Chapter 374: Coming Out
Chapter 374: Coming Out
====== Cultivation Arsenal ======
#Weapon Techniques
1) Expert Swordsmanship [Progress: 689 -> 50,689 / 10,000,000]
2) Advance Macemanship [Progress: 476 / 1000]
#Original Techniques
1) Dance of Death [Upgradable]
#Cultivation Techniques
1) Crimson Fire Arts [Comprehension: 90%]
2) Myriad Fire Swords [Comprehension: 33%]
3) Bursting Fire Steps [Comprehension: 95%]
#Special Physiques
1) True Demon Physique (Dormant) [Acquired: 1 / 9]
#System Items
1) 3x Cultivation Speed for 2 years [Activated]
============ END ===========
The sudden enlightenment had made his Expert Swordsmanship jump by 50,000 points in a single go.
Along with that, his macemanship had also increased greatly, with him not only jumping up to the next stage but also nearing the halfway point to the stage next to it.
Although he had somewhat of an idea about the massive improvements he had undergone just after the epiphany, seeing it accurately in the panel in front of him filled him with great joy.
’It jumped by an entire 50,000...’ Yi Chen muttered, finding it difficult to suppress the smile on his face.
After reaching the Expert Swordsmanship Stage, his proficiency barely moved past five hundred in the two and a half years he had spent inside the tomb.
Therefore, to see such a tremendous rise in a single go felt so exhilarating to him that a part of him felt that he wouldn’t mind staring at the panel in front of him for hours while grinning in delight to himself.
"Looks like I no longer need to be tense about the instructor’s evaluation in four days," Yi Chen muttered to himself and suddenly, with a lot of time in his hands, he decided to keep practising this new knowledge again and again until the day’s end so that using it would become as easy as using his hands.
With that, another barrage of attacks engulfed the entire cave once again.
SWOOSH!
With one swing, the wall was crushed to pieces.
BANG!
And with another, the rock pieces flying in midair were cut in half.
SIIIK!
The two sounds continued to reverberate in the cave until it was late at night, and Yi Chen finally decided to focus the rest of his energy on cultivation before finally calling it a night.
The following few days passed in a similar manner, and just like that, it was finally the morning of the sixteenth day.
KKKRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNG
The entrance of the cave slowly slid open simultaneously for all the one hundred caves that were carved inside the mountain walls as a loud sound echoed in the entire chamber.
Taking a few steps out, Yi Chen glanced to his side and below and saw all the other candidates who were also coming out of their caves one after the other.
His gaze then soon went to the middle of the chamber, where the rectangular duelling stage had been created.
In the middle of it, Instructor Tang was standing with his hands leisurely clasped behind his back while staring at all of them coming out of their respective caves.
"In five minutes, I’ll give you the required instruction, so hurry and assemble down here in an organised manner." His voice echoed in everyone’s ears, causing them to nod and increase the pace of their descent.
It was the same with Yi Chen. Using the steps that were carved on the walls, he made his way down before joining the group that was forming up right in front of the duelling stage.
On his way down, he noticed the different shades of emotions that were present in the candidates’ faces.
Some were nervous.
Some hesitant.
While a few among them were exuding confidence.
Just when he was looking around to find a suitable place to stand, Yi Chen heard a familiar voice from his right side.
"Brother Chen, here!" Qin Yao shouted out loud while waving his hand high up in the air to get noticed by Yi Chen.
"Ah!" Yi Chen’s eyes brightened the moment he saw him. Zhou Mei, Feng Ning and Feng Min were also gathered around him.
Scanning all their faces, Yi Chen smiled brightly while going forward to greet them.
"Seeing the bright expression on all your faces, it seems that the last fifteen days had been fruitful for everyone here." Yi Chen said with a smile.
"Yes, it was!" Before anyone could answer, it was Qin Yao who exclaimed out loud and continued, "Since I had never practised with a sword before, I was filled with nervousness and struggled a lot during the first day. However, I suddenly thought of something incredible which made me progress my swordsmanship at an extremely rapid pace!"
"Oh? What was it that you thought about?" Yi Chen asked curiously.
The expression could also be seen on everyone else’s faces, who too were waiting for Qin Yao’s answer with an interested expression.
"I thought of imitating Brother Chen! Having practised with a spear next to you, I’ve observed you so many times!
Therefore, I created Brother Chen’s image in my mind and started practising my swordsmanship alongside it, and the gains have been incredible!
Compared to when I started learning to use a spear for the first time, this rate of improvement is completely unmatched!"
The excitement was evident on Qin Yao’s face as he shared his experience with Yi Chen and the rest.
"That’s amazing. It seems Brother Qin possesses exceptional observational skills." Yi Chen said with an impressed smile on his face, causing Qin Yao to grin further.
"On that note..." Zhou Mei muttered while stroking her chin, "I too felt that my rate of improvement was way better than when I was learning how to use my sword for the first time."
She said while displaying the belt carrying several throwing knives that was wound around her waist.
"I too felt the same!"
"...Yes!"
Both Feng Ning and Feng Min chimed in, making everyone feel that this was only the natural conclusion to comprehend their weapons much faster.
However, Yi Chen, who was also paying attention to the conversations going on around them, shook his head the next moment and said, "No, from the conversation going around us...It appears it’s only the few of us who are the exceptions. See..."
As he said that, he gestured towards the many people who were whining about how difficult it was for them to progress in a weapon that was of a completely different style than what they were familiar with.
"This..."
A wave of understanding soon washed over them all.
"Yes, it appears that we are among the exceptions, not the norm. Therefore, there’s more reason for us to relax now, isn’t it..." Yi Chen said with a smirk while pointing towards Instructor Tang, who was still waiting for everyone to stand in an orderly fashion.
"Brother Chen’s right!" Qin Yao exclaimed energetically.
"Indeed," Feng Ning let out a soft chuckle. "Now that Brother Chen has phrased it like that, the nervousness that I was feeling has started to fade."
"What about you, Brother Chen? T-that weapon... Were you able to make sufficient progress?" Zhou Mei suddenly asked, remembering that the weapon Yi Chen was given by Instructor Tang was a mace.
"Well, you’ll naturally know when Instructor Tang tests me." Yi Chen said with a mysterious smile.
"That’s not fair! We all told you our progress too so-"
Before Zhou Mei could continue further, her words were cut off by Instructor Tang’s resounding voice.
"Time’s up."
Hearing those words, everyone fell silent and, immediately, standing in an orderly fashion, they waited for Instructor Tang’s next set of instructions.
"Mhm." He nodded, seeing this, and said, "It’s finally time for you to display the results of the efforts you’ve been putting in the last fifteen days to comprehend the weapon that has been assigned to you."
Pointing to the first line of cultivators standing in the front row, he said, "Ten of you will be coming on the stage one after the other to exchange moves with me; the same pattern will repeat itself all the way until the tenth row.
Apart from that, throughout the exchange you should not rely on your martial techniques as that’s not the area that is being tested right now, is that clear?"
"Yes!"
Everyone responded simultaneously as a variety of emotions began brewing in their hearts.
"Then let’s start. You, come forward." Instructor Tang pointed at the woman who was carrying two short knives in her hands.
The woman nodded, with nervousness evident on her face, and made her way to the duelling ground the next moment.
Glancing at the way she was holding onto the knives, Instructor Tang subtly nodded his head while taking out two similar knives that appeared in his hands as well the next moment.
"What are you standing there for? Start attacking."
"Y-Yes!"
The woman shouted out loud, her nervousness disappearing the very next instant, being replaced by a fiery determination as she rushed straight towards Instructor Tang’s direction.
CLASH!
CLASH!
Her knives clashed with Instructor Tang’s with great force, sending sparks flying in the air as her barrage of attacks continued one after the other.
Meanwhile, Instructor Tang closely observed each of her movements, evaluating her progress while blocking her strikes.
After a set amount of time, he immediately switched to offence and started overwhelming the woman with his knife.
CLANG!
"!!!"
Losing her grip on the knife, the woman saw her knife flying off the stage as a cold sensation touched her neck that very instant.
"I-I lost..." she muttered, with a pale expression evident on her face.