Chapter 17: The Martial Academy

The next morning, as Xiang and Lei were having breakfast together, a messenger arrived from the City Lord. The messenger brought an envelope that he gave to Xiang. Xiang opened the letter and began to read. Once she had finished she addressed Lei, "There is a graduating class ceremony at the martial academy today and the City Lord would like for us to be in attendance. Would you like to go?" Lei thought about it. "I think we should but I would also like it if you and I were allowed to use one of their training rooms. I haven't had time to fully comprehend my skill crystals and I need someone to spar against to create arcana. Tell them we'll go on the condition that we can use an authoritarian-level training room." Xiang nodded and turned back to the messenger, "You heard all of that. Go inform the city lord." Once the messenger left she turned to Lei and said, "I'm so jealous you can use skill crystals. They really accelerate your learning speed. You'll see today." The two then continued with their breakfast. 

The messenger returned a little while later with another letter. Once again Xiang read the letter. "It says they'll be happy to allow us to use one of their training rooms. They say we can use it for the duration of our stay here. They also request that we have an exhibition match for the martial students, if we don't mind." Lei considered her words. "I haven't had time to fully grasp the technique your father developed for me but I haven't had a chance to use it. I'm sure a little practice will help me figure it out though. Tell them we'll do it." 

Xiang and Lei arrived at the martial academy, one of many in the Jai kingdom that trained cultivators to be warriors, and were met with a committee of bowing servants. A man approached them and said, "I am Captain Ju, the commander of this school, allow me to show you to the training room." The couple followed the commander through the academy. As they passed through the cadets in training bowed to them. 

They arrived at the cultivation room and entered. It was a lot simpler than the one back at the palace, but that was to be expected. Lei saw that there were changing rooms at the back with combat suits hanging outside of each one. Lei was grateful for that as he and Xiang had neglected to pack combat robes and had been prepared to spar in their opulent and free-flowing robes. The commander left them as they each walked to a changing room and changed into combat robes. Combat robes were less free-flowing and allowed easy movement while still preserving the modesty of those who were sparring. 

Lei stood across from Xiang as they prepared for their first spar. They bowed to each other and then sprung into action. Lei activated the fluttering wind and pounced at Xiang. He unleashed the hollow empire as arrows of fire appeared in the air behind her. He dodged each arrow and managed to land a qi enforced punch on her arm; disrupting a technique. He realised she was about to launch a qi enforced kick at him as well as another of her arrows. That must be his perception skill kicking in. He stepped into the radius of her kick and unleashed arcane lighting straight at her. He had adjusted the power so it would just knock her out. Xiang saw the attack just in time and raised her forearms up to block. Flames danced along her skin as his arcane lightning was dissipated. They broke away from each other, both sweating. Lei felt the arcana building in the air and smiled. After their sar this would be the perfect place to cultivate until the arcana dissipated. 

Xiang and Lei circled each other for their third spar. The last two spars hadn't had a winner. They had just kept going until they had both been too tired to continue. Finally Xiang made a move. Lei predicted it was a feint and chose to weather the attack. He used the flattering wind to appear behind Xiang and released his arcane lightning technique, which he had been building the whole fight. Xiang was knocked unconscious. Lei gently picked her up and carried her to a small bench on the side of the room. He then began to harvest the arcana that had built up during the fight. A few minutes later Xiang came to. She slowly climbed to her feet. Lei, hearing her, broke out of his cultivation, stood and hugged her. "Sorry for knocking you out." She pulled him closer and said, "It's alright. It's just a reality of sparring." He just nodded. Xiang rested her head on his shoulder and thought to herself, "Lei is only at the inner body phase and he can already defeat me, an authoritarian stage cultivator. I guess what father said about ranks not mattering to arcane cultivators was true." Finally the two split apart and sat down on the bench again. Once Xiang was fully recovered they changed into clean sparring robes for the exhibition and left the room. After wandering through the academy for a bit they finally found a servant who was happy to guide them to the arena where the graduation would take place. They were shown into a private viewing booth that looked over the arena. Xiang and Lei sat in the booth watching and talking as the arena slowly filled with people. 

Around an hour later the doors to the arena were closed and the ceremony began. The commander stood up and welcomed everyone and then said, "Today you are real cultivators. After today you will spend a few years of your life in our army. You may see yourself as untouchable now but I need to teach you a lesson in vulnerability. That is why I have asked two special guests to show you what true power looks like. I would like to welcome Princess Xiang of the Ye kingdom and her fiancèe, Lei Kun, to the stage. A servant suddenly swept into the room offered to escort the young couple to the arena. Lei stood up and held a hand out for Xiang and said, "Let's show them how it's done."