Mortal aspiring immortality.

Jiang looks around, he sees around 500 men of his age, most look uncertain of how to proceed, wether by being violent or merciful. While Jiang looked at his friends, he saw they were mostly unaffected, knowing they would have to be merciless to get stronger.

''Alright, we will form groups of two. everyone come pick a number in here, they are marked 1-250 twice, so everyone will find a partner easily.''

Everyone took their turns to pick one out, it took around 15 minutes since there was a lot of people. Jiang got the number 29.

''Once you have your number, go to the designated training zone. your number will be on it, there is only 50 zones, so the lowest numbers go first.''

Heading there, he sees one of the trio that bullied Han Gou earlier that day, the fatter one of the bunch. He really hoped they could "spar" together. they were on the first one, as the first two bring out their weapons. One uses a Warhammer and the other, surprisingly, nothing but his fists. 

Once the fight starts the one with his fists rushes forward trying to lunch an assault. As soon as he got close enough the other one stroke horizontally when the other one couldn't dodge.

The man had quick reflexes, before the strike could land he dropped down on his knees, barely escaping the hit. Taking a chance he punches directly at the knee, intending on bending it backwards.

The other one was over extended because of his strike, not expecting him to dodge like that. He falls to the ground and then gets pummelled mercilessly trying to defend himself as best as he could. He had no choice but to give up. 

''I give up! You win!''

The other one stopped and started walking back to where he came from. The one that was on the ground gets back up and smiles sinisterly, not caring about the fact he gave up. Throwing a strike of his own directly towards the head of the other guy.

Before the strike could even land, a teacher steps forward and stops him effortlessly.

''We can accept a lot of things, trying to injure someone voluntarily after giving up, we do not. For your indiscretion, I will remove 10 military merit points. It may not sound like a lot but this just lost you two spirit stones.''

He stands angrily, holding back his anger and getting back in the crowd.

And then fights began, people used all kinds of weapon, the only ones that weren't allowed in this kind of training were bows, for obvious disadvantages. They had special kinds of training. Some opted for sticks, others sabers and most used swords.

The instructor had to act a couple of times to stop a student from heavily injuring another. The instructor even said that one of the guys could've killed his sparring partner if the strike landed.

Everyone felt a bit shaken knowing they were only sparring, some took more seriously then others, all Jiang could do is watch everyone and learn how to fight from them.

After waiting for what felt like forever, it was finally Jiang's turn. Unfortunately, he wasn't up agains't that fatty. He was standing in front of a young man who took a sword as his choice.

Jiang not really knowing what kind of weapon he should choose, he decided to go with a sword too. 

They both bowed at each other, showing respect most didn't have. Then the fight started, Jiang was carefully weighing what to do when his adversary ran straight towards him.

He knew he would have to do something so he stroke diagonally up to down, hoping to slow him down. Having no choice but to block, the man surprisingly managed to deflect the strike slightly to his arm instead of his neck.

Managing the pain, the man gave a similar strike, Jiang barely side steps avoiding the sword. Responding with a move of his own he tries to move forward but he doesn't give him a chance. Pinning him from all angles, having no choice but to passively defend, Jiang looks for a way out.

After blocking seven strikes, the man makes a slight mistake, bringing his arm a little too far ahead of him, deciding to trade injury for injury, Jiang throws his arm at the blade hoping to deflect it. While doing that he strikes horizontally from right to left.

He barely manages to deflect the strike, but his arm is now numb and useless for the fight. Luckily, the young man couldn't defend again't his strike and got hit heavily in his side. Right under his rib cage.

Taking the opportunity, Jiang strikes again, this time on his knee. Hoping to make him fall down. The opponent barely manages to move his leg. Jiang seeing an opportunity to make him fall down, sweeps his leg at the leg who's holding all the weight of the young man.

It works! The man falls down, Jiang hits the arm where the sword is to make him lose grip. Then, he goes to strike again on his torso.

''STOP, I'll get you next time.'' He says sullenly.

They both head back in the circle to watch the other matches, having learned a thing or two about this win, he engraves it as his first victory agains't his peers. Hoping to transcend them and become better than them all.

The second to last fight is the fatty. He took a stick, and the opponent, took a sword.

Jiang, being kind of naive, thought that the fatty would easily win, since he could intimidate others without being afraid of retribution.

The reality was otherwise, the silky looking man was more ferocious then he looked. he stroke at an angle where the fatty defended awkwardly before striking again from an angle he couldn't defend agains't. It took 4 moves and the fatty was on the ground getting beaten up.

It didn't take long for him to give up. After 5 minutes all the fights were over. the instructors told everyone to head back to their dorms, they had to be ready at sunrise.

Talking with his friends, he finds out through them a couple of things.

''Me and Zou won our fights pretty easily, our opponents didn't know how to fight at all, it was child's play!'' Cho Meng says enthusiastic as ever.

''My fight was hard, I had to let myself be hit to get the win.'' Jiang said gloomily.

''You're lucky, I got completely swooped, the guy clearly knew how to fight from somewhere.'' Responds Sun Hei sadly.

''It's fine, we will all learn techniques and beat them up when we get experience! it was our first time, we got this.'' Jiang manages to say, bringing back positivity in his mind.

''Let's go cultivate a bit before sleeping, if we want to better protect ourselves it is a must.''

Jiang refreshes himself in the bathroom before starting to cultivate, cultivating the body is also cultivating the mind. 

He sits crosslegged, as indicated in his Manual, focusing his breathing to fall in the pattern. Slowly but surely, he starts cultivating, he starts digesting his gains from today. The knowledge he has learnt and the fights he has seen/experienced.

As he falls into a trance, his friends wake him up just in time for the wake up call, not having slept at all, he hoped he would be able to stay awake the whole day.

Looking at his gains, he is shocked to find that it has already accumulated to around 40%! this is more than four times what he had the day before.

It paid to practice the whole night! He thinks proudly.

Sadly, as the day advanced and the classes went on, he realized what a terrible idea it was to stay awake. Hence at lunch time he had an idea. *Why not try to use the energy of the food to energize myself?*

So, after eating, trying his new idea, he didn't really know how to do it. He first tried to bring it to the head but it didn't really work. So he then tried to bring it towards his arms but he also didn't feel it.

As a last effort he tried to cycle it in his body, unfortunately he didn't really have enough Qi left to try his whole body so he did a small cycle in his chest. Surprisingly it was more refreshing then he thought. He hoped it would allow him to stay awake long enough to deal with the training coming up.

subsequently, his first class was okay, he had enough energy to deal through it, going to his last one thought, he knew it would be hard. This time they practiced the sword. 

''Everyone knows what a sword is and what is the purpose of the sword but do you know what it is best at?''

''Killing, sir?''

''Well.. Yes, but it was not what I was asking. Everyone knows a sword is a tool to kill, but no everyone knows how to utilize it properly.''

''You have to communicate with it, resonate with it. It isn't alive yet has a soul. Treat it as if it was your family member. Better even, treat it as if it was another member of your body,''

''As long as you can communicate with it and learn how to use it, you will understand that it does not kill. It is merely a tool, lacking any emotions or purpose. We give it purpose, We nourish it with our selves. Allowing it to learn about life.''

''I hope some of you understand, if at the very least one of you manages to comprehend this, you will have a bright future. That is, if you live long enough.''

So the class went on, the instructor correcting mistakes people would make, making sure everyone makes proper movements. After about 15 minutes, the teacher went on to stop everyone. To show them more moves before allowing everyone to continue to implement them.

Afterwards, Jiang was exhausted. He knew he wouldn't be able to fight properly in his sparring. He hoped he would have an easy time so he wouldn't be beaten up too badly. Reality had other plans. He took the number 26. He knew soon enough that it was the same as the leader of the bullies.

Jiang knew he had to try his best to beat him up. To show him that bullying others wasn't a good thing, not here, not outside.

Jiang took a sword, he started to take a liking to using those weapons. As for the bully, he went on to take a saber. They both went on to the other side of the arena.

Tension was heavy, they all looked in anticipation, hoping that bully wouldn't win.

''I hope you're ready to get beaten up. I waited long enough to have my revenge. Stepping up for that dead man was a bad idea.''

''Oh come on, you know for sure you need a spanking. We need to remind you of who your daddy is'' Jiang looks at him with a smirk

''You-'' He looks furiously at Jiang staring daggers in his eyes.

''What? It's going to be your first time? I'm flattered.'' Saying coquettishly Jiang.

Some people couldn't hold on anymore and let out small chuckles. Others had smiles on their faces. Those that weren't laughing were worried about Jiang, they knew that tall man was good with sabers.

''You will pay for this.'' then he suddenly lashes out with his saber, without any warning. Jiang side-steps steadily while slashing at the upcoming stab.

He manages to deviate the trajectory just enough for him to go closer and punch him in the face. He couldn't react in time and took 3 steps backwards before stopping. Looking up fiercely, he went mad and slashed without stopping.

Jiang had to act fast and barely managed to dodge or block the strikes. Waiting for him to exhaust himself yet, Jiang forgot he himself was also extremely tired. In a missed step, the saber stroke right on his rib cage.

Jiang was even sure he heard a crack. Before the bully could attack again he lunched a surprise attack, a quick stab to the belly. Him, not expecting to get attacked doesn't manage to dodge in time. He gets hit directly on his navel.

Before he can catch his breath, Jiang strikes again directly on his clavicle. He manages to hit him and then he fell on the ground, unconscious. Jiang looks at him triumphant.

''If you ever try to attack people or to bully others, watch out because I will always be watching. Even when you least expect it.'' Going back towards the outer circle, Jiang acts as good as he can.Only managing to stay up and standing.

Jiang knew he couldn't do that again. Not having slept almost cost him to lose a lot of experience.

Back in his dorms he slumped directly on his bed, almost going to bed right away. Unfortunately his friends came in and talked to him.

''Jiang I heard you beat that kid up? That's amazing! Thank you!'' Han Gou says, not caring in the world that this wasn't his room.

''I told you I would be there for you didn't I?'' Jiang responds lazily.

''You sure did! How did yo-''

''Okay okay, you will talk to him some other time let him rest now.'' Comes his best friend at just the right time, basically throwing the poor guy outside.

''Good job with that, honestly, he deserved it.'' Looking at his friend proudly.

''Jiang? Are you still awake?''

''ZZzzzzzz''

''Better let him sleep...''