Isaac barely gave Felix a glance and smiled at Krisha. "Ah, of course. About him, too. But, he wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you, right?"
Krisha crossed her arms. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for his circumstances."
Isaac was intimidated by her response. He smiled awkwardly. "I will lead you to Master Shen now. But before that, it's better that we stop at some of the important places here in the dojo."
Without waiting for Krisha's response, he gestured for her to follow him.
As he walked forward and led them to the primary training ground, he did not notice that Krisha and Felix were already walking side by side quietly.
When he turned around to introduce the primary training ground, the words stuck in his mouth when he saw Felix casually being closer to Krisha.
He narrowed his eyes at him in a split second before turning to Krisha and said, "This is our primary training ground called Mist Courtyard. This is the heart of the dojo."
He turned his body slightly and pointed at a rectangular platform suspended partially over a canal water. Beneath it, shallow flowing water passes constantly, creating a low ambient sound.
At the moment, there were fifteen in total who trained on the Mist Courtyard. However, it was difficult to discern them completely due to the thick mist covering the training ground.
Isaac said, "The purpose of the mist is to amplify the perception of the disciples. Well, you'll know more about it later on. The Master himself will teach you about the dojo's philosophy, so everything will make more sense soon."
Isaac moved to the next location, the meditation and precision chamber, located behind the courtyard.
They stood in front of a rectangular wooden structure built with thick cedar beams.
It was long rather than wide. There were disciples inside, seemingly having difficulty crossing through the narrow hall. There was also an instructor who grasped a bamboo rod, tapping the students from the part of the body they believed was flawed.
Isaac turned towards Felix and Krisha. "This is the Still Edge Hall. It is enclosed, sound-controlled, and deliberately restrained in design.
It exists for one purpose—to remove the noise from the swordsman."
Isaac was silent for a while and finally decided to tell them about the core training conducted in the Still Edge Hall.
He said, "First, we do stillness meditation. As you can see, they are standing with drawn swords, unmoving.
The goal is for the sword to be felt as weightless—not because it is light, but because the body has aligned around it.
Second, the slow-cut discipline. Cuts are executed at one-tenth speed. Every inch of motion is observed. If the wrist over-rotates, elbow flares, or breath breaks, the cut restarts.
This is where our core technique, Mist-Splitting Line, is first learned."
Felix, when he heard about the technique he might have learned, suddenly heard the Guide's voice echoing in his mind.
[Host, I suggest sticking to the techniques from the Rainwalker Style. Before you think of learning other techniques, you must reach the highest level of the Rainwalker Style techniques.
I have to remind you to stop being ambitious. I get the Mayor's intention for you to learn sword techniques to help you, but you are already learning the Rainwalker style, so your path has already been decided.
I hope you won't stray away from the main path that the Sword Immortal has paved for you, Host.]
Felix was quite startled from the Guide's concerned tone. He didn't dare to take her advice lightly and nodded, assuring her.
[I suggest that instead of cultivating their sword techniques, you should treat them as enemies. Provoke them and let them help you refine your understanding of the Rainwalker Style. As for the philosophy of the Azure Cleave Dojo they would instill on you, don't learn them as it might erase the philosophy of the Sword Immortal have instilled on you.
If I have to test you, host, did you remember the philosophy of the Sword Immortal's silhouette? He told you about it before.]
Felix's eyes widened. Thankfully, the silhouette had only spoken to him two times—first, introducing the Rainwalker Style to him, second, the philosophy about the Rainwalker style.
Felix could not forget them, so he quickly replied, "A raindrop is weak alone, but countless raindrops carve stone. So must your body and blade be trained—persistent, flowing, and precise."
[That's good to know, host.]
Felix beamed a smile. "I must thank you for reminding me, Guide. You are of great help."
"What are you smiling about like an idiot?" Krisha's harsh tone echoed.
Felix was startled awake. He soon realized that Isaac had begun to move to a different direction, while Krisha gave a mocking gaze.
Felix shrugged and walked past her, following Isaac.
Krisha, on the other hand, was amused instead, walking by his side and couldn't help but continue teasing him.
Isaac led them on the canal-facing side of the dojo, which was partially sunken into the ground.
It was 18 meters circular in diameter and it was about 1.2 meters below ground level.
They currently stood on the arena floor, which was made out of packed sand.
It was currently empty, so Isaac took the chance to lead them here.
He turned towards them and said, "This is the Beast Sync Arena. This is where blade and beast pets learn their boundaries.
We are standing above the modular terrain floor, which is divided into heavy interlocking panels that can be rearranged weekly. At the moment, it's made out of packed sand.
This is to prevent training comfort."
Isaac turned towards small gated archways connected to the arena and pointed at them.
He said, "Those are the beast quarters. It's where your best pet will enter physically."
His arm then slid to the raised stone perimeter around the arena and continued, "That's the instructor walkway. They circle silently above and observe those who look at their beast too often, forgets their footwork, and who panics when terrain shifts.
So, obviously, the purpose of the arena is to enforce one core doctrine."
Isaac turned towards them and smiled.
"Beasts are environment, not weapons."