Sai followed the armored guard down the narrow corridors and soon arrived outside of the stone protectorate. The other young masters were busy drilling with their trainers, while Guan Hei stood at the furthermore reaches, standing with both of his arms crossed. His back was straight and domineering as he gazed down on Sai from afar.

Sai smiled wryly as he approached the hardheaded soldier, a hint of hesitation within his steps. He moved unhindered and soon arrived a few feet in front of Guan Hei, clenching his blade tightly. Sai raised his vigilance to the maximum and felt his muscles become taut, preparing for the inevitable attack.

Yet, surprisingly, Guan Hei did not immediately attack. Instead, he ripped off his helmet, revealing his scar-filled face and short black hair. A small practice sword appeared in his burly, right hand as he strolled toward Sai. "Sparring is over, we'll go through the basics, now."

Before Sai could respond, Guan Hei tossed the wooden sword into Sai’s hands and separated his feet a few paces apart. “Since you have chosen the sword as your weapon of choice instead of the various alternatives, I will make you comfortable with wielding it before you begin cultivating,” Guan Hei explained with a stoic expression as if he were made of steel.

Sai nodded his head whilst resting his slender blade onto the ground, opting to clench the wooden one that was given to him instead. He had yet to digest the potential inheritance he just received, but one thing was for sure, his inner body roared in excitement at the thought of utilizing a blade. Sai was not yet proficient in weapons, nor did he research them in the past, so every little bit of information was helpful to his uneducated self.

“The foundation for superior swordsmanship is relatively simple to understand, but very difficult to master,” Guan Hei educated while entering into a horse stance himself, “we are not mindlessly waving steel around, it is very important to not look at the sword as if it were a mere weapon, but an extension of ourselves instead. This, however, is my own opinion of the blade, you will formulate yours in time as well.”

Guan Hei then went on to explain the difference between a sword practitioner and a basic martial artist. A swordsman was not only capable of developing sword-ki, but they were also expected to master three of their five senses. Vision, hearing, and touch. Perception was essential for pinpointing flaws and attack patterns, while the ability to hear was important to fend off multiple enemies, or when battling in strange circumstances. Most of all, mastering the nerves within your hands and body would render your sword handling capabilities to be more refined.

Just like there were Inheritances and a plethora of other unanswered mysteries in the world, sword ki was another one of these questionable things. While it wasn't nearly as practical, nor practiced to the extent of modern cultivation methods, it was still a feasible way to gain power. Many different clans and dojos both taught and practiced the way of the sword. However, a remarkable sword practitioner who could stand toe-to-toe with a cultivator without a solid cultivation base himself had not existed in hundreds of years. This was not a coincidence by any means.

The reasoning was actually quite simple; all power was manifested by someone or something. This "power" could be obtained quicker if you attempted to become something or someone more powerful than you. As such, thousands of cultivation manuals were based on legendary creatures and deities; those that humans were clearly inferior to. If one followed a set of guidelines in an attempt to shed their mortal entrapment, they would excel quicker. Thus, leaving those who contemplated the dao of the sword behind when it came to raw strength.

Nonetheless, these little factoids were not related to Sai in the least. On top of practicing the sword, he planned to cultivate according to some sort of manual as well. He soaked up the information that Guan Hei informed him on and began swinging his wooden sword as instructed.

"Before technique, comes tempering, " Guan Hei spat, "your body is far too weak for any unorthodox skills, so it is vital for you to strengthen the correct muscles!" He continued In a loud voice, deep within the day as sweat rained down Sai's body.

The young master's elegant and graceful appearance was nowhere to be seen as he swung his weapon down. The other warriors and scions had long entered the protectorate to eat dinner and sleep, leaving Sai alone with Guan Hei. Even when the moon gleamed down with its bright luminescence, his youthful figure remained unthwarted by the intense aches and exhaustion. He was not a determined person by nature, but a small flicker within his heart urged him to continue. It breathed life into his soul and gave meaning to every slash; causing him to fall in love with the addicting sensation.

It wasn't until the dead of night that Sai's muscles finally began to experience failure. They quivered under the tense pain and suffered from continuous shredding. His hands trembled as he dropped the wooden blade to the ground and fell to his knees. The strange immersion that he had just experienced was washed away by the discomfort inside of his body. He gasped for breath as his chest heaved up and down, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

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Seeing this, Guan Hei sent a stream of energy inside of Sai's body and observed his painful expression with shock. The boy in front of him was clearly still a child and judging from his physique, he had never completed any rigorous training. Yet, the sheer willpower he displayed on this night would completely change anyone's judgment of "silk pants" that they had initially placed on him. Training until muscle failure was no easy task and Sai had officially received Guan Hei's respect.

He picked up the sore boy and heaved him over his shoulders, concealing the strange light in Sai's eyes. Sai knew better than anyone how misunderstanding Guan Hei truly

was; it was not willpower, nor determination that kept him going. No, it was the strange flame within his heart that urged him to continue past his limits. Even he was confused as to how it happened.

The small dragon that had entered into Sai's body earlier was shrinking at a rate visible to the eye whilst coiling around his heart. Its energy was clearly beginning to seep into his body, unbeknownst to even himself. Such an occurrence was strange even for this world, which was full of obscurities.

Sai could not see, nor feel the dragon dissipate inside of his body, but he could feel the odd changes in his physique. He inwardly decided to try and find the kind old man in the infirmary; there were many inexplicable things on his mind that could only be answered by him. Arguably, the cause of all of this was the doctor in the first place.

Before that, however, Sai was in dire need of nutrients. His thundering stomach alerted both him and Guan Hei, causing the stoic man to change directions toward the cafeteria. Every warrior needed the proper nourishment to flourish in battle.

Guan Hei streaked down the empty halls and into the massive cafeteria, where the smell of food still wafted about. He brought sai to the countertops at the end of the building and slammed his fist down on the metallic walls. It caused the small section of the protectorate to vibrate, summoning a fragile girl to the opposite side of the counter. Her brown hair cascaded down her shoulders and accentuated her fairy-like features.

"Xiao Meng, can you prepare something for this little guy?" Guan Hei asked while stroking his beard, "I pushed him to his limits, and his muscles are beginning to deteriorate because of it."

The very young and beautiful girl who appeared to be around twelve glanced at the near unconscious Sai. She nodded her head and a smile stretched across her face. "I'll do you a favor, little Hei, " she said, "but, the next time you slam this table to summon me… I'll kill you!"

A thick killing intent pervaded into the room, provoking Sai's body to react and tense up. 'She is strong, probably stronger than Guan Hei!' Sai thought inwardly while scrutinizing the little girl in front of him.

Guan Hei snorted in response and sat Sai down on the table. He darted out of the cafeteria shortly after, leaving Sai alone with the demoness. 'I thought you were a fearless soldier! How dare you leave me alone here.' He thought while his eyes followed Guan Hei's departing back. A streak of sweat could be faintly seen coursing down the side of his face.

Bang! A plate of food suddenly slammed onto the table. Strips of steak, corn, and a bountiful bowl of rice simmered in front of him. Moreover, a refreshing beverage was set next to the tray by the fair girl. She observed Sai shortly forget her appearance and chow down on the sumptuous feast instead. For the first time, a tinge of curiosity appeared in her bright eyes.

She placed her finger on the indulging young man and bared witness to his mutilated tendons repair themselves at an astonishing rate.

She gasped in shock as she took a step back, reevaluating the youth. He seemed unimpressive as he chopped down on the food, but his graceful appearance could not be shrouded. His striking, purple hair and yellow eyes were not things that a normal person could even hope to possess. "He must hail from a powerful bloodline to amass this kind of innate regeneration speed… I wonder where he's from?" She whispered to herself while sneaking her way back behind the counters.

Whether it was a royal lineage or a high ranking clan, she didn't want to get her hands mixed into any trouble. After all, unlike Guan Hei or her general, she possessed no familial backing!

Sai was unaware of her strange thoughts and finished his food with relish. His sighed in bliss as he directed his consciousness into his mind, onto the manual he had received from the small dragon. Now that no one was around and he was no longer restricted to the training under Guan Hei, Sai immediately decided to try out his supposed "inheritance"

Each manual or cultivation method was blocked behind a complicated mantra. As the cultivator progressed further and further into the mantra, their body would reform and their dantian would expand. Once their energy attained a high enough grade, it would be refined into an exquisite stream of true energy, finally allowing the cultivator to pass into a new realm. Henceforth, each subsequent realm would allow the usage of an entirely different power.

Sai studied the first part of the mantra with unbridled enthusiasm. As a scholar, the deciphering of the initial sentence was not too arduous, but it still took an entire hour for the meditating Sai to fully comprehend it.

"Shed your moral integrity and sever your connections; for the True Dragon is not restricted by human constructs."

"Do not mindlessly destroy; for a dragon leads and conquers their enemies with decisiveness and wisdom."

"A pack of seasoned warriors led by a sheep is inferior to a herd of sheep led by a competent dragon."

"One laceration can separate the heavens, one thrust can cause the mountains to tremble, and one mistake can mean the death of all."

…

Sai read word for word with his mind abuzz. 'What a domineering mantra!'