'This kid... To be able to cause this much damage with such tiny Qi... He must possess an affinity for martial arts more than anyone I've ever seen... I wonder...'
"Yes." The middle-aged man cleared his throat, snapping out of his thoughts. "That was impressive kid, but the basic knife technique can only get you do far in the demonic cult academy."
"I know, but it's not like I have a choice."
"What if you did?" The man's question froze in the air as Li Yao's brows jerked.
"What do you mean?"
"Kid... Would you like to learn the 3 Saber forms?"
"What?" Li Yao turned around slowly, his eyes trembling with doubt. Could it be real? The man was truly offering to teach him his saber technique?
"You'd really teach the the saber technique? But I thought you said you were never going to teach me a technique as sacred as that?"
The middle-aged man stepped forward, his hands clasped calmly behind his back.
"That's because I thought you were just a mere brat who didn't understand the value of life. Everyone wants to enroll in the demonic cult academy, but not everyone has the potential to survive. That academy is a unforgivable ground where the weak shall cease to exist, only those who have what it takes to ascend to the top can even dream about going there."
The man paused in his steps, and a smile spread slowly across his face. It wasn't the smile of someone excited, but of one who had stumbled upon a priceless treasure after years of searching.
"I thought you were just another brat who pursued a pointless dream, but it seems I wro-"
"Pointless?" Li Yao's tone changed, the man noticed him immediately. To Li Yao, his goals were not pointless, they weren't priceless either. And that was because a price will be paid — the blood of the bastards who took his new family away from him.
And to do that, he needed to learn everything he could regarding cultivation from the academy. "No matter what... I will reach the top."
His eyes said everything—there was no need for words. The sharp gleam within them carried an intensity that could not be faked. It was the kind of unwavering determination that burned brighter than flames, so radiant and fierce that the middle-aged man almost felt blinded just by looking at him.
"Very well then, shall we get started?" The middle-aged man turned his back without a word and disappeared into the cottage.
Moments later, the wooden door creaked open, and he stepped out again, this time holding a saber in his hand.
As he stepped out of the house, he saw Li Yao—kneeling quietly, completely still, deep in meditation once again.
'This kid...'
He had no time to celebrate, no time to feel joy over finally learning the saber technique. His mind was filled only with his goals and his burning desire for revenge.
"There's not enough time before the entrance exams begin, so I'll be as blunt and straightforward as possible."
He pulled out his saber and gripped it tightly. Planting his feet on the ground, he bent his knees a little and steadied himself.
Then he drew the blade back slowly until the middle of it was lined up with the side of his head. His other arm stretched forward, acting as balance and support, making his stance firm and ready.
"Being able to use the saber technique is completely different from the basic knife technique, as well as other forms that exists between various sects. Much like the basic knife technique, special movements, special breathing techniques and most importantly, the flow of your Qi through the Meridians are required. But it's much difficult than you think."
The middle-aged man took two, slow consecutive breaths, then dashed forward at a tree.
"First form of the Crimson Saber: Crimson Nova!"
THUD!
It all happened in an instant. The tree standing before the man split apart, its trunk falling piece by piece to the ground like slices of bread.
Li Yao's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't even noticed the man swing his saber until the roots and branches of the tree were already crashing to the ground.
"The same applies for the other forms of the saber technique."
The man's eyes snapped open. With a swift pivot of his feet, he turned sharply, and the force of his movement stirred a gust of wind that lifted a small cloud of dust into the air.
"Second form of the Crimson Saber: Crimson Thrust!" The man tightened his grip and drove the saber forward with a powerful thrust, piercing straight into the trunk of a tree.
It looked almost like the basic knife technique, but there was a clear difference. With the basic form, a tree would simply topple to the ground. But when he used the second form, the tree didn't just fall—it burst apart, as if it had imploded from within.
"Now you try."
He tossed the saber to Li Yao, who caught it with both hands and swallowed nervously. He could feel it—the lingering force of the second form. It was undeniable. This saber technique stood on a level far above the knife technique.
Li Yao pushed himself to his feet. Relying on his sharp memory, he replicated the stance the man had taken, adjusting his posture to match it as closely as he could.
Then he tried the first form, carefully replicating each movement just as he had seen. But there was one problem.
The saber got stuck in the thich branch of the tree in front of him. "What?" Li Li Yao was taken aback. He was certain he had executed the movement correctly—so why didn't it worked?
'It's one thing to master any exceed the limitations of the basic knife technique, but did I hope too much by thinking he could actually learn the saber technique?' The middle-aged man thought.
'Why didn't it work? I know I got the movements right, so why? He said special movements required but I was able to learn it easily, he also said special breath-'
Li Yao turned quickly and held the saber out, handing it back to the man without hesitation. "Is it too much to ask you to do it again?"
"Not at all." The man took the saber from his hand, then immediately got into the stance to perform the saber forms.
As the man flowed gracefully through the first and second forms of the crimson saber, Li Yao watched intently. He studied every movement, every subtle detail, and most importantly—the rhythm of the man's breathing.
'That's it!' Li Yao's eyes widened as he noticed the pattern in the man's breathing. He wasn't simply taking a single breath—he drew in two, spaced in steady intervals. One before he began the form, and another the instant he delivered the final blow.
It was mostly significant in the second form.
"Hope that helped." The man handed the saber back to him.
"Alright." Li Yao got into the stance, then retracing the man's breathing pattern, he flowed seamlessly into the first form. And this time — although it wasn't as effective as the man's strikes, he managed to slice through the thick branches in one slice.
Then he moved directly into the second form, and the force behind his strike managed to topple the tree over.
'It's not as effective as I'd hoped, this saber technique which took me years to master just the first form alone, but he still managed to grasp it. I was right, this kid really is a genius. With more training, I wager he'd be able to completely master the first and second form of the Crimson saber technique in a week!'
[Ding!]
[Secret quest (Cultivate a technique) has been completed!]
[Ding! You have successfully cultivated the first form of the Crimson Saber Sect!]
[Ding! You have successfully cultivated the second form of the Crimson Saber Sect!]
[Ding! You have leveled up!]
[Ding! You have gained a new ability!]
[The Integrator's Eye (Level 1): The Integrator's eye is an eye that grants the cultivator the ability to cultivate and assimilate other cultivator's techniques.
• Passive Skill — The Cultivator's eye: It grants the cultivator the ability to manipulate a limited residue of external and internal Qi. It also grants the ability to decipher complex movements, though with limits.]