Chapter 84: Yes, You Are Doing Great, Keep Going
Shadow Sentinel and I heard the announcement that the first-round winners had been decided. There was no surprise about the name Xue Lingxi, but I was shocked that Mei Xueyin was still able to participate in the tournament—and even win a round. I had believed that the ancestor would send someone to arrest her or stop her from participating in the tournament.
'Please, do it gently.' I prayed inwardly.
Shadow Sentinel now held the needle in its hand. It was also confused about what exactly it was doing, thinking that such behavior from Xu Mo was not how a spy would usually act.
It shook its head and, with an indifferent expression behind its black face mask, performed a fluid and practiced motion, swiftly stinging Xu Mo.
I did not even know when Shadow Sentinel began and ended, but I looked at the part of my hand that was slowly turning as red as a tomato.
However, it was just because Shadow Sentinel's strength had not been properly controlled, causing its rough gloves to brush past my arm and pull back a few hairs forcefully. I looked at the needle, now bent into the shape of a hook used for fishing rods.
For the first experiment, I had gone without Qi Reinforcement, wanting to test my physique.
Then, I handed Shadow Sentinel the same rustic sword that I had used to slash my arm—this time while in a state of Qi Reinforcement.
By now, Shadow Sentinel had gotten used to its master's strange antics and no longer questioned what or when to slash. The moment the hilt of the rustic sword was clenched in its hand, it felt that this blade or sword was not ordinary. Its years of experience in handling multiple types of weapons had given it a unique trait, one that, according to it, was quite common among its fellow members.
It no longer dwelled on the material used for the sword and slashed at Xu Mo with the same blinding speed.
Clang—
Once again, I was unable to keep up when I was slashed, but the pain did not come. This was strange.
When I used Qi Reinforcement earlier, I had been able to leave a deep groove on my arm, but this time, my arm acted like a thick wall of metal, deflecting the incoming attack.
Shadow Sentinel was also shocked, but because it was covered in black clothes from head to toe, Xu Mo was unable to catch its changing expression.
There were some body cultivators among the army that the ancestor had personally trained, but even their bodies might not be as strong as my master's. My master did not even use Qi to reinforce his body.
"Shadow Sentinel, can you help me clear some doubts about Qi Reinforcement?"
Shadow Sentinel nodded slightly. It was difficult to tell if it was agreeing or not, but since I was standing quite close, I saw its shadow on the wall, and it had made very minute movements.
"When I first used Qi Reinforcement to slash myself with the sword, it left a deep groove on my arm. But this time, even without using it, I was able to deflect the attack from the same weapon without receiving any damage."
"Master, can you activate Qi Reinforcement again and just grab the sword's hilt in your hand?"
I did what Shadow Sentinel asked me to do without question.
"Hmm." Shadow Sentinel humphed. "Master, you can deactivate it now."
"Did you really understand the reason so fast?" I asked, a little doubt in my voice.
"Master, sorry to say this, but it is a common mistake beginners make." Shadow Sentinel picked up the sword once again. "To understand your mistake, you must first understand the term Qi Reinforcement. Cultivators create a thin sheet of Qi around their bodies, spread like a membrane. That Qi acts as a barrier, preventing attacks from directly reaching the cultivator and considerably weakening their power. But unless you are stronger than your opponent, your Qi Reinforcement will only act as a cushion to absorb the attack's power and will automatically disintegrate." Shadow Sentinel used visual examples, even going as far as to draw images on the wooden floor with the sword.
"Adding to that, Master, as you have just reached the peak of the fifth level of Qi Condensation and are trying to use a skill that only early sixth-level cultivators can utilize, it is a testament to your talent."
"But my Qi is stronger than an average person's, and I might be even stronger than some sixth-level Qi Condensation Realm cultivators." I pointed out. I was not normal. Common sense stopped applying when the topic of discussion was a genius.
"Master, I will activate my Qi Reinforcement. Touch my arm and tell me if you feel any difference from your Qi Reinforcement and mine."
Shadow Sentinel was never good at teaching others. Even the juniors in the ancestor's army became more confused when they asked him questions. He spoke from a higher standpoint, forgetting the challenges he had faced with the same technique years ago. Many followed techniques by definition, avoiding common mistakes, and when they reached higher levels in cultivation, their comprehension broadened, allowing them to derive better alternatives.
I saw Shadow Sentinel activating its Qi Reinforcement. It did not know that I had the ability to see Qi in the air. Immediately, even without touching, I understood where the problem lay. Shadow Sentinel's Qi Reinforcement covered only its vital parts, where the Qi was focused more than usual. The non-vital parts were just covered with a thin membrane, similar to what I had been using to protect my body. It was a hexagonal barrier made up of many layers of Qi, giving it a more prominent look.
Not wanting to appear special, I walked toward Shadow Sentinel and touched the areas where I saw the Qi was focused.
I also touched some random areas so as not to appear as if I had already seen through its vital parts.
"I understand now. There are certain areas on your body, like your back and chest, where the Qi is several times more solid than other areas. But even the parts not protected by the solid Qi layer are many times stronger than my Qi in the Qi Condensation stage." I looked at Shadow Sentinel with an enlightened expression. "Those are your vital parts, right?"
"Master?" Shadow Sentinel could only say the word Master, and I could already imagine its mouth opening wide enough for a fly to fly in.
Am I such a good teacher? For the first time, Shadow Sentinel felt that maybe the juniors in the army were just dull. Here, with just a little explanation, a true genius was able to decrypt the useful from the less useful information.
"Okay." I stepped back a few paces. "I will try once again."
I channeled Qi through my body. It seeped out from my pores, forming a thin membrane. I remembered how Shadow Sentinel had created the hexagonal shield in specific areas and tried to replicate it.
The neck and eyes were the most vulnerable parts of the body, according to my research. Testing near the eye could be fatal, so I tested my neck first. Once proficient, I would protect my eyes with it.
Agggg...
My face turned red. Although I successfully covered my body in the thin membrane of Qi, when I tried to accumulate a little more Qi toward my neck, I kept failing.
"Master, I advise you to start smaller," Shadow Sentinel's voice sounded from in front of me. My eyes were closed as I tried to understand what I was doing wrong.
"Master, your focus is not strong enough yet. If you try to replicat—" Shadow Sentinel's words were cut short because I had started bleeding from my nose. It seemed I had exerted more force than my body could handle. Shadow Sentinel pressed on my body, performing acupuncture-like techniques.
"I have blocked your Qi, Master. Do not worry; it will automatically start flowing again in a few hours." Shadow Sentinel's last words lingered in my ears as bells rang in my brain, cutting off all noise. All I could hear was a high-pitched eeeeeee... like the sound of a mosquito or a fly.