Aziel gave Will a slight nod, beckoning the boy to raise his head.

After that, he turned his attention back to Sam who had already recovered from the shock of Will’s discipleship request.

“The first stance of the Odyssey Sword Art is called Sword of Self. The second, is called Sword of the Heart, and the third Sword of the Mind. Unsurprisingly, in order to achieve perfect mastery of these stances, one must comprehend deeply their aspect of the self, aspect of the heart, aspect of the mind.” Aziel elaborated.

“You have seen what peak mastery of the first sword looks like. Reflecting on it should help push you to the threshold of the first stance. However much you can comprehend after reaching that point will be up to your ability.”

Aziel turned back to Will. “Your insights have given you some understanding of yourself. You can be considered to be half a step through the threshold to minor accomplishment of the first stance. With some training, you should reach major accomplishment without any issue.”

Though Aziel’s expression remained neutral, there was a hint of approval in his eyes when he looked at Will.

“Though your talent is average, you have conviction and drive. Your comprehension skills are also above average, likely due to your unique experiences at a young age.” Aziel continued, his words causing the pride in Will’s expression to freeze over.

“But your lack of talent should not dissuade you,” Aziel added, noticing Will’s unnatural expression. “I was also average among my peers when I was younger.”

Reminiscence flickered in Aziel’s gaze when he recalled his youth.

Will’s suppressed the urge to curse at the man. He had average talent? Bullshit! All his pride from Aziel’s earlier praise withered like a raisin in the sun.

Will knew he was a genius. At ten years old he had opened all twelve of his primary meridians. The mere fact that he could open all twelve before the age of sixteen marked him as a prodigy of the highest tier on the continent. To achieve the same feat a ten? He could only be described as monstrous!

To make matters worse, Will knew he wasn’t yet ready to enter mana condensation. He still had three more to open to achieve perfection in the body tempering stage.

But the man had the gall to say his talent was average? Expert though he might be, Will could only lament his impulsiveness at choosing such a parochial man as his master.

Aziel couldn’t help but release a chuckle when he saw the young boy’s twisted expression. “You disagree?” He asked.

“I dare not!” Will replied without missing a beat. He could only swallow his grievances for now.

No worries. Nobody said experts can’t be ignorant. I’ll just shock him once I open my fifteenth meridian and perfectly enter mana condensation. He will most definitely think it was the blessings of nine lifetimes that he stumbled into being my master. Will couldn’t help grinning at the scene of a supreme expert’s mouth hung open in shock.

Aziel naturally didn’t know what Will was thinking nor did he care.

Walking to a slightly more weathered patch of grass in the compound, likely from excessive training on it, Aziel posed another question.

“What do you know about cultivation?”

Will furrowed his brows not understanding the question.

Aziel wanted to frown at the boy’s slow wittedness but suddenly remembered something. “Ah! You call them Paths of Ascension here, yes?”

Although Will had some questions about the man’s odd way of phrasing, he still nodded in understanding. Taking a step towards the yellowed grass, he begun, “There are three Paths of Ascension in this world. The Path of Sorcery, Path of Body Forging, and the Unified Warlock’s path.

“Regardless of the path one wants to tread, the body must first be primed to the world’s energy – mana. This is done through tempering the body through physical training and opening its meridians. The more meridians opened during the body tempering stage, the faster one can gather mana into their core in the mana condensation stage. They can also refine and purify the mana in their core faster which gives the practitioner more long-term potential.”

Will’s answer was detailed and full of confidence.

“At mana condensation, one can be considered to have taken their first step to ascension. The body is stronger, faster and even one’s lifespan is increased by a few decades longer.”

Aziel regarded the boy in front of him calmly but a flicker of something inscrutable passed through his gaze.

“Tell me what you know about meridians.” Aziel suddenly said when he noticed that Will was about to continue speaking about what he thought he knew about the mana condensation stage.

Stolen story; please report.

“Meridians are the pathways that connect the mana core to the rest of the body. They are also what allow us to absorb mana from the outside world. According to the books, there are twelve primary meridians in the body.”

“Only twelve?” Aziel raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Will's brow furrowed slightly in contemplation before adding, “Some texts mention the existence of heaven endowed innate physiques coined Divine physiques. These physiques are said to have additional specialized meridians that once opened grant the physique’s owner special abilities such as enhanced speed, strength, or just superior healing capabilities. But there has been no word from trusted sources that corroborate these speculations.”

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Aziel’s lips. “How can that be true when you and that young girl you travel with are living, breathing corroborations?”

Will’s body trembled. Wiping the cold sweat from his brow, he swiftly regained composure before plastering a bewildered expression on his face.

“H-how can that be?” he said. “Surely you jest, sir. Even if these so-called Divine physiques exist, they were last heard of during era of Great Emperors. Although I believe myself talented, I am not arrogant enough to compare myself to the emperors of old.”

Aziel hummed in amusement but did not push the boy further. Did this child think he was being shrewd?

“Actually,” Aziel spoke once more, as if remembering something. “If we are talking about the characteristics of these… divine physiques… I believe my son should possess one of his own.”

Aziel then turned to address Sam. “How many meridians have you opened?”

Sam didn’t immediately react to being addressed. He wore a silly grin and a prideful expression on his face, likely from being told that he had a divine physique by his father.

Suppressing a burgeoning vein on his temple, Aziel flicked the boy’s forehead.

Flack!

“OW!” Sam exclaimed. He was just about to throw a tantrum but decided against it when he saw the no nonsense expression on Aziel’s face.

Coughing to compose himself, Sam answered, “I’ve already opened all the twenty meridians you told–“

Sam cut himself off midsentence. With eyes wide as saucers, he pointed a trembling accusatory finger at his father. His chest heaved as he stammered out his next words through gritted teeth. “Y-y-you… You promised that I could start condensing mana after opening twenty meridians. You, you… Liar!!”

Sam had completely forgotten about this detail because of all the occurrences of the previous day. When he got up in the morning, he was too engrossed in conversation with his first ever non adult to think about other things. Now that he was reminded however, he was incensed.

He had opened his twentieth meridian over three days ago and had pestered his parents about helping him start condensing mana. They had promised him to do it yesterday. Yesterday came and went. Naturally, Will had to throw a tantrum.

This time, Aziel really had to pull on all his will power reserves to maintain his stoic expression.

At the side, the sounds of thunder and lightning rumbled in Will’s mind. Color drained from his face as he stared at the loudmouth brat, his face awash with incredulity.

“Twenty…” Will muttered. “Twenty meridians…but how?”

He could not believe it. He did not believe it.

He was a prince. Not just any prince. His father was the Iron Forge King – an era defining genius in the Path of Body Forging. To most, it was just another title. But the more knowledgeable ones knew what it meant to be an ‘era defining genius.’

Will’s father had shared with him the ultimate inheritance of the Ironborn family. The secret to their meteoric rise from an insignificant clan in the Forbidden King’s Plains to an independent kingdom on par with even some large empires.

A manual that records the most correct and efficient way to progress along the Path of Body Forging.

It was because of this manual that Will knew that the absolute limit for meridians one can open in the body tempering stage is not twelve but fifteen!

But now, as he looked at the airhead beside him pointing his finger at his father… he really didn’t understand. Did Supreme physiques exist after all? That was the only thing that could explain the absurdity that was twenty meridians in the body.

“20 meridians… 20 meridians…” Will muttered continuously, his mind in turmoil.

“If I am not mistaken,” Aziel spoke after some time. “Your father told you that the maximum number of meridians one can open is fifteen, yes?”

Will’s body could no longer tremble any harder. All the composure he had tried his hardest to hold onto vanished.

Looking at the face of the man he had decided to take as his teacher, he was met with the same aloof expression he had come to associate with the man. It was that face made Will grimace.

A face that did not hide its indifference and disdain for his family’s greatest secret. The inheritance passed down by Will’s ancestors. An inheritance for which people have died and are still dying!

Will was distraught. But there was no use pretending to be shrewder than he actually was. After all, it was clear his family’s inheritance was of little importance to the swordsman.

Deflated, Will could only suppress his dissatisfaction and address the most pressing question in his mind. “H-how did you know that?”

Yes. How did he know? Even if he knew of more meridians, how did he know their inheritance had fifteen meridians. Why that specific number?

Aziel chuckled. “If this little bit of knowledge is enough to shake you, then won’t you hang yourself when you learn the true secrets of this continent you call home.”

Aziel said no more after that. This left Will with even more questions than he previously had.

With that, Aziel waved Sam over to take up a position five feet in front him.

Sam knew it was time to spar.

Sam didn’t completely understand what his father had talked about with the kid called William nor did he particularly care. In his mind he had been replaying the image of his father unsheathing the sword over and over again, trying to replicate the sensation and feeling he had experienced.

He had failed.

And it was because of his failure that Sam was quite surprised when he heard his father say that Will had reached the threshold for minor accomplishment of the first stance. That was when he started actively paying attention to Will.

However, the more attention he gave Will, the more skeptical he was of his father’s judgement. Because no matter which angle he looked from, the only feeling he got from Will was that the boy was exceedingly weak. If he was weak then how could he succeed where Sam had failed?

Was Sam weaker? He didn’t believe it! After all, while his senses were not perfect, they had helped him steer clear of dangerous situations whenever he went foraging in the forest.

Therefore, when he saw his father step aside and Will replace him, fighting intent and competitive spirit blazed in his eyes.