Chapter 115: The Rustic's Secret Learning

Africat suddenly swayed, staring at Xia Ya in disbelief. "You... you are actually willing to guide me?!"

At this moment, Africat assumed that this man was far superior to himself—a powerhouse he would normally only be able to look up to. Martial artists always treated their unique skills as precious treasures; who would ever willingly teach them to others?

Yet, this expert had actually offered to instruct him! Given that he had defeated him in a single move and possessed the glorious record of besting the Odin Valkyrie, Hastin, if he could learn even a move or two...

Africat’s teacher was not a renowned figure on the continent, and the battle aura he had taught him had only reached the mid-level sixth rank. Although he was just a step away from becoming a high-ranking warrior, he had been stuck at the sixth rank for three years without a breakthrough.

His sharp and ruthless swordsmanship was a technique he had stumbled upon by chance, and it was only through his genuine talent that he had reached his current level. Seeing that this expert, who had even defeated the Odin Valkyrie, was willing to teach him, how could he possibly refuse? As for doubting Xia Ya’s true abilities, having just been defeated by him in one move, such a thought never even crossed his mind.

"You, you mean you are willing to teach me..."

Xia Ya smiled warmly. "We’re just exchanging pointers; it’s nothing as formal as a master teaching a student. Just a friendly spar. You’re likely older than me, so I could never be your teacher."

Hearing this, Africat’s last shred of doubt vanished.

While the others were still dazed, Xia Ya waved his hand, had the innkeeper brought over, and signaled for Duoduo to take out a few gold coins. "I will compensate for everything broken here."

He paused, staring into the innkeeper's eyes. "If the city guards come to ask questions, you know what to say, right?"

The innkeeper took the coins, and under the intensity of Xia Ya’s sharp gaze, he suddenly had an epiphany and nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes! Of course I know... Uh, those fellows provoked these gentlemen, and this warrior in black armor was acting in self-defense..."

Xia Ya was satisfied, and a look of gratitude appeared on Africat’s face. He had originally planned to run away after the fight, but it seemed that following this great man would save him the trouble of fleeing.

In truth, Xia Ya didn't know that due to the orders of the regional governor, Hughes, the city guards would never approach this district. Spies from the governor's mansion had already cordoned off the area; even if they fought until the world turned upside down, as long as Xia Ya didn't cause a major catastrophe, they would leave him be.

The Governor’s order was clear: Don’t provoke that guy, just quietly wait for him to leave.

***

Back in the residence behind the inn, in a secluded courtyard, Xia Ya ordered everyone to step back. The black-armored warrior, Africat, naturally told his companions to go and rest.

Following that, Xia Ya asked a couple of questions, feigning indifference, and Africat readily poured out the essence and intricacies of his swordsmanship.

In his heart, since this Lord Xia Ya could even defeat Hastin, he himself was like an ant in his presence. Rather than guarding his swordsmanship like a miser, it was better to speak freely; perhaps this expert would even provide him with some pointers.

One spoke while the other listened—the former with complete sincerity and no reservations, the latter with intense focus and concentration.

However, Africat never imagined that the "expert" before him was merely tricking him into revealing his unique skills.

To put it plainly, Africat’s swordsmanship focused on techniques and feints to confuse the enemy. It lacked heavy, sweeping strikes, relying instead on the speed of the blade to deceive the enemy's senses and, hidden within those illusions, deliver the true killing blow. Such moves were typically simple, sharp, and decisive, allowing the user to strike and retreat in an instant.

"This seems to be an assassin-style swordsmanship," Dora judged from within his mind.

The first step was wrist technique. To create the "sword flowers" that confused an enemy's vision like Africat did, wrist dexterity was crucial. The force applied had to be precise, involving subtle flicks, turns, and even twists of the wrist. Most importantly, it required a specific way of exerting force—short, sharp, and fast, without any wasted movement.

As for Africat’s battle aura, there was nothing particularly special about it.

Under Xia Ya’s request, Africat performed several detailed demonstrations. At his current level, he could produce seven or eight sword flowers in a single strike, mixing truth with falsehood so that the enemy couldn't tell which was real.

Watching him up close, one could see that with every swing, a row of illusory sword shadows appeared, and from within that haze, he would thrust the lethal strike.

The movements were fast. Xia Ya subconsciously triggered his Crimson Killing Intent. A flash of red light crossed his eyes, and under the influence of the Crimson Killing Intent, everything in his vision began to slow down. Only in this state could he clearly perceive the subtle nuances of Africat's every movement.

This saved him from having to ask questions. After all, pretending to be an expert wasn't easy; with his background in wild, unorthodox combat, if he asked the wrong questions, he would be exposed in no time.

After Africat had demonstrated the technique three times, Xia Ya raised a hand to signal him to stop. He recalled the movements, now slowed several times over by the Crimson Killing Intent, and felt a spark of understanding. Without a word, he walked to the corner of the courtyard, picked up a broom, and took a deep breath.

*Whoosh!* He swung the broom, and instantly, two or three afterimages appeared.

Xia Ya’s heart stirred. Having found the trick, he swung it a few more times, committing the wrist flick and the application of force to memory. By the third swing, the broom had already produced seven or eight shadows.

When Xia Ya swung it a sixth time, a dense, fluttering row of shadows appeared beneath his hand—there must have been over a dozen of them!

Africat stood there, stunned. He had never imagined that this expert could master his proudest technique after hearing it explained once and watching it three times! And the number of illusions he created was even greater than his own!

Once Xia Ya grasped the technique, he grew more excited. Finally, he put a bit too much force into the last swing, and with a *bang*, the Crimson Killing Intent flooded the broom. Unable to control the power, the broom shattered instantly, sending bamboo splinters and straw flying into the air.

Xia Ya stood amidst the swirling debris, staring at the bare wooden handle in his hand, lost in thought.

Africat was completely won over.

Yet, he didn't realize that beyond wrist technique, creating those illusions depended on the texture of the object being used! The softer the object, the easier it was to create a "flower"—much like the sleeves of a dancer.

Although Xia Ya could whip up a dozen shadows, he had been using a soft, flexible broom! If he were given a metal longsword, he would never be able to replicate the feat.

"Alright, go and rest for now. I need to think this over; perhaps there are ways to improve your swordsmanship."

Xia Ya affected a mysterious, profound air. Africat didn't dare say more and bowed respectfully before retreating.

Once the black-armored warrior was gone, Xia Ya collapsed onto the ground and scratched his head, unable to hide his excitement. "Interesting! Who knew there were so many tricks to this sword style! Back when Kevin... sigh, when that guy taught me swordsmanship, it was just simple blocks, thrusts, and footwork..."

Thinking of the bald man who had died in battle, a pang of sorrow filled his heart.

"Blocks, thrusts, and footwork... these are the most basic techniques. Any martial art is composed of countless such basics, and it is the inclusion of specific, advanced techniques that distinguishes one style from another." Dora’s explanation was calm. "This Africat’s swordsmanship is decent; it can barely be considered a second-rate style. But second-rate is still second-rate. It focuses too much on visually confusing the enemy with too many feints. It might work against ordinary foes, but against someone with sharp observation or a strong will, these little tricks won't be very effective."

Xia Ya laughed. "I wasn't planning on learning the whole style anyway, just the techniques for applying force."

He paused, then chuckled. "That Africat said it took him years to master this, and I learned it in a heartbeat. It seems I really am a genius at martial arts!"

"You’re just a blockhead," Dora retorted, ruthlessly crushing his confidence. "You have the Crimson Killing Intent as a foundation. Once activated, your mental energy is stimulated, and your observation becomes several times sharper. You were able to perceive those subtle movements not because of your own innate talent, but because of the Crimson Killing Intent."

Xia Ya opened his mouth, then suddenly exclaimed: "Regardless of whether it's innate... according to you, with the Crimson Killing Intent, doesn't that mean I learn everything much faster than others?"