Teaching Rhea improved sword arts under the sun and moon for many days, Edward has forgotten of his beasts and own practice
Lost in his teaching and converse with his sister the days and nights become blurred together, uncaring about the time passed
"You are finally rotating your Chi correctly Rhea, good job"
Hunched over with her hands on her knees "Yeah, it only took me ten days. Brother I dont have abundant enough Chi to sustain this technique for long." Panting cause of the exhaustion of her training, Rhea is unhappy with the minimal progress she has made
"Of course not, your realm is low but what you have achieved is not small. Your prior enlightenment of using a fine amount of compressed Chi to douse your sword is keeping you afloat."
"True, before I would just rush an outburst of my energy over the sword, now I can use small dense amounts to enhance my weapon"
"Take a break, I will go and grab something beneficial for you. While I am gone breath how I thought you and fold the Chi in your core how I showed you."
Using his divine art Edward disappears from Rheas vision
[Big brother Edward is a liar of the highest kind. Everything about him is a mystery, curing his illness by his lonesome doesn't explain his wisdom and martial insight. He will never tell me the truth of his prowess, he actually expects me to believe that the movement art in his eyes, is a natural born ability]
"Hmph" Sulking over her brothers deception, Rhea takes a seat and begins her meditation
-
Gathering his spirit beasts into his ring excluding Shady, the panther and demon stare each other down yet again
The breeze of the air kicking up the falling leaves of Autum consequence, picking up Edwards hair and causing it dance in flow behind him, the pair are not glaring to the other menacingly but solemnly
Stepping towards the predator Edward palaces his hand on Shadys head and opens
"You are no longer an angry young beast that lashes out with emotions, you are calm and carry yourself with respect. Your present demeanor and mindset is worthy enough to walk with me, you may live inside my shadow now. If you take this opportunity, know that you may not exit on your own but only with my permission."
Falling into Edwards shadow displaying his servitude, Edward wonders what caused the change inside of him
Walking into the illusions of Lady Azlans array, he strides through the descending cave to speak with her
Azlan already in her human form is ready for his arrival, sitting in the middle of her island like it, as a whole is her throne
"My Lady" Edward still walking towards her, stopping where at the bank of the pond
"Little lion, I have watched you since you left. You have taught, fought, and stole, but what I am most amused about is the array you fashioned inside my forest."
"Haha, My Lady surely you aren't upset about it?" [I hope she isn't, I didn't plan for her reluctance]
"What is its purpose, little lion"
[Being called a lion is upsetting, but its not a wrong title] looking down in thought of his inheritance he is brought back to the conversation by the shift in the air
Lady Azlan not repeating her question but staring at Edward intently awakens his beastly instinct
"My Lady, its nothing harmful just a way to see the happenings of the arrays area." Sweating Edward exclaims in a playful tone
"Okay but for what purpose?"
"For the banquet this time, I plan to have a battle royale between competitors inside the forest, slaying beasts and other people for score. The array is so the spectators in the estate can watch the battle."
Standing on four legs shifting back into her true form, Azlan steps on the water and walks across it
Looking down at Edward calm with no intentions decipherable, purple light begins to manifest in his eyes as he grows nervous of the blue lion standing over him
"You think you could leave before I could grasp you?"
"I will certainty try, my Lady"
"Sure. Little lion you plan to allow outsiders into my lands, and for them to hunt my beasts for sport?"
"I plan to show the superiority of my clan, and on that day declare my independent rule."
"This clan is already independent, I will not permit others under these trees shadow!"
"My Lady, while we do rule our territory sole, the world believes us to bend our knee to another. This disgusts me, I will expand my range of holdings and set a firm order with my clan at the top."
Bringing his hands together in respect "My Lady, I will show the difference in power and foundation to our counterparts then leave our coalition, so that we will truly be independent!"
"Despite our clan having strength greater than the others, we maintain balance for the good of the land and its mortals. You want to put all we fostered in jeopardy, why are seeking out this path?"
"You know already, I am not of this world and plan to take all I want from it. It is true that people may suffer from my actions, but my own people will not. My followers and citizens will prosper from my conquest, and this clan will become master to my enemies, who will in turn prosper from my rule."
"And to conquest, you need your actions to be your own, no other voice to hold you back or question your course..." [I almost forgot this person, my greatest inheritor is on divine journey] "It is this clans fortune that you fell into one of its own, I will not stand in the way of your tricks at the banquet."
Lady Azlan turns away from Edward and walks across the spirit water back to her island
"Thank you my Lady"
"Yeah yeah, leave now little lion"
"Lady Azlan, I came here with questions seeking answers." Edward shoots back, unwilling to end their conversation
"I know what you wanted to ask, all I did was tell Shady some of your history. I also snowed your other friends effective ways to use their Chi."
With his curiosity slightly satiated Edwards says is goodbyes and uses his art to head towards Liam
"Goodbye, Lady Azlan. I am unsure of when we will next meet, but I am not looking forward to it!"
"You little-"
Fwoosh
Edward disappears before she could reply by use of the purple nothingness stepped by his foot
-
Not having kept up with Liam since he woke from his battle and took shelter, Edward used to his soul that returned to his ring to locate him
Liam who has not attempted his breakthrough yet despite stepping into tier 8, was meditating and taking in Chi while compressing the gains simultaneously
Unaware that his master was in his presence, Liam was inside of his own mind
Having stepped through the gates of mental training, Liam was repeatedly using Roaring Dragons Fang against an imaginary Steel Beaked Cassowary. The follow through of the hand variant was not just sudden realization from being near death, but the opening to a flood of inspiration.
Liams mind was now in a state of free flow, shedding the mentality of seeing and following, he was trying out new ways to perform the technique
Using his Chi in the manner of the hand variant, but on his dual swords, using much more Chi but is much more deadly. The jaws of the dragon is larger, its mouth holding more teeth, and of course the actual wing of his sword, results in single move killing the spirit beast.
The movements and realizations in Liams mind brought satisfied expressions to his face in reality
[Is he training in his mind? He doesn't seem conscious even though he is upright and breathing normally] Edward quick to realizes his subordinate's situation smiles, no longer believing he has been wasting his time
Quickly opening his eyes, the light from the setting sun blinds him causing nausea and headache, Liam was confused about his surroundings. Edward now directly Infront of him, his shadow blocking out the sun
"Breathe and circulate your Chi, you're alright" placing his hand on his back, Edward helps to flow Liams Chi and calm him down
Feeling better and clear of mind Liam kneels "Master, thank you"
"Don't think me, instead tell me about your mental training"
"Is that all it is called master? I knew I was imagining it, since I had infinite stamina and Chi, but it all felt so real. I was using the technique you taught me to fight a rank 6 spirit beast-"
"That Steel Beaked Cassowary you slew last week?" Edward interrupts
"Yes that's the one, I was using the technique in ways that I don't know are possible or not, but I felt the flow of my Chi, it seems very possible."
"Continue.." Edward having high expectations for the explanation
"You know the bite with your hands in Roaring Dragons Fang, I was using that with my swords. Not just that, I was using the tail from the leg variant on one sword, and the regular claws sword variant on the other" Looking at his swords thinking he was just talking nonsense, Liam was feeling heavy from potentially disappointing Edward
"HAHAHA" Edward in great mood lets out a laugh not mockingly but one of satisfaction
[I knew it. Master must think I am foolish]
"Great job Liam!" Edward finally responds
The praise makes Liam whip his head up "Master?"
"The things you trained in your mind are possible, you wouldn't have been able to do so if it wasn't. Mental training might be imaginary, but it is a mirror of our reality. Roaring Dragons Fang doesn't have any forms or variants, it is an enchantment of sorts. I simply split the technique into parts so that it's easier to differentiate the flow of Chi to manifest each part of the dragon. You not only realized this, but you also came to it without any guidance. I am very pleased with your progress Liam."
Edwards explanation and kind words almost crush Liam, while his new mindset had just taken shape, his dao was still unfounded. The gratitude inside of him mixed with his own pride had become tied together almost into a knot
"The fact you have seen through to some of the essence of the technique, after practicing it for less than a month, speaks to me that you are even more talented than I thought. I no longer have to guide you closely, I only need to give you the means and you will find the ends on your own."
"Master what do you mean?"
"I mean from this day forward, you will not need me to look over your shoulder and guide your growth too closely. You have already broken the wall inside of yourself that hinders most from thinking of marital arts freely. Anything you learn, you will seek out its roots and use it effectively. This is the mindset of a martial master, after many years of battling and learning you will even be able to create your own techniques and arts. Naturally I don't mean all martial arts, your affinity for the sword is the greatest and what you shine with."
"Master, you mean I should be a sword cultivator?"
"I cant answer that for you, your dao is something you need to define yourself. Continue to walk down the path I am heading with me, and you will come to clear understanding of your dao."
Liam still kneeling before Edward lowers his head "I understand, thank you master!"
"I can see your mind in chaos of all your thoughts, center yourself and prepare your breakthrough. I will come to you when it is time to leave."
Flying off Edward leaves Liam to his own discretion, thinking of him as a baby that just learned to walk, he will let him fall and pick him up so he can take his own steps