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In the eastern Fess Kingdom, deep within a primitive forest, the sound of rushing water could be heard.

This was a cliff over fifty meters tall.

A massive waterfall gushed out from the fault in the middle of the cliff, cascading down to form a thick curtain of water that finally fell into the pool below, stirring up white splashes.

The pool was clear, with many large rocks clustered together where the waterfall fell, constantly eroded by the water, making their surfaces smooth.

On one of the boulders directly under the waterfall curtain, a white-haired girl in white shorts and a white tube top stood with her legs together, completely motionless.

The cool spring water from the waterfall fell straight on the white-haired girl's head and shoulders, while the water droplets splashing on the surrounding water surface and boulders also landed on her snow-white skin.

No matter the impact of the water flow on her body, the white-haired girl's state remained unaffected.

The white-haired girl kept her eyes closed, her thick eyelashes fluttering with each water droplet, as the water flowed down her skin into her tube top and out the bottom.

As her small feet shifted slightly on the boulder, ten white tender toes clenched inward, and the white-haired girl once again began challenging her limits.

"Hmm hmm hmm hmm...!!!"

The white-haired girl cried out.

With the bright and sharp sound of the girl's voice resonating within the waterfall, air currents began to rise around the white-haired girl.

The ascending air currents slightly broke a small gap in the waterfall next to the white-haired girl.

But this lasted less than three seconds.

As the white-haired girl's scream ceased, the waterfall quickly reverted to its original form.

Dense and cold spring water descended from the sky, enveloping the white-haired girl entirely.

The white-haired girl regretfully opened her eyes and slowly walked out from the curtain of water.

The continuously falling cold water flushes against her body, making her silver-white long hair cling tightly to her waist skin, her skin now pale and bloodless from long immersion in water.

It seems another failure...

"It's still not achieving the expected results, Lina."

At the edge of the pool, a tall middle-aged woman in casual clothes, arms folded, looked at the slowly approaching white-haired girl and shook her head with regret.

"Sorry... Harlan teacher, I don't know what went wrong either."

The white-haired girl and the tall middle-aged woman were the Heroic Maiden Lina and the Fess Kingdom's top Hero, Sword Hero Shukas's wife, Harlan.

After bidding farewell to Shami and leaving Yili Village, Lina met Harlan in the agreed-upon small town.

Their training journey officially began.

Although their final destination was the capital of Fess Kingdom, Rikamai City, Harlan did not use the teleportation gates in the big city to directly teleport to Rikamai.

Instead, she chose the way of traveling, taking Lina to train and gain knowledge while heading towards Rikamai City, the capital of Fess Kingdom.

From the small town, they advanced towards increasingly less populated areas, crossing vast grasslands and then entering forests.

A short while ago, they had reached the depths of the primitive forest, and Harlan officially began their training.

Taking the towel Harlan tossed over, the white-haired girl wiped her body while looking over curiously.

The girl had been standing continuously under the waterfall for three days, her only activity being drenched by the waterfall every day.

Lina felt puzzled as to why she was doing this.

"Harlan teacher, why do you want me to confront the waterfall... What kind of training method is this?"

Harlan looked over calmly.

"Lina, this is a way to train the Swordsman's 'Qi'. A true swordsman must externalize their inner power to form a 'Qi' that even the waterfall fears. Only then can one become a top-tier swordsman."

Harlan's words seemed both explained and unexplained; Lina still had no idea how to develop this so-called 'Qi'.

The white-haired girl put on a jacket, covering her snow-white delicate body, and walked barefoot with Harlan to the nearby bonfire.

Beside the bonfire was a naturally-formed small cave that served as their camp.

While eating roasted rabbit meat to fill their stomachs, they warmed their bodies with the bonfire.

The white-haired girl tore open a rabbit leg and slowly placed it in her small mouth, chewing carefully.

"What's the matter, not to your taste?"

Harlan watched the seemingly appetite-lacking white-haired girl while eating large chunks of meat, and asked.

"No."

The white-haired girl quickly shook her head, speeding up her eating.

Actually, yes...

Though she didn't want to hurt her teacher's feelings, having gotten used to Shami's barbecue, this almost tasteless roast meat seemed quite bland.

The white-haired girl missed Shami's aromatic meat skewers.

"Lina, what's been up with you lately?"

After a while, Harlan keenly asked the white-haired girl.

"Eh? What's wrong?"

The white-haired girl snapped back to attention, blinking in confusion.

"You've been absent-minded lately. Is something troubling you? That's not good for the upcoming training."

Harlan crossed her leg and spoke slowly.

"You know, one of the important goals I have for taking you on this training is to solve your backlash problem and let you truly master the power of a level 73 expert swordsman."

The white-haired girl paused, remaining silent.

"Back then, driven by the determination to kill the Demon King, you soared from an unremarkable swordsman to level 60 in just six months. In the year after leaving me, you gradually rose to level 73.

It's beyond describable using the speed of a monster.

You know level 73 is a level many swordsmen spend their entire lives unable to reach?"

Harlan's words made the white-haired girl blink bashfully.

"Undoubtedly, you have a talent for learning swordsmanship. Though your current 'Holy Sword Form' is not the orthodox 'Holy Sword Form' I taught initially, it's still quite remarkable!"

"That statement doesn't feel like praise..."

"Lina, you know? Only those who can become Sword Saints can truly comprehend the Holy Sword Form.

To have evolved your unique 'Holy Sword Form' signifies that you can create your own Sword Way. If developed well, you have the chance to become a new Sword Saint!"

"So, I'm training you with the future Sword Saint in mind."

Harlan looked at Lina with great expectations.

The prospect of becoming a Sword Saint was something Lina had never considered.

However, she couldn't let Harlan hear her lack of ambition.

"But having that future doesn't guarantee you'll reach it. Your body needs to keep up with your talent.

Though you're currently a level 73 expert swordsman, besides 'Holy Sword Form', your basic combat ability is only around level 50."

Harlan knew well how to motivate rather than discourage students.

"Between the body and talent, belief is the most important factor!

Belief can build a bridge between body and talent, allowing you to fully unleash your potential."

Harlan looked at Lina seriously.

After giving all the encouraging words needed, the remaining critical words aimed to reignite the girl's inner fire.

"Lina, I can understand that a life without goals can drain one's zeal.

Though the last attempt to eliminate the previous Demon King failed.

But a new Demon King has been born, hasn't appeared yet, but do you remember your belief — kill the Demon King at all costs!

Keep that belief, push your limits, and become the Hero who defeats the new Demon King, Lina!!!"

The white-haired girl blinked and turned her face away.

"Why does it feel like you're even less motivated now!"

Harlan was relentless.

"Lina, if you have anything troubling in your heart, feel free to tell me."

The white-haired girl hesitated.

Harlan smiled and gestured openly.

"Of course, the teacher can exchange some of the secrets you wish to learn with you."

"Harlan teacher, I want to know how you managed to fend off the Demon King's attack alone. You always say it's a secret."

"Um, let's change the topic."

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