Bale sat cross-legged in a single room, his body positioned in the center with his back facing the doorway. His sword rested against the wall just to his left. His eyes were shut, his breathing slow yet methodical. A faint aura would rise and fall with each exhale, as if it were trying to escape yet couldn't. Small beads of sweat dotted his brow, as well as ran down his body, as if he had been rigorously exercising. He had been like this for several hours now.
As the time ticked by, his brow slowly knitted together, until it caused his forehead to ache. Though he tried to endure it, he just wasn't able to.
It had been a couple weeks since the fight between himself and Yue, yet very little had come of it. Though she had promised to take him as a disciple and instruct him in the ways of the sword, all she really had done was take him on as an outer disciple for her sect.
For the past two weeks, all Bale had done was spar with the other outer disciples and learn things from them. Though it was only two weeks and they hadn't taught him much, Bale still learned quite a bit through observation. It was incomplete knowledge but he still felt satisfied. This current meditation was the fruit of one of those observations.
Bale had been taking a stroll through the outer disciple grounds when he happened upon a group of disciples sitting together in an open courtyard. Each were paired with another, taking a meditative position with their backs to each other. A faint aura could be seen surrounding their bodies, fluctuating in and out, as if it weren't steady. Intrigued, Bale moved to a small patch of grass across from the small group and copied their sitting position. He then simply watched them, curious as to what they were doing, as well as how they doing it. Though he had trained with Desai, the old man had never taught him anything like what these people were doing. Whether it was because he simply didn't want to or because he himself didn't know of it, Bale couldn't be sure. All he could do was watch intently.
After a while, he closed his eyes with the intent to attempt to see if he could reproduce that effect. He cleared his mind, steadied his breathing, and sat there. And sat there. And sat there still. Yet nothing happened. He frowned and opened his eyes. Just how were they able to create that aura? Bale was at a loss, but he wasn't dissuaded. 'I wonder if I can sense it' he thought. Thus, closing his eyes once more, he again steadied his breathing and cleared his mind. However, this time he stretched out his senses.
Though his eyes were shut, he imagined that he could see. He saw himself sitting there quietly. He saw his muscles slightly twitching under his skin. He saw his blood flowing through his veins, his heart pumping that blood to each organ. He saw his lungs rise and fall with each breathe, pushing the oxygen through his veins to each organ, as well as fueling his muscles. He also saw the exhalation of a black cloud. This alarmed him until he realized that it was probably something harmful to his body that was being let out. After watching for a time, he shifted his focus to his hearing. He heard the soft breeze as it blew around him, followed by hearing his own breathing, then deeper as he heard his blood flowing, his heart pumping, as well as other vitals organs.
This process repeated with each of his senses, the process going deeper until he had reached his core. Though he only saw it for a moment, it was enough to unlock - if only a small amount - the secret of what the disciples were attempting. He still didn't know what to call it, but he knew that if he could grasp it, he would undoubtedly do so.
Thus, he would wake each day and, after eating, would immediately meditate. He would stretch his senses and slowly pull that feeling towards him. he could feel the faint feeling of that sensation gathering around his body, and after each session, his body would feel lighter yet stronger and more complete.
Thus, he delved excitedly into unlocking this feeling.
—————
An elderly gentleman sat, staring out his window as he held a cup of tea. The steam rose from the cup and flowed toward the open window, as if it were in a hurry to escape.
This elder stared out toward the sky intently, as if he were observing something - and indeed he was. A slight smile appeared across his weathered face, and a single brow rose. But just as soon as they had appeared, both vanished. "Hmmm..." the elder hummed before taking a sip of his tea.
This man was none other than the head of the sect. He was Bi Lan, but many knew him by the moniker 'The Dancing Fox'. Why? His sword style was described as mesmerizing, as though one were watching a dance, and it was coupled with his sly personality and tricky way of martial arts being similar to that of a fox, thus his nickname. But make no mistake, even though it sounded a bit foolish, Bi Lan was a dangerous man who slew his fair share of opponents.
Now, however, he sat quietly in his home. If one were to look at him now, they would have a hard time believing that he was that Devil for he wore a gentle expression and his eyes always seemed to shine. He exuded an aura of comfort and calmness. Nothing said that he was a man who had ever spilled blood.
"Yue, what can you tell me of the one you took in as an outer disciple?" He asked calmly, still staring out the window. Yue, who had been standing not too far away, nodded and stepped forward.
"Master," she began, "he was trained by my uncle in the way of the spear. However, he only has one arm, thus he is unable to fully utilize the spears techniques and capabilities. He's got a decent understanding, but it's lacking in refinement."
"Yue, do you truly believe he is incapable of drawing out a weapon's full potential because he is missing an arm?"
"Yes, master."
"Why?"
"It's simple. He cannot grasp the weapon appropriately to leverage the strength needed to draw out its power."
"Hmmm... I wonder..."
This startled Yue. 'Was I wrong? Is it possible to draw out a weapon's power?' This thought came to the forefront of her mind.
"Yue, did you know that man has already started to develop and refine his aura?" Bi Lan finally turned to look at his disciple. And he was glad he did.
A look of shock was across her face.
"A-are you sure?" She stammered. This was a significant shock. She had taken years to develop her aura, yet Bale was already developing his own and he hadn't even been here a month?!
"Of course. What I find fascinating is that he's able to do so from simply watching the other disciples. No one has taught him how to form it and draw it in. Though his knowledge is only half there, he still able to grasp the concept. If he can find a suitable master to train him, he will become one terrifying demon in the future."
Bi Lan slightly chuckled. He looked out the window again. That man would definitely be a demon, but that wasn't the whole truth. If he kept going down the path he currently walked, then even Gods would revere him. He would be considered a true Sword Master, then. Until that time came, however, Bi Lan would instruct him in the ways of the sword. But first, his body, mind and spirit had to be tempered.