Chapter 52 Medicinal Bath

The sea breeze whispered, and the waves surged like mountains. Rising, rolling, falling, crashing—yet those two figures stood in the midst of it all, as if nailed to the ocean, utterly unmoving.

From a distance, Geng Siro saw only two small heads bobbing on the sponge-like surface, sometimes disappearing beneath the tumult of the waves. Cold rain mingled with seawater slapped against their faces, stinging sharply. But even so, it was no reason to retreat. The raging currents of the sea could not knock him down, let alone this paltry water lashing his cheeks. Like the rocks beneath their feet, they stood upright, steadfast in the waves.

From the soles of his feet, a warm current surged up through his calves, thighs, waist, and spine, enveloping his whole body in comforting heat. Though the world outside was cold as the ocean, his heart burned like the blazing sun.

Gradually growing accustomed to the impact of the waves, Tang Shen slowly drew the iron bamboo sword from his back, gripped the hilt with both hands, and began to practice the basic sword techniques within the water. One stroke followed another! The resistance in the water was immense, compounded by the hidden currents, making every strike crooked, impossible to direct with precision. Horizontal slash! Vertical slash! Diagonal slash! Starting with the simplest moves, adapting step by step.

Whenever the crest of a wave surged, Tang Shen and Kuina would raise their iron bamboo swords without hesitation, slashing forward into the oncoming surge. Often, engrossed in their practice, they forgot their footing and were swept off the rocks in an instant. It was a sight pitiful to behold: time and again, they dragged themselves back, utterly exhausted, with Tang Shen pulling Kuina up by her collar.

They truly wrung out the last drop of strength from their bodies. Sprawled on the shore, the two lay in the shape of a great star.

“Hahaha—how comfortable!” Tang Shen laughed aloud, saying, “Kuina, you really embarrassed yourself.”

Kuina’s slightly chubby cheeks broke into a smile as she retorted, “Master, you’re no better yourself.”

After a brief rest, they ate the meat prepared in advance, restored their energy, and continued their efforts. Again and again, they fell into the sea, again and again, they climbed back onto the rocks. Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen, twenty... In the end, limp as puddles, Tang Shen had to carry his precious apprentice on his back, staggering toward the Yixin Dojo.

After all, he was the master.

Neither of them ever complained that the training was bitter or exhausting. Instead, it was all about who had been more embarrassed, who would persist longer next time, how to adapt to the strong currents, and how to ensure the sword did not waver. Relentless reflection, ceaseless thought, constant progress.

For Tang Shen, the most leisurely and comfortable moments lately were those spent hunting fierce beasts in the forest to level up while gathering herbs. Thankfully, his gathering skill ensured the herbs were intact and the process was much easier. His spatial backpack was always piled full.

When the day’s training ended, Tang Shen did not immediately return but instead prepared various medicinal herbs and brewed two large tubs of herbal bath.

Herbal baths, with millennia of history in his previous life, worked by allowing the medicinal ions in the bath to be absorbed through the skin’s mucous membranes, diffusing and radiating into the body, thus avoiding the liver’s first-pass effect and reducing toxicity. They could prevent and treat certain ailments, and some unique baths improved physical constitution.

Most remarkable were the ancient sects of his previous life, which used precious herbs in their baths to strengthen their disciples’ bodies, laying a solid foundation for the future inheritance of their teachings and the flourishing of their sects.

Had this been reality, Tang Shen would never have found so many herbs matching those in his mind; in his previous life they were prohibitively expensive, and now, in this special era, even rarer. Yet, in the world of pirates, wild herbs abounded. Though many were not especially rare, they were enough to replenish Kuina’s vitality, preventing her young body from being depleted by intense training.

Moreover, the herbal bath greatly aided recovery, which explained why Kuina remained energetic day after day. The second tub was prepared for himself. Unable to enjoy such luxury in reality, he indulged in it in the game, and he discovered the bath benefited his game body, rapidly restoring his constitution and spirit, with remarkable effects.

He always felt, after soaking, that his recovery was subtly different from usual, though the sensation was fleeting and elusive, so he never pursued it further. Still, he had grown accustomed to preparing a tub for himself. After bathing, logging off, and sleeping, he found his rest sweeter than ever.

He simmered the herbs according to the formula and poured the decoction directly into the tubs.

“Kuina, take off your clothes and get in,” Tang Shen called, not turning his head.

“Master, please leave first,” Kuina replied shyly.

“Hurry up, it’s nothing I haven’t seen. There’s hardly anything to look at—you haven’t developed yet, your chest is flatter than a runway,” Tang Shen scoffed.

No sooner had he finished speaking—

Bang!

Kuina, annoyed, kicked him squarely on the backside, sending him stumbling out the door. He managed to steady himself just in time.

Thud!

The door slammed shut.

Tang Shen rubbed his nose awkwardly, patted his rear, and muttered, “This little girl, how did she get so fierce?”

A few days ago, when Kuina was too tired from training, Tang Shen would carry her back, undress her, and toss her into the tub. Not only had he seen, but he’d touched as well. She was still so young, not yet developed! It wasn’t as though he hadn’t seen women’s bodies before—in his previous life, he’d watched countless films, and in the city he was no stranger to worldly experience. This little girl’s flat figure stirred not a trace of interest.

“Are you done yet?” Tang Shen waited a minute and asked impatiently. Hearing no answer, he pushed the door open and saw Kuina, in her underwear, about to step into the tub.

His face darkened at once. This stubborn girl wouldn’t do as told, refusing to undress fully.

Amid Kuina’s startled cry, Tang Shen stripped her himself, dropped her into the tub with a splash, and covered it with a wooden lid, leaving only her head exposed.

“If I catch you disobeying again, I’ll spank you,” Tang Shen threatened.

Kuina said nothing, her face flushed. Whether from embarrassment or the heat of the water, it was hard to tell—the water was freshly boiled, and with the added herbs, its temperature was even higher.

He drew the curtain across the middle.

Tang Shen swiftly undressed, stepped into his own tub, and covered himself.

“Mmm—wonderful!” As soon as he entered, the heat from the water invaded every pore, and the medicinal essence seeped into his body. At first, it was pleasantly warm; soon, it grew scorching. In the blink of an eye, Tang Shen’s face turned bright red, steam rising from his head like a lobster in a steamer. This was the most crucial moment of the herbal bath, and also the most agonizing.