"One {Dumb Belle's Guide to Strength}, one {Peek-a-Boo Defense}, and one {Fast-Faster-Fastest}. The order for Commander Du is complete."
Ikasa checked the orders from Du Man on his list and looked at the remaining points.
CP: 2
BP: 19
'Now only the manuals for the Adventurer party and Li Fan are left. I should go and deliver these first.'
On his way out, he noticed the Kids. They were practicing their fighting skills diligently. The incident of three days ago had left a deep impact on them. Only when Chu Qing joined them for training did smiles return to their lips.
"They have shed some of their naivety and laxness."
Xin Ruo chimed when she saw Ikasa observe the kids from the door. He nodded at her in greeting and continued to watch the kids.
Mixed emotions welled up in his eyes. Guilt, for exposing them to danger, and Pride at how they had overcome their anguish.
He didn't know how to feel about this change in their behavior and attitude.
"Is this what parenthood is like?"
He wondered as he waved at the kids and Xin Ruo on his way out of the mansion.
The young man walked out of the gates of the manor with a resolve; a resolve to shelter these kids from any further danger.
Walking at a brisk pace, he soon reached the vast training grounds reserved for the City Guards. He entered the barracks built at the entrance and found Commander Du.
"Ikasa! You are here earlier than I expected! Did you make all three manuals so soon?"
"Of course, Commander. How else would I face you otherwise?"
"Good! Good! Come, the new division of our City Guards is training in the grounds over there. Let's boost their morale with your manuals."
Commander Du led the way to the training grounds in Inner City. Ikasa looked at the strapping young men practicing their punches with shining eyes.
Each one of them was punching at the same time and in the same directions. Their routine changed from punches to kicks to footwork.
Every action taken was calculated with the same amount of force behind it.
Ikasa awed by their synchronicity, couldn't help but exclaim.
"Amazing! Their moves are in complete sync!"
The trainer in charge of training the future guards puffed his chest upon hearing the compliment. A few trainees, distracted by the sudden exclamation, looked to see who had intruded upon their training session.
Their momentary lapse in attention messed up the entire division's order.
Upon seeing their moves become disorganized from hearing the compliment, Du Man frowned.
"It's too early to be proud. You haven't performed before the City Lord yet."
Commander Du admonished. The Trainer turned red and lowered his head from shame. He glared at his charges and disciplined them for embarrassing him.
The two men engaged in small talk while waiting for the rookies to finish the exercise. A quarter of an hour later, hundred men were standing in neat rows before them.
"Your promised High-grade Cultivation Techniques are here. Come here, one after another, to receive it."
The future guards followed their leader's orders to the letter. The first one came and opened the book.
As soon as he touched the first page, air swooshed around him. He returned the book and closed his eyes to receive the energy imprint.
Once the book was passed to the next man, he felt a similar sensation.
The three men observing the situation could see air whirling around the people who opened the book and received a spiritual imprint.
As the manual was passed through the soldiers, it thinned considerably. When the hundredth trainee used it, the book disappeared.
Ikasa peeked to see the Trainer and Commander Du's reaction. He nodded with satisfaction on seeing their mouths wide open. An intense gust of wind blowing on his face drew his attention to the giant cyclone forming before them.
The hundred energy vortexes had combined to form a huge cyclone. The wind blowing had become strong, and it was becoming harder to keep their footing.
"Head inside the barracks!"
Commander Du ordered Ikasa and the trainer while leading the way himself.
"What about the Cadets?"
"They should be safe since they are in the eye of the storm."
Ikasa assured the Trainer as they hurried to reach the shelter. Once they reached the barracks, they could see the cyclone in its entirety.
"Marvelous!"
Commander Du exclaimed at the phenomenon caused by the manual. The trainer couldn't believe his eyes.
"Marvelous indeed! If someone told me this, whatever this is, was caused by a hundred people breaking through to the Path Forging realm at once, I would never trust his words."
He floundered for words to describe the swirling tower of wind touching the skies.
The person standing behind them was instead concerned by the darkening sky.
Clouds were gathering near the typhoon of energy. A lightning bolt flashed across the heavens like a divine dragon.
The trainer immediately recognized these occurrences as precursors of a natural wonder, desired and feared by many.
"This is an Energy Storm! Commander, shouldn't we be bringing them inside?"
The Trainer asked with worry creeping in his voice.
Du Man turned to Ikasa. He didn't want any mishap to happen to his force. But he also didn't want to disturb them while they comprehended the technique.
Ikasa missed the questioning glance as he was too busy worrying about something else.
'Thirty breaths is roughly one minute.' Ikasa counted his fingers.
'The first guy used the manual twenty minutes ago. Why isn't he out yet?'
"Ikasa?"
Commander Du called out to draw his attention.
"Yes?" Ikasa answered absently. He was still focused on counting his breaths.
"Should we bring them inside? Will it affect their comprehension of the technique?"
Ikasa fidgeted under Commander Du's gaze but did not reply straight away. He counted his fingers, again and again, to be sure of the time.
Before he could answer, the Commander's attention was drawn by something else.