Jiao Sword?
Feng Yin looked at the wooden longsword in his hand, then glanced at the gently trembling Soft Sword in Xie Yanran's grip. He couldn't help but nod silently.
If he were forced to learn the Soft Swordsmanship she had just demonstrated, he truly had no confidence he could master it in a short time. Even if he did, it would undoubtedly be difficult to apply in actual combat.
He just didn't know what this Swordsmanship called "Jiao" would be like...
However, Xie Yanran's recent Sword Dance had genuinely opened his eyes again. Setting aside the numerous swift and unpredictable Sword Techniques and Body Techniques, the sheer Speed and power she displayed during her performance clearly exceeded the capabilities of a normal human. It gave him the impression of a "Martial Arts Master in the modern era."
But if he had to make a comparative evaluation, Xie Yanran's physical attributes seemed to fall short of Ya Lie from the Death Frenzy Sword Combat.
Feng Yin simply decided to ask directly. "Sister Xie, I have a question. I'm not sure if it's appropriate to ask."
Xie Yanran gently nodded as she sheathed her sword. "Go ahead."
Feng Yin considered his words for a moment before speaking. "Sister Xie, compared to Ya Lie, who is stronger?"
Xie Yanran glanced at him, guessing his thoughts from his slightly evasive gaze. "You should have noticed by now. In terms of both Speed and power, Ya Lie is stronger."
Feng Yin sounded a bit unsure. "It seems that way for now, though it's also possible that you haven't gone all out..."
"There's no point deceiving ourselves." Xie Yanran shook her head. "Ya Lie's strength has definitely surpassed the Fierce Level. Even against a true weapons Expert, he probably wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
"Although I am also a highly skilled Martial Artist at the Fierce Level, a woman's physique puts me at a significant disadvantage compared to a man. My Skills are indeed not as exquisite as his. In a real fight, I would most likely be killed in a short amount of time."
Hearing her words, more doubts surfaced in Feng Yin's mind. He couldn't help but press further, "I heard other people mention this 'Fierce Level' earlier today. Sister Xie, what exactly does it mean?"
Xie Yanran looked at him with a peculiar expression. "I know you've lost your memory, but I didn't expect you to lack even this kind of basic common sense..."
Feng Yin smiled awkwardly.
Xie Yanran explained softly, "The Four Levels—Ordinary Level, Fierce Level, Marvelous Level, and Absolute Level—are professional grading terms for Martial Artists in the Pan-Tianyuan Cultural Circle. In international standards, they correspond to non-professional, Professional Level, Expert, and master.
"Let me explain it simply," she continued with a sigh, seeing his lingering curiosity. "The Ordinary Level is what normal people can achieve. Whether they are beginners or seasoned enthusiasts, they fall into this category. It represents the limit of the vast majority of people in the world.
"The Fierce Level is the Professional Level. Martial Artists who reach this tier might not have perfected their techniques yet, but they share a distinct characteristic: their physique and reflexes are either innately far superior to normal people, or they have managed to break past the limits of human training to continue growing stronger..."
She pointed at herself. "You must have noticed. The power and Speed I demonstrated just now aren't things an average person can achieve."
Feng Yin nodded silently. "I see... The Fierce Level is the beginning of stepping into the Extraordinary Domain..."
Xie Yanran validated his understanding. "To add on to that, apart from possessing great strength and Speed, a recognized standard for Fierce Level Martial Artists is the mastery of at least one Fixed Form. The stronger the Fierce Level master is, the more Ultimate Skill Forms they know and the more proficient they are at using them."
"A Fixed Form?" Feng Yin's curiosity flared up again.
Xie Yanran opened her mouth to speak, then closed it.
She turned and grabbed a small wooden board from nearby, tossing it lightly into the air. The board rapidly reached its peak before falling back down. The moment it dropped between Feng Yin and Xie Yanran, obstructing their line of sight, Xie Yanran moved!
Without any warning, she suddenly drew her sword. The muscles in her sword-wielding right arm bulged high, looking a full size thicker than usual!
The sword glinted like Light, instantly splitting into three overlapping strikes.
SWISH SWISH SWISH—
Three sounds merged into one!
The wooden board hit the ground, quietly shattering into several pieces.
SHING!
Under Feng Yin's amazed gaze, Xie Yanran had already sheathed her sword.
"This is a Fixed Form," she said. "To put it plainly, it's an Ultimate Technique created by mastering a unique way of exerting force through specialized training, built upon the foundation of a strong physique. It allows the user to unleash multiple times their normal destructive power in an instant. It is a secret art in every branch of Skills."
Feng Yin's eyes widened slightly. His understanding of this world was completely refreshed by the impact of Xie Yanran's Fixed Form.
He thought, "Good heavens! Is this actually scientific? To think the human body is capable of such feats—what an eye-opener!"
Meanwhile, Xie Yanran raised her right arm, which she had just used to execute the Fixed Form, and showed it to him. "Did you notice the characteristics of using a Fixed Form?"
Feng Yin nodded gently. "When you drew the sword, the muscles from your entire arm to your shoulder swelled drastically, granting you performance far beyond the norm. Then, in an instant, you executed three separate attacks: a horizontal draw-slash, a reverse wipe, and a backhand slice..."
He paused, then continued under Xie Yanran's peculiar gaze, "And after those three strikes, perhaps due to that momentary burst of power, your right arm is now overloaded and trembling abnormally..."
Xie Yanran listened quietly until he finished, then suddenly sighed. "As expected, Feng Yin. You are truly not ordinary."
"Huh?" Feng Yin was momentarily stunned.
"I've been observing you since you started working today," Xie Yanran said. "Not only are your physique and endurance astonishing, and your reflexes sharp, but now I've discovered a new extraordinary trait about you—you have a good pair of eyes."
She stated with certainty, "You are an Innate Martial Artist."
Feng Yin breathed a sigh of relief. So that was what this was about.
He wondered what an Innate Martial Artist was; the title sounded like something out of a comic book. With questions to ask, Feng Yin voiced his doubts.
Xie Yanran answered his question seriously. "I mentioned earlier that to reach the Fierce Level, one must either possess a physique and reflexes far superior to normal people from birth, or break past human limits through extensive training.
"The first scenario refers to Innate Martial Artists—those who are born at the Fierce Level. They are people who surpass conventional human limits without needing training. Once they start practicing Martial Arts, they can reach the true Fierce Level in a short time."
She looked at Feng Yin. "And you, not only do you possess an astonishing physical constitution, but you could also discern the attack movements and inner workings of my Snake Slaughter Poison the very first time you saw it. Your eyes are in the most astounding tier, even among Innate Martial Artists."
Feng Yin pondered slightly. "Sister Xie, are you saying... I'm a genius?"
He felt somewhat hesitant, unsure whether he was a genius because of the Armor, or if he was genuinely born for Martial Arts. His robust physique could be explained by the Armor's enhancements, but where did this astonishing eyesight come from?
Xie Yanran's voice was calm, yet it carried a faint hint of excitement. "You are a genius among geniuses.
"Teaching a genius like you doesn't require the standard introductory methods used for ordinary people.
"Although I haven't deeply practiced the Jiao Sword, which is a branch of the Steel Sword, I know the training methods for its Fixed Forms. Once you familiarize yourself with the basics, you can start learning directly from these Fixed Forms."
***