Chapter 21 (1/2)

Chapter 21: Technique Theft

Translator: Yukidaruma Translations  Editor: Yukidaruma Translations

At daybreak, there were many youngsters already practicing diligently on the training grounds of The School of Sword Arts.

Ogden was still trying to grasp and learn the Nine Yang Divine Sword Technique.

Lambert relentlessly practiced the Eagle Sword Technique, hoping to raise this last basic sword technique to the maximum level before the Prefectural Selection.

Fang Xingjian had just finished handling some of the school’s minor affairs, and he had started practicing the Tenauer-Style Body Strengthening Sword Technique. This sword technique was mandatory for all the soldiers of the Empire. It was succinct, yet broad and profound, focusing especially on the training of the joints and ligaments, which allowed him to greatly increase his speed in changing stances.

No one spoke, and no one was taking breaks. In the cold weather, there was only steaming sweat rising from the students’ bodies.

There were those who carried vengeance, those who carried their dreams, and even those under the responsibility of their whole families. Everyone was moving towards their goals.

Suddenly, The School of Sword Arts’ door was pushed open as Kaunitz and Vivian came in together. Seeing how the two of them were talking and laughing happily, Ogden’s eyes stared in surprise. He could not believe that this was the same Kaunitz as before, always sarcastic, always looking down in contempt at the rest of the world.

Vivian had changed into a light blue one-piece dress. Coupled with her youthful pretty face, it gave her a different aura, making her seem more beautiful than usual.

Lambert gave a cold snort as his gaze towards Vivian turned into one of contempt.

During the past few days, while Vivian had tried getting closer to Kaunitz, Fang Xingjian had not felt the slightest thing concerning her increasing coolness towards him. He did not know whether it was because he was overly rational, or if it was because the purple flames had robbed him of his feelings of love, friendship and kinship.

Either way, he had already given Vivian pointers on her swordsmanship, thus repaying her for the meal before. As for which path she would choose to take thereafter, it was of no concern to him.

However, seeing that Kaunitz had arrived, he could not wait. He pointed with his sword and said, “Let’s begin.”

Kaunitz gave a lofty smile and asked, “Have you not received enough beatings?”

The next moment, the two figures passed each other like lightning and clashed once again.

It was a familiar rhythm, but with the practice from the past few days, Kaunitz’s Grizzly Bear Sword Technique had also improved greatly. It had reached level 2, and thus he was able to fend off Fang Xingjian’s attacks for longer than before. However, once he showed signs of losing, he would quickly switch to his other sword techniques in a bid to overturn the situation.

He used a sword technique which released a series of holy light rays, as if divine light had fallen from the heavens. It borrowed strength from the spine vertebrae, as well as from the shoulders and back, as if Kaunitz had grown a set of wings. With each contraction and explosion from his back and heart, Kaunitz dashed about, surrounding Fang Xingjian, restricting him to the point of making him unable to do anything but receive attacks and rendering him unable to fight back.

This Descent of Holy Light was used by the Tresia Knight Academy to train the strength output of the back and legs in particular, increasing the practitioner’s speed. When Kaunitz performed the technique, he created a series of illusions which drew cheers from the crowd.

The four sets of sword techniques which Kaunitz had been using against Fang Xingjian were all of the same standard as the Nine Yang Divine Sword Technique. All of them were strong techniques which combined both internal and external strength, at the same time borrowing the organs’ strength. These, coupled with the fact that his attributes were much higher than Fang Xingjian’s, were the reasons why he was able to achieve full suppression over his opponent.

Seeing how Fang Xingjian was having trouble keeping up and how his sword was eventually sent flying, Vivian frowned and wanted to ask Kaunitz to show some mercy.