Thrust of the Golden Needle

"Instructor, but we're still injured," Baron said, raising his hand. "Oh? Where's the injury? A broken bone? Can't you stand?" The instructor's gaze was sharp, leaving Baron without the courage to argue further. "Suolin, we'll start with you." "Yes, sir!" The dark-haired youth stepped forward. Despite the bruises covering him, he took up a sword and prepared to fight in earnest. With a forward lunge and a sudden thrust, Suolin's swordsmanship proved remarkably crisp, brisk, and aimed straight for vital points, entirely free of wasted motion. Clang! Clang! Wielding his sword one-handed, the instructor sidestepped Suolin's assault with steady footwork, then effortlessly flicked Suolin's wooden sword aside before kicking him back with a foot. "Good swordsmanship. Aside from being too direct and lacking variety, there's little to fault for now," he judged favorably. "Next!" "Baron." "Yes, sir!" Baron also took up a wooden sword and charged forward to attack. Unfortunately, though he swung swiftly, his moves were rash and full of openings, falling far short of Suolin's display. After knocking Baron down several times and delivering his critique, the instructor called the next name. "Lei." "Yes, sir!" The tallest student among the group stepped up. Holding the wooden sword, it looked like a small toy in his grip. "Hah!" Lei drew a deep breath and swept the sword horizontally toward the instructor. Facing Lei's forceful swing, the instructor twisted his wooden sword, coiling around Lei's blade like a python, and struck Lei's sword-hand palm, forcing him to let go in pain. "Strength is decent, but your swordsmanship is crude—barely watchable." The instructor shook his head. "Perhaps you should learn a different weapon." "Next!" The remaining students stepped up one by one. Throughout this process, Xilutaiya stood watching from the edge of the training grounds, her light-blue eyes blinking as she continually analyzed everyone's movements and exertion techniques. ['Basic Swordsmanship' proficiency +3] ['Basic Swordsmanship' proficiency +2] ['Basic Swordsmanship' proficiency +5] ... So there was a method like this. Through watching these bouts, she gained a tremendous amount. Even with the same swordsmanship, differences in build and habit led to varying applications and emphases, and personal responses shifted according to the situation. [Basic Swordsmanship lv.4: Fundamental techniques of the sword, the cornerstone of combat. Current progress (573/1200)] Although she had not engaged in combat directly, observation alone brought Xilutaiya immense benefit. Moreover, while observing the instructor spar, she gradually deduced that the fighting technique he employed was a far more advanced art. [Military Swordsmanship lv.0: Military sword techniques, crisp and concise in movement, emphasizing swift combat between life and death. Current progress (31/100)] Compared to Basic Swordsmanship, this military style was far deadlier, but it demanded much more of an individual's physical constitution. Without sufficient strength and speed, one could not unleash its true effectiveness at all. To be able to learn it just by watching people spar—this ability truly was handy. Xilutaiya felt that coming to study under Scholar Haide had yielded abundant gains. However, her leisurely observation was about to come to an end. "Boys, go rest in the open area on the left. Girls, step forward now." The instructor's gaze swept over them. "Walaini, you first." "Ah, Uncle Boke, are you calling me?" Knight Laiwen's daughter looked surprised. "Of course." "All right." Somewhat dispirited, Walaini stepped forward, picked up a wooden sword, and charged at Instructor Boke. Unfortunately, this knight's daughter had inherited none of her father's martial prowess. With nothing more than amateurish flailing, she was easily defeated by the instructor and tumbled to the ground. "A limp grip, shoddy technique, loose footwork, sluggish reflexes—not a single movement was presentable. It seems Laiwen has pampered you far too much," the instructor criticized coldly. "Er..." Walaini's face flushed with embarrassment, quickly followed by a flash of anger. "Who are you to lecture me? It's not like I have to become a knight! Besides, if you're so capable, why don't you go test your sword against my father!" "Hmph." The instructor couldn't be bothered with a young girl's petulant babble and ignored her completely. "Next, Kailun." "Yes, sir." Kailun drew a wooden spear and stepped forward. She bent low, lowering her center of gravity, her eyes locked firmly onto the instructor. Seconds later, the wooden spear thrust out abruptly, its tip driving straight for the instructor's chest. Faced with such an attack, the instructor parried upward with his sword, deflecting the spearhead, then stepped forward sideways, aiming his blade straight toward Kailun's fingers. To his surprise, Kailun gripped the spear shaft and pivoted, taking the sword blow squarely on her shoulder, before thrusting back with the spear once more. Clang! Unfortunately, the spear was still blocked by the instructor. Yet having stopped it, the instructor did not pursue the attack, instead looking at Kailun with appreciation. "Not bad. Very decisive. Good potential." "Next, Kemiya." "Ah... I... I don't know any combat techniques," Kemiya said, looking on the verge of tears. "Oh?" Instructor Boke frowned at this. To lack even the basics—how had someone like this been accepted by Scholar Haide? Before long, a servant jogged over to Boke's side and whispered something into his ear. Boke's brow relaxed slightly, and he glanced at Kemiya a few times. "Very well. You won't need to practice spear and sword techniques from now on. However, basic physical conditioning is still mandatory. Run ten laps around the training grounds." "Ugh... Yes, Instructor." Kemiya had no choice but to head off and run. By now, only Iona and Xilutaiya remained in the grounds without having participated in combat training. The instructor glanced at Iona, then shifted his gaze toward the seemingly frail girl beside her. "Iona, come here." "Yes, Instructor." Iona's tone was flat, as if she found the task at hand rather tedious. She lifted a wooden sword with one hand, holding it before her. A faint golden radiance flashed across her eyes, followed by a fierce thrust straight toward the instructor, a glimmer of golden light clinging to the blade. This extraordinary spectacle was fleeting, noticed immediately only by Xilutaiya. Wooden swords clashed, and continuous sounds of hacking and striking echoed across the training grounds. This exchange did not end quickly. The intense battle soon drew the eyes of all the students; even Kemiya paused in her running. "Amazing..." "Iona is not only beautiful, her swordsmanship is so gorgeous too." "That's definitely not ordinary swordsmanship, right?" In the arena, Iona moved gracefully with nimble footwork, advancing and retreating fluidly while the blade in her hand flashed repeatedly like needle pricks. 'Golden Needle Swordsmanship: Thrust!' In an instant, three dazzling golden threads flashed out, darting toward the instructor like three golden needles. Faced with an attack imbued with extraordinary attribute power, the instructor no longer held back. 'Steel Sharp Blade!' The wooden sword in his hand was instantly coated with a silvery edge of steel. Under his rapid slash, the wooden sword in Iona's grip was shattered directly, bursting into woodchips that scattered through the air. Having lost her wooden sword, Iona stepped back a few paces and released the remaining hilt, ending the fight. She looked at the instructor with pride in her eyes, dignified even in defeat. "Hmph, as expected of Viscount Karen's daughter." Before his imprisonment, Viscount Karen had been an influential figure in the military, with no shortage of secret arts and resources passed down through his family. At this moment, the only person left on the grounds who had yet to participate in combat training was Xilutaiya. Should she take part in the combat training? If she went up, holding back constantly would only lead to all sorts of awkward, contorted situations. But if she didn't hold back and shone brightly—perhaps even outstaging the blonde young lady who was supposed to be the center of attention—wouldn't that run completely counter to her earlier intention of keeping a low profile? Xilutaiya fell into a difficult dilemma. As if noticing her predicament, or purely by stroke of luck, someone interrupted the training session at that very moment, resolving her dilemma.