Chapter 23: Warrior Frame

Keith's whole body was frozen still; a red aura covering his entire body. He tried everything, from using his blood-qi to strengthening his muscles to expel the blood-qi that was surrounding him.

Whatever he tried, turned out to be useless. Getting frustrated by the passing moment, he tried to focus on his blood core. The blood-qi circulating throughout his body calmed down.

'The Blood-qi surrounding me is above baron level. Even if I try to expel it, it won't budge. The only thing I could do is use the purple tendrils.'

He focused his mind on the mark on his right palm. it crawled out and touched the blood-qi layer surrounding him.

*sap*

Brad immediately let go of his hand and stared at him with interest.

" As I suspected, you have a big secret. I didn't even feel any change in your blood-qi but my blood-qi dipped quite fast. "

'Did he sense the tendrils?' Keith was on full alert, but he tried to keep a straight face.

"I also had a hypothesis that you had some kind of special ability that allowed you to get stronger fast. I won't pry further but let me tell you one thing. Don't let anyone get the wind of it. Even if you trust them, it is better to keep it to yourself.

"And I advise you to get rid of everyone who already knows or will know. This is a grave issue, if a high-level council member learns there is such a skill, they will do anything to get it."

" I don't know what it is. Maybe it is my physique." Keith lied to alleviate the suspicion.

" Seems like it. And from what I could observe, absorbing blood-qi from other sources, be it blood or direct blood-qi connection is your specialty. But normal vampires can't exert blood-qi like this, and higher-level vampires will immediately know if their blood-qi is being absorbed. So you should use it as discreetly as possible."

"I don't have any other means to attack higher-level vampires than this. My blood-qi has gone up quite a bit but I don't think without practicing blood-qi techniques I will fare any better. Unless I pin them and absorb their blood-qi." Keith contemplated.

"But they could seal their blood-qi inside their body." Brad objected.

"I c... can try right, I don't have any other means." Keith cursed himself inside for almost spilling a major secret. He didn't want to test if his uncle was for or against cannibalism. He was already annoyed that Brad figured out his special ability, but he was able to mask it as a physical trait.

'I need to be more careful from now on.'

"Can't you teach me blood-qi techniques? Without it, I can't match Vampires above a baron. Unless.."

"Alright, I suppose I can teach you some techniques. The council did put restrictions on what skills can be learned outside the academy, but when did I ever listen to anyone? " A grin appeared on Brad's face.

"Are you going to go against their rules?"

" Not necessarily. I won't teach you advanced blood-qi techniques but I could show you some unique skills that I created. They are not regulated by the council, not yet anyway."

Brad created a red humanoid figure using his blood-qi.

" When you start learning blood-qi techniques, you need to be at least baron level, or you can't sustain the blood-qi for even a moment. It is absolutely essential to have a stabilized blood core, no matter how crude.

"Now, watch closely. When you use blood condensation, you circulate your blood-qi throughout your body. It is extremely diluted and doesn't have a fixed place to stay. What I am about to teach you is the basics of Blood warrior's technique."

"Firstly you have to think of your body as a collection of points. Every major joint, every major place that blood-qi branches out. Then you have to create a frame connecting every point throughout your body. This will take some time, but after you achieve it, it will work as a secondary frame for your body. Your power will multiply depending upon how solid the frame is."

Keith listened carefully and looked at the figure as his uncle showed a sample of the frame. It ran across the bones but it was like a chain of countless small strands connected in a careful manner.

The frame looked so geometrically appeasing that he wondered who came up with this technique. He looked carefully and tried to imprint the image in his mind.

" Do you have any questions?" Brad asked.

" Does the blood-qi frame stay permanently or does it fade after some time? And how long does it typically take to create such a frame?" Keith was worried that the frame couldn't hold out during a fight.

" Great question. it depends on how you create your frame. Usually, if you familiarize yourself with the frame, then changing from normal blood-qi to the frame takes just a second, or even less. As for the second question, it also entirely depends on your understanding.

I achieved my first iteration of the frame about two months after I started practicing. I hope you can do it earlier. This will test your imagination. The frame you saw is the most basic one that was passed on by the originals. I also tweaked it a little bit after decades of practice to create a perfectly compatible frame. "

When Keith was contemplating how he could make a blood-qi frame for himself before the competition, someone else entered the arena.

" I see you've already taught him the technique. very well, I don't have to worry about him for the time being. You can take care of his training from now on." Lex said as he stood across the two.

" Hey! I am just a sparring partner, I will only show him the fundamentals. I don't have any time to babysit." Brad rebuked.

But he turned around to see Keith's reaction, and there was no visible change in his face.

"Besides, my nephew is old and strong enough to do as he wishes. He doesn't need someone overlooking him every second of his life."

Lex shook his head. He knew Brad's personality; he always wanted to be free of responsibility and did everything on his own. Lex knew he would train Keith well, but he didn't want to show that he was invested in it.

" Alright, do as you wish. And Keith, I hope you prepare well before going to the academy. There will be a lot of obstacles for you and I won't be there to save you."

"Grandpa, can you help me with something? " Keith asked as Lex was about to turn around and leave.