"Are cultivation techniques?" Xiaotian asked curiously.
"One is a cultivation technique from your Sect, the Dancing Sword Technique. I heard that it's one of the core techniques they teach, so I went to find the first volume."
Xiaotian opened the scroll Elder Yan pointed to and was perplexed. "Now you also teach techniques from the Oak Sword Sect? And the Dancing Sword, of all things!"
It was one of the techniques he had most admired when he saw it used by those powerful swordsmen of the Sect. Ruxue was a specialist in this technique, so he had a strong concept of it.
"They are not taught in my Tower," he emphasized. "I brought it for you."
"You brought it for me?" Xiaotian understood what that meant and couldn't help but raise his voice. "Did you come from the Sect?!"
"Of course." The Elder nodded, giving it little importance.
Even so, that action alone made Xiaotian feel valued by this elder in some way. Knowing what he had done for him, going to the Zhang Clan to have him enrolled in that tournament, and now going to find this technique for him...
He smiled a little and bowed. "Thank you, elder. For earlier and for this."
"Don't mention it." The elder waved his hand as if he felt annoyed about it. "Look at the other scroll, it's a movement technique," he said.
"Fast Feet?" Xiaotian asked, remembering what the boys downstairs had been taught.
The elder raised an eyebrow and stared at him. "Kid, stop spying on our teachers. You're a guest member, nothing more," he reminded him.
Xiaotian simply shrugged. It wasn't as if spying would give him all the knowledge he needed about a technique.
'Well... maybe it does,' he thought, though he revealed nothing in his gaze.
As he looked at the scroll and confusion spread across his face, the elder spoke.
"It's not Fast Feet. It's called Ghost Step," he said.
"Ghost Step?" Xiaotian raised his eyebrows. He didn't understand what it was.
The elder nodded. "You can think of it as the third most advanced level of Swift Feet. With your current characteristics and that amazing technique you have, this is the best choice for you."
"The third level? Really? Isn't this one of your Tower's private techniques?" Xiaotian asked with a look of clear surprise.
"Don't worry about that." The elder shrugged before continuing. "You will learn these techniques starting today, while we continue training you in that technique of yours."
Although Xiaotian was still surprised, he nodded seriously. "Okay," he replied.
"Then I'll start by teaching you the concepts of a movement technique. Believe me when I tell you that a movement technique is the foundation of every sword cultivator. If you have a good movement technique, you can cover up practically all the deficiencies that a cultivator may have. So we'll start there."
Sword cultivators have clear weaknesses, such as low defense. Many cover this weakness by learning to use shields, but that reduces their mobility.
They tend to lose the essence of what it means to be a swordsman, which is why many are not considered as such.
That's where the greatness of a movement technique comes in.
The ability to use your own spiritual energy with your body, in the true sense of the word, through meridians, veins, and nerves, to lighten your own weight or allow it to move with the wind or whatever element is used.
These techniques practically allow you to defy gravity and move at astonishing speeds.
Elder Yan explained it to him in detail so that he would understand not only the importance but also the concept of a technique that defies a few natural laws.
It was not difficult to understand; it was quite simple.
Therefore, he did not take long to start learning it.
The use was simple to explain, but difficult to perform.
Spiritual energy had to flow smoothly through every region of the physical body, entering the cavities of the meridians and veins, enveloping his blood and surrounding his small, delicate nerves.
That was the first part, which he accomplished without difficulty.
'I can feel my body filled with energy,' he thought, marveling at the strange, warm, and refreshing feeling that enveloped him.
Most of that energy was gathered in the soles of his feet, ankles, calves, and legs. He felt extremely light, so he took his first steps, confident that he would succeed.
His first step was successful.
His eyes sparkled as he realized that it was an extremely smooth step, but one that took him much further than he thought.
Then he took the next step, marveling at the feeling.
BAM!
His body collided with the armor of the puppets on the other side, and he fell to the ground, dizzy.
"Look ahead, idiot. Don't you understand? You're moving at high speeds." Elder Yan scolded him from the side.
Xiaotian smiled. "I'm sorry." He apologized and tried to get up to try again, but failed. His body fell backward uncontrollably, even moving a few meters away from where he was standing.
Xiaotian frowned and looked at the elder. He wanted to ask him, What the hell is this?
But the elder gave him a mocking look before grabbing a chair to sit down to read.
He ignored him!
"Old man..." Xiaotian felt like insulting him, but that would be ungrateful. It wasn't like he really wanted to be when the elder had helped him so much.
Still, couldn't he give a couple of tips to someone who didn't belong to this world and was trying to understand how these techniques he had never seen before worked?
That was mean...
'Although he doesn't know.' Xiaotian shook his head and decided to stop thinking about nonsense. He had to study.
His next few days would be filled with similar situations as he mastered amazing techniques.
He even came to think that they were better than the Legacy Techniques, until he understood that the greatness of a Legacy Technique was not the movements they taught, but the fact that he could mix his powers with those of these Cultivation Techniques to make them more powerful.
In short, Cultivation Techniques were born from these Legacy Techniques. If you had a Legacy Technique and learned a Cultivation Technique, you could enhance the latter with the former, getting the most out of it and allowing your Legacy Technique to be more variable.
Under intense training, the days passed quickly and the weeks flew by. Between learning new techniques, improving his Legacy Technique, increasing his cultivation, and discovering things with his little spider pet, the designated month came to an end.
-
"Thank you, Elder." Xiaotian thanked him sincerely the night before the tournament. "Thanks to you, I will be able to win this and take back what belongs to me."
Elder Yan shook his head. "This is just a small tournament, kid. Your real rival is over there in the sect, sitting in a Central Disciple position, patiently waiting for the sect to allow him to obtain that technique." He reminded him.
"I know." Xiaotian nodded. "But I will win."
"Very well." Elder Yan chuckled a little. "Then go back. Sleep well tonight; tomorrow will be your big day."
Xiaotian nodded to him and made sure to thank him once more before leaving.
As he walked down the stairs, a man was walking up them. Xiaotian didn't notice because he was lost in thought, but the man stared at him until he was out of sight.
"I didn't think Mr. Shen would want to visit me." Elder Yan greeted him at the door of his office.
Shen Tao shrugged. He was dressed in a butler's uniform and had a memorable face. If Xiaotian had looked up earlier, he would have realized that this man was the same one who had been with Count Lu that day.
"Elder Yan, it's been a long time. My master seems to disagree with you a little, but he still respects you. That's why he sent me here."
"Well, if he respected me as you say, he would have sent you two or three weeks ago," Yan replied with a shrug.
"Well, we have to show our disagreement, don't we?" Shen Tao smiled and looked behind him.
"I'm very curious to know who that boy is. He has such a commanding presence," he said, looking at Elder Yan. "Could you tell me?"
"Is it an order from Count Lu to find out who my new disciple is?" Yan asked.
"I don't think the Count would want to know something like that. It's just my curiosity, since you don't take disciples."
Elder Yan shrugged. "Even if it were an order from the Count, I wouldn't tell you, so give it up." he said before opening the office door for him to enter.
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