Chapter 128: Azure Crane Blade
Chapter 128: Azure Crane Blade
Two sect guards wearing deep blue robes stood near the stone archway. They kept their hands resting on their sabers while monitoring the courtyard.
Solomon wiped a bead of sweat from his chin and adjusted his grip on the practice weapon. He stepped forward to initiate the eighth sequence of the Azure Crane Blade.
The technique required the practitioner to link thirteen distinct movements together within a strict window of time. Each individual step functioned as an independent strike.
Stringing the forms into a continuous flow demanded perfect spatial awareness and precise body positioning. The momentum from a parry had to translate directly into a forward lunge covering exactly three feet of distance.
Solomon snapped his hips and brought the training sword around in a sweeping arc. He seamlessly carried the remaining force into a reverse thrust. The blunt tip stopped a fraction of an inch away from the training dummy.
He had spent fifteen years trapped in the mental void refining his foundational muscle memory. Mastering the basic physical requirements of a new sword style felt like a simple chore compared to the Imperial Sword Arts.
He successfully completed the eighth step and lowered his weapon. Across the polished cobblestones, the other first-year disciples struggled to connect even the second and third movements.
[1Fizzy: the guy on the left just hit himself in the shin lol.]
[Xander_Man: Solo Man is flying through these forms.]
[Fatal_Beauty: making it look like a beginner’s tutorial.]
[Last_Fables: twelve hours of sleep is for the weak.]
A novice student near the weapon racks tripped over his own boots and dropped his saber onto the stones.
Solomon watched the boy scramble to pick up the gear while apologizing to the hovering instructors.
The connective steps of the Azure Crane Blade required extreme agility. Failing to cover the exact distance between strikes compromised the practitioner’s balance and derailed the entire sequence.
Solomon cracked his knuckles and looked up at the sun position. Morning training usually concluded right before the noon meal.
He had already memorized the theory behind the remaining five steps, and he planned to execute all thirteen movements in a chain before the dining hall opened.
"Five more steps to go," Solomon announced to the floating bronze owl. "I will string the entire technique together before lunch."
[IceWaterKat: speedrun part two.]
[James_Hayes: the teachers are going to question their own existence again.]
[2Lazy2Care: do you ever actually rest?]
He reset his stance and brought the wooden longsword back up to his chest. Then, he lunged forward to initiate the ninth step.
The sequence required a rapid downward chop followed instantly by a spinning deflection. He anchored his boots into the cobblestones and twisted his torso.
The practice blade sliced through the environment with precision.
He carried the spin directly into the tenth movement. A sharp thrust aimed at an imaginary opponent’s neck transitioned into a sweeping leg trip.
Solomon moved across the courtyard, ignoring the two guards watching from the archway. The guards exchanged confused glances as the silver-haired boy outpaced the senior disciples practicing in the adjacent rings.
Solomon pushed his physical limits and initiated the eleventh step. He bounded off the ball of his foot and executed a mid-air horizontal slash. Landing smoothly, he immediately dropped into a low crouch for the twelfth movement.
The weapon swept upward in a protective arc designed to deflect incoming projectiles.
He utilized his Basic Parkour foundation to propel himself forward for the final strike. The thirteenth step demanded a complex piercing motion combined with a backward leap.
Solomon drove the blunt tip forward and pushed off the ground simultaneously. He landed perfectly balanced on the cobblestones ten feet away from the dummy.
The entire thirteen-step sequence flowed together without a single interruption. Solomon lowered the practice weapon and wiped a line of sweat from his forehead.
He turned toward the floating drone and offered a satisfied grin.
[Fatal_Beauty: flawlessly executed.]
[1Fizzy: he actually did it before noon.]
[Xander_Man: easiest channel points ever.]
Solomon checked the time on his floating interface. He tapped the wooden longsword against his boot and looked at the hovering drone.
"I can do this faster." Solomon pointed at the training dummy. "The transition between the ninth and tenth steps wastes too much momentum. If I pivot on my front heel and angle the blade lower during the downward chop, I can cut the execution time."
[Fatal_Beauty: bro is casually rewriting sect manuals again.]
[1Fizzy: let him cook.]
[Xander_Man: record pace incoming.]
He reset his stance and launched into the sequence again.
He linked the first eight forms seamlessly. Reaching the ninth step, he planted his front foot and twisted his hips sharply. The wooden blade snapped into a downward strike. He used the resulting momentum to spin directly into the sweeping leg trip of the tenth movement.
The adjustment worked perfectly.
He pushed his speed further. He repeated the thirteen steps over and over, shaving seconds off his completion time with every single attempt.
[Last_Fables: the speed is actually insane.]
[James_Hayes: bro completed his assignment and is now doing extra work.]
Suddenly, a bell rang across the courtyard. Two guards stepped out from the archway and waved their hands.
"Training is over." The first guard pointed toward the path. "The dining hall is serving lunch. Go eat while the food is hot."
The remaining students dropped their practice weapons and rushed toward the exit. However, Solomon stayed exactly where he was.
He kept his grip on the wooden longsword and reset his footing for another attempt.
The two guards looked at Solomon and then glanced at each other before walking over to him.
"You need to leave the courtyard." The first guard gestured to the empty rings. "Everyone has left."
Solomon kept his eyes on the training dummy. "Just give me five more minutes. I am about to beat my best time."
The second guard shook his head and offered a warm smile. "We watched you practice all morning. You train harder than anyone else here, and you already learned the entire technique. You should avoid pushing yourself to the breaking point. You are young and need to take care of your body."
"Resting is also training." The first guard patted his own shoulder.
Solomon lowered his weapon and wiped the sweat from his forehead. The advice made sense. He tossed the wooden longsword onto the rack and grabbed Eden’s Penance. Strapping the S-Rank relic to his back, he waved at the two men and walked out of the courtyard.
[2Lazy2Care: finally he stops swinging that stick.]
[IceWaterKat: time for food stream.]
He navigated the stone path leading toward the dining hall. Fortunately, another guard intercepted him near an intersecting corridor. The man wore the exact same blue uniform as the others.
"Solomon." The newcomer stepped into the path. "Jin is looking for you at the Eastern Pavilion. He wants to discuss the morning incident."
Solomon nodded and adjusted the strap on his chest. "I have no idea where that place is located. Can you escort me?"
"I will show you the way." The guard gestured forward. "Jin ordered me to protect you and guide you there safely."
They walked side by side through the winding stone passages.
The bustling noise of the academy students faded as they entered a secluded section of the sect grounds. The stone walls here looked older and lacked illuminated torches.
While they passed a dark alcove, the guard reached into his sleeve. A hidden steel blade flashed in the dim light. He lunged forward and drove the metal directly into Solomon’s side from behind.
Solomon let out a scream of pain.
He stumbled forward and clutched his bleeding ribs. He lowered his head toward the stone floor as he groaned and grunted in pain.
Then, a wide grin stretched across his face.