9 Stepping on ants

"Here, I'm starting! Now I'll demonstrate to you the 'Lighting Punch' the first strate you can master with a Qi Gathering stage!" A strict voice resounded in the class.

A woman in her late twenties was on a stage. She had an unfathomable cultivation stage.

'Or at least...for me' On the other side there was a 14-year-old boy carrying a long black sword.

PUM PAM TUM

Punch rained down on him, he blocked the first with his sword then he retreated and blocked another one. He was on the defensive.

The teacher had an astoundingly high body cultivation so the sword didn't even give her a bruise.

'Ten punches and I pass the trial'

The only problem was that each punch was stronger than the precedent.

'This is arbitrarily cruel'

It was the third time he retreated he was on the edge of the stage if he continued he would fall.

"Ahahaha!"

"What are you laughing for? Do you feel exhilarated to be soon expelled?"

'I hope this works' "ANT SLASH!"

<<Congratulations! You reached Comprehension>>

Raden slashed forward.

'Yes!' 'That technique wouldn't allow her to change position, as I thought.'

So she had to step back, breaking the flow.

"Aha!" Raden exclaimed, excited.

The teacher was shocked but then smiled. She executed another punch, this time it was 10 times faster!

"Wha-" Raden was shocked. 'Myriad Thoughts!'

The world seemed passing slower: the punch was moving a cm per second, the crowd cheers were inaudible...The only things that moved at a normal speed were Raden's thoughts!

What can I do?'

'The sword will never reach her in time, she is bent forward to punch me. Is that the same martial technique? From the aura, it seems it is...Maybe she wasn't using its full worth before. I could try retreating...no her momentum is too strong, she would catch me. So...'

Then enlightenment struck him.

'What if I put my entire body weight? Yes, as the ants use their entire body to grab something 10 times bigger I could use my entire body to move my sword ten times faster!'

He tried to follow the movement of the sword with each muscle and...

<<Congratulations! You reached Mastery>>

SLASH

The sword cut through the air. Faster than sound, faster than the punch, faster, FASTER!!!

It hit her on the shoulder opposite to the punch.

CLANG

He felt exhilarated but then...

'Wha-'

Cutting her clothes under her skin there was iron. She still fell to the ground for the backlash of the sword strike.

The crowd was shocked, it was a complete overturn of events! Being able to push a teacher to the ground was something that no one of them could do, even if she restricted her cultivation one stage under theirs!

"You made me mad." She said while trying to lift her up.

"Ehh..." She was a meter away from him...he was a bit sluggish due to the overexertion of his mind using that soul art but still...'With my sword!'

"Ant Slash!"

A slash toward her neck. But before he could hit her she was standing up!

With a hand, she blocked the sword.

'Wha-' His mind couldn't process that event fast enough.

With the other threw a punch with a good half of her bodily might. It whistled through the air: Raden couldn't even see it!

PUNCH

Raden was sent on the floor down the stage. He lost.

'Initial Second Stage???' Raden got up painting.

'She...Shouldn't have the power to- I mean I have talent, don't I?'

"You won't be taking lessons from me for three years! Go out!" She finally ordered.

Raden sighed in relief...but in his heart there was only anger.

'Unfair! That's unfair! You restrained your Qi cultivation but not your Body!' 'Oh, well it seems that I would have to find another teacher'

"Teacher, don't you find that a bit unreasonable? I mean you have the right to punish him but what wi-" Su Li tried to convince her to cancel the punishment.

"Stop! Going against the authority of a teacher is punishable with the expulsion, do you want to be expelled?"

"I- I do not..." He replied feebly.

Raden nodded in gratitude at him and exited the class-building.

**********

"It's a waste that such a beautiful teacher has that personality..." Jin Liang said.

"Hmm? Yeah..."

Raden had little interest in women because of the 2d world. Or at least that was what he said to himself and showed to others.

'Ah...Well, now I'm cut off from my only source of information of this world...Beautiful' 'Eh...I should ask Su Li about the contents of her lessons'

'Wait why don't I try to challenge the Ki Tower?' 'If I was able to do so much damage to her, a teacher then...'

Excitement.

He was currently eating in the refectory, alone in a table for two.

There were only some boiled potatoes and tough bread to eat, but at least the portions were large.

'Ehh...Well, I guess that here Body cultivators have it hard!'

The Body Cultivation Path was based on the destruction and regeneration of your muscles so without enough proteins, such an art would be harmful if not mortal.

"Hey, Jin Liang I'm sorry I wasn't able to-" Su Li sat in front of him

"Ah...Don't worry it's my fault, the only problem is that now I don't know where can I attend lessons"

"I've heard that there is another teacher who accepts Unranked Disciples!"

"Oh, who is he?

"His name is Ai Bai and he's a master alchemist! The only problem is that he only takes those who have high talent in the Alchemy Path..."

"It's still worth a try...Hey, what did she taught you?"

"She talked about the basics of cultivation...things that I already knew." He said slightly displeased.

"But...why aren't you trying to become a student of Ai Bai?"

"Me?" A bitter voice. "I have already tried."

'In our clan? There were no alchemists there...How did he?' "I understand, I'll thread down that path for you then"

"Uh...Thanks" He said still unconvinced.

And so they carried on eating.

**********

It was a little wooden house, with a roof made of grass. It gave a rough feeling.

'So this is where examinations are carried'

CLANG

From the door, a figure exited, a middle-aged woman that was however still able to carry a youthful feeling. She was crying. "Damn! I hate you! I HATE YOU!"

'Ehh...Such intense emotions, those younglings' Raden thought impersonating an elder.

"I'm sorry, you've misunderstood!" A man in his fifties said. He was bald and carried a strange smell.

'That must be medicinal herb smell, if I'm not mistaken'

The woman didn't want to hear his excuses and so she left.

"Sorry, boy to have made you a spectator to this stupid show..." "Please, enter."

"Thanks"

"Did you come here for the alchemist examinations?"

"Yes!"

"Do you know anything about it?"

"Nope"

"Eh..." Ai Bai was slightly startled but still gave him a book.

"Read it and return tomorrow. Only then we can start talking about becoming my student"

"Yes, master!"

Ai Bai gave him a strange look...

Raden wasn't his student!