108: Xie Ning learns swordsmanship

The fire-element inner elixir they obtained undoubtedly belonged to the Poison Flame White Wolf.

After swallowing the fire-element inner elixir, the Poison Flame White Wolf howled strangely all night, making it difficult for Xie Ning and the other to sleep. Even Xie Ning began to suspect if it carried the "Three Idiots" genes in its body.

After a whole night of wolf howling, there were both pros and cons.

The benefit was that it increased by 1 Rank, reaching the strength of Bronze Rank 6. Moreover, its control over the Poison Flame was just right, not causing any fires or burning down the small courtyard.

The downside was that it broke through a watershed, its body size growing to 7 meters long. Xie Ning's mount at the academy... was gone.

After class that day, Xie Ning was called away by Yan Ruyu to the courtyard on the Back Mountain.

"Do you still insist on seizing the earth cracking beast inner core?" Yan Ruyu asked again.

Xie Ning smiled and didn't speak, but his gaze already said everything.

"I understand." Yan Ruyu frowned. After speaking, she took a Wooden sword out of her storage stone and handed it to Xie Ning.

Xie Ning took the Wooden sword, stunned at first, then understood something and couldn't help but say, "This is..."

"I watched your battles. Your combat awareness is good, but you have no order or technique. If you truly encounter someone who specifically practices Ancient Martial Arts, you will undoubtedly lose."

After Yan Ruyu finished, Xie Ning thought for a moment and asked, "Is Teacher referring to Zhao Long?"

Yan Ruyu shook her head. "No, he's okay in Lingnan City, but at most, he's just a Demon Tamer proficient in Ancient Martial Arts; he can't be considered a true practitioner of Ancient Martial Arts."

Her tone was very flat, as if this Zhao Long was just a street vendor helping people apply screen protectors—equally insignificant.

Hearing this, Xie Ning's lips twitched. After a long time, he gave a thumbs up. "When it comes to Versailles, I don't submit to anyone but you."

Yan Ruyu ignored Xie Ning's antics and said, "Since you've decided to take the risk, I will teach you a set of sword techniques to give you more self-preservation ability." As she spoke, Yan Ruyu walked to the center of the grass, some distance from the Xingshui Lynx but still where it could see.

Xie Ning followed closely behind.

"Before this, you must recognize a concept." Yan Ruyu turned around and looked at Xie Ning. "The reason a Demon Tamer practices Ancient Martial Arts is not to take the field themselves."

"Although in the early stages of Ancient Martial Arts, a Demon Tamer can fight against an Ancient Martial Artist or a Yao Beast, as the Rank increases, the gap between a Demon Tamer practicing Ancient Martial Arts and the latter two will grow wider. Therefore, if one day you encounter someone specializing in Ancient Martial Arts, you must stay far away. Demon Tamers Beast is your strength."

"That is for..."

"Self-preservation."

Speaking of this, Yan Ruyu couldn't help but laugh, as if thinking of something ridiculous. "A Demon Tamer relies on Demon Tamers Beast as their foundation. But if they have no self-preservation ability and are ambushed by the enemy after all their Demon Tamers Beast are deployed, wouldn't that be pathetic? Without a Cultivation Technique or Martial Skill, no matter how powerful a Demon Tamer is, they are just a fragile sprout. Even a bit of combat aftershock is enough to blow them away."

Xie Ning thought for a moment and nodded seriously.

That was indeed the case.

Like when he was in Flower City and encountered that Silver Rank old man at the hunting ground. Although his Demon Tamers Beast strength wasn't weak, he himself was like a weakling and was easily beaten by a strong young man like Xie Ning.

"So, will every Demon Tamer with the potential to reach Gold Rank be given a Cultivation Technique for free?" Xie Ning added.

Yan Ruyu nodded and then said, "Yes, but those trashy Cultivation Techniques can barely provide self-preservation. Truly powerful Cultivation Techniques are in the hands of great Families or top-tier forces."

Xie Ning: "..."

He felt somewhat offended.

Afterwards, Yan Ruyu explained the more detailed differences between Ancient Martial Arts and Demon Tamers Beast, content that had never been taught in class before.

Xie Ning knew she was giving him special tutoring today. He listened exceptionally carefully and followed her to set up his stance. At this moment, Little Mantis appeared and stood beside Xie Ning, striking the same stance.

"Hmm?"

"This Demon Tamers Beast has good martial arts awareness; nurture it well." After Yan Ruyu spoke, she began the day's teaching with a Sword thrust.

Xie Ning focused all his attention and studied seriously.

He originally thought his progress was significant, but three hours later, he realized he was wrong.

Looking at Little Mantis beside him—whose two slender blade-arms were like swords, performing thrusts, dots, slashes, collapses, wipes, pierces, and picks... every Move executed as naturally as an extension of its body—Xie Ning felt doubtful about his certainty of being human for the first time.

Although Xie Ning wasn't bad, compared to Little Mantis, anyone could see he was a level behind.

"Don't lose heart. A Demon Tamers Beast inherently has unique advantages in combat. The stronger it is, the stronger you are."

After Yan Ruyu finished, Xie Ning nodded slowly and continued to concentrate on practicing.

But the more he practiced, the more startled Xie Ning became.

Before, throwing a flurry of random punches was satisfying, but it had no order; it was just a matter of seeing who would give in first. But Ancient Martial Arts were different; it was more like a strategic layout, countering Moves while baiting the enemy to attack, drawing them into one's own combat rhythm, completely acting as the Dominator of the battle's direction.

Yan Ruyu, on the side, also noticed Xie Ning's change. She nodded almost imperceptibly and went to sit under the sun umbrella, accompanying the Xingshui Lynx, occasionally looking up to check the progress of the man and beast.

The sun slowly tilted from the center, then accelerated its descent. The silhouettes repeating the same movements gradually lengthened, and their actions slowed down.

When dusk fell, the setting sun shone on the Back Mountain, dyeing the courtyard a dim yellow.

Little Mantis stopped practicing, and Yan Ruyu also stopped stroking the Xingshui Lynx. Both of them quietly watched Xie Ning.

Sweat poured off him like rain, and his whole body was trembling uncontrollably, yet his gaze was as sharp as a torch, staring at a point in the distance. The veins on his hands bulged, exerting force to the extreme, held back but not released.

He seemed to have entered a certain mysterious state. Even as sweat dripped down, he didn't Move an inch.

Who knows how much time passed—perhaps a single breath, perhaps fifteen minutes, perhaps longer... Suddenly, Xie Ning moved. The Wooden sword in his hand thrust out. Under the twilight, it was like a streak of dark-golden light passing through space.

His figure came to a halt, and only then did the Sword hum ring out, melodious and crisp.

With a 'crack', the Wooden sword shattered.

Xie Ning seemed to have exhausted all his strength, suddenly collapsing to the ground, panting heavily.

He looked exhausted, but the light in his eyes grew even brighter, his face full of lingering excitement.

"Not bad. To be able to produce a Sword hum shows you have a shallow foundation in the use of the sword, but you still need more training."

Yan Ruyu's shadow fell over Xie Ning as she slowly walked over. Just as she finished speaking, she reached him. She picked up a fragment of the Wooden sword and looked at Xie Ning. "Go save up some Points and try to exchange for a better sword for yourself before going to the Secret Realm."

"Yes! Thank you for the guidance, Teacher!" Xie Ning struggled to climb up from the ground and said gratefully to Yan Ruyu.

Yan Ruyu waved her hand,Seeing off Xie Ning and the Rift Blade War Mantis leave, leaving behind two long shadows.

When the courtyard gate closed, Yan Ruyu held the Wooden sword fragment, stroking the broken edge. Her gaze was extremely complex, and it was a long time before she sighed:

"It's only been half a day..."