They set off for the training grounds, but they didn't choose the Central Grounds where most of their Sect's disciples were gathered at the time, including the main disciples and the 2 main disciples, as well as their classmates.

Instead, they chose a site on the outskirts of the Sect's territory, deep in the forest, so as not to attract unwanted eyes.

After walking for 20-25 minutes, the two boys finally arrived at the training ground. It was located away from the main buildings of the Sect and their residential part.

The training ground itself was nothing more than a field consisting of 18-20 stone slabs.

Each slab was 2-3 steps in size. The stone slabs were laid out without a small gap between them, although here and there one could see broken and cracked stone slabs or deep cracks caused by the strong blows of the Sect's disciples.

Stepping onto the slabs, Trevor took a few steps and immediately began training his second sword technique «Forest of Swords», which was almost bronze difficulty, but with the help of his teacher and a stable core of energy, he could already reach a high level of proficiency in the technique.

Seeing that Trevor had already started training, Mac decided to join him.

Looking around, he saw a narrow path that led him and Trevor to the site, which was surrounded by a dense, dense forest with tall trees stretching to the sky, and not a single living soul around.

After walking a little further, Mac chose a whole stone slab without any damage or irregularities. Without any further ado, Mac calmly took out his one metre long training sword, which was made of wood and had a straight, thick blade.

Taking the sword in his hands, Mac began to practice the basics of fencing.

To practice the basics of fencing, one did not need to have spiritual energy, nor did one need to be of a certain age.

Anyone could practice the basics of fencing. It was not a popular activity among the Sect's students, but everyone had to practice it to better understand sword techniques and improve their overall body tone. Although not everyone did it.

Mac started the training with a warm-up of all parts of the body.

Next was a special stance with a balanced posture and evenly distributed weight.

He also practised footwork techniques such as stepping and sliding to maintain mobility and manoeuvrability during the fight.

The last stage was the practice of basic fencing strokes, namely chopping and slashing, and finally barbed blow and blocks.

Mac spent more than an hour practising the basics and warming up.

When he had finished practising the basics of fencing, Mac stopped.

He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked around the training ground.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make any new progress in his fencing technique.

Everything remained at the same level - complete knowledge of the technique. Is there any higher level of knowledge than complete knowledge of the technique?

Mac thought for a moment. However, the sound of Trevor's heavy breathing coming from a distance interrupted his thoughts. Mac closed his eyes.

A light breeze blew over his body and allowed him to relax for a second. As wild birds chirped melodiously, Mac opened his eyes and with renewed vigour and determination, he began to train his sword techniques.

Mac practised 2 sword techniques of bronze difficulty.

The first sword technique was a chopping stroke technique called the "Decisive Heavy Sword Stroke".

The technique consists of a main stroke, which consisted of a strong and decisive strike from top to bottom with a step forward and the transfer of the entire body weight to the front leg.

As well as additional strikes, which were only an adaptation of the main strike and had changes in the direction of the front leg step, which were aimed at increasing the force of the strike.

One of these strokes was performed holding the sword with both hands.

The second sword technique was a slashing technique called the "White Blade Wind Flash".

This technique could be performed standing on the ground or with a step forward or to the side, or for defence with a step back.

And the main thing in this technique was the stance from which the swordsman began to perform the blow, which was a vertical swing of the blade, moving along a trajectory from the bottom, taking the sword out of the scabbard, and moving diagonally upwards.

One of the features was the speed with which the strikes were delivered, which looked like flashes of white light to the enemy, and combined with the accuracy with which they were delivered, the enemy simply had no chance of winning.

But Mac could not let anyone know that he was practising these sword techniques. In the Silver Blade Sect, there were clear and unbreakable rules regarding the ratio of techniques to the cultivation level of disciples.

Those who were at the 1st to 3rd stage of the Energy Core Formation level could only practice techniques of wooden complexity, but only techniques for cultivating spiritual energy.

From the 4th stage of the Energy Core Formation level, students could study sword technique books.

At stages 4-6, students could practice techniques of wood and copper complexity.

And at the 7th and 8th stages, the techniques of bronze and silver difficulty.

And only at the 9th stage, the student was allowed to practice golden techniques.

This division was related to the amount of energy needed to perform the techniques, the depth of knowledge of the technique, and the stability of the energy core in the student's body.

The rules of the Sect forbade violating this distribution of techniques and levels of difficulty. And those who practised sword techniques without reaching the 4th stage of the Energy Core Formation level were expelled from the ranks of the Sect without further ado.

The reason for such a harsh punishment was that a disciple could harm the formation of the energy core by such rash actions and thereby stop his development altogether or form the core poorly, and then even if he had an incredibly high talent, he could not rise above the level of Energy Core Formation, and even if he could, few of them could practice the techniques of the level of Energy Core Saturation, and if they could, it was much more difficult for them than for others and they could not achieve full cognition.

That is, such cultivators could not have a great future.

That is why the disciples of the Sect spent a lot of effort on the rapid progression of the stages of cultivation, which allowed them to more easily master various sword techniques of higher levels of difficulty.

For example, someone who was at the 9th stage of the Energy Core Saturation level would only need a few hours to understand a bronze difficulty sword technique of the Energy Core Formation level, while someone who was at the 2nd stage of the Energy Core Formation level might not have a lifetime to understand a copper difficulty sword technique of the Energy Core Saturation level.

And although Mac was only at the 3rd stage of Energy Core Formation, he still practised sword techniques of bronze complexity, which, according to the rules of the Sect, could be practised without harming their core and future development only by those who were at the 7-8th stage.

And despite this, he achieved an average level of knowledge in both.