Chapitre 18: Flattery
Éditeur: Yukidaruma Translations
Over the next few days, Fang Xingjian practiced the basic sword techniques of The School of Sword Arts during the day, and secretly practiced the Nine Yang Divine Sword Technique at night. This sword technique was much more difficult than the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique, and so Fang Xingjian was learning this technique at a much slower pace.
Kaunitz had once again entered the limelight, this time on the training grounds.
The youngster from the Tresia Clan seemed to be in the limelight regardless of where he went. He would always be accompanied by a group of youngsters, even when he was practicing the Eagle Sword Technique by himself. The youngsters were both males and females who wanted to train with him, as if they were certain that they would improve by learning from him.
And every time Kaunitz stopped to take a break or pause to reflect, people would offer him snacks or refreshments, trying to get close to him.
“Young Master Kaunitz, would you like some water?”
“Young Master Kaunitz, you learn really fast. You must have already reached level 2 of the Eagle Sword Technique, right? As expected of the Tresia Clan’s genius.”
However, even when facing such flattery, Kaunitz did not bother smiling at them. His attitude stayed cool when he looked at the other students’ faces, meanwhile focusing his attention on the sword technique. However, a slight frown betrayed his impatience.
At that moment, Ogden stepped up and, as usual, dismissed the rest of the people. “Alright, alright, stop bothering Kaunitz. You’ll need to depend on yourselves in your training, and to pass the Prefectural Selection.”
Kaunitz nodded and spoke in a commanding tone, “You’re just in time. Show me moves twelve and thirty-three of the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique.”
Ogden started the demonstration with pleasure. In fact, ever since the other party had arrived, he no longer trained together with Fang Xingjian, but stayed near Kaunitz. He practiced with him daily and had no qualms about sharing all of his experience of training the Eagle Sword Technique and the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique.
‘This is the heir to the Tresia Clan. As long as I maintain a good relationship with him, won’t the examiners for the Prefectural Selection also see me in a better light? Even if I am not able to pass the Prefectural Selection, if I can land myself a job in the Tresia Clan… No, it’s even better if I can get into Tresia Knight Academy!’
Ogden had the typical commoner’s sly manner of thinking. Pondering these things, he put more effort in swinging the wooden sword in his hand.
Fang Xingjian did not care about Ogden’s flattery. This was reality, and this was how society worked. It was natural for those at the bottom of the ladder to do their best to flatter those above. If he had not gained his extraordinary talent in sword arts, he might have made the same choice as Ogden.
However, he had initially thought that Ogden was an honest and straightforward fellow. It seemed that it was only for show, as he was actually a scheming commoner following his own agenda.
“How can Eldest Martial Brother act like this?” Vivian bit her lips and said, “He was practicing with us before, and he looked so honest…. This… this is too…”
“What is it to you?” Fang Xingjian continued practicing the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique, planning to achieve its complete mastery. “We each choose our own paths, even if it’s relying on backdoors to enroll in academies or to pass the Prefectural Selection. When it comes to practicing martial arts, one can only rely on oneself.
“Attributes, techniques, and specialties don’t lie.”
Vivian turned around to look at Fang Xingjian. She gradually regained her concentration and focused on her sword practice once again.
During the past few days, Fang Xingjian had been making full use of his time, only practicing the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique. He had already reached level 29, and was not too far from reaching level 30.
As he waved the wooden sword in his hand, its afterimages seemed to be connected. Each time the sword slashed, its trembling would split the air, making a sound similar to a grizzly bear’s roar.
It rumbled explosively, as if gunpowder had been lit in the air. Fang Xingjian suddenly felt as if there were a huge tremor in his head. It was as if a thunderbolt had cut across the clear skies, making him see stars.
He was stunned for a moment, and then he felt a tingly numbness spread all over his body, as if he had been struck by lightning. His muscles and bones trembled three consecutive times before he managed to come back to his senses.
Grizzly Bear Sword Technique level 30: an additional 6 points in strength, 6 points in agility, increased toughness for his bones and organs, and a substantial increase in the body’s potential, along with its ability to recover from muscle and bone fatigue.
Fang Xingjian felt as if his body was being continuously soaked in a hot spring. His bones and muscles were trembling in extremely slight movements, massaging and nurturing his body. The trembles also shook away all excess burdens, fully cleansing his body.
To think that level 30 of the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique would be nurturing his body at all times, helping him increase his body’s potential, strengthening its constitution, and amassing energy!
Now his attributes had changed to:
Name Fang Xingjian
Age 16
Occupation Warrior’s Squire
Level 9
Strength 20
Agility 24
Reaction 11
Endurance 8
Flexibility 12
His strength was no longer below, but rather above Ogden’s and Lambert’s.
Fang Xingjian was overjoyed. At that moment, a noise broke out from the training grounds.
“He lost. Lambert lost too.”
“To think that both Eldest Martial Brother Ogden and Second Martial Brother Lambert have lost… This… this…”
“What’s there to be surprised about? This is Tresia’s super genius we are talking about. Kaunitz is too strong. He’s only been learning the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique for such a short time! We’ll never be able to catch up with this kind of talent in our whole lives.”
Kaunitz looked at the fallen Lambert as he shook his head and said, “Your attributes are too low, and you are unable to fully express the profoundness of the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique. There’s no benefit from training with you.”
Ogden, who was at the side, smiled as if he did not care about his loss at all. He took a look at the pale-faced Lambert and said, “After all, we are only mediocre in talent and we aren’t able to compare with a genius swordsman like you, Kaunitz. One day of your practice is equivalent to a few years’ worth of our training.”
Lambert’s chest heaved a few times, as if he had harsh words to say, but nevertheless, he did not speak up. Eventually, he picked up his sword and dashed out with a flushed face. He was obviously too embarrassed to stay there.
Kaunitz shook his head again, “Practicing the sword requires one to be bold, hardworking, and relentless. How are you going to learn if you can’t even put up with such minor humiliation?”
Saying that, he turned to look in Fang Xingjian’s direction, asking, “I heard that there’s another genius in The School of Sword Arts, who managed to pick up the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique on the first day?”
Ogden nodded and said, “That’s right. The teacher said that his foundation was very sturdy, and that he had already fully mastered a set of basic sword techniques. That was why he could easily pick up the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique.”
“A good foundation?” Kaunitz walked up to Fang Xingjian, saying, “I need a person to pair up with me and practice the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique together, breaking it down in stances. You can give it a go.” From his tone, it was as if he took the other party’s agreement for granted, making it sound as if this was actually an act of charity.
“Not interested.” Fang Xingjian did not even turn his head around as he switched to practicing the Eagle Sword Technique. He had perfected the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique up to level 30, and his next goal was to fully master the Eagle Sword Technique. He had no interest in exchanging blows with Kaunitz, nor was he interested in helping him.
Chapitre 19: Countering Every Encountered Move
Éditeur: Yukidaruma Translations
Kaunitz furrowed his brows. He had never thought that a dirty-looking commoner would actually refuse him.
He could not be bothered to say anything else, and merely brandished the wooden sword in his hands. Imbued with a mighty force, the wooden sword was akin to the swipe of a bear’s paws.
Fang Xingjian furrowed his brows, turned his body around landed his sword directly on the edge of his opponent’s, and felt an intense vibration coming from his opponent’s sword. The strength of its force was similar to a gigantic elephant ramming into him, almost making the sword fly out of his hands, which in turn made him involuntarily take three steps back one after the other, before the force of that counterstrike finally dissipated.
Through this collision only, Fang Xingjian understood that Kaunitz was very close to comprehending the essence of the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique. His reputation as a genius was well deserved, indeed.
In reality, Kaunitz’s strength and speed had already passed the 30 point mark, and had most definitely surpassed Fang Xingjian’s. Were it not for the fact that his skill in the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique was not as good as Fang Xingjian’s, the latter would have surely been defeated by this single strike.
Kaunitz did not stop there. After forcing his opponent into a retreat with one strike only, he continued his movements and took another step forward. With the longsword he held in his hands, Kaunitz, like a ferocious grizzly bear, slashed down with a mighty pressure, actually splitting the void open. Sounds resembling wind and thunder resounded, as if a huge steel hammer had frenziedly slammed downwards.
Both of Kaunitz’s strikes had been executed through the Grizzly Bear Technique’s method of strength exertion. Different from ordinary sword techniques, which generally focused on swiftness and weightlessness, this particular technique was akin to a real grizzly bear tearing apart everything around it with its barbaric strength.
Under Kaunitz’s continuous attacks, Fang Xingjian, who had experienced a huge change in his life and did not have such a nice character anymore, pierced forward in retaliation with a slight wave of his sword, creating tens of black sword shadows.
When Fang Xingjian displayed his level 30 Grizzly Sword Technique this time around, its inherent power was equivalent to that of a sleeping bear rudely awakened from its hibernation. Widely opening its bloody maw, the attack madly bit towards Kaunitz. This was no longer a simple body tempering technique, but a technique created with the sole purpose of extermination.
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
The two individuals’ swords continually clashed against each other, thunderous sounds of collision ringing out and turning into a cacophony of sounds, as if an explosion had lit up midair.
Kaunitz could clearly feel that his speed was above his opponents’, but every time he pierced out with his sword, his opponent was able to instantly break the variations in his technique. And regardless of any moves he executed, Fang Xingjian seemed to be able to counter the technique, making Kaunitz feel extremely depressed. He had the strength, but was unable to fully utilize it.
The next moment, Fang Xingjian’s sword shadows transformed again, as his sword strikes turned increasingly ferocious. And just when Kaunitz wanted to execute his move, his opponent had already countered it, before he had even started! This meant that Fang Xingjian’s understanding of the Grizzly Bear technique far surpassed his.
On the other hand, Fang Xingjian seemed to be extremely relaxed. Although his opponent’s speed was a tier higher than his, simply based on the movements of Kaunitz’s shoulders, hands and fingers, Fang Xingjian could already tell which strike Kaunitz was going to unleash. He was simply too familiar with the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique, and could easily counter his opponent’s strikes with the slightest lift of his finger, even adding a swift attack inside his counter, as an extra.
Each and every time their swords collided, Kaunitz could feel his opponent’s superb control. This was the reason why he wanted to exchange blows with Fang Xingjian, in order to gain experience and to learn methods of exerting strength through experiencing others’ control over the technique.
Fang Xingjian could also feel that, although they had barely exchanged a few strikes, Kaunitz was already improving. It was no wonder he was called a sword genius.
As slashing sounds rang out, the longsword in Fang Xingjian’s hand was like a tank, smashing straight ahead. It rendered Kaunitz’s sword strikes useless, deflecting his sword, and pierced towards Kaunitz’s chest.
‘I’ve won.’
And just as this thought flashed through Fang Xingjian’s mind, embers of rage started flickering in the depths of Kaunitz’s eyes. His fingers continually flicked out, each of his muscles and bones emitting sounds like metallic screeches. His palms, initially void of strength, suddenly managed to take control over his sword hilt once more.
As the sound of an explosive blast rang out, this time around, Kaunitz blocked Fang Xingjian straight on. A moment later, loud booming sounds of moving muscles and bones started coming from his body, the entirety of his muscles swelling up by a size as he slashed out in Fang Xingjian’s direction with no reservations.
Kaunitz seemed to be a towering mountain with this attack, his sword slashes resembling a river’s reverse flow fueled by the mountain’s power. Upon blocking with his sword, Fang Xingjian discovered that the overwhelming force condensed into his opponent’s strike was similar to the pressure caused by a mountain crashing down. He gave a stuffy groan and swiftly retreated.
Kaunitz had switched to another sword technique, one which he was proficient in. This went to show that he was not willing to lose.
The sword technique which he was executing now was precisely Tresia Knight Academy’s nurturing sword technique, Chaotic Strike. This set of sword techniques emphasized training the power and explosive strength of one’s muscles and bones.
Kaunitz had long completed training the Chaotic Strike, having reached level 12. His execution of the technique was akin to a titan continuously smashing down on an entire mountain range.
To have achieved such an outstanding accomplishment of cultivating this sword technique to level 12 was also something Kaunitz was very proud of.
On the other side, Fang Xingjian could not see any flaws to exploit for the moment, and thus was completely overwhelmed by Kaunitz’s strength and agility, which were better than his in the first place.
Bangbangbangbang, Fang Xingjian received five to six consecutive blows, and felt his Qi and blood surging wildly in his body, as his hands turned numb. It seemed as though the longsword would fall out of his hands at any moment.
This time around, Kaunitz’s attributes had been fully unleashed, completely unlike the time when he was using the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique, and had been sorely suppressed. In but an instant, he managed to put an enormous amount of pressure over Fang Xingjian.
‘This fellow… His agility and flexibility should both be above 30 points.’
Fang Xingjian felt that each time he parried was as though he was being shot at by a cannon. Kaunitz was using this unfamiliar sword art along with the advantage of his higher stats to fully suppress him.
This was what ‘using strength to suppress people’ truly meant.
After three continuous heavy strikes, the force of each sword blow got increasingly strong, giving Fang Xingjian no chance to retaliate. Finally, with a thunderous sound, the wooden sword in Fang Xingjian’s hand was split into two, its halves falling on the ground.
Ogden immediately walked forward, saying, “What a powerful sword technique! Is Young Master Kaunitz displaying the sword technique which is only passed down to the direct heir of the Tresia Knight Academy? It felt many times more powerful when compared to our Grizzly Bear Sword Technique.
This sword technique has such a powerful aura that I feel as though the explosiveness of its strength surpasses that of the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique.”
The students nearby all came up to Kaunitz, fawning over him, but he himself wore an unhappy expression on his face. He had lost in the duel of the Grizzly Bear Technique and had been forced to resort to the other sword techniques he was proficient in. To a genius like himself, this was equivalent to a loss.
With a cold snort, he turned around and left. He decided to cultivate for a few more days and come back to challenge Fang Xingjian only after his Grizzly Bear Sword Technique levelled up more.
Vivian ran to Fang Xingjian and nervously asked, “Martial Brother Xingjian, are you okay?”
Fang Xingjian rubbed his numb arms, but did not answer her. His attention was fully focused on the Techniques Column of the Stats Window. He was not sure when, but a new technique had appeared.
Chaotic Strike (5%)
‘Chaotic Strike? Isn’t this… the technique which Kaunitz used earlier?’ An astonished light flickered in Fang Xingjian’s eyes. ‘My talent is actually powerful to the extent that I’m able to learn my opponent’s sword techniques by merely sparring against him?’
Initially, he was slightly depressed because he had not been able to learn the other sword techniques of The School of Sword Arts, but now he was excited. As for his loss to Kaunitz, he did not pay it any heed at all.
Casually, he took a hold of Vivian’s longsword, and called out in the direction of the departing Kaunitz, “Hey, let’s have one more round!”
Kaunitz turned his head around, and gazed expressionlessly at Fang Xingjian. In reality, he felt that Fang Xingjian’s Grizzly Bear Sword Technique had already surpassed Ogden’s. If he was able to spar with Fang Xingjian, he would naturally progress faster.
Kaunitz had been born with the specialty Force Sense. Such a situation where one was born equipped with a specialty was also known as having an inborn specialty, which was a strong indicator that the person in question was a genius.
Kaunitz’s Force Sense was many times clearer compared to ordinary humans’ when it came to sensing the fluctuations and changes in the degree of the opponents’ strength. This was why he loved to spar with experts. It allowed him to gain experience faster.
At the same time, although he was not able to win against Fang Xingjian by using only the Grizzly Bear Sword Technique, he also hated those who refused to admit defeat. This was why he had thought of challenging Fang Xingjian again in a few days’ time.
But now, Fang Xingjian had actually dared to initiate a challenge against him. A cold smile hung on his lips as he replied, “Of course. Since you’re looking to be abused, I will comply with your wish to the very end.”
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