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System Notification:

Congratulations! You have unlocked the legacy of Lingyun's Martial Sword Techniques!

Lingyun's sword techniques are considered to be extremely powerful and require a sword to proceed.

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Victor's jaw dropped. "No. Freaking. Way." He tried to process what had just happened. "So, all I had to do was mock the statue? Jackpot!"

But his joy was short-lived when he spotted the next part of the message.

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Requirement: A sword is needed to begin the legacy training.

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Victor groaned. "Of course, there's always a catch."

---

Determined to keep the momentum going, Victor strolled through town in search of a weapon shop.

Eventually, he stumbled upon "Iron Fang Armory," a humble but well-stocked establishment run by a burly, soot-covered blacksmith named Master Wei.

"I need a sword," Victor announced confidently while stepping inside. "But, uh... nothing too fancy."

Master Wei looked him up and down as he raised an eyebrow. "Cheap, then."

Victor winced. "Let's call it… budget-friendly."

With a grunt, Master Wei led him to a rack of swords, ranging from elegantly crafted blades to crude, functional weapons. Victor's eyes landed on a sleek steel sword with an unadorned hilt. "How much for this one?"

"Two hundred jade crescents."

Victor's face fell. "Right. What's your cheapest option?"

Master Wei rummaged through the back and produced a plain, slightly chipped iron sword. "Fifty jade crescents. It's nothing special, but it'll cut."

Victor checked his pouch and sighed. "Guess I need to make another pit stop."

---

Victor returned to the Lingyun Trade Pavilion, where Liu Shen greeted him with a knowing smirk.

"Ah, back so soon, Fang Chen?" Liu Shen asked. "Let me guess—you're out of money again."

Victor chuckled. "You know me too well. Need to sell some more stuff."

He laid out a few low-grade spirit herbs and a handful of beast materials from the Hidden Valley. Liu Shen examined them before handing over the jade crescents.

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Transaction Complete:

Items Sold: Low-grade spirit herbs, beast materials

Currency Gained: +60 Jade Crescents

---

Victor grinned while tossing the pouch in his hand. "Pleasure doing business with you."

---

With his new sword in hand, Victor returned to the statue, standing confidently in front of it.

"Alright, round two," he gripped the hilt and assumed Lingyun's stance once more.

The statue's eyes glowed again, and this time a powerful gust of ancient energy swirled around him. Before Victor could react, the world around him shifted.

He found himself standing in an ethereal realm of endless clouds and sword formations hovering in the air.

In front of him stood a translucent figure that bore a striking resemblance to the statue. The spirit's piercing gaze locked onto Victor, and his voice echoed like thunder.

"You who seek the path of the sword, welcome to the legacy of Lingyun."

Victor gawked. "Uh… Thanks? I didn't think I'd actually end up here."

The spirit raised a shimmering blade. "The path of the sword is not for the weak. Master the first technique—Shadow Crescent Strike—and prove your worth."

Victor read the new system notification with a grin:

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New Sword Technique Unlocked: Shadow Crescent Strike (Incomplete)

Training Required: Master Lingyun's first sword technique to continue.

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"Shadow Crescent Strike?" Victor muttered. "Now that sounds badass."

"Let us see if you are worthy," Lingyun's spirit stated.

Without another word, Lingyun raised his blade and began a slow, deliberate sequence of movements. Each of the movements flowed seamlessly into the next like a well-rehearsed dance.

Victor watched in awe as Lingyun's blade sliced through the air smoothly, leaving a faint crescent-shaped shadow lingering behind each strike.

The technique was elegant yet filled with immense power, and Victor could tell that the execution required absolute precision.

Lingyun's voice resonated through the empty realm. "Observe. The Shadow Crescent Strike consists of four essential steps. Master them, and you shall wield power beyond your current understanding."

Victor nodded. "Four steps, huh? Should be easy enough."

The spirit ignored his remark and continued demonstrating the technique.

Step One: The Shift – A swift but calculated foot movement that allowed the cultivator to change positions fluidly, creating an illusion of displacement.

Step Two: The Draw – A sword draw that focused all qi into the blade at the moment of unsheathing.

Step Three: The Flow – A smooth transition that allowed qi to circulate through the body and weapon, merging them into a single force.

Step Four: The Strike – The finishing blow, executed with fluidity and power, leaving behind a crescent of shadowy energy that can slice through anything in its path.

Victor exhaled while stepping forward. "Alright, let's do this."

---

He positioned himself and attempted the first step, shifting his feet into the same stance as Lingyun's spirit. It felt awkward and unbalanced, but he pushed forward and moved into the second step, drawing his sword with as much finesse as he could muster.

His movement lacked fluidity, and before he even got to the third step, the sword wobbled in his grip, and he stumbled forward, nearly falling on his face.

The system chimed:

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Technique Failed. Reattempt the sequence.

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Victor grumbled while adjusting his grip. "Alright, that was just a warm-up."

He tried again.

And again.

And again.

With each attempt, he managed to get slightly further in the sequence, but something always felt off. His movements weren't smooth enough, his qi control wasn't precise, and his strikes lacked the finesse and power the spirit demonstrated.

The process of failing repeatedly was starting to wear him down.

"I swear, this feels harder than real-life gym class," Victor panted as he wiped sweat from his brow.

He sat down on the ground in frustration with his sword resting across his lap. Time seemed meaningless in this strange realm, but the growing fatigue in his body told him that he had been at this for hours, if not longer.

The spirit of Lingyun continued demonstrating the technique over and over without a hint of frustration. Watching him, Victor felt both annoyed and humbled.

"You know..." Victor talked to the spirit even though he knew it wouldn't respond, "...this would be a whole lot easier if you just handed me a cheat sheet."

The spirit, of course, said nothing and continued its perfect repetition of the Shadow Crescent Strike.

Victor groaned and leaned back, staring up at the endless sky of swirling clouds. "Maybe I'm overthinking this. There's gotta be something I'm missing…"

His gaze wandered back to the spirit, watching the flawless movements yet again.

This time, however, he paid closer attention to the smallest of details—the way Lingyun shifted his weight, how his breathing synchronized with each movement, and the slight flex of his wrist when executing the final strike.

Victor's eyes widened as realization dawned on him. "Wait a minute… That subtle shift in breathing… That's what I've been missing!"

Bolting upright, Victor gripped his sword with renewed determination. "Alright, Master Lingyun, let's try this one more time."

He positioned himself again, focusing intently on his breathing this time. With a deep inhale, he stepped into the Shift, flowing smoothly into the Draw, channeling his qi into the blade as he unsheathed it.

Moving into the Flow, he felt the energy circulate better than before as his grip turned firm but relaxed. Then came the final step—the Strike. With a sharp exhale, he swung his sword and this time, instead of a clumsy slash, a crescent-shaped shadow burst from the edge of the blade, cutting through the air like a phantom.

The system chimed excitedly:

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Technique Success!

Shadow Crescent Strike unlocked. Mastery: Beginner (5%)

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Victor whooped and punched the air in triumph. "Yes! Finally!"

The spirit of Lingyun nodded approvingly. It's expression remained stoic but carried an air of satisfaction. Then, without hesitation, it raised its sword once more.

Victor's eyes widened. "Wait, you're telling me there's more?"

The system chimed again:

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Next Technique Ready for Learning: Phantom Mirage Step.

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