Chapter 147: Cloud Piercing Peak
Chapter 147: Cloud Piercing Peak
Jin pushed himself off the bottom step and walked toward the center of the courtyard. He dragged the tip of his curved saber across the cobblestones to draw a line in the dust.
"Discipline forms the bedrock of a martial artist." Jin pointed his weapon directly at Solomon’s chest. "You possess incredible foundational strength, yet you treat instructions like mere suggestions. Bypassing checkpoints and sneaking out at night ruins your focus."
Solomon kept his mouth entirely shut. He figured arguing with the pavilion leader would simply double the length of the lecture. He shifted his weight onto his back foot and watched the older man pace across the dirt ring.
"You chase freedom under the delusion that rules restrict your growth," Jin continued, raising his free hand to emphasize his point. "Structure exists to prevent a warrior from consuming themselves. A blade requires a sturdy sheath to maintain its edge over time. If you lack boundaries, your own power will eventually turn into a fatal poison."
Solomon tapped his fingers against his pristine steel hilt and waited for the older cultivator to drop his hand. He let out a quiet breath. "Are we still dueling tonight?"
Jin halted his pacing and narrowed his eyes at the silver-haired boy. A brief chuckle escaped the instructor’s lips. "I know exactly how much you crave a proper fight. Punishing a battle maniac like you is incredibly simple. I should just cancel this match right now and send you back to your dormitory."
Solomon frowned and adjusted the leather strap crossing his chest. "I am not a battle maniac. I just want to test my limits."
Jin completely ignored the correction and sheathed his curved saber with a sharp clack of metal. "I will grant you this duel regardless. Beating some manners into your skull serves as the perfect opportunity to discipline you. You need to learn how to follow the rules and respect authority."
Solomon hoisted his massive greatsword higher onto his shoulder and grinned. "If learning discipline actually makes me stronger, then I will gladly follow your rules."
Jin turned his back on the training rings and walked toward the eastern archway. Solomon followed the pavilion leader up a winding, unlit stone staircase.
They hiked through the craggy mountain passes for nearly an hour under the pitch-black sky. The stone path eventually opened up onto a massive, flat plateau sitting far above the lower sect pavilions.
Cloud Piercing Peak offered complete isolation from the rest of the sect. The elevated battleground allowed them to fight away from prying eyes without worrying about damaging their surroundings.
The moonlight illuminated the sprawling, flat stone surface.
Solomon stepped onto the plateau and unbuckled the leather strap from his chest. He hauled Eden’s Penance off his back and planted his boots firmly onto the rock.
Pavilion Leader Jin walked toward the sheer edge of the plateau and looked up at the pitch-black sky. "The first patriarch of the Azure Dragon Sect stood exactly where you are standing right now."
Solomon kept his hands on the hilt of his executioner’s sword and listened quietly.
"A massive storm completely swallowed this mountain range two thousand years ago," Jin explained, turning around to face the silver-haired boy. "The patriarch swung a mundane steel blade and parted the entire cloud canopy above the peak. He achieved that feat without channeling a single drop of aura or relying on any magical enhancements."
Jin tapped the scabbard resting at his waist. "He proved that an absolutely flawless physical foundation easily eclipses spiritual power. This location earned the title of Cloud Piercing Peak from that display of martial supremacy. We will honor his legacy tonight by restricting our internal energy completely."
Solomon grinned and tightened his grip on the pristine steel of Eden’s Penance. Because he voluntarily locked away his newly awakened aura, the divine relic immediately rejected his unholy bloodline. Blue lightning erupted from the hilt and scorched the skin across his palms.
"I can follow that rule." Solomon promised, lifting the giant weapon off the rock. ’And to make it even more challenging, I will avoid using imperial sword arts.’
Jin nodded and drew his curved steel saber with a sharp clack. The pavilion leader dashed across the stone plateau. He swung his blade in a diagonal arc aiming directly for Solomon’s shoulder.
Utilizing Basic Evasion to pivot on his right boot, Solomon let the curved saber sail past his ear. He hoisted his greatsword and swung the flat side of the blade toward Jin’s ribs. The sheer mass of the executioner’s sword carried an immense physical force.
Jin seamlessly twisted his hips to slip inside the weapon’s reach. He brought the hilt of his saber up and struck Solomon squarely in the chest. The impact forced the air from Solomon’s lungs and sent him sliding backward across the smooth stone.
Solomon recovered his footing instantly and launched himself forward. Chaining Basic Axe Combat with his footwork, he brought Eden’s Penance down in a brutal overhead chop. Jin raised his curved blade at a sharp angle to deflect the incoming mass.
The weapons collided with a resounding crash. Jin guided the greatsword down toward the floorboards, completely redirecting Solomon’s momentum into the rock.
The pavilion leader immediately retaliated with a sweeping low kick targeting Solomon’s ankles.
Fortunately, Solomon anticipated the counterattack flawlessly. He hopped over the sweeping leg and released his left hand from his hilt. Utilizing Basic Boxing, he drove a sharp right hook toward Jin’s jaw.
Jin caught the incoming fist with his free palm, twisting Solomon’s wrist outward before shoving him violently backward. Solomon tumbled across the plateau and quickly rolled back onto his boots.
"You leave openings whenever you blend your weapon strikes with unarmed combat," Jin critiqued, stepping forward to press his advantage. "Your center of gravity shifts too drastically between the transitions."
’The opening doesn’t matter because I choose to leave it open. But needless to say, he is strong. And I hate to say this as it might sound like an excuse but I think the stamina tax is catching up.’
Solomon wiped a bead of sweat from his chin and charged again. He swung his greatsword in a wide horizontal wheel, forcing the pavilion leader to step back.
The two fighters clashed furiously under the moonlight while the ringing of steel echoed continuously across the isolated mountain peak.
Jin darted into Solomon’s blind spot and thrust his saber toward the boy’s flank. Solomon spun his massive blade around, catching the tip of the saber directly on his pristine crossguard. He immediately stepped forward and delivered a punishing knee strike toward Jin’s midsection.
The instructor blocked the knee with his forearm and pushed off the ground to create distance. They circled each other on the stone plateau, their boots scraping loudly against the rock.
Solomon grinned broadly at the brutal exchange. Fighting an opponent who possessed absolute control over their body mechanics forced him to refine every single movement.
He anchored his boots and prepared to launch another sequence of foundational strikes.
"I have seen you fight. I know you are more capable than this," Jin said as he blocked an attack. "Are you holding back against me? If you want to put a scratch on me, then you will have to stop holding back."