Phoenix Will Broadsword Art

“They said I was to be Haoxuen’s practice partner, but what kind of martial arts can you teach?”

Seiran asked. Seiran also seemed to be looking down on me because I was younger. Since it couldn’t be helped, I fought a mock match with him and crushed that cocky attitude of his.

“Huff, huff… I yield. Please go easy on me.”

After being struck all over his body with a staff, Seiran began to obey honestly. That said, even though I struck him, I had held back plenty.

“Before we start training, I want to check Seiran’s qi.”

I examined Seiran’s qi level. It was the same Third Tier as Haoxuen’s, but there was one difference. Seiran was suited to still art.

Gyorei Cave has a still art called “Bodhisattva Art.” It is said that even Sect Leader Wei learned it, and among still arts it is apparently an excellent one. However, Xiaotan had told me its contents were difficult. So I read it, but I did not think it was that difficult.

It was probably because I had read and studied “Meimei Gong, Secret Transmission,” so that had become my foundation. I advised Seiran to study “Bodhisattva Art.”

After that, I taught Seiran the Immortal Foundation Qi Combat Art as well and had him train together with Haoxuen. There were times when I acted as their partner, but it still seemed easier for Haoxuen and Seiran to train as a pair.

“Haoxuen, have you decided what kind of weapon art you’ll study?”

Now that the two disciples I was teaching had become two, I had started calling them by name. When a young kid like me calls them without honorifics, I look like an insolent brat, but it couldn’t be helped. Haoxuen nodded when he heard that question.

“I’ll go with the broadsword, same as Senior Brother Kou.”

“I’ll go with the broadsword too.”

Even Seiran declared that he would study the broadsword. Weren’t these two misunderstanding something? I was only going to instruct the new disciples for three months.

If it were only Haoxuen, who had been skilled with the long-hafted spear, I could still understand it. But for even Seiran, who was skilled with the sword, to choose the broadsword was strange.

“Seiran, your assistant instructor is Yulong. Besides, assistant instructors only teach for three months. What will you do after that?”

Haoxuen made a troubled face.

“One month has already passed, so what happens after the remaining two months are over?”

“You either choose one of the elders or high disciples as your master and become a direct disciple, or you join one of the associations the inner disciples form and train there.”

An association was something like a study group formed by inner disciples who had not been able to become direct disciples of an elder or high disciple, divided by weapon type, alchemy, treasure tool making, and the like. I, too, would probably choose someone and study under them next spring.

“But in only three months, I won’t know who I should make my master.”

Haoxuen said that. Well, I could understand that opinion too. Many Taoist practitioners are secretive and dislike showing how they train. It is difficult to be told to decide when you cannot even observe them. The fact that I can participate in Elder Shanshi’s morning training is exceptional.

With Haoxuen and Seiran’s level of ability, it would probably be difficult for them to become direct disciples of an elder or high disciple. Seiran’s parents were not as wealthy as Yulong’s either, so apparently it would be impossible for him to become a direct disciple of an elder or high disciple through his family’s money.

“Have you decided, Senior Brother Kou?”

“I’m thinking of choosing Elder Min or Elder Mon.”

“Would that mean treasure tool making or alchemy?”

“I think those two seem interesting.”

Haoxuen and Seiran made faces as if that were unexpected.

“I thought Senior Brother Kou would stay on this path and become Elder Shanshi’s direct disciple.”

That was what Seiran said. If he waited, someone among Elder Shanshi’s direct disciples would probably give up on becoming a Taoist practitioner. It seemed he had thought I would step into that vacant place.

“Why did you choose the broadsword?”

I asked the two of them.

“I was confident in my spear skill, even if only to that extent. But Senior Brother Kou’s broadsword completely crushed me. That made me think broadsword martial arts are amazing.”

When Haoxuen said that, Seiran nodded as if to say it was the same for him. It felt like they had not thought it through enough, but I decided that whether the broadsword suited them or not would become clear if I let them try. So I decided to teach the two of them the “Phoenix Will Broadsword Art.” I did not choose the Broadsword Fox-Flame Technique because I judged that, with their qi levels being low, the Broadsword Fox-Flame Technique would be impossible for them.

Phoenix Will Broadsword Art is a martial art that uses qi to strengthen physical abilities and defeats the enemy with sharp movements and powerful blows from a broadsword. The two who began learning that Phoenix Will Broadsword Art started mastering it like dry sand soaking up water.

My days often followed a pattern of starting with morning training, eating breakfast, then instructing Haoxuen and the others, then eating lunch and going hunting in the demon realm.

The prey I hunted was the Silver Sheep that Elder Min had asked for. Up to now, I had paralyzed eight Silver Sheep with Lightning Thorn and sheared off their wool.

Meanwhile, after Haoxuen and the others practiced qi training and the Immortal Foundation Qi Combat Art together early in the morning, they received instruction from me. Then in the afternoon, they either studied in the library or received instruction from the instructor Johnrin. I was the one who had instructed them to study whenever they had free time.

A few days after I started teaching them Phoenix Will Broadsword Art, they became able to swing staffs used in place of broadswords while using qi.

The staffs Haoxuen and Seiran swung began to ring out with sounds of slicing through the wind. Their power had clearly increased as they understood how to use qi. The two of them looked delighted to feel that.

While I was thinking about what to do regarding their weapons, the two of them ordered broadswords from a blacksmith in town and obtained broadswords made of steel. It seemed that because of that, Haoxuen had run out of spending money.

“Senior Brother Kou, how do Taoist practitioners earn money?”

“Some Taoist practitioners make treasure tools or immortal elixirs and sell them, but the easiest way is probably to go to the demon realm and hunt yōma.”

“Can the two of us hunt yōma?”

Haoxuen seemed to have become anxious after running out of spending money. I see, so that was also the reason he chose me as his assistant instructor.

“It might be a little early, but shall we try going to the demon realm?”

“Yes. Please.”

I decided to take the two of them to the demon realm. After the morning practice ended and we ate a meal, the three of us headed for the demon realm.

“Senior Brother Kou, what are we hunting today?”

Seiran asked.

“Since it’s your first time, I’m thinking of aiming for Fang Rabbits or Fang Monkeys.”

Seiran made a dissatisfied face.

“Rabbits and monkeys? Aren’t there any slightly stronger yōma?”

“There are, but it’s too early for you two.”

“That’s not true. We can use Phoenix Will Broadsword Art now too.”

Seiran seemed to be the type who gets carried away easily.