Sword God in a World of Magic

"Is this truly what you want?" Shang asked as he faced his student.

His student was a black-haired man who seemed to be in his thirties, and he was also over two meters tall, which was quite intimidating.

Surprisingly, he didn't have an Affinity.

However, not having an Affinity also increased someone's physical power by a little bit.

"Is fighting this aggressively truly what you wish for?" Shang asked.

The student looked to the ground as he furrowed his brows in thought.

"Do I have a choice?" the student asked.

"Yes, you always have a choice," Shang said. "You can follow whatever Path you want to follow, Duma."

Duma, Shang's student, wasn't quite sure what he should answer. "But what if my Path doesn't lead to an Impose, Master?"

Shang slowly shook his head. "The principle of Impose is to impose your will upon the world around you. The world is not the one that decides what gets an Impose or not. You are the one."

"Duma, you view yourself as a protector, not a killer," Shang said. "You told me that your goal is to protect your loved ones, correct?"

Duma nodded.

"Then, you should follow a Path that shows that. The Path you have established is a Path of the shield, and you broke into the True Path Stage with that. The gladius you use as an actual weapon hasn't received its own Path."

"Yet, as soon as you became my student, you started to emulate my way of fighting. You are using your shield to throw the enemy to the side, to crush them, and to break their balance, but you are not using it to block an attack or push the enemy away."

"Watching me train and fight has given you the illusion that following my Path is the only way to become powerful."

Duma didn't look at Shang's face.

"Is what I have taught you over the last two years worth just this much?" Shang asked in an even voice. "Are you someone that simply follows what others do? Have I not taught you to think and decide for yourself?"

None of the two of them said anything.

At the moment, Duma's imposing figure stood in front of the corpse of an Early True Path Stage corpse, but in front of Shang, he felt tiny.

smaller than Duma in stature, and Shang's frame was

Master felt like an

this all you're good for?" Shang asked after a while. "Following orders?

say anything for

couple of seconds. "Not everyone can be

Shang didn't answer.

develop your Impose without any guidance.

at the

what you are doing, but just thinking about the possible consequences of making a

don't want to spend centuries to refine my power just to find out

have established several Imposes, and your Colossal Sword Path seems very fitting to

with copying a bit from someone else? Isn't that what everyone is essentially doing? After all, we are all

anything

consequences of copying someone else's Path?" Shang asked. "Their Path will never be yours, and while you might be able to create a

eyes to look at

Silence.

don't need to be outstanding on my level. Just reaching the True Path Stage was already like a dream had come true, and

a castle with my family. I would have enough money to give my children the best

would even have enough money to travel to different towns and cities. How many people

care about the Sixth Realm. Just the Fifth

anything for

"Fine," Shang said coldly.

SHING!

a thick book

cover and saw the

SHING!

summoned five additional thick books

introductions to a

Impose for your shield, you have to change your Mana Pathways. You created a defensive Path for your shield, and

of these books. Learn the Spell. Get more Adamantite Branch

the Adamantite Branch Seeds, and you will eventually

you might need 100

and surprise at all the books

had always taught him in a very roundabout and difficult way, making it seem like

Master had handed him some things, and he said that reaching the

why there was such a glaring difference between the two ways his