NOVEL NEXT 65: Expectations (I)
"Master, where are we going?" Wang Yang asked, following Muchen in the complex hallways of the main residence.
After telling them that he'd teach them new techniques, Muchen told Sun Lingling and Hua Mei to wait in the lecture room and led Wang Yang to the basement. They navigated a series of complex hallways made of plain wooden floors and white walls, making numerous turns and passing by a number of sliding doors.
"To your new training space." He led the way, passing two books to his confused disciple.
"Five Element Sword Technique? Storm Steps Technique?" Wang Yang read the title etched with gold on the white covers, his head tilting in confusion as soon as he opened the first page. Was this the language he spoke or some witchcraft?
"These are the techniques you will be learning in this room till the Eastern Martial Meet." Reaching the hallway's end, Muchen opened the heavy iron door. The red, wide as a person, door creaked and gave way to the inside.
"Here?" Wang Yang found the room, twice as big as the training ground, empty.
It had white walls and a floor, no windows or lights. Square panels that also served as illumination devices and wind circulation covered the floor, walls, and ceiling. There wasn't a single cushion in sight, let alone food in there, just pure white. How was he supposed to stay her for weeks?
"This is your rations." Muchen handed his disciple a storage ring, which had simple food and necessities in there. He showed him behind which panels the bathroom and toilet were, and moved to the main point. "The techniques I have given you are both of Heaven Grade High Rank. You will have to learn them on your own using this room."
"On my own?" Wang Yang asked, and he could barely understand a word.
"It is my way of testing you. I'll show you the techniques a few times, then it is up to you to learn." Muchen knew Wang Yang's potential, but he had gone too easy on him. He didn't want to spoil him into dependency; that's the type of teacher he hated the most because that dependency destroys talents.
Training disciples was like keeping a sword; you had to polish them and care for them, but not make them ceremonial pieces that only look good. A good sword had to be sharp and ready to cut, and a good disciple had to be confident and self-sufficient.
The current test was to give Wang Yang a glimpse of doing things on his own. It was Muchen's way of preparing the young bird's wings before it had to take a plunge down the ravine.
No matter how much the mother bird protects its young ones, it would have to jump down to soar above the clouds. And whether it can do that or not depends on the young one's wings.
"Let's start with the Five Element sword technique." Muchen drew his sword, a pristine white blade without a smudge of impurity. It was a thin but long blade, glowing under the white light. "It's a sword technique of an ancient clan hailing from the Southern Continent, The Zenith of Swords. A sword technique created by a genius blessed with immense talent and a spiritual root that allowed access to the five elements."
"So, like me…" Wang Yang's eyes stuck to the movement of his Master's sword.
It moved so slow, yet at a frightening speed, like a river flowing through the forest. He could hear the calm river just from Muchen's movements, even while standing underground. However, the wall behind his Master shone bright red.
It's not the wall! It's fire! Wang Yang's eyes widened at the crescent blade of flames launched at his master's defenseless back.
"Like you, the creator of this technique also had control over five elements." Muchen remained steadfast even after knowing about the attack. "The five elements are the basis on which this universe exists; they are the cornerstones that hold everything together. They feed and overcome each other, thus maintaining balance. That is the key to existence."
Wang Yang saw a veil of water covering Muchen's blade. The sword that moved awfully slow a moment ago snapped like a whip. The water blade extinguished the fiery attack like putting out a candle.
"90% of spiritual roots are connected or derived from the five elements." Muchen continued as more attacks came in from the walls. "As someone with a spiritual root that can control all elements, you must take advantage of the situation."
Muchen's blade glowed crimson, melting the iron spikes hurled towards him.
"A person with a wood element spiritual root can only use attacks from that element." A silver hue covered the white sword, chopping through the spears of wood. "If they meet a metal spiritual root user, they would be at a severe disadvantage."
"In this game of scissors, rock, and silk. You have the privilege to look at your enemy's hand and throw the perfect counter." The blade turned into a wooden whip and pierced through the barrage of hardened rocks.
Amazing… Wang Yang stood in awe as Muchen absorbed a torrent of water with an earthen wall and shot it back at a flame ball, coming back full circle.
"However, your enemies would've honed their one element to perfection and would have methods to deal with counters. Unlike them, each element will need your equal attention, a jack of all trades." Muchen sheathed his sword after a few more rotations of the attacks, explaining to Wang Yang the push and pull between the elements. "But I don't want that mediocrity from you; I need you to be the Master of all. For that, you need to train harder than anyone else."
Faced with the wall of information and heavy expectations, Wang Yang finally spoke.
"You can also use all elements, Master?!"
"…It's called morphing." Muchen, already used to such an attitude, continued. "After studying the concept of change in formations, you convert qi into corresponding elements by brute force. It uses up a lot of qi depending on your element's relationship with the element you are trying to use. It doesn't see much use aside from alchemy and formations."
"Ohhh! That's amazing." With his curiosity satisfied, Wang Yang looked at the book in his hand with a smile, a silent determination blooming inside him. "I'll work hard and learn this, Master."
"Good. Focus on these well, they will be the foundation of your way." Muchen chose those two techniques for Wang Yang's start after a lot of thought.
Combat techniques were as important, if not more important, than cultivation methods for some people. For Wang Yang, someone who faced battles at every turn, his combat techniques made a huge impact on his survivability. Before regression, Muchen could only get Wang Yang started on a simplified version of the Five Element sword technique he found in a ruin, but this time, he had the actual legacy of a previous sword emperor, courtesy of Wang Yang himself.
"Storm steps… This sounds strong?" Wang Yang read the title of the second book. The technique Muchen hadn't performed for him yet.
"That book is a test for you. If you can master this technique to entry level by the Martial Meet, I'll teach you its sister technique, Storm Sword, too." Muchen gave a healthy push to his disciple by waving the carrot.
"Really? I'll do it then." Wang Yang nodded, full of enthusiasm.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
A technique had three levels of mastery: entry, intermediate, and completion. The higher the mastery, the stronger the technique became. The Storm Steps and Storm Sword techniques belonged to a previous sword saint. High technical techniques that reigned at the top of Divine Grade. Trained to completion, they rivalled Immortal-grade techniques. Wang Yang was the one who found them in a grotto-heaven and used them even in his later days.
The reason he had brought them out now was simple.
Not too hard, but not too easy either. A challenge that's right between boredom and danger, a challenge he can immerse himself in. Those types of challenges will help unlock Wang Yang's potential. That was the reason Muchen had stayed extra careful not to spoil the young boy. He didn't want him to get used to the ease and security of having his master around. Life was unpredictable after all.
I need to have him face danger, but also prepare him just enough to overcome it. That's why I can't leave him out of the Martial Meet and go alone; that's why I didn't stop him from entering the sect trial, and that's the reason why I won't be able to stop him from going on his adventures even if I know the dangers he will fall into. Maybe if I were strong enough, I could've done something about the dangers, but I don't have that type of strength. I only have knowledge. So, I have to use it and light his way so he won't stumble because of the dark. Muchen made his silent vow, knowing the storm that would come after his plans succeeded.
"This booklet has the controls of the rooms. Be careful while using it." Muchen left a final piece with Wang Yang and left.
Closing the iron door behind, Muchen sighed. He looked at the elegant inscriptions of the ceiling for a moment. The path ahead seemed thorny, yet he started walking without looking back. He was past reevaluating now; there wasn't enough time even if he wanted to.
"I've given Sun Lingling her techniques… Given Kexin training to do while I am away… Discussed things with Gu Fe and Qian Yun… Now, I only have to talk with Zhipeng about the puppet before I can get back to cultivation." Muchen took out the booklet he had used to keep track of things of current events while branching out possible futures from that point on.
Even if not perfect… I have to prepare as much as I can for any possible deviations. He had to make sure things went down the path most beneficial for him.
Lost in thought, he reached Chrysanthemum Peak, unaware that his actions had already caused ripples in places even he failed to take account of.
***
Southern continent. A landmass created by the forceful union of numerous smaller lands in the forgotten age. It had numerous mountain ranges and valleys, lush forests in the north, and vast flatlands in the south that stretched into the horizon.
The land flourished in business with its numerous ports. The nexus of roads that led inwards had first-class security and numerous cities dotting the lush lands. However, the continent had an even more well-known name. Zenith of Swords.
The name wasn't because of the numerous sword clans across the continent or their long history that spanned several millennia. It also wasn't the fact that sword cultivation was first devised on this continent and that the land here birthed the first sword saint.
The reason people called the southern continent Zenith of Swords had to do with a sword clan that settled there 900 years ago.
A sword clan, now better known as Divine Sword Valley.
Although they were still considered newcomers in the sword cultivator community of the southern continent, they controlled over 50% of the land with over 30% of the cultivators under their banner. No one dared test their might anymore; it had long become a fact that they were one of the strongest sects across the five continents, and the strongest on the southern continent.
In the sect's capital city, Ken, the clean, tiled roads usually saw a storm of chatter, but at that moment not a word came out. Early spring wind bounced in an awkward silence between the tall pagodas and vast estates; not even birds dared to chirp. The passerbys, whether they be elders, disciples, or even locals, all stood in silence and gave way to the man with short white hair.
His gold eyes looked around, yet he didn't say anything. He already knew the reason for their silence. No matter how clueless one may be, they'd know when their emotions riled up, especially sword cultivators who were more attuned with their own inner workings.
It's been decades… yet that bastard still gets on my nerves. The man, described as fair-faced by his admirers, touched the ugly frown on his head in hopes of smoothing it out. But the thought of the person made it worse.
'Sun Lingling has joined the Azure Sky Sect of the Eastern Continent under Li Muchen's tutelage.'
The once kind and approachable face turned demon-like at the mention of the name.
No matter what I offered that girl, she rejected it. And now she joins under him? Isn't that directly saying that I am worse than him?! The man would've pulled his hair out if he weren't in public. He could only picture Li Muchen's triumphant grin, and it pissed him off. It pissed him off so much he could explode.
"When it comes to sword cultivators, I am the best after my Master… Any sword cultivator would give their life to learn a day under me… and yet…" Noticing his emotions spiraling out the man calmed himself by chanting scriptures, but as a non-believer, it didn't help him much. "Maybe it just wasn't meant to be."
He didn't mind her rejection, not one bit. In fact, when he heard she planned to travel to the eastern port city, he gave her the most luxurious carriage one could get and helped her get a seat on an airship that would take her to the Eastern continent so she wouldn't face too many troubles on her travels. Still, the man had one gripe with Sun Lingling.
"You could've at least chosen someone else, why him of all people?! He isn't even a sword cultivator!" He almost threw his sword to the ground out of rage, like he was a fake.
A soft, gentle voice came from the left as soon as he entered his estate and had his little outburst.
"Young Master… even if you are at home, please refrain from acting like a hooligan."
The woman had a notable scar running down the left side of her face, but even that wasn't enough to hinder her decadent beauty. The red robe on her matched her flaming red hair she kept in a bun. The air around her vibrated, almost distorting her figure.
"Xie… sorry, I was just not paying enough attention." The man took a deep breath and calmed himself down.
The woman with him had grown up side by side with him and taken care of him his entire life; that's why he felt comfortable letting his true thoughts out when he reached home, because only she was there. However, things have changed lately in the past few years.
"Even at home, please be wary. There are many eyes on you, as the successor of Divine Sword Valley." Xie said, bowing politely.
The white-haired man with golden eyes was none other than Xiao Miaorui, the next sect leader of the Divine Sword Valley and the one who had dueled with Li Muchen in the past and saw him as a rival.
"I'll be more careful… Has Master returned yet?" Miaorui asked, entering the main pavilion.
"No, Sect Leader is still in the Sword Valley. We have no information on when he will return." Xie considered her next words for a moment before speaking. "But we have a bigger problem than that."
"What is it?" Miaorui asked, watering the Rainbow gaem flowers in his personal garden, because of his raging emotions because of Li Muchen, he had turned to gardening as a way to calm down. And after 40 years of constant work, he finally made his favorite flowers grow in his yard.
"Young Master Xi has gone missing," Xie said.
"That stupid disciple of mine does it often. Where is he off to this time?" Miaorui already had some countermeasures in place for such events, examining the delicate stems of his flowers.
"The Eastern Continent. The note said 'I am off to see that scary sword cultivator you always talk about." Even the usually calm Xie felt a headache rising. "He gave the surveillance team the slip by acting like he was in closed-door cultivation, then escaped using the shadow cloak. By the time the team noticed, he boarded the airship you bought him and reached the eastern port city, Kari, and should be on route to the western port city of the Eastern continent, Dhruv."
"I should've known that bastard was up to something!" Miaorui placed his watering can down and cracked his knuckles. Veins popped out of his forehead and neck because of his troublemaker disciple. "I'll get him back before he makes an incident."
"Young master, it isn't advisable for you to leave in the absence of the Sect Leader," Xie said, stopping him before he flew off.
With the Sect Leader unavailable, it came to his successor to look over the sect matters and safety. Above all, he had to be the figure of authority and a deterrent for anyone who had ill will.
"Damn it… There is that bastard brother of mine to worry about, too." Miaorui clenched his fist. Every time he saw the scar on Xie's face, his blood boiled. "Put Team Red Hawk on the tracking that idiot down. I'll go to the Sect Hall and handle things."
"As you wish, Young Master. Please take the day off and relax. I have prepared your favorite drinks and food at your station in the Sword Palace. Please leave any paperwork for the Pavilion Heads." She said.
"Thank you," Miaorui said.
Watching leave, Xie looked at the sun above her head and let out a sigh. Miaorui was a handful growing up, but his disciple had turned out even more of a problem child. However, there were ways to deal with normal problem children, just that Miaorui's disciple wasn't the average troublemaker.
"The future seems full of troubles. May the Sword God bless us with good luck."