Impermanence, Fading Soliloquy, is the first part of the Sky Grade Impermanence Series of techniques created by Daoist Ideal-Seeker, next in line to the seat of the Elder of Inscryption Hall and who was master to uncle Feng and currently to my mother.
He developed it shortly after reaching Core Formation where he began to reflect upon the Dao of Recording, and as he did a realization came to him about how in all recorded human history there are only few surviving records of all it left.
Because so many records of mistakes are lost or censored he reasoned, that without them we are always doomed to repeat them unknowingly.
In to cope with that fact which very nearly gave a heart demon, he began the practice of water writing on the pavement, and to see all the many words he wrote down fade away, drove him further into a deep melancholic sorrow instead of accustoming him to the loss of knowledge.
After a particularly more intensive depressing session of it, he was advised by his own master, who at the time was not yet the Elder of Formations, to go for a walk out in the countryside.
When going forth out and about amidst the outskirts he espied a spirit fish trying to reach for a juicy piece of fruit dangling above its small pond, and after observing it for a whole day it finally split the fruit off its branch to which it danced with glee.
When returning forth a year since he passed the small pond and yet again a new fruit has been dangling over it with the fish trying for it, and yet again after a full day of reaching for it and then having it the fish once more danced with glee.
The yet-to-be master asked the fish- "It took you another whole day to get your fruit, why dance over it and shouldn't you know better now to be expedient about it?" -he says irrated, still absorbed in his melancholy.
"I already had this fruit?" -the fish replied in shock.
"Yes you did, a year earlier, shouldn't you already know about this?"
"My memory is quite bad, I am a fish after all."
"Improve your memory, you should have a year to get better and next time would be less difficult for you."
The fish remained silent parsing his words, and then replies- "So if I stay as I am, I will always find this fruit and the struggle to get it as enjoyable as always? Why get a better memory then?"
The yet-to-be master was enlightened.
After a short battle and devouring the fish he came to two facts.
The great Yang is that in recording down history is that when it repeats, we can face it better than last time, the lesser Yin is that due to the Impermanent nature of all things it would eventually fade with time.
The great Yin is that without recording history is that when it repeats we will never be ready for it, the lesser Yang is that there is joy in discovery and adversity for it is due to our Impermanent nature we grow stronger.
So it is encircled by the Eight Trigrams to reveal the Dao.
After many years and the ascent of the new Sect Leader and his own ascent, he soon took uncle as his disciple and the memory of that experience greatly affected his teaching style to which mother and uncle often have great gripes about it, but they never did once say it was a bore or unhelpful in the slightest.
Although this breathing technique is to the benefit of only his direct disciples and their direct disciples, mother would still teach it to me as she reasons I am her sole direct disciple at the moment so thus it falls under the inheritance rule and if even if there are gripes about it, better to ask for forgiveness than permission, besides the story of how I completed and comprehended a Sky Grade technique should be enough to placate her master.
The breathing technique has one calm down the palpitations of their heart to a steady beat in order to inscrybe in the proper manner, to express in easy breaths one's reflection on how their days are numbered, and they would not have it any other way.
It is to visualize yourself as water settling, arising to the skies as rain and falling down to shape the earth, which settles waiting for the next rain to change itself, the petrichor it produces tickling your nostrils with an air of melancholy, and letting pass into happiness.
It is to visualize yourself as earth serving for ink, grinding against earth and losing yourself into water to be picked up on a brush and smeared across paper to represent an idea, and to be at peace for even though you will burn out or fade away, the joy of being rediscovered is just around the corner.
"Well what do you know, she wasn't lying when she said you mastered a Sky Technique already Gen'er, although how many times must I remind you to be out of the pavement when people are walking?"
I cease the pre-workout water writing and see that uncle is here just like grandma said.
Mother after the breakthrough needed to get more things done like informing the sect she broke through and inform said master about her teaching the technique, so with grandma's leave uncle Feng is called back to the clan manor to help me with training.
"I trust that my bodyguard would see to it that none are, no need to interfere with his work."
Armed with a blade that seems like a combination of a smaller reproduction of a regular horse-cutter dao and a butcher's cleaver, with a dozen backup throwing knives shaped to fillet, all of which have array enchanted edges to treat anything they hack into as like meat, and also to give off a sinister red shimmer.
Armored in array lined bandages preemptively placed to seal up wounds, with a wide brim cloth covered bamboo hat and dark robes colored as blood dried brown, the house guards of Wu-Tang clan are nothing to fuck with.
Compromised of a majority of city code compliant Qi Condensation cultivators they are primarily centered in the clan manor and some spreading to cover our three paper and talisman factories.
Unlike most clan's who show off their guards so prominently ever since the ban on the number of cultivator bodyguards was lifted, a few like us are smart enough to hide our strength and bide our time.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Unlike those earlier in the day of the lifted ban who went wild slaying their foes settling long nursed grudges, and then subsequently getting most of their fighting forces decimated and slapped with a hefty fine for many charges, with nothing to show for it save for painstakingly having to spend cultivation resources in order to rebuild their guard.
"Making more work more like it, where did you even get him anyway."
"Long doesn't need one since he is Qi Gathering anyway, anyhow uncle you have higher authorization than me can you make him say his name?"
"Well, can you tell us your name sir."
"This one's name is Tufu, Master, Young Master."
"All of you can't be Tufu!"
"Ah but nephew they all are now, they are part of the Tufu after all."
Banner formations were a thing after all, maybe it's a requirement or restriction to be under its effects, must be quite powerful to when includes something inane like this.
"Come to your conclusion already Gen'er?"
"Yes."
"Do you think its a right one?"
"Partly."
"There he is, my sister's quiet boy, however a young master must be more arrogant than that, you better not downplay your achievements now."
"I'm still at Body Tempering, that's nothing to speak of, besides Long should catch all of the assassins arrows and blades for being Wu-Tang's young master."
"Heh, what did I say, most Heaven defying geniuses are like you Gen'er."
"Born with a higher Dao comprehension than most and never satisfied by their current self."
"Besides we need a face to the younger generation that does not scream incompetence"
"Appear strong when weak, appear weak when strong."
"One of these days I going to have a long talk with you I swear... alright, alright, give your teacher for the rest of the week your greetings so we can begin."
I cup my hands and give my bow- "This one named Gen surnamed Wu-Tang greets his Master."
"This one named Feng surnamed Wu-Tang greets his student." -my uncle answers.
"Sneaking about training hall I see, to the pole now, show me where you are in your kata's."
I perform all of the kata's taught to me coupled my finger strikes and moves I sneaked in emulating the training hall, which form up my MMA in this life to impress my uncle.
He stares on with little head nods, from side to side when incorrect and up and down when sufficient.
"Natural or learned movement, tell me."
"Made some up and then learned from it along with reference from others."
"Adds up, still you are too small to practice grapples and throws, practically at this state striking would do you good in dire circumstances."
"Understood master."
"Why would you go for fingers though? Punching is more natural and more acceptable than dirty finger arts."
"Well... you know how you fight with your seal right?"
"Oh ho, does this young master dream of stealing this one's techniques?"
"Besides that my seal strikes are a greater part compromised of palm techniques not fingers."
"You make arrays in the air or on your foe uncle, it should also be also doable with my fingers."
"You also know how water writing is your master's thing right?
"When I waddled about back then when I was two, I cannot hold a brush that well to do that, so I just used my fingers."
"Improper but it got the job done. I am endeared to it now, making it part of my style seemed right like the Heaven's intended it to be."
"A lot of words said instead of just saying 'I want to hit them where it hurts', but since it took two more breaths out of you than usual the answer is acceptable."
Finger martial arts, are the pierce part of a regular fist's pierce and bash and are considered assassins tools.
Having stronger fingers means throwing hair-thin needles easier, and if one gets closer for comfort the finger itself may be coated in the poison.
If its not already dripping in it as soaking it in poison is a part of conditioning it in partial training, yet this is not why finger arts are most detested and feared among cultivators.
Hard as it may be, one direct strike to one's acupoint or meridians can restrict your opponents movements and abilities in that area.
Failing that, piercing through a dantian, acupoint or meridian channel how ever small a crack that may be will cause your opponent to leak their qi, putting a timer on the fight in your favor.
If you fail those two you could also inject your opponent with your own qi, poisoned or some other other element its your choice.
Never mind that the easiest way to break someone's cultivation is to shatter their spirit roots through piercing, and it has been recorded that can happen in the middle of fights.
All of that in exchange for doing on average the lowest base damage of the what is considered the foundation of combat technique in fights, perfectly balanced as always.
If the developers put those buttons there it is meant to pressed, fight me.
"Hmm our Wu-Tang katas put emphasis on being the bedrock for many combat techniques, same as every clan, and bedrock being punches but I see you spotted those that could be easily be useful for finger arts."
"How close are you now to Qi Sensing Gen?"
The effects of the triple cultivation yesterday have run out its course last night.
Trying to remain in that flow state, what athletes refer to as 'Zone' has been difficult enough I have been desperately meditating water writing in order to catch that magic back, alas halfway past 6.6 Body Tempering was all I can squeeze out the affair.
Still, being that close to Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivators and being three steps to Qi Sensing have more than enough charged my spirit roots and thus some of my senses to handle on Mortal-Earth Grade Techniques.
Thinking to impress my uncle further I flex my intangible muscles which carry qi from my spirits outward to flare it out as grandma, mother and any other cultivator would.
What little outer qi it managed to manipulate gusted outwards from my body in a show of force, I then used my rechristened former breathing now movement technique to bound forth up to my uncles face.
"Wow, 6th step of 6th step of Body Tempering already?"
"The qi settled today and I was hoping for more."
"Very well more than enough for Moral pushing Earth."
"Thank you uncle."
"However my dear nephew... I haven't brought anything that can be called manuals with me."
"I have to guess why?"
"Yes."
"... you brought uncomplete scraps aren't they."
"A Heaven defying genius indeed, this Gen is part of your growing diet as one of them."
"You already showed initiative on making your own techniques and that's a skill that should be nurtured throughout one's life."
"Take a gander at them and see what you can complete or derive." -he says dropping some old, tattered, yellowing, and even blackened scraps of paper to the ground.
Average Daoist Ideal-Seeking behavior, I am more than sure they both went through this and think its cool to do it to me.
Oh well, I seat on the pavement gathering scraps of paper from my uncles technique gachapon to see what I can work with.
Hmmm, mental illness or genuine genius, take your pick ahh combat techniques gacha pull.
A minute passes and I parse through the texts, at least two are finger arts form the looks of it, the rest if I derive or fix up and then donate to the sect or clan would net me a moderate amount of points.
I focus on the book and scroll that show finger techniques based on the fact they were dyed black from the start and the qi from them both has a very 'Killer (Yoshikage Kira's Theme) - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Part 4: Diamond Is Unbreakable' feel to them.
The scroll unfurled to show a dark snake of what type I cannot confer beyond table food and stories about demonic beasts. I am unfamiliar with the fauna around here.
The first page of the book shows a hand grasping a coin neath the index and middle with the thumb ready to flick it.
From what I can parse from the scroll it was definitely an assassins art, about the Direct Eastern Inner Territories where the Nipponese reside, a bona-fide shinobi art huh.
The book is a beggar's creation who moonlights as a honorable thief sometimes, it could be anywhere as the Beggar's Sect is everywhere.
No wait, Inner West territory, a Robin Hood type, isn't that thieves cant scrawled upside down on the 8th page?
Nah as I said could be anywhere, maybe his friend from there was visiting.
Paired with a breathing and movement the Black Snakes Strike technique that facilitates stealth until the pivotal moment to then burst out in a getaway sprint, what remains of the mantra are-
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, the Black XXXXXXXX Way!
Followed by qi diagrams and their on techniques of Qinggong, which essentially is just parkour.
Paired with a breathing and movement technique the TianXXX Star Coin Toss technique emphasizes nonchalance and calm thinking, this is a hit-and-run shooters style of combat, an Agent 47 confident in his disguise.
No other words remain of the mantra besides the qi diagrams and good advice on how to deal with being under pressure.
After that two fist arts originally snuck in by ambitious fools delusional enough to think their techniques were good enough to be at Sky Grade and have been scheduled to be recycled, a nameless palm technique which showed qi diagrams on how to spin your wrist in the golden ratio, and four other manuals that made me nosebleed, saving it for Qi Sensing then.
"Gen! Are you deviating?!"
"No, these are because the last four are too high for me."
"So it is... can you complete today's excersise, if you do I will let you see my attack again."
"More than able, give me a few minutes I have something prepared."
"Alright, I will be here waiting to be amazed."
I wiped off the blood dripping from my nose and use it to plan out the qi diagrams, ready to blow my uncle away with what I am cooking.