Ling Tian gently pulled the boy closer and said that he would teach him new things. At the moment when his training was supposed to continue, the caretaker scolded him, insisting he should finish his cleaning first.
Tian Shi replied calmly, "This is the boy's decision. He is the one who chooses whether to clean or not. I'm merely giving him the authority to decide."
Tian Shi then turned to the boy and asked, "Tell me your name, boy. Do you want to return and finish your cleaning?"
The boy hesitated for a moment before saying, "My name is Tian Zi, and I would like to continue my training. If the master allows, I wish to stay with you."
I nodded and said, "Alright, as you wish. And, my lady, if you permit, I would like him to remain with us for a while."
She sighed lightly and replied, "If that is Master Tian's wish, then I have no right to refuse."
Tian Zi remained with us, and together, Ling Tian and I began teaching him the basics.
"First," I explained, "since you have already managed to control your aura, you must improve your precision and mastery over it. Concentrating aura in a single point with accuracy is very different from spreading it across several areas. I will teach you the Vertical Wavy Slash Art.
This combat technique focuses on combining upward and downward movements in a seamless, continuous flow, just like the undulations of water. You begin by lowering your body's center of gravity, bending your knees slightly, then ascend powerfully while twisting your torso. The sword follows a zigzagging path from bottom to top, constantly changing angles, making the technique extremely difficult to predict. If mastered to perfection, it becomes nearly impossible for opponents to anticipate."
I glanced at Ling Tian and said, "Watch carefully. We'll demonstrate."
Ling Tian charged toward me, his sword blazing with a bright blue aura. Each step he took cracked the ground beneath his feet. I blocked his strikes with my blade, but his strength grew fiercer with every attack.
I narrowed my vision and slipped into a heightened state of perception. Threads of causality unfolded before me — every movement, every trajectory of attack and evasion became clearer, though still challenging to fully grasp. Gathering these threads around my sword, I infused it with a spectral white aura and unleashed the Yin-Yang Will Sword.
I moved with the Vertical Wavy Slash Art, lowering and rising continuously, my sword carving intricate, unpredictable arcs that tore through the air, leaving trails of rippling energy behind.
But Ling Tian did not retreat. Raising his hand, he summoned thousands of floating aura swords from the sky, merging them into a single massive blade overflowing with overwhelming power. A crushing wave of pressure exploded from it, rushing straight toward me.
I met it head-on, lifting my sword and shattering the converging force lines in an instant. The impact between us triggered an immense shockwave. We both leapt simultaneously, and when our auras collided, the explosion of energy blanketed the entire area. The blinding light devoured everything, and the roar of space itself tearing apart split the air.
When the dust finally settled, neither of us had revealed even five percent of our true strength. Had we done so, several nearby cities — even entire villages — would have been wiped from existence within seconds.
Tian Zi, watching all this, was breathless. He muttered softly, "I think I've understood the essence of the technique."
He lowered his center of gravity, positioned his feet diagonally, and bent his knees while leaning slightly forward. Then, with a gradual rise, he twisted his torso in sync with each step, letting his sword follow a smooth zigzagging path from bottom to top. His movements formed seamless waves of motion.
"Good," he said. "The core of this technique is focus. When spinning the sword, there are three critical points of control. First, duality — the art's essence lies in its dual usage, allowing me to execute it even while standing still without moving my body. Second, the golden angle — when the sword reaches a certain height, I must stop and restart from a precise angle to maintain balance. And lastly, the spiral force — I must put my full weight into my arm to channel proper pressure and rotation."
I was stunned. This boy… His comprehension was even greater than Xing Xue's, and his creativity rivaled Qing Xue's. I truly wanted to take him in and train him personally, but I decided to tell him that only after completing my current mission.
Later, during our training, I entered the center of the village and saw a large crowd gathering in the training square. Raising my voice, I announced:
"I will hold a competition! Whoever can defeat me will earn 80 gold coins and 40 meals from my personal storage. Those who lose will have the right to choose — either leave freely with 8 silver coins or join us as members."
Soon, nearly 170 duelists gathered, ready to compete. Xing Jin was the one responsible for organizing and registering the participants.