Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 361 Tells You a Secret

“That sounds very good.” Rowan nodded in agreement. “I’m also very interested to learn about the swordsmanship education in the Silver Blue Empire.”

After breakfast, the two boarded a sword-shaped boat and flew towards the academy. Silver Moon Sword Academy was located in the southeast of Sword Heart Star, an ancient institution built into the mountains. From the air, the entire academy appeared to be nestled against the mountainside, its buildings layered and arranged in a harmonious and orderly fashion, perfectly blending with the surrounding natural environment.

“This place is truly beautiful,” Rowan exclaimed sincerely.

"Silver Moon Sword Academy has an eight-hundred-year history, making it one of the oldest sword academies in the Silver Blue Empire," Silver Moon explained. "I studied here from the age of seven until I was eighteen. This place holds all the memories of my childhood and adolescence."

The sword-boat slowly landed on the academy's helipad. As soon as they disembarked, several people quickly approached. Leading them was a middle-aged woman, tall and elegant; though no longer young, her every move still exuded the grace of a swordsman.

"Silver Moon! My good student!" The middle-aged woman rushed forward excitedly and hugged Silver Moon tightly. "You've finally come back to see your teacher!"

"Teacher Lin!" Yin Yue exclaimed excitedly, "I miss you and everything about the academy so much."

"Who is this?" Teacher Lin turned her gaze to Luo Wen, her eyes filled with curiosity.

“This is my partner, Rowan, and also my best friend,” Yin Yue introduced. “Rowan, this is my mentor, Teacher Lin Ya, who taught me the basics of kendo.”

"Greetings, senior." Luo Wen bowed respectfully.

Lin Ya scrutinized Luo Wen, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. "This is the young man who received the Sword Saint Master's approval at the arbitration court yesterday? He certainly has an extraordinary presence."

"The news travels fast," Silver Moon said with a wry smile.

"The entire Swordheart Star is talking about this," Lin Ya said with a smile. "It's the first time in our Silver Blue Empire that an alien warrior has received the praise of a Sword Saint Master."

She warmly greeted them, "Come on, let me show you around the academy. Silver Moon, the dean knew you were coming and specifically instructed me to treat you well."

The group walked along the stone path deeper into the academy. Various flowers, trees, and shrubs lined both sides of the path, filling the air with a faint fragrance. Every now and then, students in academy uniforms could be seen practicing basic swordsmanship; their movements were still somewhat clumsy, but everyone was very focused.

“These are the newly enrolled children,” Lin Ya explained. “They range in age from six to twelve. In the Silver Blue Empire, children typically begin formal kendo training around this age.”

Luo Wen observed these young students and found that although they were young, they were very focused during practice, and none of them were lazy or playing around.

"Are the children of the Silver Blue Empire this self-disciplined from a young age?" Rowan asked curiously.

"Kendo is not just about training in martial arts techniques, but also about shaping character," Gin-yue explained. "From the very first day of learning swordsmanship, the teachers emphasize the importance of qualities such as discipline, focus, and perseverance."

They arrived at the main building complex of the academy, where the architectural style was simple and elegant, and each building had a profound historical background. Lin Ya led them to visit various facilities such as the teaching buildings, library, and combat training grounds.

"Miss Silver Moon!" A young voice suddenly rang out, and a boy who looked about seventeen or eighteen years old ran over quickly. "You're really back!"

"Little Feng!" Silver Moon greeted her happily, "You've grown so tall!"

The boy named Xiaofeng clearly knew Yinyue and seemed to admire her greatly. "Miss Yinyue, could you teach us some advanced sword techniques? Our teachers always say our foundation isn't solid enough."

“The basics are indeed very important,” Silvermoon said gently, “but if you’d like, I can guide you through some practical combat techniques.”

"Great!" Xiao Feng exclaimed excitedly, "I'll go get the other classmates!"

The news spread quickly, and more and more students gathered around. They had all heard of Silvermoon, knew she was one of the most outstanding graduates in the academy's history, and was now an elite agent for the Virtual Universe Corporation.

Seeing this, Lin Ya smiled and said, "Yin Yue, since the children are so enthusiastic, why don't you temporarily act as their teacher? Today is practical training day, so you can guide the intermediate class students."

"Wouldn't that be too much trouble?" Silver Moon hesitated.

"No, the college welcomes outstanding graduates to come back and mentor their juniors," Lin Ya said enthusiastically. "And the dean also hopes you can participate more in college activities."

Yinyue glanced at the expectant looks from the students surrounding her and nodded in agreement. "Alright, then I'll make a fool of myself."

"Great!" the students cheered.

Lin Ya led them to a spacious training ground, where more than thirty intermediate students, mostly between the ages of twelve and sixteen, had already gathered. They stood in neat rows, their eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Classmates, this is Senior Sister Yin Yue, the pride of our academy," Lin Ya introduced to the students. "She is currently an agent of the Virtual Universe Company, and her abilities are extremely powerful. Today, she will be guiding you through practical combat techniques."

The students burst into enthusiastic applause.

Yinyue stepped to the front of the group and said gently, "It's a pleasure to return to my alma mater and see my juniors studying kendo so diligently. Today, I'd like to share some practical experience and techniques with you."

She began by explaining some basic practical combat techniques, such as how to observe an opponent's weaknesses, how to remain calm in battle, and how to utilize various environmental factors. Her explanations were vivid, often incorporating her own experiences, which captivated her students.

"Now let's do some practical exercises," Silver Moon said. "Everyone pair up and spar using the techniques we just discussed. Remember, control your strength; focus on the sparring."

The students excitedly began their paired practice. Silvermoon moved around the training ground, occasionally correcting the students' movements and providing guidance on techniques. Rowan stood aside watching, gaining a deeper understanding of the Silver Blue Empire's kendo education.

“Mr. Rowan, would you like to join in the guidance?” Lin Ya said, walking up to Rowan. “Although you’re not a swordsman, your extensive practical experience should offer the children some unique insights.”

"Me? Instructing in swordsmanship?" Rowan was somewhat surprised. "I know nothing about swordsmanship."

“That’s alright. You can work as a teaching assistant for Silvermoon, mainly observing the students’ performance and providing some practical advice,” Lin Ya encouraged. “Different perspectives often reveal different problems.”

Rowan thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. He began to carefully observe the sparring between each pair of students in the training field. Most students performed well, although there were still many areas for improvement, their basic skills were quite solid.

But in a corner of the training field, a little boy caught Rowan's attention. The child looked only eight or nine years old, shorter than his peers, and his movements were clumsy. His opponent was a little girl of similar age, but her strength was clearly much greater than his.

The little boy was defeated time and time again, but each time he stubbornly got up and continued practicing. His face was covered in sweat, and his clothes were soaked, but his eyes still shone with an indomitable spirit. "Who is this child?" Rowan asked a student next to him.

“Oh, that’s Xiao Shi,” the student replied. “He’s the least talented student in our class; the teachers all say he’s not suited for swordsmanship. But he works very hard and practices longer than everyone else every day.”

"The least talented?" Rowan frowned.

"Yes, his reaction time is slow, his coordination is poor, and he has almost no sword sense," the student said with some sympathy. "In fact, many teachers have suggested that he switch to learning other skills, but he just won't give up."

Rowan carefully observed Xiao Shi's practice. Indeed, the child's talent didn't seem particularly good; his movements were stiff, his reactions slow, and the gap between him and his opponents was obvious. However, his focus and perseverance impressed Rowan.

"Xiao Shi, come here for a moment," Rowan said gently as he walked over to the little boy.

Xiao Shi walked over nervously, head down, avoiding Luo Wen's gaze. "Teacher, did I practice very poorly?"

“Lift your head up and let me see your eyes.” Rowan squatted down to look Xiao Shi in the eye.

Xiao Shi timidly raised his head, revealing a pair of clear but slightly melancholy eyes.

"Why do you want to learn swordsmanship?" Rowan asked.

"Because...because I want to become stronger," Xiao Shi whispered. "I want to protect my family and my friends."

"So, how do you feel about your talent?"

Xiao Shi's eyes dimmed: "Everyone says I have no talent and am not suited to learning swordsmanship. But...but I don't want to give up."

Looking at the stubborn little boy, Luo Wen felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He recalled the time when he first started cultivating his spiritual power, when many people also thought he had no talent.

"Little Stone, I want to tell you a secret," Rowan said mysteriously. "You know what? The real strong ones aren't the most talented, but the most persistent."

"Really?" Xiao Shi's eyes lit up.

“Of course it’s true.” Rowan nodded. “Look at those flowers and plants. Some are naturally lush and vigorous, while others look weak. But if given enough sunlight and rain, even those seemingly weak plants can bloom into the most beautiful flowers.”

He pointed to a small tree beside the training field: "Like that tree, it's still very small now, but as long as it keeps growing, it will one day grow into a towering tree."

Xiao Shi nodded as if he understood but not quite.

“Furthermore,” Rowan continued, “I think your problem isn’t a lack of talent, but rather that your method is wrong. You’re too impatient, wanting to become stronger overnight, and in doing so, you’re neglecting the most basic things.”

"Then what should I do?" Xiao Shi asked anxiously.

"First, you must learn to observe," Rowan patiently instructed. "Don't just think about attacking your opponent; observe their movements and find patterns."

He told Xiao Shi to practice with the little girl again, but this time not to rush into an attack, but to observe her sword-wielding habits first.

"She always makes a little gesture before each attack, did you notice?" Rowan reminded him from the side.

After observing carefully for several rounds, Xiao Shi's eyes suddenly lit up: "She slightly rotates her wrist before attacking!"

“Excellent, that’s the power of observation,” Rowan encouraged. “Now you can use this discovery to anticipate her attacks.”

In the following practice sessions, Xiao Shi's performance improved significantly. Although he was still being defeated, he was at least able to anticipate some of his opponent's attacks.

Silver Moon noticed Rowan instructing Little Stone and walked over. "What are you teaching him?"

“Some observation and prediction skills,” Rowan said. “I was deeply moved by this child’s perseverance.”

Yin Yue watched Xiao Shi practice diligently and smiled gently. "Xiao Shi is a special case in our academy. His natural talent isn't exceptional, but his work ethic surpasses that of anyone else."

"Then why did the other teachers advise him to give up?" Rowan asked, puzzled.

"Because talent is indeed very important in swordsmanship training," Silver Moon explained. "Those without sufficient talent will find it difficult to reach a high level, no matter how hard they try. The teachers are doing this for his own good; they don't want him to waste his time on a path that isn't suitable."

“However,” Rowan said, “the meaning of cultivation is not just about reaching a high level, but more importantly, about the growth gained in the process. Even if Xiaoshi never becomes a top swordsman, swordsmanship training can make him stronger and more disciplined, qualities that are useful in any field.”

Silvermoon thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. "You're right. Perhaps we should use different standards to measure success."

At this moment, Teacher Lin Ya walked over. "I saw you guiding Xiao Shi. We're well aware of his situation. To be honest, we're conflicted too; we don't know whether to encourage him to persevere or advise him to change direction."

"Teacher Lin, I'd like to ask if the academy has any special teaching methods for students with less talent?" Luo Wen inquired.

“This is indeed a difficult problem,” Lin Ya sighed. “Our teaching system is mainly designed for gifted students, and we really lack effective methods for special cases like Xiao Shi.”

“If you agree, I’d like to try guiding him in a different way,” Rowan suggested. “Not by teaching him swordsmanship, but by helping him find a training method that suits him.”

"What are your thoughts?" Lin Ya asked with interest.

"I think Xiao Shi's problem isn't talent, but rather that his physical and mental coordination hasn't been developed yet," Luo Wen analyzed. "If we could improve his body control and reaction speed through some special training methods, perhaps things would get better."

"You mean the method of cultivation using mental power?" Silver Moon understood what Luo Wen meant.

"Not entirely, but a comprehensive method combining mental cultivation and physical training," Rowan explained. "Through..."
(End of this chapter)