Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Unconditional

"Grhh... ugh..."

A certain spring night.

Men scattered like falling petals by tree branches held their respective sore spots and lay down inside tents prepared by the people of Guili.

"Damn... bastard...!"

Among them, a man who wanted to hold his entire body but lamented having only two arms spat out through gritted teeth.

The man with something like night blossoms was holding his body, now tinged a flower-like dark blue, in pain.

He endlessly chewed on his anger and resentment, shouting.

Towards the illuminated beast that had beaten him down.

'Just for saying one word...!'

While the man and the other people of Havria were engulfed in anger.

Rustle.

The entrance flap of the tent was lifted and someone came in.

"Ah. You were resting."

A woman who appeared to be a citizen of Guili entered.

"Earlier, by mistake... I saw you all training. The newly arrived adeptus is stricter in training than I thought."

"...What? Get... out!"

The man, flaring up at this, tried to get up from his spot, but.

"Grroooaaah!!!"

An immense pain hammered his entire body.

In this state, he couldn't handle even a little girl, let alone the woman who had just entered.

"Ah! If it hurts, you don't need to get up!"

"Damn... it..."

With no choice, the man lay back down, cursing endlessly in his mind.

"Oh my... it seems more serious than I thought. I'll leave drinking water and medicine here."

The woman placed a drink and medicine beside the man with the night-bloom scent and slipped out of the tent.

"Damn... it all!"

The man thrashed in anger, trying to get up again, but the immense pain pressed him down.

"Guh?!"

The man finally gave up and lay down, reaching for the drink brought by the Guili man.

After screaming all morning from being beaten, his throat felt like it was on fire.

The man finally gave up, crawled, and poured the drink down his throat.

The cool liquid in the wooden cup went down his throat, extinguishing the fire.

"...Ghh..."

As the pain subsided a little, the man began to shed tears.

The anger of being beaten like a dog transformed into resentment over time.

The man kept drinking water, suffering from being unable to release this intense emotion, and lay down again.

He wanted to find a woman to pour out this emotion to, but thinking no woman would seek him out with this face, the man lamented.

"...That bastard earlier... what was he..."

The citizen of Guili who brought the man water and medicine.

"...!"

A sudden thought crossed his mind.

Why was he looking for a woman?

To pour out this emotion?

Isn't that too beast-like?

"...That's... right."

The man agonized and agonized again.

The man had always sought women for instinct.

It was closer to satisfying desire rather than love.

Love free from reproductive instinct.

Love that can be chosen by free will, beyond instinct.

"Ah... ahh... I see...! The reason he beat me was for that...! That Havria permitted it too...! Ahh... Benefactor. My benefactors of love!"

Finally realizing his ignorance, the man cried out.

"Sob!"

The crying man's mind was plastered with the face of the woman who had just given him water.

The night... deepens.

--------

......?!

For some reason, I almost drew my sword from the creepy feeling I sensed.

What the hell. What is this feeling?

Wiping away cold sweat, I sat back down.

...It feels like I'm being seriously misunderstood about something.

"Gawain? Is something the matter?"

Ganyu, chewing Qingxin beside me, asked, and I shook my head.

"No. I'm just a bit worried."

"...About yesterday?"

"Yes. Whether my methods were too harsh..."

"No need to worry about that."

I turned my head at the familiar voice, and there was the Subduer of Demons walking slowly towards us.

"I don't know why it worked either. But the people of Guili and the subjects of the Illuminated Beast of Salt are mixing surprisingly well. ...Though one of them seemed to have slightly impure intentions. It shouldn't matter."

"Is that so. That's fortunate."

My original plan was to train them under the pretext of entrusting village defense to the Guili people, and to mercilessly beat them where the Guili people could see, to create pity.

And for that pity to make the Guili people voluntarily help Havria's subjects, improving relations between the two groups. That was my final plan.

Frankly, it was a plan with high failure probability, but it seems to have worked well.

"Hmm. By the way. You two have been sticking together often lately."

Liu Yun, the Subduer of Demons, alternated looking between Ganyu and me and smiled mischievously.

"I'll root for you, Ganyu. Beings who can withstand our Lord's attacks aren't common."

"L-Liu Yun!!!"

At Liu Yun's words, Ganyu turned red and shrieked, and Liu Yun laughed heartily while looking at me.

"Gawain. There's something for you to do."

"If it's something I can do for you..."

"Yes. I heard there's a place where demons are concentrated."

Demons.

I tried to stand up to speak.

"No no. Stay seated. It looks good."

"Liu Yun...!"

.......

In the end, I sat back down in a proper seated posture, and Ganyu puffed her cheeks as if displeased and began chewing her Qingxin again.

And Liu Yun, the Subduer of Demons, smiled contentedly and continued explaining.

"A place not far from Guili, demons have been found gathering through my adeptal arts. Strangely, the gathering looks like they're plotting something."

"...Demons plotting. Do they have that kind of intelligence, Liu Yun?"

"Just call me Liu Yun. You're practically half an adeptus anyway."

"...Understood. Liu Yun."

"Hmm. Right. Intelligence, you say? Correct. Demons don't have intelligence as high as humans. But they have enough intelligence like beasts, so it's not impossible for them to gather and attack like last time."

Demons are beings that crawl from the remains of dead illuminated beasts, so it's not wrong to say they're born from corpses.

Such beings having intelligence...

...Illuminated beasts are really peculiar. Even dead, their power remains and creates life.

"So. The people of Guili are complaining that it's unsafe to go out foraging. In fact, several people were almost attacked by demons before being saved by yakshas."

"You're saying we should exterminate them once."

"Right. The Lord has also permitted it. Now, if you agree, everyone will depart."

...Wait. Everyone depart?

"By 'everyone depart,' you don't mean just me going?"

At my words, Liu Yun turned her gaze somewhere, and I followed her gaze.

At the end of that gaze.

Water, fire, wind, rock, and lightning were all mixed together, racing.

The sight of incompatible beings mixed together forming a single line made a sense of alienation bloom in me.

What in the world...

I poured inner energy into my observation technique and frowned, finally seeing their forms.

"You mean to go with the yakshas?"

"Correct. Seems they've already departed first. And this is our Lord's message."

Clearing her throat, Liu Yun spoke in a somewhat solemn voice.

"The yakshas are still lacking compared to you, so I entrust you with their training."

...Oh dear.

Looks like I've suddenly become a master.

"Sh-should I go too? I also want training..."

Ganyu quickly clung to me and requested.

"Not this time, Ganyu. Our Lord spoke quite seriously."

"Ah..."

At Liu Yun's firm refusal, Ganyu sullenly bowed her head deeply and stepped back.

I smiled at that, scattered a few Qingxin seeds, and infused them with psychokinetic force.

The blessing of the earth and my psychokinesis combined, pushing up the plant stems.

"I'll finish quickly and return, so soothe your loneliness with that Qingxin, Lady Ganyu."

"...Thank you, Gawain..."

Ganyu looked sullen but still brightened her eyes looking at the Qingxin.

I stood up and looked at Liu Yun.

"I'll depart now. Where is the location?"

Having heard the Lord's message from Liu Yun and rushed to the demons' gathering place.

"...A bit late, it seems."

Piled corpses into mountains. Formed rivers with blood.

Looking at a scene that would make an ordinary person vomit first, I lightly leaped.

Stepping on the void.

The wind supported me, and I entrusted my body to that wind, standing in the void.

Now I've reached the level of perfectly maintaining Void Treading.

Standing in the void, I watched the yakshas engaged in battle.

The boy fighting there... must be Bosacius.

Before Bosacius, swirling sharp wind on his fist ends, demons were being torn apart.

I turned my gaze.

The yaksha firing immense fiery blobs with heat you could feel just by looking was probably General Huashe, Yingda.

The yaksha trying to imitate the Lord by gathering Geo energy into a sphere was probably General Shenyuan, Mino.

The girl swinging giant, insect-like blue arms and spewing water was probably General Laquan, Bonan.

And...

The one slaughtering demons with four arms filled with lightning moving in perfect unison. Probably Marshal Dengshi, Fusa.

All were exactly as in my memories.

...By the way. This is absurd.

No proper form in their swinging fists. Meaning just meaningless swings.

If you step like that, the power... no, if you throw a punch like that... no.... Sigh...

When I was in the cave, it wasn't like this...

In my day... no.

Sighing, I finally understood why the Lord entrusted them to me.

They are still incomplete.

How can those using fist arts rely only on elemental power instead of martial arts?

Even if their elemental power is strong, their combat is mainly close-quarters. Without proper body and technique supporting them, they won't be able to exert their original power...

I let out a deep sigh, released Void Treading, and descended.

THUD!

As I landed with a tremendous sound, instantly all the yakshas' gazes gathered on me.

"Hmm? Ah. Is that you?"

At my appearance, Marshal Dengshi, Fusa, approached me first and spoke.

"Ah my. We've already handled it first. How embarrassing."

"......."

Territorial display?

Silently, I examined the demon corpses rolling around.

...Just looking at the corpses tells me.

These guys. Don't know the first thing about 'fist' in fist arts.

Close-quarters combat relying solely on elemental power.

"...I came by the Lord's command to impart teachings to you."

At my words, the yakshas present snorted with laughter.

Come to think of it, these guys. They weren't present when I blocked the Lord's stone spear.

"Why should we receive teachings from a human? Besides. We don't need human techniques."

Brushing off demon blood from his hands, Bosacius spoke, and I looked at him.

Not using a spear yet. Is this before he used a spear?

"What did you say?"

"No no. Our Bosacius is still young, that's all!"

"...Yingda!"

"Oh my. This guy calling me by name again?!"

"It's only a few hundred years' difference!"

"Bonan~! Bosacius is saying this, what do you think?!"

"Bosacius. A few hundred years is still a difference."

"....Bonan. You too."

...What are they doing?

Frowning, I lifted my foot.

A stance step.

THUD!

Is stepped like this.

At my stance step, a shockwave flowed through the ground, shaking the yakshas' bodies.

"It seems you disregard me because I'm human. Is that it?"

No answer came.

But I know. It's silent affirmation.

I drew my sword.

And.

THRUST!

Plunged it into the blood-soaked ground.

"...Wasn't that tool your main weapon?"

Mino asked, crossing his arms, and I frowned.

Tool?

Did he just call my sword a mere tool?

"...Should I show my martial arts to you who can't even properly use your fists?"

Show my martial arts to those who don't recognize it and disregard it?

That's an insult to the martial arts I've built over a lifetime.

At my answer, the yakshas frowned slightly.

"Enough. Martial artists converse with body and technique, not words. No more discussion. Come. Show me your little tricks."

The yakshas immediately reacted to my provocation.

"I'll go first, brother!"

"No, Mino. I go first."

"I'll just go first, brother!"

"Fusa. I'll go first..."

...These guys.

No matter that it's the past.

No matter that they don't know martial etiquette.

"Enough. Just all come at once."

I took a stance.

Come to think of it, there was something I never tried in my life holding a sword.

Fist arts.

"Won't that increase your chance of winning by even 10 percent?"

The yakshas' expressions contorted like ferocious deities.

Soon after, attacks composed of five elements flew at me from all directions.

And I smiled.

I can test the fist arts I've only imagined until now.

How joyful!

Even if it's sparring with complete amateurs who don't know martial arts.

Even a three-year-old child has something to teach.

I flashed my eyes blue and threw a punch.

The energy gathered at my fist tip exploded outward, scattering energy like salt grains.

Scattering stars, energy gathers.

And holding that stardust in my hand, I stepped with a stance step again.

THUMP!

A master's stance step beyond a certain realm is no longer just for gathering power.

"...?!"

"Kyaa?!"

It disrupts the opponent's balance by delivering shock to the ground.

This is a master's stance step.

Bosacius, Yingda, Mino, Bonan staggered and lost their balance.

"Huff...!"

Only Fusa didn't lose balance and charged at me.

Hah. Performing such a feat with pure strength alone, not technique.

The difference between human and adeptus, their very nature.

I marveled while extending my hand.

Fusa's two hands filled with electricity collided with my salt-grain-like energy, causing small explosions in a chain.

And.

Divert.

Whoosh.

"...?!"

For an instant, Fusa's balance broke.

And.

THUD!

"Ugh!"

I stepped with a stance step again.

Fusa fell forward, and I spoke smiling.

"This is called 'Diverting Flowers to Graft onto Wood'."

The subtle principle grasped from diverting falling rocks thousands of times in the cave.

The yakshas got up while looking at me with fierce eyes.

"...We should get serious, brother."

"Oh. I welcome it. Try to last longer this time."

"Uwaaaah!!!"

They fall for provocation too easily.

The first was Mino.

Black robes fluttering, spherical Geo energy aggregates flew at me.

Through the Diverting Flowers to Graft onto Wood principle again, I diverted all the incoming rocks in all directions.

Like a stream.

Like a flowing river.

Divert naturally.

Small streams before a great current are buried and carried along.

I artificially create such a great current and place the opponent's small current into the great one.

That is. My Diverting Flowers to Graft onto Wood.

"With such attacks, you cannot change the water's flow, Mino."

"Groaaah!!!... Keh!"

I picked up one diverted rock and threw it at Mino.

This time, Yingda.

Fiery energy felt on my skin.

Fire is hard to divert.

But. Can a mere campfire blow away an entire great river?

I infused more psychokinetic force while swinging both arms wide.

Psychokinetic force gathered like a whirlpool, trapping Yingda's fire.

"...Huh?!"

The moment Yingda panicked and tried to react.

"Your reaction is too slow, Yingda."

I rode that flow, penetrated, and struck Yingda's stomach.

This time, Bonan.

Bonan's attack at least rides the flow.

But even that was an awkward water flow.

"Excellent, Bonan. But still clumsy."

I buried Bonan's flow in my flow and tripped her with a leg sweep.

"Ugh!"

This time, Bosacius.

"Hahp!"

Bosacius attempted a different attack from the previous yakshas.

A high jump followed by a downward smash attack.

But I could predict it all too easily.

"Too typical."

I lifted both feet together, containing a great flow in my feet.

And. Leap up.

"...!"

Bosacius opened his eyes wide and looked at me.

"Surprised?"

Using the principle of Void Treading, I was standing in the air.

"How...!" 

I wrapped my foot around Bosacius's waist and slammed him to the ground.

"Cough!"

Looking down at them from the air with blue eyes, I spoke.

"You lasted longer than before. Good. Now answer me. You said you don't need technique?"

The yakshas composed themselves, stood up, and glared at me standing in the air.

Only Fusa looked at me with more serious eyes.

"...I apologize for disregarding you."

"Fusa...!"

"Bosacius. Quiet."

"......."

I quietly listened to his words.

"But don't belittle our close-quarters combat either. This method of combat is also our way of life."

"...Then let me ask one thing."

Looking at Fusa with blue eyes, I opened my mouth.

"What is martial arts to you?"

"...Martial arts? Do you mean fighting?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not."

At my question, Fusa bowed his head briefly, then spoke while still bowed.

"Then... I would answer. Martial arts is killing."

Martial arts is killing.

"Why?"

"...That is the reason for our fighting. Killing to protect the Dharma. Eliminating calamities. That is the reason for our existence as Adepti Yakshas and the reason for our fighting."

...I see.

Though crude. That too is martial arts, it seems.

To a martial artist, martial arts is both life and reason for existence.

To them, that is martial arts.

I landed lightly.

"...Come. I will show you my martial arts."

I took a stance again.

Then Fusa, raising his head, shouted.

"All Adepti Yakshas! Pour your full power!"

Fusa spoke smiling.

"He is to be our master!"

Then the Adepti Yakshas' eyes changed.

With eyes bearing.

The yaksha's eyes of karmic debt.

Yes. That too is martial arts!

I also smiled back and shouted.

"Come!"

I felt my head tingling.

Marshal Dengshi, Fusa creates a storm with four arms, dropping thunder and lightning as he charges.

General Laquan, Bonan flows with swirling water.

General Shenyuan, Mino charges with rock gathered into a solid momentum.

General Huashe, Yingda approaches burning with fiery energy, ready to burn everything.

And General Jinpeng, Bosacius flies up riding the wind like a bird.

Before the energy of great nature, I, a feeble human.

Hold my martial arts.

My upper dantian tingles.

Entrust my body to the flow...

...No.

Is there any reason to entrust my body to the flow?

The flow is within my body from the start.

I become the flow and divert everything!

I drank in the great flow completely.

I feel the fierce river flowing through my body.

Black lightning falls.

Dissolves into the fierce river.

Mantras containing black characters flow and spread throughout my body.

It is the river of enlightenment.

I looked at the characters floating on that river.

River (江)

       Mountain (山)

           

                         Wind (風)

                                      

                                         Moon (月)

                

                   Master (主)

                            

                                  Person (人)

Master of Rivers, Mountains, Wind, and Moon (江山風月主人)

Since I am the master of rivers and mountains.

The flow shall follow me.

For an instant, the flow stopped.

And in the stopped world, I raised my head.

There, the yakshas were approaching me with their respective attacks.

And.

The flow.

I see the threads.

They were curves so different from mine.

Ah. I see.

I compressed the flow.

Compressed and twisted.

Create a thin thread.

And wrap my entire body with that thread.

And gathered the endpoints of all threads at my fingertips.

I shall call this thread. This thin flow.

Spiral Energy.

The hand containing Spiral Energy rotates, and the thread unravels.

The yakshas' threads and my threads intertwine.

And.

Unravel!

Swish!

Thud!

"Huh!"

"Ugh!"

"Kyaa?!"

Instantly, all the yakshas' bodies were flipped over.

I had flipped them over at a speed invisible to them.

"That... what is the name of that technique?"

I looked at my hand briefly.

The name of this technique.

"...As different energies meet to become martial energy."

I slowly opened my mouth.

"As Yin and Yang meet to become Wuji, that is. Taiji."

I uttered the name I had seen countless times.

"I shall call it Taijiquan."

"Taiji..."

I quietly pulled the sword stuck in the ground.

I infuse this enlightenment. Into the sword.

I spoke to Fusa, the only one still intact.

"Does it suit you?"

"...Of course!"

Fusa sprang up and took a stance again.

And charged at me.

A storm of lightning containing lightning, swinging four giant lightning bolts, flies at me.

I smiled and grasped my sword.

Hundreds of sword auras bloom from the sword tip.

And. They intertwine.

Lightning strikes fiercely.

Outside my body.

And.

Inside my mind.

The subtle principle of Taiji lies in 'not diverting.'

My power. The opponent's power.

Do not divert. Gather it all!

Draw Taiji!

Do not divert.

Not a single drop!

Three Realms Sword Technique.

Third technique.

Watertight!

Like not spilling a full cup of water.

The threads of me and Fusa, intertwined, instantly unravel.

"Ha!"

Even while flipping in midair, Fusa smiled.

I, because I gained new disciples.

Fusa, because he gained a new master.

We both laughed heartily with genuine joy.