“In any case, this siege has gone on for far too long.”
The gray-haired elder spoke with concern in her voice.
“Our supplies have dwindled to their lowest. Frankly speaking, I don’t think even the raids in the danger zones in the future are going to do much for us given our current conditions.
The morale of our martial artists is also affected. They are not too keen on fighting with multiple martial arts schools and risking their lives in the process. Especially when they know a bigger enemy is waiting for them in the danger zones, which is the tree devils.
Even if we, the elders of the Hall, decide to take action against Aksai and his allies, it would be our subordinates who’d suffer the most. And even then, it might not be possible for us to neutralize Aksai in any way. He is known to be great at escaping.
On the other hand, Aksai has promised us enough food supplies and other resources that could last us for months if we agree to give him the sect’s Martial Compendium.”
The gray-haired elder explained as she looked at all the elders seated around her at the conference table.
“So basically, it’s a checkmate. Aksai Everwood, huh? This… this man is evil.”
The one-eyed man spoke as he took a smoking pipe from somewhere and lit it up. Inhaling one large puff, he released the smoke through his nostrils before speaking up.
“He understands that we are obligated by the laws of the main sect not to share the Martial Compendium with an outsider under any condition. We will never hand over the Compendium if he tries to get it from us the hard way.
So he first conquered all the other martial arts schools. He assimilated with the main forces still left inside the Devil’s Den to put us in a tough spot. It took him over a year to launch this type of siege on us. And we didn’t see it coming.
He has been trying to get his hands on the sect’s Martial Compendium for the last 12 years, right? He had likely been planning for this event since the day Devil’s Den appeared and trapped all of us within it.
I’m sure the bastard must have celebrated when he saw the isolation barrier covering the skies of Serenity Peak when it first appeared.”
The one-eyed elder spoke as he sucked on the smoking pipe and released the smoke through a corner of his mouth. The smoke then covered his left eye which was already blind to begin with. One would have to wonder if the one-eyed elder was blind in one eye because he smoked in a certain way.
“So what should we do then?” asked an elder with an uncertain voice.
“What can we do?” the gray-haired woman smiled wryly before speaking up.
“It would be bad for us if the main branch learns that the sect’s Martial Compendium was given to an outsider. But it would be worse if we ended up harming our presence in Serenity Peak as a whole.
The sect would lose a lot of face in front of its rivals in the outside world if the branch in Serenity Peak gets destroyed by the time Devil’s Den ends.”
“Then should we give in to his demands?” asked another elder, as if she had just processed the gray-haired woman’s words and drawn a conjecture in her head.
“That’s right,” the one-eyed elder spoke as he indulged in smoking the last few puffs of his pipe.
“But we have to pretend to not give in to his demands for as long as we can. That way, we wouldn’t be seen as desperate elders by the main branch.
As for dealing with Aksai after the Devil’s Den fiasco ends? We can let the main branch figure that out. I’m sure they’ll get rid of the boy soon when they come to know that he has obtained the sect’s Martial Compendium without swearing allegiance to it.”
A lungful of smoke was released from the man’s mouth as he finished his words.
The elders of the Hall looked at each other when the one-eyed elder gave his opinion. It seemed that most of them were not okay with giving in to Aksai’s demands. However, nobody objected to the proposal because they could not think of any other way.
As the days passed, tensions escalated, with both sides locked in a stalemate. Aksai remained resolute. The elders of the Grand Martial Hall pretended to stand firm in their defense as well. However, Aksai had already figured out that it was just for the show.
As the siege wore on, psychological cracks began to appear in the hall’s defenses. Supplies dwindled, morale faltered, and whispers of surrender grew louder.
And then, on the dawn of the seventh day, a messenger emerged from the Grand Martial Hall, bearing a white flag of truce.
Aksai’s heart quickened with anticipation as negotiations began, his eyes fixed on the prize that lay within his grasp—the sect’s Martial Compendium, a treasure worth any price.
***
A few days later.
After completing many formalities, Aksai had finally gotten his hands on the Golden Sun Codex, the Grand Martial Hall’s Martial Compendium.
The Golden Sun Codex was not merely a collection of martial techniques but a comprehensive guide to holistic martial arts training, encompassing exercises, breathing techniques, qi-flow charts, and Martial Intent Diagrams of unparalleled depth and complexity.
The exercises outlined in the Codex were meticulously designed to develop strength, flexibility, and agility, essential qualities for any martial artist.
One could use the sunlight of the sun itself to temper their qi with it. This was the origin behind the Martial Compendium’s name.
From dynamic stretches to bodyweight exercises, practitioners followed a structured regimen to condition their bodies and enhance their physical abilities. Each exercise was accompanied by detailed instructions and illustrations to ensure proper form and execution.
Central to the teachings of the Golden Sun Codex was the practice of specialized breathing techniques. These techniques, known as “Qi Breathing,” were designed to harness the body’s internal energy, or qi, and channel it for enhanced focus, power, and resilience. Practitioners learned to synchronize their breath with their movements, cultivating a deep sense of mindfulness and presence in combat.
The Codex also included intricate qi-flow charts, depicting the pathways through which qi traveled within the body during martial arts techniques.
These charts served as visual guides, helping practitioners understand the flow of energy and optimize their movements for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. By studying and internalizing these qi-flow charts, martial artists gained insights into the interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit.
At the heart of the Golden Sun Codex were the Martial Intent Diagrams.
These diagrams went beyond mere physical movements, delving into the subtle nuances of intention, timing, and energy manipulation.
Each diagram was a masterpiece of martial philosophy, offering practitioners a glimpse into the deeper principles underlying their art.
Through diligent study and practice of the exercises, breathing techniques, qi-flow charts, and Martial Intent Diagrams contained within the Golden Sun Codex, martial artists in the late stages of the Bronze Body Realm embarked on a transformative journey.
They honed their bodies, refined their minds, and cultivated their spirits to break into the fabled Argent Body Realm.
***
Aksai was observed practicing Stellar Greenwood Tantra inside his private chamber, his eyes closed in deep concentration.
A Spectral Screen had appeared before him, running various simulations and tests.
Finally, the Spectral Screen flickered, and all the data displayed on it was replaced by a series of notifications.
[ Analysis of the Golden Sun Codex is complete ]
[ Sandboxing mode can now be activated ]
[ Fusion of Harmony Palm, Qi Flow Arts, Guardian’s Qi, Qi Fist Arts, Sword Qi Arts, and Qi Palm Arts is possible using the Golden Sun Codex as a base. ]
[ Success Rate: 96.69% ]
[ Estimated time for fusion: 3 months ]
[ Note: Several user features will be disabled during the fusion process. Proceed? ]
[ Yes / No ]
Upon opening his eyes, Aksai was greeted with a series of spectral notifications. He quickly reviewed them before smiling to himself.
“Yes!”
He affirmed silently in his mind.
With that decision made, the neural link fabric began crafting his personalized Martial Compendium, one that had never before been seen in the Martial World of Sharang.