Chapter 12 - Choosing 3 Arts

Nearly 3 hours later, and Dale still had yet to choose the three Arts he would train. He had found several ones with potential, but none of them felt right to him. He wanted Arts that he felt would remain useful later in his life, not just right now. Feng had already left, choosing the three Arts he mentioned previously as his own.

The Library that they were looking through was truly massive. Great giant sections and rows filled the main area, covered in manuscripts. Several tens of students browsed through the different Arts, all trying to find one specific to their tastes.

Dale smiled ruefully, thinking of what Feng would say if he knew how indecisive Dale was being. Dale had moved on past the initial bookcases, into the back rows, and finally was in one of the countless dusty rooms in the back, filled with ancient Arts. Many of them were so old it wasn’t possible to read what had been written on them. Dale searched through, finding two that caught his eye.

Basic Slowed Time Fist Art – A cultivation technique where the user uses his energy to compress the forces of time, and can increase or decrease the speed of time for his fist, causing it to move at otherwise impossible speeds.

Basic Heavy Fist Aura Art – A cultivation technique where the user bends Aura to his will, and infuses his Aura and will directly into his blows. This technique allows one to deal massive blows with seemingly small and weak hits.

Dale looked through both of these Arts. Perfect! He thought. This felt like exactly what he needed. He remembered that when he stood up to that Dragon, time felt like it slowed. Something like that would be of immense use. That, combined with the odd Aura technique to infuse your power, seemed like a very useful Art.

However, after reading through the works, it noted that these techniques were extremely hard to train in, and required a great deal of concentration and effort. If one did not have the patience, they should give up now. Dale glanced past the warning, already determined to train them to the utmost.

He still had one more Art to train in, however. Dale glanced at the two he chose, and decided to look for a movement technique. Powerful attacks meant nothing if you could not catch up to your opponent. After searching for another 30 minutes he found the, Heavy Footsteps, Quick Movement Art. By using large and powerful impacts to strike the ground multiple times, it was possible to instantly change directions and quickly follow after enemies after developing this Art. It was based in Earth, and while it was only a basic Art, it looked like it would be a practical technique he could develop further.

Dale quickly took his choices up to the front desk, and returned his silver medallion to the librarian. He showed the clerk what he had picked out, and quickly copied down the information in the scrolls onto a new piece of paper. As he finished writing this information down, however, he felt a presence approaching him from behind.

Behind him, a large, noble looking student walked up, looking around at the other students arrogantly. In his hands were two separate Arts, rolled up tightly in silver scrolls.

“Move aside.” The noble looking student said, looking past Dale imperiously.

“Excuse me?” Dale asked, confused.

“I said, move aside.” The boy looked at him viciously, “I am the 3rd son of Lord Caradon, and an Iron Core cultivator. Know your place, trash.”

Dale stared at him, stunned. If there was one thing in this world Dale hated the most, it was inequality. He hated people being treated like they were trash, or treating others unfairly. To him, it was like a slap in the face, and made him very mad. So, for a student to walk up to him and demand he move aside based on something like noble rank enraged him.

“No.” Dale said, eyes deadlocked on him. He would not bend or bow for anyone. To think he would bow to a simple son of a high rank noble, there wasn’t a chance of this occurring.

“Excuse me?” the boy stared at him, not believing that anyone would fail to give way.

Suddenly, the boy started to give off an Iron aura, strength overflowing from his limbs. “Move. Aside. Or I will kill you.” He declared viciously, with Dale’s death in his eyes.

Suddenly, the librarian stepped in, emitting a silver aura. “Do not fight in this library, or I will ban you from it. If you have differences, settle them in the arena.” He said, indifferently. He had finished retuning Dale’s medallion, and accepted the original copies of the Arts Dale picked.

Dale quickly brushed past the boy, walking off.

“I am Collin Caradon, trash. Don’t think I’m done with you. Your life here is over.” The boy stared after Dale, seemingly waiting for Dale to state who he was.

Dale glanced back at him, deciding to not declare his name. If this really was a youth from a powerful family, and it seemed possible, especially with his Iron aura, it wouldn’t be wise for them to learn who he was yet. When he managed to cultivate his strength to a higher level, he wouldn’t care. Till then, however, he decided to lay low. No point in vowing vengeance or escalating the situation past what it was.

For some reason, however, this simply infuriated the boy more. From his admittedly arrogant viewpoint, Dale was ignoring him. He vowed that the next time he saw this trash, he would slaughter it. No one disrespected him or his family, and got away with it.

Dale quickly left the scene, and walked back to his dorm on campus. The fading light shadowed the world in a dull glimmer, guiding Dale back to his dorm. After arriving, he set out the Arts, and started to read the first one, eager to learn.

Slowed Time Fist Art - A cultivation technique where the user uses his energy to compress the forces of time, and can increase or decrease the speed of time for his fist, causing it to move at otherwise impossible speeds.

Slowed Time Fist Art 1st layer – Focus the energy in your veins on a single point in your mind. In this point, all you need to do is focus into a circle. When you can successfully hold a circle of energy in your mind for 15 seconds, you will have achieved the 1st layer.

Slowed Time Fist Art 2nd layer – Take the circle of energy you have focused and compress the energy in the circle into a shape that enshrouds your arm. This layer should be air tight, and should completely cover your arm, from the shoulder to the tips of your fingers.

Slowed Time Fist Art 3rd layer – Embellish and compress the energy you have formed on your arm. It should now appear as a white, glowing energy coating. At this layer, you will have shown basic mastery in the Art. Further mastery will require the Advanced Slowed Time Fist Art technique book.

Dale glanced at the instructions again, and began to focus his energy veins. Every human in existence is born with energy veins in his body. Through these veins, natural energy your body absorbs and produces is circulated, and can eventually be stored. The energy, as one cultivates, is stored in an area next to your heart; this is called your “Core.” As one advances in cultivation, their core will develop and form, stronger and stronger. Cultivation Arts use energy produced by your Core, traveling through your veins, to empower and strengthen your body and let you manipulate the 8 elements.

Dale started to focus the energy in his veins in to a single mental point in his mind, slowly forming a circle.

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