Chapter 102: The Swirling Swath

Lu Daomeng walked through the hallways of the building heading for his office. Under one arm he carried a small stack of books, the top one titled, ‘The Minds of Men.’ He stopped when he was close to his office and his mouth bent into a frown as he saw a familiar boy sitting in lotus position next to his door in meditation.

“Wang Zen,” he said under his breath with great annoyance.

As if sensing his irritation, Wang Zen dispelled the mana he could not purify to ki and opened his eyes. “Teacher Lu Daomeng,” Zen said as he got to his feet, “May I speak to you?”

“Funny,” Lu Daomeng said as he presented his academy staff badge to the door to his office, making it unlock and allowing him to push the door open, “I thought that’s what you were doing now.”

“Well… Yes.” Zen followed the man inside.

The office was still neat, with papers stacked neatly and books and scrolls on the shelf that Lu Daomeng was packing the books he already carried. For the first time, Zen noticed an old looking circlet made of wire and wood hanging on the shelf. It was a circle with a diagonal line running through it. The boy briefly wondered what the charm was for.

“So, Wang Zen, what do you want?” Lu Daomeng said, sitting on his chair behind his desk, his chin balanced on the knuckles of his hand.

“Well… the thing… I have a request to make.”

“That’s no surprise. Quickly make your request, so I can quickly refuse.”

Zen took a moment before dropping to the floor.

Lu Daomeng raised an eyebrow as he craned his neck, trying to see what the boy was doing on the floor as the desk between them impeded his view. “What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean what are you doing behind my desk cause I cannot see you.”

Zen’s head peeked out from the edge of the desk, his brown ees looking around. “Oh!” He rose to his knees and while staying on them, shuffled to the side of the desk where he could be clearly seen by Lu Daomeng. Then suddenly, he dropped his head and body low, his forehead making an audible sound as it hit the ground.

Lu Daomeng was so taken aback that he fell over, his chair tipping over, making him crash into the ground with the back of his head. He quickly got to his feet and gazed at Wag Zen who was still on the floor. “Bloody, Wang Zen,” he swore under his breath as he felt a bump forming at the back of his head. “What the hell are you doing?” he shouted.

“I’m… kowtowing,” Zen said in confusion. “Am I not doing it right? This is the first time I do it so…”

“I know what you’re doing! I want to know why!”

Zen took a deep breath. “I am weak and wolly unskilled. If I am to survive I need to get stronger. My request to you, Teacher Lu Daomeng, is a difficult one. One that you should reject outright but for my sake, I beg that you do not. Teacher Lu Daomeng, please… please please, teach me ki Sword Arts.”

“And why should I teach you?” Lu Daomeng sat down. “I know what you think of my kind of people, Wang Zen, commoners. You look down on us. I know whatever skills you learn you will use them to oppress people like me.”

“I was a fool to look down on anyone.” Zen said. “I promise I will not do it again.”

Silence followed… it stretched so long that Zen was beginning to wonder if he should get up from his position on the ground.

“You are young, Master Zen.” Lu Daomeng finally said. “I doubt you know anything about keeping your word and the value of your name but the times will soon get dangerous for you, so I may as well teach you. And this will make your father and I even in all respects.”

Zen looked up at Daomeng. “Thank you, Shifu Lu.”

“I like this new attitude of yours.” Daomeng said, snickering at the bump growing on Zen’s forehead while ignoring the even bigger one growing from the back of his own head. “But avoid calling me Shifu when we are around other people.”

“Yes, Shifu Lu. Thank you.”

“And don’t thank me yet, for I doubt you will feel as thankful when I tell you what I’m going to teach you.” Lu Daomeng said. “You see, the techniques pf the ki sword arts I practice are divided into three levels. The first level can be taught to new disciples and upon mastering them, they will become formidable in Ki Sword Arts. The next level contains techniques that are secret to even Ki Sword Arts users of the same practice, however, these techniques can be learned by simply have a deep understanding of the techniques in the first level and inferring from them the secrets of the next level. Then finally, there is the third level, containing techniques that, yes, may share some basics of the first and second level techniques but are generally unreachable by most without specific knowledge, and as such are only taught to core disciples or blood. Although I am considered a master of the Ki Sword Arts technique I practice, there are some of these techniques that even I do not know how to perform. I shall only teach ki sword art techniques of the basic first level any progress you make from that point on will be totally up to you.”

Zen took a moment to think. Even though he would not learn everything, he did not doubt that it would still improve his odds against the Masked Woman. “I will be happy to learn, Shifu.”

Lu Daomeng nodded, “Then meet me at the academy forest entrance tonight”.

Wang Zen followed Lu Daoeng through the academy forest.

“Shifu, where are we going?’ Zen asked. It was the first time he had gone this deep into the forest. The deeper one went, the stronger the beasts kept there became but Zen was unafraid as he was with Lu Daomeng, who probably was not surpassed by any of the beasts in the forest in power. The fact that Shibi was also with him made him feel calmer.

“A place where we can focus.” Daomeng stopped at a clearing. “Here should be good enough and we won’t get disturbed. Sit down.”

Zen sat down, Shibi leaping off his shoulder and sitting next to him. Daomeng sat opposite him both in lotus position. “Now, I will teach you a ki technique.”

“Really? Awesome!”

“Don’t get too excited. This technique is considered as a low grade technique.”

“But it can be promoted to high grade with practice right.”

“Not that I know of and I’ve been practicing it for a long time.”

Zen’s shoulders slacked. “Then why would you even teach it to me,” he said in annoyance.

“Because it will give you the skills to learn sword arts.” Lu Daomeng said. “Now, activate your ki from your lower daitian. Now, swirl the ki while passing it through the these diatians in the order I give you, first…”

Zen closed his eyes and did as he was told. He followed Lu Daomeng’s instructions, failing to complete the technique with each attempt. Five hours had passed with Zen attempting to master the technique and Lu Daomeng was beginning to get excited for Zen was currently close to completing it.

“That’s it, Wang Zen.” Daomeng said, excitedly. “Focus… you’re close.”

Zen could feel the technique taking form. His face was already perspiring with trying to master the effort of performing the steps to master the techniques. Then he experienced success and the technique completed. A swathl of murky white ki erupted from Zen and swirled around him, its path getting smaller before it vanished. It lasted for all about 2 seconds.

“That’s it?” Zen said. “All that work and… that’s it?”

“Yes, that is the technique.” Daomeng said.

“Shifu, are you playing a joke on me? That is the most trashy and useless…” Zen began and kept quiet when he noticed Daomeng’s annoyed face.

“You are complaining and yet it took you so long to master the technique. When I learned the technique, it only took me three hours.” Daomeng said. “And you have not even mastered it yet.” Daomeng went quiet and a moment later a whirlwind of white ki erupted from him, picking up dust and small pieces of debris. Lu Daomeng looked at Zen through the ki whirlwind. “When you can produce constant swirls such as this, then I we can continue to the next step of your training.” The ki whirlwind instantly died, dropping the debris it was carrying. Lu Daomeng rose to his feet.

“Shifu, where are you going?”

“To sleep.” He said. “I’ve taught you the technique, The Swirling Swath, and gave you a task of where it needs to be. When you achieve the task, we will continue.”

“But I thought you’d teach me.”

“Yes, teach, not coddle.” Lu Daomeng said. “I am not your mother, I am your shifu. So I will not spoon feed you your education.” Daomeng disappeared, leaving Zen alone.

When he was sure he was out of earshot, Zen clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Useless Shifu, useless technique. But I’ll show him right, Shibi?”

Shibi ooked in agreement.

“Yeah, I’ll master this dumb Swirling Swath.” Zen closed his eyes and began focussing. He heard a howl in the wind and his eyes flew open. “Uhm.. I think I’ll do it from the safety of my room., though. Come Shibi.”

Shibi climbed up his arm as he hastily made his way out of the forest.

Zen was walking through the academy grounds heading for his dorm room. The cold night was quiet, with students still too unadjusted to the winter cold to train. Zen could not blame them. He too would not have been out here if it was not for Lu Daomeng, even to keep his normal training regime.

He heard a bush rustle. A hundred reasons rushed through his mind of why it rusted tha way and neither involved the wind.

“Who is there?” Zen summoned the Zen Blade from his storage stoe, something he always kept with him no matter where he went.

Shibi too was standing on edge, waiting…

“Zen? I thought it was you but I had my doubts.” A short boy walked into view.

“Jao Cong? What are you doing here?” Zen said, returning his blade back into the storage stone with an angry look on his face.

“I came looking for you, for I have a favour to ask.” Cong said, struggling to speak as he hugged himself in an attempt to keep warm.

“What?” Zen said, his anger smothered by curiosity.

Cong looked down for a moment, as if thinking twice about what he was about to ask. He sighed, sending steam cascading from his mouth. “I would like you to instruct me on fighting.”