novelraw Chapter 18 – Sword Maniac
Chapter 18 – Sword Maniac
[Ding, refreshing talents...]
[Ding, congratulations on successfully refreshing the Green Talent: Sword Maniac and Green Talent: Accumulated Fall. Please choose your talent within one minute.]
[Sword Maniac: Your heart is clear, your comprehension is extraordinary, and your eyes can only see the way of the sword (Women? They only slow down your draw speed!)]
[Accumulated Fall: For each death in the simulation, the host gains six months of cultivation in reality (Water accumulates to form a pool, sand gathers to form a tower; as long as you die enough times, you will eventually become invincible in the world!)]
Two green talents appeared consecutively.
Both seem very powerful!
The one with the highest cost-effectiveness is definitely Accumulated Fall.
Firstly, it has no side effects, nor does it distort personality. It can be inherited for long-term benefits, though the drawback is its slow effect and long return cycle.
As for Sword Maniac, it's clearly a more obsessive talent.
A fanatic of the sword path.
The leader among Sigma males.
It emphasizes having no woman in your heart, so drawing the sword comes naturally.
Such a talent is destined to be one-time use; no matter how strong, it cannot be inherited.
Giving up spear and staff for sword practice?
Then what's the use of having this iron staff?
The sacrifice is too great!
However, right now, Sword Maniac is indeed more suitable for him. With this talent, he might learn a profound martial art, compensating for his combat weaknesses, and use his genius status to apprentice under a great master for support.
More importantly, the Accumulated Fall talent is too trivial for someone at the Perfected Bone Refining Stage.
If cultivation could help him refine high-grade bones, that would be different.
But clearly, it can't.
Bone refining depends on talent and opportunity; if mere cultivation could achieve it, Iron Bones would be everywhere.
After understanding this point.
Chen Shi directly locked in the Green Talent: Sword Maniac.
[Ding! Talent selection successful, life simulation begins.]
[The next day, you find Li Ping and express your desire to train in the Alpha Battalion. He is surprised by your decision and soon takes you to the armory to choose a technique.]
[You are firmly drawn to an iron sword on the weapon rack, an uncontrollable urge rising in your heart to draw it and play with it fiercely.]
[In the depths of your mind, a voice seems to tell you that this sword will be the goal you pursue for life.]
[You trust this feeling.]
[You immediately express your desire to practice swordsmanship to Li Ping.]
[Li Ping states that sword cultivation requires high standards in bone structure, comprehension, and willpower, and is not suitable for you.]
[You remain unmoved, steadfast in your decision.]
[Li Ping is quite surprised by your persistence. He walks to the weapon rack, takes down a treasured sword, throws it to you, and points to the sword moves on the armory mural, asking you to perform a segment based on your intuition.]
[You grip the sword hilt, gaze at the sword moves on the mural, your eyes becoming focused and sharp.]
[In an instant, you seem to merge with the sword in your hand, your form agile, the sword moves like a swift wind, each strike carrying a fierce momentum, the blade slicing through the air with a crisp sound.]
[After completing a set of sword moves, you directly reach the Beginner level!]
[Li Ping is shocked, realizing your Perfected Bone Refining Stage cultivation the moment you move. Having been an instructor in the Song family for many years, he knows that those who can reach the Beginner level in swordsmanship in one go are less than two digits. He realizes you are a swordsmanship prodigy and decides to nurture you well...]
[The next day, you enter Alpha Battalion, Squad One, and begin practicing the Falling Snow Sword Technique under Li Ping's guidance.]
[Meanwhile, after Li Ping's explanation, you learn about the divisions of martial skill proficiency: Beginner, Proficient, Mastered, Perfected.]
[Beginner means being able to skillfully perform a complete set of martial techniques.]
[Proficient means not only skillful performance but also flexible application, able to respond to different situations, unlike the rigid routines of the Beginner level.]
[Mastered means thoroughly understanding and integrating the martial technique, using it as naturally as an arm, even performing it in reverse with ease.]
[Perfected means fully integrating the martial technique into the practitioner's body and consciousness, reaching an extraordinary state, allowing the practitioner to adjust techniques instantly according to subtle changes in the battle, using them with almost no form or flaw!]
[Unless the martial technique itself has defects!]
[It is said that above Perfected, there is an even higher realm.]
[In that realm, technique approaches the Dao, where the learner comprehends the essence left by the creator of the martial technique.]
[Such as: Fist Intent, Blade Intent, Sword Intent...]
[Li Ping says that only those who comprehend the essence can truly qualify to aspire to the innate realm...]
[...In Alpha Battalion, Squad One, your talent is not outstanding, because everyone here has at least High-Grade Iron Bones. Most are direct descendants of the Song family, who began cultivation at the age of five. Compared to them, you, a newcomer, seem somewhat lackluster.]
[However, you don't care about these things.]
[Because since you embraced the way of the sword, everything else has become less important in your eyes.]
[On the third day, you spar with a Song family disciple with High-Grade Iron Bones. Your Beginner level Falling Snow Sword Technique only lasts ten rounds before you are defeated, becoming a laughingstock once again, ranking 98th in strength, at the bottom.]
[The one who defeated you was the previous bottom rank, 97th. After defeating you, he cried on the spot, his emotions very agitated.]
[You don't pay much attention to this.]
[Because you firmly believe that given time, you will surpass him.]
[On the eighth day, Lin Manqing returns to the mansion, shocked by your talent, not expecting you to break through from the early Organ Refining Stage to the Perfected Bone Refining Stage within seven days...]
[Your resources increase once again.]
[On that day, you receive a Profound Grade - Low Quality Marrow Cleansing Pill and a jug of Profound Grade - Low Quality Drunken Immortal Brew.]
[In the days that follow, you eat and live in the Alpha Battalion, drawing your sword five thousand times a day, training with extreme diligence...]
Seeing this, Chen Shi's eyes showed contemplation.
In this simulation, he didn't seem to mention anything about Elder Wang.
If it were him, he would definitely follow the original trajectory, first investing in Song Fan, then forcing Elder Wang away, and then going to Alpha Battalion for training, maximizing benefits.
The simulated version of himself was probably influenced by the talent.
He was too lazy to do such things.
But this is also good, maintaining the status quo, not alerting the enemy, with the Mastermind in the open and him in the dark, might allow him to live longer.
[A month later, seeing no progress in your Body Tempering, Li Ping brings you a fist technique, stating that you are at a critical period for Body Tempering, and practicing fist techniques would be more beneficial than swordsmanship.]
[You refuse his kindness, continuing to focus on your sword practice.]
[Li Ping, seeing your persistence, is somewhat helpless and reports your situation to Lin Manqing. Lin Manqing, seeing your lack of interest in Body Tempering and obsession with the sword path, sends people to persuade you several times, but to no avail, eventually letting you be, no longer requiring you to practice fist techniques.]
[After all, geniuses cannot be judged by common sense.]
[Three months later, you refine Medium-Grade Iron Bones, and an elderly man with white hair and beard arrives at Alpha Battalion, said to be Lu Yi, a renowned sword expert and Song family enshrined elder. You humbly seek his guidance, and with his advice, your Falling Snow Sword Technique reaches the Proficient level.]
[You are overjoyed.]
[You immediately kneel and kowtow, asking to become his disciple.]
[Lu Yi is quite surprised, not expecting such a Sword Maniac in Alpha Battalion, Squad One.]
[He then shakes his head and refuses you, stating that he has no intention of taking disciples, and finally mentions that with your unremarkable bone structure, you should focus on Bone Refining at the Bone Refining Stage, rather than swordsmanship, so you can go further in the future.]