Departure of the Vehement Dragon Broski Part 2

I woke up in the same murder shack that I was in last time. It would seem like some sort of groundhog day if Fan were here beating me up.

Well, I'm still here… Isn't this rodeo lasting a bit too long? Well, at least I'm not back in real life. Ah, I really don't deserve to live do I… I'm cringing just thinking about how I was acting before I passed out…

Hah, my head is itchy, do we all have nits?

Since I'm still here after passing out I guess this is one of those dreams where you only wake up when you die. I guess I need to die to die… Unless I want to die in my sleep…

I look at the broken pot with a sharp edge. There's also a rope in the corner. Hmmm, there are also some gardening tools behind me.

…

I point the sickle at my neck. I try to push it in but I- I just can't do it. The blood trickles down the side of my neck.

I'm a warrior who's spat in the face of death thousands of times. My life revolves around deadly encounters. If I had the opportunity I would trade my life for my family in a heartbeat, but this? This is different.

I have nothing to lose. I have no reason to live, but I can't bring myself to do it. I can't go back to reality.

I dig the sickle further into my neck to get a bit more pain scared onto my skin. Then I let it fall onto the ground. The drops of blood are somehow, much more symbolic than the rivers in reality.

I stay there with my neck throbbing. There's nothing to think about, so I hum a random made-up tune and stare at the ceiling.

After a while, the sound of a bird wakes me from my trance.

Hah. I guess I should go back to cultivating. I wipe the sickle clean and put it back in its place.

Since I'm going to be here a little bit longer I guess I might as well fix myself up.

My body is currently a complete mess, the FMT and my perfect Dantian completely scrambled my Qi pathways. Since they're brand new if I'm not using them regularly they won't grow properly especially now that they're all tangled up.

It felt like I was pushing rocks through my veins but since I was in a cynical mood I appreciated the feeling of my body twisting the wrong way. I eventually managed to get my meridians and Qi pathways back to their original state from when I first formed my Dantian.

The voices of children started picking up outside. Well, I guess I'll keep cultivating here while I can.

Soon Fan walked in. When he saw the blood he rushed towards me and asked what happened. I just told him it was a side effect of the martial arts I used. He looked at me weirdly, but since he knew nothing about martial techniques it didn't take much talking to confuse him.

Since I'd passed out for more than a day Fan was worried he'd need to get a doctor, which would impact their funds. It looks like he may have actually done it if I didn't wake up…

Well, I'm sure that's got more to do with me being a martial artist than his goodwill. It's common for mortals to treat people from Murim like gods.

He gave me some bread and asked lots of questions about me and what happened with the pangolin. Since the original owner of my body was a random no-name, I managed to make up a story about how my father taught me martial arts before dying of a disease. Fan seemed to believe it after some more bullshitting.

Eventually, Mang also came in. He patched up my neck and seemed less convinced by my martial arts excuse. He scowled at me and the sharp objects in the room but ultimately didn't say anything.

They let me rest in the room for the evening and rotated every so often. Apparently, this type of care is pretty common in the 'Embers' group. Though I'm probably a special case because they see me as a Murim person.

Things like this seem to be the reason why there's such a large group of thieves gathered together. If I remember correctly from yesterday there are about 20 of them, and they are all extremely loyal to Fan. From what I know, he's the only thing standing between them and the adults.

At some point, the three of them entered the cramped murder shack together. They asked me if I could teach them martial arts. This is obviously a delicate topic. It looks like they discussed asking me and determining if they should ask from our previous conversations.

"Sure" I replied plainly. Who cares if I teach them anyway? The people who would get offended about it are all dead already. I couldn't care less.

And just like that with my deadpan answer leaving them with confused expressions, the training began.

I taught them ICT and helped them develop perfect Dantians, which honestly is probably going to give them an insane advantage much more potent than the extremely talented disciples of famous sects.

Fan progressed the fastest. It took Fan two whole days to completely form his Dantian, whereas the other two took about 3 days in total. Well, it's something that's meant to only take like 30 minutes but everyone has their own pace I guess.

They trained together in the mornings and in the evenings, otherwise, they trained in rotations. Sometimes leaving me alone, allowing me to cultivate by myself. It also serves as a break for me since being with children all day is weird… and annoying.

The most awkward moments are when I'm alone with Mang. There are moments when he just stares at me silently and we stare into each other's eyes until I break eye contact. It's so weird. I think he's figured out that I cut myself the other day… well it's a good thing he doesn't talk much, I hope he keeps it to himself.

I decided not to teach them the Shaolin technique. The Shaolin's techniques are as famous as they are well guarded, if they were to get caught using their technique and powerful people heard rumours of three random kids using it (if they could learn it in the first place) then this could cause them more harm than good. Even if the Shaolin aren't part of the top 9 anymore, other sects will probably try to steal the techniques from the children. So instead I taught them the Gym Group Sect's Hidden Scout Technique (HST) and Close Quarters Combat (CQC).

The reason why I didn't use the Hidden Scout Technique to fight the pangolin is that it requires a bit of setting up. Well… the real technique does. The real one is called the Cena Technique. If allowed, you switch between a fast and undetectable form and a powerful and imposing one. The original practitioner used this technique to dip in and out of his opponent's vision with his small and fast build (body structure) and land a massively devastating blow with a massively overpowering body. The Hidden Scout Technique only takes the part of the technique that allows you to make your build sharper and swifter.

All of The Gym Group Sect's techniques require a strong body, however, these children don't have the food to bulk up or the time to train. This is why the hidden scout technique is so useful. Even low-level members can learn it if they practice hard enough. The fundamental Fibre Manipulation technique is used in order to create a body structure specific to fast movement and lower body strength. This allows them specialise in speed and become much faster than other cultivators despite their own weak cultivation base and physical bodies. The rest of the technique uses Qi to hide their presence and muffle the sounds of their footsteps as well as reduce air pressure if needed.

The terrifying part of using this technique in combat is the sharpening of your body. If used correctly you can use your own body as a weapon. When combined with CQC it can be quite devastating. Though CQC isn't as good as mixed martial arts, it's more than enough for low-level practitioners.

On the last day, I taught Fan the second stage of the technique. A lot of the techniques in the Gym group sect are broken up like the Cena technique was so that lower-level practitioners could use them. The Cena technique is usually too difficult for beginners. However, Fan seems like he'll be able to handle it. With my help, he should be able to set 3 standard forms of his body that he can use freely. The swift, normal and strong forms are standardised so that the practitioner can easily morph through them without thinking much.

The problem is that the strength form will require him to eat more and bulk up a bit. Since it specialises in upper body strength he'll grow slightly when in strong form. Well I guess it's a form he'll need to use sparingly, but it's better to have a trump card you only use at a risk than nothing. Though he'll seriously starve if he stays in that form for too long with his kind of diet.

However, if he can use this technique properly, he'll be able to pull off acrobatic stunts that'll convince most opponents. If he practises enough he'll be able to shift between swift and strong form. This would mean intense shifts in balance that can be performed at any time even in midair. This was originally made in order to quickly make powerful assassins and bodyguards during the height of Murim struggles. The fact that spies can morph between these two physical types was never leaking once while I was alive, that's how successful Cena practitioners were.

Well Fan probably won't be able to switch between swift and strong without going through his normal form, but he can try I guess kek.

Though Fan couldn't grasp it properly I made sure to beat the fundamentals into him. I gave him extreme biology lessons more so than with the other two. He needs to know a lot more about himself if he wants to be able to morph his body properly.

Right now the most he can do is manipulate his hormones and endorphins. I guess being able to prioritise the parts of the body that need the boost is good enough. The rest can be amplified using Qi, it's not like he can reshuffle his muscles as I do.

Though Mumu and Mang aren't as fast as Fan at learning martial arts, they stand out in their own ways. Mang has better technique, he's almost better than Fan at CQC, whereas Mumu somehow always finds ways to get environmental advantages. He's the type of guy to try to get the high ground or throw a chair at you. Mumu's versatility sure is terrifying.

Well, Mang is terrifying in his own right. He did eventually mention what I tried to do…

"Why do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Why do you bottle up your emotions, when you could talk about them with us?"

"Why would I talk about my emotions?"

We stare at each other for a while… These conversations are the most annoying. But I guess they're also annoying for the people on the other end. I'm sure if you somehow figured out the right things to say and avoided all the wrong questions and worded everything perfectly I'd maybe spill my guts out and tell you everything. But that's not gonna happen, which makes it extra awkward for both of us.

"You said a while back that you didn't care about surviving. Why is that?" He said with an inquisitive stare.

"Because we're all going to die, it's only a matter of time." Well, it's even more true in this situation since you'll all die if I wake up.

"Is there nothing you want to do before you go?"

"..."

There is. I want to know what happened. I want to find out the truth behind the war. I can't tell him that though. He wouldn't understand.

"I want to be someone." Said Mang.

"What do you mean?"

"My whole life I've felt like a fake human. I pick and choose how I react, I don't know anymore when is the right time to react. Is it alright for me to be angry? Will I steal someone else's spotlight if I'm slightly good at something? Am I just being selfish and making everything about me if I say I'm sad? I always wondered about these questions. But I've decided to throw all those questions away because I want to be someone. I don't want to be a fake human."

"I see…"

As expected I really don't care. Social interaction really isn't for me right now.

"I want to find the things I enjoy doing and I want to let loose and act naturally while enjoying it. Who knows maybe I'll eventually be able to spread my name if I become good enough at that thing I enjoy doing. That's what being someone means to me. Do you have anything like that?"

Nope, not at all. I was thinking something completely different. Hmmm, think brain! I need to come up with something. I can't just leave him hanging…

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

"I want to give my family a proper burial." A shit! I fucked it up! I'm meant to make it sound like I'm not fucking depressed! What the FUCK did I just say?

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKK!

About a week passed, and I didn't really keep track of the days or how much time actually passed. I honestly don't give a shit I don't know why I was keeping track of it in the first place.

Well, I haven't been slacking off on my own cultivation despite helping the lads. I did all the setup for the Cena Technique a while ago. So I've mostly been playing around with my inner workings and cultivating. To be honest the Shaolin technique didn't need much work since it's a simple but effective technique, if you know the ins and outs you don't need much setup. However, now I need to gather enough Qi and physical prowess so I can finally use The Gym Group Sect's Qi art: Apex.

Though I don't have the food to do a full body workout I did make sure to still exercise while training the lads, but the truth is that nothing amplified is still nothing. Unless I want to render myself completely useless after using other Gym Group techniques, I need the muscles to begin with. Though I am still starved I am currently in much better shape than I was last week but using Apex now would instantly kill me.

I guess my main problem now is that I have no weapons. No matter how good you are at fighting, weapons are objects made to increase your fighting ability. Someone with no weapon will always be at a disadvantage… well most of the time.

I guess if I want to improve I need to go to the gym group sect. Once I become a disciple there I'll finally be given good food.

Food has an immense impact on training more than most think. It doesn't matter if you are eating meat or vegetables, a high protein diet that's also rich with a good mix of vitamins is essential for bulking up quickly.

…

"I've taught you enough for you to be able to defend yourselves. But you're still weak, do not provoke anyone and hide the fact that you can use martial arts as much as you can. Especially Qi, only use it when training or when there is no other solution. It only takes a bit of bad luck and a master will notice you, at that point, you might as well ask them to co-sign your obituary."

"Yes, master," said the three of them, not really in unison.

"Remember to keep training. Be careful when using the Fibre Manipulation Technique make sure everything you experiment with is reversible and if you are unsure about something talk about it between each other and sleep on it before fucking up your bodies like Mumu did last time."

"Yes, master…" Mumu was a bit more sluggish this time. We did find him with his legs twisted in all sorts of wrong ways last time so I guess it's to be expected.

"Right one last thing. Don't be afraid to learn new martial arts."

"What?" said Mumu. "But isn't-"

"I know, most sects go completely against what I'm saying, but you guys aren't part of a sect right now. So if you get your hands on a technique, take it! And make sure you don't just learn martial arts but make them your own. Figure out the best combination of martial arts to use and how they are useful to you. Mix and match and if you don't need a technique, toss it out don't worry about it too much. Just go for it. If you want to join a sect, do that as well. However, there is one thing you must never do. Never use demonic techniques. There's a reason why all demonic users are fucked in the head. It's because that shit eats you up, but it also restricts your progress in the future. All it does is give you a small and extremely rapid growth but it doesn't get you far in the long run."

"You talk like all of these techniques are easy to get and we'll be finding them left and right. How do we even find them or know if they're demonic?" asked Fan

"You're thieves aren't you? I'm sure you'll find a way. Well, martial arts books can be pretty difficult to find sometimes, but when you do find one a demonic art is pretty easy to notice. It has demonic in the name and usually involves sucking the life force or Qi out of people or sacrificing them on an altar. So unless you want to be a boosted sweaty drunk with a beer belly stuck in low stages of cultivation for the rest of your life, don't use demonic arts. At best you'll be stuck at the same stage or your cultivation will start going down as you try kill a person every day to maintain your life force, at worse you'll massacre entire villages and cities and only have 10 years to live unless you start absorbing immortal practitioners, while also being sweaty, itchy, suffering from migraines and completely fucking insane."

"Wow," said Mumu.

"I'll see you guys again in the future! If you ever need me make sure to come to find me at the Gym Group Sect!"

I went back to the place where we fought the pangolin, but it wasn't there anymore. The blood left behind implies it was attacked. Parts of the front of the cave had cracks in them and the footsteps of an intense battle were left behind.

Since there are no bodies left behind, I wouldn't be surprised if the Pangolin got hunted. Whatever, the pangolin was protecting is also gone. The hunters really left nothing behind. I guess pangolin parts can be sold for high prices so it'd be like leaving money on the ground to them.

…

There are smaller pangolin tracks inside the cave. So it wasn't protecting treasure, but a child. Huh.

Well, I guess that's that.

I use the Cena technique to morph my body, completely changing my body into something beast-like. The boys can't manipulate the entire body as I do. I know the ins and outs of biology, they don't, we are not the same.

My body goes a step further than the Cena technique and hardens in specific parts. Thanks to my superior Qi manipulations I can alter my body, move my bones, and harden or soften specific parts. An accurate phrase describing how I currently look would be: Speed demon.

In an instant, I took off and zoomed through the forest onto a road and towards my destination.