Hao Zei’s smile grew even colder. “I hold you personally responsible for this recalcitrant girl’s willfulness, Ruidian! If a single scar mars her features by the time we arrive at the city, if she’s anything less than the docile flower I expect her to be, I’ll take you to court and tear free a pound of flesh for every silver you will owe me!” His cold laughter was that of a man delighting in mastering his foe. “Now kit up and get guarding. I’m not paying you to lay about on my coin!”
Li said nothing, just gave Alex a pitying shake of his head before preparing the evening meal.
Hao Chan was gazing at Alex in horror. “Alex, I… I’m just...”
Alex only smiled, giving her shoulder a brotherly squeeze. “It’s nothing to be alarmed about. Your father just got overexcited about our wager, I guess.”
She flashed a weak smile, bowing her head. “I’ll try not to let you down, Alex.”
“I know you won’t. Now put all that silliness out of mind and just focus on cultivation. Once you’ve cleared your third meridian channel, then we’ll really be walking the path to victory!”
Hao Chan jerked a quick nod. “I’m going to do my best to break through. I won’t let you down, Alex.” She flashed an anxious smile. “After all that you’re doing… I wouldn’t dare let you down.”
Alex smiled and nodded, feeling strangely vindicated, even as his darker fears seemed increasingly likely to be true.
Hao Lin gave him a strange look. “Are you okay?”
Alex flashed the boy a smile. “Never better.”
Hao Yin fastened sad eyes upon his own. “Alex?”
“Yes?”
She swallowed, as if trying to find the courage to say what she needed to say. “Why?”
Alex could sense all the questions within that one word. Why had Hao Chan been put in such a precarious state? Why was her own father so void of gratitude that he had used Alex’s offer to help as an opportunity to get the better of him, to be in a position to crush Alex under his thumb, if things went poorly? Most of all, why hadn’t Alex laughed in the pugnacious merchant’s face and just turned around and left them all to their fates?
Alex sighed. “Because there’s no one else,” he said, before flashing a gentle smile. “Tell me, Hao Yin, has anyone bothered teaching you or your brother any martial arts?”
A quick headshake was all Alex needed to introduce Hao Yin to a crash course in the most rudimentary elements of Golden Realms Kung Fu, and much to her credit, she didn’t complain once, even when Alex sensed her growing fatigue, knowing he was pushing her fast and hard, forcing himself to let up.
“Alright. You now know the basic strikes you’ll use with a closed fist. You’re going to practice them every day, and practice using them against me every night. Only when you know them well will we proceed to guards, kicks, choke holds and grapples, though that all might take quite awhile to get down. Only then will we begin sparring in earnest. The important thing is we cover the basics and we cover them well. And what’s the number one technique if you find yourself facing off against a belligerent opponent?”
Hao Yin grinned. “Twist out of his grip just like you showed me, stomp kick the fragile bones of his foot with my heel, and scream and run for all I’m worth.”
Alex nodded. “Exactly. As far as our own training regimen goes, that’s an idealized plan, but the truth is I might be so focused on preparing Hao Chan for her trial that I neglect your own training, and I apologize for that. Still, you and your brother might get a lot out of just watching us train, and mimicking whatever you can, as best you can. And if you remember and practice what we went over today, you still won’t be a match for any warrior, but you’ll be a dozen times better off than you were before.”
Hao Yin nodded. “Of course, Alex. And Alex?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
The hour was late by the time Hao Yin returned to the wagon, Hao Chan still cultivating by what Alex could tell from both her posture and the subtle pressure of Qi he sensed with his Qi Perception. He could almost sense their worry, and was flattered that it was for him. But he couldn’t help smiling in satisfaction as well. For even when Hao Zei was gloating at getting the best of the Ruidian who dared to challenge him, he had already given away the prize Alex had sought: permission to train Hao Chan in any way he saw fit.
And it was only after he had woken up Li and endured the man’s pitying gaze as they changed shifts that Alex finally scurried up his chosen tree, set up the expected hammock, before gazing at the copper ring so plain not even that crooked merchant had tried to claim it, that he fell inside his priceless spiritual treasure.
Though feeling the slightest bit fatigued, he was reinvigorated the moment he stepped inside his mystic garden, clearing his thoughts and cultivating for a single hour beside his holy artifact before rising once more, feeling utterly refreshed, and heading to the alchemy labs with the final ingredient he needed to put the first step of his plan in effect.
Lavender obtained at 110% Median Market Potency. Peppermint obtained at 120% Median Market Potency. You have all necessary ingredients for all standard apothecary potions requiring no additional infusions of Qi.
You have compounded 12 doses of Potion of Somnolence at 130% Median Market Potency.
You have compounded 24 doses of Healing Poultice at 150% Median Market Potency.
You have compounded 24 doses of Potion of Restoration at 145% Median Market Potency.
Alex gave a satisfied nod a short time later, having the medicaments he would need for his hardcore training regimen, and a little something extra as well. He thought longingly of the spirit beast potency his interface was somehow storing for him, eager for the incredible rush that cultivating at a thousand-fold normal rate, processing the endless potency of his kills, gave him.
With a disciplined breath, though, he pulled back. Knowing it wasn’t quite time, yet.
But soon, it would be.
14
You have successfully countered Shin Kick. You have successfully countered Curved Knee Strike. You have successfully countered Elbow Strike. You have successfully countered Basic Hip Toss.
You have been struck by Shin Kick to lower ribs. You have been struck by Curved Knee Strike to lower ribs. You have been struck by Elbow Strike to left temple. You have been tossed to the ground. You were braced for all attacks: 10 temporary & 1 long-term point of Damage and zero Wounds suffered.
Alex wheezed when his back slammed against the soft, loamy ground before springing to his feet and praising a beaming Hao Chan who had taken to her new training regimen with relish.
“Excellent job! You struck with knee and shin exactly where you needed to, in order to rob your foe of breath, power, and the will to fight. Best of all, you can unleash the knee strike even in grappling range.”
Hao Chan grinned. “And the minute you were off balance from the blows, you were ripe for that hip toss, and wow, I’ve been trying to get that right all morning!”
Alex chuckled. “We’ve only been at it since first light, but believe me, I know. The important thing is that we’re learning to cover for your weaknesses. Jabs to distract and keep your foe occupied, making use of shin kicks and knee bombs when an opponent closes, then learning to spin out of his grip or flip him over your hip or back when he gets too close.”
Hao Chan nodded, before giving a short, sharp yell and smashing the ground with a heel stomp.
“And either a stomp or axe kick to his gut or solar plexus before he gets up, and I win the match, without getting penalized for grappling!”
Alex grinned. “Just like my master taught me. Cultivators aren’t allowed to use extended pins and locks for any length of time at the temple because it limits Qi use, but the secondary reason is because in a real battle, an enemy can easily kill you if you’re stationary and focused on throttling his friend.”
Hao Chan grinned right back. “But a throw quickly followed by an axe kick? No one can penalize me for that.�
��
Alex nodded. “A quick, powerful finishing move before your opponent can get up plays to your strengths, and they won’t expect it from someone who is, well…”
“An amazingly beautiful dancer?” her cousin quipped.
Alex grinned and nodded. “Pretty much.” Then his gaze hardened. “But we’ve just gone over a few basic moves. It’s not yet ingrained, and your body’s not yet hardened. When we get serious, really serious in the next few days, it’s going to become so ingrained that you can execute these moves as fast as thinking it, against opponents doing everything they can to avoid it.”
Hao Chan solemnly nodded. “I’ll do my best to master it, Alex, that’s a promise.”
Hao Lin nodded. “Because if you don’t...”
“Brother Alex loses everything,” Hao Yin whispered.
Alex nodded before catching Hao Chan’s gaze, knowing there was a matter they needed to address. “Hao Chan?”
“Yes, Alex?”
“Just one more thing. If we’re going to truly go all out and train, that means putting no impurities in your body that your organs have to process and purge before it can work on repairing and building up the bones, muscles, and ligaments we strain every day.”
Hao Chan tilted her head. “What are you saying?”
“No more evening flasks of wine, Hao Chan.” Alex caught her gaze with his own.
She suddenly flushed and lowered her head. “An evening flask helps wash the cares of travel away. That’s what Father says.” She swallowed. “It’s tough, leaving home. The first night I felt anxious and suffered bad dreams. But ever since I started enjoying my evening libations… sleep is always blissful and sweet.”
Alex hid the growing anger in his heart, flashing only the gentlest of smiles. “I’m sure you’re right. But nonetheless, if you truly want to get stronger, clear spring water or small beer is best.” He flashed an almost teasing smile. “I caught a whiff of that brew the other day. That’s no watered-down table wine,” he teased.
Her cheeks blazed.
“Knowing how pure the Water Qi-infused springs are around here, we don’t have to worry about impurities, so perhaps ice-cold water would be best for slaking your thirst. Besides, do you really think they’re going to let cultivators drink their fill of fine spirits anyway? Far better to get used to the bitter now, so it’s one less burden to bear when they are pushing you to the breaking point in so many other ways later.”
“Fine!” Hao Chan snapped. “You made your point, Alex. No more wine.”
She swallowed, her gaze momentarily haunted.
Alex pretended he saw nothing at all. “Alright, ready for some more sparring? I can tell you think I’m being unreasonable and would love nothing better than to smack me. Let’s put that passion to good use!”
She chuckled ruefully and did just that, the pair lost in their practice until a furious looking Hao Zei barged in on their training.
“What are you doing, fool? We need to get moving. Time is money! You should be readying the wagons, not wasting time on foolishness!”
Alex gazed coldly at the man. “About our wager...”
“Don’t think you’re getting back a single copper, boy,” the merchant hissed with a guttural sneer. “Unless my daughter wins the tournament...”
“Places well enough to gain admittance!” Alex snapped.
“Unless she makes it inside, it’s forfeit! And then you’ll be in debt, boy, when I take my damaged daughter before the courts, and sue you for every penny you’ll ever earn!”
“Father!” Hao Chan hissed, before gasping and stumbling back at her father’s hot glare, now instinctively weaving out of strike range at a speed even Alex found impressive before giving an apologetic bow and dashing for the carriage.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he snapped. “You’re walking, same as us!” He flashed a cold smile. “If you’re so foolish as to let another guide your footsteps save for your father, then you will have only yourself to blame when your feet blister and sore!”
His daughter stopped cold, gazing at her father with a painful mixture of disappointment and disgust.
“Actually, she will be going to the carriage to rest and cultivate,” Alex corrected, the merchant spinning around with a furious glare.
“How dare you question my authority, Ruidian worm! You have mocked me with your arrogance long enough, it’s time you knew your place!” He tried to shove Alex back before stumbling to the ground as Alex danced aside, his other hand grabbing for the coiled horsewhip at his hip before he slammed into the dirt. Alex gazed coldly on, but refused even to touch the man.
“How dare you. How dare you!” the man screamed, both Sun Sun and Li glaring Alex’s way, for all that he was already several feet back from the merchant, hands nowhere near his weapon, though it was in easy reach.
Alex’s cold gaze met their own. He flashed a bleak smile. “Is it that time, then?”
Sun Sun spat and looked away.
Li swallowed and cursed, before speaking aloud. “I fear you’ve fallen, Master. Let me help you up,” he said, assisting a flustered and cursing Hao Zei who quickly batted the younger guard away, collecting himself before turning back to Alex, though he made no further moves toward his whip.
Alex throttled his rising temper, forcing himself to smile. “I apologize if anything I said has caused you unintended offense, but if I may remind you, in return for wagering my entire purse, the particulars of Hao Chan’s training are entirely my prerogative.”
He glared coldly at the man. “And no limitations were placed! Conceivably, I could insist we train here for months on end, train until the next year and I feel that Hao Chan is truly ready, unless you intended to break your word. And why not play for keeps, just like you seem to be intent on doing? I am, after all, wagering what is, for me, a fortune in coin.”
He flashed a placating smile at the merchant’s outraged snarl, beady black eyes peering into Alex’s own with sublime hate.
“But that, of course, would be silly. And would show no consideration at all for your own entrepreneurial endeavors. I think it would be a far fairer compromise if we were to simply allow Hao Chan to make use of the carriage and cultivate through the day, for as many days as we are on the road. I understand she’s on the verge of a breakthrough, after all.” Alex’s smile grew. “And if you decide to actually walk with us instead of sneaking inside the carriage to sleep away the afternoons before yelling at us for making poor time, we might even reach our destination faster! You are, after all, many times the weight of your daughter.”
Hao Zei’s eyes bulged, his cheeks and forehead turning a bright red as he seethed and simmered. Alex could all but sense dark ripples of tainted Qi as the man trembled with primal hate.
Alex’s smile grew. “I’m sure your daughter will appreciate your sacrifice of daily naps, showing that you really do put her needs first. And just think of all the pounds you’ll shed by the time we reach Yidushi! You’ll be a new man. Or, at least, a hungry one.”
And before the merchant could say a word, Alex had already turned his back on the man as if he was the least important thing in the world, taking the lead, fangtian ji once more in hand.
He turned around with a quizzical look on his features. “Well, aren’t we going? I thought you said you wanted to make good time today?”
And the primal scream the merchant vented as Alex turned around once more brought a cold grin of satisfaction to his lips, leaving him suddenly feeling better than he had in days.
You have been subject to Sweeping Hip Throw. Balance lost! You are momentarily stunned. Your arm is momentarily immobilized!
You have been subject to Spring Hip Throw. Balance lost!
You have been subject to Backroll Thigh Toss. Balance lost! You are momentarily stunned. Your opponent forgets to let go of your arm! Save versus dislocation made!
You have suffered a cumulative 30 temporary and 2 long-term points of Damage. Your right shoulder su
ffers temporary strain. (-1 to all strength and skill checks until 24 hours rest, 30 minutes of natural regeneration, or the Eternal Fox Body Restoration Technique embraced for at least 10 minutes.)
Alex blinked his eyes open, looking up at Hao Chan’s concerned features. “Are you okay, Alex? Oh gosh, I forgot to let go of your arm with that last toss! With the other throws, you taught me to keep it locked so I can control or break an elbow or wrist if I’m fighting for my life or rank, and only release if rules demand I let go. But that last flip...”
Alex grinned. “I know. It’s unorthodox, you’re momentarily on your back, but it can be highly effective if you have a powerful enough physique, or the legs of a dancer. Then, you can send your opponent flying before rolling back to your feet and be ready to knock them out, with a foot stomp or axe kick to the skull or solar plexus, if they don’t cry ‘yield.’”
Hao Chan’s beautiful features scrunched up into an apologetic wince, though her cousins were looking on with awe. Despite the large gaps in her training, she was a natural martial artist who already had a deadly arsenal of powerful kicks mastered. It was only her defenses and inside game that needed work. Work she had taken to with surprising relish, as Alex’s sore shoulder and back could attest.
“But I kept ahold of your arm, like I do for all the hip toss variants you’ve been teaching me, and, well, I could have really hurt you when my legs sent you flying.”
Alex grinned at her blush, part chagrin, part well-earned pride.
“Honestly, Hao Chan, for just a week’s training, you’re doing incredible!”
She furrowed her brow. “Hardly. I know my punches and elbow strikes hit with barely any force at all, at least, for a cultivator. And you can still blow through my guard.”
Alex nodded. “You have to work on upper body strength and power, true. But one gift all your years training under your master gave you was incredibly powerful hips and thighs. You might not be too good at blocking or redirecting my blows, but your avoidance and evasion techniques are getting more solid every day. You’re also learning how to disrupt my flow and anticipate my moves. Honestly, I’m amazed by your reflexes. Your knee strikes and roundhouse kicks will leave even me breathless if I let you catch me under the ribs. And the best thing is, you now have the tools in your arsenal to survive encounters at all ranges!”
Silver Fox & The Western Hero: Warrior Reforged: A LitRPG/Wuxia Novel - Book 2 Page 20
