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66.66% Universal Library / Chapter 14: Kanbu's Ability

Chapter 14: Kanbu's Ability

"Is that him?"

"Yes..."

"Can a blind man really fight like that?"

"I wish I knew how this was possible..."

"Heard he has some talent with cultivation as well!"

"Yes, it only took him a week to be able to sense the energy around him. That said I know he still needs good talent in his physical body to make great use of his spiritual sense. From my understanding spiritual sense only matters if one can get a good technique that enables it to shine, but here? His talent won't allow him to go far if his body isn't at least half decent."

"Now that would be a great thing. Haha!"

"I think he should be able to at least reach the qi condensation stage. In this small town it is pretty good right?"

"That is if he makes it to that stage within the next ten years."

"Isn't the hardest part about cultivating starting out?"

"Well yes, but if he can't progress, then those ten years it takes most to start will be spent on just reaching the average level cultivators achieve with barely any time."

Everyone nodded in agreement as they were mostly talking about things that wouldn't affect them much. They were simple servants of the family and have all been given a chance to cultivate from the family, but in the end, nothing came of it even after they struggled for several years.

Lyon Everette, the master of the house, gave everyone who worked for him the chance to study a cultivation technique that he owned. This one fact attracted many to try their luck hoping to become something. Unfortunately most became simple workers without the power they had craved. Still, he was praised as a great person for the simple act of allowing others to gain some type of power. Those who actually obtained power claimed him an even greater person.

As these servants were gossiping and talking about random matters, the person in question that started the original conversation was walking with his eyes closed. He was currently walking to his teacher's place to learn more about cultivation as unlike others who could simply read the technique, he could not see or even understand anything on the technique thus needing a teacher who would talk about the drawings and words on the paper.

Kanbu could clearly hear as everyone talked about him, but by now he didn't care about it anymore. After a while, he reached his teacher's place. His teacher was a woman by the name of Sonya. Apparently, she was also the mother of most of his siblings. She had always known of his existence, but it was only after hearing he came to work for them did she want to oversee his training personally.

After knocking and waiting a moment, a woman with long golden hair answered the door. She was especially beautiful and had obviously meticulously took care of her appearance. Unfortunately, Kanbu could only more or less make out her features and couldn't even tell if her skin was green or red much less see how great her golden hair made her stand out.

"Kanbu, welcome..." As the woman allowed him to enter she spoke in a soft tone, "Are you here to learn about the manual?"

"Yes, teacher." Bowing to the woman Kanbu showed the best manners he knew. "I hope to hear you explain it. I also have thought of a way to show the pictures."

"Oh~? Please explain."

"I can see movement, so if you could, please draw the pictures or trace them. If you can do that I believe I should be able to more or less see what the drawing is like... In the worst-case scenario, you could have someone carve a statue of the drawing and use that as the demonstration."

"Hmmm... Not bad ideas, let me call over some paper and ink. Although I must say, my drawing skill might not be anywhere as good as the one used to create the original manual."

"Thank you... I care not how good the drawing may be, I simply wish to have an idea of what is on the paper. Again, thank you for allowing me this selfishness."

Soon the paper and ink arrived allowing Sonya to draw the picture while Kanbu used sounds to get an idea of how the brush moved and how that allowed a picture to be created on the paper. This process lasted an entire twelve hours as Sonya redrew the pictures several times and also needed to draw several other drawings for the rest of the manual. That said this manual was very simple having less than a thousand words and only ten pages with a drawing on each page. Sonya was also explaining everything on the pages in great detail as she did her best to make sure Kanbu understood.

"I think I understand teacher, thank you, I shall leave and cultivate." As Kanbu bowed and prepared to leave, Sonya stopped him.

"Kanbu, can you tell me a bit more about being blind? You see, after seeing how you fought during sword practice I couldn't help but wonder how you 'see the world' figuratively speaking."

"Teacher... For me, my eyes are no different from my forehead with the added caveat that I need to be more careful with them since they are more fragile. For me... my ears are what allows me to truly see the world. I hear the sounds and... the sounds travel in waves that react with different objects in ways that allows me to see their shapes... Do you understand?"

"Waves? How so?"

"It would be simpler if we had some water to demonstrate so you can understand better, but for now just think that I see all things through the interactions with sounds. Everything is just like your eyes without color and I need to picture it myself to see what is happening."

"Follow me. I need to see this demonstration."

Kanbu didn't deny and simply followed Sonya to a small pond that was near her place of stay. Kanbu smiled and began to explain as he grabbed a pebble and threw it out before waiting for a moment and grabbing another pebble. "Teacher... To me, a still lake or pond is just like dry ground. I cannot tell the difference, but my nose is what helps me then. Water has a smell that especially permeates with living creatures in it like your pond with these fish.

Still, that can wait. Let us first see what sound reacts like." Kanbu paused before he grabbed a decorative log and put it into the water and waited until the water stilled. "Watch as the ripples interact with the log." As he spoke he dropped the rock into the pond making some small ripples.

Pointing to where he threw the rock Kanbu spoke calmly, "Watch here. These ripples spread out from the place where I threw the rock, that is what happens when I make a sound." From there as the ripples slowly stopped he grabbed another bigger rock and threw it in before pointing at the log he left atop the pond, "Here you can see the ripples hit the log and bounce back with less force as they slowly dissipate. Farther away you can see the ripples that don't hit the log dissipate eventually."

As the water stilled he spoke while throwing another rock into the pond, "Then when you see corners you can tell the wall ends, but don't know what is behind right? Here you can see the ripples go and spread out after reaching the edge of the log. Of course, this is only my own sounds that I make to see." As he spoke he grabbed two more rocks as he spoke.

"You see I am not the only one who makes sounds and based on the sounds others make, I can figure out what the place around the corner can look like even if I don't personally see it." As he spoke he showed the rocks making ripples on both sides of the log. "And just like you can see better with a better angle, the angle on how the sounds reach me can affect how well I can see."

Sonya finally spoke with sparkling eyes, "I get it! So sound works like these waves! That makes me wonder how our vision works."

"Vision is the same."

"What! How do you know?" Sonya had a look of absolute curiosity.

"The book that taught me to see with my ears explained how vision works and how to translate it to other senses."

"I don't really understand. I can understand the waves of sound that work similar to the wind, but what can light be considered."

Kanbu stopped and sighed before continuing, "It looks like you truly didn't understand how sound works because you don't understand the basics... Sound and light are just energy; think heat for energy. How that energy reacts to the environment dictates how we experience it. All energy works in waves... at least that was what the book said. I don't truly understand it, but you can think of it as speed.

Heat hits objects and bounces off very slowly unless guided with the help of a catalyst like the wind moving the heat quickly. Sound is very fast and hits objects and bounces off them quickly not allowing us to feel anything besides the air it had affected. Light, which is how you see, is unbelievably fast and bounces off objects faster than our minds can understand making light almost instant."

Sonya looked extremely confused as she looked at Kanbu strangely, "That doesn't make sense."

*sigh* "If could read the book you would understand."

"Can you give me the book?"

"I already gave it to Lord Everatte. He said it was only a bunch of squiggles with no real meaning."

"I will have to look into it..." As she pondered, Sonya kept thinking about how the 'waves' were described and how all energy supposedly worked in these waves.

"Teacher, I shall head to my assigned dorm to practice the technique you taught me."

"Wait... Since you claim all energy works in these waves, do you also believe that the energy we cultivate works similarly?"

Kanbu paused and thought for a moment before shaking his head, "I remember that the purer the energy the more wavelike it is... Not sure what that means, but in my eyes, the qi we can cultivate is very unpure... I suppose that if we are able to find a way to make the qi act more like a wave it could become more pure... Still, I know that it most definitely doesn't act like a wave while in the air, well some of it does, but most of it stays stagnant. I think this means something is wrong with it... I am really not sure after all I only began to feel it a few days ago."

*sigh* "Well alright. Get going. I hope this book gave you the real answers. If you can, can you see which places have more 'wavelike' qi?"

"I will do my best." Bowing Kanbu thought about how he had his first official job at his father's house.

As she watched Kanbu leave Sonya thought deeply of his words. She was extremely smart and from the first time she saw how Kanbu could move, she decided that she needed to figure out how to use this power for herself and those she cared for, namely her children. Like many in this world she desprately craved power and luckily had enough talent to obtain some of it. That said, she was average compared to the people who could obtain power.

From what she could tell everyone can obtain the power of qi, but most take 10-20 years to be able to even start. Of course there are also those who can't start even after that making them exceptionally untalented. Of course there are two parts to the talent of qi. Spiritual and physical. Mind and body. She was talented in mind allowing her a quick start only taking 5 years to start, but her body was average making her stuck.

She had always had a desprate want for more power and a hope for the future, so now hearing Kanbu claiming he knew so much about 'energy' she hoped that he could find a place with great qi density that would help everyone she cared for to grow extremely fast.

_______________

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Chapter 15: Alma Is powerful

"I will follow after you." Fitzpatrick spoke with obvious hesitation. He had already given his word he would follow after them and as a man would never go back on his word. It was only a day after seeing the lightning. He believed he could not go against this new god for now. If before now he was only cautious about the god even existing, now he was a god-fearing man.

The priest Adder had taken up this mission believing nothing was to fear, so now seeing something was truly here he was extremely happy. As for why? It was because lightning has always been seen as the punishment of the gods. He believed his God Prashka had become mad at the small cult and let the village feel her anger. Still, as a man of god in the Inquisition, he knew he had to make sure all cult members were destroyed.

As for this supposed 'new god' that they were worshiping? He thought nothing of it since the 'god' only has power over a small cult that didn't even have a hundred believers. Hearing the baron Fitzpatrick cautious, Adder believed the man a coward that had not fought more because of his cowardice leading him to this small position despite his ability to lead. He had heard he gave up the chance at greater glory for a safe place, so this thought deeply made him believe that Fitzpatrick was simply a coward and a fool.

"Hmph- Yes, we shall show you the true power of the Inquisition!" This was supposed to be the promotional trip that would allow him to gain a greater position within the church. As long as he destroyed the small cult he would be promoted even if half of the twenty men he brought died.

As he led his men to the village, Adder was slightly cautious as he approached to the place where the lightning bolts hit. After all, he didn't know what survived and if something could survive the lightning, it must have some level of power.

As he walked a large green tree appeared in the distance. As he got closer he could see that there was more than one tree. It was a small orchard. "What?" Standing only a few hundred feet away the group of men could clearly see several trees all planted in the center of town.

One Inquisition soldier stood out to speak first, "Sir Adder. I shall go forward and lead the charge."

Adder simply nodded as he stood still transfixed on the trees. The Inquisition soldiers all got ready for a fight as they stared at the trees. They all knew that this was the area where the lightning hit and where the god's wrath hit the hardest.

Slowly they walked as voices eventually reached their ears. "They are finally coming? I can finally really test what Lord Alex bestowed upon me!"

"A child?" Frowning several members looked to each other in affirmation. The men began to murmur to one another as they spoke softly.

Adder spoke up hushing the murmurs, "Remember the report of the child! It was said that the child was the catalyst according to both the report we received and the report the baron received." Pausing for all the murmurs to stop, Adder spoke with confidence, "Lord Prashka has kept the foolish cultists for us to kill! The child might not truly understand what is happening or she might be possessed by an evil spirit making this situation worse. Kill all the cultists! As for the child... If she attacks she will be struck down!"

The more Adder spoke the more excited the men were as they began to believe that the only reason the cultists had survived was because Prashka was giving them the chance to prove themselves. Several members even began to believe the cultists were trapped by the trees as Prashka was the light that allowed for their growth, and with the help of Draid the god of the rain, they made a trap for their prey.

"Yeah!" As they became excited for the battle their marching hastened as they quickly approached the trees. It was at this moment that three people walked out the trees.

"I can't have you fight and hurt these wonderful trees, so here I come to you! Enemies raise your weapons! Those who surrender should drop to their knees and lay their head to the ground! Only then will your lives be spared!" The sound of a child giving a war cry made the men confused only for a moment before they saw a shocking scene.

The girl pulled something out of her hair as it grew eventually becoming a spear a bit taller than herself. "What!" As confusion descended the men Adder quickly woke up from his stupor first.

"Men hold your weapons at the ready! The possessed child is going to attack! Kill these heretics! Destroy the false god! Formation!" Quickly everyone seemed to know what to do as they made a simple formation that they had practiced. "Ready?! Attack!"

As he finished his orders the child had already charged and moved extremely fast covering the short distance in seconds. The men had no chance to block or dodge as they could only try and defend themselves as the spear sliced open their necks.

Within seconds, five men fell to the ground as the girl backed away to avoid a sword strike. Adder quickly gave orders as he tried to figure out what was happening. "The possession has given her strength, attack when she nears! She had killed many without giving them a chance to defend themselves! Make sure to be extremely wary! The-"

As he spoke, one of the men, who had been ignored due to the child's quick attack, appeared as he slashed at the soldiers. The other man had already pulled his bow and used the attack to shoot at Adder who was giving orders. Luckily Adder was no fool and had been paying attention to the men noticed the man attacking and pulled his shield to cover himself protecting his most important sections.

The man with the bow realizing he missed his chance focused on the soldiers as he pulled his bow and shot at the distracted men who were too focused on the close combatants. Adder's leadership was not enough as before he could caution his men the child killed them and even made the soldiers attack each other if they missed her. Within the minute twenty bodies lay in front of Adder.

"You monsters! You Damn Heretics!" Before he could speak more he found himself on his knees as a searing pain pierced his legs, "AAAGGGHHH!"

The possessed child had appeared in front of him as he was forced to the ground. Her childish voice resounded with a clear coldness to her tone, "We will not seek out a war, but if you come to fight us, in the hopes of destroying us, then..." Her childish voice seemed to become the voice of a demon in Adder's ears as she spoke directly into it, "You deserve Death..."

Breathing heavily from the pain he tried to say something only to feel a warm liquid come out his mouth. As he tried to cough only more warm liquid came out as his body kept getting colder... As his eyes blurred he saw the childish face of his killer staring back at him.

"May you receive Lord Alex's grace in your next life..."

**

"Finally done with that. What happened with the baron?"

"Lady Alma, he is slowly leading ten men to follow him into the village."

"Why only ten?"

"He might be here to reach a peaceful conclusion. After all, with the amount of lightning Alex gave us, he most likely thought it was better not to go against a god. That said if he truly wants us off this land he will likely seek the church's help at a later date and do his best to make it happen while we aren't around."

As they talked about what could the baron want and what his future plans could be, the man himself was leading his elite squad made up of seven short ranged men and three bowmen. He believed that if the god was truly a false god, then the Inquisition men would kill all cultists and maybe some villagers.

But what if?

What if it was a true god?

He knew then he would use the small number of soldiers following him as a sign that he wasn't here to fight.

He had even prepared a small white flag that was hidden in his clothes. If they were going to attack he would simply raise his flag as a sign of non-aggression. If they attacked either way, he would run with the cover of several archers and the wall of shields that allowed his retreat.

After walking for a while he noticed the first really strange sight. In the distance, he could clearly see a small orchard of trees that should be the center of the town. The place where the lightning struck.

He knew they shouldn't be here since he had been here less than three years ago! Now he could see large trees in what should have been the center of town. Such trees can't grow so fast no matter what unless there is something supernatural.

He could clearly remember that nothing stood at the center of town save for the dirt road that opened up to a large empty area. It was all originally planned as a section where people could announce things and make it a recognizable place that anyone could find. The place had truly become recognizable but had also changed greatly in every other way.

"What the hell happened?"

"Sir... Wasn't that spot empty? I know I haven't been here in a while, but such a sight is something I would definitely remember."

"Indeed. It was nothing but dirt, but now stands an orchard of trees."

As they got closer they could see where a battle had clearly taken place. 21 men all dead on the ground as their blood pooled around them. Standing at the side stood a man, he recognized as Olsen, and a little girl who didn't even look ten. The pair quickly noticed them, but instead of preparing for battle or even sizing him up, instead, they talked like he and his men meant nothing.

As he got closer he realized why they could stand so calmly. He could tell the Inquisition soldiers had all died in quick succession. Normally this would be seen when a rain of arrows attacked, but now he was seeing it happen with most men only having a hole through their neck.

Looking at the pair, the spear that seemed to be only a bit taller than the girl herself stood out. It was then that he saw only four dead men with a different death. One had a sword slice open his neck while two others had arrows piercing their eyes. As for the fourth, he clearly recognized as Adder the priest. He had his legs pierced at the knees along with a hole on each of his arms. With one last hole on his neck clearly made by the same spear.

As he neared the pair he ordered his men to not attack before addressing both Olsen and the girl, "My name is Fitzpatrick. I am the lord of this land. I heard that there was some unrest and came to personally investigate it."

The child smiled sweetly as she spoke, "My name is Alma. It was bestowed on me by Lord Alex. I am the one who calmed the unrest." As she spoke she pointed to the bodies on the ground before continuing, "Are you here to cause more unrest by attacking me?"

The sweet childish voice gave Fitz a chill as he couldn't tell that this child was truly a killer. Most who kill for the first time are scared, and even when they kill later they don't get much better, but this girl looked like she had just resolved a small argument by talking, not killing everyone who went against her.

"Thank you for your help, Lady Alma... I also come to make some peace negotiations. You see when you kill someone else's family you need to talk to make sure no more misunderstanding happens."

Alma looked at him like she was trying to see through him before nodding, "You are right, I don't want too much blood to be spilled without good reason. Allow me to explain everything that happened that led to the death of your son. Then you can talk peace negotiations."

_______________

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