A Snail's Wisdom 54 River's Bend

"Wait a little more."

WHOOSH.

Ssssss.

"A little more…"

WHOOOSH.

Ssssssss.

"Just a teensy bit more…"

WHOOOOSH.

Ssssssssss.

"d.a.m.nit, disciple. Stop being so afraid! Don't move your hands until you feel the burn at your fingertips!"

Shin's serpents slithered closer with each successive a.s.sault. Shin's eyes reddened with excitement as this spurred him to strike more swiftly and steadily, similar to an angered wasp relentlessly stinging a worn-out target.

Hide and her cla.s.s observed Kenja and Shin's duel without blinking, in fear of missing a critical moment.

"That one was so close! His attacks…are they getting faster?" a low-level Qi Flourishing disciple asked his neighboring brother.

"Of course they are! Senior Brother Shin is amazing. To have mastered the Flame Serpent Technique to such a degree at his age…he is truly a prodigy!" he responded, stunned by his senior brother's apt.i.tude.

"He really is. At this rate, Senior Brother Shin will land a hit in no time!" agreed a third cla.s.smate.

The cla.s.s watching the exchange was awed with Shin's tenacious ferocity as well as his skillful mastery of the Qi Flourishing technique. Every attack got closer to landing on its mark, as if Kenja was on the brink of being overwhelmed.

WHOOOOOSH.

The words of praise from his peers only served to revitalize Shin. After he struck out with his left fist to send another snake twirling towards Kenja, he reached into his bag and took out a pill that bore a pleasant aroma and the presence of Qi.

"He's using a Qi Accelerant Pill?!" His cla.s.smates stared at Shin wide-eyed with drooling mouths.

For one at the Qi Flourishing stage, the Qi Accelerant Pill was vital to making significant progress in one's cultivation within a short time. It temporarily improved one's ability to gather Qi, and it contained a sizable amount of Qi that the consumer could immediately absorb and put to use.

For them, such a useful and expensive pill should be used sparingly while cultivating in seclusion or in dangerous life-threatening circ.u.mstances. Using such a precious pill in a cla.s.s where the purpose was to practice techniques…this was being too reckless!

Shin's intent was clear. He wanted to win the exchange by landing his attack on Kenja before he could retaliate, and based on their performance up to this point, this pill would seal Kenja's fate.

The disciples turned from Shin to their teacher, expecting her to stop Shin from being so wasteful and impulsive, but to their surprise, Hide's gaze was locked solely on Kenja.

Shin could see the fervent look Hide gave Kenja, and he snorted at him, his eyes narrowing more than before. He tossed the small pill br.i.m.m.i.n.g with Qi right into his mouth and crunched down on it.

Hide had stopped watching Shin since a while ago as she fixated her attention on Kenja's execution of the Flowing Water Technique. While Shin and the remainder of the cla.s.s believed the attacks were getting closer to hitting Kenja, Hide could see the truth of the matter.

The most recent serpent was a little more than three cun away from Kenja's fingertips before he swung his hands and redirected it away from him.

Ssssssssssssssss…

Kenja's timing improved with every close call which heightened Hide's surprise and curiosity towards him.

In theory, this cla.s.s was meant to improve the disciples' knowledge and prowess in using the Flowing Water Technique, but the degree of their success should have been limited. Realistically, the cla.s.s would serve as both a starting point and a cheerleading exercise under a senior uncle or aunt's supervision.

The first cornerstone of the Flowing Water Technique was the user's Qi-gathering ability. The user needs an adequate pulling capacity to attract the attacker's Qi and precise manipulation in order to guide its path. Without either, you would fail to change the trajectory or worse, cause the attack to hit you in a more vulnerable state.

At the Qi Flourishing stage, one's ability to draw Qi in was still limited, but its improvement was inevitable as long as one's cultivation improved. The real difficulty lay with the second aspect of the technique, the timing of its execution.

Waiting for the right time to move was easier said than done. Who dared claim that they could stand still and embrace a lethal attack head-on? Only through years of grueling practice, countless dangerous experiences and thought-provoking enlightenment could one gain the ability to resist the 'fight or flight' instinct ingrained in one's body and soul.

Even after reaching a sufficient proficiency in the Flowing Water Technique, the defensive maneuver was meant to be used against multiple enemies at a lower cultivation realm. The risks and increased difficulty in using it against an opponent of equal or higher caliber was too great.

For this reason, the first demonstration had a mid-level Qi Flourishing student attack Shin who had already achieved a high-level state in the same realm. Kenja was paired up with Shin as a punishment more than actual practice, and Hide had not expected him to last this long on the defensive.

Once more, Kenja waved his hands together in a nimble and graceful manner, unperturbed by the consequences of a slip-up, and each time, he had let the snake's head inch closer and closer before deflecting it away.

To achieve such progress within a few dozen exchanges was unprecedented, and even with his imperfect timing, he had not failed to avert a single one of Shin's flame serpents which were on par with his cultivation.

'How unusual…' Hide mused. Normally, the student would become more agitated with each attempt as they grasped the difficulty in improving their timing as well as the danger involved, but Kenja's temperament had only grown calmer with each strike, his eyes more lucid and his breathing more rhthymic.

Sssssssssssssss…

"You almost have it down, disciple. Push out all your doubts and take it as it comes. Be like a rock standing in the middle of a rushing river…allow the water to flow right by you." Snail advised Kenja.

Kenja's shoulders relaxed at Snail's words as he exhaled the breath he was holding in. He released the tension in his face and stared blankly at Shin whose complexion worsened with each punch. He raised his hands in front of him once more, inviting Shin to continue.

Shin's right eye twitched at Kenja's actions as he finished swallowing the pill. Not only had he deflected each of his snakes, but Kenja hadn't bothered attacking him once, as if he were confident Shin would never land a hit regardless of the number of attempts he made.

Shin swallowed the humiliation and contained his fury as best he could. He took a deep breath and the Qi in the area rushed to him. He filled his second dantian to its maximum and readied his stance.

Hide noticed the change in flow of the surrounding Qi and realized what Shin was up to.

'This boy…' Hide panicked.

Shin had taken a pill to boost his performance, and now he was throwing a full-powered attack at Kenja. She wished to stop him, but this was a practice duel. If she were to interfere here, her students might accuse her of favoritism, and her teacher would scold her for babying the students.

This duel was a trial setup by her for both Kenja and Shin. Interfering before trouble had sprung up would be unprofessional and inexcusable.

Any thought to punish Kenja had vanished after his stellar performance; Kenja had the potential to be a valuable inner-sect disciple in the future. She gripped the box of Burn Healing Pills in her hand once more as she braced herself to rescue Kenja the moment he failed to divert Shin's most powerful serpent.

Shin held his breath and furiously circulated the Qi stored in his dantian, refining it as much as he could.

He pulled back his right fist and strengthened his grip.

…

He exhaled his breath causing the Qi Flourishing spectators to hold theirs. Hide slipped her silky white shoes off, hiding them and her small, soft feet beneath her robes. In case she had to exert her full power to reach Kenja in time, she wanted to make sure her shoes would not be destroyed from the force she might need to exert on the ground.

…

The silence was stifling.

Shin glared at Kenja one more time, trying to catch his eyes, but Kenja was unfazed, his gaze clear and emotionless.

CRACK!

Kenja's expression served to enrage Shin further as he suddenly raised his right foot upwards, cracking the tile it was standing on before.

CRRRRRAAAACK!!!

He punched towards Kenja as he slammed his right foot forward, destroying another arena tile in addition to displacing the others adjacent to it. The ma.s.sive amount of energy Shin had stored was transferred to his arm. The air surrounding his right arm ignited, and multiple thick ropes of flames swirled around it converging in front of his knuckles.

WHOOOOOOOOOSH.

SSSSSssssSSSSSssssSSSSS.

The biggest, hottest and most domineering flame serpent yet burst forth from Shin's fist. Its serpentine forked tongue was accompanied by a viciously loud sizzling that gave it an imposing and intimidating appearance.

Hide hiked her robes up, placed her shoes in her bag and walked towards Kenja one small step at a time as the snake drew closer to him, antic.i.p.ating the moment she would need to sprint to him.

Most of Shin's cla.s.smates struggled to keep their eyes open this time, not wanting to miss the crucial moment like last time, but some could not bear the heat emanating from the serpent and closed their eyes, releasing a few tears from the burning sensation.

Kenja remained motionless like a rock, but he was unnerved by the magnitude and presentation of the serpent as it twisted and contorted in the air, heading straight for him.

"Calm down and breathe."

Kenja heard the voice coming from behind his head. The sticky sensation on the back of his neck became warmer and began pulsating, compelling his heartbeat to match its rhythm.

Snail's words resounded within Kenja's mind. He inhaled once more and relaxed, releasing all the tension from his body and arms as if he were preparing to welcome an old friend. Despite facing a blazing reptile's head the size of himself that was barreling straight for him, Snail's harmonious pulsing helped Kenja to concentrate on his technique's timing.

Everything in the world aside from the serpent vanished from Kenja's sight.

SSSSssssSSSSssssSSSS…

All he could hear was the serpent's ceaseless sizzling.

2 chi away…

SSSSsssSSSSSSsssSSSS…

The h.e.l.lish head continued to contort and twist and twirl as it neared Kenja. He could feel the heat envelop his body, but to everyone's disbelief, he stayed completely still.

'...'

1 chi away…

SSSSSssSSSSSSssSSSSS…

The head no longer contorted, twisted or twirled, as if sensing its target ahead of it. It opened its mouth wide open and pulsed its flames outward from its body, creating an unbearable heat for those standing nearby. Many more of the onlookers were forced to shut their eyes in response to the flame serpent's action.

Sweat glistened off of Kenja's skin, but he stood there with no reaction. His breathing rough

'...'

5 cun away…

SSSSSsSSSSSSSSsSSSSS…

The head was right in front of him with its mouth about to swallow him whole. He could see the air near the snake shimmering from the heat. His hands were singed from the fire's proximity. He could feel a small pulsing energy from the flames.

'Not yet…' Kenja stilled his mind, preparing himself.

3 cun away…

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS…

Kenja could reach out a little further and touch the head's emblazoned tongue. At this moment, he felt the flames pulse sync with his body's rhythm.

'Now!'

Kenja's hands circled him together like a stream of water flowing around a hill. Kenja could feel the immense force of the attack placed on his hands and foot, but he provided no resistance against it. Insead, using his left foot as a pivot, his right foot glided backwards with his hands, sharing their burden.

"That was perfect! Disciple is truly my disciple! Now steer it to the back and let it go eat some air!" Snail congratuled Kenja, beaming with pride at his accomplishment.

The smoldering serpent skull, like a horse following after a moving carrot, trailed after Kenja's hands all the way to his back.

Shin, Hide and everyone else had their jaws drop to the floor utterly and completely stupefied. Not only was Kenja able to deflect this attack, but he had performed the technique perfectly. He executed the art at the perfect time and was guiding it all the way to his back, accomplishing the perfect diversion.

Just like water, it was flowing right past him.

'Not yet. I can't stop here!'

His body's pulse synchronized with the flames and a.s.sisted him with his control. Any faster, and the head would leave his hands and be diverted away from him; any slower, and the flames would devour his arms and body.

'What is he doing?' wondered Hide and Shin.

"What is he doing?" asked the cla.s.s in unison.

"Disciple, what the h.e.l.l are you doing?!" questioned Snail.

Instead of releasing the serpent at the perfect moment, Kenja continued guiding it around his body, coiling himself within a body of fire. His sweat evaporated, and his skin was scorched. The ends of his robes caught on fire.

'Now!'

Kenja released the serpent as it made a complete circle around Kenja, nearly eating its own tail. The serpent was now heading straight for the petrified Shin who still couldn't believe what was happening.

…

Everyone's eyes reddened in agitation as they had let their jaws drop to the floor a second time. Hide's eye twitched continuously.

'He was able to do the River's Bend…' she thought, her mind in a frenzy.

The River's Bend was the ultimate form of the Flowing Water Technique as it allowed one to return a long-range attack back at its caster, but it was not practical in combat or in practice. Masters proficient in the technique could pull it off rarely against attacks of a much lower power level than them, but the power discrepancy made the movement into a pointless gimmick.

If one overpowered the opponent to the extent that they could utilize the River's Bend, then they could easily suppress the attack with their own cultivation. There was no reason to ever use the River's Bend. For this reason, the 'perfect diversion' was considered releasing the attack from one's back since it was still feasible to accomplish in combat against those close in power level.

Hide's concern had switched from Kenja to Shin who was now facing his own forged monstrosity.

Shin took up the pose to deflect his attack, unwilling to let Kenja hog all the limelight.

'If he could do it, so can I!'

He put his focus on his serpent's head and waited for it to arrive. Meanwhile, Kenja chased after the tail of the serpent as it rocketed towards Shin.

"Disciple, hurry and tell me the plan!" Snail implored Kenja.

Kenja didn't mince words. "Brother Snail, Kimursan, I need your support." He needed their cooperation to pull off his plans, and he didn't have enough time to explain his actions.

Sakura leaned her invisible hilt against Kenja's back providing her power to him.

"Very well, disciple. If you need my support, then of course you will have it!" Snail was happy that Kenja addressed him as 'Brother Snail'.

The burning sensation spread from his neck and back to his full body as he continued to chase the tail of the serpent.

'What is he doing now???' The onlookers saw one shocking sight after another, and they all came from this brother whose name they did not know.

Kenja's burning robe ends blurred behind him as he bolted towards Shin. He took out five pills from his storage bag emitting the same scent as Shin's pill but much stronger due to their number. He tossed them into his mouth all at once and swallowed them.

Kenja was out of Shin's sight, but everyone else was about to spit up blood at the sight.

'FIVE QI ACCELERANT PILLS?!? WHY?! HOW?!'

In the sect, it would take one to three months to save up enough points for one pill, but no one could go that entire duration without spending credits on food or other necessities. Thus, it would normally take a Qi Flourishing disciple four to six months just to obtain a single one of these influential pills, and here, Kenja was pulling out five and eating them as if they were candy.

Hide was equally stunned, but she had become apprehensive towards Kenja's action. 'Why does he need to eat so many pills?'

The flame serpent's head had reached Shin as he nearly missed the window to pull it away from him. Thanks to the fact that the attack had lost much of its initial power and speed due to travelling twice the length that Kenja had to deal with, Shin was in a better position to handle it. Even with good timing and the extra distance travelled, his attack was still quite powerful; if he weren't still under the effect of the Qi Accelerant Pill that boosted his Qi-gathering capabilities, he would have been in trouble.

The snake slithered past Shin, scorching both of Shin's sleeves in addition to his left side. His fingertips seared from the close call.

Kenja had arrived in front of Shin who was still turned looking at the departing flame serpent. All of a sudden, he breathed in and drew as much Qi as he could into his middle dantian. All Qi within a twenty chi radius furiously and feverishly flew to him.

'Is he trying to kill him?' Hide panicked as she moved to sprint towards Kenja and Shin. The other cla.s.smates panicked as they felt Qi slide past their skin towards Kenja. Shin, being the closest to Kenja, felt and saw the rush of Qi flow past his head, in front of his body. He turned to see what had caused the strange phenomenon to see a sight that made him tear up.

Like some type of ethereal being, Kenja was glowing, his body cloaked with all the nearby Qi. The robe ends that were on fire had been extinguished by the overwhelming amount of Qi surrounding Kenja. If Shin were attacked with the full brunt of such a figure, he would not survive even if he had several spare lives.

Shin locked eyes with Kenja. They were crisp and clear with no remorse for what he was about to do. Kenja nodded to Shin and spoke to him.

"Here I come, brother."

With his announcement, Kenja channeled an enormous amount of Qi to his right arm and punched at Shin's right pec. Shin closed his eyes and accepted his fate. Unable to bear witness to their brother's demise, his cla.s.smates turned their faces away and prayed for their brother.

Hide had begun sprinting towards Kenja, but she acted too late to stop the attack. All she could do was minimize the damage of the aftermath done to her Junior Brother Shin, but she continued to move towards them.

All the energy in his arm culminated at the tip of his knuckles that were three cun away from Shin's chest. Everyone held their breath as they waited for the inevitable catastrophe.

whoosh.

sss…

A small worm-like flame formed from Kenja's fist one moment, and in the next moment, it splattered against Shin in a tiny, blackened splotch.

…

…

…

Shin and the others opened their eyes to find him standing there untouched while the immense Qi surrounding Kenja had dispersed.

Kenja turned to face Hide who was now standing near them, trying to wrap her head around what had just happened.

"Senior sister, I have landed my attack on Brother Shin. May I be excused?" Kenja said while pointing to the black spot on Shin's right side.

…

…

…