Copy

Chen Hao chatted with the many trainees as he brought up the panel. Only when he saw the Copy option appear again in the appraisal data did he relax.

He looked at the appraisal data: Yang Wu, Earthling, 24 years old, no talent, no cultivation level, skills: Proficient Basic Saber Technique (can copy), Proficient Basic Movement Technique (can copy).

Seeing Chen Hao getting along so well with the trainees, Jiang Nian breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to leave. After all, he still had plenty of things to take care of; he had only stayed here earlier to wait for Chen Hao.

Watching Jiang Nian leave, Chen Hao knew this was a rare opportunity, so he immediately issued a Copy command for Jiang Nian's Basic Movement Technique.

A flash of white light covered Microscopic Basic Movement Technique. The light then intertwined and shifted, forming a card that displayed the words Microscopic Basic Movement Technique.

When Chen Hao looked at Jiang Nian's appraisal data again, the words "can copy" after Basic Movement Technique had been replaced with "copied."

Chen Hao understood. It seemed that although he could copy each person's skills, he could only copy each skill once.

As the skill took shape, Chen Hao once again felt as if he had been drained. His face turned pale.

He forced a smile and said goodbye to everyone before him. "Everyone, I still have something to take care of, so I need to head back. I'll come back tomorrow and start training properly."

Seeing Chen Hao's color worsen, the few people who had been laughing and chatting wondered what was wrong. But it wasn't wise to pry into someone's business when they barely knew him, so they didn't ask.

"All right, we'll be waiting for you tomorrow."

"Come early tomorrow."

"Let us know if you need any help."

Chen Hao left the Martial Hall and hurried home. He lay in bed and rested for quite a while before the drained feeling finally eased. He hadn't expected copying, like fusing, to consume so much mental energy.

Looking at the successfully copied Microscopic Basic Movement Technique card, he was still excited. But to be cautious, he didn't use it right away. He didn't know whether using it would strain his mind, so he decided to wait until he had recovered.

Seeing that it was getting late, Chen Hao tidied up, ate a simple dinner, then returned to his bedroom and fell into a deep sleep.

At five o'clock on the morning of May 8, 2056, Chen Hao woke up right on time, as usual. He sat up and found that his energy had fully recovered, which put him at ease.

He'd already experienced a shortage of mental energy from using the Fusion function before, though he'd recovered afterward. But this was a different function, and Chen Hao didn't dare be careless. Fortunately, it was just like last time.

It seemed that as long as his mind didn't suffer some kind of irreversible injury, he should be able to recover.

He was curious about what would happen if his mental energy ran low, but he didn't try to find out. He wasn't the sort to go looking for trouble.

Chen Hao figured the panel would either drain him dry or prevent him from copying or fusing anything.

After getting up and tidying himself, Chen Hao ate a simple breakfast, then went out onto the balcony and brought up the panel. Looking at the Skill Card in the card icon, he silently thought, Use.

The card instantly turned into a beam of white light and disappeared into his forehead. A vast mass of memories then appeared in his mind.

Memories and experience related to practicing Basic Movement Technique—from his first steps as a beginner all the way to the microscopic level. It was as if he could see Jiang Nian's experience fighting and dodging monsters again and again. Gradually, Chen Hao felt as though he were right there himself.

After an unknown amount of time, Chen Hao's body began practicing Basic Movement Technique, following the memories in his mind.

At first, his movements were clumsy. Gradually, they became unpredictable, and he moved faster and faster. Chen Hao remained immersed in the experience brought by those memories.

When he came to, he realized that more than an hour had passed. He checked his phone and saw that it was already past six. His clothes were soaked with sweat.

The sweat evaporated in such quantities that a thin mist formed around him. It really did feel a little like cultivating immortality.

After checking his condition, Chen Hao gave a wry smile. It looked like he'd need to prepare properly before using cards from now on.

His physical fitness had already reached the level of a junior Warrior. If he were still a Senior Trainee, he definitely wouldn't have been able to handle such a huge expenditure.

Though only a little over an hour had passed, Chen Hao felt as if more than twenty years had gone by. His movement skills now were worlds apart from what they had been an hour ago. Using Basic Movement Technique felt as easy as strolling through a courtyard.

In just one hour, he had reached the microscopic level shown on the card. This wasn't like Yang Wu's microscopic movement technique in the testing room. It was the real thing, used to fight monsters—a technique Jiang Nian had honed through more than twenty years of risking his life.

Chen Hao was relieved that using the card hadn't put too much strain on his mind. Instead, it had placed greater demands on his physical stamina.

Put simply, skills and experience had to become muscle memory through extensive practice. The Skill Card had merely increased the efficiency of that practice by a thousand times or more.

Besides, this was only Basic Movement Technique, so the cost was about what he'd expected. A Warrior could handle it. Perhaps there would be profound secret techniques in the future, but they were still a little too far beyond him.

After returning home, Chen Hao enjoyed a nice shower and changed into clean clothes. Today, he was going to the Martial Hall to learn Basic Saber Technique.

Yang Wu and Tong Yun probably wouldn't mind teaching him. Even Junior Students were allowed to learn this stuff.

He could also copy a Proficient Basic Saber Technique skill while he was at it, making up for his weakness in generating force. Then passing the Quasi-Warrior Assessment on June 1 would be a breeze. The Warrior Combat Assessment, however, wasn't until August 1.

If he could copy Basic Saber Technique at the specialized level, he'd be able to advance his saber skills quickly and reach a high level. It would be enough to serve him all the way to Warrior General Rank.

The morning's practice had taken a lot out of him, so Chen Hao had to eat breakfast again. By the time he reached the Martial Hall, it was already past seven.

Yang Wu and the others had been training there for quite a while. Yang Wu's eyes lit up when he saw Chen Hao. "Chen Hao, over here!"

Chen Hao smiled at Tong Yun, who was waving to him, and at Yang Wu, who was calling him over. "Good morning, Brother Yang, Sister Tong. You're here early."

Yang Wu walked up to Chen Hao and patted him on the shoulder. "You really know how to keep your cool, kid. I thought you'd be here at the crack of dawn this morning."

Chen Hao rubbed the back of his head, a little embarrassed. "I'm used to working out at home after I get up in the morning. I haven't managed to break the habit yet."

Tong Yun nodded. "That makes sense. Habits don't change overnight. Take your time. So, do you want to learn saber technique or movement technique today? I can teach you movement technique, but you'll have to ask Brother Yang about saber technique. Even the Hall Master praised his saber skills."

"Then I'll ask Brother Yang to teach me saber technique first. I've never practiced Basic Saber Technique before, and I'd like to work on it to improve my force-generation skills." Chen Hao thought it over and made his choice.

Yang Wu hadn't answered yet when a harsh, mocking voice came from beside them. "All that physical strength, but no technique. If you run into a monster, you'll just get yourself killed. Don't go wetting your pants when you see one."

Chen Hao calmly glanced toward the voice. He saw a young man a little younger than himself, standing with several others and acting as if he were above everyone. He was looking at Chen Hao with open scorn.

Before Chen Hao could retort, Tong Yun flew into a rage. "Zhang Haobai, what's wrong with your head? What does our conversation have to do with you? Mind your own business and get lost. Stop standing there getting in the way. If you want a beating, I'll be happy to oblige!"

"Zhang Haobai." Looking at the nutcase before him, Chen Hao suddenly understood. Isn't this the first little boss our classmate Luo Feng runs into? The book never said what ultimately happened to him, but it probably wasn't good. After getting out of prison, he certainly wouldn't be in for a comfortable life.

Chen Hao didn't care about a minor character like him. He could crush him whenever he wanted. He casually appraised Zhang Haobai: Zhang Haobai, Earthling, 18 years old, no talent, no cultivation level, skills: Beginner Basic Movement Technique, Beginner Basic Saber Technique.

Looking at the appraisal results showing nothing but basic skills, Chen Hao was speechless. Who gave you the nerve to talk such a big game? At Zhang Haobai's level, it'll probably take him another two or three years just to get his Basic Saber Technique and Basic Movement Technique to the proficient level.

It made sense. Rich kids had no trouble eating, drinking, and having fun, but getting them to work hard at training was probably as good as asking them to give up their lives.

"Zhang Haobai, whether I get myself killed or not is none of your business. But you don't even qualify to get yourself killed. Why don't you take a good look at yourself before judging others? What a big, ugly dog face you've got!" Chen Hao spoke calmly, without much force in his voice, but his words were still infuriating.

Zhang Haobai hadn't expected a newcomer to show him such disrespect. And that shrew Tong Yun was glaring daggers at him, too. He shot the two of them an angry look, then turned and stalked away. "Just you wait. Let's see how long you can keep acting so high and mighty." I'll make sure my uncle teaches them a lesson.

Chen Hao watched him throw out a threat and leave, feeling speechless. You're eighteen already, and you're still this childish? You could've said something like, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west; don't bully a poor young man." That might've sounded imposing. Even if you're losing, you shouldn't lose face. Instead, you've just exposed how much of a bully you are.

Once Chen Hao decided to learn saber technique, Tong Yun went off to practice on her own. It was only a brief verbal spat, hardly enough to draw anyone's attention. After all, everyone at the Martial Hall was focused on practicing and training, hoping to pass the Quasi-Warrior Assessment.

Life was short, and a Warrior's golden years were from eighteen to thirty. The Senior Trainees from poorer families especially hoped to become Quasi-Warriors so they could improve their families' circumstances.

Yang Wu led Chen Hao to the weapon rack, which was fully stocked with sabers, spears, swords, staffs, and all sorts of other weapons. "These are Blood Shadow Series battle blades. Take a look and choose the model you want. I'll use this one." As he spoke, he picked up a Blood Shadow Series 1 Battle Blade. It looked fairly heavy, making it well suited for chopping.

"I'll use this one." Chen Hao drew a Blood Shadow Series 2 Battle Blade. It looked somewhat like a straight Tang-style saber, though broader and thicker. He swung it twice and found it comfortable to use.

Once Chen Hao had chosen a weapon, Yang Wu said nothing more. He assumed a ready stance. "Basic Saber Technique doesn't have many moves. It was developed from basic saber forms from before the Great Nirvana. When all's said and done, there are just eight: cut, chop, wipe, lift..."

With Yang Wu's instruction and demonstrations, Chen Hao quickly learned Basic Saber Technique. After all, it didn't have many forms.

There were only eight basic movements, but they were all essential to generating force with a saber.

Seeing Chen Hao perform all eight movements convincingly, Yang Wu nodded. "Mm, that's about right. Your first priority is to practice until you know them well and can do them properly. Once you can perform all eight in one smooth sequence, you'll have reached Beginner Basic Saber Technique. If you can freely combine the moves, you'll have reached the proficient level. As for the next level, that takes talent. When you can make the best combination with any move you throw out, your technique will have reached the specialized level, according to the Hall Master. Beyond that comes mastery." He shook his head.

"I've heard some Gods of War haven't even reached mastery in Basic Saber Technique. Usually, once you reach the specialized level, you can start practicing higher-level secret techniques, like the world's number-one saber technique, Nine Heavens Thunder Blade. Most Warriors buy this manual, but very few manage to master it."

He glanced at Chen Hao, who was listening attentively, then grinned. "But that's a long way off for us. First, let's become Warriors." With that, he patted Chen Hao on the shoulder.

"Practice on your own for now. I'm going to warm up, too. Just call me if anything's unclear." Chen Hao watched Yang Wu walk away with easy confidence and felt a little moved. "Thanks, Brother Yang."

Yang Wu waved without turning around. Chen Hao tucked his gratitude away, knowing he'd have a chance to repay him in the future. Then he brought up the panel and looked at Yang Wu's appraisal data. He silently thought, Copy Basic Saber Technique.

A beam of white light enveloped Proficient Basic Saber Technique. Slowly, it formed a card. A few words appeared on it: Proficient Basic Saber Technique.

Chen Hao was a little surprised. His mind was only slightly tired; he didn't feel drained like he had the day before.

He understood. It seemed the level of a skill determined how much mental energy was needed. He had more guesses now about the Copy and Fusion functions, too. It looked like he still had to keep exploring what the panel could do.