Yun Bei Fen and Mei Chao Bing joined them outside a little later. Yun Bei Fen couldn't help but notice that what Yi Ju was practicing looked quite difficult. He turned to Mei Chao Bing, asking for an explanation.
Mei Chao Bing gave a wry smile. "I'm afraid you won't be able to learn that anytime soon. It's a more advanced skill."
Yun Bei Fen blinked his eyes and continued to watch. "What kind of skill is it though?" From his perspective, Yi Ju was enveloped by several layers of light that seemed to be shifting constantly. Actually, watching it even made him a little dizzy so he hastily turned away and didn't use his spiritual sense anymore.
Mei Chao Bing glanced over as well, and the faint sounds that her spiritual energy echoed for him gave him clear feedback of what exactly she was doing. "I would call it an improved version of the energy shield I taught you."
Yun Bei Fen showed a curious expression. "How is it improved?" This skill was too blinding for him to get a good look at it so he really couldn't see how it worked. He would've liked to though. After all, he had already learned to make an energy shield. Maybe he would also be able to do what Yi Ju was currently doing.
Mei Chao Bing reached out and patted Yun Bei Fen's head. "You will be able to do it in the future. For now, I don't think you're quite at that point yet. In general, you can say that it is based on not only a defensive skill but also on some basics of offensive skills. In general, what you do is set up several energy shields at once."
Yun Bei Fen's expression immediately fell when he heard that. "I can't do that yet. I can only manage one at most." And he couldn't even make one that was able to shield his whole person. By now, it was at most as big as his head and maybe half his torso. From what he could glean from Yi Ju, she was actually making shields that were as tall as her whole body. No wonder Mei Chao Bing said that he would need some more time. In fact, he was worried that it would be quite a lot of time.
Mei Chao Bing smiled at that. Well, he would really like to coax his little bunny but it was true: He wasn't at that point yet. His basics just weren't solid enough. When he was able to handle that energy shield with ease and had also learned his first offensive skill, then it would be time for him to attempt something like this. But even then, he would have to start small.
"Do you still want to know more about that skill?"
Even if Yun Bei Fen couldn't do it yet, it was good if he had a general idea of how the advanced skills would work. At the very least, it would further motivate him to put effort into practicing the skills he was currently doing. Also, it would give him an idea of what to take note of when he was doing so. After all, he would know what he would need later on so he wouldn't skimp on something just because he wanted to advance faster.
Yun Bei Fen nodded his head even though he didn't know what use it would be. Anyway, if senior martial brother Mei was willing to explain something to him, then he would naturally listen attentively.
"Well, the most important thing about what she's trying to do right now is that the shields aren't static. She won't just make one in front of her body but instead move it around. That way, she's more flexible in guarding against attacks and can even use it to catch her enemy off guard and maybe injure them.
"Do you remember how I said at the beginning that the energy shield can absorb spiritual energy and also deflect it if it was done right?"
Yun Bei Fen nodded. Naturally, he would always remember what Mei Chao Bing told him. "I do. You said that it depends on the level that you have and the level of the one who attacks you."
"Exactly right. So in this way, with several shields that aren't necessarily of the same density and those even moving around, she can switch shields at a short moment. Then, an attack that might've been absorbed before would be bounced back. That way, an opponent will need to be careful that they won't be hit by their own energy."
Yun Bei Fen's face lit up when he realized where this was going. "I see! So she's basically catching them off guard!"
"That's how it is. Also, she can stack the shields behind each other so that if one of them fails, she will have another layer of protection.
"In the future, when you are able to generate a single energy shield in just a moment, then you can start working on adding a second one as well. When you are able to stack them up like this, then you can start with moving them around. Or, otherwise, you can also try moving the one shield that you already have around."
Yun Bei Fen nodded. "Moving it shouldn't be too hard. I'm already doing that right now, am I not?" After all, he was able to make the shield shrink or enlarge by just focusing enough on it and using more or less spiritual energy.
Mei Chao Bing shook his head though. "It is true that you are able to have it in several different positions but it's not the same as really moving it. What Yi Ju is currently doing is moving it away from her body or closer toward herself. That is something you are currently unable to do. Right now, you always use the spiritual energy right on your body — for example, your hand — or an object like a flying sword. But in this case, Yi Ju is gathering it a little further away from her body. That gives the shield more mobility but it is more difficult to do as well. That is something you will have to learn in the future."
Yun Bei Fen nodded. "Then what are we doing today?"
Mei Chao Bing smiled and once again rubbed his head. "Good that you ask. Today, we are going to do something that is actually related to that. I'm going to show you your first attack skill. Basically, you're generating a ball of spiritual energy and then letting go of it, throwing it at your opponent."