Chapter 60 The Day of the Duel
On the second morning, Fang Xingjian crawled out of the vat filled with medicinal liquid already gone transparent. He asked the servants for Huang Lin’s whereabouts, but with no result.
Thus, after finishing breakfast, he headed towards the classroom.
After the three months deadline was up and everyone had completed the first transition, according to the school’s regulations, other than attending specialisation classes, techniques classes and physical training classes, the next most important thing was for them to, pick up the Knights’ actual techniques for killing their enemies – the Killing techniques. Doing this every morning was the second phase of their mission after they had completed their first transition.
The Nurturing Path was equivalent to spring, strengthening the constitution and nurturing the spirit, keeping the individual fit and healthy, and accumulating potential.
The Training Path was equivalent to the summer, wrecking one’s physical body, stimulating one’s potential and strengthening one’s attributes.
The Amassing Path was equivalent to autumn, the Waves and mental cultivation methods and Waves moving amidst the calm, the connection with ether particles, the complement to one’s job, the comprehension of extraordinary strength, each with its own miraculous usage.
The first three paths were all paths helping one to become stronger, focusing on gaining strength. It was the complete foundation of a powerful expert from top to bottom, inside-out.
On other hand, Killing techniques were the real techniques used for combat, purely with the scope of destruction – techniques meant for killing opponents.
So, regardless of how powerful Fang Xingjian’s job was, or how much his current talent and experience in sword arts had already far surpassed the instructors’, he still decided to listen to their introduction of Killing techniques.
However, as of yet, he still did not know that his job transition the previous day had been witnessed by too many people. Everyone in the academy thought that he had failed his job transition.
Fang Xingjian was still contemplating what his next step ought to be.
In his current state, his sword arts and Waves could undergo training in his body without rest for twenty-four hours a day, and his attributes would increase every five to six days. His Waves would also level up every ten or twenty days or so. His mental cultivation method was the only one for which he needed to specially find some time each night in order to train it.
Therefore, now he had much more time during the day, which he could use for training in new areas. Fang Xingjian was contemplating what type of training he ought to be using this extra time on.
‘Hmm, should I pick up new sword techniques? There’s still ten or more sword techniques in the academy which I’ve yet to learn. Should I look through them and see if any of them don’t overlap with my current ones?
‘Or should I approach the other instructors, and use my higher attributes to gain even more specialities?’
Attributes were one’s foundation, while specialities were the special effects. Fang Xingjian had already built up an exceptional foundation, thus preparing for actual combat. What he had learned so far would augment his power, enhance his physical strength, increase his movement speed, power up his techniques, strengthen his physique... But at the end of the day, he still did not have a true technique for killing his enemies.
‘I should take a look at Killing techniques first, and find out how to train those…
‘I only have four years and three months left. I need to be faster… faster…
‘Sword techniques, tempering attributes, Waves cultivation are already circulating by themselves every day. As for my mental cultivation method, I’ll need to put in hard work every night…
‘Nurturing sword techniques automatically circulate daily, tempering my attributes…
‘Waves automatically circulate daily, modifying my vital frequency. The Sonido Sword Zephyr Waves primarily emphasized on increasing the agility attribute. After the Waves form a connection with the ether particles, the higher its level, the faster my speed will be.
‘I still need to put in more effort in training my mental cultivation method. The higher its level, the more rational and clear-headed I will be in battle, and the less I will make mistakes or be affected by negative emotions. In addition, I have too many negative emotions suppressed within my heart, so for my mental cultivation method, I’ll have to unleash all my negative emotions in order to speed up my cultivation.
‘My attributes are very high, and with my great speed there shouldn’t be anyone who’s gone only through the first transition who would be able to surpass me. And if I execute Boundaries Negation, my speed will be even faster…
‘What I lack right now is a Killing technique that could be a good match for my great speed.’
Fang Xingjian’s sword techniques relentlessly circulated throughout his entire body. He lowered his head and contemplated his future training plans. He seemed to be extremely focused, to the point that he did not notice that wherever he passed by, people would point their fingers at him and gossip about him, throwing him looks of ridicule, sarcasm or disdain. There were also some who looked at him with gazes of pity.
However, he did not even notice these as he walked. In fact, since with his brain’s invigoration, he could feel the ether particles constantly disappearing and reappearing, maintaining a dynamic equilibrium.
When he was halfway to his destination, Fang Xingjian discovered that his Stats Window was flickering. He had just leveled up.
‘That’s right. I have been at the peak of level 9 for a very long time. Now that I’ve completed my first transition, it’s natural for me to be able to level up.
‘And since my experience bar for level 9 was maxed out, and I’ve continued to cultivate my sword arts internally for the few hours I’ve had since last night, I’ve managed to level up.’
Cultivating various techniques, attributes, specialties or even reading or learning would naturally allow one to earn experience and level up. Naturally, this method of leveling up was extremely slow, and one could only level up once or twice each year. It could not even compare to the experience gained from attacking and killing powerful beasts or other humans.
Even before his transition, Fang Xingjian’s experience bar was already at the peak of the level 9. Given the previous night’s transition, coupled with the fact that on the way his body was unceasingly training by itself, he had leveled up.
After leveling up, he discovered that the job progress from the Windshadow Sword Divinity had only affected the agility attribute. However, it was a full 11 point increase!
Therefore, his agility attribute had soared to a tremendously terrifying 73 points.
And as he thought of how the 11 point increase in agility would further enhance his moving and action speed by 22%, Fang Xingjian was dumbstruck, and gradually felt a sense of joy building up.
‘This speed… is simply terrifying…”
He continued to cultivate and contemplate as he walked, finally arriving at the classroom. Fang Xingjian pushed open the door with a bang, and saw the nine Knights of Class 256 all turn their gazes towards him.
Traces of mockery appeared in Kaunitz’s eyes. He was looking at Fang Xingjian as though he was a clown.
Jack’s and Anthony’s brows furrowed slightly. They had rushed to Huang Lin’s residence yesterday, but had been chased out by Huang Lin who was fully focusing on taking care of Fang Xingjian. Hence they still had no idea what Fang Xingjian’s current state was.
A look of cool indifference was reflected in Robert’s eyes. Ever since Kaunitz had caught up to his progress, completing his first transition and later defeating him, Robert had been working hard, practicing day and night. He now only had one thought in mind – to defeat Kaunitz.
On the platform, Dick, who was currently explaining the theory of the Killing Path, slightly squinted his eyes as he spoke, “Fang Xingjian, this course on the Killing Path is only open to those who have completed their first transition. Haven’t you come to the wrong place?”
Kaunitz faintly smiled. His underling Zhou Yong who had also come from the Tresia Academy stood up as he berated, “Fang Xingjian, have you forgotten what you said back then? You failed to turn up for the duel, yet you still have the face to come here? If I were you, I would quickly pack my stuff and get out of the academy.”
Carter, who had previously gone along with Zhou Yong to taunt Fang Xingjian outside his villa also stood up and said, “Fang Xingjian, do you think that a small fry like you would really be able to stay in the academy after having entered through the backdoor?
“I’ve said so long ago, after removing the genius disguise you put up, you are nothing. A small fry will always remain a small fry. To think you’re still fantasizing about becoming a Windstorm Sword Hero…”
Even before they had ended their tirade, traces of killing intent started flickering in Fang Xingjian’s eyes.
“Who said I’ve failed to turn up? How come I didn’t know about that?” He replied softly, “Today is the day of the duel. Come, Kaunitz, just as I’ve promised, I will give you a handicap, one hand only. Then, I will break your ribs one by one.”