Mastering Firebending was not as simple as rely learning the physical forms.
The true difficulty lay in understanding the focal points of each movent, the timing of the transitions, and the intensity of the chi applied.
If one could not grasp these concepts, then simply morizing the forms of Firebending would not grant them control over its true power.
In other words, if soone mastered Firebending proficiently enough, they could understand the variations in focal points during a technique, combine them, and make a single move produce infinite effects.
Of course, different effects ca with different drawbacks that needed to be carefully considered during combat.
At that mont, Kahn recalled that both Azula's earlier display and Iroh's recent demonstration featured subtle differences from the standard Firebending forms.
"You catch on quickly."
Seeing Kahn so quickly grasp what he was trying to convey, Iroh looked surprised before stroking his beard in great relief.
Perceptive, my foot!
Kahn spat in his mind, never expecting this seemingly earnest old man to be such a riddler.
"Wouldn't it have been better to just explain this to directly?"
"Not everyone is as smart as I am."
"What if soone couldn't figure it out on their own?"
Kahn asked bluntly.
"How arrogant!"
"If one cannot comprehend such a principle on their own, it simply ans they have not yet mastered the basics and must continue their training."
Iroh looked Kahn up and down in surprise and laughed.
"Originally, I thought you would need to study for quite so ti before you grasped it."
"I truly didn't expect your understanding of Firebending to be this profound."
So that was how it worked; it actually sounded quite reasonable.
Alright, I'll take back what I just thought, even if he couldn't hear it anyway.
Kahn then asked another question.
"But can anyone truly reach that ultimate level?"
"Completely mastering every single aspect of Firebending, including all its variations and combinations, sounds like an impossible task."
"Precisely because of that, the path to true strength is endless."
Iroh said with deep emotion.
"However, if there is truly soone who can completely master bending in its entirety, it would be the Avatar."
"The Avatar..."
Kahn repeated the title, recalling the legends he had heard, and had to admit it made perfect sense.
Besides being able to master all four elents simultaneously, the Avatar never truly died, but rather reincarnated continuously across generations.
A reincarnated Avatar possessed an ability called the Avatar State.
Upon entering it, they could awaken the mories and experiences of all their past lives, gathering all that accumulated power into one body to reach their absolute strongest state.
Theoretically speaking, as ti marched on, the more tis the Avatar reincarnated, the stronger the lineage beca.
If anyone could truly master the ultimate mysteries of bending, it could only be the Avatar.
How enviable; what a ridiculously overpowered destiny!
However, Kahn now understood why Azula's Firebending was so much more powerful than the norm.
It was likely because she had instinctively discovered that exact thod of multiplying her power while firebending.
She hadn't even finished mastering the basic forms yet, but was already utilizing highly advanced combat principles.
From that fact alone, it was obvious that Azula was a true prodigy.
Combined with those special azure flas, why did it feel like Azula had been born with far better natural gifts than him?
I'm so jealous.
The two chatted for a while longer before Iroh finally prepared to leave.
Kahn walked Uncle Iroh to the front door.
Only after watching the old man's retreating figure disappear down the street did he turn back toward the house, reviewing the teachings in his mind.
Back in the courtyard, just as Kahn was about to step inside, a familiar voice suddenly called out from above his head.
"That slly old man is so long-winded!"
Before Kahn could even look up, a nimble figure leaped directly from the rooftop and landed right in front of him.
Turning her head to face Kahn, the intruder shed her impatient expression.
She quickly replaced it with a beaming smile, threw her arms wide open, and exaggeratedly exclaid.
"Wow, I can't believe I'd see you here, what a surprise!"
"I guessed you would want to say that, so I said it for you."
"No need to thank ."
I didn't want to say that, I didn't need you to say it for , and I certainly don't want to thank you.
Kahn felt a massive headache coming on.
Agile movents, a beautiful face, a nasty tone, a highly neurotic personality, and completely unpredictable behavior.
The intruder was undoubtedly Azula.
Why is she here?
Kahn asked bluntly, "Why are you here?"
Azula spread her hands.
"Uncle Iroh brought ."
"He wasn't aware of it, of course, but it's harmless."
Kahn was left speechless.
"You were stalking him, weren't you?"
"You could say that, but it doesn't sound very nice."
She shrugged indifferently, walking right past Kahn and making herself at ho.
"Aren't you going to invite in to sit down?"
Are you the Fire Lord or sothing?
Kahn sarcastically retorted, "You're so proactive, do you even need an invitation?"
"Thanks for the complint."
"No need to thank ; I wasn't complinting you."
Kahn muttered irritably, having no choice but to follow her inside.
Upon entering the living room, Azula unceremoniously plopped down on the sofa.
She looked around the room and scoffed disdainfully.
"So dirty."
"Do people actually live here?"
If you hate it so much, then get out!
A vein throbbed on Kahn's forehead.
This girl was unbearably arrogant.
If he wasn't completely outmatched in a fight, he would have already dug her grave!
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Kahn ignored her insults and continued his questioning.
"Isn't the palace heavily guarded right now?"
"How did you sneak out?"
Azula scoffed, "Do you really think those palace walls can stop ?"
Unbelievable!
Kahn was utterly speechless.
I only ever climbed over academy walls to skip class, but this little girl actually dared to scale the royal palace walls.
That's honestly impressive!
Note to self: do not provoke the crazy princess.
"By the way, what did Uncle Iroh talk to you about just now?"
Azula asked casually.
"Uh, nothing really."
Kahn paused before replying.
"He mainly told he's retiring, and that I'll be learning Firebending from him from now on."
"I just asked him so questions about the forms."
As for what they had discussed regarding the royal family and Azula herself, Kahn kept his mouth tightly shut.
He didn't know if spilling those details would cause serious trouble for Uncle Iroh.
"Oh, I see."
Azula replied noncommittally.
"I thought he might have talked to you about what happened at the palace."
"Like how he was stripped of his position."
She then looked directly at Kahn, her eyes glinting with twisted amusent.
"By the way, do you want to know how my father beca the Fire Lord?"
!!!
Azula's casual question completely stunned Kahn.
Are we really diving right into such deadly secrets?!
An intense, ominous feeling imdiately welled up from the bottom of his heart.
"This is sothing even Uncle Iroh doesn't know."
"But I do."
"Because that day, I was hiding in the shadows, watching them."
"I saw everything."
She clasped her hands behind her back and swayed leisurely until she was standing right in front of Kahn.
Revealing a mischievous, wicked smile, she leaned in close.
However, to Kahn, her impending whisper felt like a summons from the Spirit World.
His heart imdiately sank into his stomach.
Go away!
I don't want to hear it!
Get out of my house!
But even if Kahn wanted to escape at that mont, it was already too late.
Azula whispered directly into his ear.
"Father... he assassinated Grandfather with a single, lethal strike."
Oh no, I'm dead!
Kahn's eyes glazed over, making him look like a hopeless turtle-duck resigning itself to fate.
He was definitely going to be permanently silenced to keep this secret.
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