C6 Bloodthirsty Sword Lightning Steps

As Lloyd pondered, footsteps approached. A middle-aged martial master strode toward him.

He was a towering figure with a complexion dark as charcoal. Spotting Lloyd, his brow furrowed, clearly deeming Lloyd's presence there inappropriate.

Yet, he said little. Retrieving two tomes from the top shelf, he turned to leave.

Lloyd hadn't anticipated finding secret manuals there. Eagerly, he called out, "Teacher, may I have a look at those two martial spells?"

"You?" The Dark-faced Martial Master turned back with a significant smile. "These martial spells have eluded beginners for decades. Despite their talents, all have abandoned the pursuit. After this year's review, I intended to move them to the second floor. You certainly won't master them with your abilities!"

His declaration was final, his voice dripping with disdain.

Undeterred, Lloyd pressed, "I'd still like to see them."

"If you're so inclined, I'll indulge your curiosity." The young man's persistence clearly irked the Dark-faced Martial Master. With a scoff, he tossed the martial spells to Lloyd.

Lloyd examined them: the Bloodthirsty Sword and Lightning Steps, each labeled 'Extremely Difficult.'

He read the introductions. Bloodthirsty Sword: A blade that drinks blood, exuding overwhelming dominance. With a single strike, all is laid to waste.

Lightning Steps: Move as swiftly as lightning, traversing vast distances in a heartbeat.

After skimming the manuals, Lloyd declared, "Teacher, I wish to practice these two martial spells."

"What?" The Dark-faced Martial Master was taken aback. He had expected Lloyd to pale at the descriptions. Yet, not only did Lloyd aspire to learn the spells, he boldly sought both.

"Know your limits. Pursuing the impossible is the height of folly!" he chided sharply.

Lloyd met his gaze firmly, "My talent may be ordinary, but my resolve is steadfast. Though these spells have remained unmastered for decades, I am determined to attempt them!"

The Dark-faced Martial Master noticed the unwavering determination in Lloyd's eyes, accompanied by a subtly commanding presence. With a slight furrow of his brow, he let out a cold laugh and said, "It's one thing to have mediocre talent, but to be both dull-witted and stubborn is another. If you're going to ignore my advice, then so be it."

With a disdainful snort, he swept away, leaving Lloyd behind with a grin of satisfaction. Shortly after, he exited the True Martial Tower.

It wasn't long before Josh emerged as well. Lloyd glanced at the three level two martial spells Josh had selected and gave a slight nod of approval. The boy had an eye for quality; his choices were quite decent.

Yet, those martial spells didn't pique Lloyd's interest.

"Why don't we check out the Warrior's Field?" Lloyd proposed.

"Sure," Josh agreed eagerly, being new to the Martial Academy and full of enthusiasm. They inquired about the location and soon made their way to the expansive Warrior's Field.

The field was vast, divided into various sections by tall walls—Sword Technique, Sabre Technique, Archery, and more.

Upon reaching the Sword Technique area, they found numerous ironwood stakes, each as tall as a man, lined up in orderly rows. Students were diligently practicing with oaken swords before these stakes.

While there were open spots, none were adjacent, so Lloyd and Josh chose to practice separately.

Lloyd picked up a practice oaken sword and positioned himself in a corner of the Sword Technique area. Being a former level eight expert, he had quickly grasped the basics of the level one martial spells just by observing.

He covertly channeled the Celestial Flame Embodiment Spell and executed the blade formula with a raised arm. His Genuine Qi flooded the sword, making the ten-pound oaken sword feel significantly heavier.

With a swift motion, Lloyd's sword struck the ironwood stake with the force of a thunderbolt.

"Bam!"

The impact sent a jolt through his right arm.

"Bam!"

On the second strike, he sensed his Genuine Qi instinctively rushing towards the sword, amplifying the strike's power far beyond the first.

"Bam!"

By the third strike, his Genuine Qi surged uncontrollably into the sword, a wild torrent of energy.

The sword technique's power had multiplied several-fold. The force behind the strike was so immense that the iron pillar, driven deep into the earth, trembled after the third slash.

Lloyd halted immediately, waiting for the Genuine Qi within him to settle before nodding in acknowledgment. "This blade formula is truly perilous. It's no surprise that no Martial Apprentice has mastered it."

The Bloodthirsty Sword acted like a vampire, forcibly drawing on the warrior's strength to amplify its moves. That was the horrifying nature of this martial technique!

As a result, each successive strike was guaranteed to surpass the last in strength!

Such a formula was akin to drinking poison to quench thirst.

If it spiraled out of control, it could recoil upon the wielder, at best severing their meridians, at worst damaging their internal organs.

Yet, it was precisely this domineering and mighty blade formula that Lloyd craved.

So, he began anew.

One sword move.

Two sword moves.

Three sword moves.

With each third strike, Lloyd's body struggled to cope with the substantial loss of Genuine Qi, teetering on the brink of losing control, prompting him to start over.

Lloyd persisted, attempt after attempt.

The sword, like a ravenous beast, kept devouring Lloyd's Genuine Qi.

He was in a relentless struggle with the blade formula. Drenched in sweat and utterly spent, his resolve only grew firmer.

If he couldn't master even this basic martial spell, how could he dream of breaking free from the confines of martial arts?

He trained tirelessly for days on end, his warrior spirit unwavering.

With each grueling session, day and night, the Celestial Flame Embodiment Spell grew increasingly potent. The Genuine Qi within him surged, gradually meeting the sword's demands.

That afternoon, Lloyd finally managed to execute the third sword move with stability.

He exhaled gently, his tense nerves easing slightly, yet he felt no surge of joy or excitement.

After all, this was merely a level one martial spell with fifteen techniques in total. Lloyd had only mastered the first three, not even reaching Small Completion.

To shatter the martial arts' constraints and ascend beyond level nine to the Spirit Land, he faced a journey of immeasurable length.

The Bloodthirsty Sword was merely a foundational element.

Lloyd took a brief respite before resuming his cultivation, achieving breakthrough after breakthrough.

He executed four sword techniques in rapid succession!

Then came the fifth strike!

At last, the Bloodthirsty Sword reached the stage of Small Completion!

Without delay, Lloyd hastened to the Lightness Technique Area to begin training in the Lightning Steps.

Channeling energy into his feet, he leaped and bounded with agility.

Since this was Lloyd's first foray into footwork, his movements were clumsy, and he nearly stumbled upon landing several times.

For an earth-level Alchemist like Lloyd, such awkwardness was embarrassing, drawing snickers from nearby students.

Undeterred, Lloyd immersed himself in his training.

His innate talent and insight into martial arts were exceptional; all he lacked was physical acclimation.

Days passed with Lloyd engrossed in relentless practice.

Unfazed by fatigue or hardship, his sole focus was the pursuit of martial arts mastery.

With persistent cultivation and understanding, he could now leap more than ten meters at a time.

Yet for Lloyd, this was still insufficient.

Lightning Steps was about pushing the boundaries of both speed and distance.

After several days of dedicated practice, Lloyd achieved Small Completion in the Lightning Steps.

In under ten days, he had brought two martial spells to the stage of Small Completion—a feat beyond the wildest dreams of others.

Having made progress with his techniques, Lloyd roused Josh early one morning and they headed to the mission area at the north gate of the Martial Academy.

Dawn was just breaking, but the mission area was already bustling with students.

Most were veterans, having joined the academy years earlier, with cultivation levels ranging from the Monolith Stage to the Iron Bone Stage. Lloyd, at the Qi Condensation Stage, was an anomaly among them.

The mission boards were plastered with tasks issued by the academy, offering students the chance to earn silver and glory points.

Lloyd had come prepared, scouring the boards for missions suited to hunting Barbarian Beasts.

Barbarian Beasts, creatures born from the essence of heaven and earth, could live for centuries. The most formidable among them could effortlessly raze cities, bringing calamity to entire nations.

Every part of a Barbarian Beast is a treasure trove: their bones can be crafted into weapons, their blood fortifies the body, their hide becomes armor, and most notably, their Inner Core is a martial artist's prized asset for enhancing their cultivation.

Lloyd had advanced to the middle phase of the Qi Condensation Stage, and the efficacy of the Spirit Recovery Pill was waning for him. Thus, he was ready to concoct a more potent, yellow-level pill, the finest of which required Barbarian Beasts as ingredients.

Josh, ever the bold one, eagerly pointed from one mission to the next, his excitement palpable at the prospect of hunting beasts.

Lloyd, however, didn't rush his decision, carefully considering which Barbarian Beast would best match their combined strengths.

While they were perusing the missions, a young couple approached them. Both appeared to be in their mid-teens—the boy robust, with a large axe slung over his shoulder, and the girl slender and comely, a long sword at her waist and a touch of shyness on her youthful face.

The boy greeted them with a respectful fist salute. "Junior Brothers, are you in the process of selecting a mission?"

Lloyd nodded, prompting the boy to get straight to the point. "We've set our sights on a particular mission but find ourselves short-handed. If you join us, I'm confident we'll complete it with flying colors."

His words were directed at both, but his interest clearly lay in Josh's impressive Middle Monolith Stage cultivation.

The siblings were no slouches in cultivation themselves: the boy was in the Late Monolith Stage, and the girl, the Middle.

"What mission?" inquired Lloyd, unfazed by the youth's overture. He wasn't yet at a level to tackle missions solo, and these two seemed competent. A four-person team would certainly simplify the task.

"We're targeting the elite Blaze Taurus!" declared the boy with gravitas.

"An elite Blaze Taurus? Lloyd, let's go for this one," Josh chimed in, his enthusiasm soaring at the mention of hunting a Barbarian Beast.

Lloyd gave a nod of agreement. This mission was indeed a cut above the rest on the notice board.

After accepting their mission, the group of four set out from the city.

The county city buzzed with activity in the early morning, bustling with carriages and horses.

As they traveled, conversation revealed that the brother and sister were from a collateral branch of the Haynes family.

Hailing from Direstar City, the brother was named Draco, and his sister, Aliana.

Shortly after departing the city, the quartet reached the Old Growth of Black Vines to the north.

This vast expanse of primeval forest stretched over a hundred miles, with towering mountains and crisscrossing ravines creating numerous perilous locales. It was home to a diverse array of Barbarian Beasts.