Yo guys, second chapter for today! Wohoo! So things are finally getting around and soon we can start to release some action. Yes yes yes, THE NEWCOMER'S COMPETITION! (sorry for being so excited...)

By the way, i'm not sure if anyone wants to but either way. I seek an editor and a proofreader for my story so I can wholeheartedly focus on writing. Proofreading and editing takes up a lot of time and I'm very impatient. So often, I only do it for a quicky then release the chapter which can be a slight problem.

jaja, well, if anyone wants to help me, just give me a pm on "[email protected]"

Well, without further ado, enjoy!

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“Now sit down and listen to your teacher. Ah! by the way, you may call me Sam” The old man said and for some reason, he hit the cane in his hand lightly on the ground.

As Philip was about to say something Sam exerted pressure making Philip fall to the

ground, down on his knees.

The pressure almost made him suffocate before easing up, allowing him to breathe.

This sam must’ve killed many people or beasts, I’ve never once seen or felt such a strong killing intent in my lifetime before.

“Don’t interrupt your teacher” He continued with a barely noticeable grin on his face.

“B-but I–” Philip exclaimed before he was interrupted by sam.

“I can read your mind.” Sam explained to him. Sam smiled when he saw Philip’s pale face turn even paler upon hearing what Sam said.

Sam’s eyes seemed as they could see through him completely, even more than garion, the headmaster of the academy.

“Hmph, your technique is barely qualified with your lineage, after all, you are his…” Sam muttered quietly not loud enough for Philip to hear.

“Okay so boy, tell me, why do you want to become strong?” Sam asked him, lowering the pressure again so that Philip could speak more easily.

Philip pondered a bit before saying, “I have no specific reason. I just… I suppose I’m just very curious to see what it looks when I stand upon the summit, more powerful than anyone else. Neither do I want for anyone to be stronger than me. I hate being weak, I hate the feeling of being powerless and not being able to defend those close to me.”

As Philip finished speaking, the old man laughed.

“Hahahahahahahaha, that’s the best answer I’ve ever heard! Curious...” Sam said, bellowing the last word as he dried the currently tears coming out from his eyes with his right hand because of this supposedly comical scene.

Sam thought to himself, “That’s right boy, only by wanting it for your own sake can you succeed. To reach it with your own bare hands! A true cultivator doesn’t cultivate friendship or meaningless love, they cultivate strength, pure strength to overcome the heavens and reach the seven seas”.

“Okay, then I’ll teach you how to become strong. Go on, tell me what kind of skill you want!” Sam said and gestured for Philip to tell him. This old man who was earlier annoyed and grumpy, suddenly became eager and happy. Philip didn’t usually believe in miracles. But this time, he really couldn't find anything else to explain this astounding phenomenon.

Philip though for a moment:

"hmm, this old guy seems quite knowledgeable and he showed lots of self confidence when he told me to tell him what skill I wanted to learn. But I already have good skills from my book. What I need know isn’t new skills. I need to learn how to battle."

He clenched his fists and said, “I don’t want a skill!” It wasn’t as if he didn’t listen to what the old man asked him, he just wanted something else.

“Hoo, then what do you want brat? Sam replied seemingly interested in Philip's answer. Yet sam's facial expression and speech didn’t reveal what his real thought were,” What the fuck? It’s the first time I’ve told someone that they can choose any skill they want which I know of. Usually men would throw away and give me their wives just for a chance to get a few tips in cultivation for me. And now this brat says he doesn’t even want a skill from me?!”

“I want you to teach me how to fight” Philip said firmly. If his prediction was correct, this old man called sam was even more powerful than the headmaster in the academy. Not only that. He also thought that sam was somehow connected with him or his star and that's the reason why sam wanted him to become strong.

Sam felt his scalp go numb, this kid actually understood what he needed most as a cultivator. Sure, the kid was proficient in killing beast but if faced with a human cultivator who had been trained by in the art of fighting since young, he would be defeated.

If the “force” is amplified by the “power”, how does a cultivator utilize “Force” in the best possible way? Thats right, through the art of fighting. There are different arts of fighting, to make it simple, they are called arts.

“Boy, do you know what an art is?” Sam asked Philip. Seeing him shake his head Sam continued, “While skills are means to use your “power” in a certain way, Arts are means to use your “force” in different sets of movements in coordination with your skills.”

“For example, let’s take that brat you beat up in the arena a bit more than a month ago. He cultivated a bad technique which focused on enhancing his fingers. He also had a skill which focused his star energy, “power”, in his fingers to produce a deadly slash if used.”

“Bad technique? wasn’t that a epic-level technique?” Philip thought quickly before he resumed listening to sam.

“What would happen if he cultivated an art which focused on kicks? Would it make him utilize his force and skills in the best way?” Sam explained before asking him a question.

“No, because the finger technique is not kicks and his skill is not about kicks, it’s about using your fingers, namely hands.” Philip replied after thinking and progressing the information he was given to by sam for a while.

Sam then continued, “Exactly, that’s why choosing an art is very important. however, the good thing about arts is that compared to techniques, they can be switched.”

“Then do you have an art of fighting which suits me?” Philip asked hopefully. His eyes twinkled with happiness as if he had seen a pile of treasure. His clenched his fists for the second time when speaking with sam, this time, out of excitement.

Sam didn't respond but wide smile still hung on his face. Although they haven't known each other for long, he understood what Sam meant.

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As usual, if you find any grammar mistakes, typos or faults in the chapter – feel free to tell me!