Master Pan’s brows furrowed, spearing Alex with his killing gaze. “You dared to insult one of your instructors?”
Alex merely smiled and bowed. “This one protests the assertion. I did naught but commend Master Fu Shen for his noble sacrifice in volunteering to serve as a living example of the folly any man risks, should he dare disparage the heavenly gods or their servants.”
Master Pan exchanged a glance with Master Liang. “Really.”
“That’s a lie!” Chang Li snapped. “Master merely said that Lady Jin Yu, who was a kitsune, after all, and the firstborn daughter of the god of mischief, was up to no good, just like her father, when she forbade us from purging the Ruidians from our fair city!”
The class froze as the air pulsed with a sudden surge of blue-white Qi Alex could visibly see, Chang Li collapsing to the ground over his shattered leg, Master Liang having moved so fast it was a blur. “I fear my student has tripped. It is my hope that no one misinterprets his screams as disparagement of the noble Jade who gave up immortality for the sake of the ten million fools who call this city home.”
Master Pan, expression grave, dipped his head. “These things happen. Some students are actually so foolish as to think that abstract theorems and logical fallacies have any place outside of a philosophical classroom discussion. And no one would be so foolish as to actually disparage or condone the disparagement of a deity of chaos and odd fortune, or their firstborn. Particularly should they ever plan on embracing a soldier’s life.”
More than a few students paled at that.
“For even if countless thousands of Ruidians did conspire against us on that black day, one stood fast by Lady Jin Yu’s side while she repelled the invaders. In her infinite mercy, that one noble act spared the Ruidians a death sentence. Lady Jin Yu declared that single noble act had vindicated their race as a whole, and purging them would be an insult to the boy who died at her feet. It is for this reason, and no other, that Ruidians are permitted to live amongst us, and killing them out of hand is a crime,” Master Liang said.
“But Master Liang,” said one hot-eyed girl, glaring at Alex. “That’s not even the point! That stupid Ruidian boy mocked us all, pretending he was having a breakthrough when everyone knows that Ruidians can’t even cultivate! They are clever and sly and treacherous, and that is all!”
“Exactly,” said Sheng Jie. “That cheating fool is as weak as a kitten when you’re wise to his tricks!” He gazed pityingly down at a still-sobbing Chang Li. “If it pleases my master, I will take up the challenge in Chang Li’s stead!”
Master Pan beamed. “I think that’s a wonderful idea! Master Liang?”
Master Liang nodded. “I quite agree.”
Sheng Jie turned and sneered, gazing straight at Alex as sunlight danced off his flashing blade. “Well, Ruidian? Shaking in your boots yet? Ready to get cut to pieces by my blade?”
Alex flashed a toothy grin. “Since you’re so good with your feet, let’s do it barehanded. Arena rules. Unless, of course, you’re a chickenshit coward?”
Both masters paled at those words, but Sheng Jie was too flushed with anger to do anything but roar, “Fine!” He tore off his sheathed blade and dagger before charging for Alex. “I’m going to kill you, worm!”
Spinning Backfist successfully countered. Spring Hip Throw successfully executed.
Alex smiled, feeling a curious surge of exultation as he dodged effortlessly out of the way of the furious Sheng Jie’s attacks before sending the hot-headed cultivator tumbling to the ground. He felt at that moment as aware of his surroundings and as in tune with his environment as he had while sparring with Hao Chan on their best days, where they fought like the most graceful of dancers, the fiercest of warriors, limbs flashing at such speed even Hao Yin would be left breathless.
Only now, at that moment, when he felt so in tune with everything, feeling the storm of Light Qi roaring all around him, infusing him, he moved more gracefully than ever, weaving past furious jabs and desperate hooks, easily evading the stealthy snap kicks that had taken him out the day before, now effortless to avoid.
It was as if his opponent’s entire body was telegraphing his intentions with every move he made, Alex avoiding his furious assault effortlessly.
You read your foe perfectly! Soul Sight is now Rank 3!
Yet Sheng Jie’s wrath and frustration only grew. “Quite weaving around like a monkey, and fight back, you Ruidian bastard!”
And he did.
In that moment of insight, grasping the profound potency and power of the Qi storm all around him, he allowed the surge of Qi to flood through his muscles as his fists and feet flashed through the air, slipping past the cultivator’s guard and clipping the chin of a stunned Sheng Jie as he desperately backpedaled, crying out as Alex’s shin strike hooked past his foe’s guard to crack against Sheng’s thigh, just above his knee, the shocked cry making it clear Sheng’s resilience training was sadly lacking.
So of course Alex slammed his shins against the same spot on both legs repeatedly, his kicks now subtly different from what he had mastered in Golden Realms, though the spinning roundhouse kick synergized perfectly with the cyclone of swirling Light Qi Alex sensed flowing all around him, adding power to the blow he could never summon before, without using Adderstrike.
But Sheng Jie refused to surrender, roaring his hate as he charged forward upon wobbling legs, his furious counter assault effortlessly halted by Alex with one circular parry embracing a miniature cyclone of Qi around his left wrist as his right elbow smashed against Sheng Jie’s temple, bone crunching as his opponent crashed to the ground.
Insight gained! Your extended enlightenment and blending of three interrelated techniques have led to an additional breakthrough! White Crane kung fu Rank 3 achieved! White Crane kung fu now synergizes perfectly with Adept-ranked Golden Realms kung fu for a cumulative bonus to all skill checks and damage. (Note: cannot execute Light Qi attacks without straining peripheral channels until Bronze status is reached.)
The entire class was gazing at Alex in stupefied awe.
“Did you see the way he moved?”
“So damned fast.”
“It’s like he knew what Sheng Jie was going to do moments before he did it. He was toying with the man!”
Alex blinked, slowly turning toward the pair of instructors gazing at him so strangely. He felt as if he were slipping free of the strangest dream.
Master Liang frowned, sharing a glance with Master Pan, before turning back to Alex. “Well?” he asked.
Alex blinked, rubbing his eyes, feeling as if he was slowly slipping free of his wondrous state of triumph, back to an uncertain and rocky present. “I’m sorry, Master Liang?”
The man glared. “You insisted upon arena match rules. And yours had always been to the death. So what will you do? Kill him? Hold him for ransom? Either of those will net you any number of enemies.” He gave a too-nonchalant shrug. “Or you can declare the match over and ask for no boon or bounty at all.”
Master Pan smirked. “In case your transcendence left you stupefied, there really is only one right answer. You have a fallen noble scion before you, and Panheu wouldn’t have taken you on if you were a complete idiot.”
Alex blinked, meeting forty pairs of unblinking eyes, feeling himself come back down to earth, finally getting it. “I declare the match over. I have defended my character and my honor. As far as I am concerned, the matter is done.”
The pair of masters shared grim smiles. “Good. You might actually survive the semester then, Ruidian,” said Master Pan. “I’ll be sure to let Master Fu Shen know that his honor was fought for and that your name has been cleared of any wrongdoing. Your first period class never happened, as far as anyone here is concerned.” His gaze hardened. “And if you wish to survive more than a single semester, you’ll keep your damned mouth shut when your professors are lecturing.”
Alex bowed low, suddenly so dizzy he almost toppled over. “Yes, Master Pan.”
> His martial instructor frowned. “Someone get him some water.” He glared at his students. “Well? He’s proven himself today, so show him some respect.” He smirked. “You can always make him earn it again tomorrow.”
8
White Crane cycling technique now at 25% efficiency!
Cleansing Breath purification technique is now at 50% efficiency!
Alex took deep, steady breaths as he gazed at the magnificent sunset from the cliff edge at the back of his master’s property. A sheer drop well over a hundred feet down, he felt no anxiety sitting in the lotus position just a few feet back, doing his best to catch that transcendent feeling of connectedness, of oneness with his environment, that had briefly kissed his soul.
He gave a frustrated sigh as the last flickers of transcendence left him, still blessed with the flood of knowledge and insight that had been his that day, having spent the last few hours meditating on all he had seen and experienced since that breakthrough moment, his deeper understanding of both Cleansing Breath and White Crane cultivation techniques continuing to crystallize before his suddenly exhausted mind made it clear there would be no further growth today.
He winced at the thought of hot-headed Sheng Jie immediately demanding a rematch when he had come to, for all that he was battered and wobbly on his feet, Master Pan firmly insisting a good night’s rest and a visit to one of the healers before he dare any such thing.
The rest of the class treated Alex like he was almost human after that, earning a few nods of respect, in addition to the handful of expected sneers.
Surprisingly, it had been Qie Qie herself, the perky enthusiastic girl who had laughed along with everyone else when Alex had been soundly crushed the day before, who walked him back to Elder Panheu’s residence. She was no taller than the average Yidushian female, but her every movement telegraphed coiled power in a body he suspected he’d find lithe and well-defined, were she not fully covered by her belted sparring attire. Her hair was coiled in two tight buns with silken strands tied to each. When she flashed her dimpled smile, he felt like he was gazing at one of his favorite anime characters from a lifetime ago.
She had smirked at his expression on the way back. “What, did you really think Master Pan was going to let you get beaten to a pulp by any of Sheng Jie’s cronies when your head’s only half in this world? This school believes in forging its students in the crucible of fire, as all the best cultivation schools do. But since you were blessed with enlightenment today, you lucky bastard, of course the professors are duty-bound to look out for you, since those bursts of profound insight are the entire point of all of this. If something were to happen to you today, it would be an insult to the school and reflect badly on them.”
Alex had blinked at that. “But the fight...”
She laughed, shaking her head. “It was obvious to anyone who wasn’t being an idiot you would win. Your eyes were like those of a Sage! You were seeing not only the now, but two seconds ahead! You were moving before Sheng Jie even thought to throw a punch! If he hadn’t been so arrogant, he could have seen that you were more than a match for him. For today, at least.” She flashed a wicked smile. “But he’d crush you now, dazed as you are, as would all his friends. And Masters Pan and Liang expect you to spend the rest of the day reflecting upon your insights, not recovering from a beating.”
Alex only smiled, still a bit amazed at how well that fight had seemed to flow, his Soul Sight blazing so brightly he could read his opponent’s moves before he had even finished shifting his weight. And not only surface flows of intention and direction could he sense, he had even begun to sense the deeper flows of Qi within, knowing that Sheng Jie would blossom with Fire Qi as soon as he had broken through his final pair of gates, and even hours later, Alex took sweet satisfaction in Soul Sight having blossomed to rank three by the end of that fight.
She had turned to him once they reached Elder Panheu’s gate, her expression serious. “Rest, Alex. Rest and meditate. Stay in your master’s compound until you’ve reached the climax of whatever growth you can achieve today.” She flashed a mischievous smile. “Because once you leave these gates again, you’re fair game, and it’s no one’s fault but your own.”
Alex bowed his head. “Thank you, Qie Qie. I appreciate the escort, and the advice.”
“You’re welcome, Ruidian. Today you’re worthy of my time. Tomorrow, though, we’ll have to see.” She flashed a teasing smile. “I’m putting you through your paces during the next class we share, Alex. We’ll see if you’re really a man, or just a boy who got lucky with his insights.”
Alex grinned. “I look forward to the match.”
After waving farewell, he had made his way to the cliff’s edge with hardly a glance back, save to assure the gate was firmly shut, since he had enemies, and he refused to play the fool with a setup every gamer hoped would be his first assassination job; easy entrance into a territory with a distracted target gazing out over the lip of a great height.
Fortunately, even a dazed Alex had the presence of mind to secure the gate, and active use of Qi Perception at that moment made it clear that the compound in all its quiet beauty was empty of everyone save himself.
He leaned back and sighed, enjoying the sound of crashing waves as the riotous clouds of crimson faded to the soft blue reflected light of the magnificent moon overhead. He looked over to the old green-tinged bronze railing encased platform that projected just past the cliff’s edge that some former master had installed who knew how many centuries ago. It even had grill steps leading down the cliff face some ways, though he had yet to examine it closely, not even sure if it was safe to put his weight upon, or if the bronze bolts securing the structure to the cliff’s edge would collapse under his weight.
For a second, he contemplated securing himself to piton and a jury-rigged harness and judging its durability for himself come morning, seeing exactly where those steps led. He would finally make good use of the skills he had learned that one summer he had gone rock climbing, a lifetime ago. He certainly had everything he needed in the garden shed, including hemp and silk ropes and numerous pitons and eyed-spikes, though he was unsure what purpose they had originally served, having discovered the trap door leading to a very cramped and surprisingly well-organized storage space, just the other day.
Then he yawned and put all such matters aside, knowing he’d be doing all he could tomorrow morning just to re-attune himself to the state of mind that had led to such growth today, hoping to taste that storm of spiritual energy all around him and flowing through him as he practiced White Crane kung fu, grateful to find that not only were the strikes and counters now synergizing perfectly with Golden Realms kung fu, but even his own internal matrix was listing the two bonuses stacking for a modified rank of eight. And he sensed that once he achieved Bronze, he would find his martial attributes blossoming to a profound degree.
For then he would finally able to harness the true potential of this martial art that Elder Panheu was teaching him, once he started to forge powerful meridian channels that could harness so much more of the swirling Qi storm that White Crane practitioners could tap into.
The next day he woke up to a strange quiet, heart racing with a jolt before he took a deep, steadying breath, realizing that what had alarmed him wasn’t any approaching danger, but rather the eerie silence. Elder Panheu and his former disciple Zhao Doushi were still gone. No mortal servant remained, so the manor was effectively under Alex’s care alone.
Everything seemed to be in order, so after a quick sweep of the spotless central manor and the plucking of a few budding weeds in the otherwise pristine garden, Alex spent the rest of his morning practicing the White Crane kung fu forms his master had taught him. First, he moved with exacting precision, forcing slowest discipline until he was able to reconnect with that wondrous whirling storm of spiritual energy the martial art’s conjoined cycling technique accessed. For now, Alex was certain White Crane kung fu, White Crane cycling technique, and Golden Real
ms purification technique were interconnecting facets of a single unified system.
Only then did Alex increase his pace from exquisitely precise, careful movements to half speed forms to a full speed blazing series of hook kicks and spinning punches, miming winding his parrying wrist around his opponent’s striking limbs before twisting his hips and sending his foes crashing to the ground.
Eventually exhaustion flooded through him, Alex pushing himself utterly as the golden sunrise slowly ascended to mid-morning, striving to do more than just feel the storm of Qi flowing through his peripheral meridians and giving his blows that much more deadly force, but to actually use Eternal Fox cultivation technique in conjunction with White Crane to supercharge his cells, biochemically clearing away the lactic acid buildup, allowing him to fight without soreness or fatigue at full speed without stopping.
He groaned, collapsing to the ground with a wry chuckle, muscles pushed to the point of exhaustion.
It was only when he took a moment to relax and carefully channel the storm of Qi flooding his peripheral channels into boosting his Eternal Fox body cultivation technique that his suddenly supercharged cells quickly healed away all traces of fatigue and exhaustion.
But it took long seconds to activate it. He couldn’t do it instantaneously while fighting desperately for his life. He couldn’t direct the storm of Qi into his cells with exquisite precision while also riding that storm in a barrage of strikes and twisting throws, facing off against nameless opponents.
It was like trying to use the same current for a water cannon as for gentle irrigation. The flow of water, or Qi in this case, could be used in one way or another, but not both simultaneously. Or at least, not yet.
Alex took a quick glance at his internal matrix, both amazed and grateful to have found that even if he didn’t have the exquisite sense of timing the clerk did, just glancing once at the exquisite timepiece of crystal and Fate Qi placed within sight of the headmaster’s office, had somehow imprinted it upon his character sheet.
Silver Fox & The Western Hero: Warrior Forsworn: A LitRPG/Wuxia Novel - Book 3 Page 13
