Tap! Tap! Tap!

You could hear the rapid tappings of footsteps on the ground, as a figure quickly raced around a tree, drawing in and out periodically. Though the night covered his actions, you could still make out the hazy movements. The figure was indeed fast - his shadow could be barely seen to a keen observer, and the only solid remnants of his passings were his footprints, yet even they were soft upon the ground.

Woosh! Woosh!

The air flowed around him, trying to drag him down as he darted across the dirt, and then closing in on the tree. He rapidly hit the bark - then slamming his fist into it, turning and arching his back so that his right leg could plow down upon the poor tree.

Bang!

A single Spirit powered kick cracked the tree distinctly in half, though it may not have split, it certainly wasn't far from it. This figure was Tang Jun, now four years old! He was currently practicing both his combat skills and Tang Sect's treasured movement skill - Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track! It was a skill that required dedicated training and practice, but its full potential could not be underestimated. When Tang San fought against the Spirit Hall in that heaven shaking war, this skill saved his life and carried battles an uncountable number of times!

When executed, one would move like a ghost, flying with such extreme speed that after images would appear whenever he hit the ground. The after images were the 'shadow' of the technique - the blurred, hazy figures in such mass formation had a truly daunting effect that one could absolutely say they were perplexing to the extreme, and hence the name 'Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track'! Mass confusion, great speed, and utility - how could one not say that this was a treasured technique?

Training this skill was very taxing to one's body, as to train with maximum effect, one would have to put all their Spirit Power into their legs, and then use them in bursts in coordination with the steps. Exhausting all your Spirit Power in your legs was key in training this technique efficiently, as the more Spirit Power going through the Meridians in your legs, the faster it will adapt to the technique. As you get more adept with the technique, the Spirit Power needed to use it (at the same speed) shrinks as a result of the adaption - the more it adapts, the more efficient it gets!

Tang Jun was also currently training it in combination with his martial arts because it was much more efficient than doing them separately! Training in martial arts did not use any Spirit Power, so all of it could be sent to his legs while he relied on pure strength and endurance on his upper body. The martial arts he trained in were very simple and straightforward - complicated stances and movements required a firm foundation to execute upon, and these, though simple, still requires massive amounts of training to perfect. They say it takes an expert to learns the basics well, but a master to perfect them! No matter what you are doing, the basics cannot be neglected!

He stopped, panting for some desperate air, his hands on his knees and half bending to support himself. Though he knew that fully exhausting himself was the best way to train, he could not afford to, because this was in the middle of the night! He needed to spare some Spirit Power to use the 'Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track' to sneak back into the dormitories. The reason he needed to train in the middle of the night was that he didn't want anyone noticing! Training in the daylight was too visible with his special techniques, and attention to him was right now was bad. Seriously bad. Dangerously bad.

After a minute of rest, he got up and sneaked from the far part of the field and into the kitchen. At the door, he slowly opened it, and then activated another ability he was training in, the Purple Demon Eye! It was another Tang Sect technique, but instead of use in direct combat, this was more of a support technique, but its effects were easily on par with the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track! It was divided into four stages:

The first stage, Survey! By activating specific Meridians near his eyes, one would gain substantially more vision and clearly grasp information!

The second stage, Detail! Further advancements within the Meridians allows them to withstand more Spirit Power to activate, and so more abilities are gained and improved! Vision is drastically improved, while one can enter a mental state where everything appears to be slowed down, allowing impossibly fast reaction time! You can also see other Spirit Master's Spirit Power, granted that they are of a lower level than you.

The third stage, Mustard Seed! At this point, when one activates the Purple Demon Eye, their eyes would appear to glow yellow, and hence 'Mustard Seed'! You can notice every minute detail, from the wings of a fly to a single grain of rice, and the ability to survey your surroundings! This stage also allows users to directly attack someones mental state, confusing them or shocking them!

The fourth stage, Boundless! In all honesty, Tang Jun did not know very much about this stage at all! In the Tang Sect records, only the founder, Tang San, has ever achieved this stage, so one could only dream how strong the abilities were! Tang San gave only 4 words in guidance of this stage,

The Eye of Gods!

Right now, Tang Jun has fully grasped the first stage, and even though its abilities paled in comparison to the other stages, it would give him enough sight to accomplish his sneaking duties. His eyes glowed with a slight hue, not of the typical purple it should have been, but a radiant gold. Tang Jun didn't know why it glowed in such a different color, but its effects were the same, so he didn't think too much of it. He peeked into the kitchen - no movement, sound, just the tables and the chairs. Tang Jun then quickly used the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, darting across the wooden floor without a single footprint and into the 3-way corridor that connected the kitchen, Boy's Dormitories, and Girl's Dormitories. He had his back to the wall, careful not to make a creak, and listened, listened for any signs of movement. There was none, but the odd hooting of some owl.

Tang Jun peered his head out, looking left and right with the Purple Demon Eyes. You could call him paranoid, but it was better to be safe than sorry, especially when there was no excuse for himself! The hallway was dark, empty, bare, but clear to his eyes. Tang Jun gave a small smile, ready to rush back into his Dormitory, but then his honed senses picked up something.

"...huu...huu..."

It was soft, quiet, so very quiet, but he could still hear it. It sounded like a child's sobbing, but at the middle of the night? Tang Jun paused. Should he go check? He knew it would be much safer to go back into bed, but still, the curiosity...

"...huu...huu...huu..."

He heard it again, and he could distinctly hear it from the left side of the corridor, the direction of the Girl's Dormitories

'What is it?' Tang Jun thought. He knew he wasn't crazy, it was definitely there, but he needed to make a decision on what to do. Tang Jun wasn't an evil or a bad person, he would help someone if needed, but he didn't know whether the risk was worth it. He paused again, thinking intensely to himself.

"...huu...huu..."

'Screw it. I'm going to see what the sound is.'

Tang Jun's curiosity got the best of him and so used the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to dash left of the corridor, and in the direction of the Girl's Dormitories. The sounds got louder, and louder, until he could hear in addition to the sound, was a banging sound, like on a metal door. Tang Jun flew closer and closer until he arrived in front of the bathroom door, where the sounds were the loudest and clearly came from. It was still quite a bit from the actual Girl's Dormitories, around 10 meters or so.

'"...huu...huu...huu..."

'What's making the sobbing sound? A child? But it's in the middle of the night!'

Tang Jun needed to know more, he had gone too far to back off. He stretched for the door handle and turned it right. It wouldn't budge.

'Huh?'

He turned it left this time, but it still wouldn't budge. It clearly was locked somehow, but Tang Jun had his ways of opening things.

'Locked, huh? Looks like a job for another Tang Sect skill..."

Tang Jun backed off, crouching with one leg bent and the other extended in a basic Martial Art's stance, then focused a small amount of Spirit Energy into his arm. He exhaled, then rushed forward (quietly of course) and hit his hand on the handle, then violently twisting it right. His hands had become as tough as steel and extraordinarily strong - the handle could not have possibly withstood the immense force driven onto it.

Crack!

The crack was quiet but broke off the handle from the door, and along with it some wood that it was anchored to. It left a hole around the size of an adults hand, and it was most definitely visible.

Tang Jun just used a combination of two Tang Sect techniques, the Mysterious Jade Hand, and the Controlling Crane Catching Dragon! The Mysterious Jade Hand hardened his palm into steel, while the Controlling Crane Catching Dragon allowed him to grapple the handle and twist it with enormous force.

He carefully placed the handle down, making sure that it would produce no sound, and then opened the door.

"...huu...huu...huu..."

Tang Jun heard the sobs distinctly now, and he looked into the dark bathroom. He saw a small girl kneeling there, her hands covering her face, but looking clearly into the door. She peered up, and Tang Jun saw her eyes. Her deep, vivid violet eyes, stained with red from all the crying. He stood there for a moment, taking the scene in, then quietly asked.

"Why are you here?" The girl sniffled, hesitating to answer, then said:

"I w-was l-looking for..." She stopped talking. Her voice was soft, hushed and stammered from her crying. He looked on, eyes begging for an answer, and then she continued.

"I-I was l-looking f-f-for my hair c-clip that I l-lost... then s-someone locked t-the door and I c-couldn't get out..."

Tang Jun sighed, not a disappointed one, but a slightly irate one. He gently grabbed her arm, then gestured her upwards.

"Can you stand?"

She nodded, then got herself up (he noted that she was slightly shorter than him), holding onto him as she did. Her grip was unusually firm for a seemingly helpless girl, showing some previously covered determination. He walked out of the bathroom, and with a hushing gesture to her, started to move to the Girl's Dormitories. When they arrived at the first Dormatairy, he quickly asked,

"Which one is your's?"

"T-That one, the third one to the right." She pointed, and they moved towards it. The door was closed, but when he tried to open it, the handle gave way immediately as turned it to the right. Tang Jun gestured in.

"Go now to sleep, it's late now and you need it."

She reluctantly let go of his arm and walked into the Dormitory. She looked back, but seeing his golden eyes urge her to go, quickly went to her bed.

The door was shut without a sound.

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