Chapter 340
Anton knew that a large part of the reason people would have chosen him as a teacher was to learn Horizon Shot. In truth, making optimal use of your body wasnt the main requirement for that technique. But Anton was here to make people the best they could be, and that meant starting from the basics. Besides, the requirements for Horizon Shot also involved years of training in sensing energy at a long distance- in the weeks Anton had available he could at best teach people to shoot to the limit of their vision. Useful, but not necessarily better than having good basics and being efficient with their energy.
It was inappropriate to have favorites in this competitive setting, but Anton couldnt help it. Besides he did his best to train everyone- he just couldnt help but focus on the front and rear of the pack. Nthanda was clearly very experienced with archery. If she had any flaws, Anton would say that it was a lack of proper instruction. If a cultivator was going to focus on training their body beyond the normal levels, most focused on the use of melee weapons. A sword could be swung with more force just by strengthening it with natural energy. A bow wouldnt provide more force beyond its limits, and reinforcing it with energy would only prevent it from breaking. There were techniques to change that, but that was the basic idea. Archery did make great use of physical strength, but it had the drawback that it became heavily dependent on the quality of the bow and arrows used. The Spirit Arrows technique removed the need for physical arrows, though specialized ones were still useful if available.
At the opposite end was Ingram. He was still in the basic stage of Body Tempering- either because he was new to cultivation or not particularly talented. Anton wasnt fairly certain he had no experience with a bow. Yet hed chosen to study with Anton regardless. Anton had to admit he could teach other things, but if he was dealing with a group then it was most efficient to mainly cover his specialties.
The first round of tests didnt go well for Ingram. He lost his matches and had no particular strengths outside of combat. In a normal tournament that would have meant he was out for good- but this one focused on improvement. Higher ranking cultivators were still going to get better resources because they could actually use them, but even someone like Ingram could get a huge boost to their success if they managed to perform well. Even though nobody was forced out, some people quit after the first rounds, seeing what they were matched against.
None of Antons students quit though. At least, not those who had stayed through the initial training. He wasnt a harsh teacher, but he did have high standards. If students werent giving their all, he would look at them with supreme disappointment. Anton didnt have time to delve into the depths of peoples lives to see what might cause them to do poorly on certain days, but he got them back on track however he could.
Remember, Anton instructed Ingram. Circulate your cultivation even as you use your muscles. It is how they grow best in the Body Tempering stage. He was shooting at a stationary target no more than a hundred meters away. Keep your eyes off of what the others are doing, Anton reminded him. Youre not at the optimal point to learn from watching them. He might also grow discouraged from seeing people who were better- regardless of whether or not he might achieve the same level. Anton couldnt tell just yet. Others had moving targets or even volunteer cultivators. Anton was watching everything, if not with his eyes then with his senses. The combined rate of fire of all of his students was easier to track than just Grand Elder Kseniya, so he was able to provide everyone the advice they needed. Shooting faster, slower, holding their breath before they released, or a slight adjustment in stance.
Elder Anton, Nthanda said as he came to her. I dont understand the creation of the string. Its not right. She was using the bone bow that came with no string. Forming one out of energy was difficult, especially for a cultivator that focused more on continued body tempering. Admitting a lack of understanding was difficult for everyone, and Anton felt that was especially true for her.
Here, let me show you. Anton formed a string in the air in front of her. I prefer to start from a single point and work outward, but that might not be best for you. You can also work from one side, even making the motions as if you are stringing a bow while you form the connection, Anton demonstrated. As for the properties you want, focus on the maximum amount of snap you can get. Go ahead and feel this one. It should be about right for you.
As Nthanda reached out to touch the string, Anton anchored it in place so it would act as if it were attached to a bow- specifically the bone bow she was using. She couldnt use it in the competition since it wasnt hers, but it developed her muscles by actually being tough enough to resist. Training her energy with the string was also useful, as ultimately it would allow Nthanda to surpass the limits of her bow. With just a portion of it requiring the use of natural energy, it actually suited her better. Ultimately, however, her ability to draw a bow was only going to be part of what she needed.Witness the debut of this chapter, unveiled through Ñôv€l--B1n.
The sand wasnt just blocking his vision but grating against his defensive energy- which was better than it scraping off layers of his skin. He ducked and dodged away from slashing claws while trying to find opportunities to shoot. Eventually he won, but not because of anything particularly amazing on his part. His opponent simply wore himself out, the boulder smashing and constant control over a cloud of sand being too much for cultivators of their level. It was anticlimactic, but if Ingram hadnt improved so much he likely would have been taken out. He just hoped hed perform well in the following matches.
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Nthanda looked up at the tower in front of her. So you say that once I go through the tower, I will be stronger?
Of course, Anton said. It trains people to control and resist energy but for you I believe it would be something that could be accomplished without external use of energy.
She frowned. Somehow the man had known some techniques to supplement her training with Western Steel Body, even though he clearly didnt use them himself. She didnt mind, but the man had quite a bit of knowledge. Then again, some of the clans in Ambati had suddenly begun to grow rapidly in power from new techniques- it wasnt strange if it happened with others.
Ill try it, she said. There was nothing to lose from making an attempt. So far, he had been a good instructor- even though hed said he might not be the best for her. But he was a powerful archer, and Nthanda had heard the other from his sect was difficult to learn from.
She stepped into the tower. She did feel the pressure. It was like a Body Temperer standing right next to her, maybe pushing on her a little bit. It increased as she walked up the tower, but even halfway she found it almost trivial. Towards the top it became more of a challenge, but she pushed against the heavy sensation. She was rather disappointing, but brought her prize back.
I completed it, she said.
The old man looked at her. What do you mean? You just started. He pointed to stairs that led down- stairs she could have sworn hadnt been there before. You merely picked up the key to the entrance.
When she stepped down the first stair it was like she was hit by a boulder. Nthanda grinned. Maybe she would get something from this after all. Each step forced more weight on her and she thought that maybe she could actually improve some muscles that hadnt found a challenge in a long time.