Endless roads, countless stars sparkling across the horizon. Boundless oceans.
A world where the powerful travel on long journeys, where heroes arise.
Dreams, wealth, secret treasures, power. They all belong there.
Chapter 1 – The Ultimate Retainer
Tang Tian was the same as usual, standing lazily on the training grounds.
Looking at those young and pure faces, he snorted.
It was the first time the youths had come to Andrew Academy's training grounds. Andrew Academy was Star Wind City's top tenth academy. Even though the facilities on the training grounds were incomparable to the number one Heaven Dawn Establishment, they could still be considered a first-rate facility.
Furthermore, it was the first practical lesson for the new students, and they were brimming with curiosity.
"Everything that is written on the textbooks that you have all studied before, I have already explained thoroughly. From today onwards, other than theory classes, the majority of your time will be spent here on the training grounds. If any of you dream of entering a better academy, studying and training diligently is the only way.
Always remember, there are no shortcuts to success. Cultivating will forever be dull and tedious; never believe in luck."
Master Cen solemnly said, as his voice echoed through the training grounds.
Eagerness and anticipation filled the young students' eyes.
"Today, our syllabus is to practise the fundamentals of sword arts. Martial arts are useless if one simply studies the theory but neglects actual practise.
However, before you all begin to practise on your own, your senior Tang Tian will demonstrate once. Senior Tang Tian is Andrew Academy's most outstanding and skilled martial arts fundamentals expert, who even I am unable to compete with.
It will do you all well to watch and focus on what a perfect swordsmanship foundation looks like."
"Shua."
All the youths turned their gazes to Tang Tian. In the eyes of many, the 'slacker' status changed for the better.
Tang Tian was cool and distant.
"Tang Tian, please begin." Master Cen instructed.
"Oh."
Tang Tian responded with a sigh and walked to the sword box in the corner and pulled out a wooden sword.
Once he held the wooden sword, Tang Tian's eyes instantly gleamed with sharpness and turned serious, with the previous laziness gone in a flash.
With his left leg pulled half a step back, his waist slightly lowered and his right elbow tucked in, Tang Tian raised the sword tip to eye level.
His waist was slightly deviated, his elbow was relaxed like a spring, and his wrist did not move an inch.
Si!
A shrilling sound rang through the clear air.
Andrew Academy's Fundamental Sword Arts Strike!
Many youths subconsciously cheered in amusement.
Many of them actually had no interest in the fundamental sword art techniques. As the name implied, the fundamental sword techniques aimed to build a student's foundation and were considered the lowest stage of sword art technique.
It was normal for the youths to have no interest in them.
Yet when they saw Tang Tian execute the fundamental sword techniques, each stroke looked simple but was performed with grace and strength.
In a split second, he had won the hearts of the youths.
Tang Tian's focus was at its peak, moving one foot swiftly forward. His shoulders were poised and unmoved, yet his arms were like ropes. When they suddenly trembled, the wooden sword struck the floor.
Wu!
The sound broke the silence, and people tensed.
The fundamental movements of sword art techniques generally have a much shorter range than advanced sword arts, but they possess a stronger explosive power.
As Tang Tian demonstrated the key points of the strike sharply and clearly, the youths could truly see the flexibility of the wooden sword in the air.
The youths once again gasped in admiration.
Master Cen was already used to it. He watched Tang Tian standing on the training ground and even though he had seen him practise countless times, every time he watched Tang Tian practise it still took his breath away.
Master Cen even claimed that his mastery of fundamental sword art techniques could not compare with Tang Tian's, and he was very humble about it.
Lift.
Block.
Draw.
Tang Tian's movements were like clouds and flowing water. With a calm mind, he did not hesitate in the middle of his movements.
His movements were calm, graceful, yet filled with power.
When he completed his final movement, the entire training ground became silent.
Tang Tian returned to his lazy expression and tossed the wooden sword away.
As if the sword had eyes, it fell directly back into the sword container in the corner.
The students burst into cheers.
"Wow! That was amazing! Fundamental sword techniques can actually be this powerful!"
"So cool! So beautiful!"
"Awesome! Senior Tang Tian is so manly! Senior, senior, please go out with me!"
The eyes of the female students sparkled within the crowd.
Tang Tian had a large build, and with this display of fundamental sword techniques he appeared perfect, without the slightest awkwardness, making everyone think he was coordinated and flexible.
Tang Tian remained indifferent.
"Che, ignorance!
So what if your fundamental sword technique is perfect? You still failed the final examination for five consecutive years!
This cool senior Tang Tian has been studying these same fundamental sword techniques since my brother first entered Andrew Academy.
Pew, my brother is already about to graduate."
The youth shouted loudly within the crowd.
A deep silence followed.
The gazes that were originally filled with admiration quickly changed.
There were rumors about a student who was the ultimate retainer of Andrew Academy, and everyone knew about this laughingstock.
Many had come with the intention of asking about this matter, but none of them expected that the ultimate retainer would be the person standing before them.
Senior Tang Tian.
He knew it would be like this…
Tang Tian curled his lips.
Things like this happened every year. He was already used to it.
However, he still gave the brat an unfriendly glare.
Your brother probably never told you, but I already beat him before.
Tang Tian had already decided to settle the score with that guy after class.
But perhaps he did not need to wait that long.
Tang Tian narrowed his eyes and said in a bad tone:
"Who gave you permission to distract others during class?
Oh right, I forgot to tell you all. I am Master Cen's assistant, and I am responsible for supervising your revisions.
Anyone who does not practise well, I am willing to spar with.
You.
Yes, you.
Want to come out and have a debate?"
Tang Tian pointed at the boy sarcastically, his fist clenched so tightly that it made a cracking sound.
The boy's face immediately turned pale.
He suddenly remembered Tang Tian's reputation.
He kept quiet, hurried to the side, and started practising.
The other students observed this and hurriedly began practising with clumsy movements.
At the same time, Master Cen said:
"If you have questions, consult Senior Tang Tian.
Practise hard, do not be lazy.
Tang Tian, supervise their practice session."
"Yes!"
Tang Tian shouted.
Master Cen nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave.
No one stepped forward until the class ended.
Tang Tian felt slightly disappointed as he grumbled and left.
As soon as the lesson ended, everyone gathered around the gossiping boy.
"Quick, tell us! You only said half earlier!"
"Yes, yes!"
The boy spoke arrogantly.
"This Senior Tang Tian is the legend of Andrew Academy.
Andrew Academy is known for advancing students quickly, so who would stay behind?
Yet our Senior Tang Tian stayed.
And stayed.
Let me count… five years!
Think about it. Staying in Andrew Academy for five years — what kind of thought would that put in your mind?
He is clearly the first person to ever do that!"
"Why did he stay so long?" someone could not help asking.
"Even if he cannot enter a prestigious academy, graduating normally should still be easy!"
The gossip excited the youths even more.
"You know why?
Our Senior Tang Tian failed to learn any higher-ranked martial arts technique during these five years.
He only mastered fundamental martial techniques.
In five years, what can fundamental martial arts do?
If you want to be a chef, you must know more than one or two things about knives.
If you want to attend a high-class restaurant, you must possess higher-level skills.
To become a bartender in a nightclub, not only do you need higher skills, you also need connections.
Without that, nobody would even look at you twice.
So tell me — what use are fundamental martial techniques?
Even the worst schools teach at least rank-two martial techniques."
The gossip spread like wildfire.
One student spoke professionally.
"Fundamental martial arts are the foundation of a cultivator. As long as you learn them well, that is enough.
But the earlier you start cultivating rank-two martial techniques, the better.
That is the correct path.
Prestigious schools produce genius students who cultivate higher techniques at a young age.
If you are fourteen years old and have learned rank-two martial techniques, you can enter a normal academy.
If you complete rank-three martial techniques at fourteen, you can enter a better academy.
And if you master all three ranks at fourteen, you can enter a prestigious academy."
"I heard that too," someone said.
"But I'm already thirteen this year… I want to enter a prestigious academy," someone said in frustration.
"Keep dreaming. Be realistic. You should be happy just to enter a slightly better academy."
Seeing others agreeing with him, the gossiping boy became even more arrogant.
"Ha! But fundamental martial techniques still have their uses.
If you don't learn them properly, you will never be able to practise rank-two martial techniques."
Seeing his arrogance, someone laughed coldly.
"Heh. But I heard our senior only believes in girls and favors them.
After disrespecting him today, you'd better be careful he doesn't come looking for trouble."
The gossiping boy's face turned pale.
He remembered the sharp glare Tang Tian gave him.
His heart trembled.
Others became even more curious.
"Doesn't he only know fundamental martial arts? Why is he still so arrogant?"
The boy laughed coldly.
"You all saw it earlier.
With his ability, he can fight one against three easily.
He loves fighting and acts purely on temper.
Anyone who angers him gets beaten badly.
Except for Master Cen, he doesn't give face to any other teachers.
Even the strongest students in our school can't match him."
"Is that true? He's that fierce?" some students didn't believe it.
"He has a strong body and a brutal temperament. It's like bleeding is part of his daily life.
I've seen people stronger than him, but his fierceness is on another level.
So far he has won every fight he participated in.
Even his toughest fight ended with both sides injured — but he still didn't lose.
And that fight was against a popular senior."
Everyone swallowed nervously.
Many of them threw sympathetic looks toward the gossiping boy.
The girls who were previously starstruck now looked disappointed.
Some showed sympathy.
Some showed disgust.
Others whispered.
"So he's an idiot. He almost fooled me."
"He's a brute. Nobody likes vulgar people like that."
"Aiya… the world is cruel. Dreams break quickly."
"Hehe, Xiao Nizi had a crush on him…"
A new student couldn't stand it anymore.
"Stop dreaming.
Even if he's just a retainer, he wouldn't like any of you."
"Based on what?! If he didn't have such a good physique, I wouldn't even glance at him!"
One talkative girl showed a disgusted expression.
The student looked at her even more disdainfully.
"He wouldn't even bother with you.
Your entire self isn't worth even a fraction of Miss Qian Hui.
He only has Miss Qian Hui in his eyes.
Why would he look at you?"
Miss Qian Hui!
Several female students widened their eyes.
Shangguang Qian Hui was a legendary figure of Star Wind City.
She was the idol of all girls and the dream lover of all boys.
Her beauty was unparalleled.
She was warm and pleasant.
She also achieved the highest score in Andrew Academy's entrance examination.
After entering the academy, she dominated the first place position.
Because of her existence, Andrew Academy rose in rank.
Last year, when she left the academy, its ranking immediately dropped.
The girl stopped talking.
If anyone dared to speak badly about Miss Qian Hui, half the people present would beat them up.
"Why would Miss Qian Hui have anything to do with someone with no potential like him?" some girls asked in disbelief.
The gossiping boy also showed a complicated expression.
"I want to know too.
But let me tell you something.
Because of Miss Qian Hui's threat, no expert in the academy dares to provoke him."
Even though a year had passed since Miss Qian Hui left, her influence still remained.
Inside the office, Master Cen stood beside the window, watching everything unfold.
There was no emotion visible in his deep blue eyes.
Yet he sighed softly in his heart.
In this world, not everyone could be equally fortunate.
He admired Tang Tian greatly.
But it also made him worry constantly.
Tang Tian was already seventeen years old, still mingling among youths aged thirteen and fourteen.
It was like a countdown for him.
At Tang Tian's age, he should already be in his graduation year.
Next year he would be too old to remain in the academy.
That meant Tang Tian would be forced to enter the real adult world.
What worried Master Cen was that with Tang Tian's potential, it would be impossible for him to find a job that could support him.
No one would recruit someone who only knew fundamental swordsmanship.
If he knew rank-two martial techniques, he could at least earn a small income.
Life would still be difficult, but at least he could survive.
If only he had ten percent of Qian Hui's talent…
That would already be enough.