Cultivating Sword Techniques

"Child, can you tell me who your teacher is?" Ma Xiunuo asked after a moment of thought.

"Yes, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo. My teacher isn't a teacher from the academy. Everyone calls him Grandmaster," Tang San said.

"Grandmaster? The one who once published the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul and was later expelled from Spirit Hall? He's actually in Notting City?"

Only after hearing Ma Xiunuo's words did Tang San learn that Grandmaster had once come from Spirit Hall. For a moment, he did not know how to respond.

Ma Xiunuo's expression suddenly turned serious. "Tang San, are you willing to join Spirit Hall?"

Tang San froze for a moment. "Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, didn't I come to Spirit Hall to register?"

Ma Xiunuo shook his head. "No, it's different. Registering with Spirit Hall is something most Spirit Masters do in order to receive subsidies issued by the state. Joining Spirit Hall means becoming a Spirit Master directly affiliated with Spirit Hall. Your cultivation would also take place at a school specially established by Spirit Hall."

Tang San shook his head. "I'm afraid that won't work. I've already begun studying at Notting Junior Spirit Master Academy."

Ma Xiunuo sighed. "We really were one step too late. Even Spirit Hall has no reason to forcibly poach students from an academy. Forget it. This is all that brat Su Yuntao's fault. He should have brought you directly to Spirit Hall in the first place. Grandmaster probably wouldn't agree to you joining Spirit Hall either, after all..."

Tang San smiled slightly. "You can't put it that way. If I had come to Spirit Hall, I might not have obtained such a good Soul Ring. Don't you think so, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo?"

Ma Xiunuo paused, then smiled. "You have a point. All right, your advancement assessment is complete. From this moment on, you are an honored Spirit Master of the Heaven Dou Empire. Welcome to the ranks of Spirit Masters. From now on, you can use the badge you'll receive shortly to collect your monthly subsidy from Spirit Hall. A Spirit Master's subsidy is one Gold Soul Coin per month. Once you reach the Soul Grandmaster rank, it will become ten Gold Soul Coins. I'll report the matter of using an animal Soul Ring on a plant Martial Soul as soon as possible."

"Thank you."

By the time Tang San left Spirit Hall, his storage belt contained an emblem specially forged by Spirit Hall. The emblem was round, with his name engraved on the back and two crossed thorny vines on the front, symbolizing a Spirit Master's rank. Even Tang San, who came from a blacksmithing background, could not tell what metal it was made from.

After leaving, Tang San went to work part-time at the Blacksmith Shop. Meanwhile, Wu Liang stood before a large tree on the academy's back mountain with a solemn expression. Behind him lay a complete mess, littered with wood chips and tree stumps.

"Ugh, it seems practicing sword techniques with weapons condensed from Soul Power really has no effect. These trees may be big, but they can't withstand a single strike from me. How am I supposed to practice like this? Can't a person just practice swordsmanship properly?"

Wu Liang muttered to himself, utterly helpless. The weapons condensed from Soul Power were simply too sharp and too destructive.

"Seria, do you have any iron swords for sale? The kind I can use to practice sword techniques?" With no other options left, Wu Liang could only turn to Seria for help. If he went out to buy an iron sword now, it would be afternoon by the time he got back. Practice his ass.

Seria: "Yes, Host. One point, please."

"Deduct it, deduct it. It's only one point." As soon as Wu Liang finished speaking, a sheathed sword appeared in his hand.

Wu Liang picked up the sword and discovered that the one-point weapon actually came with attributes.

Training Iron Sword: An iron sword used for practicing swordsmanship. No attack power and no durability consumption. Its style and specifications can be changed at any time. It exists solely for practice.
Note: It will be damaged if used in combat.

"Heh, it can even change shape. Since I'm practicing swordsmanship, I'll start with a katana."

As the thought crossed Wu Liang's mind, the longsword in his hand transformed into the katana style from the game, and its sheath vanished as well. What Wu Liang needed to do now was follow the basic training of the Reverse Phantom Sword Technique and train his sword-drawing speed.

Perhaps because of his Martial Soul, Wu Liang practiced left-handed swordsmanship. The first technique he trained was Rising Strike, and it was a one-handed Rising Strike.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"Rising Strike! Rising Strike!"

He unleashed Rising Strike one-handedly at high speed again and again. The weapon in his hand truly deserved to be called a training weapon; it did not deal even the slightest damage. When Rising Strike hit the tree trunk, it did not even leave a scratch. At Wu Liang's current speed, he could not bring out the effect of the Reverse Phantom Sword Technique. According to its records, every Sword Saint had a different opening move for the Reverse Phantom Sword Technique. It was not limited to the fixed opening move from the game. Wu Liang had chosen Rising Strike as his opening move. If his speed became fast enough, he could activate Dual Blade Style like in the game, pulling out a weapon with his right hand and slashing downward the instant Rising Strike was launched. Although he could practice with two weapons now, Wu Liang ultimately gave up on that idea. His speed had not yet reached the activation state of Reverse Phantom Sword Technique, and it would look far too awkward.

Wu Liang possessed a million-year Wisdom Skull inherited from his mother. The skull had three abilities: Super-Enhanced Memory Learning, Mental Immunity, and Heaven-Human Unification.

The first two were passive abilities. Super-Enhanced Memory Learning granted him extraordinary learning and memory abilities. Mental Immunity made him immune to all mental abilities below the god level, including illusions, Charm, mental control, and the like. Heaven-Human Unification was a state ability, considered half-passive. When cultivating skills, he had a chance of entering the Heaven-Human Unification state, which increased his comprehension. He could also activate it voluntarily, allowing him to temporarily suppress his emotions and remain unaffected by them in battle.

With the aid of Heaven-Human Unification, Wu Liang's understanding of the Reverse Phantom Sword Technique deepened further. His mind constantly corrected his force application and sword-drawing movements.

As for defense, Wu Liang did not even consider it. His physique was a Demigod Physique, and the defense of his physical body alone could withstand ordinary attacks from Spirit Masters around levels forty or fifty. He could even take one or two lower-level soul skills head-on. Furthermore, as his level increased, his physical attributes would continue to improve. Its only flaw was insufficient movement speed. His body granted him immense endurance and defense, but not matching speed. To make up for this weakness, he had to use Martial Soul body protection. Barak could compensate for his lack of speed. Without body protection, he feared that sword techniques requiring high-speed movement could not be unleashed at all.

It seemed it was time to ask Tang San about the secret techniques of the Tang Sect.

Wu Liang practiced again and again. After swinging his sword nonstop for half a day, even the tremendous endurance granted by his Demigod Physique was beginning to fail him. His arm felt utterly ruined. After all, his physical body was only six years old.

At noon, when Wu Liang returned to the dormitory with his left arm hanging limply at his side, Kanna naturally opened her arms and ran toward him. However, Wu Liang could no longer lift his left arm, so he could only stop little Kanna's rushing body with his right hand. "Little Kanna, I just got back from training, and I'm covered in sweat. Let me wash up before we eat together, all right? I'm so tired."

As he spoke, he could only take out some little cookies and Mana Juice for Kanna. After Kanna accepted the food, she stopped clinging to Wu Liang.

After washing up, Wu Liang saw that Tang San had returned as well and was discussing what to eat with Xiao Wu. Since he needed a favor from Tang San, Wu Liang took out little cookies and Mana Juice, walked over to the two of them, and said, "Want some little cookies? One cookie can replace a whole meal."

"The little cookies Kanna usually eats? I've wanted to try them for a long time, but I was too embarrassed to ask you for any," Xiao Wu said. Every time she saw Kanna eating them so happily, she felt a little curious.

"Is that really okay? Look, little Kanna's eyes are practically glowing," Tang San said, looking toward Kanna. At that moment, little Kanna was staring at the two of them with gleaming eyes.

Wu Liang looked helplessly at little Kanna. "Little Kanna, it's fine to give them some. I still have plenty."

Only then did little Kanna settle down and continue nibbling on the Delicious Cookie in her hand.

Wu Liang gave Tang San and Xiao Wu one palm-sized Delicious Cookie each, then took out two bottles of Mana Juice. "Of course cookies need juice. Here, eat up."

Tang San and Xiao Wu looked at the cookies in their hands. They did not smell like much, but when Tang San took his first bite, the rich fragrance of cookies burst through his mouth. An indescribable deliciousness stimulated his taste buds, and he immediately forgot all else, finishing the Delicious Cookie in just a few bites.

Just as Tang San finished eating and was about to say something, warmth surged out from his stomach and spread throughout his body. Before long, he felt warm all over. Once his body finished digesting that warmth, the perceptive Tang San immediately realized that his physical condition had improved. It was not by much, but it had undeniably improved.

Seeing Tang San eat one, Xiao Wu promptly ate hers as well. Her face immediately filled with bliss again. After a long while, Xiao Wu finally said, "No wonder little Kanna guards her food so fiercely. These little cookies are so good for the body, and most importantly, they're delicious."

"That's right. Although the improvement isn't huge, if you eat them over a long period, the enhancement to your body will be terrifying. No wonder little Kanna could absorb such an old first Soul Ring. So you were the one who raised her like this. Wait, that's not right. Since Kanna could absorb a Soul Ring close to a thousand years old, why didn't you find a thousand-year soul beast, kill it, and use it as your first Soul Ring?" Tang San asked thoughtfully.

"Tang San, did you forget? My Martial Soul has very low dependence on Soul Rings. I already told you, if a bunch of white Soul Rings didn't look so ugly, I would have considered making every Soul Ring I get in the future a ten-year one." Wu Liang curled his lip disdainfully.

"All right, all right, I admit I forgot. But there's no such thing as a free lunch. Tell me, what do you want from us, giving us something this good? Let me make this clear first: if you want to borrow money, I don't have any. I only found a fairly decent job in Notting City today, and I haven't been paid yet," Tang San said.

"It's nothing. I just want to learn your footwork first. I practiced swordsmanship all morning today and found that my physical condition is fine. The main problem is that I'm lacking a bit of speed, so you know..." Wu Liang said ingratiatingly to Tang San.

"Is that so? I can teach you my movement technique, but let me make this clear first. Whether you can learn it is up to you. I'll teach you, but I don't have much time either," Tang San said.