Applied Immortality

Geng Peng’s mind wasn’t in the fight as he blocked a freshman’s attack.

The freshman had a stable spiritual power, having entered Qi Refining Realm for a good few months now. It was rare to see him handling his clan’s inherited sword art quite well. Geng Peng found the child’s talent with the sword adequate.

[He must’ve done his homework.]

The disciple noticed Geng Peng wasn’t himself and pushed his advantage with ferocity, each blow targeting vitals. Despite the enthusiasm, Geng Peng made it insufferably easy to thwart his momentum with a gentle finger tap on the sword fuller.

Geng Peng’s interest waned. The Immortal Institute opened the Arts Archive’s first floor in September to address the more exceptional seeds. Based on past years’ experience, the average Immortal Institute disciple reached mid Qi Refining Realm in December, which offered a meager hope of passing the challenge.

[This child’s too conceited.]

This year saw plenty of geniuses, with three freshmen having earned their grand art choice already. But as Senior Brother Su said, Wang Qi avoided the challenge on purpose, despite having the standard to become the fourth candidate.

Geng Peng frowned at the mere thought of him.

“His appearance proves he has the skills to defeat you within these rules,” Su Junyu said four days ago.

Geng Peng was unable to accept it, but as Su Junyu trained in the White Marsh Algorithm, he couldn’t be too wrong, though not completely right either. It only worsened Geng Peng’s mood.

[Why is it always that prick…]

This annoyance mixed with the indignation regarding Li Ziye’s ending, simmering in his mind.

After Su Junyu’s suggestion, he took the Arts Archive challenge as the last chance to take it out on Wang Qi. His heart’s been festering in that anger and indignation these days he’d wish for nothing else than to smash his fist into Wang Qi’s face.

It led to his constant distractions from the challenges.

The challenger was overjoyed, taking it for providence. The unnamed freshman stepped closer and stabbed for the heart.

Per rules, he’d win the moment he broke through Geng Peng’s spiritual power shield.

Geng Peng reached out with his right, twisting eerily as it struck the youth’s sword hand. The disciple found the place between his thumb and forefinger taken by an intense pain and dropped the sword.

The crushing defeat left the youth to bite his lip as he picked up his sword and left in silence. Geng Peng called, “Don’t lose heart, for you’re doing very well in regard to most of your class. I just want to ask, have you only been practicing your clan’s sword art? Did your trainer only use his left to hold the sword?”

The youth looked back in shock. “You know my father, Senior Brother?”

Geng Peng shook his head. “The left-hand side is full of weaknesses, but eight out of ten strikes come from right to left. The sword art’s sides aren’t balanced. You should use the Immortal Institute’s basic sword arts against enemies, and practice it more with your fellow schoolmates.”

The disciple perked up. “Many thanks, Senior Brother Geng!”

Geng Peng watched him go by adding, “Train hard and by the start of November at the earliest, you’ll get the grand art you yearn for.”

Passing wisdom over, Geng Peng was left alone with his impatience. Closing his eyes hard, he vowed to strengthen his lacking resolve.

A voice he’d never forget came from behind. “Yo, to think I’d see the day you’re dignified. Hah, a model teacher.”

Geng Peng turned at the grinning slob crouching behind. He felt his head about to blow as he roared. “Wang Qi!”

Wang Qi flinched. “Hell’s bells! What’s with that shriek? Aren’t I supposed to be the victim in all our exchanges?”

At his reminder, Geng Peng noticed his unbalanced mood and Su Junyu’s warning resurfaced.

“An unbalanced mind like yours won’t help with Myriad Arts Sect’s arts or the math path.”

[Cool, be cool…]

Geng Peng repeated in his mind. As the anxiety receded, a thirst for battle replaced it.

“Did you come to challenge me, brat?”

Wang Qi stood and patted his clothes of dust. “Yup. The loss two weeks ago is still fresh in my mind.”

Geng Peng sneered. “Ha-ha, you want to thrash me?”

“I would never.” Wang Qi felt his smile was even more superficial. “It’s a matter of courtesy.”

Wang Qi took a stance.

The other teaching assistants around grimaced. A Drifting Cloud Sect inner disciple among them, with a softer heart, said, “How can that child treat everything with levity? Is he blind to Geng Peng’s stance towards him? I have to take Geng Peng’s place.”

She didn’t get too far, halting out of nowhere and earning the others’ attention. “What’s wrong?”

She pulled a face. “Senior Brother Su sent me a message saying the fight is crucial to Geng Peng’s resolve and we’re not to interfere. He’ll take responsibility.”

As they talked, Wang Qi and Geng Peng started.

The Foundation Establishment teaching assistant couldn’t use any martial skills, so Geng Peng stood loosely with arms alongside his body. Wang Qi’s stance was stranger. He appeared without any obvious weapon, yet he put his hands forward like he was holding something.

“Sword art?” Geng Peng released a thread of spiritual power in his surroundings. The response he got was that Wang Qi’s hands released focused and constant ripples.

Abandoning the ripples’ intangibility for form and cohesiveness to apply a developed martial skill to it; classic.

Wang Qi’s stance was the starting stance of any sword art.

He grinned out of nowhere. “Sword? Who knows. Maybe a blade, or a battle axe, or even a spear?”

“Cheeky brat, the stance is clearly for a sword art.”

“Ha-ha, give it a try, then.” Wang Qi laughed as he skipped for Geng Peng.

Match, start!