Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Practical Training
Next, Vahn walked over to attend Elder Orsted’s morning lesson.
But it seemed he was late. All the other beginner disciples were already busy practicing their drills under Orsted’s tutelage.
He tried to sneak in and blend among the disciples in training, but hiding from the man’s sharp eyes was impossible.
"VAHN!" Elder Orsted’s voice rumbled across the courtyard the moment he spotted him.
Vahn froze mid-step, then turned back with an awkward laugh.
"Yes, Elder. Do you need something?" he asked, pretending to be calm.
The elder’s black pupils narrowed like a hawk.
"Do I need something? You even dare speak so cheekily? Tell me, why are you late? And why did you miss yesterday’s afternoon lesson?"
All the disciples stopped what they were doing. Their gloating eyes fell on Vahn.
Vahn was a little flustered by putting on the spotlight like this, but he forced himself to remain calm.
"Elder, just as you instructed yesterday, I was busy tempering my body throughout the whole night. I thought you wanted us to prioritize that above everything else."
"Enough with your pitiful excuses. Body Tempering is important, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore my teachings like this. Do you think only cultivation matters? Is honing fighting skill not important?"
Orsted barked, remaining harsh and merciless.
The disciples gloated over his misfortune.
"What an idiot. He dares to anger Elder Orsted, hmph... now he will have to pay the price."
"Hehe... just watch, that guy will probably get punished," another youth sneered.
Even some of the female disciples looked at him with pity and disappointment.
Elder Orsted’s gaze passed through the crowd before fixing back on Vahn.
"Since you seem so confident in your excuses, let us see how well your Body Tempering served you. Gillian, step forward."
A loud thud echoed as a burly youth pushed past the other disciples. He had bulging muscles and a grin carrying both cruelty and excitement. He was nearly a head taller than Vahn, with thick arms that looked like they could crush boulders with ease.
"Yes, Elder," Gillian answered with cuffed fist, clear eagerness was visible on his face.
His eyes already locked on Vahn like a predator eyeing their prey.
The surrounding disciples began whispering among themselves.
"Ha! Poor fool, facing Gillian of all people."
"Heh heh, he’ll be lucky if he can crawl out of here alive."
Even the girls who pitied him before now shook their heads as if they are already certain of the outcome.
Elder Orsted raised his hand, and silence followed.
"Vahn, you will spar against Gillian. If you can withstand his attacks for ten breaths, I will forgive your tardiness. If not, then you will receive punishment until you remember the value of discipline."
Gillian cracked his knuckles, smirking at me. "Don’t worry, I won’t kill you daoist brother. But I’ll make sure you regret being late."
Vahn exhaled slowly, calming his heart and mind. At that very moment the saber master’s knowledge burned quietly inside him, waiting to be unleash once again.
This was not a punishment for him. This was opportunity to practice his Saber skills with a a real opponent.
Weapons weren’t banned since the Holy Land had the capability to heal any fatal injury with their Light Elemental Healing Arts.
Vahn naturally chose the saber, which immediately earned Orsted’s disappointment.
"This naive kid... yesterday he practiced with the basic sword, and now he goes for the saber. How ignorant. Does he think both require the same skills to use?" Orsted ridiculed his foolishness in his mind.
Nevertheless, the duel began without interruption.
Gillian tightened his grip on the halberd in his hand. He didn’t even bother to take a stance, as if victory already belonged to him.
However, Vahn didn’t waste a moment. As soon as he received the signal, he charged forward like a galloping horse.
It was one of the many saber techniques from the Saber Master’s inheritance. It was called Horse Strike.
With the momentum of a horse, he leapt up and slashed down vertically in a ruthless arc.
There was no hesitation in his eyes, no flaw in his defense, nor in the sharpness of his blade.
"What the—" Gillian’s pupils dilated. He hurriedly raised his halberd with both hands in a horizontal guard.
Clang!
The impact rattled his defensive stance, sending vibrations through his whole body.
The entire courtyard trembled with that single clash. Sparks burst as saber edge met halberd shaft, and a sharp shockwave rolled across the training ground.
"Impossible...!" Gillian’s face twisted. He had expected to crush Vahn with sheer strength, yet Vahn’s strike carried a force that nearly tore the weapon from his hands.
Even his arms trembled, veins bulged as he barely managed to hold on.
Gasps of shocks erupted from the disciples watching:
"Heavens! Did you see that strike?!"
"No way, Vahn was supposed to be a weakling!"
Even Elder Orsted’s brows furrowed, though his expression quickly composed again.
That was no ordinary slash... just where did this brat learn such precision?
But Vahn didn’t pause. The teachings of the Saber Master flowed through his blood like instinct. His saber moved again, this time twisting into a side sweep aimed at Gillian’s ribs.
"Damn you!" Gillian roared, stomping down hard. His halberd spun in a brutal arc, trying to smash through Vahns.offense. He fought not with technique, but with brute force and ferocity.
Clang!
Steel vs Steel collided once more, ringing like thunder. Vahn’s saber slid across the halberd’s shaft sending sparks flying around.
Gillian tried to overpower him, but he angled his blade, redirecting his strength away from him.
The crowd went wild.
"That’s Kinetic Redirection! Where did he learn that?!"
"No. It looks even sharper than the basics we practice!"
Gillian’s gnashed teeth in frustration. He had underestimated Vahn—and now, he was paying for it.
But Vahn had no intention of giving him time to breathe. The Horse Strike was only the beginning. The true path of the Saber was ruthless, unrelenting.
With the Saber shining on Vahn’s hand, he stepped in again. He wasn’t going to lose. Not today.