Aksai asked a few more questions to the martial artists present at the scene, learning about various facets of the Martial World Sharang that he was not previously aware of.
He then asked a few martial artists to demonstrate their skills in front of him.
After seeing the brief demonstrations from all the martial artists regarding the martial arts each of them practiced, Aksai narrowed down a few martial arts for which he wanted to hire tutors.
Aksai didn’t want to be seen as a heretic martial artist by the martial arts masters present at the scene. Plus, he didn’t want to let the martial artists present know that he practiced Qi Fusion Arts which could potentially support all forms of martial arts without any internal conflicts.
If the Martial Compendiums were as rare as Wen Wei had told them to be, the Qi Fusion Arts he practiced would surely ignite the covetousness within the hearts of all the martial artists in Sharang if they came to learn about its existence.
As such, Aksai chose to stay low-key and select a few martial arts for himself that he could practice openly. He hired Jin Jolan from Flowing Winds Martial School, Lin Sahu from Temple of the Guardian, Wen Wei from Rising Sun, Lin Lan from Lotus Pavilion, and lastly Zen Hao from Dragon’s Roar Academy to be his tutors.
Aksai chose these martial artists to be his tutors because the martial arts their respective martial schools practiced weren’t completely in conflict with each other. Aksai could take his time to learn them while ignoring the potential qi disbalance they generated within his body.
The martial arts masters who had been hired as Aksai’s tutors would come to teach him in rotations in the following days. They would start with the elementary exercises and moves of their respective schools to observe Aksai’s talent. After which, Aksai’s path in their respective martial arts would be decided.
The martial artists who had been hired as Aksai’s private tutors didn’t believe he could persist in practicing multiple martial arts for long.
Mastering even one form of martial arts required a significant investment of time and effort, depleting qi reserves that couldn’t be replenished at will. How could someone keep on practicing one martial art after the other without taking breaks?
Moreover, there was the ever-present risk of qi deviation.
If practicing multiple martial arts would have allowed the martial artists to achieve similar results as Martial Compendiums, the Marital Compendiums wouldn’t be as important as they were in Sharang at this point. Why would any dedicated martial artist willingly narrow their path?
Given these inherent challenges of practicing multiple martial arts, it seemed inevitable that Aksai would either achieve mediocre results in all of them, hurt his foundation as a martial artist, or worse, become a heretic martial artist doomed to perpetual stagnation.
At least, that was the assumption among the private tutors when they learned of Aksai’s ambitious plans.
Despite these concerns, none of the private tutors voiced objections.
After all, they were receiving substantial financial support for their martial arts schools in exchange for their services to Aksai. Regardless of any misgivings about Aksai’s ambitious pursuits, they appreciated the generous contributions he made.
As for the martial artists who weren’t selected as Aksai’s tutors, they were understandably disappointed by the outcome. Denied the opportunity to mentor Aksai directly, they also couldn’t impart the complete martial arts teachings to him.
However, Aksai wasn’t troubled by receiving incomplete manuals for the remaining ten martial arts.
He had only chosen five as his primary disciplines, while the others could serve as supplementary references.
By storing all of the martial arts manuals in the neural link fabric’s database, Aksai could access them as needed, enhancing his understanding and versatility in martial arts.
Aksai ensured that all the martial artists received their due compensation for visiting him at Everwood Palace, including the ten who were not chosen as his private tutors.
Grateful for the monetary gesture, the martial artists couldn’t conceal their smiles, letting go of any lingering grievances. After enjoying Aksai’s hospitality a while longer, they bid their farewells.
From that day forward, only the five tutors selected by Aksai would be invited to Everwood Palace according to the schedule.
Aksai arranged for one tutor per day, followed by a few days of rest. This break wasn’t solely for physical recuperation but also to attend to other pressing matters.
***
The next day, within the inner sanctum of Everwood Palace, Aksai’s private chamber bustled with a certain “nefarious” activity.
Engaged in playful antics with his maids, Aksai relished in the moment, knowing that his martial arts training would commence in a few days.
He understood that once the rigorous training began, there would be little time for leisurely pursuits. Thus, he indulged in some “fun times” before the days of hardship ahead.
Access to Aksai’s private chamber was limited to only a select few, all granted permission by Aksai himself.
Despite possessing the ability to detect theft through his unlocked Spirit Sense, Aksai preferred not to tempt people and his fate.
“Lord Aksai, you’re such a tease,” one of his maids giggled, attempting to wriggle out of Aksai’s embrace.
She exuded youth and beauty, her delicate features and feminine curves captivating. Recently recruited, she had joined as Aksai’s maid just the day before.
Though she feigned resistance, it was evident that she relished Aksai’s embrace, much like the other maids who surrounded him, giggling and plotting to initiate their “new colleague” into the ways of their lord.
As Aksai reveled in the company of his maids, the atmosphere in his private chamber was filled with lustful playfulness and banter.
“Hm? You are surprisingly strong for your frame, Lily. I might just have to recruit you… no… I’ll have to recruit all as my personal bodyguards,” Aksai teased, flashing a mischievous grin as he playfully tightened his embrace around the giggling maid.
“Oh, I think we’d make quite the fearsome team, my lord,” another maid chimed in, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
Aksai matched their jest with ease. “Yes, I can see it now – the formidable squad of Aksai’s Angels, ready to thwart any threat to Everwood Palace with charm and cunning!”
The maids erupted into laughter at the playful nickname. However, their laughter and the impending activities were abruptly interrupted by the creaking of the door.
Stepping into the room was Aksai’s head maid, Zinnia, who had left the chamber a few hours earlier to attend to some matters.
“My lord, city official Mo Len is here to meet you,” Zinnia announced politely, her gaze sweeping over Aksai and the other maids.
She remained unfazed by the scene in the chamber, her presence commanding respect and order. With a single glance, she restored the maids’ composure and signaled for them to withdraw, allowing Aksai some space.
“Oh? Is he finally here? This week’s delivery is a bit delayed. I guess I need to ask him if there are any problems.”
Aksai’s demeanor shifted from playful to serious as he acknowledged Zinnia’s words.
He released the maid from his embrace and made his way to the chamber exit, Zinnia trailing behind him closely. With a subtle gesture, Zinnia conveyed to the maids to remain inside the chamber, ensuring their discretion.
While Zinnia was not privy to all of Aksai’s secrets or the activities within the palace’s underground facility, she understood one thing – Aksai was far from simple or frivolous.
Though she lacked insight into his motives, she knew of his arrangement with city official Mo Len, who provided a steady stream of prisoners at Aksai’s request.
The purpose behind these “guinea pigs” deliveries remained unknown to Zinnia, and she wisely refrained from probing further.
Perhaps her discretion was why she was selected as a head maid by Aksai.