That night, after the boys helped Jinhu absorb the elixir, they each went to their own rooms to do the same.
Blue sat with the box on the ground. "Okay system, don't fail me now."
He opened the box, picked up the ball. Swallowed it and began to circulate his qi. He could feel the elixir breaking down. The qi from it surged outward. Blue did his best to control it and point it toward his dantian. Then he felt it, something foreign. Outside his own control. The system forced all the qi into his dantian without a single bit wasted. He opened his eyes and relaxed.
[System Notification]
[Qi: 35 years]
[Status: Second-Rate]
"No way, the qi alone pushed me over the top." He clenched his fist, he could feel the difference the 25 years he got from the elixir made.
The next morning Jinhu, Ilho and Blue stood in front of the pavilion. Wu Jin stood in front of them. Instructors stood behind. "Shall we see how you did."
The instructors placed their hands on the boys backs.
"Jinhu, 24 years total. Third rate." The instructor announced.
"Ilho, 25 years total. Third rate."
"Blue, 35 years? Second rate?"
Jinhu, Ilho both turned and stared at Blue. He shrugged his shoulders. Wu Jin stared as well.
"I did not expect any of you to get 20 years from that simple elixir. The fact you gained even close to it is impressive."
Wu Jin stepped closer. "I will give you the day off. Tomorrow the real training starts, you all will meet your new masters, and then learn their footwork. Dismissed."
As the boys walked away, one of the instructors turned to Wu Jin.
"How is that possible? He gained 25 years from that elixir. That's the absolute maximum."
Wu Jin turned to the instructors. "It does not concern you. What you should worry about is how you will assist those failed recruits." Wu Jin pointed the rod. The instructors bowed simultaneously and left.
"Father, I believe there's more to this boy than you are aware of." Wu Jin muttered to himself.
The boys all sat in Blue's room.
"If I can circulate for another month or two I can probably hit second rate too!" Jinhu exclaimed.
"More like a year." Ilho laughed. "Ill catch up to Blue in a month though."
"Aren't you guys curious?" Blue looked between them. "I saw the looks you gave me."
"Are you going to tell us?" Jinhu asked.
"..."
"Yeah, didn't think so. We all have secrets, or things we keep close to our chest. It's okay man." Ilho said calmly. Then he stood. "I'm going to my room to rest. I suggest you two do the same. I fear the rod has only just gotten started."
Jinhu and Blue looked at each other and nodded. Ilho and Jinhu left together. Blue sat quietly after they left. "Tomorrow I can start gaining that strength uncle said I'd need."
The next morning, the boys gathered in front of the pavilion. They lined up shoulder to shoulder.
Wu Jin approached. "Today you meet your masters. Turn around."
The boys turned around.
"...Shit." Jinhu muttered as he looked up.
"Shit is correct Jinhu. Mu Jang will be your master. He will help you put that thick skull of yours to use.
Jinhu looked up at Mu Jang. Mu Jang looked down and smiled. He grabbed Jinhu, placed him over his shoulders and turned to walk away.
"Seriously, this again." Jinhu yelled.
The boys looked at each other and laughed.
"I wouldn't laugh at him just yet, your masters are just as brutal."
"Ilho, the man in front of you is Sa Gwan. He is our shadow, and one of the better ones that remain in all of murim. He doesn’t speak much, which maybe will rub off on you."
Ilho bowed. Sa Gwan stared at him for a moment. Flicked his forehead and disappeared. Ilho looked back at Wu Jin confused.
"You'd best get moving."
Ilho darted off.
Blue stood facing a man with a cloak lowered over his head.
"Okay, father, you can stop trying to be intimidating now." Wu Jin chuckled.
"Wu Cheng? You're a part of Silent edge?"
"Who do you think started it?" Cheng laughed.
Another figure landed right behind Blue. Blue felt the man's qi immediately. He turned. "Uncle?"
He looked past Yeol towards Wu Jin.
"These two are who you paired me with? Are you crazy?"
CRACK
"It wasnt my choice, I'll let them explain, and ill take my leave. Have fun Blue." Wu jin turned and left.
Cheng and Yeol both sat down. Blue joined them.
"What is going on? This some super secret thing or something."
Yeol laughed. "You're half right."
"We are going to help you learn something, we ourselves couldn't master." Cheng smiled.
"What? No way, if you two can't master it. How the hell am I supposed to."
"Leave that to us, first let me say, you definitely can. Because you are a Tang. And the person who created this footwork, was my father."
"Wait, grandfather created his own footwork?"
Cheng pulled out a scroll and handed it to him. "He did, its called flowing steel. We tried to master it when we were young. But we failed."
"We did manage to incorporate some things into our own footwork." Yeol interrupted. "Oh, and there is one other person who did master it."
"Who, father? The sword saint?" Blue asked.
"They wish... it is your sister." Yeol replied.
"So-Yeon mastered something you two couldn't? Damn, how strong is she."
"Incredibly strong." Cheng looked at Yeol. "She leads the next generation without a doubt."
"And you two think I can match her? You're crazy." Blue said nervously.
"You can and you must." It was Yoryeon's wish before he passed. "One thing he wanted was to pass this on to you. When you died, I made the decision to pass it to So-Yeon." Yeol stood up. "But, no matter how you got here, or how you came back. You're here, and now we must both honor his wish."
Blue stood, scroll in hand. He bowed to Yeol and Cheng.
"Good, read over that today. Tomorrow we begin."
Cheng and Yeol both jumped onto the the top of the pavilion and out of sight. Blue opened the scroll.
[System Notification]
[Flowing Steel Comprehension: 1%]
[Complacency is the enemy of progress]
Blue stared at the panel. "Does everyone system say wierd shit all the time?" He rolled up the scroll and walked away.
The boys met again in the mess hall.
"You look like hell." Blue said to Jinhu.
"Yeah, yeah, thanks. That man is a fucking monster. I'm going to die." Jinhu folded his arms on the table and rested his head on top. "I don't have the energy to eat."
"At least you interacted with your new master. I had to play fucking hide and seek with Sa Gwan." Ilho put his scroll on the table. "All day, I would catch up, he'd pat me on the head like a dog. Then dissappear again. Then I found this. He flicked my forehead and said one word. Eat." Ilho looked at Blue. "You have better luck than us?"
"I think so, I havent done anything but try to understand this gibberish."
He handed the scroll to Ilho. He unraveled it, and stared at for a minute.
"Yeah, I'd rather play hide and seek. That looks intense." He handed the scroll back.
Blue started to roll it up when Jinhu stopped him. "Let me see."
Blue and Ilho looked at each other and started laughing. "You guys are dicks. I always miss out."
You know what I miss. "Pizza."
Jinhu and Ilho both shot Blue a look. "What the hell is pizza?"
"Oh, umm... its like a steamed pork bun. Something an old man in my village made. Weird name for it though right?" Blue stared at both of them.
"I want to try pizza, I love pork buns." Jinhu smiled.