Chương 118: Soup, Desire, and Tofu: Not
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"Come on, your tofu should have more effect, right? It's tasty and all but I think even Jun'er would agree with me that taste loses its charm if it's not lasting," Ja Sun rotated his right arm before stretching slightly. It was hard to get used to the torrent of vulgar language that Ja Sun would unleash sometimes during sparring sessions, of course, with the intentions of rousing the spirits of his opponent using anger as the fuel.
However, this didn't make it any easier for Yuehua or the couple facing Ja Sun. That he was a cripple and their new teacher was a shock to them. Jun'er and Oscar even complained during the first lesson that they were stuck with him while the rest got to hunt for Erlong's spirit ring, and on that session, they realized that the rest of the group was enjoying a weekend while they are the ones who were truly trying to survive.
"I..." Jun'er slowly pushed herself off the ground, spitting the blades of grass that entered her mouth. Her dark hair tied up into a bun and her body scraped from a few angles, "It's not the taste... I already told you, didn't I?" Jun'er growled, strangely, angrier than ever.
"It's. the. scent!"
She howled, shooting towards Ja Sun and lying on the ground, Oscar chuckled weakly. That's why he fell for her... hard. Meanwhile, in a meditative position, Yuehua almost fell back while her martial soul, the Clear Sky Swallow, continued to fly around her and chirp softly.
Ja Sun chuckled. His body moved strangely. Forceful and yet so ethereal. Momentum and evasiveness reached to the extreme and mixed together as he seemed to have suddenly disappeared from Jun'er's view before she left a strong arm forcefully twisting her wrist and instantly, it was as if the world had turned upside down!
The fusion of storm steps and the Extreme Phantom Shadow Technique was a success.
The fusion of the manipulation of momentum and evasiveness produced from one's movement created the technique that Ja Sun dubbed: the Storm Phantom Technique. It sounded a little tacky but Ja Sun liked it this way. His speed had taken a major improvement and the next step will be none other than applying this technique to his wings, too. But that isn't possible now. He wanted to match his improvement with the quest trait so that he can earn rewards simultaneously and since there wasn't anything too pressing, he decided to work his way up from various angles.
Movement was done, now was the time to finally start focusing on Arrays due to their nature still hidden from Ja Sun.
Defeated, Jun'er groaned and slowly sat up. Oscar was no better.
Ja Sun's task was to go extra strict on the trio so that they could catch up with the rest of the group.
"Sister Yuehua—"
"Please, address me as you would others."
Yuehua spoke up as Ja Sun shrugged.
"Fine, Birdy, how are your meditation sessions going?"
Jun'er accidentally giggled while Oscar remaining unamused. He was one of the harder audiences in their group right alongside Bibi Dong. Yuehua frowned when Ja Sun waved his arm, "Don't worry about names. You specifically requested to be treated as I would others."
"But you call them with their names," Yuehua frowned.
"Because all of them are strong enough to be remembered with their name. Without your status, you're not," Ja Sun leaned against the rock, completely uncaring, "Birdy, how is your communication with your martial soul going on?"
"Poorly," Yuehua sighed softly, "It is as you say. I'm different from others. I have a chance at actually communicating with my martial soul that proves... that I am simply not connected with my martial soul like all of you are. But it is hard. The Clear Sky Swallow is obedient, like a part of me. Like an arm. But when I try to communicate with it... there is this resistance."
"That's why it's hard," Ja Sun smiled, "And that's why it's probably the correct method and properly reliant on oneself. I'm sure you will get the hang of it and allow your Martial Soul to break out of its shell."
Ja Sun hadn't explained the entire concept of Enlightened Martial Souls as is but categorized them as the 'observations' he gleaned from Yu Xiaogang's case.
"Really?" Yuehua's eyes glowed. Trust in her abilities happened to be her motivational drive.
Smilingly, Ja Sun continued, "No. But there is no reason to not believe in your abilities. You passed Bibi Dong's test, that's more than what others can achieve in their lifetime. Now, who's ready for a quiz?!"
"I am," Tang Yuehua sighed.
"I feel sick..." Jun'er pursed her lips.
"Let's get this over with."
Ja Sun continued to quiz them. Jun'er had to complete a round of swimming around the pound for five rounds and then complete five sets of pull-ups with 30 reps each. Meanwhile, Tang Yuehua was forced to sit cross-legged with her Clear Sky Swallow once again released, and Oscar was forced to train with Ja Sun. Clearly, Ja Sun was going the toughest on Oscar because of his clear lack of foundational training. He has been able to make up for it due to his wealth of experience but Ja Sun had to prepare him for the big leagues.
It was only in the evening that Liu Erlong's hunting party returned and from the looks of their expressions, they failed to find anything suitable for Liu Erlong once again, which should be close to impossible since Star Duo Great Forest has the widest collection of Spirit Beasts. But because of Xie Xan and Ja Sun's breakthrough, Liu Erlong had placed strict conditions for her own fifth spirit ring and for the right reasons.
Her body was sturdier than Xie Xan naturally due to a dragon-type beast martial soul and she even had a spirit bone of the cultivation close to 50000 years absorbed. But, finding a fire-attributed lizard-kind spirit beast of the age between 20000-30000 years and didn't wish for Ja Sun's explicit assistance because the absorption of a black spirit rings comes along a soul shock that greatly aids one's mental energy. In a way, it is similar to the Mental Acupuncture Technique that brings great pain and benefits.
"Now that's the faces of champions, you see, Oscar. They forget a cripple and newbies before going off galavanting with Spirit Beasts!" Ja Sun's dripping sarcasm right after their return placed the dismayed and tired group in a fit of anger.
Tang Yuehua opened her eyes for a moment before closing them and concentrating on her task. On the other hand, Jun'er chuckled. She was, by far, the easiest person to humor and thus became Ja Sun's favorite member already.
"Oh, please, don't just start the moment we return!" Hu Lana scowled.
Nonetheless, this week had been fruitful.
Bibi Dong broke through and became a rank 67 Spirit Master.
"Rest of you, take a rest. Those who have tasks from Ka-ul, continue and I will provide written materials for the day later. Come on, we have our own training to do," Bibi Dong instantly began stretching as her eyes grew reinvigorated while she beckoned Ja Sun with her left arm. In fact, after the sarcasm, everyone began to move their left arm just... for the sake of it.
Snorting, Ja Sun stood up. If he can dish it out, he can also take it.
The next day, everyone began packing up and started their journey once again. After all, they had limited time and they had only planned to stay here for a week. If Liu Erlong couldn't find anything compatible with her, then it is simply an unfortunate week and they needed to try their luck elsewhere.
"What is he doing?"
Traveling could also be used by Bibi Dong to drill more information into the heads of her new students so that's what she did. Jun'er, Oscar, and Yuehua had small booklets in their hands while the others were left to their devices.
Bibi Dong and Ah Yin were discussing and sharing their insights into their sensations of the Realm of Self. Honestly, they were desperate at this point. These two acclaimed geniuses never had such trouble mastering anything. Hu Lana and Liu Erlong walked hand-in-hand... so that Liu Erlong doesn't start clawing at yet another tree out of frustration and leave a possible trail to any lost lamb still following them.
"This..."
Xie Xan gazed at the freshly written manual and finally stated, "handwriting is horrendous..."
"You know, it is more hurtful not because I don't have a left arm, but because my right arm is the dominant one and you just insulted years of practice," Ja Sun stated calmly, not minding the joke at all.
"What do you think? I saw these in some ruins close to Balak City while completing one of my missions."
Xie Xan had his brows locked, "This training method is... more than strict. It is demonic in its way."
"Or so others believe," Ja Sun smiled, "But do you think that student to the Successor of the Supreme Pontiff will ever be considered demonic and evil?"
Xie Xan smiled and shook his head. Truly, what is demonic and evil? Actions. Not techniques. And even actions cannot be attributed as such but these are the simple and generalized perceptions of masses.
"But this technique can be useful to others... especially Erlong. Did you show this to her?"
Ja Sun shook his head, "She's kind of... dumb."
"I heard that!" Liu Erlong screamed.
Xie Xan and Ja Sun looked at Liu Erlong instantly before looking at each other. "But, my eyes aren't suitable for this technique. It's too much of a waste left unused and if someone else needs to practice it, they need a long time to reach some qualitative achievement so there is no point in hoarding this technique."
Ja Sun stated the truth, but held one point.
He wanted to see the Asura Sight in action. In the group, only he had practiced the pupils' technique: Fiery Golden Pupils and they have changed permanently. His pupils can no longer practice Asura Sight. Even when the strict demands may block most of the spirit masters from trying this, the method itself is quite intense.
The technique required affinity with the Yin attribute.
So, almost every female spirit master can train in this technique or someone like Xie Xan with a yin-attributed martial soul.
Xie Xan pondered. The fact that he was still hesitant after learning the benefits of this technique revealed how taxing it could be.
"I will give it a shot," Xie Xan nodded.
"Anyway... is this necessary?" Xie Xan looked at the small array pattern formed around Ja Sun's outstretched hand. Cold, ice-blue light flickered within the array as Ja Sun continued to refine the Cold Metal while walking and chatting. Another form of training he devised while the reward would grant him another array regarding smithing.
Before entering the realm of more technical spirit guidance tools, Ja Sun wanted to establish himself as a proper smith and he began to refine metals in various shapes, quality, and objects to get a variety of array patterns from weak to more exotic yet useless.
Now that Ja Sun had the time for himself without actually worrying too much about himself since the worst had passed temporarily, he can begin to enter the realms of research and continue his understanding of this world through the profession of an Array Master.
---
"Yes, this is what Brother Ka-ul gifted me back then. Technically, my brother 'took' it and handed it to me."
Over the fire, under the clear sky rooted with flickering stars, Tang Yuehua took out a beautiful handkerchief that shimmered brightly. Everyone's gazes were instantly attracted to it and quickly felt the handkerchief's silk-like material, which, according to Yuehua's records happened to be nothing more than gold.
So pricey!
So good!
"How come you never made something like this for us?" Liu Erlong frowned and looked at Ja Sun with a ferocious expression.
"How come you don't let me take advantage of you?" Ja Sun questioned sharply.
"W-wha—"
"Well, how do you think I feel if you guys then try to take advantage of me?" Ja Sun shrugged and he instantly shut up any weird requests for metal clothe or something else.
He wasn't a tailor, and wasn't interested in that occupation...
Although...
'I could measure others... hehe,' Ja Sun smirked before snuffing the idea once again.
It was stupid to be reduced as nothing more than a glorified tailor of the group. He refused to act like one so he added plainly, "But, if you want to commission such stuff. You will provide me with the materials and also pay a fair sum for my work."
"Then I should be paid for being your healer," Ah Yin frowned.
"Well, I think I could give you a discount," Ja Sun smiled.
"How much?" Ah Yin smirked.
Without speaking up, Ja Sun simply winked at her. What a joke. He will keep this woman happy, that's the most simple decision he ever found himself realizing.
Satisfied with this particular answer, Ah Yin silently began eating the tofu soup once again cooked by Oscar.
The group had to hand it to him.
He made tofu interesting.
"What about us?" Jun'er frowned.
"You... are new. So... become a Spirit King like everyone else before requesting anything."
Her lips twitched while Oscar pleasantly sipped on the soup. All his worldly desires were placed aside with the cup of soup being his only one and truly.
"And... me?" Hu Lana smiled sweetly.
"Sure, pay me well and I'll make you the best dresses for the night... I guess Xie Xan should pay me extra on the side for this."
The couples blushed... but that's what they had in mind.
"Teacher?" Ja Sun looked at her.
"No, thank you. It's just clothes..."
Bibi Dong suddenly frowned after saying this and realized the trap Ja Sun had continuously provoked. Suddenly, she growled, "If you take those out... think well of what I would do to your other arm."
She, of course, meant her delicates still in Ja Sun's hands.
Why she and Ah Yin couldn't purchase their clothes back from Ja Sun as he said?
Because these items belonged to him and as unscrupulous as he is, Ja Sun simply increased the price of each item a thousandfold. The two beautiful women simply had to accept that... a part of their dignity will remain by Ja Sun's side forever.
"What is going on?" Jun'er inquired.
"Don't you—" Before Ah Yin could complete, Ja Sun spoke somberly, "Ah Yin and Teacher gifted me their underwears! All of them!"
*Spurt*
Oscar spat the soup in his mouth with large chunks of tofu returning to the pot of soup over the fire.
Worldy desires came back this instant.
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