'Imperial Style.'
Thales chewed on the word for a while.
'A style that is comparable to the' Temple '.
'Is it the Empire's style, or the Emperor's style?'
"Now, do you understand?"
Mallos gently stroked the hilt of the sword at his waist. His gaze was complicated and indecipherable.
"Imperial Style is a martial art passed down from the Age of the Empire. To Constellation, to the Jadestar Royal Family, and especially to you, what is its significance?"
There were few people on the training field. The depths of the courtyard were silent. Only the main hall made of stone stood majestically behind him. It remained the same under the dark gray sky.
Thales pondered for a long time before he spoke.
"In that case, 'Imperial Style' not only represents martial arts, but also history. Its significance is extraordinary. It is equivalent to the Jadestar Royal Family's family style …"
'So, this is another story of reading history to make me' study hard '…'
At this thought, Thales was speechless.
'Wait.
'Jadestar Royal Family style …'
Thales' expression changed slightly. Beside him, Mallos did not say anything.
"Doyle of Mirror River …"
The prince suddenly uttered this surname out of the blue.
"Last night, the fight between Doyle and Byrael …"
Thales looked at the watchman and spoke in surprise and doubt.
"Although their weapons and styles are different, I have an impression that Doyle's swordsmanship style also belongs to the Imperial Style."
Mallos narrowed his eyes slightly.
After a few seconds, the watchman nodded.
"Danny Doyle was the last squire Knight Joaquin took into his service. Before Knight Joaquin passed away, he was the head swordsmanship instructor hired by the Jadestar Royal Family for the private army in their territory. He can be said to be a master of the Imperial Style martial arts. "
Jadestar Private Army's swordsmanship instructor.
With his doubts confirmed, Thales' gaze shifted and he immediately asked.
"What about the others?"
"Apart from Toledo and Doyle? Glover? Bastia? And you? "
Thales fixed his gaze on Mallos.
The watchman smiled faintly, confirming his guess.
"Yes.
"Glover, Morgan, Vladivostok, Oskar from the Vanguard Division …
"Bastia, Franzuke, Ferri, Kusta from the Defense Division …
"Including my subordinates, Tang Xin and Cefanov."
Mallos' palm was still pressed on the hilt of his sword, and he seemed to sigh.
"That's not all. Your Star Lake Guards, or more accurately, the entire Royal Guards, most of them are practitioners of the Imperial Style."
Most of them were the royal guards.
Thales first understood a little, then he furrowed his eyebrows in deep thought.
"As for me, the teachers who taught me martial arts are also Imperial Style Knights."
The watchman slowly said,
"Thanks to the Jadestar Private Army, even the regular soldiers of the royal family, who have only been organized for a few decades, are more or less influenced by it. Many people from the officers to the soldiers are practicing."
Thales was silent for a long while.
He quietly pondered the logic behind it.
Mallos did not rush him, but waited patiently for the prince's reaction.
"Mallos."
A few seconds later, Thales spoke faintly, and he sounded a little absent-minded.
"Say, between Temple and Imperial Wind, when people choose their own sect, what do they pay attention to?"
At that moment, Mallos' gaze was slightly dazed.
He loosened his grip on the hilt of his sword.
"I think, in the era of the rise of the powerful and the chaos of the world, the skills taught by the Tower of Eradication will often be popular for a time, spread out, and become famous in the eyes of the people."
The dazed look in the watchman's eyes disappeared, and he became calm again.
"And in times of peace and prosperity, when the country is prosperous and the people are at peace, the orthodox style of the Empire will become the trend that people compete to pursue."
Mallos looked at Thales, calm as usual, but the pause between his words was unusual.
"Do you understand?"
Thales took a deep breath.
He sat upright and faced his personal guard captain cum martial arts teacher with a stern expression.
"Mallos.
"What do you want to talk about in today's lesson?"
The smile on Mallos' lips widened a little, but he shrugged, looking innocent and helpless.
"Of course it's about the two major representative sects in the world …"
But Thales interrupted him.
"You can be more straightforward, you don't have to be so secretive and careful." The Duke of Star Lake stared at him sternly.
"I don't censor keywords."
Mallos froze for a moment.
He snorted softly.
"Then, as intelligent as you are, what do you think I want to talk about?"
The two of them stared at each other quietly for a moment.
Until Thales took a deep breath, closed his eyes gently, and opened them again.
"South Coast Hill, that blockhead from the Karabeyan Family … Ahem, I mean, respected Young Master Cohen."
Thales stared at Mallos, and his tone was solemn.
"As far as I know, he's a student of the Tower of Eradication.
"According to you, he's a disciple of the 'Temple'."
Mallos raised his eyebrows, but did not comment.
"Northern Territory, Miss Miranda from the Arunde Family.
"And last night, Western Desert, Crow Caw City's Anker Byrael.
"And Ness, as you said, before he moved to Central Territory, he lived in Blade Edge Hill."
Thales' tone was certain, and he pushed forward.
"Oh, and the Eckstedtians."
Thales recalled what Wya had told him.
"As far as I know, the famous' Ground-Shaker 'Kaslan Lampard also learned his skills from the Tower of Eradication when he was young."
Hearing this name, Mallos moved slightly, as if deep in thought.
He looked up and leisurely responded to the prince.
"You do know a lot, Your Highness."
Thales frowned.
"And last night, when you said that the assassin's martial arts originated from the Tower of Eradication, your old enemy — sorry, I mean vice-captain Lord Vogel —'s first reaction was: that's a foreign noble."
Thales paused for a moment, but Mallos remained calm.
"As for Imperial Style …"
Thales felt that he had caught hold of that thread, and was pulling it tighter and tighter until he reached the crux.
"In my guards, Doyle and Glover are both from Central Territory. To be precise, they're the Seven Jadestar Attendants.
"And you said that Toledo is a branch descendant of the Seven Jadestar Attendants.
"Even you, Tormond Mallos, are considered a descendant of the Seven Jadestar Attendants."
Mallos' breathing stagnated.
"And 'most' of the other royal guards."
Thales said seriously,
"The Temple and Imperial Style.
"Is it a coincidence that their practitioners are so different?"
But Mallos still did not respond to his words, and instead asked in return,
"What do you think?"
Thales frowned. He thought to himself, 'This guy's words are as precious as gold. He's definitely taking revenge on the prince for cutting in earlier.'
"I guess …"
Thales tried to make a deduction.
"At least in Constellation, the local nobles tend to send their children to the Tower of Eradication to learn the martial arts of the Temple?
"The suzerains in Central Territory, on the other hand, follow the legacy of Imperial Style more to get closer to the Jadestar Royal Family's preferences?
"Is that so?"
Mallos smiled and did not comment on it.
Thales exhaled.
"Let's go deeper …"
The prince frowned.
"The skills of the Tower of Eradication are spread throughout the kingdom, especially to the local aristocratic families that have a long history and are used to dividing their rule.
"The Imperial Style is based in the center of Constellation, with Eternal Star City as its foundation, and is highly respected by the knights surrounding the throne."
Thales' eyes brightened.
"The Temple and the Imperial Style, martial arts sects … I think I understand now."
Thales no longer cared about Mallos' reaction. He started to think on his own.
For thousands of years, especially during the Age of the Empire, the Temple and the Imperial Style were in a stalemate, competing with each other.
But this was not the difference between different sects and the battle of swords in the wuxia novels of his previous life.
"Just like the Power of Eradication," Thales recalled what Ricky said in the dungeon and subconsciously repeated it.
"They are not only themselves, but also the warriors themselves."
Mallos frowned slightly.
Thales spoke faster and faster.
"The Temple of Knights originated from the ancient Northland. Its martial arts were spread among the rangers and scattered warriors, spreading to all parts of the world.
"Their opponent, the Imperial Style, originated from the Ancient Empire. It benefited from the orthodoxy of imperial power, inherited from the knights of the army, and benefited from the center of the court.
"From the beginning, these two were born from different people, and developed and grew as these people fought against each other."
Thales said absentmindedly.
"After a thousand years, they underwent a complete transformation and became the two main martial arts in the Heavenly Body Realm that revolved around the throne and royal authority."
"The Temple.
"The Imperial Style."
Mallos stared at the prince.
Thales ignored him.
At this moment, he was immersed in thought.
'Yes, just like Ricky said before.
'The Power of Eradication is closely related to the warrior, reflecting each person's experience and personality …
'The martial arts sects are intimately linked to the real world, reflecting each person's inclination and choice.'
Thales said absentmindedly.
"Because they are not just two major sects. Their competition is not just about honor and reputation, but also about the naked reality of politics."
"In ancient times, the people who used them were entangled with the distinction between the center of the empire and the local regions.
"In the present age, the practitioners of both revolve around the difference between the king of Constellation and the vassals' governance."
Thales raised his head and looked at Mallos with certainty.
"This is not just about martial arts.
"It is also about politics and power, history and change.
"This is the truth and meaning of the two major sects to this day.
"This is also what you really want to tell me, right?"
Mallos smiled. His smile was very gratified.
He looked at the sparse and deserted courtyard in the distance due to the intertwining of autumn and winter.
"To be honest, I am not good at interpreting politics, and I do not want to mislead you, Your Highness …"
Thales shook his head and interrupted him.
"Nonsense. Your mind is as clear as a mirror, and very thorough."
The prince no longer looked at Mallos. His gaze was distant.
'Thousands of years ago …
'The general trend rolled and gathered into a tide.
'The human race will prosper, and the Temple will shine.
'Whatever is good at the top, will be even worse at the bottom.
'The direction of the imperial power leads to the formation of the imperial style.'
Mallos looked at the prince who was lost in thought and fell into silence.
Thales glanced at Ness and Toledo, who were wiping their sweat and drinking water after the battle — the former seemed to be still brooding over it, while the latter did not care at all.
The clash of their swords and sabers seemed to ring in his mind again:
'Clang.'
Thales was stunned.
Ness's swift sword light, Toledo's tenacious defense.
It was not just a duel between two people, or even a clash between two major sects.
In that battle, what he glimpsed was a scene from a thousand years ago:
'The emperor and the vassals.
'The empire and the rangers.
'Unity and chaos.
'Iron blood and flamboyance.
'And now, a thousand years later …'
Thales' thoughts drifted far away.
'In troubled times, it is difficult to start a chaotic war.
'So the Tower of Eradication was erected, and its disciples were everywhere.
'Constellation was restored, and the royal power was expanded.
'With knights to inherit it, the imperial style was eternal.
'The local nobles chose the Tower of Eradication, and the Seven Jadestar Attendants chose to approach the imperial style.
'The central and the local.
'Centralization and division.
'The king and the vassals.
Thales thought about it all in a daze, and the more he understood.
There was nothing in this world that was illusory, a castle in the air that fell from the sky.
Even martial arts and swordsmanship, which seemed innocent and independent, external objects or tools that were only related to personal interests and choices, were no exception.
The emergence of the Temple and the imperial style was closely related to the times. Their competition was by no means isolated and static, but the result of history and politics, reality and power working together.
The opposition between the two was a faithful reflection of the relationship between people in terms of martial arts inheritance and real violence.
The times created them.
They reflected the times.
Martial arts were like that, and people even more so.
At this thought, Thales sighed.
"It seems that the Gray Sword Guards were right.
"Since ancient times, swords cannot escape their sheaths."
'Gray Sword Guards?'
Hearing this evaluation of the elites of the previous generation, Mallos was stunned, and seemed puzzled.
But Thales just shook his head.
"For every martial art, every school, no matter how strong, how glorious, how powerful, how illustrious …"
Thales breathed a sigh of relief.
"The background of the times, the soil of society, and even the people who use them, are the true 'sheaths' that they cannot escape."
Mallos fell into deep thought and nodded slightly.
At this point, Thales suddenly remembered what Scholar Bonar said in grammar class just now.
"Language is a tool, a result, but also a master, a cause. It is the best example of turning from guest to host, and deeply influencing its users in the midst of change …"
Thales subconsciously froze.
'Be it martial arts or language.
'They are not just ignorant and senseless tools.
'On the contrary, they are put into their sheaths by the people who use them, branded with their own brand, and given the characteristics of the times and society. From then on, they become one, inseparable, and even … human.
'They even turn from guest to host, influencing more people through inheritance and practice, continuing to strengthen and push forward the trend of the times.
"Theology, at the end of the day, is about the knowledge of people."
Priestess Melgen's words rang in his mind.
"Just like the Temple and the imperial style."
Thales subconsciously said,
"Their opposing meanings, from ancient times to the present, have been passed down in the bodies of millions of practitioners, germinating and seeking opportunities to bloom, whether they are aware of it or not."
'They are constantly changing and entangling in countless realms of reality and politics.
'They resound with every clash of weapons, the lingering sound lingering.'
In this second, Thales recalled the scene of the duel between Ness and Toledo.
But in the next moment, he saw the banquet hall from last night, the furious fight between Doyle and Anker.
No, not just them.
Mallos, Doyle, Glover …
Kaslan, Cohen, Miranda …
"They live in every warrior, every weapon, and every battle."
Thales said absentmindedly,
"One after another, competing for a thousand years without results."
"Until now."
Never left, never diminished, never weakened.
But people are in it.
Used daily without realizing it.
Unaware of it after a long time.
Unable to escape its sheath.
Mallos pondered for a moment and suddenly smiled.
"It seems that I don't need to say anything more."
Thales smiled too.
He looked at the racks of weapons on the training ground, then raised his head and looked at the gloomy sky.
At that moment, he felt that everything in the air was shrouded in it.
Perhaps, this was the zither string of the era.
Thales was deeply moved.
It was the syllables it played in every detail of history.
Small and traceless, but its shadow was endless.
Faintly discernible, but unbearably heavy.
"Mallos, the sects you mentioned before …"
Thales sighed slowly.
"I went back and looked up the information."
Mallos looked at the Duke of Star Lake and felt the latter's heaviness.
He heard Thales say slowly,
"The Attack and Defense Sect, or the Northern Sect, it arose from the years of conflict between Constellation and Eckstedt at the border.
"The Martial Arts Sect, inherited from the church armed forces that flourished during the Age of the Empire. They were once the guardians of the temple of faith.
"The New Trend, it manifests in the mercenaries and adventurers of modern times.
"These martial arts, they all have their own origins, right?"
Thales fixed his gaze on Mallos.
"Just like what I said today, the Temple and the Imperial Style."
Mallos stared back at him for a long time before he said faintly,
"War and chaos, peace and prosperity, can give birth to different martial arts and martial artists, either colorful and unbelievable, or orthodox and uniform in style."
The watchman looked at the distant horizon.
"I heard that in the foreign lands of the Eastern Peninsula, the further away it is from us, the more different the martial arts."
Thales chuckled, feeling a little relieved.
"The changes of the times affect and shape everything," the prince said sentimentally.
"Cause and effect are connected, and no one can escape, and nothing can escape."
As for those technological methods that transcended history and could still be developed smoothly …
Martial arts manuals that transcended the times and could still kill in all directions …
Thales sighed.
As expected, they could only appear in rebirth and transmigration.
"But no matter what, there is one thing that will never change."
Mallos stood up. His face was stern and his tone was cold.
"All martial arts, at the end of the day, are all based on violence.
"All violence, when the mask is removed, can kill."
The watchman said profoundly,
"Your Highness, it is better to be careful."
Thales frowned.
Power comes from violence.
'Is that so?'
"Why?"
Thales lowered his eyes.
"Why are you telling me this, and even demonstrating the lesson?"
Mallos inhaled and exhaled slowly.
"Because this is the lesson you will be teaching today."
He looked at the main building of Mindis Hall. His gaze was gloomy, and his thoughts were unknown.
"Are you ready?"
'Ready?'
Thales did not answer immediately.
He was thinking about something else at the moment.
'Since the style of martial arts is like that, so is the Power of Eradication. They all carry the mark of people, the traces of the times, and reflect the changes of power in reality.
'Then …'
Thales' gaze sharpened.
'Before the Magic Tower collapsed, before the wizards went extinct, before knowledge was listed as taboo and was still the supreme knowledge in the world …
'What is the face of magic?
How does it intersect with people, is closely related to the times, and is entangled with reality? '
Thales was immersed in his thoughts.
"Sir, Your Highness!"
In the distance, following the sound of footsteps, Bastia's nervous and deep voice rang through the training field.
"Renaissance Palace is here!"
At that moment, Thales and Mallos fell silent.
Bastia's muscular body stepped onto the ground of the training field, stirring up endless sand and dust.
"His Majesty's order!
"The Duke of Star Lake is urgently summoned to the palace for an audience immediately!"
Thales was silent for a while.
Mallos did not move an inch.
They turned a blind eye to the protector's anxiety.
Finally, when Bastia could not help but repeat the order, Thales slowly stood up.
'He's here.'
"Yes, Mallos."
Thales took a deep breath.
He smiled faintly and answered the watchman's question, "Warm up complete."
"I'm ready."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
