"My purpose here is not to go into detail but to introduce the broader pathways," he added. "And this brings us to our third pathway."
"And the third pathway is your battle powers, and no, I am not talking about your cultivation," he said.
"You have your cultivation as your base power; you have your beast companion, and you have their skills. But you need more firepower in your arsenal. And what will this firepower be?"
"Your combat prowess, your combat techniques, your own skills and your battle techniques," he said.
"You need to learn physical combat, which includes forms of martial arts, and refine yourself into a fine weapon. You can pick a weapon of your choice, or you can be bare-handed. Then you need to master various battle techniques."
"You need to know how to slash a sword and how to launch a powerful punch simply with your brute force. You need to condition your body and strengthen it. High stamina and high endurance. You will build everything."
"Now, what are these battle techniques?" Sankul asked.
"A bit of basics before that," he said as he raised his open palm. A ripple occurred, and a slightly pinkish flame and wavy-like substance erupted from his palm.
"This is mana," he said, "as I have projected it in a pure form."
"The way the mana from the surroundings travel through my mana veins and get stored in the mindscape, similarly, I can project that mana outside my body, back from my mindscape from those very same mana veins."
"And now, when I manipulate it in certain ways—like compressing it, stretching it, moving it through my veins in certain patterns and pulses—it can create a lot of devastating effects. And these are battle techniques."
With this, he closed his open palm and moved his fist slowly towards his side. A ripple erupted from his palm, and a deafening sound echoed in the hall as something struck the side walls.
"One of the basic fist techniques—Yellow Rank," Sankul said. "And if you didn't know, techniques, weapons, and treasures are ranked from Yellow, being the lowest grade, then it is Profound, Earth, and Heaven."
"There are probably Ranks above this, but I have never known about them," he clarified.
"In our academy, you can get techniques up to Profound grade. There are techniques that are free, and then there are techniques for which you have to make a payment. You can check them out at the Exchange counter or in the library."
"Back to the topic," he said. "What I showed you all was a Yellow Rank fist technique."
"It increased the power of my brute physical punch with certain degrees. And only if your physical strength or your agility or defences are powerful then only the battle techniques will appear even more powerful."
"You will similarly master some battle techniques and try to integrate them flawlessly in you fighting style."
He took a pause after which he continued, "Now, I think I have summarised the three pathways in simple terms."
"Cultivation is mainly a matter of theory, and Vale is a master in his art. And if you have any doubt, you can ask any of the teachers, but keep in mind that you should never be in haste. You are at the beginning of your journeys. Always understand things carefully and completely before making decisions. Caution is one of the major keys in cultivation."
"The second pathway, Human-Beast Synergy. I have already told you more than enough about it, and another teacher will take up this topic," he said. "I think you have one of those classes tomorrow, and that will be quite important, so be careful in it."
"The third pathway—Martial arts, combat, and battle techniques—is the one that I will be conducting myself," he said with a grin. And that grin on his face seemed quite dangerous.
"First, we will begin with martial arts classes and the basics about it," he continued. "And prepare your bodies for tough days ahead. Unless your body is strong, you can never bear the strain of getting stronger."
"As we move further, we will dive into battle techniques, and trust me, battle techniques is a whole subject in itself. It is an extremely wide topic. Movement techniques. Defensive techniques. Attack techniques. You will learn about everything."
"And you must keep one thing clear in your mind," he added slightly strictly. "I am not going to spoon-feed these techniques. No one can."
"For most of you all will be learning different techniques. Few might even be learning their family-specific techniques."
"What I will teach would be how to approach any technique. How to master them and various other things. How to try and comprehend these certain battle techniques."
"And how to choose a suitable technique, a technique that is best suited for you—you will learn in the next few classes. So, my advice would be to have patience and do not act in haste."
"Similarly, every person has their own cultivation path. A path that suits your body, your beast, your veins your way of thinking. Everything ought to be what suits you best."
He continued, "So, the teachers at the academy can only provide a guiding hand to your path. We cannot dictate your future and you should also make sure that you do not copy someone else blindly. Chart a path ahead for yourself; one that is best suited for you."
"Am I clear?" he asked with a booming voice, and the students nodded in agreement.
"Good," he smiled. "Consider that your introductory classes are over, and now the real fun will begin."
With this the class was dismissed and students of the class moved directly towards the dining hall. Athar, as his walked, was lost in his thoughts. He kept thinking about the words, teacher Sankul had spoken. The things he had showcased- his synergy with his ape or fist technique.
And his mind kept focusing on the last few lines that he had spoken. About choosing your own path.
Athar knew that he had a very advantage with himself and he could not waste his advantages. He needs to define a perfect path for him to reach the pinnacle.
.
.
.
[Thankyou for reading. Rate, Review and Comment on my novel. Also send the power stones]