Gale Sword Technique, Initial Glimpse

The first rays of the morning sun filtered through the training grounds' window lattice, falling onto Lin Fan's face.

He had already been training for two hours.

[Basic Fist Technique Proficiency +1]

[Basic Fist Technique Proficiency +1]

[Basic Fist Technique Proficiency +1]

The numbers on the Panel flickered steadily, but a sense of unease stirred within Lin Fan.

The monthly mini-competition was still five days away. In five days, what level could he raise his Basic Fist Technique to? Reaching Perfection from Minor Accomplishment required nearly fifty thousand points of proficiency. Even with a five-times speed boost, practicing frantically every day would only add one or two thousand points.

Too slow.

Moreover, Wang Chao's words still echoed in his ears: "I hope you can stay so spirited."

It was a warning, and also a declaration of war. Wang Chao wouldn't make a move before the mini-competition, but during it, he would definitely arrange for someone to "take care" of him. At that time, he wouldn't just be facing opponents from the Regular Class, but also the pressure and schemes from the Genius Class.

Lin Fan retracted his fist and exhaled a long breath of stale air.

Sweat trickled down his cheeks, dripping onto the training ground floor, forming small wet patches.

He walked to the long bench by the side of the field and sat down, picking up his water bottle to drink. His gaze, however, involuntarily drifted to the other side of the training ground.

Several students were practicing sword techniques there.

Sword light flashed, their movements agile. Although their stances were still a bit unpolished, they already possessed a certain momentum.

Lin Fan's heart stirred.

Up to this point, his primary combat method had been fist techniques. His Basic Fist Technique, trained to Minor Accomplishment, was already quite powerful. Combined with his Proficient-level footwork, he was almost invincible among his peers. But what about facing opponents of a higher realm? What about facing opponents with the advantage of weapons?

No matter how strong his fist techniques were, he was still flesh and blood. If his opponent wielded a sharp blade, he would be at a significant disadvantage.

Furthermore, from the perspective of martial arts development, weapons were an extension of fists and feet, an amplification of strength. Many high-level martial arts were weapon-based, while unarmed martial arts were relatively few.

"Perhaps... it's time to learn a weapon."

Once this thought arose, he could no longer suppress it.

Lin Fan was not a person who dithered. Acting on impulse was his style.

He got up, not continuing his fist practice, but instead leaving the training ground directly and heading towards the Library Pavilion.

The Library Pavilion was one of the core buildings of the academy, divided into three floors. The first floor was open to all students, mainly housing Mortal Tier cultivation methods and martial arts. The second floor required special permission or exchange with Academic Credits, housing Earth Tier cultivation methods and martial arts. The third floor was accessible only to high-ranking academy officials and a few Genius Class students, rumored to house Heaven Tier cultivation methods and martial arts.

Although Lin Fan had quite a few Academic Credits now, they were not enough to exchange for Earth Tier martial arts. He decided to first look around the first floor and choose a suitable Mortal Tier sword technique to get started.

As he entered the Library Pavilion, a mixed scent of old paper and ink wafted towards him.

The first floor was spacious, with rows of bookshelves arranged according to the classification of cultivation methods and martial arts. It was early morning, so there weren't many people in the Library Pavilion, only a few students quietly flipping through books.

Lin Fan headed straight for the "Weaponry - Sword Techniques" section.

The bookshelves here were filled with various sword technique manuals: Clear Wind Sword Technique, Flowing Cloud Sword Technique, Water Breaking Sword Technique, Wind Chasing Sword Technique, Gale Sword Technique... a dazzling array that made one's eyes swim.

He casually picked up a copy of Clear Wind Sword Technique and flipped through it.

"Clear Wind Sword Technique, Mortal Tier Mid Grade, nine stances in total. Its sword strikes are like a gentle breeze brushing the face, light and agile, excelling at overcoming the strong with the soft..."

He then picked up another book, Flowing Cloud Sword Technique.

"Flowing Cloud Sword Technique, Mortal Tier High Grade, twelve stances in total. Its sword momentum is like changing clouds, continuous and unbroken, adept at both offense and defense..."

Lin Fan flipped through them for a while and found that these sword techniques each had their own characteristics, but they shared a common point: they required a long time of practice and comprehension to master. Moreover, the higher the grade of the sword technique, the greater the difficulty of cultivation.

What was his current advantage?

It wasn't comprehension or talent, but "grinding."

As long as he had enough practice repetitions, he could quickly master any skill through the proficiency system. Therefore, he needed a sword technique that he could pick up quickly and had a low entry barrier for practice.

Finally, his gaze fell on a thin booklet.

Gale Sword Technique.

He picked up the booklet and opened it.

"Gale Sword Technique, Mortal Tier Low Grade, six stances in total. Its sword strikes are like a fierce wind and sudden rain, pursuing ultimate speed and simplicity, discarding all flashy changes. Cultivation difficulty: Low. Power rating: Mortal Tier Low Grade."

"Note: This sword technique is one of the academy's basic sword techniques, suitable for beginners. However, due to its simplicity and limited power, few students choose to cultivate it."

Mortal Tier Low Grade, six stances, pursuing speed and simplicity.

Perfect.

A hint of joy flashed in Lin Fan's eyes.

The low grade of the sword technique meant a low entry barrier, allowing him to get started faster. The simple stances meant he could quickly accumulate proficiency. As for its power... with the proficiency system, a Mortal Tier Low Grade technique cultivated to the extreme might not be inferior to a Mortal Tier High Grade one.

More importantly, this set of sword techniques pursued speed, which perfectly complemented his Basic Footwork. Faster and faster was his style.

"This is it."

Lin Fan, holding the Gale Sword Technique manual, walked to the registration counter.

"I'd like to borrow Gale Sword Technique, Mortal Tier Low Grade. The deposit is 20 Academic Credits, and the loan period is seven days." The person in charge of registration was an old man with graying hair, wearing reading glasses, his voice hoarse.

"Seven days?" Lin Fan was taken aback.

"Yes, all martial arts manuals have a seven-day borrowing period. They must be returned after seven days, and copying is forbidden. Violators will be severely punished." The old man glanced at him, "Are you a freshman?"

"Yes."

"A freshman borrowing a sword technique?" The old man pushed up his glasses. "I advise you to think carefully. The path of martial arts values specialization. You're practicing fist techniques now, so focus on mastering them first. Trying to learn too much at once will leave you with nothing."

This was well-intentioned advice.

But Lin Fan had his own considerations.

"Thank you for your reminder, teacher, but I still want to try."

The old man shook his head and said no more. After registering, he handed the manual to Lin Fan. "Return it in seven days. Remember, no copying, no teaching it to others."

"Understood."

Lin Fan took the manual and left the Library Pavilion.

He didn't return to the training grounds but went to a small grove in the back mountains of the academy. It was relatively secluded, suitable for practicing alone.

Choosing an open space, Lin Fan sat down cross-legged and opened the Gale Sword Technique.

The manual wasn't thick, only twenty-odd pages. The beginning was a general outline, introducing the philosophy and characteristics of the sword technique; the middle section contained detailed illustrations and mental cultivation verses for the six stances; the end covered practice points and precautions.

Lin Fan read carefully.

"Gale Sword Technique, the core lies in 'speed' and 'simplicity.' All martial arts under heaven are invincible if fast enough. This sword technique discards all complex variations, pursuing only the ultimate speed and angles of the sword strike..."

"Six Stances: Gale Stab, Gale Sweep, Gale Lift, Gale Chop, Gale Parry, Gale Return. Each stance is a basic movement, usable independently or in sequence..."

"Mental Cultivation Verse: Mind moves with intent, sword follows the mind. Seek not flashiness, but practicality..."

Lin Fan closed his eyes and simulated the sword stances in his mind.

The first stance, Gale Stab. The simplest and most direct thrust, pursuing linear speed.

The second stance, Gale Sweep. A horizontal sweep, covering a wide area.

The third stance, Gale Lift. An upward lift, effective for breaking defenses.

The fourth stance, Gale Chop. A downward chop, the most powerful.

The fifth stance, Gale Parry. A defensive block.

The sixth stance, Gale Return. A withdrawal and defense, connecting to the next attack.

Very basic six stances, truly simple to the extreme.

But Lin Fan saw something profound within them.

Although these stances were simple, they encompassed six fundamental movements: stab, sweep, lift, chop, parry, and return. If each stance were practiced to its extreme and then combined with variations, it might not be impossible to unleash astonishing power.

More importantly, this sword technique had a similar philosophy to his current Basic Fist Technique—both pursued the simplest, most direct, and most effective methods of attack.

"Perhaps... this is the sword technique most suited for me."

Lin Fan opened his eyes, a flicker of realization flashing within them.

He stood up and took out a training Wooden Sword from his storage bag—he had exchanged for it with Academic Credits earlier. It was Mortal Grade Low Rank, with no special effects, but it was sturdy enough.

Holding the sword, a strange feeling washed over him.

He had been practicing fist techniques for so long that he was accustomed to fighting with his fists. Now, switching to a sword, his center of gravity, force generation, and footwork all needed to be readjusted.

But Lin Fan wasn't afraid of adjustment.

He took a deep breath and, following the diagrams in the manual, assumed the starting stance of the Gale Sword Technique.

The sword tip lowered slightly, his body angled, and his center of gravity sank.

Then, stab!

First stance, Gale Stab!

The movement was standard, but also stiff. The trajectory of the sword thrust wasn't straight enough, the speed wasn't fast enough, and the force generation felt awkward.

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +0]

The Panel showed no reaction.

Lin Fan frowned slightly.

He recalled his previous movement and analyzed the problem: he was gripping the sword too tightly, making his wrist stiff; when thrusting the sword, his body wasn't coordinating its force, relying only on his arm strength; his footwork was also incorrect, affecting the stability of the thrust.

"Again."

Adjusting his stance, he thrust again.

This time, he deliberately relaxed his wrist, allowing the sword to move more naturally; simultaneously, he channeled his entire body's strength, from his feet to his legs, to his waist, to his shoulders, to his arms, finally transferring it to the sword tip; his footwork also cooperated with a forward step, increasing the power of the thrust.

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +1]

The Panel finally reacted.

Although it was only 1 point, Lin Fan's heart rejoiced.

There was a reaction, which meant he was heading in the right direction.

Next, it was time for constant practice, constant adjustments, and constant accumulation of proficiency.

"I'll practice it one more time."

Second stance, Gale Sweep.

The sweeping motion was harder than a straight thrust because it required control over the sword's balance and trajectory. The first time Lin Fan attempted the sweep, the sword body was crooked, completely missing its mark.

But he wasn't rushed, and slowly adjusted.

On the third try, the sword body was a bit more stable.

On the fifth try, the trajectory began to smooth out.

On the tenth try, it finally had some of the "sweeping" momentum.

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +1]

Third stance, Gale Flick.

Fourth stance, Gale Chop.

Fifth stance, Gale Parry.

Sixth stance, Gale Return.

Lin Fan practiced each stance one by one, only moving on to the next after he could perform the current one passably well. He wasn't aiming for perfection from the start, only to master the basic movements and build muscle memory.

An hour later, he had practiced all six stances once.

Although each stance felt unfamiliar, he could at least perform them completely.

[Gale Sword Technique: Novice (6/100)]

A new skill slot appeared on his Panel.

Lin Fan wiped the sweat from his brow, a smile forming on his face.

He had started.

Even though it was just the most basic Novice level, even though he only had 6 points of proficiency, it was a beginning.

More importantly, he discovered that practicing sword techniques shared commonalities with practicing fist techniques. Having reached Minor Accomplishment with his fist techniques, he had gained a deep understanding of body control, power generation, and footwork coordination. This experience could be transferred to sword techniques, allowing him to avoid many detours.

"Next, it's time to grind proficiency."

A determined glint flashed in Lin Fan's eyes.

Five times speed cultivation, activate!

His stamina began to drain rapidly, but the rate at which he gained proficiency also increased fivefold.

One stance, then another.

One round, then another.

In the forest, the sound of sword wind was incessant.

From clumsy to proficient, from awkward to fluid, from stiff to natural.

Lin Fan was completely immersed in his practice, forgetting time, forgetting fatigue, forgetting everything else around him.

He focused on only one thing: how to make this sword strike faster, more accurate, and steadier.

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +5]

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +5]

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +5]

The numbers on his Panel flashed wildly.

At noon, when Chen Dahu found him in the back of the mountain, he was stunned by the sight.

Lin Fan was drenched in sweat, his clothes clinging to his body, revealing lean but strong muscles. He held a Wooden Sword, practicing the simplest thrusts, sweeps, flicks, and chops over and over. His movements were already quite fluid, his sword wind whistling, his presence imposing.

"Brother Fan, you... you're practicing sword fighting?" Chen Dahu's mouth hung open.

Lin Fan sheathed his sword and exhaled, "Mm, I want to expand my skills."

"But the mini-competition is coming up soon. Can you afford to practice sword fighting now?" Chen Dahu asked worriedly.

"I can," Lin Fan's eyes flashed with confidence. "Fist techniques are my foundation, but sword techniques can be my supplement. And..."

He paused, looking at the Wooden Sword in his hand.

"Wang Chao is a sword genius. His 'Sword Pavilion' is filled with sword masters. It would be more interesting if I defeated him with sword techniques in the mini-competition."

Chen Dahu froze, then understood Lin Fan's intention.

This was a counterattack, and also a declaration of war.

You suppress me with your sword techniques, so I'll counterattack with sword techniques. You target me in the mini-competition, and I'll slap your face in the mini-competition.

"But Brother Fan, your sword techniques..." Chen Dahu looked at the Wooden Sword in Lin Fan's hand, hesitating to speak.

"They're still very unfamiliar," Lin Fan admitted frankly. "But there are still four days left, that's enough."

Four days to practice a Mortal Tier low-grade sword technique to a certain level would be a fantasy for ordinary people. But for Lin Fan, who had the proficiency system, it wasn't impossible.

"Dahu, help me with something," Lin Fan said.

"What is it?"

"Spar with me," Lin Fan's eyes flashed with fighting spirit. "Combat is the best teacher. I need an opponent to test my sword technique."

Chen Dahu grinned. "I'm great at this! Come on, Brother Fan, let me see your sword technique!"

The two assumed their stances.

Lin Fan held a sword, Chen Dahu a saber.

"Watch out!"

Chen Dahu attacked first, his saber whistling through the air. He wasn't using his full strength, as this was just a spar, but his momentum was still astonishing.

Lin Fan's gaze sharpened, his footwork shifting sideways as he swept his wooden sword upward.

Gale Sweep!

The blade flicked towards Chen Dahu's wrist, forcing him to change his attack.

Chen Dahu reacted quickly, altering his saber stance and changing to a horizontal slash.

Lin Fan advanced instead of retreating, thrusting his wooden sword forward.

Gale Thrust!

The thrust was fast and accurate, aimed directly at Chen Dahu's chest. Chen Dahu hastily raised his saber to block, the sword tip striking the blade with a dull clang.

The two separated after a single exchange.

"Such a fast sword!" Chen Dahu exclaimed in surprise. "Brother Fan, you've only been practicing this sword technique for half a day, right? How are you so fast?"

"Not fast enough," Lin Fan shook his head. "Again!"

The two began fighting once more.

Saber light and sword shadows flashed as they traded blows.

Lin Fan repeatedly used the six forms of the Gale Sword Technique, constantly adjusting, improving, and optimizing it through combat. Chen Dahu served as the perfect sparring partner, sometimes attacking fiercely, sometimes defending, sometimes maneuvering, allowing Lin Fan to adapt to various combat situations.

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +10]

[Combat Experience +2]

[Gale Sword Technique Proficiency +10]

[Combat Experience +2]

The proficiency on his Panel grew at an astonishing rate.

An hour later, they stopped, both panting.

"Brother Fan, your rate of improvement… it's terrifying," Chen Dahu wiped sweat from his brow, his expression complex. "Your sword technique was quite clumsy at first, but now it's really coming along. At this rate, in four days…"

"In four days, I should have the strength to fight," Lin Fan looked at the wooden sword in his hand, a sharp glint in his eyes.

[Gale Sword Technique: Novice (417/1000)]

In half a day, he had gone from 6 points to 417, just one step away from Proficient (101-500 points).

This was the power of five-times speed cultivation combined with combat training.

But Lin Fan knew it wasn't enough.

Wang Chao's subordinates were at least 2nd Grade Martial Artists, practicing sword techniques that were at least Mortal Tier Mid Grade, if not High Grade, and they had honed them for years. Even if his Gale Sword Technique reached the Proficient level, he might not have an advantage.

Unless… he could transfer the experience from his Basic Fist Technique to his sword technique.

A thought suddenly flashed through Lin Fan's mind.

While fist techniques and sword techniques differed in form, their core principles—power generation, speed, angles, and timing—were the same. If he could apply the insights gained from his Minor Accomplishment in fist technique to his sword technique, would it yield remarkable results?

"Dahu, let's go again," Lin Fan's eyes flashed with excitement. "This time, I'm going to try something new."

"Alright!"

As the sun began to set, their figures crisscrossed through the forest.

Sword winds howled, and saber light flashed.

Meanwhile, in a training room at the Sword Pavilion on the other side of the academy, Wang Chao listened to his subordinate's report, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Lin Fan is practicing his sword? And it's the low-grade Mortal Tier Gale Sword Technique?"

"Yes, boss. He's been practicing in the back mountains all day and even roped Chen Dahu into sparring."

"Low-grade Mortal Tier…" Wang Chao shook his head. "It seems he's truly desperate, grasping at straws. In four days, what kind of mastery can he achieve with a low-grade Mortal Tier sword technique? Ridiculous."

"Should we…?"

"No need," Wang Chao waved his hand. "Let him practice. I want to see what tricks he can pull off in four days. Have you contacted Zhang Kuanghu?"

"Contacted him. He's already agreed to 'take care' of Lin Fan during the minor competition."

"Excellent," a cold glint appeared in Wang Chao's eyes. "During the minor competition, I will let everyone know the consequences of defying me, Wang Chao."

Outside the window, the night deepened.

In the small grove behind the mountain, the sound of sword winds still didn't cease.

Lin Fan was completely immersed in the world of swordsmanship, practicing again and again, contemplating again and again, adjusting again and again.

He didn't know how ridiculous his actions appeared in the eyes of others.

He only knew that with each additional practice, his proficiency increased by a little; with each additional contemplation, his understanding deepened by another layer; with each additional adjustment, his swordsmanship progressed further.

Four days was enough time to do many things.

Enough to practice a Mortal Tier low-grade sword technique to a level others couldn't imagine.

Enough to make those who mocked him pay the price.

"I'll practice one more time."

In the darkness of night, the youth's voice was firm and persistent.