Sage had never really released his aura like this before. It was similar to cycling his Qi Cultivation Technique, but in reverse. Normally to train, the breathing exercise would draw in the energy of the heavens and earth. Then using the route specified by the cultivation technique take the energy gathered by breathing and circulate it along the ridians. The ridians in the body were like an unfinished circulatory system. The pathways that the blood followed were sealed and perfect. Each pump of the heart pushed out newly oxygenated blood and drew back the spent blood from every part of the body. As long as it beat and the body wasnt wounded it made a perfect system.
On the other hand, the ridians werent a fixed and finished path. A Cultivator would have to follow a path outlined in their cultivation technique and manually circulate their energy on this path. To this end, every cultivation technique had very drastically different effects and effectiveness. diocre or miraculous effects could all be possible due to different cultivation techniques. Each person also had their own unique sets of ridians and depending on the characteristics of the individual there might also be very difficult sets of results. Usually the most powerful cultivation techniques were specially tailored to specific types of special bodies. Generally the more ridians in the body that could be taken advantage of the more powerful the technique. The more of the body that could be involved the more powerful the effect. It turned into a balancing act between using more of the ridians without using too many to require a special body type.
As the energy in the body followed the path of the ridians it would be transford and purified, each technique forming its own unique energy signature. After being changed in this manner, the collected energy would be stored in the dantian. To release aura and Qi in general, it was in the opposite pattern. Drawing the Qi from the dantian, circulating it through the ridians and then releasing it through Qi pores. Circulating it through the body made it move faster and gain power just like building pressure in a water system with a pump before opening the tap. For most techniques the idea was to use specific Qi pores and control thods to get the most pressure and power. Releasing aura was to just let it leak out of every Qi Pore at the sa ti. There no focus, just showing off your energy and making a ss.
As Sage circulated Verdant Firebrand outside of his body he started to notice so problems. With his Qi just leaking away to put on a show, he realized how wasteful Verdant Firebrand was. The Qi in the core was so strong and vibrant yet so much of it was rapidly dissolved in order to change it into the perfect fuel for fla techniques. It really deserves its reputation of being a low ranked cultivation technique.
Changing the nature of his Qi was truly wasteful. Going against his innate nature to save money was truly a silly decision. Hed seen other release their aura and when they were finished they usually were able to pull back in the majority of the qi they had expended. Sage on the other hand found that his energy was actually evaporating away into the air. He was rapidly losing energy. Was it the sa when he drew it in? How wasteful was this technique anyway?
After just a minute, Sage felt that half of his energy had already been drained away without him even accomplishing a single thing. Wondering what this test was about, he sure hoped it wasnt going to be sothing related to endurance since it seed his cultivation technique was very deficient when it ca to exuding aura. Thankfully he didnt have to wait much longer as he heard the voice of the old man co from above.
Thats enough.
Sage withdrew his aura, actually starting to get a bit anxious as he knew his personal capabilities as a cultivator really werent impressive in the least. All he had was a handful of strange and unusual tricks to rely on. Just as he was worried about what might co next, one of the doors of the training grounds opened up and an armored man walked into the room. He was covered in thick armor from head to toe that looked to be constructed out of bronze. As the man walked closer, Sage realized it wasnt actually a person, it was so sort of automaton or puppet. The face was the giveaway. Although it wore a facemask there was no skin between the gaps and the eyes looked like glowing orbs.
Next test. Battle with this Bronze Soldier using only your physical body, do not use any Qi or Spirit techniques.
Sage was imdiately put off guard, he had been expecting a fight when he saw the Bronze Soldier, but not in this manner! Using only my physical body?
Ever since his legs had been transford into a snake tail, Sage had been unable to use the few martial techniques he had learned in the past. The Golden Mantis Body along with anything else that made use of the legs were near impossible for him to perform. Many others that made use of the core and overall strength of the body also needed to get modified in a way that Sage hadnt had the ti to explore yet. He had set a titable and that training schedule didnt include training techniques for snake people, let alone where he was going to get those techniques from.
He didnt get any more ti to dwell upon the situation as the Bronze Soldier was suddenly upon him. Marching forward in a slow yet orderly fashion. Its movents were smooth and minimalist nothing at all like Sage imagined a robot or puppet might move. It was more like a highly experienced soldier, no motion was wasted to conserve energy and maintain perfect balance. Sage didnt imdiately understand these things, it was sothing that he reflected on later. At the current ti, he was busy getting smashed around by the Bronze Soldier. The first punch that ca towards his face, Sage was able to dodge. His serpentine lower body made him very agile when it ca to shifting his center of gravity. Even without any specialized techniques or training it was much easier for him to duck and dodge around when compared to a normal human. On the other hand, without legs he couldnt take large steps to the side or make quick jumps. Instead he had to coil up the tail beneath him before he could make a leap. That single leap was very fast and powerful, the sa motion a snake used to strike, but it also took ti to prepare for and recover from.
After its first few punches were dodged, the Bronze Soldier darted forward quickly and stomped on the end of Sages tail. The pain and damage from the tal foot werent that severe, it was what ca after that hurt. With his tail pinned, Sage lost a lot of his agility and he got to try out the toughness of his scales for the first ti in combat. A bronze fist slamd against his body over and over again. A few hits in the sa spot caused so of his scales to be knocked off, blood flowing from the damaged location. After getting hit a dozen tis, Sage finally managed to push the Bronze Soldier back and free his tail.
Sage kept on the move after that, slithering quickly around the ring. He instinctively used a tactic that was embedded in his mories from the Twin Ringed Soul Serpent. Quickly moving away to build distance between himself and the opponent before turning around and coiling up. When the enemy closed in he struck with full force just like as if he was a giant snake. The first strike he actually opened his mouth and bit down on the Bronze Soldier. Unfortunately, his target was made of tal which even his strong fangs couldnt puncture. In addition, the target didnt have a soul so his venom was utterly ineffective. The next two tis he struck he darted forward and swung his fists.
From the ti hed left the remnants of the Lang Clan, Sage had never again practiced Golden Mantis Body. During his ti as a caravan guard he trained in a few low level fist techniques and it was one of those he used now. It wasnt a very good technique to begin with, and only half effective now given his unusual body type, so it was actually quite surprising when these strikes hit the Bronze Soldier hard enough to knock it back a dozen steps.
Hey, I might just have a chance!
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