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  Xiao Feng had to admit that it was rather ironic that he would be the one to teach Nova how to use Wind Qi, when he was still only capable of wielding only a single form of the Flowing Wind Art. He had honestly considered if it would make more sense to have his predecessor walk Nova through the forms of the flowing wind art in their shared soul space, but he had ultimately decided against it for two reasons.

  The first and the most obvious was the fact that Nova would not get to actually feel the nature and intensity of the Wind Qi utilized in the Flowing Wind Art if it were not displayed through a physical vessel. Sure, his predecessor could call upon his memories and try to mimic the sensations, but it would still remain a mere imitation of the Dao and thus, could even mislead Nova instead of guiding her upon the correct path.

  The second reason, one that was guided by instinct instead of logic or reasoning, was based upon the bond he had entered into with Nova. He had a strong feeling that no matter how unqualified he was to teach others how to wield Wind Qi, Nova would still learn quicker if he was the one teaching her.

  Truthfully though, he was still a little nervous. It had been one thing to teach Lianhua and Jun, given that their primary profession lay in alchemy and the fact that they had no desire to step onto the path of a martial cultivator. Of course, he had still instructed them to the best of his ability and practicing with him would still improve their muscle memory and hone their combat instincts, but it was clear to him how different Nova was.

  For Nova was a predator and while she had agreed to restrain herself from using Phantom Qi at his request, it was clear that knowing how to defend herself was something that was core to her very being itself. And her thirst for knowledge did not stop there, for she also wished to understand how to attack other predators that dared to tread on her hunting trails and hunt prey for her own sustenance.

  Like a fisherman needed to know how to fish, a lumberjack needed to know how to fell trees, a predator had to know how to hunt for sustenance and survival.

  To deny her that would be to deny her nature and in fact, even her very existence itself. Xiao Feng would never make such a decision, but he had to give it his all if he wanted to guide Nova down the correct path.

  If one form is all I know, then I need to be perfect at it, Xiao Feng decided. Now that the entrance to the training room had been sealed shut behind them and Nova had stepped out in the open next to Lianhua, there was no reason for him to hesitate.

  So Xiao Feng closed his eyes, took a deep breath and envisioned that cool, comforting breeze on a sweltering hot day, a gentle wind that only wished to offer a moment of respite to the weary traveller.

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  A wind that was incapable of cleaving, yet refused to be sundered.

  I will not cut, The thought came to Xiao Feng’s mind as he tried to distill the essence of the Fourth Form of the Flowing Wind Art, Dancing Breeze. I will not be cut, He thought, finding the mantra that he had just come up with to be most in line with personality, his own unique understanding of Wind Qi.

  When Xiao Feng opened his eyes, he blinked once, then twice and then a third time. Sure enough, it was still a wooden sword that he was holding onto, a practice sword at that. But where he had expected thick coils of wind to be wrapped around his blade, there was… nothing.

  No, there was something, a thin layer of Wind Qi that was circulating so smoothly that it appeared as if there was no motion at all and moreover, it didn’t take long for Xiao Feng to realize that nearly two-thirds of his Wind Qi reserves had been depleted by Dancing Breeze, which was absurd.

  His blade too, felt heavier than it felt before, having gone from being nigh weightless to feeling like he was holding a greatsword instead, yet there was this sense of rightness, as if multiple puzzle pieces had finally been fitted in the right spaces, that discouraged him from dismissing it.

  A few seconds passed by in silence, long enough for Xiao Feng to confirm that the drain on his Wind Qi reserves required to maintain the Dancing Breeze was minimal.

  Since coming to this world, I have seen many things that have surprised me, He thought. But this…I wanted to practice with Nova while giving it my all, but I was still worried about her getting hurt. No matter how powerful of a Spiritual Beast she might end up becoming, right now she’s just a child that I’m responsible for. That’s why I envisioned a blade that would not cut no matter how hard I swung, yet still show the power of wind qi so I could teach her. But… what is this?

  “Lianhua!” Xiao Feng called out.

  The Senior Alchemist, who he had been sparring with for a few weeks now, didn’t hesitate to empower her sword strike with Wind Qi as she charged at him. Xiao Feng only chose to angle his blade to the side to meet her blow.

  Their swords collided and Lianhua’s eyes widened as she felt a torrential pressure clashing against her sword, yanking it free from her hands yet doing so gently that it felt like she had been caught in a tidal wave that was pulling the blade free from her hands, with no hostility directed towards her— just an irresistible, all-consuming phenomenon of nature that could not be resisted.

  The Wind was connected to Xiao Feng, in constant motion and yet a part of a closed circuit, so Xiao Feng could feel that what he had considered to be a thin layer of Qi was actually highly compressed wind qi. When their blades had met, merely a small fraction of that compressed Wind Qi had been allowed to expand and break free from the closed circuit, which was enough to disarm Lianhua without hurting her and yet…

  The attack had barely expended any Wind Qi and his reserves barely decreased as he reinforced Dancing Breeze.

  “What in the name of the blasted demons!” His predecessor all but bellowed, his tone a melange of absolute shock and even more unexpectedly, clear awe.

  A second later, Xiao Feng received a telepathic message from Nova that caused his heart rate to spike, “Now that looks fun! Here I come!”

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