Birth of the Demonic Sword Chapter 4 - 04. Breath of Heaven and Earth

Time continued to flow, and tales of a brilliant young genius began circulating throughout the Balvan family.

"I heard he could speak fluently just one and a half years after his birth."

"I heard that boy began dashing around each morning before breakfast merely three months after he learned to stand."

"You won’t believe it, but I saw that child by myself in the library of the guests’ building, attempting to yank books from the shelves. Trust me, I was handling the cleaning duties there then, and I caught him gazing at the symbols on the book like he could actually read them. And he was only two years old!"

"That’s impossible. His mother’s request for a teacher got approved two and a half years ago. Are you claiming he could read before even having a teacher?"

"I’m just relaying what I witnessed. I’m not certain he was reading, but he definitely appeared to be attempting it."

Stories like these buzzed everywhere in the guests’ building, passed from one servant to another. All were eagerly anticipating the next milestone the illegitimate son would shatter in his rapid development.

Five years had elapsed since his arrival in this world, during which he diligently trained to strengthen himself and secure a firm position within the family.

He ran daily, incorporating light exercises to bolster his still delicate frame. This routine granted him a lean yet healthy complexion, and he sensed his body gaining strength with each passing day. Nevertheless, though tougher than typical children his age, he remained merely a child. He limited his training to just half an hour daily, respecting the boundaries of his youthful physique. The remainder of his time went to devouring hearty meals of rice and meat, sleeping, or studying.

Two and a half years prior, he had finally received his teacher, allowing him to cease his nocturnal escapades to decode the enigmatic symbols known as writing.

His teacher’s name was Li Neregnes. As one of the scholars employed by the main family to educate their descendants, he held a prestigious status among the guests. Noah’s father, Rhys, escorted him to the outer ring in person, stressing the gravity of the education and warning against treating it lightly.

Evidently, the scholar’s rank outshone his own in Rhys’s view, marking the first occasion Noah had laid eyes on his father since birth.

Li Neregnes was a man in his sixties, sporting gray hair in a ponytail and a short, neatly curled black beard. His expression remained indifferent, as if little captured his attention, and he delivered explanations in a deliberate yet succinct style. However, even this esteemed figure adjusted his approach to Noah upon discovering the boy mastered reading in under six months.

Thereafter, he devoured every tome assigned by the scholar in ever shorter periods, even finding moments to borrow volumes of personal interest from the library on the ground floor. The servants grew so accustomed to his selections that they no longer bothered reminding him to return them.

By age five, Noah grasped the layout around the mansion, the Balvan family’s societal standing, and at last, details concerning cultivators.

The Balvan mansion lay in the rural outskirts by Evergreen Forest, named for its distinctive trees. The wide stone path from the main gate merged into an even grander road heading to Mossgrove, the closest major city under Shosti family control.

The Balvan family served as subordinates to the Shosti family, remitting yearly tributes of gold or resources to maintain authority over this rural domain. They managed the 50 square kilometers encircling the mansion, collecting annual taxes from local villages while shielding them from bandits or magical beasts.

Magical beasts! In this realm, certain animal species possessed the natural talent to draw energy from the world, channeling it to enhance their innate prowess. The fiery lance unleashed by the dragon long ago exemplified this worldly energy amplifying its formidable flames, extending their reach and devastation.

About a year earlier, Noah uncovered a tome on cultivation. This ancient, weighty volume, penned by a cultivator aiming to introduce cultivation concepts to commoners, had evolved into a literary staple. Though the author’s identity faded into obscurity, the book’s title, "Yin-Yang system", endured among the cultured.

’As the book explains, nature’s energy is termed "Breath of Heaven and Earth," which cultivators and magical beasts ingest and store to fortify their forms, extend lifespans, and unleash mystical arts. The "Breath" can bolster the physique and martial moves or fuse with personal mental energy for elemental assaults. The seven elements—light, darkness, fire, water, earth, wind, and thunder—align with one’s innate aptitude, determined at birth. Typically, each person favors one, with mental energy levels dictating proficiency in wielding it.’

Noah sat through a philosophy session with Li Neregnes in a first-floor room of the guests’ building, yet his thoughts drifted relentlessly to the "Yin-Yang system"’s revelations.

’Magical beasts instinctively harness and absorb the "Breath," mastering it organically over their lives; their bloodlines offer clear advantages here. Yet Heaven and Earth balance the scales, denying most the intelligence to fully exploit these boons.’

’Humans craft stone spears or wooden bows and arrows, but require specific techniques to absorb and wield the "Breath," plus tools to gauge elemental affinities.’

’No surprise this tome evaded destruction by cultivators and persists today. Grasping the fundamentals proves futile without proper methods. At best, it enlightens ordinary folk on the arcane.’

’Heaven and Earth are fair, it claims—yet birth into poverty dashes hopes of acquiring techniques. Even I, from a cultivator lineage, can’t guarantee access to those mystical arts... Fair my ass.’

Though Li immersed himself in his lecture, he observed Noah merely nodding whenever glanced at, his gaze locked on one spot in the book before him for a full hour.

Irritated, Li retrieved a wooden stick from behind and jabbed it toward Noah’s left arm.

SNAPP!!!

A sharp slap echoed, and Noah raised his head, clutching the struck spot while eyeing his teacher.

"Still daydreaming about that cultivation drivel? How often must I say it: stop wasting time. You’re merely a bastard son of a mid-tier noble house. Even if the Balvans possess techniques, they’re not for you. Besides, literature embodies true humanity; cultivation’s just slaughter and death—utterly ignoble."

Li scolded him, as this wasn’t Noah’s first mental lapse. Indeed, since completing the "Yin-Yang system", he had lost all enthusiasm for literary lessons. Having achieved his goal of learning about cultivation, they now felt like tedious chores.

"But teacher, even the wisest sage must yield to the feeblest magical beast. Without power to defend yourself, knowledge avails nothing."

SNAPP!!!

Another stick strike hit Noah’s right arm. To Li’s frustration, Noah simply cradled it, emitting a soft grunt, his eyes betraying no fear.

’What’s with this boy? I taught the patriarch’s firstborn son, and at 25 he still dreads my stick. But this kid...’

Such were Li Neregnes’s thoughts, baffled by his failure to discipline a mere five-year-old.

"Enough. Go rest, and don’t prowl the library all night as usual. I’ll see you in two days—better have purged that cultivation nonsense by then."

Rubbing his temples, he gestured toward the door while issuing the command.

At those words, Noah stood, gathered his books, offered a bow, and departed the room.