Apotheosis – Ascension to Godhood Chapter 205: Basic Swordsmanship

Chapter 205: Basic Swordsmanship

This was the courtyard where masters could rest, as such, it was a quiet haven, away from people and distractions.
On entering the courtyard, Jerrison's eyes were drawn immediately to the sheathed sword that Zen clutched.
Generally, if a sword was sheathed, there was no aura emitting from it. However, the light from this sword shone so brilliantly that it even covered the scabbard.
Most refiners followed a simple rule of thumb and always chose the best materials used in creating the body and handle carefully when a sword was forged. However, they would avoid pouring heavenly law into the handle of the weapon, because it was wasteful.
Jerrison and Merk saw that the handle of Zen's sword was manifesting an intense amount of energy, even after he had inserted it into the scabbard.
'Did this guy waste his understanding of heavenly law on the handle while he was making the sword?
Oh, wow! How was he able to comprehend heavenly law? The workmanship is amazing; he has a remarkable ability to be able to craft such a good sword, '
thought Jerrison and Merk, becoming excited at the prospect.
“I can't believe you were able to forge such a good fairy weapon at such a young age. That's crazy! Have you given your baby a name?” asked Jerrison. All the while he stared down at the sword.
Usually, after a weapon refiner finished, he would give his new weapon a name to identify it. Zen's sword had no name earlier because Chase hadn't condensed it and wanted someone else to finish it. Zen had to name it.
Zen simply stated, “The name is Streamer.”
“Streamer Sword? That's beautiful. A good name! I like it!” Jerrison nodded and said, “Yes, that's really a good name! May I see it?”
Zen shook his head in denial of Jerrison's request while he reminded himself, 'I'm no fool. My weapon is as important as my life. There was a wise martial artist once who said, two things cannot be shared, a man's weapon and his woman!'
Zen had barely finished making Streamer Sword and even though he hadn't used it in combat, he wasn't prepared to share it either.
When Zen rejected Jerrison's request, Merk piped up saying, “Master Yan is an excellent weapons refiner. He isn't a grand master yet, but, he'd be able to see if there are any flaws in your Streamer Sword. We're the masters of the Cloud Sect, so, you don't need to be on the defensive with us.”
Zen still shook his head, but smiled as he spoke, “By the way, Master Yan was just telling me that he'd take me to make the record. So, where do I record it? I will work with you, if that's how it's done, but, if not, I'll go first.”
All the two men were thinking about was how they'd be able to grab Zen's sword?
They were so eager to possess the fairy weapon in Zen's hand
that both of them were ready to risk killing him, thinking his fairy weapon was well worth it. They were in charge at Quenching Peak, and although the disciples would know about it, none of them would mention it as long as they had saved it properly.
“Of course, yes, you will need to do that. However, first, I have a question for you. How did you fashion your fairy weapon?” asked Merk, who unlike Jerrison, was blunt.
It appeared Zen appreciated Merk's directness, and he replied immediately, “I just told you that I wasn't able to answer your question.”
“I'm afraid that's not acceptable. Since you're a disciple of the Cloud Sect, you're required to tell us your methods. Especially, any new discoveries, techniques, or secrets. If you fail to, you won't be permitted to continue with your cultivations,” Jerrison said. Despite his grandiose words, Zen knew his evil mind.
“Huh? That doesn't sound right. Why do I need to share my method with you, if I made the weapon alone? That doesn't sound reasonable,” said Zen, feigning naivety while there was sarcasm in his heart as he thought, 'I can see the true colors of both of you now.'
Jerrison smiled as he bobbed his head and said, “Oh, yes, you have to. Why else would we have so much manpower and use the amount of materials to train our outer disciples?”
“And, what happens if I don't?” asked Zen.
In reaction to what Zen asked, a flame suddenly burst from the palm of Merk's hand, and smiling wickedly, he said, “You won't leave Quenching Peak alive, if you don't tell us.”
As Zen glanced at the flame dancing on Merk's hand, the smile on Zen's face was slowly replaced by a sinister look. “Oh, is that so? Are the two of you sure you can defeat me on your own? After all, you are only at seventh grade of the nature level. Since you've decided to threaten me, I'll show you Streamer Sword's power!”
Pulling the sword slowly out of its scabbard as he finished talking, Zen held it out, with the tip of Steamer Sword aimed at the two of them. There was a look of serenity on Zen's face, as though he didn't care that he was facing off against two masters.
Zen's bold actions shocked Merk and Jerrison, and they stood there wondering, 'What is he talking about? Only at the seventh grade of the nature level? After all, we're better than him, since he's only at the first grade of nature level! How could he dare look down on us?'
“Ha-ha! Drizzle Peak is the worst peak of all Cloud Sect's peaks, but they've cultivated quite an arrogant disciple! You are barely at the first grade of nature level, and yet you look down on us? That's hilarious!” Jerrison smiled as he extended his hand, and a purple flame appeared from his palm.
Each weapons refiner had his own unique flame.
The one dancing over Merk's hand was pink, and was as delicate as a peach blossom. Although the flame might seem weak, it actually held incredibly hot, destructive power.
Jerrison had a tiny strand of dark purple flame jumping around on his palm. Although the dark purple flame wasn't as strong as Merk's pink flame, it had a distinctive characteristic, the flame wouldn't be extinguished.
Specifically, the purple flame could set nearly everything in the world ablaze, even if it were on the surface of the water, giving it the appearance of being indestructible.
However, it wasn't a true immortal flame since a weapon refiner of his grade wouldn't be able to possess one.
It seemed Merk had no intention of letting the matter drop as he threatened, “You'd be wise to tell me the secrets of making the weapon and give me your sword, or you'll be nothing more than ashes when my flame finishes with you!”
Strands of demonic life vitality rose from deep under Zen's skin, amassing on his hands. As it grew, the demonic life vitality spread across his hands, engulfing the Streamer Sword. Zen became amazingly powerful, as demonic life vitality imbued with fairy weapon energy coursed through him.
“Have you forgotten you're masters at the Cloud Sect? Shame on you for acting in such a manner! Since I came to Quenching Peak and made a fairy weapon, you must realize I'm not afraid to face you! Didn't that cross your minds? And just look at yourselves now. You are acting so greedy! Fine, if that is how you want to be, you can pay the price!” stated Zen sneering.
“Merk, get on with it! Catch him, and I'm sure he'll tell us everything we want to know!” said Jerrison loudly. He was concerned after he saw Zen's dreadful appearance, but he kept his concerns to himself. After all, in his opinion, Zen couldn't be better than someone who was in the nature level at the seventh grade.
Merk stood next to him and didn't hesitate to wave his hand. As he did, two peach blossom-like flames rushed to Zen.
This was the first time Zen used Streamer Sword, and it was basic swordsmanship.
As the name implied, it was the most basic battle form of swordsmanship. There weren't many moves.
However, this swordsmanship technique was the most practical.
Of course, it didn't mean that basic swordsmanship was the best swordsmanship. Because with lots of others practicing it, the technique was familiar, and easier to counter.
But there was a problem with countering Zen.
He had a Phoenix Crystal in his arm. Using the energy of the Phoenix Crystal, Zen could be horribly fast with his sword.
Whatever it was, as long as its speed was improved to the extreme, its nature would be completely changed. For example, the leaves and flowers could also hurt people if they fell at an extreme speed.
Zen sneered as he watched the flames rush at him before lifting his arm, and slicing at them with the Streamer Sword. The move looked simple.
“Swish!”
As the Streamer Sword sliced through the air, it looked like a fluttering piece of long, narrow cloth.
The point of the sword plunged through the flames with demonic life vitality poured in little by little.
The two flying flames changed, transforming from pink to a light purple and then to dark purple.
The fire produced by a weapon refiner was actually a kind of life vitality. By turning life vitality into fire through meditation, they refined weapons. Demonic life vitality devoured the flames easily, just like it did to the opponents' life vitality before.
By the time the two flames reached Zen, they were completely engulfed and transformed by demonic life vitality.
Zen moved his fingers, gently, and the two dark-purple fires jumped to his hand. He smirked and said, “Were you going to burn my body to ashes with this?”
Since Zen's body was like a spiritual weapon, he wasn't in the least afraid of burning. Basically, he was a natural enemy to martial artists who practiced cultivation methods with fire attribute. Besides, their fire was used to make weapons, and not kill enemies, so its power was much worse than that of other martial artists who were practicing fire cultivation methods.
Merk was shocked that Zen could take his fire away, and as Jerrison watched, a grim look spread across his face too.
The saints of the Cloud Sect had been shocked at Zen's bizarre skills. Hence, it was natural that these two weapon refiners who couldn't be compared to those saints at all would feel astonished. They were wondering, 'What's with the dark purple life vitality in Zen's hand?'
Realizing Zen was a tough nut to crack, Jerrison reacted faster than Merk, and he knew he'd have to take Zen on himself. He thought he'd be able to beat Zen, considering that Zen's grade was so much lower than his. As Zen finished speaking, Jerrison's purple fire became a thread and darted at Zen.
As Jerrison's fire thread shot at Zen, he stood his ground, unflinchingly.
When the flame was close to him, Zen's demonic life vitality leapt over the short distance and devoured it.
He could have ended things with just his demonic life vitality, but, he'd just gotten the Steamer Sword today, and he couldn't help but want to use it. Therefore, instead of allowing the purple flame to be devoured by demonic life vitality, he rushed at Jerrison with Steamer Sword arched and ready to strike.
“Basic swordsmanship chop!”
There were seventeen basic swordsmanship moves. Chop, the most common move, made by the sword cutting from top to down.
As soon as he executed the move, he lifted his sword again.
The two moves seemed ordinary, but with Zen's quick moves, he'd instantly cut through all the fire threads, leaving tiny slivers. Of course, he couldn't kill the fire thread. After all, it wasn't an entity, and could grow back again.
Zen had a fairy weapon in his hand. Even if he couldn't use its true power, every move of his sword could extinguish another layer of the flames.
In light of Zen's attack, Jerrison's fire thread was cut down by Streamer Sword like a bamboo branch, until it disappeared.