Chapter 04 The Annual competition

"Try to buff up your cultivation ranks before the end of the year and get into a good position at the end of the competition." Ku wang said while looking at his students.

"Some of you might not make it out of Moon Night Forest, so if you want to sit back from joining the competition, the academy will not punish you so long as you can breakthrough to the xiantian realm in two years time," he said.

Continuing on, he said, "in Moon Night Forest, the palace of Demon King Night Wolf resides there and lord over tens of thousands of demons. Not even the city lord or the headmaster can match the strength of King Night Wolf," Ku wang said. 

"Then why have we been able to secure our lands from demon invasions?" Wu Lan asked, feeling interested to know the answer to his question.

Looking at Wu Lan and then the class, Ku wang said "it's because of the 9th Emperor of Xu Jun State, Emperor Xu Juan."

"Surpassing the headmaster in his cultivation and as well as in his strength, he makes use of the demonic beasts in the Moon Night Forest to train the students of the academy," Ku wang explained to the class.

"Why does Emperor Xu go through all that problem for our academy?" Bu Nan asked, feeling confused as to why the Emperor of Five(5) massive City will give a damn about what happens to an academy in a particular City.

"It's because Emperor Xu Juan was the one who gave the permission for all cities in Xu Jun State to have an academy, and having its name correspond to the particular city they originated from," Ku Wang said. 

"Enough of the questions and let focus on what we have today," he said to his students, "battle techniques as the name implies, are techniques exclusively meant for battle and it's split into five(5) categories:

1. Core rank battle techniques

2. Mortal rank battle techniques

3. Earth rank battle techniques

4. Hell rank battle techniques

5. Heaven rank battle techniques.

"These are the five battle techniques which corresponds with the five(5) Realms of Cultivation,"

"Some battle techniques can be used for both cultivation techniques and battle techniques. An example is the technique every student without a good background or an elder in the academy must make use of. That is if you've never had a fortuitous encounter before entering the academy,"

"The academy technique is a core rank technique and also the lowest grade of cultivation techniques. The academy makes use of this technique because it's the easiest technique to cultivate with and it also contain a fist art, which makes it a battle technique,"

Ku wang went on explaining the different types of battle techniques, the grade and reason behind the grading.

The class went on for about six(6) more hours before it ended.

"And that is all for today." Ku wang said, "you all won't be having any class throughout this one and a half month time. Make sure you all come to the academy assembly ground at the end of the year if you're interested in participating in the Annual competition," Ku Wang finalised as he left the classroom.

Immediately after, the wrapped up Lu Jin left the classroom to his room.

Not interested in wasting time in the classroom, other students began leaving for their rooms. 

Bu Nan looked at Wu Lan and said "I will definitely get the first position and receive the best reward for the competition."

Looking at Bu Nan, Wu Lan said "I am three(3) months earlier than you in stepping into the starting realm of cultivation, the body tempering realm. You can't hope to match my strength."

"Hmph, the competition is on getting the highest number of demon energy core and equipment will be allowed. Although my cultivation might not be equal to yours, but with my equipment, my combat strength will be just a little lower than yours." Bu Nan said proudly.

No matter how sour Bu Nan words were, it was the truth. Although Wu Lan was valued and praised by his Master, he was still just one of the many disciples his master has, making it impossible for his equipment to match that of Bu Nan whose help was his uncle.

"I will advise you to increase your cultivation instead of focusing on the equipments that was gotten by your seniors through their strength," Wu Lan said as he looked at Bu Nan, " and do not forget that the demon core collection is only the first round of the competition, while the second round of the competition is the most important when it comes to cultivation," Wu Lan said as he moved towards the door.

"Just because you were lucky enough to awaken your life spirit before me, you are now claiming to be better than me. Wu Lan, you better be careful I don't see you in Moon Night Forest, then you won't be as lucky as Lu Jin who only got his bones broken." Bu Nan muttered as he left the classroom.

...

Inside a room, Lu Jin sat down and looked at the painting of the sword while still getting the same thing.

"A sword is made with two sharp sides for cutting, slashing and cleaving, the tip of the sword for piercing and swiping, the bottom of the sword as the handle and the steel of the sword made strong for defending and contending against other weapons." Lu Jin said as he kept on looking at the painting, "but what am I missing."

"Master said that if my attack is a rank higher than my cultivation, then I have known a little about the way of the sword and I have just stepped into the class of Sword Cultivators," he said as he immersed himself in understanding what he was looking at.

After cultivating for three hours and still not getting any results, he was about to stop when he his mind flash back to his injured state.

"I get it!" Lu Jin said as his eyes flashed open and looked at the sword in his hand.

"The inner sword, I don't know the inner sword," he said while still staring at the sword in his hand, "I didn't fully understand the body tempering realm until I understood my body."

"To understand the sword, one must understand the outer part of the sword as well as the inner part of it," Lu Jin said as he sent his energy qi into the sword.

47 seconds later....

"The inside of a sword has no space, has no gap, has no bridge connecting it together," Lu Jin said as he stared at the sword in his hand, "it's just hammered delicately together." 

Wushh!!

A silver light was seen as Lu Jin slashed out before it transformed back into the sword in his hand.

"Just that insignificant understanding can make my attack faster than before, reaching the attacking speed of a peak rank 8 body tempering realm cultivator." Lu Jin said as he let his imagination run wide.

"Just how powerful will my attack become if I really comprehend my sword intent," Lu Jin said as he lamented on his poor knowledge of sword cultivation.

...

A month and two weeks passed in the academy as those who were interested to go to the Moon Night Forest all gathered at the academy assembly ground.

Some students stood in groups while a few others stood alone.

"Who is that guy?" someone asked his friend beside him.

"It looks like L..,"

"Lu Jin!" surprisingly, Wu Lan was the one who called out the name.

"What happened to him, did he lose his cultivation?" a student asked. 

"If he lost his cultivation, why would he be here?" another student asked.

"I can't get any read on him, if not for my eyes, I wouldn't even know he was standing there." another student said. 

As the students were trying to clarify their confused minds, a voice came from above them.

"Be quiet!" 

Immediately, the assembly ground became quite. So quite that students were able to hear their neighbor's breath.

Looking up, the students were incredibly shocked.

"Amazing," Lu Jin muttered as a look of yearning appeared on his face.

A middle age man standing on the air without support looked at the students below before saying, "THE ANNUAL COMPETITION BEGINS."

New Chapter...

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