《Mighty Sword King》 Chapter 1 - Sorrow! Despair! Anger! ¡°Elder¡± Gregjoy called in a raspy voice, his hands fidgeting with a red-stained silver cross. The exquisite cross was beautiful¨C its crimson-red color flowed like the hottest magma. He held it tightly to his chest as the smooth, cold surface glittered in the ghastly, full moon above. ¡°Where are they?¡± He inquired, his eyes glancing from side to side. The moon made his face clear to see, and its light contrasted with his blue rove. His black, short-cut hair and brown eyes looked natural with his crude, manly facial traits. One couldn''t call him beautiful. However, he was indeed a bit handsome. ¡°I know not.¡± a voice sounded out from behind him, whereafter an opal-black clad man appeared from within the darkness, jogging up to his side ever so gently in contrast to Greyjoy''s own flushed appearance. The slender-built man performed a slight bow, asking, ¡°Your orders?¡± ¡°Go see how far behind they are," He ordered. ¡°Don''t get captured. "Understood." The man wreathed in opal-black clasped his hands together, then turned around and headed back. His figure blurred like a devilish nightmare; transformed into a dark, powdery mist, disappearing out of view. A silvery-shine brought light to the surroundings, the smell of moist earth brushed past him. A field of flowers appeared in his eyes. White lotus, Golden Tulip, Buddha''s joy, Silver Cristalytheim, the species were as numerous as there were stars. What a paradise this would be if not for the unfortunate circumstances at hand. He clenched the cross tighter and peered backward, to the edge of the woodlands, taking a calm breath when discovering no one was there. His legs were sorer than ever, his mind as strained as the sinew string of a bard¡¯s lute. But he knew he could not stop, not even pause for a breath''s time; a single moment of hesitation would cost him his life and shatter the dreams of his beloved. He had to survive. The old man, his friends, they all counted on him. ¡°Young master Gregjoy,¡± called a voice from behind. Gregjoy flinched at the sound, bringing his fingers to the scabbard by his side in reflex, and spun around to face the foe behind. Dammit, they caught up to him already. Gregjoy cursed and drew his sword. Even if they succeed to kill him, he won''t go down without a fight! ¡°It¡¯s me. Elder Wang.¡± the same voice stated. ¡°Oh,¡± said Gregjoy, straightened his back, relieved after seeing the black dressed elder a few meters away.He had prepared for the worst.¡°Any news?¡± ¡°Yes. According to my estimation, we¡¯ve lost eleven of thirteen elders, over forty of the fifty-two protectors, and all our ten thousand disciples.¡± The black-clad elder recounted dutifully. ¡° Many disciples lost their will to fight and has given up, saving their lives in the process. I fear our defeat will come in short. The enemies will soon discover that you''re missing. Judging by your position, they don''t dare to spare you. Assasins might come any moment, what do you want to do?" ¡°Those cowards!¡± Gregjoy clenched his fists white, his nails making hashes in his skin. ¡°How dare they return goodwill with betrayal. After everything the sect has done for them, how do they f*cking dare t¨C¡± He stopped abruptly, exhaling loudly. ¡°Master then. How about him? Did you see him?¡± The elder hesitated for a moment, then shook his head solemnly. ¡°His location is unknown. He¡¯s still inside the inner court fighting¡­¡± Looking at Gregjoy with pity, he continued. ¡°Or he has been captured and killed.¡± ¡°A-are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The elder sighed, moist in his eyes. ¡°And the latter is more likely.¡± Gregjoy stared blankly for a moment. His mind reeled, every single thought in a mess. Where do you want to go?¡± the elder asked, softly like a whisper. ¡°The capital?¡± ¡°Mm, no.¡± Gregjoy bit his lip in. ¡°That¡¯s where they¡¯ll look for me first. Where¡¯s the nearest village?¡± ¡°Two hours ride, four by foot.¡± The elder confirmed, looking over the wide grasslands and high hills in front of them. He followed with his eyes the path that curved itself out from the forest, alongside the crude mountain range tens of miles away like a slippery snake. ¡° We can arrive before dawn, I think." He said after a while. He turned to Gregjoy. Gregjoy nodded. "Let''s go," Two hours later¨C "Elder Wang, once we get past the nearest village, we two shouldn¡¯t be seen together.¡± ¡°I agree. Doing otherwise would adventure our escape. And we don''t know about the Sect Patriarch''s current whereabouts which makes me worried. Hmm, I presume he supplied you with proper means to protect yourself before we fled, right? ¡°Yes, Elder Wang.¡± "Good." Gregjoy and Elder Wang discussed as they shot forward across the mountain path. They were currently a fair bit of distance away from the sect. Soon, they would arrive at the nearest village where they could gather supplies like food and water. Elder Wang is a Core Realm cultivator and could survive for months without nutrients of the mortal world. A cultivator such as him merely needs the energy of Heaven and Earth. But Gregjoy is different. He is only in the Body Refining Realm and has the same need as mortal men. Suddenly, Elder Wang''s face dropped.Before Gregjoy could ask what was going on, the old man threw himself over, grabbed Gregjoy and shot away with him in one of his hands. A nerve-wracking sound boomed in Gregjoy''s ears slightly after. Looking back to where he had been standing, he noticed that a large crater with the circumference of three to four meters had appeared. The ground inside and around it was charred black, as if a meteor had hit the earth, bringing down an apocalypse of fire. Gregjoy felt a shiver. That could have been him if not for elder Wang. He wouldn¡¯t even have the time to feel the flames lick his skin, he would have been totally wiped out from existence the moment it hit him. Maybe even before. He felt so powerless. Like a fly. Dammit. Elder Wang bit his thumb and muttered something. Instantly, his speed exploded exponentially, carrying Gregjoy and shooting forward faster than what he had even thought was possible by the old man. ¡°Haha, you think you can escape? Dream on!¡± A haughty voice laughed from behind. A figure approached from the left, a spear in his hand. ¡°Die!¡± Elder Wang threw Gregjoy to the side and brought up a sword to parry. ¡°Boom!¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Gregjoy hit the ground and rolled meters before he could stabilize himself. He probably broke a rib from the repercussion of the fall. He gazed over at Elder Wang. A middle-aged man stood in front of the old man, dressed in a red, fiery Taoist robe. ¡°Did you think you could escape?¡± The man asked Elder Wang as he laughed. ¡°Y-.you!¡± Elder Wang stuttered, his eyes filled with red anger. ¡°Li Bao!¡± ¡°Ah, you recognized me. Oh well, it doesn¡¯t matter. You are to die anyway.¡± Li Bao smirked ¡°You are an elder of the Firecloud Sect. Our two sects have friendly re-¡± Elder Wang said, but stopped mid-sentence as if realizing something. ¡°Your sect betrayed us too!?¡± ¡°Betrayed is not the best word.¡± Li Bao said while smiling. ¡°Let¡¯s just call it serving a higher purpose." ¡°You chose to conspire with the other big clans in order to get a piece of the cake. I get it.¡± Elder Wang said coldly, his face ashen. ¡°You dare to bite the hand that fed you? Very well. Come! I will show you the power of the Eternal Sword Sect!¡± ¡°Haha, you spout nonsense old man. Here, taste my spear!¡± Li bao said and lunged, stabbing at Elder Wang with his spear. It descended together with a world of fire, flames coming out from Li Bao¡¯s arms. Elder Wang snorted and simply slashed with his sword, evaporating the hot, gargantuan flames. ¡°You think I¡¯m this easy to bully? Just because I¡¯m an old man?¡± Elder Wang said as the self-confidence and arrogance on Li Bao¡¯s face disappeared just as quickly as Elder Wang slashed his sword again. Blood spurted and Li Bao¡¯s left arm fell to the arm, cut off from his body like a torn off branch from a tree. Li Bao retreated several steps with a grim face. He held onto his stump. ¡°You have become senile, old man.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elder Wang asked, lifting his eyebrow. Li Bao suddenly smiled. ¡°You never spread out your awareness.¡± Elder Wang¡¯s eyes constricted ¡°Pucchi!¡± A sword stuck out through his stomach, blood wetting his black garment, coloring it crimson. His body convulsed and a sip of blood between his lips emerged, slowly becoming bigger and bigger until it became a river. Elder Wang coughed violently, spewing up vast amounts of blood. He slowly looked down to his stomach. Shocked, he touched it with his hand, feeling the warm, fresh blood. ¡°Elder Wang!¡± Gregjoy screamed. ¡°Haha, good job, Li Bao! You fooled him well, ahaha!¡± An old man laughed, emerging from behind Elder Wang. The old man removed his sword from Elder Wang¡¯s body. With a low thud, the elder¡¯s life was extinguished, his now feeble body falling to the ground only to never move again. Li Bao smiled and cupped his hands. ¡°Thank you, Ancestor Ren!¡± Gregjoy stood paralyzed. Looking at Elder Wang¡¯s lifeless body, waves of guilt washed over him. He wasn¡¯t very familiar with the man and only knew it was one of his master¡¯s most trusted. But Elder Wang had protected him with life. He had the chance to escape and leave Gregjoy, but he didn¡¯t. Tears fell from Gregjoy''s face, he was ashamed. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re that old monster¡¯s disciple, eh?¡± Li bao finished patching his stumped arm and turned to Gregjoy who stood as if he was frozen in Ice, tilting his head with a wide grin. ¡°You want to know how he died?¡± Hearing Li Bao speaking, Gregjoy felt like the world had collapsed. He felt despair. But then that despair turned into an unwillingness to believe. He couldn¡¯t accept it. I wasn¡¯t true. His master, that old man, was the strongest one he had ever met. He was like a father to him. ¡°N-no, that can¡¯t be true, it isn¡¯t true. Master isn¡¯t dead!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Li Bao laughed wildly. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? Haha, I have to admit, he fought very bravely. One hundred elders and five clan Patriarchs attacked him. With only one sword, he killed over half of us. We couldn''t even ascertain the level of his cultivation. What a freaking monster. Luckily for us, his energy energy eventually ran dry so that we could deliver the finishing blow." ¡°No¡­¡± Gregjoy fell to his knees, still not able to believe it. Whispering to himself, ¡°Old man, you can¡¯t be dead, right? There¡¯s so much I don¡¯t know, so much you haven¡¯t taught me¡­.¡± Tears fell even harder, pouring down from his face. ¡°Please master, this can¡¯t be true¡­¡± Li Bao laughed while the old man stood expressionless. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter if you believe me or not.¡± Li bao stepped forward, and in a flash, suddenly appearing before Gregjoy. ¡°You are destined to die either way. Time for you to join your dear master!¡± ¡°Goodbye!¡± Li Bao said and stabbed his spear at him. Just as the spear was about to hit Gregjoy, a red, almost crimson colored bubble enveloped him, blocking the spear and send it away along with Li Bao. Gregjoy heard a familiar voice, a voice he used to listen to every day as he swung his sword, as he meditated, and as he ate. The exquisite, red-stained cross floated in the air. A voice rumbled from it. ¡°If you hear this boy, that mean I''m probably not alive anymore. Before I left I transferred some of my power in case you found yourself in a dire position. Looks like I was right to do so. Here is but a fragment of my consciousness. Boy, please forgive this useless man. I died and failed as your master." ¡°Master!¡± Gregjoy crawled up to your knees. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry, boy. Some things in life are inevitable. We just have to learn how to tackle them. I''ve lived a long, prosperous life with many ups and down. The only regret I have is that I can''t spend more time with you. Inside the crossI gave you lies the accumulation of my life. Guard it well. Live a good life and don''t try to avenge me, I don''t want you to be driven by revenge. Alas, I can''t hold on for much longer, the power within the cross isn''t enough. I will have to send you away now, boy. No, my son. You are like a son to me, yes, the son I never had, but always wanted.... goodbye..." The red in front of Gregjoy distorted, and so did his surroundings. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again he was somewhere entirely else. Master had used what was rest of him to transport Gregjoy away from the danger. ¡°Master¡­¡± Gregjoy cried again. But he didn''t cry ordinary tears, but tears of blood, symbols of the sorrow and grief he felt at this moment. And at the same time, he was so angry, so mad at his weak self. If he had been stronger, all this might not have happened. Chapter 2 - Teleported to unknown Land Gregjoy felt a tingling sensation. With a snap, he flung open his eyes. The young man discovered himself lying down on a hard surface when a pair of Innocent, big, blue eyes greeted him with their presence. All Gregjoy could see was the face of a girl, her beautiful face looking just as surprised as his. The girl¡¯s long, brown hair spiraled down and touched his skin, tingling. It was soft, softer than his own hair, almost like the cherry blossom that bloomed in the spring. A slight blush spread across her face. She moved back, probably embarrassed. Gregjoy coughed dryly and gazed around trying to perceive his surroundings. He laid on the hard wooden floor of a wagon and felt the wagon move slowly, occasionally bumping. Where is the wagon heading, he doesn¡¯t know, and how he ended up inside, well, he doesn¡¯t know that either. Everything was covered in a dim veil. Did he faint after being teleporterted? Only that can explain his current cirqumstances. He turned to the girl, scratched his head in a clumsy manner, asking. ¡°How did I get here?¡± ¡°We found you unconscious at the side of the road.¡± She replied after a while. ¡°It looked quite scary, you had blood all over your robe but strangely no would at all. Both I and grandpa were quite shocked.¡± A stream of memories appeared in his mind. How elder Wang was killed by the Firecloud sect elder Li Bao and how GRegjoy himself was told what he feared the most. The death of his master who was slain during the attack from those that coveted his sect¡¯s, the Eternal Sword Sect¡¯s, treasures and legacy techniques of the sword. His friends had fallen victims to the onslaught as well, he believed. "Revenge, I will definately take revenge!" Gregjoy clutched the cross and then tucked it inside his robe. This would be the token of the oath he took, always reminding him of the mission he had sworn to complete. He would definitely succeed. ¡°Hey, does that cross mean a lot to you?¡± The girl asked, seeing him look at it as it was a dear possession. He smiled sadly. "Yes." "By the way, I¡¯m Gregjoy. Thank you for saving me." ¡°Haha, that¡¯s a weird name. I¡¯ve never heard something like it before. My name is Mei Ling, call me Mei, and the grandpa who is driving the wagon outside is Mei Tingzhe , but I usually just call him Grandpa.¡± Time passed as the two continued to talk. Gregjoy discovered that he wasn¡¯t inside his own country anymore, He was inside a neighboring one. The kingdom of Peng, said Mei Ling. It was the country next to his. Ling and her Grandpa were headed to the capital of the country to try out for the Sun and Moon Academy, a top-tier academy in the country. It was ranked by the top ten inside the whole kingdom. As night came, the three; Gregjoy, Mei Ling, and her grandpa, put camp. They had set camp in the outer region of the forest, a couple of hundred meters from the road. If they were too close to the road then they might attract unnecessary attention. Although the robbers on the roads of the kingdom were few if taken into perspective to how large the country was, it was still the safest option. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come with us?¡± Mei Ling asked Gregjoy. ¡°I noticed the sword by your waist, are you a cultivator too? Then you should come with me to the academy.¡± The two had just gotten seated after Mei Ling¡¯s Grandpa gave them each a piece of roasted meat he had cooked over the campfire when Mei ling¡¯s question appeared. He was a bit taken back. Surprised. ¡°I¡¯m indeed a cultivator, but I haven¡¯t decided where to go yet. I¡¯m roaming a bit by myself.¡± ¡°But you saw what happened when you were out by yourself Maybe something similar would happen again, and this time, no one would come to save you. You would become food to the magical beasts! Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Eh, well¡­¡± Gregjoy began, not really sure how to respond. This Mei Ling! Her mouth was so small, yet it was so deadly! She was around his age yet she was this deadly? What she said was like saying that he''s too weak to survive alone, which is, just to clarify, true. But, it still hurt. And to add to that, he didn¡¯t even have anything to say as a counter! ¡°Haha, Mei Ling, don¡¯t trouble the young man.¡± Mei intervened, saving Gregjoy. Then he laughed and asked. ¡°Or have you taken a liking to him, is that why you pester him so much?¡± ¡°Grandpa!¡± Mei Ling¡¯s face reddened. ¡°What are you saying?!¡± ¡°Ahaha, I¡¯m just joking.¡± Mei laughed wryly. ¡°But I agree, he should come with us. At least to the capital since we can¡¯t just leave him here. To do that would shame the proud name of our Mei Family! What do you think, young man, would you want to come with us to the capital?¡± Gregjoy smiled and cupped his hand. ¡°Thank you, Senior. I would love to.¡± He waved it off and handed him another piece of the roasted animal. The old man seemed to be in a good mood, a smile covering his old, wrinkled face as he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Haha, Here, eat another piece. You young men must eat to become strong! I remember eating at least twice as much as in your age! And call me Grandpa Tingzhe." They sat around the campfire until it was night. As Gregjoy looked up to the stars, he was mostly filled with pain, and couldn''t stop thinking back to the days where his master taught him to write, to handle the sword, and even the excruciating strength training. He, however, was also thankful. Thankful for everything his master had done for him, how he picked Gregjoy up from the slums and gave him a home and a family. Gregjoy brought up his hand to his face and looked at it. His hand was slender and lean. There only a couple of calluses from handling the sword every day. Right. The sword. He needs to practice. Master told him to practice every day. Rain, thunder, snow - it doesn¡¯t matter. Even if the world is collapsing, he was told practice. He crawled up to his feet, and only after shooting a glance at Mei Ling and her Grandfather who were still sleeping did he walk out from the camp and head further into the forest. The young man found a quiet grove and grabbed the sword from his waist. He had other possessions than his sword, hidden inside his space ring, an item with the ability to create a spatial pouch and store things of the users choice, but for this, he only needed the sword and nothing else. Other things would cloud his martial mind and take him away from the practice. Therefore, he tried to calm down before starting. Of course, this was easier said than done since his mind was a mess. ¡°Calm down, Gregjoy. Focus on the sword. Master would have wanted that.¡± He told himself while grabbing the crimson stained cross from beneath his robe chest area. Just as he was about to store the something inside of him had told him to not. When he thought about it, what was so special with this cross? His master said to him that it contained all his secrets. Did it contain a spatial pouch? Or maybe was it in fact a legendary treasure? Gregjoy put back the sword to his waist and sat down cross-legged, inspecting the item carefully. The thin spiderweb-like lines coursing through, adding to the pointy, blade-like edges, and unique form, made it seem... seemingly alive. And the more he looked at it, the more he felt so. Those blood-red lines felt like they were carrying blood, transporting it around. Almost like a heart.
Names are backwards. Mei Ling: Mei (Last name) Ling (First Name) Chapter 3 - Nameless Sword Art Hey, Guys, It''s me, Author-san. The next chapter will contain a proper introduction to cultivation and more information regarding the body refining realm. Please tell me what you think and feel free to point ut typos and stuff. Thank you! Enjoy!
The moment he thought about it as a heart, the cross began to pulsate in his hand. A blood-like miasma rose from the cross which slowly turned dim, taking the form of a normal, dull silver cross. Instead of protecting him like the crimson bubble did when Li Bao tried to kill him, the mysterious light swiftly entered through his arm and traveled all the way up to the space between his eyebrow, sinking in through his skin and into his brain. He felt the world spinning as a frightening pain appeared, feeling as if thousands of maggots were digging through his mind and ate him up from within. He wanted to scream and cry, but he didn¡¯t. His mind was stronger than most of his age, tempered from years of surviving on his own in the slums. So instead, he gritted his teeth and endured the pain. This was his master¡¯s legacy, he needed to accept it fully. And it turned out that he was right, it was indeed a blessing. However, after sensing what had poured into his mind, he was both astonished and surprised, but couldn¡¯t help but be a bit dejected. It was a nameless sword manual. The sword manual contained a set of movements that were to be used without wielding a sword. ¡°I should try them out. Master gave them to me after all.¡± Gregjoy rose.from the cross-legged sitting position. He tucked the now dull silver cross without red stains back inside his robe. He scrolled through the first part of the movements and started to perform them. However, contrary to his expectations, as he started to move, an immense weight crushed down on his body. It was like carrying a mountain. He could barely last for five seconds before having to fall down to the ground and gasp for air. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He tried once more but failed even more miserably this time. His whole body ached all over just as if he had run a marathon with a fifty kilo on his back. Gregjoy tested one more time, confirming his thoughts. He was currently too weak to perform the first part of the set of movements. But as it might be, he wasn¡¯t discouraged. No, it was the opposite. He burned with determination. There was something special with this unknown sword manual. He just had to discover it! ¡°It¡¯s late. I should go back. Not that I can continue training today, either way, my body is at its limit.¡± Gregjoy said to himself and wandered back to camp. He stealthily sneaked back to camp and went to bed. With his depleted body, he fell asleep the moment his head hit the ground. The very next day he was woken up by Mei Ling as she threw a bucket of water over him. ¡°Your wren, you sleep like a log?!" She muttered. ¡°Come, Let¡¯s go. Grandpa is waiting.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± He said and jumped up. Strangely enough, he was filled with vigor and energy but didn¡¯t pay much mind to it. During today, Gregjoy did nothing but to sit inside the wagon and chit chat with Mei Ling. She explained that they would arrive in about three days. As he sat doing absolutely nothing, he wondered why today was different compared to yesterday yet couldn¡¯t really come to a realization to why. His first thought, of course, was the nameless sword manual. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Yet why would the reason for previous exhaustion suddenly become the source of his restoration? That doesn¡¯t make sense! And since he couldn¡¯t grasp the root of the cause, Gregjoy decided to not think about it. The extra vigor was only a benefit and there was no need to understand the reason why as long as it doesn¡¯t hurt him. Three days flew past in the blink of an eye. During the days, he learned more about the Peng kingdom, and at night, he practiced the nameless sword manual. The feeling of vigor was the same and the suspicions pointed at the nameless sword manual grew even stronger, although he couldn¡¯t prove it completely. In reality, The kingdom of Peng couldn¡¯t be called a kingdom since it had no king. The country was fundamentally different than his own, where an imperial clan and its majesty had the most power. Here, seven ancient, mysterious families ruled and had split up the land into seven parts for each of them to rule. Right now, the three were inside the Yi family¡¯s part of the country, traveling toward its capital. Mei Ling sought to join the sun and the moon academy, one of the top ten independent sects in the whole country. Its stronghold laid precisely in the City of Floating Clouds controlled by the Yi Family. ¡°Are you coming with me to the academy? The test is about to begin this afternoon.¡± As they had arrived at the city, Mei Ling, her grandpa, and Gregjoy stood in the plaza. Gregjoy shook his head, explaining for Mei Ling. ¡°I decided not to. I have some other plans. But thanks for your offer.¡± ¡°I see. Well, good luck with whatever you¡¯re going to do. If fate wants us to meet again, we¡¯ll do so.¡± Mei Ling truly came to like the Gregjoy under the time they spent together. But hearing him now, maybe he wasn¡¯t someone who pursued the martial arts, maybe just someone who did his best to survive. She was wrong to try and force him into the academy with her, she understood that now and therefore didn''t try to persuade him more. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave then.¡± Gregjoy aid and cupped his hands. ¡°One day, I will have the kindness and hospitality you showed me repaid. Goodbye, Mei Ling and Grandpa Tingzhe.¡± After taking his goodbyes, Gregjoy strolled around in the city until he found what he had searched for. Deep inside, he was sad to leave the pair of grandfather and granddaughter. Mei Tingzhe reminded him of his own master which made him feel a sense of ease. Not only that, he came to like Mei Ling as well, she was cute, funny and dedicated. "At long last, I''m here..." In front of Gregjoy, an incredible building was spread out. A feeling of anticipation grew inside of him as he heard thousands of cheers echo from the building. Indeed. this was no other than an Arena where cultivators fought against each other. This place is where he would train for the next few years, battle every day and polish his sword arts. His master had once told him that these kind of places are the best to go to if you wanted to improve in a short amount of time. "Let''s go then!" He said and walked through the entrance, his eyes shining with a determined gleam. Chapter 4 - Becoming a gladiator Gregjoy entered through the wide gate and walked into a great hall. The hall was surprisingly large, having a ten meter in height as well as covering twenty from side to side. There weren¡¯t a lot of people her in the lobby. Most probably watched the ongoing fight. He made his way to the counter where a middle-aged woman went through several documents, stamped them and continued with the next. ¡°Hello, madam, is this where you join as a Gladiator?¡± He asked her. She paused with her documents and glanced at him, sizing him up. After a moment, she nodded. ¡°Yes, I take it as if you want to become one, right?¡± ¡°Yes." "What''s your cultivation?" "I''m a Body Refiner." ¡°I understand.¡± She handed him a document and a feather dipped in ink. ¡°Please sign this document. It¡¯s a standard agreement that quotes that if anything were to happen to you inside the arena if you were to be killed or fatally wounded, we take no responsibility at all. He grabbed the feather and wrote his name on the paper scroll. The women took it and stamped it. ¡°Thank you.¡± The woman said, took the paper scroll and stamped it.¡±You don¡¯t seem like someone who has been here before. Do you wish for me to explain how everything works?¡± Gregjoy nodded. "There are three levels in total." She explained slowly. "Body refiners fight in the first, mind temperers in the second, and core realm cultivators in the third. Each level has a reigning Champion, and if you win ten matches in a row, you can issue a challenge to him or her. If you win the championship match then you will overtake the position as reigning champion. And I assure you, it''s well worth it. As a reigning champion of the arena, you will receive a whole ten silvers a month from the arena, not to mention the other benefits." ¡°How many times can I fight a day?¡± He asked him after processing the information. ¡°Five times.¡± She answered him, giving him a circular item with a number on it. ¡°Anyways, I have work to do and can''t talk with you all day. This a Gladiator''s badge. It records your fights and is also the item you use to receive prize money if you were to become the Champion. If you want to enter a fight, press the badge button. It will queue you. Good luck.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He said, cupping his hands respectfully. Gregjoy walked out of the Arena¡¯s reception and rented a room further down the street. There was a large sum of money stored inside his space ring, and luckily for him, copper, silver, and gold were the currency in this country as well. He possessed enough money for him to last a lifetime. Only, that wasn¡¯t his goal. ¡°I need a lot more money if I want to become strong.¡± He sighed inwardly. Cultivators needed a vast sum of money to support their cultivation. Herbs, Pills, Weapons and Monster Cores. He was currently in the body refining realm. The higher up one climbed the ladder, the more expensive it became. this is why his expenses were relatively low. It was also the reason to why low-level cultivators are more common than high-leveled ones. The world¡¯s resources aren¡¯t enough for everyone. Your talent, mindset, determination, background, strength - this is what decides your place in society! Stolen story; please report. ¡°I should be able to complete the transformation of my body in a year and succeed in breaking through to the Mind tempering realm!" The more one trained his or her body to the limit in the Body Refining Realm, the higher odds one would have at breaking through successfully to the Mind Tempering Realm. If one¡¯s body isn¡¯t strong enough, it could mean that when one tries to break through, one will fail. And this failure means the end of one¡¯s martial path. Of course, the foundation built in the Body Refining Realm will also increase the amount of heaven and Earth energy one can absorb within one''s body once inside the Mind Tempering Realm. These two stages are known as the foundation stages. The better one prepares himself in these two stages, the higher quantity of qualitative energy one can condense later on whilst creating a core and breaking through to Core Realm. ¡°Well, I should think about that later. Right now I should focus on improving my sword arts along with my body. The nameless sword art seems to be the perfect tool to strengthen my body.¡± The room was small and only contained a bed, table, and two chairs. Gregjoy moved the table and the chairs to the edge of the room to make space for his practice of the nameless sword art. After three days of tireless work with the art, the young man discovered some changes to his body constitution. An overall improvement - not only his muscles. His skin, flesh, bones and organs, they had been strengthened as well! Although the changes were minuscule, they certainly did exist.The only possible explanation was that the pressure which affected his body as whole was also able to refine his body. And if that was the case, then this nameless sword art is a heaven-defying body refining technique, able to turn dirt into gold. If people were to find out that this sort of thing was in his possession¡­. Gregjoy could imagine the consequences! ¡°I¡¯d better get started.¡± Without further waiting, Gregjoy began to perform the movements. The first time, he could last for three seconds. That was his limit. And the limit still stood. However, the young man¡¯s intuition told him that he would soon arrive to a bottleneck, to a bottleneck of reaching that four seconds limit. And this was just after three days! However, if he sought to maintain the same training efficiency while he¡¯s battling in the arena, he would need to resort to external help. Otherwise, his body would risk falling apart from the strain induced! ¡°I need to go to the market.¡± He concluded after giving the problem some thought. ¡°To buy herbs.¡± His master had been very serious in studying and had forcefully taught him a wide arrange of skills. As a resul of that, he possesses a rudimentary knowledge about both alchemy and herbalism alike. Within this knowledge contains the formula to a medicinal bath that increases the efficiency in which the body recovers. This formula is the solution to his problem! It will keep his body from falling apart from the harsh training as long as he soaks inside the liquid while he''s not training! Chapter 5 - Medicinal Bath Noon. The sun stood at its peak. ¡°Ahh, young hero! This sword fits you very well! Made from the best steel in the country by a master blacksmith, its quality is peerless for Body Refiners! I assure you, you won¡¯t regret it! Only two silvers and it is yours!¡± ¡°Exotic delicacies from the west! 2 copper a banana! Come and grab before it''s too late!¡± ¡°First ranked Monster cores! 10 gold each. Thirteen left in stock! The market of the city of floating clouds was very grand. The center was filled to the brim with merchants from all over the world, selling their wares and shouting their throats out to do so. The streets too were bustling with people, showing of the prosperity of the city. Gregjoy had just arrived and was strolling around to see if he could find someone selling herbs. He possessed a fortune of hundred thousand gold. Although this might seem like it was much, his fortune would quickly go up in smoke if he were to be a Mind Temperer. Body Refining Realm is the realm that signifies that one is but a normal human. That¡¯s why the cost of food and their weaponry is quite low, merely a few coppers a day for food and pieces of silver for a good iron sword. But Mind Temperers are different. They need Monster Cores to cultivate if they wanted to progress quickly. The lowest ranked monster core costs at least ten gold each! Monster Cores are the hearts of beasts that adapts to the heaven and earth energy. These hearts are pure and don''t contain foul mortal air. The weakest of these beasts has the strength of a Mind Temperer, which is why they are so expensive. As a Mind Temperer, you can harness the energy you draw inside your body from the Monster Cores and use it along with battle techniques. Using a good weapon amplifies the power of techniques, making your battle prowess stronger. However, a good weapon for a Mind Temperer can cost as much as thousands of gold! The difference between a few silvers and thousands of gold is like heaven and earth! After half an hour, Gregjoy finally found a herb stall. ¡°Hello, I want to buy herbs. Fireweed, Red ginseng, Wolfberries as well as Ginger root. I¡¯d preferably have the ginger dried. How much of these herbs do you have in stock?¡± The young man that sat behind the counter looked up at him, curiously. ¡°Hmm, Fireweed, Red Ginseng, Wolfberries and dried Purple Ginger root¡­¡± The young man repeated while looking through his herbs. ¡°I have about thirty of each. A bit more of the fireweed, maybe forty. How much do you need?¡± ¡°As much as you have¡± Gregjoy answered. ¡°How much does it cost?¡± ¡°All of it!?¡± The young man exclaimed. Although shocked, he quickly recovered.¡°These are quite common herbs. About fifty coppers a piece. The total price should be around six silver and five hundred copper. Do you need a bag to carry it with?¡± Gregjoy handed the young man seven silvers and received the bag of herbs Before he left, he asked the young man. ¡°Do you know where I can find more herbs?¡± ¡°Go to the merchant association. If there¡¯s anything you need you can find it there.¡± ¡°Where can I find it?¡± ¡°The northeast part of the city. You¡¯ll see the gigantic building from far away. If you get lost, just ask a city guard.¡± ¡°Got it. Thanks. Leaving the market, Gregjoy headed for the Merchant association as told by the herb stall seller. It was true what the young man said, the building truly was gigantic, almost comparable to the arena. There was a massive amount of people flooding out and in the building, and even he was quite astonished. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Hello, I need large amounts of herbs. Twenty kilograms of Red Ginseng, Wolfberry, and Dried Purple Ginger root as well as forty kilograms of Fireweed. ¡°Wait a moment. I¡¯ll go talk to my supervisor.¡± The clerk said in panic and ran off. Apparently, his demand was rather large for this association too. He wasn¡¯t surprised. A medicinal bath such as the one he was going to concoct used a lot of herbs and wasn¡¯t that common. It wasn¡¯t strange for the merchant association to not have everything in stock, although he still held his hopes high. ¡°You are lucky, sir. We have everything you wish for in stock. That¡¯ll be twenty-seven gold." "Here." "Thank you for choosing our store. Do you want for us to deliver it to a place of you designation?" "No thanks. Could you lead me to my herbs?" The clerk looked at him strangely but nodded anyway. "Follow me." The clerk lead him to a room and opened the door for the young man, waiting outside himself. Smiling and after checking so that the clerk wasn¡¯t watching, Gregjoy flashed his sleeve and grabbed all of the herbs into his space ring which could at most hold hundred square meters of space. This was, of course, a very precious, high-leveled space ring given to him by his master. After Gregjoy left, the clerk went in but stupefied from the sight. How did the herbs vanish in thin air?! Gregjoy understood that to do everything he wanted inside the city without being disturbed was impossible. So before leaving the town, he bought proper equipment and utensils for connecting the medicine, a tent, and some food along with a reinforced steel bathtub to use. He found a quiet, flat-grounded grove in the forest outside of town, not far from a river. There weren¡¯t any magical beasts in the vicinity of the city and that made him feel reassured that this was a good spot. Having set up the tent, he sat in front of a huge cauldron placed over a fire. The cauldron was filled with boiling water. He slowly added the herbs, following the formula. As time passed, a medicinal aroma had begun spreading in the surroundings. The concoction finished brewing. Gregjoy touched the scalding, boiling mixture with his finger and willed it into his space ring. He walked over to the bathtub and released the medicinal concoction into it. Then, removing his clothes, he gritted his teeth and jumped in. A normal Body Refining would die from this. But not him. Gregjoy''s whole body had been tempered and refined to a terrifying degree and could tolerate the temperature. The medicinal properties of the water would help him recover, stimulated by the heat. As usch, not only would it allow him to train more efficiently with the nameless sword art and in the arena, but his body''s constituition would also be improved during the baht because of the herbs! He believed it would take at least half a year for him to break through. Once broken through, he would shed his mortal self and join the ranks of Mind Temperers, cultivators striving toward immortality with double the lifespan of Body Refiners! He would take the first step upon the road to revenge! Chapter 6 - Ready to do battle! Evening. The stars shone brightly. ¡°That felt good.¡± Hours later after jumping in the hot mixture, Gregjoy finally stepped out of the steel bathtub. His whole body was flushed red as if he had been taking dip in a volcano. Yet, instead of pain, the young man was in a state of relaxation, especially when the colder, more lukewarm winds hit him after getting out. The lush grass under his feet was very cold in comparison to the magma like substance in the thub. ¡°I can¡¯t say it was easy in the start, though.¡± He shivered when thinking back to the moment his skin touched the scalding medicine mix and when he submerged his whole body except for his head. The pain was close to unbearable because of the reinforced steel; that material kept warmth truly good. However, after some time, his senses had dulled and he had felt less pain. Slowly but surely, the temperature had decreased. His skin and limbs had adapted to the warmth and finally started to heal. Firstly, the Fireweed had acted. Igniting the herbal essense of Red Ginseng, Wolfberry and Purple Ginger Root, the Fireweed had allowed for the herbs to seep through his pores and into his body. It was as such that the herbs chosen for his medicine bath all had regenerative properties. The Red Ginseng had entered the blood flow, boosting the efficiency of his organs. This ingredient was crucial for him in order to withstand the medicine bath for longer amounts of time. It allowed his body to operate under the pressure of the heat and, for example, keeping its normal breathing rhythm. The wolfberry had gone to his muscles, increasing their repairation speed, and easing the soreness and aching he felt from today¡¯s training with the nameless sword art. This was the main healing herb inside the mixture and served the sole purpose of aiding the recovery of his muscles. The Purple Ginger Root had invigorated his skin and flesh and was the cherry on top of the cake in the formula! Bathing inside Purple Ginger Root continuously for a long time would improve his overall health and reduce the chances of falling sick. Although it wasn¡¯t something that gave helped him short-term effects, it was definitely something worth having when being exposed to strenuous training daily. All in all; the medicinal bath had made him feel extremely vigorous! He was akin to that of a young dragon after being birthed, brimming with energy and ready to take on any challenges! He wouln''t even be surprised if his strenght had surged with one or two percents from the combination of medicine bath and training with the nameless sword ar Before going to bed, Gregjoy went a round with his sword. Practising one of top three legacy sword manuals for Body Refining Stage of the Eternal Sword Sect, ''One Sword Reaches The Sky'', a gleaming silver flashed in the dark forest. His slashes were quick and precise. ''One Sword Reaches The Sky'' is a technique that focuses on straight, super-fast slashes. The sword manual suited his temperament. No matter the challenge that came in his way, as long as he held the slimmer of a chance to succed, he would definately face any opponent. This was his martial way! ... He woke up the next day with the sunlight burning his eyelids, birds chirping. What a great feeling! You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.After washing himself in the river nearby, Gregjoy grabbed the tent, medicine bath and cauldron and left the grove. The town was as bustling as ever when he walked the streets toward for the Arena. He was dressed in his blue robe, whereupon a dull, silver cross hung around his neck. Today, he wouldn''t tuck it inside. He would let his master see his first real battle from this cross. The cross would be his master¡¯s eyes! ¡°Right. I forgot to press the queue button.¡± He shook his head, laughing, and then took out the badge from the space ring around his index finger, pressing the button. A golden light was released together with a message shown on top of the bagde¡¯s smooth surface. The letters were written in gold. ¡°Gladiator #10283. You have now been queued for the Arena. Your Gladiator¡¯s badge will show once a match has been found. After a match has been found, please take yourself to the waiting room in the lobby. Please be advised that failure to arrive more than an hour after the given signal will result in a loss no matter the reason. Thank you for your understanding. We hope that you will enjoy out services.¡± He strolled around for about ten minutes before the badge lit up, and another message was displayed. ¡°Match found. Please arrive to the waiting room within one hour. Opponent: Gladiator #4937. Without wasting time, Gregjoy slowly made his way to the Arena. The hall was less crowded than yesterday. Only a few fighters here and there as well a couple of merchants. This was, however, only the lobby. He didn¡¯t have a clue how many were sitting in the stands inside the arena or how many were waiting in the waiting rooms for the opportunity to fight. Another reason could be because of the time of the day. It was morning right now, and the last time he was here was when it was noon. ¡°Hello.¡± Gregjoy said to the woman behind the counter. This time, it was another one, and not the middle aged women who received him yesterday. This one was younger and a bit more beautiful. "Do you happen to know where the waiting rooms are?¡± ¡°Haha! Of course, I work here you know!¡± She snickered and pointed to her right. ¡°Just go straight down the hallway and turn left. Don¡¯t forget to tell the guard what number you are so he can call on you when it¡¯s your turn to fight. ¡°Thanks.¡± He said, a bit embarrassed. He was only sixteen and wasn¡¯t than experienced with the ladies. He had been forced to scavenge for survival in his early days, and once he became older, he was taken in by his master, the Eternal Sect¡¯s Patriarch, and forced to train all the time. It wasn¡¯t strange for him to feel embarrassed when he got laughed at by a girl, even if she probably only thought He was being cute. Gregjoy did as the young woman told him and walked down the hallway to his right, which was her right, and continued left. He came to a door, felt the handle and looked above only saw a sign where the words ¡®Waiting Room¡¯ where written. He too a deep breath and pushed down the loose handle, entering the room. Today would be the first time he fought for real. He definitely couldn¡¯t lose! To do that would shame his late master¡¯s expectations! he would go out there and show why the Eternal Sword Sect had been one of the strongest, most top-tier sects in the entire Sheng Kingdom! Chapter 7 - He makes a girl cry? No post tomorrow. Take this as apology.
The people in the waiting room were fewer than what he had expected. About thirty or so. The majority of them were men in their twenties, even some in their thirties. The female gender, however, was rarer than phoenix feathers and quilin horns. Only one or two women were here. But that''s not strange. The martial world is unfortunately a man¡¯s world. Men are, after all, favoured with higher physical strenght than women. The moment Gregjoy put his foot into the room, everyone¡¯s eyes fell upon him. They were like predators, giving him the chills as they sized him up, inspecting his body, his aura and his gaze to see if he was a threat. Apparently, they didn¡¯t seem to think he was a worthy opponent since they averted their eyes seconds after, going back to preparing themselves. Some polished their weapons, some sat and meditated and some were just quiet. There were even some talking to others, trying to ease the pressure of having to engage in a battle later on. During the time it took for him to recover from the shock of being looked at by so many ferocious eyes, a large, armor clad man strode over to him. In his right hand was a long, black spear that seemed to be very sharp. ¡°What number are you?¡± He asked indifferently. It was as if Gregjoy was mute from surprise, he merely looked at the guard with big eyes. What did this big man want from him? ¡°You number. I need to know that you have arrived.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Gregjoy laughed, finally understanding what the guard meant. ¡°10 283.¡± The guard nodded and then went back to standing quietly in a corner, minding his own business. Gregjoy believed the man had a Spiritual clam where orders about matches where delivered from. This item is a special type of manufactured magical item used by cultivators above the Mind Tempering Realm. By bonding and imprinting it with one¡¯s blood, one can speak with others by using the heaven and earth energy in the air as a medium. A procedure exists to establish a connection between two clams, but Gregjoy unaware of the details. However, by having a Spiritual Clam and using it, that meant that the guard was in fact a Mind Temperer. For many, this might make the Arena to seem like an extremely powerful force, since only one out of thousand in the world were cultivators in the Mind Tempering Realm. Although for Gregjoy, who had been a Legacy Disciple in the Eternal Sword Sect, this wasn''t anything noteworthy. Before the sect was destroyed, it had over a hundred thousand body refiners and ten thousand Mind Temperers as disciples. That said, a Mind Temperer wasn¡¯t a strange sight for him. He was, on the other hand, well accustomed to see and talk to them, and had therefore learned quite a lot about items like divine clams as well as gaining a few cultivation tips. He searched the the room for free spots to prepare himself alone. Scattered benches were placed inside the room in a overly disorganized fashion. All of the benches were packed except for one. A woman sat alone on top of this bench, polishing her sword, looking at it with passionate eyes. Well, it would be more appropriate to call her a girl since she seemed to be in his age. She was very beautiful, her long, black hair tied up a ponytail and kept in place by two dragon formed jade pins glistering in the dim light. The jade pins seemed quite expensive. Gregjoy shrugged his shoulders and sat himself next to her. As he settled down, she didn¡¯t show any reaction or emotion, only continuing to polish her sword, so he ignored her and focused on himself, closing his eyes to calm his heart. After a while though, he grew curious. Why would such a beautiful girl be here and fight, for what purpose was she here? Was she here for the same reason as he? Did she pursue the sword? As time passed, he began to grow unable to contain his curiosity. ¡°Hey.¡± He asked her, trying to start a conversation. ¡°Do you come here a lot?¡± The girl showed no reaction and continued to polish her sword. ¡°Hey.¡± He tried again. Maybe she didn¡¯t hear him. ¡°Do you come he-¡± ¡°What?¡± She replied coldly without turning her head to him. ¡°Trying to belittle me just because I¡¯m a girl? You think someone like me shouldn¡¯t come to the arena?¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Gregjoy was dumbfounded, surprised by the girl¡¯s out of the blue reaction. He chuckled inwardly, and then said to her. ¡°Of course not. I saw you have a sword in your hands and merely wanted to ask if you perhaps pursue the sword like me? ¡°So that¡¯s why you belittle me? Because I¡¯m a girl and still wants to pursue the sword?¡± Hearing what the girl said, he got a bit irritated. Were all girls this hard to deal with? ¡°No, why are you still thinking that?¡± He said, pinching his nose.¡± I only belittle those who state that they pursue the sword, but in reality, do not. Only those whose determination and ambition is hollow. How you look at your sword tells me differently. The determination and love you feel for that sword, even I can¡¯t fathom that. That¡¯s why I wanted to speak with you. ¡°But never mind me for asking, I¡¯ll just leave you alone with your sword.¡± He said, a bit angrily, and got back to his own preparation, trying to calm down his thumping heart before the fight. ¡°Tch, I was just curious¡­¡± However, not after long, Gregjoy heard a sound and looked down from where he thought it came from. It was from the girl. He followed her body and came to her hands. They clutched the sword tightly, trembling intesely. He scratched his head. Did he take it too far? He had heard from his master that the female species are very sensitive. He even remember his master reminding his several times that he should choose his words carefully when speaking to women no matter how old they were. Dammit, why did he let his irritation take the better of him? A smile, unnoticed by GRegjoy, appeared on the girl¡¯s full, pink lips. ¡°Thank you.¡± She said quietly, not loud enough for him to hear. A few tears fell from her eyes dont to the silvery blade in her hands, staining the metal wet. This was noticed by Gregjoy who began to gape. She started to cry?! His master spoke the truth! Girls really are sensitive! ¡°Ahh, here you are. I thought you had left already. Seems you haven¡¯t fought yet?¡± An old man, clad in a rusty iron armor came over to them. To his waist hung a similarly old looking, iron sword. ¡°Old man Sheng.¡± The girl said, looking up to the old man. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I need to have a reason to speak with you?¡± Old man Shen brought the wine flagon in his hand to his beard covered mouth, takings mouthful before releasing a satisfying, ¡®aaaah¡¯. ¡°Haha, come on young miss, I always tell you to not be so uptight. Otherwise the boys won¡¯t like you. No?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± She said quietly Old man She laughed again and then glanced at Gregjoy. ¡°Eh, who¡¯s this? Someone you know, miss?¡± The girl ignored the old man and resumed her polishing. Noticing the old man looking at him, Gregjoy cupped his hands, saying.¡°Gregjoy greets senior." ¡°Interesting. She actually talked to you¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s nothing, just an old man¡¯s musing.¡± Old Shen said, and held out the wine flagon. ¡°You want some?¡± ¡°No thank you, senior.¡± Gregjoy respectfully declined. ¡°I don¡¯t drink.¡± ¡°Oh, what a shame. You are missing out on something.¡±¡± Old man Shen chuckled, his cheeks pink from the alcohol, and turned around, wobbling away while waving his hand.¡±Good luck in your fight.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior.¡± Gregjoy replied. ¡°You too.¡± This earned the laugh of the old man while he walked away. Seeing the girl polishing her sword, focused, he decided not to disturb her. He felt bad for making her cry, but understood that it¡¯s better for him to leave her alone. He would just make it worse. Instead, he crossed his legs and closed his eyes, slowly breathing in and out through his nose. After an hour, when most had gone into the arena to fight, the guard called Gregjoy''s gladiator number. He followed the guard through a tunnel, and was then lead out to the arena. It was grand, and thousands of people were sitting in the stands, watching down upon him as he entered. Looking straight forward, he was momentarily suprised. "Aya, boy. So we meet again this soon?" Chapter 8 - Knowledge without Wisdom is useless! He flinched and glanced forward to where the voice came from. He was astonished. At the center of the grand arena, enclosed by the massive, ten-meter wall that isolated combatants from onlookers, there was an old, amiable-looking man with roseate cheeks as well a lively expression adorned to his face. The man seemed to have a hard time standing upright, plausibly swayed by the alcohol from his wine flagon. His eyes, however, were clear and left not the view of tipsiness as they sparkled with an enigmatic, thoughtful gleam. ¡°Senior, what a delightful surprise.¡± Gregjoy cupped his hands while staring at Old Man Sheng with an apprehensive smile. Apparently, his opponent for his first match would be the old man who chatted with him in the waiting rooms. ¡°Haha, indeed.¡± Old man Sheng hiccuped. ¡°Are you ready?" "Yes, I am." Gregjoy took a deep breath. He had come here for two reasons: To develop his mastery over the sword, and to obtain victory. For him to lose against an old man in the Body Refining Realm, someone who hadn''t been able to become a Mind Temperer in all these years but still attempts to break through with a constantly deteriorating body, that is unacceptable! Gregjoy absolutely wanted to prove his worth now. His master was watching from within the cross! He slowly unsheathed the sword strapped to his waist. It was a fine sword, forged with black iron by his brother in the Eternal Sword Sect''s refinery. The two weren''t brothers by blood, yet, their bond had definitely been thicker than most. Jiang Ye was slain during the besiegement of the sect. Gregjoy would with conviction bring the dreams of his into reality, becoming a super expert able to impose the vengeance Jiang Ye deserved to have. "Watch out" he shouted, storming toward old man Sheng. Old man Sheng''s eyes twinkled, and he summoned his rusty, old sword to block. *Clang* *Clang* *Clang* They immediately exchanged several blows. Old man Sheng leisurely countered Gregjoy''s intense combo. "Good sword..." mumbled old man Sheng with a smile, using a powerful slash from above. Gregjoy blocked it but was astounded from the sheer might of old man Sheng¡¯s sword. He was hurled flying like a kite, his arms shaking with pain. Vibrations spread across his body from the great rebound. What power! ¡°What?! How is he so strong?!¡± Gregjoy screeched inwardly after landing. He quickly got up to his toes again, still shocked to the core. A mere fall like this wouldn''t'' hurt him, and he couldn''t care less about that right now. His opponent was incredibly strong! And how embarrassing, he had just condemned the man for being foolish and weak! To have this strneght in the Body Refining Realm was a feat in itself! Calming down, Gregjoy tried to get a grasp on the old man''s power and cultivation base. The old man''s body seemed to be as fragile as a piece of bamboo leaf, yet carried within intensity that was similar to a volcano, able to erupt instantly with inexplicable force! He was hesitant about other things since this was his first battle. The old man was most likely faster as well and had more rapid reflexes. And thit was with his old, degenerating body!If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "You are stronger and more skilled than I." Gregjoy said after a while. "But I need to win. He stopped the quivering of his right hand and glared at old man Sheng. In one speedy movement, he shot away like a bullet, and then in a fluid movement, imagining his sword being a stream of water, the young man lashed out. His sword flew in a straight path toward its aim. ¡°Haste make waste. No need to hurry.¡± Old man Sheng chortled and sidestepped, escaping Gregjoy''s sword as easily as if he was wandering through his own backyard. He slashed down again and sent the young man tumbling across the dirt. "Ahaha, too predictable!¡± ¡® "How can you see through my moves?" Gregjoy inquired confusedly, once again getting up from the arena floor. The ''One Sword Reaches Sky'' is only a Body Refining Sword Manual. However, it is one of the greatest body refining techniques ever created - A simplified version of the ''One Sword Severs The Sky''. The only difference between the two is, from what he have heard, that ''One Sword Reaches Sky'' doesn''t require ''heaven and earth energy'' to train in. Frankly speaking, the sword manual is a preparation for the real one that he can only begin to practice when he enters the Mind Temperer Realm.That said, how could the old man perceive his techniques this easily? ¡°Your moves?¡± Old man Sheng laughed. "Yes, they are good but hollow. They lack essence." "Essence?" "You have the form. But not the understanding behind it. Hence, your moves will always be false and easy to see through. You have the knowledge, but not the wisdom, and without the wisdom, you can''t use the knowledge. "I don''t understand..." Gregjoy stared blankly, frowning. "How do I achieve wisdom?" "That''s up to you to find out." The old man smiled. "Now come. Let me taste your blade. Or we won''t find peace with the crowd. Gregjoy nodded slowly. He somehow realized what the old man meant. Although he was unsure about certain aspects, it was clear that the old man could indeed see through his sword techniques. This further meant that the old man probably knew how he could improve. If this was the case, Gregjoy should do nothing else but to pay heed to what Old man Sheng explained to him. He needed to achieve wisdom. How he was supposed to find wisdom when he had no clue where to start, he didn''t know, but perhaps this old man did. He bit his lip and did what the old man advised him to do. Charge. By trying the same attack as earlier, the swift slash similar to a whip, he tried to see if there was a difference between now and earlier. Maybe the previous exchanges were flukes two times in a row. After all, things like that could happen. Sometimes. He soon realized that those two times weren''t flukes at all. *Swoosh* "Let me give you a hint" Old man Sheng whispered under his breath as he continued to dodge Gregjoy''s attacks *Swoosh* *Swoosh* "When the earth was born from life''s mist, two supreme factions governed the lands. The Demons and the Immortals. These two groups battled frequently and were even prophesied to do so until world''s demise. However, there was one immortal, an ordinary one among many others, one among some that shone even brighter than him. This fellow without any fortune or godsent talent later became the Jade Emperor, the first immortal deity of the three realms. He created the Song realm above the sky and banished the demons below the mortal realm, in the Hing realm which he also created." "Now let me ask you, how was he different from the other immortals that were far above him in both strength and intelligence? Why was it he who banished the demons and created mankind?" Gregjoy was at a stump for words. "I don''t know. Please enlighten me." "While others fought aimlessly, he tried to understand why he was to fight. While others swung their sword, he tried to understand what purpose the sword had when swung. That is the essence, the intent within." He thought for a while, then asked. "Do you mean that while I know the movements, I don''t understand them?" The old man smiled in acknowledgment, looking up to the crowd in the stands. "Good luck." In a flashing motion, the old man''s hand transformed in a blur. His sword turned invisible. Gregjoy felt a dull pain to the back of his head. First, the young man lost the feeling of his fingers, and then gradually became numb in his entire body as his eyes invertedly closed. A placid darkness enveloped him while he succumbed to his fate.