The Return Of The Exiled Villain

Chapter 337 337: Soul Chasing Extremities Sword Art Third Move!

"Today, I will teach you the third move of the Soul Chasing Extremities: Soul Reaving Pursuit," she stated with a faint smile.

It was quite obvious that she was excited to teach Gray.

"You have already mastered the first two: Severing Pursuit and Soul Binding Trace. The third move combines tracking, binding, and offensive intent into a single, fluid technique. It allows you to pursue a target's soul trail while simultaneously weakening or damaging their soul from a distance."

She gestured for Gray to watch carefully as she assumed a relaxed starting stance, feet shoulder-width apart, sword held loosely at her side.

"First, let me speak a little about the theory. Soul Chasing Extremities relies on Soul Chasing Qi: a special type of qi that resonates with the soul rather than the physical body. You must circulate this qi through your meridians while maintaining a calm, focused mind. Think of it as extending an invisible thread from your soul to the target's residual soul aura. The third move takes this thread and turns it into a blade."

Aurora slowly began demonstrating the footwork.

"Step one, the approach."

She took a smooth, gliding step forward with her left foot, her body lowering slightly as Soul Chasing Qi began to flow visibly around her legs in faint golden threads.

The movement was light, almost weightless, as if she were walking on air.

"The first step gathers momentum and aligns your soul with the target's trail. Your qi should flow downward through your dantian, then split into your legs, creating a stable anchor. Do not rush, and calmly feel the resonance inside of you."

She took the second step with her right foot, this one slightly wider, her hips turning naturally as the golden threads around her legs brightened.

"Step two, the pursuit. This step accelerates the connection. Your body must remain relaxed, yet explosive. The qi in your legs should surge forward like a hunting hound, locking onto the soul trail. Your upper body stays centered, sword ready but not yet attacking."

Aurora repeated the two steps slowly, multiple times, explaining every micro-adjustment, such as the exact angle of the foot, the distribution of weight, and the exact flow of Soul Chasing Qi through specific meridians in the legs.

"Feel how the qi resonates with your intent. You are not chasing with your body alone. Your soul is the hunter."

After ensuring Gray understood the footwork, she moved to the sword stance.

"Now, the upper body and sword."

She raised her sword in a relaxed guard position, elbow slightly bent, blade angled upward.

"The stance is deceptively simple. The sword is an extension of your soul thread. When you execute the move, you will thrust or slash while maintaining the soul connection. The power comes from the resonance between your Soul Chasing Qi and the target's soul aura. The stronger the connection, the more devastating the reaving effect is going to be."

Aurora demonstrated the full movement in slow motion.

She took the first step, qi flowing.

Second step, the pursuit.

Then, with a smooth motion, she thrust her sword forward.

Fwip!

A sharp, golden blade of soul energy extended from the tip, invisible to the naked eye but clearly felt as a piercing intent.

Gray instantly felt every single hair on his body stand up.

'...This move alone should be at the level of a Sovereign Sword Art, considering how strong the Soul Chasing Qi already is.'

'I really didn't make a mistake choosing her as my temporary teacher.'

"This is the third move, the so-called Soul Reaving Pursuit. It can chase, bind, and sever in one fluid action. The key is synchronization. Your footwork creates the path, your intent binds the thread, and your sword reaves the soul."

She performed the complete technique three more times, each repetition slightly faster, explaining the subtle changes in qi flow, breathing, and intent.

Gray watched with absolute focus, absorbing every detail.

When Aurora finally stepped back, she nodded at him.

"Your turn. Take your time. Feel the qi, the steps, the resonance."

Gray nodded once.

He assumed the starting stance: feet shoulder-width apart, body relaxed yet ready, the blade held loosely at his side.

Aurora had just finished her detailed demonstration and explanation.

Most people would need months, even years, to digest the intricate footwork, the precise flow of Soul Chasing Qi through specific meridians, the subtle weight distribution, and the exact moment to inject intent into the soul thread.

Gray, however, was not most people.

'On the first step, she shifted her weight onto the left foot while lowering her center of gravity just enough to anchor the soul. The qi flows from the dantian downward in a smooth, continuous stream, splitting at the hips and traveling along the inner thighs before circulating through the calves and into the soles.'

'Like she explained... It's not about speed, but resonance with the body and soul.. The foot must land as if it's stepping onto the soul trail itself, light enough to not disturb it, but firm enough to lock on.'

He visualized every detail she had shown.

The slight inward turn of the left knee, the way her shoulders stayed perfectly level, and the most difficult part...

The micro-adjustment of her breathing at the exact moment her foot touched the ground.

'Now, the second step, where the explosion happens. The qi that was anchored now surges forward through the right leg like a coiled spring being released. But it's not raw power, but directed intent.'

'The soul thread extends from the tip of the sword, but the real chase comes from the legs. The body must remain centered while the lower half accelerates. The upper body is the sheath, and the legs are the arrow.'

Gray closed his eyes for half a second, replaying Aurora's movements in perfect clarity inside his mind.

He took the essence of her technique and made it his own, refining it, stripping away unnecessary flourishes, and sharpening it into something even more efficient.

When he opened his eyes, they were calm and focused.

He moved.

First step.

Swish!

His left foot slid forward smoothly, almost weightlessly.

Soul Chasing Qi flowed perfectly through his meridians exactly as he had analyzed, downward from his dantian, splitting at the hips, circulating through his legs with flawless precision.

His body lowered just enough, shoulders level, the rapier remaining perfectly still at his side. The step landed with silent authority, as if he was stepping onto an invisible soul trail only he could see.

Second step.

His right foot exploded forward in a controlled burst of speed.

The pursuit qi surged through his right leg like lightning contained within silk. His body remained perfectly centered while the lower half accelerated.

The soul thread extended from the tip of his rapier, locking onto the imaginary target with terrifying clarity.

Then came the execution.

Gray's upper body moved in perfect harmony with his legs, and finally... he thrusted his rapier forward in a clean yet deadly motion.

Fwip!

A sharp, golden blade of soul energy erupted from the tip, not wild or unstable, but refined and deadly.

It shot forward like a hunting spear, carrying both the binding intent of the second move and the reaving edge of the third.

The golden energy sliced cleanly through the reinforced training dummy Aurora had prepared earlier, severing its artificial soul link in a single, flawless strike.

Clank...!

The dummy collapsed instantly, the cut so clean it looked like it had been divided by an invisible blade.

Gray lowered his rapier and exhaled slowly.

Aurora stood frozen for a moment, her red eyes wide with genuine shock and unmistakable pride.

"…You executed Soul Reaving Pursuit perfectly," she said, her voice filled with awe.

"On your very first try. You didn't just copy my movements. You understood the essence behind them and made it your own."

She walked toward him slowly, her hips swaying with each step, until she stood directly in front of him.

Her massive breasts pressed lightly against his chest as she reached up and gently traced the Mark of Beauty on his forehead with her fingertip.

"You really are a demonic genius. An ordinary person would take months or years just to stabilize the footwork. You executed the entire third move on your first try."

"I knew teaching you would be rewarding… but this is beyond even my expectations."

Aurora leaned in closer, her massive breasts practically squishing against his chest as she hazily looked into his eyes.

"Shall we move on to the fourth and final move?" she whispered seductively. "Or… do you want to test the third move on me first?"

Her red eyes sparkled with both professional pride and unmistakable desire.

Gray met her gaze calmly and nodded with a faint smile.

"Let's test it," he said calmly.

"I want to see how effective it is against a real opponent."

Aurora's smile widened, a mix of excitement and challenge flashing across her face. She stepped back gracefully, her sword appearing in her hand once more.

"Very well," she purred.

"Then let's have a proper duel. We'll use only the first three moves of the Soul Chasing Extremities. No other techniques, just pure swordsmanship, okay?"

Gray nodded in agreement.

Aurora's eyes gleamed. She raised her hand and snapped her fingers.

THRUUUM!

A powerful spatial distortion quickly enveloped both of them, and in a single instant, the luxurious office disappeared.

They reappeared in a vast, open battlefield, a training ground hidden deep within the academy's restricted zone.

The ground was made of reinforced dark stone, etched with countless scars from past battles. Towering stone pillars stood in the distance, and the sky above was clear, allowing full freedom of movement.

Aurora adjusted her realm with a casual wave of her hand, suppressing her power until she was only slightly above Gray's current level.

After all... with Gray's frightening power, Aurora was pretty sure that if they were on the same level, she would probably lose, and not give him enough of a challenge.

That was her confidence in how strong Gray truly was.

She raised her sword, assuming a relaxed starting stance, her red dress fluttering slightly in the wind.

"Come then, my genius," she said with a seductive smile.

"Show me what you've learned."