance exam. One instructor is already waiting for you, and the other will arrive in the afternoon. As for Luo Li, she is on a mission, and won’t be back any time soon."

Feng Fan left the room and headed toward the training center. He looked around; there weren’t many people inside, but he had no idea who the instructor was.

A man approached him from the side. "Hello, are you Feng Fan?"

Feng Fan looked at the middle-aged man. He was short and had an amicable face—the kind you’d expect from a gentle old man.

"Ah, that’s right. Nice to meet you," Feng Fan replied, extending his hand for a handshake.

The man shook his hand before introducing himself. "Nice to meet you. My name is Zheng Tao, and I’ll be teaching you unarmed combat."

Zheng Tao turned around and walked toward an open training arena. "Let’s go. We don’t have any time to lose."

Feng Fan nodded and followed.

Once inside the arena, Zheng Tao’s aura changed; he had turned into a completely different person.

"Your body is already enhanced due to spiritual energy, but raw strength alone won’t help you against enemies of similar strength. You need proper technique."

Without warning, Zheng Tao launched a quick jab at Feng Fan’s face. Feng Fan barely dodged, stumbling back with wide eyes.

"Lesson one," Zheng Tao said with a smirk, "never assume your opponent will wait for you to be ready."

Feng Fan straightened up, feeling a little embarrassed. "Got it."

Zheng Tao nodded. "Good. First, we’ll work on your footwork. A strong stance keeps you balanced, and good movement lets you control the fight."

He then demonstrated a series of basic movements—how to shift weight between his feet, step in and out quickly, and maintain a low, stable stance.

"Now, let’s move on to strikes." Zheng Tao raised his fists. "You’ll start with jabs and crosses, then move on to hooks and uppercuts. Kicks come after that."

Feng Fan mimicked his stance, and Zheng Tao corrected his posture before making him repeat the punches over and over.

For the next hour, Feng Fan practiced everything Zheng Tao had taught him, carefully reproducing each movement.

Zheng Tao watched with growing surprise at how quickly Feng Fan was picking up the techniques. His footwork became more stable, and his punches sharper.

What neither of them knew was that Feng Fan’s rapid progress was due to his cultivation.

Strengthening his inner palace had enhanced his entire body, including his mental abilities. His memory, reflexes, and learning speed were far beyond that of an ordinary person, allowing him to grasp techniques at an astonishing rate.

Zheng Tao laughed. "Not bad! At this rate, I’ll lose my job soon enough. Now, let’s move on to kicks."

He demonstrated a basic front kick, raising his knee first before snapping his foot forward with controlled force. "Always keep your balance. Power is important, but without control, you’ll just be wide open for a counterattack."

Feng Fan mimicked the movement perfectly, his stance was almost a mirror of Zheng Tao’s. After a few repetitions, they moved on to roundhouse kicks and side kicks, each requiring precision and proper weight distribution.

Zheng Tao nodded approvingly as Feng Fan’s movements became smoother. "Good! A well-placed kick can end a fight faster than brute force."

After another hour of intense drills, Feng Fan wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling his muscles burn from the repeated kicks. Despite the exhaustion, a grin tugged at his lips. He was getting stronger.

"Alright, I’ve taught you all the basics. As for throws and grabs, they’re usually useless against ghosts, so we’ll skip those," Zheng Tao said, cracking his knuckles. "Now, how about we move on to some sparring? There’s nothing like combat to really solidify what you’ve learned so far, right?"

Feng Fan smiled. Before Zheng Tao could take his stance, Feng Fan launched a low sidekick. However, despite Zheng Tao not being a Hunter and lacking spiritual energy, his combat experience was not something Feng Fan could easily surpass.

Zheng Tao quickly stepped back, evading the kick just in time, leaving Feng Fan to strike nothing but air. Before Feng Fan could regain his balance, Zheng Tao retaliated with a swift front kick aimed directly at him.