Read Novel Full Chapter 340: New Teachers (4)
Chapter 340: New Teachers (4)
"I’m going to miss you." Mei Li said finally, without looking at him.
Kyrian did not respond immediately.
"Hm." He said, after a long moment, not knowing exactly what to say.
Mei Li smiled, a small, almost shy smile, one that rarely appeared on her face.
"You won’t forget about us, will you? In the Central Territory. With all those strong and important people."
Kyrian looked at her.
"No."
Mei Li nodded, as if that one word was enough. And it was.
...
Besides the conversations with Mei Li, Kyrian also dined with Bai Zhu and the others on several nights.
They gathered in a private dining room in the military branch, seated around a dark wooden table, with steaming dishes of spiritual food between them. They spoke loudly, laughed, and argued.
Bai Zhu told stories of when he was young in the military branch, the mischief he and other disciples caused, elders who punished them, and competitions they won and lost.
Kai spoke about past missions, about beasts he faced, and about injuries that had nearly killed him. Yan Ling listened attentively, asking occasional questions. Li Fen, as always, spoke little, but when he did, everyone listened.
On one of those nights, the conversation turned to the future.
"I’m going to stay in the Court." Bai Zhu said, filling his cup with spiritual wine.
"It’s my home. It always has been. I can’t imagine myself anywhere else."
"Me too." Kai agreed.
"The Court gave me everything. My strength, my weapons, my brothers. I won’t abandon that."
Yan Ling nodded.
"The resource branch still needs me. I still have a lot to learn. I’m not ready to leave."
Li Fen simply said.
"I will stay."
Everyone looked at Mei Li.
She took a while to answer.
"One day... when I’m strong enough... I’ll go to the Central Territory." She said.
The others exchanged glances.
Bai Zhu laughed, breaking the silence.
"When you go, Kyrian will already be a big shot there. A legend. He’ll be at the top of some powerful sect, with thousands of disciples kneeling at his feet."
Kyrian did not respond, but a small smile curved his lips.
"For sure." Mei Li said, her eyes still fixed on him.
"He will be famous. I’m certain of it."
...
The last day of the three weeks arrived.
Bai Zhu was in the central arena before dawn, organizing the fighting platforms, and marking the spaces for the competition. His enthusiasm was contagious.
Kyrian arrived shortly after, with his twenty disciples behind him. They walked in formation, in silence, their eyes fixed ahead. In three weeks, they had learned more than in years of previous training.
Li Fen, Kai, Yan Ling, and Mei Li arrived soon after, each with their respective groups.
One hundred and twenty disciples gathered at the center of the main arena. Six groups. Six teachers. One competition.
Bai Zhu climbed onto an elevated platform, from where he could be seen by all.
"Today." He announced, his voice echoing through the arena,
"We will see the result of three weeks of training. Each of you was instructed by a direct disciple of Leader Dong Zhen. Each of you had the opportunity to learn from the best."
He looked at Kyrian, then at the others.
"Now, you will show what you have learned. The competition will be simple, each group will send five representatives. They will fight in a series of individual matches. The group with the most victories wins."
Murmurs spread among the disciples. Five representatives. Each group would choose their best.
"You have half an hour to choose your fighters and prepare them." Bai Zhu said.
"After that, the competition begins."
The groups dispersed, each gathering around their teacher.
Kyrian looked at his twenty disciples.
"You know who the strongest among you are." He said.
"There is no time for modesty. The five who will fight must be those with the highest chance of winning."
The disciples exchanged glances.
Lian, the boy who could barely hold a sword, now held his with confidence. Yu, the girl who had feared physical contact, now had her fists clenched. Feng, the arrogant one, was now quiet, waiting.
"I’ll fight." Lian said, stepping forward.
"Me too." Ssaid Yu.
"Me." Said Feng.
Two others volunteered. Kyrian observed them for a moment, then nodded.
"You five will represent our group."
The other disciples did not complain. They knew those five were the best.
The half hour passed quickly.
Bai Zhu climbed the elevated platform again.
"The competition begins now."
The fights were intense.
Each match was a true battle. The disciples had learned well from their teachers; each group had a distinct style, reflecting the personality and techniques of the one who taught them.
Bai Zhu’s disciples were aggressive, advancing without hesitation, pressuring their opponents from the first second.
Li Fen’s disciples were silent, moving like shadows, attacking when least expected.
Yan Ling’s disciples were strategic, using the environment to their advantage, creating traps with Qi.
Kai’s disciples were resilient, absorbing blows and counterattacking with brute force.
Mei Li’s disciples were balanced, alternating between defense and attack with fluidity.
And Kyrian’s disciples...
They were precise.
Every movement had a purpose. Every strike was economical. They did not waste energy. They did not expose themselves unnecessarily. They fought as Kyrian fought, with calm, with efficiency, with controlled lethality.
Lian won his first fight with a quick strike to the opponent’s leg, unbalancing him and finishing with the sword pointed at his neck.
Yu won the second with a series of dodges that left her opponent exhausted before a single precise counterattack.
Feng won the third with constant pressure, forcing his opponent to make mistakes.
The other two won their fights as well.
In the end, Kyrian’s group had the highest number of victories.
Bai Zhu climbed onto the platform, his smile wide.
"The winner of the competition is... Kyrian’s group!"
Kyrian’s disciples burst into celebration. They hugged Lian, and Yu, Feng, shouted, and jumped. Kyrian watched with a neutral expression, but inside him there was a quiet satisfaction.
Bai Zhu approached him.
"See? You’re a better teacher than you think, although we already knew that."
"They are good students." Kyrian replied simply.
Kyrian looked at his disciples, who were still celebrating.
Mei Li smiled.
"They’re going to miss us."
The competition ended at dusk. The disciples dispersed, exhausted but happy. The six teachers remained in the central arena, watching the sky darken.
"This was a good way to say goodbye." Bai Zhu said, breaking the silence.
Kyrian nodded.