Cultivation Through Artifacts

Time passed by in a blink, and even after several attempts of understanding what those wind blades around him could mean, Khal just simply gave up for the time being and decided to do something else.

'I still didn't check out what that Secret Art Improver could do.' thought Khal and waved his hand to see what this new improver ability can do.

{Secret Art Improver}

/Learned Secret Arts/

• Dance of The Celestial Serpent (Moderate Level)

• Hundred Slice Cage (Expert Level)

[Choose a Secret Art to improve it!]

Once Khal read the bottom text, his eyebrow raised slightly, 'So it seems I can only improve Secret Arts that I have used before, which makes sense.'

Thus, Khal selected his second Secret Art, the Hundred Slice Cage.

Swish!

~Current Form~

/Hundred Slice Cage/

• Level: Expert

• Description: A powerful Art capable of creating motionless wind blades after the first swing and explode them after the second one.

<Only functional with fan-type weapons!>

~Improved Form~

/Ghost Slice/

• Level: Expert

• Description: A powerful Art capable of creating invisible wind blades after the first swing and explode them after the second one.

<Only functional with fan-type weapons!>

[5,000 Body Essence is required!]

'Five thousand... Quite a lot, but with my current units of Beast Essence, I can easily afford it. I only need to transform them, but if I do...' suddenly Khal could feel a shiver sweep through his body as he couldn't dare to imagine what type of pain he must endure if he does it.

'I think I will wait with it for the time being.' thought Khal as he knew he must learn Jade Tombstone as fast as possible or he will never be able to get his revenge on Alde.

However, before he could even start his attempt once again, a person suddenly appeared in the cave's entrance, surprising him deeply.

"Master." Khal stood up and bowed with lightning speed once he realized that the one who appeared was in fact, Logan.

"Don't ask any questions, just follow me," Logan said to him, and turned around to leave.

Khal seemingly confused by Logan's serious attitude stood still for a while, but knowing that it must be something important he did as he was told.

After putting his newly acquired Secret Art into his Spatial Ring, Khal followed Logan out of Blade Mountain in silence, pondering what could have happened.

However, his curiosity soon was changed into confusion as he watched that Logan didn't lead him somewhere inside Moon Academy, but he instead brought him all the way outside of Moon City!

'Just where is he trying to bring me?' Khal's curiosity began to grow with each step, but it wasn't long before he noticed several figures in the distance.

'Experts?' Khal immediately recognized the Cultivators in the distance as they were the teachers of Moon Academy.

Raffin, Scarlett, Dorothea, Connor, and others were standing calmly in the distance, all staring at their approach with indifferent gazes. Even Jas was visible on the front, which made Khal feel a little bit nervous.

Once arrived before the experts, Logan stood next to Jas and waited in silence.

"You are finally here, so let me get straight to the point." Jas began to talk and once Khal was listening he continued, "First and foremost, let us gratulate for you becoming officially a Cultivator. However, now that you have succeeded to reach the Sixth Stage, you can no longer remain in Moon Academy."

"Huh?" Khal immediately became stupefied.

Jas kind of anticipated this reaction from Khal, thus didn't seem to be surprised, and explained, "Do not be so startled as this is the rules of this Academy Once you reach the Sixth Stage, you are qualified to graduate and take your final test before you can start your real cultivation in a place far superior to Moon Academy."

"Final test?"

"Yes, your final test. You will fight against your master, Logan. If you lose, you will be expelled, but if you win, you will be rewarded."

When Khal didn't say anything, Jas nodded and proceeded to talk, "Rules are simple. Except for Logan, who has to lower his strength to the Sixth Stage, there will be no restrictions. No time limit, no holding back, no nothing. Any questions?"

"About no holding back... Does it mean killing is allowed?" asked Khal from Jas with a calm face.

But who could have guessed his question would make not only Jas, but every expert before Khal smile almost as if they just heard something rather funny.

"If you can kill Logan, I not only will I reward you but I will even give you absolute access to all resources I have."

'...' when Khal heard this he nodded, but still asked, "And what about me? Can he kill me?"

"He can."

"!?" this time Khal couldn't remain calm as this was the moment he realized that this 'graduation' held greater weight than any challenge he accepted in his entire life!

"Anything else?" asked Jas when he saw that Khal didn't say anything.

"Yeah, one last thing. About Rubie... Can she fight too?" Khal asked Jas as he was curious if they will let Rubie fight alongside him or not.

'Considering she is my Tamed Beast, she is considered as my own power, right?'

And to his surprise, when Jas heard his question he nodded his head mildly and said, "She can."

Khal seemed happy by this, however, Logan was the complete opposite, he felt as this match was a little bit unfair.

'Two against one and he has to lower his Stage onto mine, I have everything I need to win this battle.' thought Khal and nodded, "Okay, I understood."

"Perfect, then get to your positions."

Khal and Logan did as Jas told and once they stood about a hundred meters away from each other, Jas glanced at both of them and nodded.

"Ready?"

"Anytime," Logan answered nonchalantly, though a sword was already launched in his grasp.

Khal seeing this retrieved his Devil Fangs and nodded too, "I am ready."

"Perfect, then on the count of three."

Immediately as he said that, all the experts behind Jas turned serious, which surprised Khal a little bit but decided to ignore them.

"One... Two... Three!"

Swish!

"!?"

Khal watched as Logan immediately traveled the distance between them and his sword was already next to his neck.

However, even though feeling the chilling sensation on his neck, Khal remained calm and quickly raised his weapon to block the attack.

BOOM!

A powerful ripple broke out when the two weapons met that moved the grass on the ground and the clothes on Jas and the experts, but that was only the beginning.

Logan moved his arm and like lightning attack Khal's waist from the other side. However as Khal has long ago activated his Heaven's Eyes, this attack was deflected too almost as easily as taking a stroll in a park!

'Things became relatively slow after my Heaven's Eyes reached the Sixth Stage. It's like I am watching a movie in slow motion!' thought Khal as he was delighted he wasn't losing against Logan like the last time but even had the upper hand!

Within a few seconds, Khal and Logan exchanged several blows, filling the surroundings with sharp and metallic sounds while the ground around their feet was cut, leaving a few meters long gashes.

"He is strong. Much stronger than on the tournament." Scarlett exclaimed quietly, her eyes fixed on Khal's figure like a hawk.

"He indeed became more powerful, but Logan is obviously going easy on him even though he lowered his Stage," answered Dorothea calmly.

"Yeah, he is going easy on him. Khal is already using one of his Talents while Logan didn't do anything special except some weak sword techniques. Even though Khal is strong, against a monster like Logan, he has no opportunity at all to win." Raffin joined the conversation from the side, seemingly convinced that Khal has no chance for victory. 

Many other experts nodded in agreement as all of them knew just how terrifying Logan was once he goes all out even if he lowered his Cultivation Base.

"Let's just wait and see," said Jas suddenly in a calm voice, surprising everyone behind him as they wouldn't have thought he would say something like that.

Does he believe Khal has a chance? Against Logan?

Everyone exchanged glances with each other, trying to figure out what could make Jas, the person who knew Logan the best, think Khal had a chance in this fight.

"Screech!!!" 

However, even before they could have thought any further, suddenly a glorious cry resounded in the air, surprising some of the experts.

With a quick and powerful leap into the air, Rubie who sat on Khal's shoulder all this time abruptly flew into the sky, and like crimson lightning, attacked Logan from behind, while Khal did the same but from the front!

'...' Logan however just simply remained calm, and with a natural flick, swung the sword in his grasp that was already lit up with abyss black flames!

Swish!

BOOOM!