Zhao Mu and Zhuo Yun immediately stopped what they were doing when they heard the commotion.
They hurried over and gathered around Meng Qiuqiu, checking him from head to toe. Only after confirming that he was not injured did they finally relax.
Meng Qiuqiu sat on the ground with watery eyes, looking as though he had just survived a life-and-death crisis.
"Lu Yan," he said pitifully, "if I've offended you somehow, just tell me. There's no need to try to kill me, right?"
Lu Yan's face was deathly pale. His hands trembled slightly as he stared at the saber he had just dropped. His expression was full of guilt and unease.
"I—I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… I really didn't."
Zhao Mu bent down and picked up the fallen saber. After examining it briefly, he looked at Lu Yan with curiosity.
"Didn't you learn basic weapon handling at Yuwu School?"
Lu Yan lowered his head awkwardly. "I… I was mostly on leave. I stayed at home most of the time."
Zhao Mu paused.
That simple answer contained more than it revealed.
In this era—an age where martial arts were revered and combat training was almost universal—most students began learning basic weapon techniques early on. Even if someone wasn't particularly talented, they would at least have a basic foundation.
Yet Lu Yan clearly had none.
Zhao Mu didn't press further. He had been class monitor for twelve years. He understood that sometimes, not asking was the kindest choice.
Still, a strange thought crossed his mind.
This boy—who lacked even basic combat training—had awakened an A-Rank Talent.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Heaven truly had a twisted sense of humor.
Zhao Mu tested the weight of the saber in his hand, then replaced it with a wooden training saber weighing only three or four pounds. He handed it to Lu Yan.
"Don't force yourself," he said gently. "Start with this wooden one. Build your basics first."
"If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me."
He patted Lu Yan's shoulder and smiled warmly.
Meng Qiuqiu, who had already recovered from his fright, jumped to his feet and laughed.
"Yeah! Everyone's a beginner at first. It's normal to mess up. Besides, you're an A-Rank Talent Holder. You'll learn way faster than us. Don't feel bad!"
Zhuo Yun also nodded in agreement.
Encouraged by his roommates, the stiffness in Lu Yan's expression slowly eased. The guilt in his eyes faded, replaced by quiet determination.
"Thank you," he said softly.
The First Lesson
Lu Yan picked up the wooden saber again. This time, he deliberately chose a spot near Zhao Mu.
For a while, he simply stood there, watching Zhao Mu practice.
Then he activated his electronic wristband and opened his inventory.
Inside was half of an Advanced Combat Technique.
It was a special privilege granted by Qingfeng Camp to A-Rank Talent Holders.
A-Rank Fire-Type Combat Technique – Upper Volume of Infernal Darkfire Saber.
Combat Techniques focused heavily on the application of Spiritual Power. They assumed the user already possessed solid foundational weapon skills. Rarely did they explain basic saber movements like grip, stance, or footwork.
Lu Yan scratched his head and glanced sideways at Zhao Mu.
Zhao Mu understood instantly.
He walked to the weapons rack and selected an alloy long saber.
"Watch carefully," Zhao Mu said. "Short weapons share similar fundamentals. The saber is actually one of the simplest. It's mostly chopping and slashing, with some variations in angle and timing."
He slowed his movements deliberately.
"First—stance."
He demonstrated the proper foot positioning, explaining how to balance weight and maintain stability.
"Then grip. Don't clutch too tightly. Your wrist needs flexibility."
He began performing basic saber movements one by one—vertical chop, diagonal slash, horizontal cut, upward lift.
Each movement was clean and precise.
Lu Yan watched intently, memorizing every detail.
After several rounds of observation, he finally raised his wooden saber and began copying the movements.
At first, he looked extremely clumsy.
His stance was unstable. His arms were stiff. His cuts lacked power and direction.
Zhao Mu silently confirmed his earlier suspicion.
Zero foundation.
In this era, that was almost unbelievable.
What kind of upbringing could result in such a gap?
But just as Zhao Mu was about to step in and correct him—
Something changed.
Lu Yan's movements began to smooth out.
The stiffness in his arms loosened. His posture adjusted naturally. His slashes became more fluid.
It was as though invisible hands were guiding him.
Zhao Mu's eyes widened.
From awkward beginner swings to steady, rhythmic cuts—the improvement was happening before his eyes.
And then—
A faint flicker of dark light appeared around Lu Yan.
Zhao Mu blinked.
Had he imagined it?
No.
The air around Lu Yan distorted slightly. A phantom-like blade of blazing black flames enveloped the wooden saber.
His eyes turned pitch black.
"Shhk—!"
Lu Yan slashed forward.
The wooden saber left behind faint black after-images in the air. A subtle scent of burning lingered.
A ripple of Spiritual Power spread outward.
Zhao Mu's instincts screamed.
Danger.
Not lethal—but uncontrolled.
Even Zhuo Yun and Meng Qiuqiu, standing several meters away, felt the disturbance.
"What was that?" Meng Qiuqiu muttered.
Before anyone could react further—
"Lu Yan! Stop!"
A sharp voice rang out from the edge of the training field.
The blackness vanished from Lu Yan's eyes instantly.
The phantom flames dissipated.
He blinked, confused, clearly unaware of what had just happened.
A man in camouflage uniform and military cap strode over briskly.
It was Instructor Jiang Jiu, the supervisor of the training ground.
He stopped in front of Lu Yan and stared at him sternly.
"Lu Yan, correct?"
Lu Yan nodded nervously.
"Do you understand how dangerous that was?"
Lu Yan looked blank.
Jiang Jiu took a deep breath and explained, his tone sharp but controlled.
"Your Awakening Combat Level is 12. That gives you Spiritual Power equivalent to a second-stage Private."
Zhao Mu and Zhuo Yun froze.
Combat Level 12?
Second-stage Private?
That was already beyond many trainees.
"But," Jiang Jiu continued, "your Spiritual Power control proficiency is likely below five percent."
He looked directly into Lu Yan's eyes.
"You are like a child holding a loaded weapon you don't know how to operate."
"If that Spiritual Power had destabilized, you could have injured yourself—or someone nearby."
The training field fell silent.
Zhao Mu felt as if someone had slapped a clown mask onto his face.
He covered his forehead dramatically.
"So I was lecturing a prodigy all this time…"
Lu Yan scratched his head sheepishly.
"I didn't mean to use Spiritual Power…"
"That's exactly the problem!" Jiang Jiu snapped. "You didn't mean to. That means you can't control it."
He continued lecturing for several minutes.
"Your fundamentals are weak. Focus on basic drills. And absolutely no Spiritual Power usage unless supervised. Understood?"
Lu Yan nodded obediently.
"Yes, Instructor."
A Strange Dynamic
After Jiang Jiu stepped back, Lu Yan walked toward Zhao Mu.
"Zhao Mu," he asked sincerely, "could you continue guiding me?"
Zhao Mu stared at him.
What could he say?
The boy had A-Rank Talent, Awakening Combat Level 12, and innate resonance with an Advanced Combat Technique.
And yet—
He still wanted guidance.
Zhao Mu exhaled slowly.
"Fine," he said at last. "Let's continue."
Jiang Jiu maintained a stern expression, but his eyes burned with interest.
An A-Rank Talent Holder.
In all of Qingfeng Camp, such individuals were rare treasures.
Even a fool would understand the importance of cultivating him properly.
The Seven Kills Battle Method
Zhao Mu raised his saber again.
"Focus on your Spirit Sea," he instructed. "Don't deliberately release Spiritual Power. Follow my movements."
He began practicing the saber techniques of the Seven Kills Battle Method.
His blade moved decisively.
Every strike was sharp, efficient, and without wasted motion.
Chop.
Slash.
Turn.
Flow.
Each technique linked seamlessly into the next, forming a continuous cycle. It was like watching a battlefield veteran reenact countless life-and-death encounters.
The killing aura was subtle—but unmistakable.
At first, Jiang Jiu's attention remained on Lu Yan.
Even when Lu Yan's movements resembled a "dog dragging a stick," as Jiang Jiu privately described it, he still nodded in approval at the boy's raw potential.
But then—
His gaze shifted.
He began watching Zhao Mu instead.
And his expression changed.
The aura around Zhao Mu's saber…
It wasn't flashy.
It wasn't explosive.
But it carried a quiet, terrifying sharpness.
Even in practice mode, it felt like standing on a battlefield soaked in blood.
Every movement contained genuine Killing Intent.
Clean.
Natural.
Unforced.
Jiang Jiu's eyes widened slightly.
Zhao Mu's saber handling…
Was better than his own.
He had only intended to glance.
Instead, he found himself studying the movements carefully.
Zhao Mu, however, paid no attention to the instructor's gaze.
He was completely immersed in practice.
His focus was on one thing—
Raising the proficiency of the Seven Kills Battle Method.
Half an hour later, he completed a full cycle and finally stopped.
A notification appeared in his mind.
[Seven Kills Battle Method]: Proficiency 172.
He exhaled slowly and set his weapon down.
Different Paths
Zhao Mu walked to the edge of the field and sat down.
Meng Qiuqiu was already there—doing absolutely nothing.
"You're not training?" Zhao Mu teased.
Meng Qiuqiu grinned shamelessly.
"I came to watch the excitement."
He stretched lazily.
"As long as I raise my Combat Level enough to control ember remains, that's good enough. Fighting isn't my hobby."
He tapped his wristband.
"Making money is my specialty."
Zhao Mu chuckled.
For all his laziness, Meng Qiuqiu possessed something rare—
Clarity.
He knew exactly who he was and what he wanted.
In this world of endless competition and ambition, that self-awareness was perhaps its own kind of strength.
Not everyone needed to become a battlefield hero.
Some would become strategists.
Some would become merchants.
And some—
Like Lu Yan—
Might become monsters.
As Zhao Mu watched Lu Yan continue practicing clumsily but earnestly, he couldn't help but feel a faint sense of anticipation.
This was only the beginning.
And Qingfeng Camp was about to witness something extraordinary.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)