8 Chapter 7: First day of class (2/2)
”…required level?”
I then noticed that there were numbers right next to the martial arts, separated by lines in a table. The Flaming Comet Strike, for example, was rated at level 4, and the Mystic Scarlet Flame Formula was rated at level 8.
”All of you are currently level 1,” Teacher Jiao explained helpfully.
”Eh?!” Zhu Jiao exclaimed in dismay. ”Then doesn't that mean most of these martial arts are closed off to us?”
He was right. Scrolling through the table, I saw that most of them were levels 2 and above. Only a handful was level 1, and they didn't sound very impressive. Like…Feline Claws. Or Flowing Raiment Formula. What the heck was that supposed to be?
”You didn't think this would be easy, did you?” Teacher Jiao was wearing a wry smile. ”But we have good reasons for doing so. You see…many of these martial arts are dangerous. While they might be powerful, because the proper ways of learning them are lost – such as breathing techniques, qi circulation, or body tempering – you could make a fatal mistake and cause qi backlash, rupturing your own qi vessels or overloading yourself with qi and causing your body to self-destruct. There have been many cases in the past, with students trying to secretly learn skills and techniques higher than their current levels, and them dying horribly because of it.”
Immediately, all the students in the classroom turned pale. Except for me, probably because I thought that was obvious. Or maybe I had read wuxia manhwa before and heard of a similar case. I wasn't sure which, given my jumbled memories.
”But this sure is convenient,” I remarked as I stared at the tablet. ”To think we can download techniques off the school's intranet system…”
Teacher Jiao and Zhu Jiao stared at me blankly. ”Download?”
”Uh, no,” I hastily corrected myself. ”I mean it's pretty convenient to be able to read and learn techniques just from consulting the tablet!”
”Hah!” Teacher Jiao snorted. ”Who says it's that easy? Of course you can't learn it from the tablet. When you find a technique that you're interested in, click on it. The database will inform you of the venue where you can collect the manual for the techniques.”
”…manual?”
This time it was my turn to stare blankly at Teacher Jiao. He placed his hands on his hips.
”Of course! How will you learn martial arts if you don't have the manual for it? You'll have to go to the appropriate library to retrieve it!”
What the hell…?! Despite having such advanced technology, this world still relied on anachronistic methods such as paper-based manuals to learn martial arts? They hadn't figured out how to upload digital copies of martial arts manuals into the internet, or whatever the counterpart for this timeline was?
”Well, that's about it,” Teacher Jiao ended his briefing. ”Take your time and choose whatever level 1 technique you want wisely. You can even choose multiple level 1 techniques and attempt to combine them all into a single, self-created martial art. If you have any questions, or if you have problems trying to learn the techniques from the level 1 list, feel free to approach me and I'll assist you.” he grinned. ”Think of me as your semi-master.”
”Yes, Teacher Jiao.”
”Then I'll see you tomorrow. If you need to find me, I'll be in my office.”
Saying that, Teacher Jiao departed, leaving me and Zhu Jiao behind in the classroom. I barely noticed, with most of my attention focused on the screen before me. Now that I looked closely, there were over fifty level 1 martial arts, but…when I clicked on them and saw the descriptions, I understood why they were rated as level 1.
To put it simply, most of them were lackluster, and even Wu Ling Academy's rating of them was poor. Within the descriptions themselves was included an entire passage that detailed the weaknesses and flaws of the various martial arts. Like how some lacked firepower or attacking power, some were defensively weak, some caused side effects when learning (like rupturing blood vessels), and more than a few were extremely inefficient techniques that died out because they simply weren't efficient at producing qi.
”Hey, what do you plan on learning?” Zhu Jiao asked as he glanced up from his tablet, frustration creeping into his voice. I shrugged.
”I've no idea.”
”There has got to be something…” Zhu Jiao growled.
”Like what?” I grumbled as I swept through the list again. Right now, the best technique without side effects seemed to be Feline Claws, but the description explained that while it could be deadly if the opponent was caught off guard, the qi claws that the technique produced were weak especially when compared with other higher-level techniques. On the other hand, such an implication meant that Feline Claws could serve as a beginner skill to learn before advancing to higher-level techniques, such as the Level 5 Sharpened Sword Force, which seemed to operate on a similar principle of condensing one's qi into a sharp weapon.
But level 5 was pretty far away…
The other viable option was Shadow Step, a level 1 martial art that focused on movement and kicking. As with Feline Claws, it was heavily lacking on the offensive power, and possessed no defensive attributes at all…but at least it granted the practitioner relatively remarkable speed. But what interested me was the kicking aspect – Shadow Step had a couple of kicking techniques that supplied the offensive strength that its other techniques lacked.
The legs have three times the power of the arms, and has longer reach too, I read the final paragraph of the description, which was describing the kicks. Well-timed and aimed at the appropriate place, a practitioner of Shadow Steps will be capable of laying low even an opponent superior to himself.
I guess this was my best option for now.
”Shadow Steps sounds like a good one,” I spoke up. Zhu Jiao made a face.
”Shadow Steps? Sounds pretty…shadowy.”
”What are you planning to learn?” I demanded, trying not to sound too annoyed.
”Red Jade Swordsmanship,” Zhu Jiao replied wearily. ”Seems like the only sword technique that doesn't have a horrible side effect.”
”Oh! That's not a bad choice.”
Red Jade Swordsmanship possessed lethal attacking power, but its defense was too fragile and it consumed too much qi, making it an inefficient technique. With my current condition, I doubted I would be able to master such a qi-consuming technique with what little qi I had.
”Well, let's head to the library then.”
”Good idea.”
The both of us left the classroom and headed toward Wu Ling Library. The library was quite some distance away from the buildings housing the classrooms, located in the center of Wu Ling Academy. On our way there, I noticed that there were quite a lot of security staff lingering around and vigilantly watching out for intruders.
Makes sense. They need to protect the martial arts manuals that they have collected and stored in the library.
If those manuals and techniques were stolen and fell into the wrong hands, I dread to imagine what sort of disastrous consequences would follow.
There was a singular librarian seated at the reception desk when we entered the library. He raised his wizened head and stared at us when we approached.
”How can I help you?”
I hesitated as I stared at him. The librarian was ancient, looking almost as if he was a hundred years old. Long white hair drooped over his face, his eyebrows lengthening into what looked like tresses. A similar wisp of white beard hung from his chin, almost reaching to his chest. Not only that, he was dressed in traditional robes, and even had an old-fashioned cloth to bundle up his long hair into a single neat bun.
”We're looking for techniques.”
Unlike me, Zhu Jiao wasn't fazed by the librarian's appearance and spoke up eagerly and without hesitation.
”Ah…first year students, huh?”
The librarian nodded sagely. He then summoned a tablet from his desk before glancing back at us.
”Do you already have in mind what manuals you wish to borrow?”
”Yeah!” Zhu Jiao responded excitedly. ”Red Jade Swordsmanship, please!”
”Hmm, good choice.” The librarian nodded in approval before turning back to his screen. After a few seconds, he looked up again and gestured toward one of the aisles. ”That way. It should be among the back of Shelf 205A.”
”Thank you!”
Zhu Jiao rushed off eagerly, unable to wait any longer. His enthusiasm brought a smile to my face.
”What about you, young man?”
Breaking out of my thoughts, I nodded when the librarian addressed me.
”Um…Shadow Steps, please.”
”Hmm…” the ancient librarian studied me for a few moments, and then nodded in satisfaction. ”It does suit you.”
It does? Really?
I couldn't help but be skeptical. But I was too polite to point that out, and merely smiled in return while waiting patiently as the ancient librarian consulted his tablet. After a while, he glanced up, peered in the distance, and pointed a gnarled finger at one of the aisles.
”That way. Shelf 408B. It should be near the bottom of the shelf.”
”Thank you!”
Bowing gratefully, I proceeded toward the shelf the librarian directed me toward. But I froze when the librarian spoke again.
”Careful when you get there,” he chuckled in that wheezing voice of his. ”Beware of the shadows. If you get lost within them, they'll eat you alive.”