124 Chapter 123: Back to the presen (2/2)

”Hmm, is it that time when your First Senior attacked the academy, Ning Xue?”

”Yeah…”

”Hmm, I don't remember much of it, but I don't remember seeing Wu there. Granted, I was knocked out almost immediately.”

”Well…” Bai Ning Xue sighed and quickly filled in the rest on what had transpired during the moments when the rest of the student council members were knocked out, with Zhu Jiao adding and filling in some gaps.

They were brief, and they didn't mention my meeting with Lei Yong Chun in the forest. Obviously – they weren't there and they had no knowledge of me catching up and speaking with Lei Yong Chun and learning all those predictable stuff. To be honest, just as Lei Yong Chun said, I wasn't shocked by any of these revelations. I had already anticipated them.

After reading enough wuxia and xianxia novels, I was self-aware enough to know what was going to happen further down the line. The problem was how I could deal with it. And I wasn't cruel enough to dump the details of an ominous future on my friends. Firstly, they wouldn't believe me, and secondly, if they did believe me and started acting nervous and whatever around the Martial Arts Alliance, they would give themselves away.

Ignorance was bliss. I was the only one who needed to know about that, and I should be able to find a solution before long. The Martial Arts Alliance was way too big for a small group of students to do anything about it, but as the protagonist, I knew I would go through a series of fateful encounters and big events before eventually finding the power to do something about my situation. Another thing I had learned from wuxia and xianxia novels.

There was no use worrying about resistance against a large organization. Everything would fall into place soon enough.

”Why didn't you tell any of us?” Tang Qi Hong complained, turning back to me with her hands on her hips.

”Do you tell me every single detail of what happens in your life?” I responded. Tang Qi Hong stammered, taken aback.

”Uh…well…”

”But this isn't just a simple matter. It's pretty major!” Zhu Jiao was looking at me disapprovingly. He glanced at Bai Ning Xue, as if a little disappointed that she didn't confide in him. But he understood that I had sworn her to secrecy, so he didn't say anything.

”Why would he? Wu will have an advantage if he keeps his martial arts a secret. That's why he did it, especially when so close to the tournament.”

Fortunately, Tong Xue was on my side.

”Even so, he could have told us,” Zhu Jiao argued.

”Then what happens if you meet him in the tournament? Did Wu go and ask you for your martial arts before the final?”

Ban Zhang countered, and then Zhu Jiao faltered.

”Uh, well…”

”The main reason is because I wanted to maintain a low profile and I didn't think it was anything major enough to tell you. After all, I wasn't hurt badly, and you and the other student council members were recovering in the infirmary. Plus I was too busily training afterward that the entire incident slipped my mind. Sorry.”

My reverse psychology actually worked. The moment I lowered my head and apologized, Zhu Jiao quickly waved his hands and apologized.

”Uh, no. sorry. It's my fault for being pushy. Of course you would have your own reasons.”

”Thanks for understanding.”

”Anyway, we shouldn't waste too much time standing around. Let's get back to our seats.”

At Ban Zhang's reminded, I glanced at the clock. Sometime during our conversation, we had reached the classroom and had gathered around Bai Ning Xue's desk to discuss the incident. The lesson was about to begin in a minute, so we hastily dispersed and returned to our desks.

*

With no other major events, and now that the tournament had ended, there wasn't much for me to say. We did what we could, training and cultivating as per our sect's instructions.

Having joined the Blood Blades, our training regimen had become a lot stricter. Elder Zhao sure didn't go easy on Tong Xue and me, mercilessly beating us up in each training session and drilling the techniques of the Nine Heavenly Armaments into our bodies. He wasn't satisfied with just teaching me the sword and Tong Xue the dagger. He also made sure we had secondary armament training, teaching me the finer uses of wielding a spear and a staff, while also coaching Tong Xue on using a normal sword but other than that, my classmate was let off from other stuff.

”That's not how you do it! Put more back into it!”

”Ugh…”

I struggled to swing the spear with more force, as Elder Zhao directed. He looked at me sternly, circling as I performed the movements he demonstrated earlier.

”Using a spear is different from using a sword! Keep that in mind!'

He then paused and shook his head.

”That said, even the way you use a sword is a mess! Did your primary master not teach you how to properly use a sword?!”

”I don't have a primary master,” I reminded him. Or even if I did, Master did not teach me how to use a sword. He only taught me the most basic cultivation and breathing methods and the core principles of the other techniques, such as Heavenly Flow and Earthly Path and Heaven and Earth Strike. And I still had yet to fully grasp the latter. I had been making do by combining my Heavenly Draconic Meteor Strike with the basic principles to come up with Shadow Dragon Meteor Strike, but obviously it didn't come close to the original Heaven and Earth Strike. I was a long way from mastering that. ”My sword skills are all self-learned.”

”Did I give permission for you to talk back?!” Elder Zhao snapped as he smacked my head, almost sending me sprawling on the ground.

Well, dude, you asked. Then again, he would probably also smack me if I had stayed silent and not answer the question. That was probably the point of the training, so I decided not to retort, so that I could escape unnecessary pain.

Crawling to my feet, I picked up my spear against and spun it before slashing and swinging it. With more force this time, as per Elder Zhao's instructions.

I began regretting asking him to teach me how to use a spear. The idea had occurred to me during training, and I had requested Elder Zhao to show me how to use a spear. Remembering how I used one to kill the Ghost Bear all those years ago, I thought it might help me a little if I had some faint idea of how to actually wield it.

Besides, Lord Xue Ying used a spear as well, and he was a badass. And at least he didn't fall into the same Mary Sue trap (or at least the manhua version didn't) that all other wuxia and xianxia protagonists did, like *cough* Li Fu Chen *cough*.

So if there was one protagonist I would like to emulate, it would be Lord Xue Ying (the manhua version). As for the novel version, I had only read up to where he fought the Shadow Leopard or whatever in the forest. I should pick it up again when I had the time.

”Hey! Your thoughts are wandering! Concentrate!”

Another smack to my head, but I dodged it this time, and continued whirling my spear before slashing at the air. Elder Zhao nodded in approval when he saw my movements. At least he wasn't petty enough to resent me for ducking his physical punishment.

”I notice that you seem to have a strange technique that allows you to evade smoothly.” He frowned as he studied my movements with the spear, probably trying to mask his irritation at my clumsy attempts at trying to wield it smoothly. ”Why would you want to learn the spear? I think short swords suit your fighting style better.”

”Oh, I just want to grasp the basics, just in case I need to use a spear.”

”I would prefer if you concentrate on just the sword, but I guess it's better to know more fighting styles,” Elder Zhao conceded. ”Your swordsmanship might be better, but it's not that…competent. I guess you really did learn it all by yourself.”

I tried not to flinch from the criticism. Wow, but that was a huge blow to my confidence. I didn't even know I had confidence in my swordsmanship in the first place, but it still stung to hear that I wasn't that competent even though I was aware of the harsh truth.

”I don't suppose you can teach me how to use Heavenly Draconic Meteor Swordsmanship properly,” I grumbled. Elder Zhao shrugged.

”Nope. I haven't learned that one before, and it's rude to learn martial arts not belonging to your own sect.”

Was he trying to say something about me?

”What sect did the Heavenly Draconic Meteor Swordsmanship belong to, anyway?” I asked, trying to mask my hurt.

”Heavenly Meteor Sect,” Elder Zhao replied. ”Destroyed years ago by the Martial Arts Alliance because they were spreading their influence far too aggressively. A pity…they used to be one of the most powerful orthodox martial arts sects, but their rate of growth and recruitment essentially turned them into a nation unto itself. Alarmed, the Martial Arts Alliance was forced to make its move.”

The scowl on Elder Zhao's face told me what he thought of that. However, he swallowed his bitterness and continued.

”Many of the sects, fearing the size and power of the Heavenly Meteor Sect, united under the leadership of the Martial Arts Alliance and assaulted the stronghold of the Heavenly Meteor Sect, laying siege to them for years. It took a decade or so, but they finally broke through when a few of the core elders betrayed the Heavenly Meteor Sect, having been promised by the Martial Arts Alliance to spare their lives and even allow them to found their own sects.”

”What…?”

I gaped at Elder Zhao, and he slapped at my hand.

”Don't stop moving!”

I quickly resumed striking and parrying with my spear, trying to go through with the familiar movements. After making sure I wouldn't be slacking off, Elder Zhao continued.

”At that time, the Heavenly Meteor Sect was under the leadership of their sect leader, Tian Liu Xing. He was extremely powerful and charismatic, which accounted for the enormous growth rate and strength of his sect, and thousands flocked to follow him and learn under him.”

I listened, feeling like there was something more to this so-called popular sect leader, and as I suspected, I already knew what was going to happen.

”However, many of the core elders began to get jealous of how he was dominating and ruling the sect by himself, and they began to desire power of their own. Furthermore, with the constant attacks from the Martial Arts Alliance, and the way the Heavenly Meteor Sect was making enemies of the world, they began to grow disillusioned with his decisions. Especially when he opened the doors to refugees whose sects have been destroyed by the Martial Arts Alliance on the grounds of suspicions of being demonic sects…”

Why did I feel like I had heard this before? Right…Lei Yong Chun said something similar. That the Martial Arts Alliance would attempt to destroy any sect independent from their rule, because they feared their power and influence.

Elder Zhao laughed. ”The irony was that, after the Alliance of masters and sect leaders finally overwhelmed and defeated Tian Liu Xing through sheer numbers and attrition, the Martial Arts Alliance turned around and executed those core elders for treason.”

”Going back on their words, huh?”

”Of course.” Elder Zhao shrugged. ”They fabricated accusations of those core elders practicing the demonic arts of the Heavenly Meteor Sect, put them on trial, and promptly executed them by beheading.”

Goes to show that karma was a bitch. And hopefully the Martial Arts Alliance would receive theirs one day.

”Um, so…I shouldn't be learning the Heavenly Draconic Meteor Swordsmanship?” I asked, not sure what the morale of the story was supposed to be.

”It's been centuries, and I don't think the Martial Arts Alliance care. As long as you don't found an entire sect and break away from them to be independent, as long as you continue to swear your loyalty to the Alliance, they won't touch you. And besides, you're primarily an Experimentalist, so I don't care what you learn outside of the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect.”

”…right.”

I took a deep breath and continued twirling my spear.

”Besides, the basics of swordsmanship are all the same everywhere. Once you're familiar with the sword branch of the Nine Heavenly Armaments, you should be able to apply the core principles to your Heavenly Draconic Meteor Swordsmanship and other sword techniques. Only then would you be able to perfect your mastery of those other sword techniques.”

Elder Zhao grinned.

”So don't worry, you're not wasting your time by learning either of them. If anything, you should have done it the other way around…learn the basics of the Nine Heavenly Armaments first, then move on to learn other swordsmanship.”

”Yes, Elder Zhao.”

I wiped the perspiration from my brow before continuing.

Elder Zhao watched me practice for a few moments before he sat down at a nearby table and sipped some tea. He drummed his fingers on the table, his gaze taking on a faraway look as he stared up at the heavens.

”We're going to need all of you kids to grow stronger.”

”Huh?”

I stopped and stared at him, and when his gaze sharpened, I quickly resumed my training before he could throw his cup at my head.

Taking a deep breath, Elder Zhao sighed. His expression troubled, he narrowed his eyes as he spoke.

”Sect Leader has made his decision.”

”What decision?” I demanded, but was careful to keep my tone polite and submissive. I needn't had bothered. Elder Zhao didn't seem to notice the barely concealed panic in my voice. He drank another sip of tea and set his cup on the table.

”The Martial Arts Alliance has been pressuring us for years to become part of them, to enter their fold. All this time, we've remained in a cooperative relationship, but we didn't exactly swear loyalty to the Alliance. That said, whenever they needed help, we sent assistance, especially with that war against the Heaven and Earth Sect and the demonic sects years ago. Back then, the Alliance was embroiled in wars, so they couldn't afford to antagonize us.”

”And now that those wars have been over for years…” I began. Elder Zhao nodded ominously.

”They've begun to increase the pressure on us, badgering us to become part of the Alliance. We've always maintained our neutrality, doing business with whoever wants to buy our weapons and engaging in free trace, but if we join the Alliance, we have to pay them taxes and 'protection fees'. Not to mention, we'll be restricted in who we can trade with. Obviously the Martial Arts Alliance would only allow us to trade and sell our weapons with members within the Alliance. We wouldn't be able to do business with third parties, neutral sects and non-member sects.”

His lip curled.

”The Alliance is making use of this to accuse us of doing businesses with the demonic sects, and are no doubt fabricating evidence to bring these charges against us.”

…the fuck? Why?!

”Sect Leader is getting tired of all their bullshit, and has decided to make his stand once and for all. Moreover, just recently, at the national conference for budgeting and other public matters, he also announced his support for Wu Ling Academy, and their plan to advance research with artificial qi. The royal government is on their side for now, but there are ripples throughout the Martial Arts Alliance. They don't agree with the Emperor's decision, and they have marked us as enemies for siding with Wu Ling Academy over them.”

”That's not good.” I gulped.

”Don't worry.” Elder Zhao smiled at me reassuringly. ”Their hands are tied at the moment. With the royal family and government on our side, they shouldn't be able to make a move. No doubt they're scheming something in the shadows, but they can't just declare war on Wu Ling Academy or attack an orthodox sect…not if they don't want to incur the wrath of the imperial family. Even the Martial Arts Alliance isn't foolish enough to fight the Imperial Guard.”

I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Elder Zhao continued.

”But…there is no doubt that they're planning something…and we had best get ready to face them in combat eventually.” He turned to me. ”That's why I'll need you and the rest of the Blood Blades to grow stronger. If the Martial Arts Alliance truly intend to invade us, then our hopes of survival will rest upon you youngsters.”