by Jace Kang
After another hour, the sensation in Ken’s intestines had subsided, and the jolt of energy coursing into his marrow lessened with each step. Though he didn’t say anything, Master Ryu beckoned him over.
“Will I learn this Guolin Qigong?” Ken asked.
“It’s not as important for you—the Xingyi Fist Earth Form works better. Aya just isn’t physically strong enough to do it yet.”
“Why did we do it this way, instead of the way she processed the Tofu-Kozo’s Core in her belly button?” Ken asked.
“Those Kappa didn’t have a solid Core yet. Therefore, you had to rely on your digestion, which requires using Earth Path techniques.”
Ken cocked his head. “Then why wouldn’t it help fortify the Earth aspect of our body?”
“In this case, it’s just the means; the key is the Core. For example, what kind of Core was the Tofu-Kozo’s?”
“Fire.”
“Correct. Had it been unranked, with no solid Core, she would’ve had to use the Earth Path to filter out its Essence; only then could she have processed the Fire of the Core, burning away her phlegm and strengthening her blood vessels.”
Ken guessed it made sense. “Are there other ways of processing an intangible Core?”
“Sometimes, a Core is gaseous. To process it, you have to use your lungs—a Metal Path.”
“I see.”
Master Ryu withdrew a transparent gemstone about the size of a thumbnail. “As promised, this is for you.”
Ken stared. “A Core?”
“From the Kappa leader. As a Fourth-Ranked Water practitioner, its Core is far larger and denser than the Tofu-Kozo’s.” The master placed the gem-like stone into Ken’s open palm.
It felt cool. Heart racing, Ken gazed at the gemstone and wrapped his consciousness around it. The power spilled off of it, enough that even he could sense it. He looked up. “I’m not training in a Water Path, though.”
“No, but you have too much Fire. Just like I had Aya process a Fire Core to burn off her excess fluid, you will use this Water Core to cool your blazing Fire.” He guided Ken to the center of the circle Aya was walking. “Now, stand in the Zhan Zhuang stance.”
Ken dug his toes into the ground, bent his knees slightly, and tucked his tailbone forward.
“Put the Core in your navel.”
As soon as Ken did, the Core’s coolness surged through his abdomen, like a torrent of water welling up in him. He gasped.
“Quickly now, before its energy pools and douses your fire,” Master Ryusuke said. “Start the Microcosmic Orbit. Inhale through your nose and draw the energy up your spine; exhale through your mouth and feel the energy sink down to your Core.”
Considering they spent so much time practicing this, it came easily; not only that, the coolness raged through him like an angry river fueled by spring melt.
“You need to Cultivate it, to spread it through you before it overwhelms you.”
Ken continued with the breathing and visualization, and the flooding coolness eased.
“Good. Now, we are going to practice the counterflow. As you inhale, bring the Qi up the front of your body. As it passes through your naval, feel how it transforms into a cool fluid. Draw that up your stomach and through your chest. You’ll notice how the heat in your chest fizzles. Keep bringing the coolness up to your head. Your thoughts should become less scattered, more fluid.”
It was happening just as the master said, with the fire in his chest and head cooling down. To think, just a few days ago, he hadn’t ever noticed that heat.
“Now guide it down your back to the Gate of Life in your lower back. From there, draw it horizontally into your Kidneys.”
“Kidneys?”
Master Ryusuke set his palm on Ken’s lower back. “They are the primary organ of the Water Path, and also represent your overall vitality.”
The cool sensation flowed into Ken’s back. “What do I do with it now?”
“Store it there for now. You are Cultivating the cool, fluid, Yin aspect. It’s like the wax of a candle, which is needed to sustain the hot, energetic, Yang aspects. Now, while maintaining that visualization, we will do another section of the Eight Brocades Form: Touching Toes, Bending Backward.”
The master put both fists on his lower back and leaned backward, then leaned forward and drew his hands down the back of his legs. When he reached his toes, he slid his hands along the insides of his calves and thighs before bringing them to his lower back and repeating the process.
Ken followed along, with this particular movement straining him less than the Separating Heaven and Earth. But whereas Master Ryu could nearly fold himself in half both ways, Ken was less flexible. Each breath, combined with the motions, invigorated him to the bone.
“Keep practicing.”
The master went back over to Aya to guide her, and Ken continued through the exercise. While just standing in the Zhan Zhuang position had worn him out several days before, it was becoming easier and easier to do it now. Not only that, the Microcosmic Orbit had taken his full focus in the past; now he performed it while executing these new motions.
Master Ryu showed no sign of letting him rest. The more Ken practiced, the more he felt his quadriceps and hamstrings could stretch, even while his bone marrow energized. He might not be able to bend all the way backward, but he was nearly bending to ninety degrees, and could easily touch his toes.
After several hours, Aya joined him in Bending Backward and Touching Toes. As always, she mastered the motions after a couple of repetitions, and her flexibility allowed her to reach the same level of stretch as him.
As before, they continued until dawn, when Yin and Yang were again balanced and distinct. Now he realized an ache deep inside him, as if his bones were trying to press outward.
He collapsed, writhing as the pain intensified. Everything sounded so loud in his ears, his brain hurt.
“What’s wrong?” Aya came out of her stance, hurried over, and knelt beside him. Her voice boomed.
“He’s all right,” Master Ryu said, his words also feeling like a knife jabbed into Ken’s skull. “Ken-kun’s body is finishing its transformation as the Yin Water Aspects fortify in his bone marrow.”
“What does that mean?” Aya asked.
“He’s advanced to First Rank,” Teppin croaked.
First Rank! Ken’s heart would’ve leaped if he weren’t in so much pain.
“First Rank?” Aya’s eyes rounded. “What does it feel like?”
“Excruciating.” But beyond that, his bones felt energized. Even though he didn’t look any taller or broader, he felt twice his previous size. His mind felt settled, that constant jittery sensation had all but subsided.
He rolled over to find Master Ryu. “Why is everything so loud?”
“The physical changes of Advancing in Water include improved hearing.”
That would explain why…
The announcer’s voice screamed in his ears. “Seventeen people were murdered yesterday…”
Chapter 26:
The Cultivator
K entaro had done it, and Ryu couldn’t have been prouder. He’d suspected the boy would advance with the Kappa leader’s Core, but hadn’t wanted to give him false hope. Now, he made Kentaro sit up and keep cycling Qi through the Microcosmic Orbit so that the pain would subside.
Ryu had been tempted to absorb the Core himself, in hopes of getting that much closer to Advancing to Fifth Rank in the Water Path… and Advancing would increase his chance of sealing the portals without his pills. However, with the Core weakening from the crossover from the World of Rivers and Lakes, and further losing its potency after the Kappa’s death, it would’ve only been a minimal progression. Meanwhile, the boy had been so loyal, and him Advancing would help when it came time to storm Peacekeeper headquarters.
Now, he listened to the newscast. With so many people dying because of open portals, he had to complete his mission soon. The faces of seventeen people, all slain in differe
nt locations, cycled in a line. All had died in different ways, though Hiroko Park’s gruesome death stood out. His heart sank into his stomach.
“As with all previous attacks,” the newscaster’s disembodied voice said, “these occurred near temples. Peacekeepers advise all citizens to avoid temples and shrines at night.”
Aya snorted. “At least they figured that out.”
The images shifted to Peacekeepers and shocktroopers marching down the city’s broad boulevards. “The Ministry of Defense has agreed to send assets to join the Peacekeepers in patrolling the streets.”
“Who would’ve imagined the MoD and Peacekeepers cooperating?” Aya chuckled.
Kentaro perked up, suggesting the pain of advancement was easing. “That would mean fewer Peacekeepers in their headquarters. Maybe that would give us a chance to retrieve your pills.”
The kid—a new, First Rank Water Path kid—had a point. Ryu peered through the trees toward Kyoto Central.
“In the meantime,” the newscaster continued, “the government has allowed the media to speak to Mister Kohei Jackson, the sole known survivor of eighteen different incidents.”
The image shifted to the man from last night, flanked on either side by Peacekeepers in dress uniforms.
“This is unusual,” Aya said. “The government doesn’t usually allow this kind of interaction with the press.”
Ryu gritted his teeth. What kind of government kept so much hidden from the populace?
A male voice from the crowd of reporters chimed in. “Mister Jackson, where did the attack take place?”
Jackson started to speak, but the female Peacekeeper on his left leaned in. “Near Shijo Bridge.”
Aya chuckled. “No surprise.”
“What attacked you?” asked a female reporter.
“It was several green—”
The male Peacekeeper on his left leaned in. “It was two men, including Ryusuke Ishihara, two women, and a child.”
Aya gasped. They all exchanged shocked glances. Teppin must’ve been mistaken for a child.
In the broadcast, Jackson’s mouth hung open, but then he shut it.
“Did you learn that from the camera feeds?” another reporter shouted.
The two Peacekeepers looked at each other, then turned and spoke at the same time.
“Yes,” said the woman.
“No,” said the man.
They met each other’s gazes, expressions confused.
“They’re not even letting Mister Jackson speak,” Ryu said.
Aya laughed. “Of course not.”
Kentaro scratched his head. “I’m surprised they didn’t bring the Peacekeeper from last night, too. He’d toe the line.”
This government was so corrupt. Maybe it would be better to let the yokai swarm it. Then again, it wasn’t the citizenry’s fault. Not only that, if the government figured out how to cross the planes with their modern weapons, who knew what havoc they could cause? One thing was clear, though: Ryu had to recover his pills and close the portals soon. And as Kentaro had said, with Peacekeepers patrolling the city in force, it meant fewer in the headquarters.
He was close to advancing to Fifth Rank, and if Aya advanced to First Rank, it would make the task all the easier. And there was a particular MO behind a series of the murders that suggested a powerful yokai with an equally powerful Core. If they could get ahold of that, maybe that would compensate for all the metal in her head.
“Oh, look.” Kentaro pointed.
The Peacekeeper from last night came up to the podium in his dress uniform, looking none the worse for the wear. “I can confirm that it was Ryusuke Ishihara who attacked me.”
“We found Officer Schultz conscious but immobile at the scene,” the spokeswoman said.
Several reporters shouted out at once: “Were you hurt?”
Officer Schultz shook his head. “Ishihara poked me with his finger in four points, and all my limbs went numb and listless.”
“Are you all right now?” asked a female reporter.
“Yes, it didn’t even hurt, and within an hour, I was fine.”
Aya and Kentaro both turned to Ryu, eyes wide.
“Despite the lack of obvious injuries to Officer Schultz,” the spokesman said, “Ishihara is assumed to be dangerous.”
He turned to Aya. “There have been four deaths where the female victims were shredded apart: Mai Didier at Ryoanji Temple; Ayumi Kirk at Daitokuji Temple; Kou Singh at Toji Temple; and now, Hiroko Park at Nanzenji Temple. Can you run that algorithm to predict the next attack?”
Aya nodded. “Give me a moment.”
“Do you know what it is?” Siena asked.
“I think so,” Ryu said, now wondering if he should’ve have absorbed the Kappa Core himself. “If it is what I think it is, it’s one of the most powerful creatures from the World of Rivers and Lakes. It’s killed some of my sect members in the same way it has murdered the women here.”
“I think I could take it,” Ken said.
Ryu chuckled. “That’s the side-effect of Advancing. Your body feels so much more powerful than before. However, this creature is so tough, I don’t know if I could beat it alone.”
“What makes it so powerful?” Aya asked.
“It’s one of the few yokai that has Cultivated several Paths.” And therefore, had dense Cores. Maybe this Core, combined with Kappa leader’s, would’ve been enough to advance him to Fifth Rank. Then again, if it really was a Nue with such a valuable Core, Ryu might not be able to defeat it anyway.
“Here.” Aya pointed to the projection.
A map appeared, with a blinking dot. A long math equation stretched above it.
Siena traced her finger along the math, turned to Aya and nodded with a smile.
Ryu studied it. “Where is that?”
“Hozoji Temple,” Aya said, “not far from here.”
Ken cocked his head. “What is this yokai called?”
“A Nue.” And if it were the equivalent of Fifth Rank or above, Ryu could absorb its Core, advance to Fifth Rank, and have a chance of closing the portals without the pills. Assuming they could kill it in the first place.
“My translator doesn’t know what to make of Nue.” Ken tapped his ear dot.
Aya’s eyes clouded over for a split second. “Ancient Earth literature says it’s an evil yokai. The old language translates it to night bird.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Siena said.
“It’s bad.” Ryu shook his head, thinking of the sect sisters he’d lost. “We need to train in the last of the Five Elements, the Metal Path.”
Kentaro’s ears perked up. “What is that like?”
“Based on your Xingyi Fist training, what is the nature of Metal?” Ryu asked.
“Rigid. Unyielding. Powerful.”
Siena winked. “Much like you’ve been with me.”
Ignoring her, Ryu nodded at Ken. “Exactly. As you are most suited to a Fire Path, you will have to be careful how you train Metal—Fire naturally tempers Metal, but if you train Metal too much, it can cause Fire to sputter out.”
Kentaro cocked his head. “Then how do I practice?”
“Judiciously. Remember when you were practicing the Earth-based style, Ditang Fist? Earth is the Mother of Metal—we mine metals out of the ground, after all—and we say that if you strengthen the Mother, the Child will grow strong as well. When you were hitting the tree, I had you exhale and arch your back. This is the Yang aspect of Metal, the development of an Iron Shirt.”
Kentaro bounced up and down. “Like in the old Hong Kong movies. They practiced taking blows. And they strengthened their hands by thrusting them into hot sand.”
“Iron Palm training, yes.” Ryu nodded. “That is the external, Yang side. There’s also an internal, Yin side.”
“What is that?” Aya asked.
“Just like a candle’s flame needs wax to burn, the Yang aspects of Metal are supported by the Yin aspects.”
Kentaro’s head
rose and fell in slow bobs. “So our external body can only be as strong as our mind beneath?”
“Exactly. Training the Yin aspects of Metal strengthens the layers between your internal fascia, thereby boosting your immune system. It also keeps you from picking up negativity from people around you. At higher levels, it can protect you against Dianxue.”
Teppin, forgotten until now, croaked. “Fairy tales.”
“Just like you are to us.” Aya poked the Kappa, who conceded the point with a beaked smirk.
“What is Dianxue?” Siena asked.
“It’s attacking energy points on the body to create blockages. There are techniques which will make the target’s limbs go limp, and other combinations that will cause someone to die over time.”
Siena harrumphed, looking just as doubtful as Teppin.
“You did that to some of the Peacekeepers,” Kentaro said. “Will we learn Dianxue?”
Not from Ryu. “Maybe eventually. Now, though, we will practice the basics of Iron Shirt. Stand in the Zhan Zhuang position.”
Aya and Kentaro did as told, facing each other as always. Predictably, Siena went off to check out the trees, and Teppin returned down to the river to soak.
“Sink into the stance,” Ryu said. “Feel the aching in the muscles and tendons of your groin. We are doing this stationary now, but we can also use the Earth aspects of Chen Taiji to do a moving meditation as you get better at the breathing and visualization.”
In the past few days, Kentaro had already strengthened his legs to the point that he could hold the stance lower and lower for longer and longer. Even Aya was showing promise, despite the disadvantages of her poor health.
“Start with the Microcosmic Orbit. Inhale while you draw energy from your Core. This time, bring it down to your Huiyin point, then up your spine, energizing as it passes the Gate of Fire point at your waist. Bring it to your head, then keep inhaling as you sink it down to the Tanzhong point. Draw it into your lungs. When you exhale, visualize the energy pushing out like a balloon, percolating through all your organs.”
“What’s a balloon?” Kentaro asked.
