Refining the Heavens (炼天)

B2, Chapter 28: Return to the forest

Under the glow of moonlight, the boys hurried back to the Black Forest on Wyrmy's back. The great beast, knowing that time is of the essence charged at top speed the entire way with his stubby feet, but it was the following night when they finally arrived.

The boys leapt off before the Land Wyrm stopped and they raced towards the Grey Wolves' lair like fleeting shadows. When they arrived, all of them unconsciously stopped.

It wasn't that the Grey Wolves managed to fight back. No, it was the opposite. It was a scene of pure devastation.

Blood splattered across the forest ground. Crimson liquid dripped off the leaves around the place. Entire trees were uprooted, and many torn into pieces from razor-sharp claws. Bodies of both Black Winds and Greys are strewn about on the ground covered in bite marks or torn into pieces.

None of the corpses was eaten. The wolves don't eat their own kind, but it only made things more gruesome.

Their eyes trailed across all the death and destruction in horror until they saw that deeper in the woods, a great battle is still raging.

Even in the darkness, they could see that it was a defensive battle. The Grey Wolves had retreated into the rocky mound of their lair, restricting the enemy movements, and granting them protection from the crows that were persistently swooping down on them.

"We got to save them!"

"Hit them by the flanks."

"Roger!"

The five of them charged as a team and dove deep into the middle of the Black Winds. Then, each of them turned towards a predetermined direction and split up.

Of course, this time, the archer found himself alone, without even Alan, his usual protector.

Edward waltzed forward, unfazed by the gleaming fangs that are baring in his face.

"Crushing the mountains, striking the moon!" The beasts that leapt at him were crushed downward with incredible force from his bow, then with a quick spin on his heel, he slashed upwards with outstretched arms and sliced them in two with his wrist blades. It was quick, efficient, and deadly.

The archer continued to walk forward, fearlessly facing a remarkable number of enemies without the safety of distance.

On the other side, Tommy barrelled forward like a human cannonball.

"Formless style, Breaking the swaying cherry blossom!" he whispered as if trying to memorise something he read.

A quick upward sweep with his fist caused the wolves to blast skyward, then with a swift thrust from his other hand, he pounded it – and all that was being it - into obliteration.

Breaking the swaying cherry blossom, he displayed the skill with such amazing strength that it was more akin to crushing the poor cherry tree. There wouldn't be a need for burial after this.

The Formless Stance is about the intent and without the stance.

Most martial skills emphasise on the form as a little mistake would greatly weaken its effects. However, the genius who created the original Formless Sword removed the correct postures needed to execute the skills. What was left are only two things: The Sword and the result.

These two things are the very ingredients for acquiring Sword Intent, a power that masters strive for. Likewise for the modified Formless Style. Without a sole method to get results had caused the same move in Tommy's hands to have a style unique to himself, and he believes that having overwhelming power can succeed when a thousand techniques fail.