Chapter 375: Attempting the Primary Ritual War Dance
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 375: Attempting the Primary Ritual War Dance
After enduring a wave of enthusiastic sales pitches, I finally managed to obtain a membership card from the front desk senior sister. I swiped it at the entrance and stepped inside.
The senior sisters at the front desk had been aggressively pushing all sorts of services. After all, their primary way of making money was selling services—at least on the surface.
As for what went on at a deeper level, that was hard to say.
Once the senior sister confirmed it was my first time and that I was a complete novice to body arts, she fervently recommended a one-on-one private coach.
I took a quick glance at the rates for the most popular senior sisters and saw that the starting prices required payment in Orichalcum. It genuinely shocked me. Wouldn't I rather spend that Orichalcum on something actually fun instead of being "educated" by a private coach here?
Unless, of course, the private coach’s lessons included some... "extra" hidden benefits.
Given the current situation, that possibility seemed quite high.
Fortunately, I was quick to refuse.
At that moment, my right hand brushed against the Body Tempering Ring on my finger—the one Sister Bai had given me. Although my current clothes weren't exactly suited for strenuous exercise, I wasn't picky.
However, I did make a mental note to buy some athletic wear specifically designed for exercise or body tempering.
Actually, before going out to buy new ones, I should probably check the clothes Sister Bai bought for me. There were so many that I hadn't paid close attention to all of them.
As I walked deeper into the Body Training Hall, I was somewhat surprised. The internal layout was remarkably similar to the gyms in my memory. Many of the machines were common types; there were even standard treadmills and aerobic equipment. Quite a few girls were currently on them, working up a sweat.
Good grief... are they just here for fitness and weight loss?
Since when had body cultivation become such child's play?
This was a far cry from the image of body cultivation I had in mind. I didn't even see anyone practicing the Ritual War Dance in coordination with a Body Tempering Ring.
Seeing me standing still and looking like a fresh face, a coach who wasn't currently assisting any students walked over.
Noticing that someone had already beaten them to the punch, the other coaches who were warming up or doing cardio stayed put, though they continued to eye me with curiosity.
"Little junior sister, is this your first time here?"
"Yes."
I nodded slightly and turned to look at the senior sister approaching me.
She wore minimalist athletic gear that accentuated her fiery physique. Every movement as she walked toward me radiated confidence and poise. Her exposed wheat-colored skin and the smooth, elegant lines of her muscles spoke volumes of her daily, tireless effort.
Meeting her gaze, I subconsciously swallowed. I had to admit, the senior sisters here had a completely different vibe from the ones I usually encountered.
Then again, when Sister Bai recommended this place to me, did she really consider the actual circumstances?
Was she truly comfortable letting me come here?
I asked myself several questions in a row before quickly calming down. I wasn't the one in the wrong; it was this Body Training Hall. I just wanted to find an open space to perform my daily body tempering routine.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm one of the coaches here, Liv. Here is my business card. If you need anything, you can contact me or just come find me directly. I can give you some advice for free—provided I'm available."
"Thank you." I took the card and offered a polite acknowledgment. However, I did have a question. "Actually, I was wondering... where is the area for formal body cultivation?"
"Formal body cultivation?" Liv blinked, then flashed a professional smile. "Body cultivation isn't a game. The entry threshold is very high. I wouldn't suggest a beginner jump straight into cultivation."
"Besides, looking at your small frame, your physical fitness is a bit concerning. If you start training now, you'll likely suffer from cramps, muscle strains, and the like. Before you start formal body cultivation, I suggest you do some general fitness training or yoga to improve your flexibility and overall physical condition."
The senior sister explained patiently, treating me entirely like a brand-new junior sister who needed guidance.
"That won't be necessary. Thank you for the kind offer, Senior Sister, but I have a bit of a foundation in body cultivation. I'm just here to find a place where I can practice the Ritual War Dance." I politely declined her suggestion, raising my right hand to show the ring as proof.
"Oh? Is that so? I really... couldn't tell. Haha." Her eyes drifted to the ring on my finger. When she saw the design, a flicker of surprise crossed her face.
As for my claim of having a "foundation," she clearly didn't believe a word of it. After all... who comes to practice body cultivation wearing casual clothes like this? She even had a leg ring on... it wasn't convincing at all.
"I see that Body Tempering Ring of yours is quite an old model. It's probably a bit outdated. Our hall has the latest models. If you're interested, switching to a new one would be much more efficient, you know?"
"No, thank you. This ring has special meaning to me. I just want to ask if there's a place for body cultivation that's a bit more... open? A senior sister recommended this place to me, saying there was enough space to practice the Ritual War Dance."
"Alright, alright. Since you're insistent, the body cultivation area is through that corridor. It's right in the back. But be warned, that's not a place for playing around. The senior sisters back there are the real deal. While they might not necessarily pick a fight with a cute little junior sister like you, they might still try to take some liberties. If you can't handle that, you can always book a private training room. No one will disturb you there, though the price is a bit steep."
"Thank you for the warning, Senior Sister. I'll go take a look first."
I declined her again. I had already been pitched so many things since walking in; it felt like this place was a venue where you could enjoy any service as long as you paid.
But I just wanted to do some simple body tempering. There was no need to be so extravagant.
As for her saying people there were the "real deal"... it remained to be seen who would be dealing with whom.
Still, I couldn't be careless. If I tripped up in an unexpected place, I'd truly be at the mercy of others.
Liv watched my retreating back and sighed. She hadn't managed to sell a single thing, and now she was watching a little junior sister walk into a den of wolves. What a tragedy...
Ultimately, feeling uneasy, she quietly followed. She was, after all, a veteran powerhouse of the Body Arts Exchange Club. It wouldn't be good if things got out of hand.
The girl was a newcomer, likely introduced by an acquaintance. If she were to experience the "handiwork" of those predatory senior sisters, Liv didn't even want to imagine the consequences...
* * *
Once I passed through the corridor, the area behind it suddenly opened up. Even I was surprised by the scale of the space. After a quick look, I used Spirit Vision to detect the spatial anomalies; this was clearly a massive indoor structure maintained by spatial magic.
This place was distinctly different from the "playful" area outside. Even the equipment exuded a sense of violent aesthetics.
The air here wasn't just thick with female hormones; there was also a faint, lingering scent of blood.
It seemed people actually bled here. That senior sister hadn't been lying.
My first impression upon entering was that there weren't many people. The most prominent feature was a raised area in the center, arranged like a dueling arena, though no one was currently competing on it.
Looking around, the rest of the space was divided into various zones where senior sisters were training individually.
Contrary to my expectation of being immediately harassed, the senior sisters here mostly just glanced over to see who the newcomer was.
However, my arrival did draw quite a bit of curious scrutiny. They didn't recognize me. Most of the regulars here knew each other by sight, so a fresh face naturally drew a few extra looks.
Some senior sisters also wore subtle, knowing smiles, as if waiting for a show. Some were simply curious to see if anyone would go over to pick a fight.
But unfortunately for them, no one did.
Everyone was quite busy, which I found somewhat admirable.
I found an empty, open spot and, after a brief warm-up, began to recall the Ritual War Dance meant to be used with the primary Body Tempering Ring.
Immediately, memories of the war dance flooded in from my Memory Bookshelf. Every movement, the flow of the poses, and the key points to watch out for surfaced in my mind.
Then, I instinctively began to move my body. The Ritual War Dance felt relatively light and brisk, emphasizing flow and seamless execution. After all, it was a behavioral ritual—an interpretation and application of ritual runes. In essence, this war dance was no different from the chanting rituals used in spellcasting.
I estimated that a full set of the dance would take about ten minutes.
As I moved, I felt a slight heat on my finger. This sensation was familiar; it was exactly like when a spellbook autonomously drew mana to cast a spell.
For freshmen or lower-year students, their mental power wasn't strong enough to control mana directly, so spellbooks and alchemical items were designed to draw mana automatically.
It seemed the Body Tempering Ring was beginning to work under the influence of the ritual.
I didn't block the mana absorption. As it drew power, a warm current flowed from the ring, traveling up my right arm and spreading through my entire body. A wave of comfort washed over me.
As a self-awakening body cultivator, I could feel the minute changes in my body. This energy was slowly nourishing me—strengthening, altering, and accelerating my metabolism...
The improvement was slow but almost tangible. However, before I could finish the first set of the ritual, I felt an abnormal drain on my stamina.
As the dance continued, fine beads of sweat began to break out on my skin.
"Primary Ritual War Dance? You're moving without any force. You won't get any results like that."
A senior sister wearing a tight athletic crop top walked over with a water bottle, watching me with curiosity before offering a critique.
"Thank you."
I responded politely during a transition between movements. This was indeed my first time practicing the full dance, so I was naturally unfamiliar with it. I was also experimenting; it seemed that different postures, levels of force, and mental states affected the strengthening power coming from the ring.
"Don't talk while practicing the war dance. Just listen." The senior sister took a gulp of water. Her crop top was already soaked with sweat, and glistening droplets gathered and rolled down her abdominal muscles.
The set finished about ten minutes later. I took a deep breath, savoring the sensation, and then looked at the senior sister. Although she had only given me a tip as if I were a beginner, it had indeed saved me from some trial and error and provided me with new ideas.
"Thank you, Senior Sister."
Regardless of anything else, a word of thanks was necessary. However, she didn't seem to care much for the gratitude. She just picked up her water bottle and walked away, seemingly having her own business to attend to. Her coming over seemed to be purely out of curiosity toward a newcomer.
I was quite happy with this kind of interaction. These days, senior sisters in the Witch Academy who knew how to maintain a sense of distance were rare.
After stretching a bit more, I prepared to practice the Ritual War Dance a few more times. After that first attempt, I had gained some insight and a few leads. I needed a large amount of repetitive practice to verify my theories.
The important part of the Ritual War Dance was the ritual—the interpretation of it. The dance was merely the physical expression. Movements, postures, force, and mental state were all variables within the ritual.
The senior sister had said my movements lacked "force." This was likely a technique she had discovered herself. Physical force was a crucial ritual variable; many movements required great strength to achieve precise control.
But I wasn't going to just train blindly. I wasn't some muscle-brained brute; I was the intellectual type who used my head.
The "insight" I mentioned earlier came from these movements. I was trying to reverse-engineer the ritual runes corresponding to these actions. I wanted to know exactly which runes they mapped to so I could study them specifically. Using that as a guide would be far more effective.
I lightly wiped away the sweat and checked my stamina. It seemed I had enough left for many more repetitions.
But before long, several other senior sisters gathered around me. Like the one before, they began to offer "guidance," but their tone was noticeably different. I ignored them and continued to experiment according to my own ideas.
"Oh my~ Junior Sister, you're doing it all wrong. Your senior sister is kindly trying to teach you, so how can you be so disobedient? Is your comprehension just too low? Your senior sister can teach you... hand-to-hand~"