Elder Cultivator

Chapter 702

In retrospect, rejecting Aconites presence to avoid distracting himself was unwise. She could have remained at a distance without disturbing him easily enough. As warm blood dripped down his arms into the dirt, Chidi focused on his injuries. It really was a lot all at once, wasnt it? But forming it a little bit at a time might have been more dangerous. Formation markings had to be constructed with intention. Even if they did precisely nothing.

The bigger problem was how it didnt seem to have done quite that. Specifically, how his natural energy had fled his body. He kind of needed that to stop all the bleeding. He didnt want to stitch up his wounds, or the scars might be wrong.

He took a deep breath, and felt his lungs fill with upper energy, a portion of it flowing into his system. He breathed out, but it remained. He began to circulate it through his body. It was like molasses inside of him, resisting the flow. Because although he knew how to control it, he didnt normally use it. In fact, it had been his intention to fully support himself with lower energy until he reached Integration.

But hed made a miscalculation. The incomplete formation inside of him was meant to function with upper energy, which naturally separated from lower energy. Thus, hed purged it from himself rather quickly.

He took another breath. He could manage this. He controlled upper energy with formations every day. He began to pull in more and more energy, replenishing his stores. Then he circulated it throughout his body, seeking out each and every wound and intentionally imperfectly sealing them. Each one would scar, creating a lingering formation marking. Hundreds of them, which all together did precisely nothing.

Chidi was uncertain how long it took. He was dizzy from loss of blood, and hed had to avoid taking any blood replenishment pills because those would affect his internal healing. Usually in a positive way, but he needed the scars.

He chewed on some bread hed brought with him. It was soft, at least. Fresh this morning, even if wartime rations werent exactly a delicacy. The energy content was minimal, and it wouldnt improve his cultivation. But it did fill his belly, and he found himself able to stand.

All this work, for formation markings that did nothing. No, it was worse than that. All this work, and hed created a brand new weakness for himself. Anyone with sufficient formation knowledge could do what, exactly?

Chidi shifted his grip on his sword. Hed never lost it, even at his weakest moment. He traced lines around him, and with a pulse of energy half of the trees around him were split apart. At least that hadnt been a failure, then. What hed created within himself was not a complete formation, but rather components that could fit in common formations. Or at least, formations he intended to use commonly. That meant many of them would be half complete or more simply because of his presence.

And it was true his opponents could use that against him. A few swipes of their energy and they could force his formation markings to work against him. But so what? He just had to not let them. Exactly the same as he would not let someone draw their sword across his throat, he would likewise not let them disrupt the energy in the area in a manner that would kill him. In fact, it was only a small risk. Anyone who could easily exploit it was either a formation grandmaster that could defeat him regardless, or would have to specifically study to defeat him- which would take decades of carefully watching him. A small risk, when it would be easier for most people to just stab him. Or at least, it would certainly appear easier. Chidi didnt intend to make that easy.

A snapping twig turned his head, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. There shouldnt have been anything there. ... What happened to your swords? Without her blades it was difficult to recognize his master. She was almost empty. A blank canvas. Sure, he was aware of the shape of her body. And her face, though that wasnt particularly better for recognizing people than anyone else in Chidis opinion.

Im getting them sharpened, Chikere said. Just back in town. Were going.

Alright but- Chidi found himself jerked along. I need to say goodbye to Aconite and Major Sibylla is going to want to know-

Well be passing over Shutoll, Chikere said.

I- he wasnt going to get better than that, was he? Alright, time to see how well this worked. A sound formation was pretty basic so just a little swish here and there was actually extremely difficult at the speed the grandmaster was dragging him along. Good thing he started it as they were approaching, because it took him until they were on the far side to get his energy in place all at once. Part of that was the speed, and the other part was actually using upper energy now. Ill be back soon, Aconite! he called down below. He wanted to say more, but he just didnt have time.

As they had passed over the city, swords had pulled out of the city below and flown into the sky after Chikere. Many had sheathed themselves, but she carried one openly in her replacement arm. Chidi was being dragged along by her left.

It was still going to take a few days to reach Rakiya, probably. So if Chidi was planning not to die, he would have to make sure he got used to using his new formation base as much as possible.

-----

He crashed into the ground. He hadnt told the grandmaster he needed to get used to his new power. Honestly, Chidi wasnt quite certain if this was any good. Was he even in Life Transformation? He couldnt quite tell, because his energy was so different. Lower and upper energy had a different flow, with the former being generally gentler and weaker. But that was only in general. If properly controlled, Chidi felt it could match upper energy. It was easier to control, but a high degree of control could also make it more effective. At least that was the idea behind his training to begin with.

A dozen attacks came at him from all directions. Chidi a few hours before could have cut them down without effort. The Chidi now barely managed to slash apart one before he had to dodge wildly. Rather than a clean cut, he turned his target into a bloody pulp. The transition to upper energy was going to be rough. His dodge also brought him through a tree.

At least his defensive energy was durable enough to take care of that, and hed managed to get it in place before he even crashed into the group of enemies. Now they were approaching. Swords, of course. Chikere could find sword cultivators more easily, and she also liked to see them defeated.

Chidi took a stance. It was none that belonged to any sword style Chikere had taught him, and far removed from anything the Harmonious Citadel could perform. In fact, it was at best half a sword stance. In actuality, it was really Chidi just placing his body as it needed to be. He was the core of the formation. His movements followed a familiar pattern, and a burst of energy flung away the charging enemies.

Once again, they were not cut. He had only power, without precision, accuracy, or speed. He knew how the formation was supposed to work, in a way augmenting his own blade or at least the idea of his blade, but he had previously been using carefully converted natural energy, lower energy, to control the natively prevalent upper energy. Of course he would be off. He had known this would happen, on some level, but hed vaguely expected his internal flow to remain the same.

The enemies returned. By the end of the battle, Chidi was coughing up blood. Another issue with his formations, he could damage himself. On the other hand, the same was true of performing a sword slash wrong. Anyone could twist their ankle while dodging- defensive energy hardly protected a cultivation from their own actions.

He was basically getting used to being in a new body. But at least he was the one who walked away from the battle, and his enemies wouldnt. Ultimately, he did managed to cut them down instead of simply bludgeoning them, so he knew hed made progress.

Though walking away was a misnomer, as he was simply carried off by Chikere. This is the weirdest thing Ive ever seen, kid.

... Is that bad? Chidi asked.

I have no idea. I might not be able to teach you anything from now on.

She wasnt a great teacher anyway. Not that Chidi hadnt learned a lot from her, but clearly instruction wasnt her strength. She got by on the pure ability she demonstrated, and her disciples affinity with swords. Still That would be a shame.

Only if you stop using swords, the grandmaster said. Which of course she would.

-----

Time for a break, Chikere said.

Oh. They were stopped in a clearing. Based on the lack of sunlight hitting him, Chidi assumed it was night. Alright. He figured she was going to bring him all the way to Rakiya in one go.

You need to be rested for your match tomorrow.

Of course, Chidi nodded. Ill do my best.

She probably wont be expecting it. Until we get close, that is. Its up to you how you capitalize on that.

... Can you bring her to me?

She wont follow me far, the swordmaster said. But we can manage something.

-----

He had been hoping for something like a day to set up formations. Instead, Chidi was given the time it would take Chikere to run a handful of kilometers, taunt Rakiya, and return with her. So a few minutes, if he was lucky.

Well, you didnt spend all that time learning flexible formation techniques for nothing, right? Chidi spoke aloud to empty wilderness full of trees and boulders. Well, mostly empty. There were some animals around, of course. And there was a road not far away. Actually, if he wasnt incorrect this place should be visible from the city walls, at least to cultivators focusing their vision. It was near the horizon, probably.

Chidi kicked around some dirt. Swords were good for precision, but sometimes you just wanted to move a large amount of material and as it turned out they were terrible shovels. And it was kind of disrespectful to use them like that.

What was he doing? Waiting to be killed by an Integration cultivation. Even if Chikere believed in him, he was still maybe just entering Life Transformation. How could he bridge that gap? Was it crazy of him to accept the challenge, regardless of how it was forced upon him?

Too late now. As his master would probably say, he just had to win. And then it wouldnt be in question if it was possible.

Hed focused so much on his breakthrough that he hadnt thought to make a plan. And Then hed been figuring out control. And now he was here, with no idea how to win. But hed promised Aconite hed be back soon, which implied returning at all. So he had to win. But overcoming an Integration cultivator with Life Transformation cultivation was literally impossible.

He scrambled to do everything he could think of, and then Rakiya arrived.

He felt her sword first. A vertical slash. It cut apart a one hundred meter rift in the ground. Chidi had just barely deflected it to not cut him vertically in two.

Wow. She really did just leave you out here alone, huh? No ambush by anyone else. And shes off over there still Rakiya shrugged. I guess I get to kill her apprentice today. What did you do to make her mad?

Chidi had hoped for an immediate follow up. But perhaps words could do something here. I tried studying formations.

He shifted his footing slightly. He was actually closer to the rift, making his position a bit precarious. But that was how it had to be.

You think you can survive more than three attacks? Rakiya asked. I bet you do. You managed two last time. Did he really? But you have to know that three is impossible, even with a little more cultivation in you. I know your tricks.

... Are we counting this one? Chidi gestured to the rift next to him.

For your ego? Sure.

He was unable to feel her move, but it was her intent to behead him that he responded to. Her blade would be behind him, coming for his neck. He had to duck forward. No, roll. That was his only option. She was behind him. Her momentum had to stop momentarily. He felt her figure, just as before. He might have thought her attractive if not for her attitude. The missing arm that sort of thing didnt bother him. Not that he cared about physical beauty. To him, looks were literally nothing. Like that notch in her eyebrow.

Even deflecting her blade with a parry of his own, Chidi had a trail of blood running down the back of his neck as he came out of the roll, facing her. Hed barely even begun to make use of his formation abilities. He didnt have the power to affect anyone like her. But he stood, his feet planted. His sword across his body, angled to his left. Her blade would come from that side.

Her attack was a simple thrust. And true to her word, he could not survive it. It was impossible. He would be speared by her energy, extending beyond her blade. She could annihilate him while reserving the vast majority of her energy for defense. Her speed would be something he couldnt match.

As her sword came for his heart, Chidi let everything go in a simple exhalation. Was this how the grandmaster felt when she received an epiphany, or was it just him? Or maybe hed miscalculated.

His own blade slashed up as he stepped forward, but that would only bring her thrusting blade closer. Its extended projection was a meter from his heart and growing. Half a meter. Ten centimeters. One centimeter. And then nothing.

Chidi felt nothing at all. He couldnt see, which was nothing new. His ears worked just fine, but they couldnt process what they were hearing beyond the whistling of blades. It was strange, to grow so accustomed to the enhancements of energy. Without it, he could only feel two blades and nothing else.

He extended his attack, making use of everything he had. He was ever so slightly taller than Rakiya. Their blades were similar in length, with hers being a few millimeters longer. But his hilt had a good centimeter. He needed more than that, so he let go with his right hand, letting his blade almost dangle from his left fingers as it slipped through.

His sword chopped up to where he knew her wrist must be. It was holding the sword, after all. With his right hand, he grabbed her blade. And then, everything came back. Energy once more existed. Even using Rakiyas energy, he could only sustain an instant of an energy negation formation. Her internal energy had automatically rebelled at the phenomenon.

But, for that moment she was not an Integration cultivator. And he was not a Life Transformation cultivators. They had simply been two people with relatively strong bodies, fighting with swords. And he knew exactly how she was moving, assuming his counter would mean nothing. And she would have been right in any other circumstance.

He stepped back as his right arm twirled the sword in his hand. He had to twist it to pull it out of his rib. It had technically made it all the way through that and just a little into his heart, but without energy extending its destructive radius it didnt matter. He shook the hand off of his sword.

Rakiyas energy was acting strangely. Chidi wondered if she had some sort of special attack. Hed assumed she would be killing him with her backup swords about now but

How?

You dont even understand swords, Chidi said. How could you understand that?

I can still kill you without a weapon!

He dodged around her, preparing himself for the obvious quickdraw. He sliced at the tendons on one leg as she performed a textbook Harmonious Citadel inward stepping pattern. Then he kicked her to stop her sword from her sword?

She fell into the rift of her own making. It wasnt particularly wide, but for something created by a blade it was inelegant. She ended up halfway in the ground. Not really stuck, but it was weird.

... Do you not have a backup weapon? Chidi asked.

Do you think blades so fine are easily obtained? I couldnt use a lesser weapon. Besides, how do you expect me to wield a sword without hands?

Chidi struggled to open his eyelids. I dunno. You kinda just figure things like that out.

Then he turned around and began walking away.

Get back here!

The Harmonious Citadel doesnt have any unarmed combat methods, Chidi explained as she ran after him. You may have ten times my energy, but without anything to augment your force its meaningless. Your foot techniques are all wrong, he said while avoiding a kick. He began walking down the road towards the grandmaster, and it didnt take more than a few moments for her to approach.

Hey. You done?

I have no reason to fight her anymore, Chidi said.

Cool. Were going then. She grabbed Chidi and pulled him away from the flailing form of Rakiya.

Chidi couldnt help but think about how pathetic the whole thing felt. He didnt really intend to cripple her, but he could understand why Chikere felt the way she did. At some point, Rakiya hadnt been a swordmaster worth fighting. And now, she wasnt a swordmaster at all. Even if she reattached her hand, she would never be able to fight again. And while Chikere didnt intentionally mess with enemy morale, Chidi knew it would be far worse for the Harmonious Citadel that she would remain alive.

So how long do you think before the sword saint shows up? Chikere asked. Like, a week? Because Ive got things to do.

Oh right. This was all to provoke that. Chidi was fairly certain he couldnt negate an Augmentation Cultivators energy even if they intentionally powered a formation for him. But it wasnt his responsibility to fight a saint.

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