Dylan and Sword Practice

After Haoyue and Linley left the underground cavern, Mist Valley fell completely silent.

As soon as they emerged from the far end of the cavern, the enormous magic array on its ceiling suddenly trembled.

A purplish-black light shone from the black circular platform that had held the Purple Blood Soft Sword. Countless cracks rapidly spread across its surface before it exploded with a thunderous boom.

A violent energy storm swept through the surroundings, shattering the rock walls and collapsing the ground.

Space split open, and a pitch-black spatial rift appeared out of nowhere. A fierce wind carrying deathly stillness and desolation poured out of it, bearing the unmistakable aura of Gebados Planar Prison.

A wild laugh came from the rift.

An uncanny young man who looked twenty-seven or twenty-eight stepped out at a leisurely pace, dressed in dark golden robes. His skin was pale, his lips scarlet, and his eyes gold. Three golden kittens the size of a palm lay on his shoulders.

This uncanny young man was Dylan. The three kittens were his offspring, the Saint-level magical beasts known as Six-Eyed Golden Ni-Lions.

"Five thousand years. I've finally come out." Dylan looked at the world before him, his voice calm.

He had offended Beirut in his early years and had been imprisoned in Gebados Planar Prison for a full five thousand years. Of the five offspring who had followed him back then, two had died, leaving only the three before him alive.

At the mention of the past, a chill entered Dylan's eyes, and he silently remembered the grudge.

The three Six-Eyed Golden Ni-Lions asked where they were and confirmed that this was the Yulan Continent. After resting briefly, Dylan sensed a large number of eighth-level flying draconic magical beasts occupying the skies above the valley.

He intended to let the three Golden Ni-Lions feed while keeping two of the magical beasts as subordinates.

Dylan moved, arriving at the cavern entrance in an instant.

An invisible Deity-level pressure swept across the entire valley.

The more than one hundred eighth-level Fire Dragons, Green Dragons, and Velocidragons circling in the sky were instantly suppressed and unable to move. They fell from the air, utterly incapable of resisting.

Dylan looked down at the fallen dragons and waved for the three Six-Eyed Golden Ni-Lions to act.

The three little Golden Ni-Lions instantly expanded to nearly a hundred meters in length, revealing their true Peak Saint-level forms.

The three Saint-level Golden Ni-Lions attacked at once, each with a clear task. The eldest devoured all the Fire Dragons, the second hypnotized the Green Dragons and ate them, while the third pursued and killed the fleeing Velocidragons at high speed.

In mere moments, the more than one hundred eighth-level dragons in the valley had been completely devoured, not a bone left behind.

The three Golden Ni-Lions then shrank back into kittens and landed on Dylan's shoulders.

Dylan surveyed the valley and discovered two Peak Eighth Rank Velocidragons in hiding. He raised a hand and sent out a binding light, forcibly dragging them before him.

He subdued the two Velocidragons as mounts and subordinates. Intimidated by his Deity-level strength, the two magical beasts obediently submitted.

Dylan stepped onto one Velocidragon's back and ordered them to fly out of Mist Valley.

The Velocidragons let out several howls, meaning, "My lord, we can't fly either."

"Then hurry up and run out! You useless things talk too much!"

As they ran, Dylan's gaze was icy. He thought to himself that, having returned to the Yulan Continent after five thousand years, he would settle his old score with Beirut sooner or later and see what the current balance of experts on the continent was like.

The world knew nothing of the return of a veteran Deity-level expert who had escaped Gebados Prison because the Purple Blood Soft Sword had been pulled out.

The Yulan Continent had been quiet for five thousand years. From this moment on, turmoil would rise.

In a forest outside Mist Valley.

Haoyue and Linley were following a hidden forest path toward the Fenlai Kingdom.

Having just emerged from the perilous Mist Valley, neither was in a hurry to travel. Linley had only just awakened his Dragonblood Warrior bloodline and needed time to adjust to this sudden surge of power.

Haoyue, meanwhile, needed to take a good look at the Purple Blood God Sword he had just obtained.

"Brother Haoyue, is this sword... really a divine artifact?"

During a break, Linley looked at the purple sword in Haoyue's hand, disbelief still in his eyes.

Although this was not his first time seeing the sword, Linley could not help feeling awed every time he looked at it.

It was a sword that was purple from end to end, with a slender blade as thin as a cicada's wing that shimmered with an uncanny luster in the sunlight. Hints of blood-red flowed along the blade, as though blood ran within it, lending it an eerie and dangerous beauty.

Just holding it, one could clearly feel an incomparably sharp aura emanating from the blade, as though it could cut through anything.

"I think so." Haoyue smiled faintly and gently brushed his fingers over the blade. "This sword is called Purple Blood. It probably has quite a background, considering it was pulled out of that mysterious magic array."

"Purple Blood..." Linley murmured, his eyes full of longing.

"Come, let me show you what makes it special."

As Haoyue spoke, he willed the Tiger-Stripe Battle-qi in his body to flow slowly into the Purple Blood Soft Sword.

"Hummm-"

The Purple Blood Soft Sword let out a faint hum. Its already straight blade grew even straighter, radiating an icy sharpness.

"Is this its rigid sword form?" Linley asked, puzzled. "It looks... like there's nothing special about it?"

Haoyue smiled without explaining. With a thought, he withdrew some of his battle-qi.

A marvelous sight followed-

The straight, rigid purple blade slowly bent like flowing water. Like a purple ribbon, or a nimble venomous snake, it swayed gently in the air.

"This... this is..." Linley's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief. "The sword... the sword went soft?!"

"That's right." Haoyue nodded, a hint of satisfaction appearing on his face. "That's one of the Purple Blood Soft Sword's characteristics-it can be soft or rigid. Pour power into it, and it becomes straight and sharp; withdraw the power, and it becomes soft as silk."

As he spoke, he guided the Purple Blood Soft Sword through the air.

The purple blade darted and wound through the air like a nimble purple serpent, sometimes bending at bizarre angles, sometimes snapping straight like a bolt of purple lightning.

"Whoosh-!"

The Purple Blood Soft Sword swept out, sending a streak of purple sword qi slicing through the air toward a nearby tree.

"Crack-"

The tree, so thick that it took two people to encircle its trunk, was cut down with a single strike! The cut was smooth as a mirror, as though the tree had been sliced apart by something incredibly sharp rather than chopped down with a sword.

"So sharp!" Linley could not help exclaiming.

"That's only scratching the surface." Haoyue smiled faintly. "The Purple Blood Soft Sword's true power lies in its flexibility and speed. In its soft sword form, it can bend at any angle and attack from all sorts of unexpected directions, making it impossible to guard against."

As he spoke, Haoyue flicked his wrist, and the Purple Blood Soft Sword stabbed toward a patch of bushes ahead like a serpent darting from its hole.

The purple blade traced a bizarre arc through the air. Though it clearly looked as if it were stabbing toward the left, it suddenly turned midway and slipped through a gap on the right, precisely piercing a stone hidden in the bushes.

"This..." Linley stared, his eyes fixed on the sight.

Such a bizarre angle of attack was simply terrifying. If he encountered a weapon like this in battle, he would have no idea how to defend against it.

"That's the advantage of a soft sword." Haoyue withdrew the Purple Blood Soft Sword and spoke calmly. "A rigid sword is fierce and forceful, excelling in power and speed. A soft sword is flexible and resilient, excelling in unpredictability and variation. The Purple Blood Soft Sword has the strengths of both."

With a thought, he poured his battle-qi fully into it. The once-soft blade instantly became hard as iron, turning back into a sharp sword.

"And there's another advantage to this sword," Haoyue said with a faint smile, infusing it with Water Element magical power.

"Whoosh-!"

The Purple Blood Soft Sword became even tougher. When it met something hard, the force reflected back into his hand became very weak, and it became even sharper when cutting objects, finding its way through every opening like water!

The purple sword light left a smooth slash through the trees.

"How... how did it suddenly become so much smoother?" Linley asked in shock.

"Because I infused it with Water Element magical power," Haoyue explained. "Although this sword doesn't have that high an affinity for Water Element power, a soft sword's path is already like flowing water. Combined with the flow of the Water Element, its power increases. Actually, this sword is better suited to Wind Element magic, but I'm not very good at it. My battle-qi contains a certain amount of Wind Element energy, though, so it's very well suited to my battle-qi."

"I see..." Understanding dawned on Linley, and his eyes sparkled. "Water Element magical power combined with a soft sword... no wonder, no wonder!"

"Here, you try it too." Haoyue handed him the Purple Blood Soft Sword. "You're a Wind Element mage. Feel what it's like to infuse it with Wind Element magical power."

Linley took the sword. It felt icy to the touch, yet carried an inexplicably sharp aura. He tried infusing it with a trace of Wind Element magical power-

"Hummm-"

The Purple Blood Soft Sword trembled slightly, and its tip abruptly lengthened a little, becoming more agile.

"How amazing!" Linley's eyes lit up, and he could not resist swinging it a couple of times. In his hand, the soft sword moved like a nimble purple serpent, its speed astonishing.

"What a pity..." After trying it for a while, Linley shook his head with some regret. "Brother Haoyue, you've already bound this sword to yourself with blood. When I use it, it always feels like there's a barrier between us. I can't bring out its full power."

"Naturally." Haoyue smiled and beckoned. The Purple Blood Soft Sword flew from Linley's hand of its own accord and landed in his palm. "Divine artifacts have spirits. Once they acknowledge a master, they only obey their master. If you like this kind of soft sword, I'll find one for you if I get the chance. But right now... your most important task is to get used to a Dragonblood Warrior's power. Come on, transform and let me see."

"Okay!"

Linley nodded, put the Purple Blood Soft Sword aside for the moment, and took a deep breath, beginning to guide the Dragonblood Warrior bloodline within him.

"Hummm-"

A powerful aura erupted from Linley's body.

Cyan dragon scales began spreading from his chest, rapidly covering his entire body. He also grew taller at an astonishing rate, his muscles bulging with explosive power.

A cyan dragon tail nearly two meters long grew from the base of his spine, like a long steel whip. Sharp bone spikes also emerged along the spine on his back.

In just a few breaths, Linley completed his Dragonblood Warrior transformation.

His cyan dragon scales shimmered with the warm luster of jade in the sunlight. He looked like a war god who had stepped out of an ancient myth, radiating an oppressive presence.

"Not bad." Haoyue sized Linley up and nodded.

"Brother Haoyue, I feel... I'm so strong now! Much stronger than before!"

"That's normal." Haoyue smiled. "Dragonblood Warriors are one of the Four Ultimate Warriors, after all. You're a Level Six Warrior now, and your transformation can bring you up to the level of an Eighth-level Warrior. That's already impressive. Come on, try attacking me. Let me see your foundation."

"Okay!"

Linley did not stand on ceremony. With a loud shout, he pushed off the ground and shot forward like a cannonball.

"Bang!"

He threw a punch, and the air exploded with a boom.

His cyan fist whistled through the wind, heading straight for Haoyue's face.

Haoyue neither dodged nor evaded. He simply stood there calmly until the fist was upon him, then gently raised a hand-

"Smack."

A soft sound rang out.

Haoyue's palm caught Linley's fist precisely.

Linley felt as though he had punched a mountain of iron. All his force rebounded, numbing his arm.

"This..." Linley's eyes widened.

He was an Eighth-level Warrior now! Yet Haoyue had casually caught a punch thrown with all his strength?

"Your power is decent, but you're too slow." Haoyue shook his head. "And you rely too much on strength. There's no technique to speak of. An attack like that is fine against ordinary seventh- or eighth-level warriors, but against a real expert, it's nowhere near enough."

As he spoke, Haoyue gave a gentle push.

"Bang!"

Linley was pushed more than a dozen steps backward before he barely managed to steady himself.

"So strong..." Linley was stunned.

He had always known Brother Haoyue was strong, but his strength still exceeded Linley's imagination.

"Brother Haoyue, what level are you actually at now?" Linley could not help asking.

Haoyue thought for a moment, then said, "In my normal state, I'm a mid-eighth-level warrior and a Level 9 Great Mage. After Tiger-Stripe Transformation... probably Peak Ninth Rank."

What he did not say was that, with From Mind to Matter and Mountain Dragon Soul combined, his health had already reached the terrifying level of a Saint-level expert. With Heavyweight Striker's true damage added to that, even ordinary Early Saint-level experts were no match for him.

"Peak Ninth Rank!" Linley drew a sharp breath.

"Don't envy me. I've had some special opportunities." Haoyue waved a hand. "You're a Dragonblood Warrior. Your future accomplishments won't be any less than mine. The most important thing now is to build a solid foundation. Come on, let's continue. I'll teach you how to control your power."

But Linley did not think carefully about why Haoyue, despite saying he had only reached Peak Ninth Rank, had been able to severely injure an Early Saint-level Tyrannosaurus.

Over the following period, Haoyue began teaching Linley firsthand how to control a Dragonblood Warrior's power.

After all, he had experienced a Tiger-Striped Warrior's awakening and had a deep understanding of the Ultimate Warriors' system of power. Although Tiger-Stripe and Dragonblood were not the same thing, many of the principles applied to both.

"Pay attention to your breathing. Let the power flow along your meridians; don't force it."

"Your dragon tail is part of your body. Use it as naturally as you use your arms, rather than treating it as an extra weapon."

"Your advantage is that all your abilities are balanced. Don't meet your enemies head-on; make use of your agility."

"Partial dragon transformation is the most important. You need to learn to transform any part of your body into a dragon's, rather than transforming your whole body every time. That way, you can conserve power and catch your opponent off guard."

Haoyue gave him pointers one by one, and Linley listened very attentively.

He found that much of what Brother Haoyue taught was rather different from what Grandpa Doehring taught, but it was more practical and better suited to an Ultimate Warrior's fighting style. After all, Grandpa Doehring was only a Saint-level Mage.

Doehring Cowart also floated out of the Coiling Dragon Ring and listened quietly from the side, nodding from time to time.

He was a Saint-level Magus with extremely broad knowledge. Yet even he found what Haoyue said very reasonable, and some of his views even gave him a sudden sense of understanding.

This Haoyue is no ordinary person... Doehring Cowart thought. Not only is he strong, but his understanding of combat is this deep. And there's always something about him I can't see through... Linley is fortunate to have a big brother like him.

Just like that, the two stayed in the forest for three full days.

During those three days, Linley trained like mad every day.

At first he lost control of his strength, but later he gradually mastered it. At first he knew only how to use brute force, but later he could nimbly employ his dragon tail, back spikes, and other bodily weapons. At first he could only fully transform into a dragon, but later he could partially transform, or even transform just one arm.

His speed of improvement could only be described as "terrifying."

During those three days, Haoyue also fully adapted to the Purple Blood Soft Sword's characteristics.

It was an exceptional sword tailored for speed-type warriors.

When using the Purple Blood Soft Sword, the emphasis was not on hacking and chopping, but on thrusting, slicing, wrapping, and flicking.

Haoyue practiced his swordsmanship as he considered this.

"Thrusting-be fast, accurate, and ruthless. Use the soft sword's elasticity to suddenly change direction the instant you thrust, making it impossible to guard against."

"Slicing-stay close and glide. Use the blade's thinness and sharpness to slide along your opponent's weapon and attack their body directly."

"Wrapping-be supple and resilient. Use the soft sword's flexibility to wrap around your opponent's weapon, then turn their own force against them."

"Flicking-be nimble and use small movements. Flick your wrist at high speed to make the blade vibrate at a high frequency, increasing its cutting and piercing power."

Every streak of sword light was fast to the extreme, and each held different variations.

Linley watched from the side without blinking, utterly enthralled.

He had never imagined a sword could be used this way.

"All right, you've watched long enough. Come and try it yourself." Haoyue handed the sword back to Linley.

Linley took a deep breath, accepted the Purple Blood Soft Sword, and began practicing the moves one by one, copying Haoyue.

At first, his practice was very awkward. The soft sword was like a disobedient snake in his hand, always twisting and turning out of line. But he did not give up, practicing over and over again.

At that moment, the Dragonblood Warrior's talent was displayed to the fullest.

His ability to learn and comprehend far surpassed that of ordinary people.

In just one afternoon, he was already beginning to look the part.

Although he was still far from matching Haoyue's skill, he could at least bring out thirty percent of the Purple Blood Soft Sword's power.

"Not bad. You're improving quickly." Haoyue nodded in satisfaction. "When you return to the academy, keep this sword with you for now. You can practice more whenever you have time. If you use this sword well, challenging opponents above your level won't be a problem."

Linley nodded firmly, excitement shining in his eyes.

He could hardly wait to find someone and try it out in actual combat.

"All right, take a break." Haoyue sat down on a rock and took water and dry rations from his bundle. "We'll set out tomorrow and return to Fenlai City. It's about time you went back to the academy too. Yale and the others are probably getting impatient waiting."

At the mention of his three brothers, Yale, Reynolds, and George, a smile appeared on Linley's face.

"Mm!"

Meanwhile, in Fenlai City.

Maia, the head curator of Proulx Gallery, stood before the set of five stone sculptures of beautiful women, silent for a long time.

These were the Dream Awakening stone sculptures carved by Linley. Before Haoyue left, he had promised Maia that he could look at his younger brother's stone sculptures in his backyard.

He had been standing there, looking at them for a full hour.

From his initial shock, to admiration, and now... awe.

That was right, awe.

He could not imagine how a seventeen-year-old boy could carve such a lifelike work.

Each of the five stone sculptures was so lifelike that it seemed it might come alive the next second. Their expressions, their poses, the folds in their clothing... every detail was flawless.

Especially their eyes-

Those eyes seemed to contain a thousand unspoken words, endless emotions. Shyness, joy, anticipation, wistfulness...

Curator Maia had seen countless stone sculptures in his life, including several of the ten greatest stone sculptures.

But he could say with certainty-

Though this work was still far less famous than the ten greatest stone sculptures, its artistic quality had already reached their threshold!

Given time, this boy named Linley might well become a grandmaster of stone sculpture for a new generation!

"A genius... a true genius..."

Curator Maia murmured to himself, his eyes full of excitement and emotion.

He had already decided that he had to find a way to meet this boy named Linley. If he could recruit him to Proulx Gallery... no, even if he only established a good relationship with him, it would be a tremendous boon to Proulx Gallery.

Unfortunately, Linley was not in Fenlai City at the moment.

No one knew where he had gone.

Curator Maia could only wait with regret, waiting for the return of this stone-sculpting genius.