Death God: Starting from Refining Essence into Qi

Seongryeongjeon South Training Center, Martial Arts Grounds.

The training ground is paved with obsidian, and in the very center of the ground is the main training platform with a diameter of 100 meters. To the east, west, south, and north of the main training platform are the third, ninth, sixth, and twelfth training platforms, respectively.

Some of the training platforms are connected by a two-meter-wide bluestone path, forming two nested rectangles.

The training ground is surrounded by six imposing walls, with gilded patterns flowing between the upturned eaves, encompassing the training ground.

If viewed from above, the entire training ground clearly resembles the emblem of the Shihōin clan.

On the viewing platform of the martial arts arena sat elders from various families who had come to observe the ceremony—this was an important annual occasion to examine the growth of the younger generation, and also a forum for exchange among the many noble families, led by the Shihōin clan; few were willing to be absent.

At the head of the Shihōin family residence, Shihōin Chihiro rested her chin on one hand and her other hand on her crossed knees.

The head of the Shihōin family did not attend for some reason, and instead, Shihōin Senji attended the ceremony on his behalf. None of the nobles were foolish enough to ask about it.

Not far away, the etiquette instructor glared angrily, veins bulging on her forehead. Shihouin Senhi clearly noticed this gaze and turned to glance at her.

The etiquette instructor, who had been ignored, stared wide-eyed, drawing stares from her colleagues.

At the edge of the training ground, twenty-four students stood in a line.

Zongyan, the head instructor of the Fourth Fengyuan Academy, stood in front of the students, exuding an aura of pressure simply by standing there.

"The rules for the academic year competition are as follows."

"1. No one may intentionally cause serious injury or death; 2. Anyone who admits defeat or falls to the ground and cannot get up shall be deemed to have lost; 3. Only wooden knives may be used; 4. During the competition, no one else may interfere; 5. After each round of the competition, everyone shall have a 15-minute rest period."

"The first round of matchups will be based on the ranking of spiritual power tested upon enrollment—those with similar spiritual power will be opponents."

"The Death God's spiritual power is a reflection of the essence of the soul." Shihouin Muneyoshi's voice was steady and powerful. "Without the tempering of life and death, it's difficult to improve one's spiritual power in a year. Therefore, using the number of students admitted is the fairest criterion. Any questions?"

The room fell silent.

A moment later, Shihouin Aoji, who was standing in the middle of the line, raised his hand—he was one of the few students who dared to ask questions in front of the head instructor, and he usually had a fairly close relationship with Shihouin Muneyoshi.

"Chief Instructor, if the second-best competitor is defeated by the best in the first round, wouldn't the second-best competitor be unworthy of the title?"

The question was pointed, but also reasonable. Many students nodded slightly, clearly sharing the same doubt.

Shihōin Muneyoshi's expression remained unchanged: "Except for first place, the other rankings are unimportant. If anyone is upset or feels resentful—"

His gaze slowly moved, "Ask yourself, why aren't you number one?"

"During the competition, the senior instructors from each faculty and academy will award prizes based on the students' performance, regardless of the final rankings," he added, his tone unusually serious. "Any more questions?"

Seeing no one respond, Shihōin Muneyoshi unfolded the roster in his hand and announced the first round matchups.

"The 24th Rank of Lingwei, Bee Feather Arrow and Bee Wing, First Martial Arts Arena."

"The Spirit Might is 23rd, Shihōin Aoji versus Shihōin Gen, the second martial arts arena."

……

Gen and Shihouin Aoji exchanged a glance and walked together toward the second training platform.

On the training platform, the referee was footwork instructor Kujo Tadatsugu. All instructors, including those teaching academic subjects, acted as referees to prevent accidents caused by students losing control during sparring.

Although I barely listened to Xuan's lectures, I still remembered the etiquette for the exchange. It was troublesome as it was, but it was to avoid unnecessary trouble caused by criticism.

Xuan gripped the wooden sword with both hands, tips pointing downwards, and bowed respectfully: "I am Xuan of the Shihōin family, please enlighten me."

Shihouin Aoji took a deep breath, gripped his sword, and bowed in return, saying, "I am Shihouin Aoji, a member of the Shihouin family. Nice to meet you."

Shihouin Aoji cautiously created distance, gripping his wooden sword with both hands and adopting the classic middle stance—a combination of offense and defense, the safest starting position.

Xuan's posture, however, was completely different.

He stepped back half a step with his right foot, turned his body to the side, leaving only a narrow strip of his left shoulder exposed to his opponent. His left hand gripped the back of the hilt, his elbow close to his ribs, while his right hand lightly supported the front of the blade—but the blade was not straight forward, but deliberately swayed outward in a slight arc.

The "sideways decoy" technique.

The curve was just the right size, revealing the gap in the right side of the waist and abdomen, like bait offered to the mouth.

If the opponent is greedy and reckless, Xuan Neng will immediately tighten his core and straighten his body, use the blade to parry, and counterattack the opponent's wrist or arm holding the blade.

—During the swordsmanship class that year, Gen observed Aoji. His lower limbs were agile, but his upper limb strength and endurance were relatively weak. If he could be lured into a strong attack, he could be easily defeated.

On the sidelines, Kujo Tadatsugu, acting as the referee, frowned. Although he was not an expert in swordsmanship, he knew that this was definitely not the starting stance for a samurai sword.

Shihouin Seiji was equally puzzled. He waited for three breaths, but Gen still made no move.

"Didn't we learn the principle of 'seizing the initiative' in Kendo during class? What's he thinking?"

If you can't figure it out, then stop thinking about it. Since your opponent has handed over the initiative, there's no reason for you to miss out.

"drink!"

Shihōin Seiji stepped forward, his wooden sword shifting from the middle to the upper section, delivering a standard "Taratakegiri" strike.

This strike was perfectly executed, creating a whistling sound. Clearly, the striker had put in considerable effort and held nothing back.

Xuan was helpless.

In Kendo, there is a saying of "three firsts": the first of the first, the first of the second, and the first of the first.

His earlier sideways stance was intended to lure the enemy deeper and seize the initiative—to anticipate the opponent's move and gain the upper hand.

Unfortunately, the flaws that were deliberately exposed were ignored, so they had to settle for second best.

The moment the wooden sword struck, something mysterious happened.

He didn't use Instant Step, nor did he parry with his sword; he simply took a half-step to the side.

"Whoosh!"

The wooden sword grazed Gen's left shoulder, causing Shihouin Aoji to briefly lean forward and lose his balance.

The first move after the last one – seize the opening after the opponent makes a move and counterattack.

Xuan's left hand moved like a nimble snake, landing on Shihouin Aoji's right wrist, which was holding a sword.

Taking advantage of the opponent's forward momentum, I gently pressed down with my left hand.

Aoji Shihouin felt a gentle yet irresistible force pulling at his arm, causing him to stagger forward involuntarily.

Just as he was about to turn around, Xuan had already reversed his grip on the wooden sword and placed it horizontally against Qingci's neck.

silence.

From the moment Shihouin Aoji drew his sword to his defeat, only two breaths had passed.

"You flatter me." Xuan sheathed his sword and stepped back.

Shihouin Aoji stood there blankly, his face full of confusion.

"The victor is Gen Shihōin."

The outcome was decided so quickly that the battles in the surrounding arenas had only just begun.

The white-clad martial arts master, Fan Feng Linxu, who was acting as the referee on the first martial arts arena, narrowed his eyes.

She could see it clearly—that control of distance, timing, and force was practically bullying a child.

On the viewing platform, Qianri smiled and took a sip of the tea in front of him.

Time passed, and about 15 minutes later, the second round of the competition began.

Xuan's opponent is Bee Feather Arrow from the Bee Clan—who was ranked 24th in spiritual power when he entered the academy, but this level of spiritual power was actually at the bottom of the class.

The Bee family had only recently become affiliated with the Shihouin family, and Bee Yuya, who had always considered himself a genius, became obedient after testing his spiritual power.

He has been practicing diligently for the past year, and his progress in the instant step technique shown in the footwork class is second only to Xuan.

Bee Feather Arrow stood in the center of the field, holding a wooden dagger in each hand, his right hand gripping the dagger upright and his left hand gripping it backward, his posture bent forward.

Bee Feather Arrow's gaze was sharp, fixed on Xuan's shoulders.

Seeing that his opponent was using a short weapon, Xuan held his wooden sword upright in front of him, adopting a stance to prevent the opponent from advancing.

However, just as he was concentrating on preparing for the battle, looking at his opponent's starting stance, a thought flashed into his mind:

Isn't this the starting move of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu kodachi two-sword low stance?

However, upon further reflection, it's not surprising that Hyoninbe Ichibei, who lived countless years before Christ, was writing Chinese characters with a brush, so seeing sword techniques that only appeared in the 16th century is not surprising.

In other words, he is likely to encounter martial arts styles that originated in different periods in the future, and clash with those who have mastered these skills...

The thought brought not fear, but a faint sense of excitement and anticipation.

But the next second, a tearing pain from the depths of his soul abruptly pulled Xuan back to reality—he was still in the middle of a battle and couldn't afford to be distracted!

Just as Xuan was distracted in the battle due to his lack of practical experience, Feng Yu stepped in from the side, thrusting his backhand sword forward, the guard precisely locking onto the hilt of Xuanmu sword—once the long weapon was locked, the forehand sword could then penetrate deeply!

Xuan suddenly snapped back to his senses. With a swift upward slash, his wooden sword rose from below, precisely deflecting the blade of the Bee Feather Arrow's left-hand sword.

With his chest and abdomen wide open, Xuan flicked his wrist, and the wooden sword slashed down, aiming straight for his face!

Bee Feather Arrow's pupils contracted sharply, and he hurriedly dodged to the left, simultaneously slashing horizontally with his sword, the blade aimed straight for Xuan's waist and abdomen.

But this horizontal cut was not unexpected.

The downward strike just now was a feint; there was no intention to hit. Not only did he not shift his center of gravity, but he didn't even step forward.

Facing the short sword slashing horizontally, Xuan bent his right knee, twisted his body to the right, leaned his upper body backward, and kicked forward with his left leg!

"What?!" Bee Feather Arrow was shocked, but it was too fast to dodge.

"Bang!"

A solid back kick landed squarely on Bee Feather Arrow's chest. He flew backward, staggering three steps as he landed, ultimately losing his balance and falling backward to the ground.

As he struggled to lift his head, Xuan had already pulled back his legs and stood up, the tip of his knife resting in front of him.

Bee Feather Arrow froze on the spot, a bead of cold sweat sliding down his forehead. Even the wooden sword seemed to emanate a chilling aura from its tip.

"I... admit defeat," he uttered with difficulty.

The entire battle lasted very short, not even as long as the time spent bowing before the two matches.

Xuan sheathed his sword and reached out to pull the Bee Feather Arrow off the platform.

"Thank you for your kind offer." Xuan nodded in acknowledgment, then turned and walked off the training platform.

Gen had originally reserved some strength to deal with unexpected situations, but when Bee Feather Arrow was kicked, he was rushing forward, which led to the exaggerated result of kicking his opponent away.

As for Xuan, not only was he not repelled by the counterattack, but he was also able to immediately follow up, which was due to the improvement in strength and coordination brought about by the Yi Jin Jing over the past year.

Kujou Tadatsugu's aged face held a complex expression: "Not only is his Shunpo talent terrifying, but his combat intelligence is also so formidable."

He paused, recalling the battle just now, "At the beginning, I was probably inexperienced and stood still, allowing short weapons to easily get close, but my subsequent responses were precise and swift."

Clearly, he misinterpreted Xuan's initial distraction as a lack of preparedness for an unfamiliar style.

While other martial arts demonstrations were still ongoing, the fact that Xuan's demonstration had already ended seemed particularly abrupt.

On the viewing platform, the head of the Quantian family took the opportunity to flatter him, saying that the young man from the Shifengyuan family was dashing and outstanding.

Shihouin Senhi sat up straight and responded calmly with standard aristocratic etiquette, as if the boy who had just been resting his chin on one hand and his lap on the other was not him.

-----------------

After the battle, Xuan quickly adjusted his condition.

The other opponents generally possessed higher spiritual power than the first two, but having already fought two battles, their condition was bound to decline.

Xuan finished the battle first, giving him more time to recover, which is an advantage that can be applied to the next battle.

Less than 15 minutes later, the third round began.

Xuan's opponent is Kim Man-ya, the eldest daughter of the Kim Man family.

The Kinman family is a lower-ranking noble family that is affiliated with the Shihōin family. They establish themselves through commerce, and most of the family members are skilled in ranching and resource management, but combat is not their forte.

Jin Manyougui's advancement to the third round was largely due to luck—his opponents in the first two rounds happened to be members of other families who were also not good at fighting. They were only slightly more powerful in spirit, and their skills had not improved much after a year of "hard" training.

At this moment, Yuki Kanamori stood in the center of the arena, her hand holding the wooden sword trembling slightly. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her breathing was a little rapid—although she had won the first two battles, they had also exhausted her strength.

On the other hand, Xuan's first two matches ended very quickly, so he didn't expend much energy. After a full rest, he was in almost perfect condition.

After both sides bowed, the referee stepped back to the edge of the arena and announced the start of the competition.

Yuki Kimura bit her lower lip, took a step forward, and thrust straight in—the movement was standard, but the speed was sluggish and the power was weak.

Xuan sidestepped, easily dodging the attack.

Yuki Kanamori attacked again, using basic moves such as horizontal slashes, upward sweeps, and downward chops, but each move was slower and weaker than the last. By the third downward chop, her arm had begun to tremble noticeably.

Xuan raised his sword to parry, the wooden blades clashing together with a crisp sound. He did not pursue, but instead took a half step back, observing quietly.

He suspected his opponent was deliberately feigning weakness to trap him, which would only waste his energy. An opponent capable of winning two matches in a row shouldn't be only this good.

After the wooden swords clashed, Yoshiki Kanamori staggered back two steps, her breathing becoming increasingly labored. Looking into Gen's calm eyes and feeling her trembling hands, she suddenly gave a bitter laugh and sheathed her sword.

"I surrender."

Xuan was stunned.

From the viewing platform, a furious snort echoed from the Jin Man family's seats. Jin Man Zhenyan, the patriarch of the Jin Man family, sporting a mustache, abruptly stood up, his face ashen: "Yuki! What are you doing?! A noble scion cannot admit defeat! Even if we lose, we must tear a piece of flesh from the other side!"

His voice was loud and clear, attracting the attention of the surrounding nobles.

"Alright~" A woman dressed in elegant clothes gently tugged at her husband's sleeve, her voice soft, "Yuki's judgment was right. He knew he was going to lose, but he still insisted on fighting. It's just a children's sparring match, why are you being so fierce? She's our only daughter, don't be so demanding."

The woman turned to the center of the field and smiled gently at Yuki Kanemitsu: "Yuki, come here, let your mother see if you are hurt."

Kim Man-yuki visibly breathed a sigh of relief and bowed to Xuan, saying, "Congratulations."

Whispers broke out among the eliminated contestants on the sidelines.

"You won already? That's too easy..."

"Yuki-nee is so lucky to have made it to the third round."

"Xuan's luck is pretty good too; none of his opponents in the first three rounds were particularly strong..."

"Luck? Did you see the first two matches clearly? You can't win just by luck."

"Ah Qing, stop flattering yourself, haha..."

Xuan did not return to the rest area, but instead went to other training platforms to watch the battle.

The matches at the other two locations have also concluded. The top three have now been determined:

Shifouin Gen, Shifouin Hiruzaburo, and Ohmaeda Yusuke.

"The final round will begin in a quarter of an hour at the main training ground," Shihouin Muneyoshi announced loudly. "The three will draw lots to determine the order, and will fight in pairs. The winner will receive one point, and the loser will receive zero points. The one with the highest score will be the champion of this year's school competition."

Xuan took a sip of water and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

The real test is about to begin.

Yusuke Ōmaeda—that usually carefree chubby guy—showed impressive Shunpo skills in the third round, he must have practiced hard in private.

Xuan dislikes two types of people: those who secretly participate in gambling.

As for Shifuin no Uta, his spiritual power was ranked sixteenth upon entering the academy, and his hand-to-hand combat technique was also quite strong. Fortunately, after undergoing Qi Refining, the quality of his Xuan spiritual power was greatly improved, so he didn't fall too far behind.

Xuan looked towards the viewing platform, his gaze meeting Qianri's from afar. The usually stern and unsmiling Feng Zongzhu stood behind Qianri and, for once, gave her a thumbs-up.

Fifteen minutes later, the battle for the championship officially began.