TENSURA: But It's Murim?

Ch 11 - 8 Months of power rising

- Four months after the rise of the Hao clan -

"They're references, read them carefully." It looks like the sentence I was trying to tell them slipped out of their minds somehow...

"Master... how many martial arts are in here?" Nox finally asked after thirty minutes of sifting through the mountain of books.

"Oh my? It has over fifty martial arts books, why?" I replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"...You're not going to guide us?"

"With this little thing? No way. Why should I?"

He looked at me, and I looked at him...

"And you say the deadline is...?"

"Next week, obviously."

"..."

"..."

"LIKE HELL WE CAN!!!" Thus, the disciple exclaimed. Dear me, is this the famous "puberty" I've been hearing about? I hope it's just a phase...

"💢Stop looking at me with that pitying look, it's unbearable." Yup, it's a phase...

While Nox was complaining to me, comfortably seated on a huge rock, Ryn's cute voice rang out, "Uncle dragon, can you help me with this?" She held up the book, raising it high in the air as Veldora's scaly face approached her, his index finger scratching his chin.

"Let's see," the dragon posed comically.

"Ryn-chan~ having someone else help you is cheating, you know~!✨" I teased.

I could see her pouting face from a distance, but she decided to listen anyway. Well, they are still just eight-year-olds... "Why not try it out?" I suggested. "Stop reading intently and start practicing the skill directly."

"...Sure," Nox replied first. He picked up a book that explained how to utilize qinggong, a footwork technique that enhances movement speed.

"Circulate your qi to the middle Dantian first, then lower, and let the bursting energy flow to the bottom of your feet..." It wasn't me speaking; it was Nox, reading aloud from the book. As he attempted to execute the technique, he predictably faltered.

The technique comprised four intricate steps of footwork, yet Nox stumbled and fell on the second step, letting out a loud "Gah?!" that echoed through the cave.

I couldn't help but smile. "You see that? You failed. Want to know why?" I asked.

"💢Stop beating around the bush, seriously..." Nox replied, annoyance evident in his tone as he dusted himself off.

"Ciih~ you're no fun..."

They were definitely eight years old, through and through.

"It's simple, really. No matter how long—or how perfectly—you practice a technique, you'll never truly 'master' it," I explained. This not only caught the attention of my young disciples but also that of Veldora. "In fact, scratch that. None of the martial arts in these books can be mastered."

Veldora finally interjected, raising his voice. "So you gave them these books for nothing? Or are you just boasting that these arts are on a different level than what they can learn?"

I raised an eyebrow at Veldora's question. "If it were like that, I could show them the two million other arts I've learned in my lifetime."

"And here's the real question," I continued, pushing their understanding further. "Why do people write down martial arts?"

"Ryn-chan, care to give it a shot?" I prompted.

"Huh? Isn't it so they can teach them to others?" Ryn replied.