Swordfighting

I was overwhelmed with all the books and scrolls on the shelves. Are we going to have to flip through each one? Some of them even have effects when I touch them... this scroll 'Volcanic Flames Sutra' was hot to the touch!

Fiona laughed at this. "Daddy, what are you doing? You can just use your spiritual sense to look through the books."

"Oh, really? Ahahaha." I scratched my head in embarrassment. I totally forgot about that... so we don't have to flip through the books one at a time.

Let me give this a try.

I closed my eyes and scanned the books on this shelf. In my mind's eye, I could see the book opening, and words or some sort of alphabet text flowing out into me. Very mysterious. The information is being transferred to me... cool! This is a mid-grade cultivation method Myriad Water Arts, which accumulates your spiritual essence and cultivation base through the abortion of moisture.

Hmm. So cultivation methods are used for martial artists to accumulate true essence and enhance their cultivation. The cultivation method manual was the foundation of all, and also the most scarce in this world. A sect a major family didn't need to have good martial skills, but they must have a good cultivation method manual, and that's what separates them from the commoners of this world.

So Fiona's ice attacks are martial skills, also known as techniques. They utilize the spiritual essence and the strength of one's body to attack the enemy.

There are also movement skills in this world, enhancing one's speed.

Even though I've read novels of this genre in the past, exploring cultivation firsthand is still so fascinating! Superhuman strength and mystical abilities... this is my chance to tear away my past as a weak, useless man and also to become stronger for Fiona's sake.

In a world where killing is... well, I wouldn't say legal, but justified, so my extraordinary ESP-like senses developed from my brutal past; hiding from my father, erasing my presence to steal food, staying with various people who so-called 'pitied' me, then my time as an assassin in the Underworld... aren't going to be wasted at the very least.

So I guess I ain't useless. I don't know why I took it to heart, back on Earth.

Well, to be fair to myself, when society ostracizes you for having no education, no funds, no status, no power, no friends, no... family... it hurts.

Was it my fault they left me alone, battered on the streets, freezing in the winter wind?

Was it my fault I was thrown into one foster after another, each still no different from before?

Was it my fault that I was pitted with hardships and the ugly side of human beings that forced me to kill to survive? To be a criminal for survival? What was this called... a moral compass? Something like cause and effect or the end justified the means.

If somebody steals to survive, is he in the wrong?

...

...

Right or wrong, it doesn't matter anymore. I'm here, in another world with a society that does not care about right or wrongs. I can choose my future now - my future with a special someone, who brought new reason for this life of mine. She's someone I need to protect, Fio-

"Daddy, what type of fighting style do you prefer?" A sweet, mellow voice asked. I'd recognize it anywhere, it was all too familiar. Yep, Fiona, my daughter - the one I'd sworn to protect, to cherish, to pamper.

I shook my head, breaking out of the trance while using spiritual sense.

"Dadd-deee! WOooah!" Fiona asked again, but I pulled her to another embrace.

She pouted. "Fiona was asking a question, daddy..."

"You don't have to be a tease to get teased, Fiona," I said whilst flicking her nose. "Daddy prefers assassination. Does my sweet little kitten have some recommendations?"

"Hmph. You're bullying me again. I did nothing wrong this time."

I moved my fingers down to the side of her stomach, preparing for a taser attack and whispered to her ears, "Hmm. So there will be a next time?"

"Ahem, daddy, Fiona needs her concentration to find a good cultivation method. Put me down!"

My hands moved upwards and ruffled her hair. "You've got some attitude now, eh?"

"N-no, no, Fiona just wants the best for you."

"Mhm." I put her down gently, two feet on the floor. She scampered away to the other side of the bookshelf, and called out, "There are better methods here!"

Pffft. She's really afraid of tickles, huh... though it saddens me a little that she's running afraid of me. I should tone it down a little bit, else she really might leave for good.

"Stupid daddy, why does he keep tickling me with that look on his face... its the same one he was looking at when thinking about uncle. is he just practicing on me?" a low, muffled voice murmured.

"..."

Nope, she's really in for some punishment tonight, I thought as I grinded my fist. I am not gay!

"I can hear you, Fiona."

She snapped a book shut, along with her mouth.

Ha. Serves her right.

I was relishing my victory over making her speechless, but her next words instead rendered me speechless even more.

"Dual... Swordfighting Cultivation Method? Increase your cultivation through dual... sword fighting? Fiona has never seen this before..." she mumbled as she flipped through the pages.

I snatched the book from her hands. "Ack!" She yelped in surprise and looked up to me glowering with narrowed eyes.

"D-daddy?" She swallowed her saliva. "What's wrong?"

"This is not for you," I said in an indifferent tone, throwing the book onto the shelves, but meanwhile, on the inside, I was fuming.

Didn't she say before that one can use spiritual sense to browse the books and scrolls here? What is she doing with a dual cultivation method involving adulterous gay couples?!

This can't be a coincidence...