"Hey, crazy chick!" Jack greeted the girl, which immediately ticked the girl off.
"Who the hell do you call crazy?!" Muilan yelled.
"This is your grandson? I can see where his insolence comes from," the old woman uttered.
"Hey, you can't just mouth off to me like that, you old–oof!" Jack didn't finish his words because Domon had come over and slapped him… using a fist.
"I apologize for my grandson," Domon bowed to the old woman.
"You also apologize!" Domon commanded Jack.
"Uh… What makes you so fire up?" Jack remarked. He bowed to the old woman. "I am sorry. Forgive my rudeness."
"Hmph," the old woman harrumphed and looked away. Muilan stuck her tongue out ridiculing Jack.
"This is Master Murong Shu," Domon introduced. "She will teach you and Haon some martial arts."
"Why don't you teach us?" Jack asked.
"Because he doesn't know it," Murong uttered. "What I am about to teach you is a secret ancient art handed down as a legacy in my family. It has never been taught to outsiders."
"Um… So, why teach us now?" Jack asked.
Murong glanced at Domon upon the question. Jack couldn't quite translate the meaning of that glance.
"There is no need for you to think about her reason. What's important is she is willing to teach you," Domon said to Jack.
"What's so special about her martial arts," Jack asked.
"You've told me about that Long guy using the Nine Yang Exploding Fist, remember?" Domon asked in return.
Jack nodded.
"I didn't explain it properly the last time," Domon said. "The Nine Yang Exploding Fist is an ancient art that comes in a collection of what we call the Nine Yang Scripture. Aside from the one Long used, there are two other arts within that scripture. The Nine Yang Scorching Blade and the Nine Yang Restoration. I hope Long only found one of those three arts. But if he has the other two as well, he will be an even more troublesome opponent.
"You have three classes and a lot of skills. Long has two classes. So, he is not too far off from you. The worrying thing is his martial arts talent. Throughout my teaching years, people who show such talent can be counted on one hand. He has been seriously practicing martial arts since childhood. You, on the other hand, only take it seriously recently. So, in terms of martial arts, I must admit that he is better than you."
"Thank you for your honesty," Jack said.
"Hence, if Long has the complete Nine Yang Scripture, you need something to counter it," Domon continued.
"There is such a thing?" Jack asked.
"The Nine Yang Scripture is both a very powerful and famous martial art during the golden age of martial arts in the past. As any good art was, an equally powerful martial art was created to counter the Nine Yang Scripture. The creator called this new martial art the Nine Yin Scripture. This Nine Yin Scripture was composed of three martial arts as well."
"And this ol… I mean, what Master Murong is going to teach us is the Nine Yin Scripture?" Jack asked.
"The deal is just for me to lay out the basics," Murong uttered. "Whether you can learn it or not, that's entirely up to you."
"Master Murong will only be here until next week," Domon said. "Which is nine days from today."
"We have been wasting time waiting for you," Leavemealone said to Jack.
"Then why don't you start learning first?" Jack asked.
"I don't like repeating myself," Murong was the one who answered. "I will only lay out the basics once. After that, I will only give pointers for the remaining of my time here."
"It might be only nine days, but in here, it is ninety days," Domon said. "I believe it will be enough time for you to learn the arts."
"Haha. What do you take my family arts for, you old fool?" Murong laughed. "I've been learning it for my whole life, and I've only managed to learn one out of the three arts in the scripture. Do you think these youngsters fresh out of puberty can fare better?"
"I ain't going to lie to you, I do think so," Domon replied.
"Hmph! We will see," Murong said. "The deal is that I only teach these youngsters. You are not allowed to be present during this time. Out!"
"Why?" Jack asked.
"She is afraid I steal her martial art," Domon answered.
"She is going to teach us, isn't she? What's stopping us from teaching you later?"
"She doesn't believe you can understand the scripture. Without proper understanding, even if you memorize the mantra and pass it to me, I won't be able to understand it as well."
"That's right, this whole week will just be a big waste of time," Murong uttered. "But a deal is a deal. Once this is done, we are even. You get that, Domon?!"
"Understood," Domon said. Then to Jack, he said, "I have faith in you. Pay attention and train hard!"
Jack nodded.
"Hey, what is she doing here? Bring her out as well!" Murong said to Domon while pointing at Grace.
Jack asked Domon, "Did you say how many youngsters are to be taught in your deal?"
"No," Domon answered.
"Then she stays," Jack said to Murong. "Or is Master Murong afraid that she can understand your teaching?"
Murong's eyes darted between Jack and Domon. She was vexed.
"Can she do mana manipulation?" Murong asked.
"I can," Grace answered.
"Hmph! Only three! No one else is allowed to come in!" Murong exclaimed.
"Okay," Domon replied. He gave Jack, Leavemealone, and Grace a nod before leaving the chamber.
Once Domon went out the exit, Murong gave the distant flame dome a look. The ones inside there shouldn't be able to see what was going on over here. She then turned to the three youngsters before her.
"All right, you three. First, I will recite the mantra of my Nine Yin Scripture. I will only do it once. If you can't memorize it, then it's your problem. After that, I will perform the movement flow as taught by my ancestors. These movements are not actual martial arts, but a specific practice that should help you understand the Nine Yin Scripture. I will only perform these movements thrice. The first time will be once I finish reciting the mantra. Another two times when you ask me to repeat. Outside of this, I will just give you simple pointers."
The three nodded.
"Then let us begin," Murong said.
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