Damon went back home disappointed,but he didn't give up. He spent the next few days searching for the man,but to no avail.
Mysticwood Forest ( outer layer )
After spending the entire day searching for the mysterious swordsman, he decided to stop and rest. He then began murmuring to himself.
"I can't believe, I couldn't find him." Damon said.
"Just why wouldn't he train me? I know that he is very strong, you have to be for you to enter and leave the inner layer. "
"If only I knew his name, I could have gone to the token registration building to inquire about him."
"Anywhere, i guess it wasn't meant to be. I just go and train myself. I will get stronger no matter what."
Damon then left and went to his training spot not knowing that the swordsman was watching from the top of the tree the whole time.
Damon's training spot
"Am here,now let's get started." Damon said.
Damon started with his training routine. He first sat on a stump and began meditating,while meditating he felt a different energy radiating from his body. A crimson red glow covered his body.
"I first felt this energy after being released from the hospital during my first encounter with Brock." Damon muttered.
"It was this energy I used to perform my Crimson Blade. I still don't know what this energy is,but it is different not my spirit energy even though they feel similar. "
"They energy has become stronger after the incident in the inner layer. And my spirit energy has gotten weaked,it's as if the stronger this new energy gets the weaker my spirit energy gets. To be more precise, its more like my spirit energy is changing into this new energy. "
"I may not know exactly was happening, but I do know that if am able to strengthen this new energy,I will become stronger. This is the breakthrough I have been looking for."
Damon began training with this new energy. The more he practiced the more he understood the new energy. This energy strengthens every aspect of ones body and pushes it past its limits,this includes his bones,organs,blood and even his cells. And this energy can be transferred into other objects, strengthening them and used as weapons. This was something that one can't do using spirit energy, as it cannot be transferred or else as a spell.
"This is amazing, I love this energy." Damon muttered.
"I have trained my body, built up my muscles and practiced relentless for years. This energy is perfect for me."
"I think I should create a new technique. One that let's me attack my opponent at light speed and deliver a deadly strike.i think I will call it Crimson Flash."
Damon practiced this new technique, but was not successful. He tried again and again, but still failed.
"What am I doing wrong? Why get I get it right? Damon wondered.
"You are doing all wrong." The swordsman said from the top of a tree.
"How long have you been there?" Damon asked.
"Long enough." He replied.
"Listen, that is not the way to do it. Your energy is out of balance, try concentrating only on your legs and arms." The man said.
"Only on my legs and arms, will that work?" Damon wondered.
"Wait...I think I understand what he is saying. I will concentrate 60% on my legs and 40% on my arms." Damon muttered.
SWISH! SLASH! He moved at light speed and cut off a tree.
"It worked, I can't believe it." Damon said.
"That kid actually pulled it off,to think he would learn a such a technique in just a day." The man said.
"Thank you so much,you really helped me alot." Damon said.
"Save you thanks, I will guided you a little. By the way,why did you not tell me you could use spirit QI?" The man said.
"Spirit QI,what's that?" Damon asked.
"You mean to say you don't know what spirit QI is?" The man asked surprised.
"Yes,I don't know what it is." Damon replied.
"You don't know the energy you were just using is called spirit QI." The man said.
"So,that is what this strange energy is called,but how do you know?" Damon asked.
"That's obvious, because I have the same energy." The man replied.
"What!? You have the same energy as me." Damon said shocked.
"Exactly" the man said.
"That's why I felt something different about you,but I have never heard of a mage that uses spirit QI." Damon said.
"What are you talking about? Am a swordsman not a mage." The man replied.
"A swordsman? I have heard of them but I always assumed that they also used spirit energy. "Damon said.
"No! Swordsman use spirit QI, it is the key to becoming a swordsman." The man said.
"The key to becoming a swordsman..." Damon said.
"How don't you know this? You have spirit QI can't you tell the difference between it and spirit energy?" The man said.
"Of course I do, but I thought I was the only one that could use spirit QI." Damon said."
"..Hahahaha, you thought that only you had spirit QI. What on earth gave you." The man said.
"But...you are not half wrong. Spirit QI is extremely hard to acquire, so how did you do it?" The man asked.
"I don't know, all this is still new to me. What is spirit QI?" Damon asked.
"Fine,listen carefully. Spirit QI and spirit energy come from the spirit core. Spirit energy is the essence of the spirit core,it is the energy that the spirit core releases. Spirit Qi is the spirit core's latent power.It is said to be the spirit core's true power. When one begins to awaken their spirit QI, the spirit energy converts to spirit QI. Spirit energy can only move within the spirit channels in one's body,but spirit QI can travel within one's body without spirit channels and strengthens every single aspect of the body,but it can only leave the body through the spirit channels." The man explained.
"Spirit QI have the ability to be transferred to other objects and people. Spirit energy can't be transferred, except through a spell,but I guess you knew this already. Spirit QI is very essential for swordsmen,as without it one can not use battle arts." He explained further.
"What are battle arts?" Damon asked.
"Just like how spirit energy is used to for magic and casting of spells,spirit QI is used for battle arts. Battle arts are fighting techniques that utilise spirit QI, and are based on the unique ability that the spirit QI has. Spirit QI have unique abilities, which are very powerful. Once one converts all the spirit energy into spirit QI the true power of the spirit QI will be awakened. And the more one trains withtheir battle arts the stronger the spirit QI becomes. " The man said.
"Battle arts vary based on the ability of the spirit QI and ones preferred fighting style. Swordsmen like me use sword arts,but one isn't limited to only one battle arts. The unique ability of the spirit QI can allow to have more than one battle arts." The man said.
"The spirit QI is extremely powerful, but it is very difficult to awaken. Some could only awaken when faced with death,other suffered gruelling training to awaken it. Although there are some that awaken quickly due to their bloodline. "The man said.
"Wow,I didn't know all of this. The spirit QI is truly spectacular, if I can fully unlock it I will become strong. "Damon said.
"This kid is truly something else, his determination to become stronger is incredible. After I told him that one will have to go through gruesome training in order to fully awaken their spirit QI, and yet he doesn't care. If I trained just how much stronger will he get." The man thought.
"So,which is stronger?" Damon asked.
"Huh.."
"Between spirit energy and spirit QI, which is stronger.?" Damon asked.
"I can't say.what determines the strength of the spirit Qi and spirit energy is the user."The man replied.
"Alright, thanks for your help. I better go home now" Damon said and began to leave.
"Wait,you spent all this time looking for me and now am here aren't you going to ask me to train you?" The man said.
"Am good,all I wanted was to find a way to get stronger and now I have found it. I going to train as much as I can and I will become very powerful. " Damon replied.
"Why are you so obsessed with becoming stronger?" The man asked.
"Well...it's because I made a promise to someone important and I have to keep it. " Damon replied.
"What promise?" The man asked.
"Am sorry, but I can't tell you." He replied.
"Is that so, fine I don't really care anyways." The man said.
"But listen, if you are still willing to become my student,I will train you and make you stronger. "The man said.
"Are you being serious?" Damon asked.
"Yes,I am." The man replied.
"Yes,I want you to train me." Damon said excited.
"Good,then from this day on you are my student." The man said.
"This is amazing an definitely going to become stronger." Damon said.
"Get yourself ready because am going to train you still you feel like dieing. See you back here tomorrow morning by dawn,don't be late." The man said and left.
"I hope I don't regret this. No I won't, this is the opportunity I have been waiting for. Just you Wait everyone I going to become the strongest in the whole world." Damon said and went back home.