Elite Mages' Academy

Chapter 388: Passing

The jump from Basic Swordsmanship to Elementary Swordsmanship was where true mastery of sword techniques really began, but even Xiao Lin did not dare say that he could raise his swordsmanship skill in just one minute. Xiao Lin looked at Silverlight and asked, “Are you very good with the sword?”

Silverlight looked at him, not acknowledging it, but not denying it either.

Xiao Lin was impatient since time was running out; he said, “I’ll take that as a yes; could you then show me a technique that’s at Elementary Swordsmanship LV1?”

Silverlight’s gaze was still fixed on him. Just as Xiao Lin thought that she would not answer, she suddenly furrowed her eyebrows and asked, “Elementary LV1? What’s that?”

Xiao Lin slapped his forehead; she naturally did not know what rankings were. He thought for a bit and used the simplest way to explain, “That’s the simplest sword technique that can defeat that alchemical statue!”

“That’s easy, but why would I help you?”

Xiao Lin felt like cursing; did she not just help him with her advice?

However, he humbled himself and said, “It’ll count as me owing you a favor. If there’s anything you need my help with in the future...”

“No need for the future!” Silverlight’s expression was strange, and Xiao Lin noticed it this time, but it was not the time for idle chatter. Silverlight pointed over at the statue and said, “I want that sword.”

Xiao Lin gaped. That was not something he could make the decision on, but after a brief thought, he nodded and agreed.

“I’ll only demonstrate it once, so it’s your problem if you fail to replicate it!” Silverlight more or less guessed Xiao Lin’s thoughts, but did not say anything. She slightly raised her hand and a light green blade appeared, but looking at it in detail, one could notice it was just a bamboo-like object.

“I’m starting.”

Silverlight said softly, and her elegant body began to dance. The starting few moves were just basic forms from Basic Swordsmanship, but the technique quickly changed. Her seemingly formless bamboo started to quicken its speed. Even if she was just in her spiritual form, Xiao Lin could still feel an intense sword aura.

It was not just him that felt it; even the examiners started to furrow their eyebrows, as if feeling something, but they did not think much about it. Taking advantage of their alertness, Xiao Lin immediately activated his Replication skill targeting Silverlight.

Xiao Lin actually did not have complete confidence since, compared to when he used the skill before, this time was quite a unique circumstance, and could be counted as his first try. Silverlight’s skill was very high, to the degree that Xiao Lin did not know how skilled she was, but Xiao Lin was still sure that she far outstripped himself. It was obvious that Xiao Lin would not be able to replicate any of Silverlight’s sword techniques.

However, what if Silverlight could suppress her skills to the boundaries that he could attempt. Would he be able to replicate it then?

Xiao Lin quickly had his answer, but it was still unexpected. He did not suddenly receive high-level information in his head like usual. Instead, he seemed to come to a form of understanding. The feeling was very strange; it was as if Silverlight was transmitting all her experience to him as she performed. The difference between his prior replications was that he was gaining experience within his own body as opposed to the sword technique itself. It was not a complete replication.

However, it was enough for Xiao Lin. He once again raised his sword. Even if he was wielding an ordinary training sword, Elementary Swordsmanship was independent from the blade itself.

“Only thirty seconds left!”

Xiao Lin seemed to have entered a state of ignorance, not even hearing what the examiner said. In his eyes, there was just the blade in front of him, and he used all his might to replicate the movements that he saw. His body seemingly started to move on its own. Silverlight’s sword technique was agile and graceful, but the movements were not quick. The movements seemed ordinary, but there was an immense amount of subtleties.

“Twenty seconds left!”

Xiao Lin already had a basic understanding of the technique; it was obviously not all of it since it was just some forms that Silverlight had shown him, and not a complete replication. However, thanks to how fast he could learn, he still managed to have his body acclimatize itself to it in just a short time, and he used the last moments of Ruin to rush right at the statue.

“Fifteen seconds left!”

Clank!

Xiao Lin’s blade once again clashed against the statue’s heavy sword, and just like last time, the immense strength could be felt, but Xiao Lin chose to slightly shift his wrist, allowing his blade to suddenly shift away from the sword. He then moved his body with all his speed, settling into a half-squat before piercing forward at a tricky angle.

The entire move only took a breath’s time, and the statue tried to react, but the statue could not use its full force to pull its blade back after slashing outward. The two blades once again clashed, and after a clear sound, the statue’s body started to sway before finally collapsing on the ground.

“Time’s up!”

The examiner’s voice could be heard again. Silverlight had already disappeared back into the ring. The examiner walked over with a stern expression, his eyes wide as if looking for something, but he found nothing.

Xiao Lin released his Ruin state and his entire body felt weak. The move he used earlier was quite amazing; it looked like it did not use that much force, but it was actually borrowing the statue’s power to strike. It relied on sword technique to negate the statue’s power and break its defense before converting the power to his own strike.

Silverlight... It seemed like the mysterious woman was unfathomably powerful.

“Will this do?” Xiao Lin had more important things to do at that moment.

However, the examiner did not have an ugly look on his face like he expected; instead, it was a complicated look, composed of shock and possibly a bit of respect?

“Not bad.” The examiner breathed in, bitterly smiling. “That last sword technique was very good. Based on what I know, it’s not something you could have learned in Dawn Academy.

His words caused Xiao Lin to pause, but Xiao Lin could only press on. “So, did I pass or not?”

“Your swordsmanship still is not at the elementary level. We could see that from the earliest exchanges. Elementary Swordsmanship differs from Basic Swordsmanship whereby Elementary Swordsmanship has already added a myriad of changes to the basic movements.” Pausing for a moment, the examiner seemed to be struggling with something, and he then seemed to make a decision. He breathed out, continuing to say, “However, without a doubt, your sword technique at the end was beautiful. At the very least, that technique had the standards of Elementary Swordsmanship, which is why you passed.”

“Old Wang!”

“You’ve gone mad!”

The rest of the examiners cried out in shock, as if wanting to remind him of something, but they all kept their mouths shut when they saw that Xiao Lin was still there.

Xiao Lin was quite surprised. The results were better than he expected, but he still had something else to do. He pointed at the large sword, saying, “Can you give me that sword?”

“What?”

“Name your price. As long as it’s reasonable, I don’t mind paying.”

The examiners exchanged looks between themselves.

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