The man drew closer, staring down at Li Yao like he was nothing more than a clueless child—an untrained brat who had wandered into the wild at it's worse hour without understanding the consequences.
"We can discuss why you're here later, but first let's get somewhere safer. We're not out of danger yet." He walked past Li Yao, leading the way down a narrow path through the forest.
After several minutes of walking, they finally arrived at a small cottage hidden among the trees. Stepping inside, the middle-aged man carefully scanned the surroundings to make sure no one had followed them. Only then did he shut the door firmly and lock it behind him.
"Now then, who are you child? Why are you by yourself in this forest at this hour?" He asked.
"Forgive me, I know I shouldn't have wandered into the forest at this hour, but I was on my way to the demonic cult academy."
"The demonic cult academy?" The middle-aged man's brows twitched as he looked Li Yao up and down—then suddenly burst into a loud laughter.
"You? Who could barely hold his own against bears? Wish to enroll in the demonic cult academy?" His laughter faded, shifting into a heavy sigh.
"I understand why you had to travel this late, after all the demonic cult academy has it's entrance exams every five years, and tomorrow by noon just happens to be the entrance exams. But my advice to you kid, with your skills, no. With your lack of skills, you'd only get yourself killed." He said disdainfully.
"Sir." Li Yao said calmly. "I'm aware of my lack of skills, but that will not stop me from fulfilling what has to be done... No matter what." His eyes said it all. Focus. Determined.
'Despite his lack of cultivation, his eyes are exactly like the eyes of a seasoned cultivator, a seasoned murim warrior with many years of experience. He might resemble a mere brat outwardly, but up there... It's an entirely different story.' The middle-aged man thought.
"Hmph, you can stay here for the night, then leave first thing in the morning. But I'm warning you kid, without at least a shred of skill, you'll really lose your life." He said, almost as if begging him not to take the entrance exam.
"Then teach me. Teach me your... Sword technique." He stammered for a moment, struggling to find the right words to explain the strange technique he witnessed.
"It's a saber form, and there's no way I'm teaching a sacred technique to a kid who doesn't even know the value of life." He replied.
He was a little shocked, for even his request for help didn't sound like the words of a confused and ignorant brat.
It moved him. His maturity, desire.
Despite trying to talk him out of certain death, Li Yao's mindset did not falter.
"You're still not going to change your mind huh? Fine. I can't teach you my techniques, but I can at least teach you some techniques. It should be enough, hopefully."
Li Yao bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Your help is appreciated."
"But, we can't do it this night, we don't want to attract any unwanted attention from the wild. The entrance exam is at noon, so we'll begin immediately at dawn. And hopefully, whatever you grasp will be enough."
"Thank you."
After guiding him to the guest room, they each settled into their beds and soon slept through the night.
The Next Morning.
The middle-aged man yawned loudly as he stepped out of his room. It was just 6 a.m., and the sun hovered above the clouds, preparing to spill its brilliant light across the lands.
The man approached Li Yao's room and knocked several times, but there was no response.
"After all his composure, he really is still a kid. Hey kid, wake up, there's not much time left." Still, there was no response.
Slightly annoyed, he pushed open the guest room door, only to find a neatly made bed—almost as if no one had stayed there at all during the night.
"Did he finally realize that it was a stupid idea to take the entrance exams? Better late than never, kids these days..." He sighed, shut the doors to the room and stepped outside his house.
Before he could fully enjoy the early morning breeze, he spotted Li Yao—kneeling quietly, completely still, deep in meditation.
It was something he had always done in his previous life. For a mage, maintaining balance between one's magical power, nature, and oneself was essential to reaching full potential.
He had understood this clearly after absorbing the power of the Flameblood's relic, and over time, it had become second nature to him.
"You're still here?" His brows twitched. He had hoped Li Yao had already left, but it was exactly the opposite.
Li Yao's eyes fluttered open, and his gaze were fixed on the middle aged man. "Good morning." He made sure to begin with a greeting. After all, it was only proper to show respect to one's teacher. "I told you, this is something I have to do."
The middle aged man sighed. "Fine, let's begin shall we?"
He brought out a knife and held it carefully in his hand. Li Yao watched with focused attention. Handling a knife was basic knowledge for almost anyone, but using it skillfully in combat was an entirely different matter.
And judging by the strange technique he had shown the previous night, his skills with the knife were undoubtedly top tier.
"Listen closely, there's a difference between swinging a knife, and actually using a knife. The common denominator being the techniques, but behind every technique are steps to follow to ensure maximum results. Hence, that's why breathing techniques were created." He unsheathed the knife.
"There's a difference in striking when a proper breathing technique is added, than when you strike so casually."
"Watch closely, for this is a technique so basic, but when used in the hands of a true Murim master, can be deadly. The basic knife technique."