Chapter 8: Meditation

Chen was shaken awake the next morning it took him a few seconds to get his bearing, seems like its day break already he thought, "get up its time for meditation, the grandmaster ordered me to wake you all up" pan said

By the time chen left the sleeping quarters he could see that it was still dark outside, why did you wake us up by this time chen asked pan "this is when we all wake up at the temple, it is the best time for meditation and moreover the sun would be rising soon" pan replied

Pan led chen and the rest of the group to the main hall chen saw that there were about 30 monks present and they were all sitting in the same position with their legs tucked under their body and their arms spread out like they were begging for alms, the grandmaster sat at the front of all the monks and too was in the same position

"is this the total number of monks in this temple" chen asked

The grandmaster cleared his throat and asked them to settle down on the mats at the other end of the room, he asked them to close their eyes and clear their minds and that they would feel a certain warm feeling in their core which they could move around their body, Klaus tried clearing his mind but it didn't seem to be working in frustration he just abandoned the whole meditation process and went to look at the rising sun outside the temple

Klaus didn't hear the footsteps approach him before he head a voice and he was startled "I see you find it hard to meditate" feng said

"to me the whole meditation stuff is a whole load of bull crap" Klaus replied

"If you really want to get stronger you will have to meditate because one cannot win a fight if he is in a fit of rage, I see your potential Klaus, but there is a big force holding you back, keeping you from reaching that potential" feng said

The grandmaster awaits us, kindly follow me feng gestured to Klaus

"before anything else is said I would like to list out the rules, all meditation periods must be observed, no food made of meat shall be consumed by anyone living in this temple during the duration of their stay, no one living in the temple shall have intercourse with a woman during his stay in the temple and finally there shall be no violent conduct in the temple"

"I have no problem with the no sex rule, but no meat!! How can I exist without eating meat, our stay here is going to be a hard one" prince grumbled

"silence!!!!" the grandmaster commanded

I heard of the defeat of the six of you by chu and I don't think it would be wise of me to ask you to fight him again and seeing the animosity he has towards you I am afraid he might kill one of you if you spar with him so I want to ask you to select your best fighter and I would select the weakest person here for him to fight

They gathered together to choose who was going to fight for them to redeem themselves after a lot of arguments they decided that Klaus would be the person to redeem them, Klaus stepped to the top of the stage and waited for the grandmaster to call out his opponent

"pan!!! Get on the stage" the grandmaster called out

Klaus couldn't believe it he felt insulted, "the grandmaster really thought so low of us that he had to send a boy who hasn't even reached his teens to fight me" Klaus thought in anger

"the boy finally got his wish, but isn't it a bit over the top pit a child against Klaus in a fighting ring" chen thought

Come on old man do something, don't tell me you are scared of a little boy pan said taunting Klaus

"what did I tell you about taunting your opponents pan" feng asked

"I am not going to fight a child" Klaus said

Pan getting bored of the time wasting suddenly dashed forward and delivered a kick to Klaus side, Klaus was caught by surprise so he didn't have time to block the kick, he felt his ribs crack

"come here you little shit" Klaus screamed

"come and get me if you can" pan replied

Klaus dashed forward in annoyance and tried to swat pan with his palm, pan avoided the attack easily by sliding in between Klaus legs and kicking him at the back of the knees sending him to his knees and then proceeding to swat him at the back of his head

"if you keep treating him like a child you will end up losing and disgracing yourself" the grandmaster warned

Klaus decided to take the grandmasters advice and attack pan head on irrespective of his age he struck a blow at pan's head, pan taking advantage of their difference in size and Klaus momentum dodged the punch then used Klaus momentum throw him over his shoulder and unto his back

"I can't believe that kid tossed Klaus on his ass, what kind of strength do these guys here have" romeo thought

Klaus had gotten very angry band wasn't thinking straight anymore he charged at pan again this time using his feet to attack, instead of kicking high he used his right leg as a decoy attempting to sweep pan's feet off the ground, pan fell for the move and jumped to avoid the kick but then he saw another kick coming at him at a very fast speed he had no option that to take the hit but he managed to block the kick with his hands at the last moment, pan was only pushed a few inches away and it didn't even seem as if he was affected by the kick

"just what are this people, he should have been taken out by that kick" Klaus thought

Pan decided to attack again and this time he leapt up about 4 feet into the air and started raining down kicks at Klaus who tried to shield his face using his arms, Klaus was unaware that he was already at the edge of the platform, pan delivered the final kick to the head of Klaus which Klaus also managed to block but after making the block he found himself falling off the platform, he looked up to see pan winking at him with a smile on his face

"if you can't beat pan then we would have to resume training for you all at the lowest level, everyone should go and get some food after that the six of you should return here for your training, and feng I would like you to be here too" the grandmaster concluded