Months rolled by and Wu Hai had not advanced much further, His speed with the Darkflame Ring had gotten significantly faster. But when it got larger, it had much less power than when it was smaller. Feeling this stigma in his base power, Wu Hai initially thought it to be pains of training and would let it pass with some food and rest. However, after so many months of hard work and dedication he was still short on ability to enhance the few non-movement type spells he had.
"Master, this disciple needs to ask some questions." Zao Wu Hai clasped hands and walked into the study when Old Man Jiang waved him in. The screens blocking off his workspace easily moved away and he was sitting at a desk going over the a book.
"Very well, What is it that you need answers on?" Old Man Jiang questioned Wu Hai with a clear and calm face.
Zao Wu Hai told him about how he felt when his power would extend too far, and how his fireballs had not increased no matter how much he tried. Explaining the fine details of the matter, Old Man Jiang nodded as if to agree that it was expect. He bellowed uncontrollably and grabbed Zao Wu Hai by the shoulders "Finally, you bottomless pit!. You finally hit a benchmark. Now we can start training." Looking at the shock in Zao Wu Hai's face he continued "Those exercises were just to get you to find a place you couldn't reach." It wasn't that he wanted to mislead the boy, but he needed him to push himself. "Lets go outside and I'll see what you can do, then we can start making a real Training regiment. Otherwise, I might just lose my mind at your unceasing energy levels."
The Duo proceeded outside and Zao Wu Hai displayed his full 'Darkflame Ring'. While gazing at his output, Old Man Jiang said "Okay. Now. Make the Darkflame Ring fit into your palm. The Infernal fireballs too. I want to see them all extremely small, with the same amount of power"
Brandishing a wry grin, like he was going to 'fuck this boys world up' today Old Man Jiang commanded his Disciple. In a few minutes Zao Wu Hai started trying to make an effort, the amount of power he'd put into the ring alone it would be difficult for him to compress it even ten percent of its initial size. Laughing internally Old Man Jiang knew this task would take up some time and dismissed himself from the boy's training. grabbing some tea he walked to his room. Stopping for a few moments he looked back out at the yard where Zao Wu Hai had been focusing diligently during the winter. Spring was near and His disciple had been living in a broom closet for long enough.
Walking back outside to the yard he looked at his disciple once again and then to a space adjacent to his home and out of view of his windows. With a spot in mind he pointed his finger and began drawing a box with a lid that had holes in it and few other designs to make it blend in with the surroundings. The roots from his power surged from the soil and took shape, within a quarter of an hour a small building had appeared. It had a skinny door and two round windows in the front. A Spring-Tree root fed a clean water supply into a natural basin tub in the back of the house and the roots bonded at the top like a pair of clasped hands broken from the earth. Pleased with his quick work, Old Man Jiang looked inside and traced out a real bed. Although it wasn't padded, it was still better than a floor. He could always go on a hunt and get some hides to meet his needs.
Turning around, Old Man Jiang noticed that Wu Hai had not paid him any mind during the process and was even more proud. "Perhaps is really is a child of the Guardians," Sighing in his own heart for the fates that awaited such a boy, he made his way back through his door once more to study.
Spring was coming, the Bookstore would open its doors again and time to study would be limited. Zao Wu Hai was left to his own devices and forced to train on his own most days. He was only ten, he would be eleven soon. Four Years later would be his day of adulthood and within two more years, he would venture home to visit his family.
However, before that, Old Man Jiang knew he had to engrave the finer points of dominating the opponent into the boy. 'While he isn't much with a weapon, he's learning faster than any of my previous disciples. Well, with his magic he should be able to at least protect himself as he is now. Only time can tell, the fates are cruel, always taking the best of us when we are young.' Master Jiang thought about the few disciples of his past, they were hard workers but none of their skills came as naturally as Wu Hai.
Zao Wu Hai was born in the springtime and just before summer in the region. With only a few months until his eleventh birthday, he was looking forward to his Master's evaluation of his power levels. When it came down it, he didn't feel like he had grown. It only felt as if he could control what he had better. The Darkflame Ring, even though it was massive, could not move around the battlefield. The Infernal Fireballs could be fired but they mostly worked on wood and other materials. If he came across an enemy that was fire, what then and depending on their density or size, each portion of the spellwork could take considerable amounts of time to render.
Both of them knew that it was important for him to be able to use his abilities in actual combat.
"Old Man Jiang was right, I have been training fundamentals." Wu Hai took a deep breath and went back to shrinking the size of the ring, 10%, 9%, 10%, 8%, 10%....11%, 7%, 10%... 10%, 10%, 10%..
Wu Hai didn't give up, for the rest of the evening until the afternoon suns set. He worked on his compression rings. When the Night sky came, he stared at the planets.
The second planet would sometimes hide in front the third, casting a shadow across the planet, making it shimmer.
Zao Wu Hai thanked his ancestors for the chances he had in life, he continued to look at the sky and wondered what life was like on those distant worlds. A streak flew across the sky and a thunderous crash was heard in the distance. It was way too far to check but it lit up the night sky for almost ten minutes during its fall.
Zao Wu Hai thought about the Meteor Spell he had seen briefly and cringed. A few minutes later and several streaks flew by in the the sky in the same direction. He knew that others were already seeking what had fallen.
"This World is vast, I must get stronger." Wu Hai summoned his Infernal Fireballs. He picked two and placed them in each hand to compress. He got both balls to shrink down by 15%.
Condensing and retracting the area of effect on his fireballs was easier without the Darkflame Ring in place. His eyes shined with excitement, he ran into the house and approached his Master. "Master, my balls, their smaller." Wu Hai was innocent, he had no issues or experience with anything of a sexual nature.
Old Man Jiang, was not However. Spitting tea from his nostrils, he gagged in reflex, "Boy, You made me make a mess. Fetch me a towel." Master Jiang wiped his face and cleared the tea from his beard when Wu Hai returned.
Master Jiang didn't explain, he just cleaned things up. There was no need to discourage the boy from choosing his own interests and expressions. It did startle him tho, a child running up to him discussing his balls. 'Who wouldn't spit hot tea from their nose?' He laughed inside and continued to clear up the spill.
A few tea soaked pages sat across the desk in the sunlight. Old Man Jiang talked to Wu Hai about what to expect over the next few months until his Birthday. He would have to train on his own but to the expectations of his master. When he was out of inspiration and only when he had completed the task would he be allowed back to the Bookstore to look at more Books.
It was already late in the evening so they had dinner and slipped off towards bed. Wu Hai was stopped at his door in the main house. He saw his pack and bedroll by the threshold.
Old Man Jiang explained, "Grab your things, I have a real room for you this time. Its about time anyway."
Leading the way to side of the house, Wu Hai was pleased with what he saw. Although it was in the shape of hands, he didn't care. Some of the stories his mother use to tell would be about strange houses and the people that lived in them. The roof was pitched and the whole place looked like it had come out of the ground.
Walking inside Wu Hai saw a bed, a tub, and a clean water source. Widening his eyes, he looked at Old Man Jiang, Clasped hands and kowtowed. The room was bigger than the one he had at his parents home and it had fresh clean water whenever he needed it.
'This would help me keep him focused and help keep him cool in the summertime.' Master Jiang was thinking about the summer weather, it brought an unbearable heat. The Air around the capital was a dead heat in the Summertime, he would complain about his skin burning in the middle of the season but there was nothing he could do.
Wu Hai was satisfied and grateful of his new place to rest. When Master Jiang was inside the main house, he unpacked out the bedroll and fell asleep.