Remembering with Blood

A female professor, holding a scroll, walked quietly. 

Before her lay a tranquil hill, surrounded by an expanse of wild, untamed grass. 

The mountain breeze caressed the knee-high grass, causing it to undulate like waves of wheat. 

This was a scene imbued with profound meaning and poetic beauty; however, an arrow falling from the sky shattered the serene tableau, infusing it with an epic aura. 

The arrow shot forth from the hill ahead, descending between heaven and earth. It was black, tracing a dark line across the azure sky, yet its incredible speed stirred white currents around it, creating a subtle wave reminiscent of a comet falling. 

After this arrow fell, another was released from the hill, once again etching a black mark in the sky, accompanied by white eddies, and it plunged fiercely into the wilderness below. 

The female professor, with her slightly disheveled hair, glanced up at the marks in the sky and continued her steady advance. 

"Professor An." 

Lin Xi, practicing archery in the mountains, had already spotted An Keyi. Knowing her rank surpassed that of Tong Wei, he felt a mix of curiosity and surprise as she approached him. 

An Keyi, exuding an air of scholarly grace, returned the salutation to Tong Wei, Lin Xi, and Bian Linghan, then turned to Tong Wei and inquired in her usual scholarly tone, "How are their practices progressing?" 

Tong Wei glanced at the black longbow, slightly deformed from excessive tension under Lin Xi and Bian Linghan's repeated draws, and replied in a low voice, "With Bian Linghan's preliminary shots, about five or six out of ten arrows can barely hit a target three hundred paces below." 

An Keyi tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, contemplated for a moment, and then looked at Lin Xi, saying, "Shoot an arrow at me with all your might." 

Though Lin Xi was well-acquainted with An Keyi and had witnessed her prowess in the fire field, he did not grasp her true intent. However, he and Bian Linghan understood that they were training to face a soul master with the strength of soul warriors, and An Keyi's cultivation clearly surpassed that of a soul master. Thus, he knew his arrow would pose no threat to her. Curiously, he asked, "Right here?" 

"Right here," An Keyi nodded, then turned and walked nearly a hundred paces away, saying to Lin Xi, "That's enough." 

Lin Xi nodded without further comment, focused intently, and released an arrow that whistled through the air, accurately striking An Keyi's left shoulder. 

An Keyi remained motionless; a faint yellow light flickered at her shoulder. With a soft "thud," Lin Xi's arrow left a hole in her professor's black robe, yet it fell powerless to the ground. An Keyi's body merely swayed slightly, showing no significant damage. 

"Shoot again." Before Lin Xi could voice any questions, An Keyi nodded at him and spoke. 

Lin Xi nocked another arrow, drew the bowstring, and aimed for An Keyi's right shoulder. 

He was not aiming for symmetry; rather, he thought that even if An Keyi, clad in the academy's trial valley black armor, sustained no injury, the impact of the arrow would still cause some pain. Hitting the same spot twice would naturally amplify the discomfort, so he targeted her right shoulder. 

As the dark arrow struck An Keyi's right shoulder, the yellow light still flickered there. However, to Bian Linghan's astonishment and Lin Xi's disbelief, instead of falling, a spray of blood erupted from An Keyi's shoulder. 

Tong Wei raised an eyebrow but remained silent. 

The arrow's fletching quivered slightly as An Keyi extended her pale left hand, furrowing her brow, and skillfully pulled out the arrow, promptly applying pressure and medication to stop the bleeding before tossing the arrow back to Lin Xi. 

"The soul energy I projected externally earlier was roughly equivalent to that of a mid-level soul master, combined with the strength of ordinary soft armor. The soul energy I just projected corresponds to the strength of a newly advanced beginner soul master." Observing Lin Xi's furrowed brow, An Keyi spoke in her usual calm, scholarly manner. 

"Thank you, Professor." Lin Xi took a deep breath, respectfully bowing to An Keyi before lowering his gaze to the bloodstains on the arrow. 

Both he and Bian Linghan were astute, and they quickly understood that An Keyi's actions were meant to provide them with a visceral impression. 

Since the current emperor and the instructors at Thunder Academy believed that real combat could most rapidly enhance combat prowess, the five new students chosen by Thunder Academy would likely be steeped in fresh blood during the upcoming competition. They were acutely aware that their weapons, when used against opponents of the same level or slightly higher, would evoke visceral reactions and spur the flow of blood. 

However, Lin Xi and Bian Linghan lacked this firsthand experience. 

They were unaware of the true lethality of their arrows against practitioners, how deep the wounds would be, or how much blood would flow from their opponents. 

Tong Wei understood the power of the arrows well, but mere words could never compare to An Keyi's demonstration, where the blood coursing from her body left a vivid and indelible impression. 

… 

Lin Xi gazed at the black arrow in his hand, its tip stained with blood, while the shaft bore almost no trace of it. 

He inhaled deeply and looked at An Keyi's shoulder, where a flower-like wound was visible. As he watched, An Keyi raised her arm and waved at him. 

This made it clear to him and Bian Linghan that with their current standardized bows and arrows, they could penetrate to a depth of about two finger widths into the body of a beginner soul master. However, unless they struck a fatal spot, they would likely be unable to significantly impair their opponent's combat ability. Against an opponent of mid-level soul master cultivation, they would stand little chance in a direct confrontation. 

"Do not be disheartened; this is merely a limited competition... With your current cultivation, you have access to far more powerful bows suited for your use. Should you find yourselves in a real situation or on the battlefield, with your skills and archery techniques, even a high-level soul master might be heavily wounded by your arrows. Understand that skilled archers are always a source of great apprehension for practitioners." Observing Lin Xi and Bian Linghan, who were moved yet somewhat discouraged by her demonstration, An Keyi calmly imparted, "This is precisely why many practitioners do not operate alone; even those facing formidable archers often have protectors specifically tasked with safeguarding their own archers. This is also why the academy has chosen for both of you to compete together." 

"Understood, Professor." Lin Xi inhaled deeply. Looking at the blood on An Keyi's shoulder and the black arrow, he clearly recognized the stark contrast between her and the likes of Vice Dean Xia and certain others. The vivid blood before him evoked feelings of humanity and camaraderie, deepening his appreciation for the value of life. In contrast, those who drew strength from the blood of prisoners and captives likely grew increasingly devoid of compassion for the weak and respect for life. Thus, when Helan Yuexi first encountered him, she immediately perceived him as a threat, her hostility swiftly morphing into murderous intent. 

There are many who can be killed in this world, yet not all must necessarily be slain. 

"Given the current lethality of your standardized bows and arrows, if I were at the foot of the mountain and you attempted to assassinate me with the Falling Moon technique, my body would likely be pierced if I were a beginner soul master." An Keyi regarded Lin Xi and Bian Linghan, then turned to Tong Wei, stating, "If Lin Xi adjusts his shot based on Bian Linghan's initial release, their accuracy should be decent. However, the opponent will not remain passively waiting to be hit, and as the distance increases, it will become increasingly difficult for Lin Xi to strike them." 

After a brief pause, An Keyi's brow furrowed slightly as she continued slowly, "I have just received word that the emperor will arrive at the Four Seasons Plain tomorrow. What do you think?" 

The Emperor Yunqin, representing the highest power and authority in the realm, would arrive tomorrow? 

Lin Xi and Bian Linghan inhaled deeply, yet they could not quell the tumult in their hearts. This was a day earlier than Tong Wei had anticipated. 

"The situation is somewhat awkward," Tong Wei's expression suddenly darkened. Recognizing the gravity of life and death at stake, he could not speak any falsehoods in front of Lin Xi and Bian Linghan. He looked at An Keyi and replied coldly, "Although Lin Xi's progress has been swift... the time remains too short. With his current archery skills, if the target is more than three hundred paces away, it will be difficult for him to hit accurately... As you mentioned earlier, the opponent will not foolishly stand still to be shot, so Lin Xi and Bian Linghan will likely have only one opportunity to strike. If they shoot from a height of three hundred paces against an opponent with mid-level soul master cultivation, that arrow will not be sufficient to incapacitate them completely." 

An Keyi nodded, "Three hundred paces is indeed not high enough." 

Lin Xi pondered for a moment and earnestly asked, "If we were to shoot at a mid-level soul master from this three hundred paces high hill, what kind of injury would we inflict?" 

"Approximately a bit deeper than my wound here," An Keyi said, extending her pinky to illustrate. Lin Xi and Bian Linghan could see clearly that it was merely the length of a fingernail deeper. For practitioners, this depth was not in a fatal area and would not constitute a serious injury. 

"What height would be necessary to ensure that an arrow could penetrate the body of a mid-level soul master?" Lin Xi's eyes gleamed as he asked earnestly. 

Tong Wei glanced at Lin Xi and replied, "At least five hundred and fifty paces." 

"Five hundred and fifty paces?" Bian Linghan's face paled slightly. After days of practicing archery, she knew well that arrows shot with the Falling Moon technique fell like stones from the sky; at a height of five hundred and fifty paces, the actual distance traveled would far exceed that, and even minor deviations could lead to significant inaccuracies upon descent. 

Now, Lin Xi shot with slightly more precision than her, but he could only maintain accuracy at three hundred paces. Beyond four hundred paces, hitting a target with any precision would be nearly impossible. 

"Since we have no other options, we must simply practice more," Lin Xi said calmly, observing the evident concern on Tong Wei and An Keyi's faces.