"First, do this. Then, do that. Finally, do this... See? Simple, right?"
"Um... Sister Lumina, is that all? It's too simple! I don't think..."
In the rear garden of the Palace of Astrum, the day before the Wardance Ceremony, Yanqing, Yunli, March 7th, Lumina, Little Swarm, and a few others gathered for their final training session.
Lumina kept her promise to teach March 7th a sword technique powerful enough to kick a Lord Ravager.
However, Lumina's sword technique proved remarkably simple.
There were no flashy special effects, no complex movements—just a simple raising of the hand and a swing of the blade. This made March 7th doubt whether the technique was truly as powerful as Sister Lumina claimed.
After all, March 7th had experienced the power of an Emanator firsthand through the ring Sister Lumina had given her.
To kick a Lord Ravager, one would need at least the same level of power as an Emanator, right?
Yet March 7th felt none of that Emanator-level power in the sword technique Sister Lumina had taught her.
Though already remarkably skilled, the notion of kicking a Lord Ravager into oblivion using the sword technique Sister Lumina had taught her seemed utterly impossible.
"Don't worry," Lumina chuckled, as if reading March 7th's thoughts. "It may look simple, but this technique is full of hidden depths. As for kicking a Lord Ravager, I meant every word."
"You simply haven't grasped its true essence yet."
"Once you've fully mastered it, a mere Lord Ravager will be nothing more than a plaything in your hands."
Phantylia Kitten, a tiny, lifeless-eyed creature, lay limp in Lumina's arms, utterly apathetic.
She showed no reaction to Lumina's claim of kicking a Lord Ravager, likely accustomed to such pronouncements. Any response would be futile, only providing Lumina with amusement.
After all, aside from Lumina, no one knew the kitten was actually a Lord Ravager.
So why should this "kicked Lord Ravager" take the bait?
Lying in this wretched woman's arms, obeying her every word, and indulging in apathy for a while didn't sound so bad, did it?
The Phantylia Kitten hadn't forgotten her plans to escape and eventually turn this wretched woman into her own pet.
But...
This was a complex undertaking that couldn't be accomplished overnight; it required careful, long-term planning.
So, for now, it was best to conceal any doubts or skepticism about the wretched woman.
Is this the beginning of her downfall? Lumina wondered, glancing down at the Phantylia Kitten nestled obediently and indolently in her arms. She began to document this descent in her mind, recording how long it would take for the once-unrivaled Lord Ravager to transform into a docile, adorable Little Kitten.
Hmm... judging by the current progress, another few months should suffice.
"Seriously? Sister Lumina, I can't help but feel like there's something off about this swordsmanship..."
While Lumina pondered the Phantylia Kitten's situation, March 7th listened to Sister Lumina's explanation, her gaze shifting between the sword in her hand and Lumina's earnest, sincere face. She scratched her head, a nagging sense that something was amiss tugging at her.
After a moment's thought, March 7th quickly realized something was off.
Sister Lumina had said that once she fully mastered this sword technique, she would be able to kick a Lord Ravager.
There was nothing inherently wrong with that statement.
But the problem was...
This sword technique was so simple—just a straightforward lift of the hand and a swing of the blade, with no other unnecessary movements. Could there really be any room for improvement, any such thing as "fully mastering" it?
Is Sister Lumina really pulling one over on me?
No way, right?
March 7th desperately wanted to ask, but she was too embarrassed to voice her doubts. Her mouth opened and closed hesitantly, her indecisive expression utterly endearing.
"Of course it's true!" Lumina replied, snapping out of her thoughts. She offered no explanation, merely a solemn assurance. "Little March, when have I ever lied to you?"
The claim that this sword technique has no room for improvement is false, Lumina thought. But the part about kicking a Lord Ravager? That's definitely true.
After all, the Phantylia Kitten was currently nestled in her arms. I could simply put it down and let you give it a kick, right?
Lumina thought to herself, but she didn't immediately reveal the Phantylia Kitten's true identity.
After all... the battle within the Ambrosial Arbor had left a deep shadow on March 7th.
Though March 7th often vowed to retaliate, to give Phantylia "a good kick," she would undoubtedly be uncomfortable if faced with the powerless Phantylia Kitten.
"Hmm... it seems like that pair..." Hearing this and seeing her Sister Lumina's earnest expression, March 7th nodded thoughtfully, finding Lumina's words entirely reasonable.
Sister Lumina had never lied to her before—not in the past, not now, and presumably never would.
Therefore, she only needed to trust Sister Lumina unconditionally.
"Um... but how can I truly master and improve this swordsmanship?" Yunli, having observed Lumina's instruction of March 7th from beginning to end, wondered aloud.
Since Lumina had made no attempt to conceal her methods and had even openly invited everyone to watch and learn, Yunli had already grasped quite a bit of the swordsmanship.
After a brief demonstration, though Yunli didn't fully grasp the underlying principles, she could confirm that the technique was indeed effective.
While it couldn't yet match the swordsmanship she had honed since childhood, the gap wasn't significant—especially considering she had only just learned it.
If, as Lumina claimed, further mastery was possible, then the prospect of kicking a Lord Ravager... well.
That still seemed impossible.
Though Yunli had never faced a Lord Ravager directly, her grandfather had.
From his stories, she knew that a Lord Ravager was far beyond the reach of any mortal blade—a being who could casually destroy civilizations and burn entire star systems. How could a mere mortal's sword even approach such power?
Of course, if such an opportunity ever arose—a chance to kick a Lord Ravager—Yunli would seize it without hesitation.
"For this," Lumina said, turning to Yunli with an enigmatic smile, "you must ask your own heart."
"Ask my own heart?"
"Exactly, ask your own heart," Lumina nodded. Her green eyes flickered, and she began to spout serious-sounding nonsense: "The way of the sword is never fixed; it has countless paths."
"And among these countless paths, no two are ever the same."
"Just like the paths each individual forges."
"When the way of the sword reaches its pinnacle, one must forge their own path."
Though Lumina wore a perfectly serious expression, if you asked her to repeat these words a few days later, she probably wouldn't be able to. Moreover, her explanation was riddled with inconsistencies and didn't quite address Yunli's question.
If a sober or unfamiliar sword master heard these words, they would likely roll their eyes, thinking, "Just another sword-path charlatan" or "Clown trying to swindle people." After all, these were precisely the kinds of things "online sword masters" spout on the internet.
But for those who knew Lumina and her true identity, even sword masters would fall into deep contemplation, pondering whether Lady Lumina's words held some profound hidden meaning.
For example, knowing that someone of Lady Lumina's status would never deceive a child, Yanqing closed his eyes and immediately entered a state of selfless concentration, striving to comprehend her words and uncover the hidden secrets of sword mastery within them.
Seeing this, the others understood they must not disturb Yanqing under any circumstances and fell silent, quietly awaiting his return from this state.
After a while, Yanqing opened his eyes, emerging from his state of selfless concentration.
The moment he snapped back to reality, Yanqing bowed respectfully to Lady Lumina, his expression filled with reverence and gratitude.
"Lady Lumina, thank you for your guidance!"
Though Yanqing hadn't fully grasped the profound meaning behind her words, nor had he discovered any hidden depths, he could clearly sense that his sword skills had improved slightly under her tutelage.
Even such a small advancement warranted Yanqing's utmost respect and heartfelt gratitude.
"Mm, you're welcome. It's all your own merit," Lady Lumina replied, her expression unchanged save for a subtle raise of her eyebrows. She smiled faintly and nodded.
Though she appeared calm on the surface, the subtle lift of Lumina's brow betrayed her inner turmoil.
After all, her previous words had been utter nonsense, riddled with logical inconsistencies.
Yet Yanqing, to her astonishment, had actually managed to glean some profound insight from them.
No wonder Lumina was shocked.
She knew that when a master spoke, novices and those of lesser skill would endlessly ponder, analyze, and overinterpret their words. Even if the statement was a thoughtless, illogical utterance, these disciples would still manage to extract some hidden meaning through their own interpretations.
This was a common trope in Xianzhou novels, a principle Lumina naturally understood.
Every word, every gesture, every action of a master carried a unique depth of meaning, inviting others to fill in the gaps with their own interpretations. Such "divinization" was perfectly normal.
What Lumina hadn't anticipated was that Yanqing would actually concoct such a profound meaning from her utterly fabricated remark.
Impressive indeed...
"Master Yanqing is so insightful!" March 7th exclaimed as Yanqing emerged from his trance-like state.
"No, no, it's not my superior comprehension," Yanqing hastily denied, waving his hands. "It's just that Lady Lumina's words are so profound. It has nothing to do with me personally."
The truth, however, was quite the opposite.
Yanqing's ability to enter this state stemmed entirely from his own exceptional comprehension skills, having nothing to do with Lady Lumina's words.
Of course, Lumina, the only one present who knew this, kept the truth to herself.
After all, she was thoroughly enjoying the children's adulation, relishing her role as their self-proclaimed "King of the Kids."
"Um..." Yunli scratched the back of her head, her initial confusion gradually shifting to shock, then settling into solemn contemplation as she watched Yanqing.
The fact that Yanqing could grasp the deeper meaning in Lumina's words while she couldn't already explained a great deal.
It meant Yunli's talent paled in comparison to Yanqing's.
Though she resisted acknowledging this truth, the evidence was undeniable, laid bare before her.
The moment Lumina spoke, Yanqing had entered a trance-like state, grasping some profound truth within her words.
And what about herself? She had discovered nothing, even suspecting Lumina's words might be nonsense.
But Yanqing's undeniable results, laid bare before her, were a slap in the face.
Lumina hadn't been spouting nonsense; everything she said was true, concrete "hard facts" with real-world significance.
Through this single "nugget," Yanqing had learned so much.
And what about her? She had been questioning the very authenticity of this "nugget"...
Yunli, you're such a disappointment!
Yunli inwardly berated herself with a mental roar. Her mind raced, endlessly replaying and analyzing Lumina's words, yet she could find no deeper meaning in them.
It was as if... as if some clueless amateur had cobbled them together...
But these words had come from Lumina's mouth, and Yanqing had verified their truth.
Yet no matter how she approached them, she couldn't make heads or tails of them.
Let alone enter a "selfless state" like Yanqing and grasp their profound essence.
Yunli couldn't even understand Lumina's words, let alone grasp their deeper meaning.
Damn it! Is my Talent really so inferior to Yanqing's?
The more Yunli pondered, the more she doubted her own innate abilities.
After all... it made no sense that Yanqing could grasp these concepts while she remained clueless!
Even if she couldn't fully understand, shouldn't she at least be able to glean something?
"Ah, you poor child," Lumina sighed, observing Yunli's furrowed brow.
Though Lumina couldn't know exactly what Yunli was thinking, she could roughly guess.
It was perfectly normal for Yunli to not understand her words.
Even Lumina herself struggled to fully comprehend them. It was Yanqing's ability to grasp such profound concepts that was truly abnormal.
The reason Yunli couldn't understand Lumina's words wasn't a lack of Talent.
It was simply because she didn't know her true identity or comprehend her own immense power.
Unlike Yanqing, she didn't revere Lumina.
Therefore, it was only natural that she couldn't fathom the deeper meaning behind Lumina's nonsensical ramblings.