Road to Enlightenment and the Desert Rose

Show travelled to India. Inside a waterfall, he reunited with his Master Vasuki, his meditation master and also his martial arts teacher. Show told Vasuki about what happened in Myanmar and also his encounter with Li Yuan.

Vasuki was an Indian man of South Indian origin wearing a red T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans and having a crew cut hairstyle. Due to intensive training with spiritual power, his eyes turned blue like sapphire gems.

"This incident reminds me of the time when I was training under your Grand Master. Kitaido was then called Yasumichi, who was my senior that time. He killed the master in cold blood using a forbidden technique."

"No way..."

"Do you know the origin of the Renreiken?"

"Before I had the chance to learn that, Grand Master already left this world. So I didn't have the chance to learn about the history."

"In ancient China, there were people who made a living as assassins. Since they were not so blessed with financial resources, they made use of the energy in the air to kill their targets. However, no matter how strong they were, since there were many others stronger than them, many of the users died one after another. Eventually, the survivors escaped to Japan and established a school there to teach it as a self-defense and health art. The aspect of it used for murder was forbidden to be taught. This martial art was called Renreiken."

"Generation after generation, students who wanted to learn martial arts decreased. When I was studying, you were still a junior. Yasumichi found the Gokumonsho (Book of Hell's Gate) which the Grand Master was hiding, and learned the techniques secretly, and he killed the Grand Master and most of the other students. I was the only surviver and moved to India and started my own school to teach the right way to using the Renreiken. I thought he would go mad and die while his obsession in the art deepened, but he just got better."

"Well, in that case, how do we defeat Kitaido then? If we have not read the Gokumonsho, we can't win, right?"

"We can win. In fact, there is nothing special about the Gokumonsho. It's just that the direction of the energy changes to raise the moves to a higher level, but there was a price."

"With the influence of evil spirits, you will become evil. The higher your level, the easier it is to fall. However, it is amazing that you honed your skill and still did not succumb. You absorbed the Renma Kiryu of the defeated fighters, and you managed to overcome your latent demonic nature, for now. I consider it quite remarkable."

"I think I might just lose one day. I can't be complacent."

"In that case, since you came all the way, would you like a match with me? Let's see how much you have grown."

"It is my pleasure, Master..."

Show tried to attack Vasuki but Vasuki kept teleporting away, as if he had developed control over space and time. Show did this for 5 times but eventually Vasuki managed to hit him from behind and caused him to fall to the ground hard. This repeated for a while, until Vasuki had no choice but to tell him.

"Your heart is in disarray", mentioned Vasuki. "If you don't clear the turbidity in your heart, you can't win."

"Calm down!" said Vasuki. "The demons can't affect you if you clear your mind".

Show tried to sit down crossed legged on the floor to close his eyes and meditate. Slowly he felt himself calm down and become more aware of the movement of the air around him. Based on the air movement, he could already picture the whole area as if he were actually seeing it.

After that, the rage surged within him and he opened his eyes and attacked Vasuki again.

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"Master, why did you let me win?"

"I didn't. You actually won me. The demons within you have empowered you. However, that is not your true strength. The power is catching up with you. You might win him now, but you might lose yourself...be careful! This is what happened to him when he read the Gokumonsho. The reverse flow of energy is already within you even though you didn't read anything."

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The Gokumonsho was more than just a martial arts manual. It was more of a mirror of your desires, sins, and true character. It was originally developed by a Taoist priest in the Quanzhen School in China and it was called "Yu Men Zhang" or "Chapter of the Gate to Hell". It was a chapter torn out of an original book that taught alchemy of the body and how to free a person of worldly desires. Practicing the technique would reveal to you your true nature, and if you are an honest or dishonest person, or whether you would forsake justice to fulfil your selfish desires, or a person with impair judgment. It reveals the hidden sinful nature of even the most saintly man. Basically, this was the chapter that reveals the qualities inside you that would qualify you for going to hell after death.

However, one of the priests stole this chapter though some pages were missing, so people who learned this portion was stuck at the part which reveals the bad within us and lets it take over us. And this page became copied to another martial arts manual and used to bring out the monster in people to turn them into killing machines.

Therefore, even though a particular clan of trained assassins used this manual, eventually most of them didn't survive because they did not survive the mastery of the evil intent within their hearts.

Once it was taken to Japan, it was the wisdom of the monks there who figured out the content of the missing pages and managed to turn it into a mirror for the human soul. The missing pages were added to the manual, but somehow lost again a few centuries later, so it was back to square one. It went back to being the book that brought out the worst in people.

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The Gokumonsho was originally very strongly linked with the Hindu Pantheon, talking about the Indian deities such as Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, and other beings that are above humans such as the Asura, Garuda, Rakshasa, Kinnnara, and the Devas.

When Buddhism was being spread from India to the Indo China countries and also to China, Korea, and Japan, many of these concepts went over.

Many of these books also talked about the Hindu concept of hell, which is referred to as Naraka, and the contents of these books also contained a code to access the power of the demons. This power was said to have the power to even defeat define beings once mastered.

This was misused by the Chinese assassins who used the power for their own services, which created a lot of damage in China and the surrounding countries.

However, there were some people who believe that one day someone will master it and gain the power to become and immortal who shall have the ability to surpass the divine beings. Of course, what exactly a "diving being" was, remained to be seen.

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Kularb Ganchanok checked the crystal ball but what she saw wasn't promising.

She saw a lady, and she saw that this lady was herself from another incarnation, but had connection to another world. The lady she saw in the crystal ball also saw her, and gave a smile, and sent a psychic message to her.

"My name is Baifin, another you from another incarnation though in the same era. You and your lover are part of the bigger picture and the grand scheme of things. Try to stay strong, for him, and for yourself. I will guide you if you need any help."

Kularb Ganchanok was a Thai lady of Half Chinese/Burmese origin who studied Mysticism from an Italian Master during her summer break while studying for her degree in Germany, and she adopted the name "Gionna Nicole" while she was there. Apart from that she was also a trained martial artist who learned to fight under a school that taught martial arts that had some link with Renreiken. After she came back to Thailand, she got to know Show when he was sent to Thailand for some business related matters. He spent some time with her in Thailand while on business but one day had to go back to Japan when something happened to his clan and martial arts school. Later on, he came back to Thailand to start afresh to rebuild his clan.

Back in Thailand when Show was recruiting people to rebuild his clan, he met Kularb again at a Muay Thai tournament when she was helping certain syndicates to help predict the outcome of some matches so that they could win from the bets using her powers. During a territorial dispute that arose from the use of her powers to predict the outcome of matches for gamblers, she defeated everyone who attacked her, leaving all of them paralyzed. Show saw this and went to hire her, asking her to stop working for such gambling syndicates, and said that with her help his organization can become strong again and he will have the power to seek justice for the weak.

She initially refused, saying that he has to defeat her before he can hire her since breaking the deal with her current clients will cut her income source while helping to build his empire from scratch may not guarantee a stable income. Moreover, she still had study loans to pay and she did not want to burden him with them since his company already fell apart in Japan. Yes, she came from a rich family that was able to send her to Europe to study. However, she had a disagreement with her family members when they wanted her to take over family business. She wanted to stand on her own 2 feet. However, that would mean that the school fees would have to be paid by her instead of paid by her family like it was originally agreed.

Eventually, Show defeated her and she helped him using her powers of prediction to lead his company. Eventually the Tennoushu empire was rebuilt in Bangkok. The best thing was during those years, Show and Kularb also built their relationship which was very good and fulfilling.

However, another enemy sprang up in Bangkok.

Years ago, the Makishima empire in Japan was also entering Thailand to seek ways to reduce its labor and rental costs. Once Makishima was aware of Tennoushu's presence, Tennoushu also started to struggle to maintain its financial strength and territory.

Just as if Show didn't have enough problems, he started to hear of strong fighters in Thailand going mad and killing themselves and the way they did it reminded him of the dark side of Renreiken.

That was when he received a text message from Vasuki telling him that Kitaido was creating trouble by feeding the evil power of the Renma Kiryu.

That was when Show told Kularb that he had to go.

He took a road trip from Thailand to Myanmar to fight such fighters along the way, and use the technique Vasuki taught him to neutralize the evil power inside these fighters.

It was already a month since he left and Show took her that she was coming back.

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Show returned to Thailand to look for answers.

When he was sent to Thailand in the past for work, he got to know a girl. They spent some time together and their relationship became quite deep, but eventually he had to return to Japan and they could not meet for a while. That time, when he received the news of his Master's death, many problems cropped up in his clan, and he had to go and solve them.

However, when he arrived at the fortune teller's house to ask for a random peek into his future, he met her again. Miss Kularb Ganchanok. After he left for Myanmar, she still continue to moonlight as a fortune teller.

Kularb was a long haired lady with big eyes, a sweet cheeky smile, a dark green sleeveless blouse, a red cardigan, and a pair of long black jeans.

"Long time no see, Khun Show" said Kularb.

Old memories were rekindled and dormant feelings were stirred.

"Why, did you appear again?" asked Show. "You were the one who asked me to go back."

"I did not want you to miss me, because I did not want to become your weakness. But now, I have to warn you."

"Warn me about what?"

"Do not go and meet him."

"That alone I can't agree. It's my duty."

"Don't you get it? You will no longer be yourself. You will become a demon, just like him!"

"I will still go. I am the last hope of ending this, epidemic."

"If you really insist on going, I will fight you."

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Show fired a Rensenken fireball at Kularb but she created a forcefield round it by drawing energy from the ground upwards to create a shield that deflected his fireball. Kularb also summoned some energy from the earth and fired them back at Show to nullify Show's fireballs. She then jumped into the air to fire some energy from her hands from above, but Show jumped away. He fired another blast of energy into the air also, but she dodged. As she was about to land, she reached her hand forward to grab him. He leapt away to his left and delivered a turning kick into her abdomen. She fell down. However, she got up pretty quickly. "Well, can't expect too little from someone with ninja training," he thought. "Her skills have improved, since the training she received in Italy was also combined with Japanese ninja training."

"Stelle dell'anima" she chanted and Show was suddenly bombarded with a barrage of energy balls. The impact of it sent him out of the door of the house, and they took the fight outside.

Kularb then rushed out to attack him, and Show leapt into the air from his fallen position in an instant.

Kularb then leapt forward but that leap became a levitation as she danced forward in the air to grab Show and throw him to the ground. But as Show fell, he caught fire and he started rolling on the ground. The fire disappeared and he used the energy in his body to recover from the wounds, which weakened him slightly further.

"Not bad, how did you become so strong?"

Kularb then said. "I infiltrated Makishima's research facility, but was captured and brought to be injected with some serum. The serum magnified my powers and was supposed to take over my mind, but that failed. I escaped from the facility and became stronger ever since. Now I am marked for death by their professionals. But I am not afraid. They don't have many strong people in their team of fighters other than Makishima himself. It was meant to kill me but made me stronger by accident."

"Thank goodness you are alive!" said Show. "Now Makishima must pay for this. Where is he?"

"I will forbid you to look for him," said Kularb. "You are struggling while fighting me, how long do you think you will last against Makishima?"

Kularb then created an impenetrable forcefield around her using her energy.

Show tried to break through the forcefield by blasting endless Rensenken fireballs onto it. He did it again and again. However, all of a sudden, those Rensenken fireballs became stronger as they changed into Renmaken fireballs, and the shield was broken.

Kularb then collapsed. Kularb became physically strong because of the serum, and so was her energy. However, the serum would also force her to go beyond her physical limit and wear her down. Show went over to her and held her in his arms.

"It's okay. I only had one injection. The effect is not permanent. I'll be back to normal. In fact I escaped only a few days ago and went back to work. I think in 5 or 10 days I should be back to normal."

"Please promise me that you'll stay safe, Kularb", said Show.

"You are getting stronger. You may win your opponent but lose yourself in the end. Please make sure you don't go over to the dark side," said Kularb, with tears and worry in her eyes.

"Don't worry dear, I promise I won't let that happen," said Show. "So where is he?"

"He is now in Preah Vihear, Cambodia. You can take my family's private helicopter there," Kularb said

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The grass patch around the Preah Vihear temple of Cambodia was the hallmark of defeat.

Over the years, the Preah Vihear temple was a subject of territorial dispute between Thailand and Cambodia because French colonizers had 2 version of the map where one map said that the temple belonged to Thailand while the other map said that the temple belonged to Cambodia. Every now and then, there will be some armed conflict between the soldiers of both sides who patrol the border.

However, this time, there was a conflict greater than that, and no one survived.

The powerful Gunnanmon Makishima appeared and summoned his legion of demonic warriors who appear out of thin air to fight the soldiers on both sides and all of them were lying on the ground, covered with blood.

He craved the energy and power outside the temple and he was going to recharge his energy and feed on the power of the spirits lurking around in nature.

He drew a magic circle on the ground and sat cross-legged on the ground and started chanting. The magic circle glowed and formed a pillar of green light around him and continued to replenish, recharge, and boost his energy.

In a short distance was Kitaido, a white-haired crew cut warrior wearing a black long pants, fighting shoes, black sleeveless T-shirt with the Chinese character 'Tai' on it, which forms the "Tai" in his name "Kitaido".

Gunnanmon sensed a strong presence nearby and was curious. He stopped his training halfway and went to approach Kitaido.

"I've never seen such power. What are you and what is your purpose here?"

"I came to destroy you", said Kitaido.

"Me? For what?" asked Gunnanmon.

"For your sins! For your lives you destroyed!" said Kitaido.

"For my sins? Ha! You are no better! You possess a power of a demon!" scoffed Gunnanmon.

"No, I am different! Don't compare me to the likes of you. You are powerful, but you are a slave to your demons! I am a master of my demons. I seek to punish the hypocrites of this world."

Kitaido then fired a number of fireballs at Gunnanmon. Gunnanmon dodged by jumping and then starting to glow with his sinister energy. After that, Gunnanmon disappeared into thin air and then reappeared in front of Kitaido, grabbed him by the neck and threw him onto the floor with his whole body burning.

Gunnanmon then jumped over to step on Kitaido's body while he is on the ground. He stomped Kitaido hard enough to make the bones of any ordinary human being crack. However, that didn't happen.

Gunnanmon then jumped away to watch Kitaido get up.

Kitaido got up soon enough. It was nothing to him.

"Haha, I can do that too. Just getting warming up."

Kitaido then disappeared and teleported away.

Gunnanmon then fired a few blasts of laser from his hands but failed to hit Kitaido as what he saw were only his mirages. Kitaido actually appeared to divide into many versions of him but all of them were just mirages and not physical versions of himself.

He kept blasting, and blasting, and blasting.

However, he only created explosions one after another. He destroyed the mirages.

Kitaido then delivered multiple kicks from the air out of nowhere continuously and sent Gunnanmon flying.

Gunnanmon flew, as in after he was made to fly like a projectile from the impact of the multiple kicks, he mentally controlled the flow of air to prevent himself to stop flying away in an uncontrolled manner, and ensured that he was levitating and in control of his movement.

Gunnanmon then flew forward as if he were a missile and rammed into Kitaido.

Kitaido then fell to the ground while burning with blue flames.

Gunnanmon thought that should have finished him.

"Ha, master warrior! Turns out you are just one of those pathetic little wannabes!" Gunnanmon mocked.

Gunnanmon then stepped forward slowly to finish off Kitaido.

Kitaido's body was burned. Gunnanmon grabbed Kitaido by back of the collar of his sleeveless T-shirt, and tried to use his power to drain Kitaido's energy.

Just at that moment, Kitaido's red raging eyes opened and his hands grabbed Gunnanmon by the neck.

That was when Gunnanmon instantly lost his vision and had a vision of multiple demons attack him, causing him to experience great pain….great…great…pain…

Gunnanmon's body fell to the floor and started to melt to leave behind only his bones.

Kitaido looked at the corpse and felt pleased, but also empty.

"I yearn for the one person who can defeat me and lay me to rest with a glorious death," Kitaido sighed.

Standing from a distance was Show. "You have found him."

"You? That inexperience brat!" said Kitaido.

"Now, finally meet you again," said Show. "Why did you kill him? Why didn't you leave it for me to kill, so I could avenge my family and my family's empire in Japan?"

"What's wrong with you? Shouldn't you thank me? I got rid of a pest of society. I did the killing for you. You should be glad," said Kitaido.

"Now that I am not the one who killed him, there is nothing I can do to avenge my family! I feel empty! It's like I've not served my purpose!"

"You should do something about your dark side," said Kitaido.

"I'm different. I won't fall, so easily."

"You really think so? You guys don't know anything. You, Master, and Master Vasuki as well."

"What do you mean?"

"The TRUTH! The TRUTH that you can't see! It's written in the Gokumonsho. The Renma Kiryu is created from our intrinsic human nature. In other words, if basic human emotions are channeled into our moves, the Renma Kiryu will be created. You absorbed a lot of Renma Kiryu from others. What do you think will happen to you?"

"I would..."

"That's right! Fight with me! Can you overcome it? Let's find out."

Show fired multiple shots of Renmaken against Kitaido and Kitaido returned him with exactly the same moves. "I see, so you have the same moves as me now!"

"Yes!" said Show with a glare of fire in his eyes. "Since you killed him, I will kill you to avenge my parents and relatives!"

"Show! That's it! That is your true nature! I got a glance of it! Yes! This is the fight I wanted to see in you!"

Show then bent down on the ground to create a wave of energy to throw Kitaido off the ground.

Show then fired multiple shots of his Renmaba fireball at Kitaido.

Kitaido was barraged by his fireballs, but he soon recovered and returned multiple shots of the fireball at each other.

All that resulted from it were multiple explosions that made it look like a war zone.

Show then ran away from the barrage of fireballs and then leaped into the air, too fast for Kitaido to catch up.

Show then kicked Kitaido downwards and he came crashing to the ground.

When Kitaido hit the floor, Show then dived downward to pummel him.

Kitaido got up and then pummeled Show's abdomen and then his chin with an uppercut.

Show then fell and rolled multiple times on the floor.

Kitaido continued to pummel him with attacks on his chest, abdomen, arms and legs, and his face.

Show fell to the floor, lifeless.

Kitaido proceeded to finish him, but Show suddenly got up and grabbed Kitaido by the neck.

Show then transferred all the evil energy inside his body into Kitaido.

Kitaido saw the same vision of hell that Gunnanmon saw before he lost his vision and disintegrated.

However, Kitaido only fell to the ground, leaving a few last words for Show.

"You finally did it…you finally overcame your inner demon…congratulations…you are now a god…"

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After that, Kitaido disintegrated, leaving nothing except a feeling of emptiness inside Show's heart.

However, after that emptiness also came a certain kind of peace. The demons left him though it left some of their powers and strength in him.

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Show went to Bangkok and looked for Kularb, and they talked.

"Finally, you can bury your past and move on," said Kularb.

"Yes, but no matter what I do, my family won't come back. The only thing I thought I could do was to transfer my inner demons into him to free myself," said Show, sounding disappointed. "I can't imagine what torture he is going through now."

"It's okay, at least you freed yourself. He will get his karma," said Kularb. "The only way we can free ourselves from our karma is to learn to do good deeds and improve ourselves and the people around us."

"One thing I need to know, is to learn how to love," mentioned Show.

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"Wow, I didn't know bedroom activities can be this amazing..."

"Yes, much better than before. This is one way to channel the destructive energies and neutralize it."

"Less talk, more action, okay?"

"You've said it sweetie..."

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After much effort, Show and Kularb reestablished the Tenoushu Empire in Bangkok and slowly restored its glory back in Japan and later other parts of South East Asia or East Asia.

However, the battle is not over for Show and Kularb as they continue to train hard, both in the gym, and in the bedroom.