The Wind Breath Sword felt heavy in his hand.
Li Ang, having been on adventures for many years, had a decent physique, but opportunities to practice with a sword were few and far between, so he spent some time figuring out how to exert his strength.
He swung the sword, but gained no experience points.
Was that not correct?
He approached a tree and slashed at it with the sword, yet still no experience points were gained.
That doesn't count as a weapon slash either? It seems the focus isn't on the weapon itself; although the system is convenient, it doesn't allow for laziness.
What is considered a "qualified weapon slash"? Li Ang understood the theory of strength—it required infusing magic power into the slash.
In this world, magic power interferes with the world. Casters are those with strong spirituality, drawing enough magic power to cast spells. Those with weaker spirituality practice physical professions requiring less magic power.
However, Li Ang was now just a Tier One Warrior, barely a beginner in the Mortal Realm.
In the Mortal Realm, physical professions mainly use magic power to enhance themselves, and as a beginner Tier One, he couldn't even do that yet, only instinctively using it to enhance his movements.
How should he go about doing this?
Li Ang attempted to slack off once more by gathering magic power like a caster, then slashing.
Hmm, it didn't count. As expected, he had to be diligent.
He tried to recall his time learning in the Warrior Hall ten years ago, choosing the warrior path because it's the foundation for all close combat professions.
Back then, he used his hard-earned money from part-time jobs to register and spent a month practicing stances and swinging a wooden sword.
Finally, under the instructor's guidance, he conducted an assessment with a real weapon, and upon passing, he was told he was a qualified Tier One Warrior.
Since it was his first money-earned learning experience and he only managed to injure himself without weapons, he felt deceived afterward, so he remembered it clearly.
What was the standard set back then?
It seemed there were requirements for his breathing and exertion to reach a certain level.
Thinking of this, Li Ang gripped the Wind Breath Sword, adjusted his breathing and stance, and focused on feeling the muscles in his arm and back.
To swing the sword, muscles needed to exert force in sequence, transmitting the power to the sword…
After making some adjustments, Li Ang earnestly slashed with the sword.
What he didn't expect was, as the Wind Breath Sword swung, air currents surged around him, and the forming wind seemed to have a will of its own, gently yet forcefully pushing his arm, amplifying the power of his sword swing.
The meadow in front split apart under the sword wind, many flower spikes were severed, flying about.
[Current Profession: Warrior]
[Tier: 1. Next Tier: 25/100 Experience]
There it was.
Indeed, with a qualified slash, the experience for the warrior profession increased.
Having a sword in hand, he temporarily put aside the task of mining, and Li Ang started training seriously.
As long as a sword swing was qualified, one point of experience was gained.
However, not every swing was qualified. He was, after all, a caster, and after practicing for an hour, felt fatigued and needed to rest before trying again.
Even so, the process of steadily growing stronger, marked by clear progress, made Li Ang feel a bit refreshed despite the soreness in his arms.
When he came to, the trees at the edge of the meadow and forest had borne the brunt. Although he tried not to fell them, many trunks were scarred.
Seeing the experience increase, he anticipated the feeling of advancing as a warrior, somewhat overexcited.
"Luckily, this is an uninhabited wilderness with no shortage of trees, or else I might be charged with ecological destruction by nature protectors."
In Nebis, there are various Aerial Realms with all sorts of people, some living like it's the future metropolis, others maintaining primitive lifestyles, and among them are extreme environmentalists.
Most of the day slipped by, and by dusk, Li Ang paused his training.
He heard the system prompt.
[Current Profession: Warrior]
[Tier: 1. Next Tier: 75/100 Experience]
[Acquired Tier One Warrior Skill: Strong Physique]
He learned a new skill?
Previously, when viewing Zoe's panel, he noticed she also had this skill, but never had the time to consider it each time she appeared.
He understood that although close combat profession training increases physique, it doesn't mean everyone becomes formidable. Only some people's physique transcends racial limits, reaching a new level.
Perhaps they were the ones who gained "Strong Physique." In the past, Li Ang didn't know that was considered a skill without a panel.
[Skill: Strong Physique]
[Activation Method: Passive]
[Through training and repeated magic power enhancement, the mortal's body transcended its limits]
Feeling the surge of warmth in his body, Li Ang exhaled, clenching his fists, the power flowing from the tendons and bones of his hands.
He tightly gripped the Wind Breath Sword's hilt and swung forward. In an instant, the trunk in front split directly in two, the powerful slash pushing the trunk apart a short distance before it began to fall toward him.
Dodging the falling trunk, Li Ang smiled.
The system was indeed powerful.
In Nebis, advancing in profession training required arduous training to master magic control, learning deeper control techniques at moments of enlightenment, which constituted advancement.
And skills were the professional skills mastered in that process.
A few skills can be learned through others' guidance, but the chance of acquiring good skills was rare.
As a Tier Nine Curse Master, Li Ang additionally mastered only the skills of Spiritual Affinity, Spell Writing, and Multiple Spells.
These skills, hard-earned, had strong applicability and depth in use.
He had always taken pride in them.
But now, acquiring skills by gaining professional experience, he was somewhat bewildered, yet overall very pleased.
Li Ang jumped on the spot, feeling the lightness of his body.
The sensation brought by this enhancement was similar to when he used Spiritual Enhancement spell on his entire body, but Strong Physique's degree was much lower, yet it was permanently active.
Practicing until nightfall, experience reached 90/100, just a step away, but Li Ang simply couldn't lift the sword anymore.
His whole body was sore, but he was content.
Returning to his place, Li Ang took out some collected Calming Flowers.
Their spirituality is to soothe pain and aid in healing.
Li Ang enhanced their spirituality, and the surface of the small white flowers glowed with a gentle green light. He then performed "Extraction" and "Infusion," drawing the healing spirituality into his body to take effect.
In the cool and soothing sensation that enveloped his body, he fell right asleep.
Without a word overnight, Li Ang awoke from hunger the next morning.
He overpracticed with the sword the night before and was too exhausted to eat dinner. His body now needed energy replenishment, protesting adamantly.
Nibbling on hardened travel bread, Li Ang started to miss the exquisite dishes from Holy City restaurants: red yam with dragon meat stew, salt-baked desert beast leg, griffin egg cheesecake topped with crafted syrup.
Feeling lazy to catch fish, besides they weren't tasty, leaving Satus Island earlier meant enjoying good food sooner.
Brushing off the breadcrumb crumbs, Li Ang decided to head to the mine site.
Even though he didn't urgently need an Iron Sword, he still planned to try the system's equipment creation on the island.
Since the exploration level was sufficient, the system map marked the merchant locations, including a blacksmith shop where tools could be borrowed.
Li Ang opened the door and was bumped in the chest by someone.
The young girl clutched her upturned nose, stepping back a few steps, looking up at him in grievance.
"It's you again?"
"Did—did you use some method to stop the wind yesterday? Was it demon art?" the girl asked.
After a night's passing, her panic and confusion had turned into past clouds.
This guy, is she like a little student who, after arguing, acts as if nothing happened the next day?
Li Ang didn't answer her directly, he just closed the door and walked toward the woods.
The young girl pitter-pattered after him.
"Yesterday, did you use some method to stop the wind? Was it demon art?"
She asked again.
"It was magic."
"Ah, so that's what magic is, as mom mentioned… So are you a Mage?"
"Mages specialize in magic research. Across the aerial realm, there are other professions that use magic too."
"Aerial realm? Profession?"
The young girl was like a curious kitten, following closely, relentless.
It seemed to be endless.
Li Ang sighed, stopped, and looked at the young girl.