Bear School Astartes

Lady Butterfly gave Lann the training ground, which she said was used before the wolf had yet to complete his training.

The first reaction of the Demon Hunter upon seeing it was that it felt a lot like the Hong Kong and Taiwan kung fu movies he watched as a child.

In these movies, the protagonist used various household, wooden, or bamboo tools to train. While the ingenuity was apparent, the difficulty of the training was also evident.

Lady Butterfly handed Lann a specially crafted bamboo tube.

This bamboo tube seemed to require a breathing technique paired with the "Light Body Skill" to successfully exhale through it. When combined with the accompanying "Energy Force" of the "Light Body Skill," inserting the tube into a water basin and exhaling could create small whirlpools without causing bubbles.

Ninjas used this method to gauge a practitioner's foundational skill in the "Light Body Skill." Only once they passed this could they qualify to be taken up cliffs to practice running, aligning the breath technique, energy force, and their movement style.

Initially, Lann could only blow out a small whirlpool, which already made Lady Butterfly's mouth twitch involuntarily.

Although Wolf had already conveyed to her the speed of Lann's progress in learning, as an old-fashioned ninja... she truly had never seen anyone who could achieve such a level with a ninja manual in less than ten days!

The "Second Heart" significantly increased Lann's blood oxygen levels, and even though he hadn't undergone the subsequent surgery specialized in breathing — the "Third Lung" — his breathing efficiency was already several times that of an ordinary person!

This provided a great advantage in the breathing technique.

With this minor physiological advantage, Lann completed in less than two days what an ordinary ninja would take years to practice.

The whirlpool he created using the special bamboo tube was now the size of a large bowl.

Under current objective conditions, this method indeed allowed Lann to progress rapidly.

He had already grasped the breathing method of the "Light Body Skill" and its accompanying "Energy Force." Although the objective factors such as armor made it unlikely for him to shoot out with a hook and lock like Wolf.

But now, Lann could probably land from a height of seven to eight meters without taking any other measures, and not get hurt.

If he had tried this when he first arrived, at least two legs would have been broken into several pieces.

Lann's interest in ninja skills basically stopped at this level.

He had already learned about stealth action through the "Lonely Shadow Group's Ninja Skills Manual."

This skill is one of the basics of ninja fundamentals.

But because it's so basic, even the Seventeen Favored Children only differed in proficiency and understanding from ordinary Lonely Shadow members.

Other skills like using ninja tools, eavesdropping, and so on...

To be honest, they weren't as powerful as the alchemy skills and bodily mutations of a Demon Hunter.

Instead, regarding the teachings of Iwami Yixin, Lann felt a bit surprised.

The owl hidden in the Buddhist Hall was dealt with by Iwami Yixin, whether alive or dead, Lann didn't know and didn't care much, but most likely dead.

Iwami Yixin set up a tribute table in front of the Eleven-Faced Avalokitesvara statue in the Buddhist Hall, where a branch of a cherry blossom tree was offered, and the blossoms on that branch seemed never to wither.

This appeared to be an extraordinary item.

Lann originally thought this old man who got excited about slashing others or being slashed would start the lesson by directly drawing his sword and saying something like, 'Swordsmanship is the art of killing, it must be learned in battle.'

But when Lann actually started learning the "Iwami School" from him, most of the time was spent methodically learning the basics and techniques.

Only at the end of each lesson would they casually exchange a few moves.

Now, Lann was holding a samurai sword designed to match his body data, parrying under Iwami Yixin's intermittent swings.

"Iwami School" is essentially a kind of East Japan swordsmanship, which has certain requirements for the form of the weapon.

At least its ultimate technique — the "Iwami Cross Slash" — is difficult to perform an Iaido style move with a hand-and-a-half sword like Aron Dite.

"Clang clang clang!"

Three or four consecutive strikes, each with a different angle, interval, and power.

But under Iwami Yixin's hand, these seemingly disconnected and random slashes appeared as natural and fluid as water.

Meanwhile, Lann's cat-like eyes stayed focused on the blade in his opponent's hand, timely raising his sword to parry.

Every clash of blades would explode in a bright circle of sparks due to the friction of steel.

Lann realized after practicing the "Iwami School" that these sparks forming a 'ring' were a sign that "Ascending Carp" was executed successfully.

While blocking enemy attacks, "Ascending Carp" would cause the opponent's posture to become increasingly uncoordinated, and muscle cooperation increasingly difficult.

In the end, even shifting their footing might directly cause them to lose balance, then in a defenseless stagger, an Iwami School swordsman would thrust a blade into their throat.

"Hmm... 'Ascending Carp' has already reached this level?"

The elderly man's moon-shaped bald head smirked as he watched the young man before him fully focused on the blade.

Iwami Yixin couldn't quite pinpoint his feelings towards Lann.

On one hand, teaching someone so naturally gifted was very gratifying for an instructor.

He wasn't one to envy the strong, otherwise, thirty years ago he wouldn't have been able to gather the Iwami people to launch the rebellion. No negative emotions from Lann's fast progress.

But on the other hand...

Damn it! Why didn't I meet this guy decades sooner?!

Now that my slashing isn't as sharp, heaven sends such a promising swordfighting partner!

What a... great regret!

Iwami Yixin's greatest joys in life were two things, drinking sake brewed with Longquan River Water, and dueling with the diamond steel sword.

He was a pure Iwami person, the water, soil, and culture of his homeland were rooted in his warrior spirit.

The young man before him, equipped with a strong learning ability, mindset for battle, adaptability, great health potential, and... remarkable vitality.

Lann's genetic seed and "Second Heart" gave his body an unparalleled vibrance.

Iwami Yixin didn't resist sparring with him, but he knew under non-lethal conditions, even if he exhausted himself, chances were Lann would remain unaffected!

In the end, neither would find satisfaction. So why bother fighting.

He didn't know about Lann's chest containing a genetic seed and "Second Heart," but his years of combat experience weren't for nothing.

How much stamina someone had, how fast they recovered, he could estimate with one glance.

And Lann's body, from their first spar, he knew he wouldn't outlast him in the end.

The old man ground his teeth irritably, causing Lann to raise an eyebrow in puzzlement.

"'Ascending Carp,' 'Descending Carp' you've grasped well, now show me your 'Flowing Water' and 'Body Breathing' techniques."