Chen Bohai followed after his grandfather's friend in silence as they roamed the intricate halls of the mansion. The unwelcome host, Long Guangli, had approached them and offered them a more private area to speak. Which Huizhong had delightfully accepted.
After what seemed like hours, the two finally entered an empty room.
Tan Huizhong took a huge chair, leaving Bohai the only other empty chair. The chair was cushioned, and wasn't something he had seen since the fall of his family. Even then, he didn't have much time to leisurely enjoy the comfort the chairs provided. He was eager to sit down on one now.
"If I am to train you, I need to see where you are right now." The old man began.
Bohai had revealed his core once, and it had rendered his ancestors speechless. Although he was too young to remember the exact process, he followed his instincts and succeeded in showing a smaller example of the power that was held within him.
A sort of water puddle created itself on Bohai's left hand. It's nearly translucent appearance made it difficult for even Tan Huizhong to see, and it would be impossible for others to see - if there was anyone else in the room. Only when the light caught on the puddle, revealing the hint of white mixed in it, did Tan Huizhong grunt approval.
"I finally know why your grandfather never ceased in his bragging of you." Huizhong said with a concealed expression of awe. Back in the day, when his old friend would nonstop brag about the brat in front of him, he paid no attention to it. He marked it as a grandfather's exaggerated pride. He had never expected all of his brags to be accurate. But then, there would be no way for the boy's attempt to kill him both times to get so close if he hadn't used an enhancer. It all clicked in Huizhong's head now.
"Do you know why he bragged of you so much?" Tan Huizhong, who noticed the confusion on the boy's face, asked. Seeing the boy shake his head in response, he could only sigh. 'Why would you not tell him the basics?' He beseeched his old friend in his head.
"In this world," he began, "there are a few with an extra organ in their bodies. The ones blessed to have this extra organ have named it the Core. Your either born with a Core, or you can grow one. But the latter is extremely difficult and rare. A Core enables one to be able to sense the flow of chi around us. Once one unlocks their Core, they are able to begin practicing the Arts."
"Unlike normal martial arts, the Arts enables one to use a power unknown to the weak. One example of the Arts, could be the trick you used to envelop that knife earlier." Tan Huizhong explained.
Before recognizing Huizhong, Bohai had used a power within him to strengthen and quicken the blade. He had enveloped it in his almost transparent "aura", but it had been stopped by Huizhong. Who had also enveloped his fingers in a sort of "aura".
"That form of the Arts, that allows you to enhance yourself and objects in your grasp, is the most basic step and is called as is: Enhancement. As you evolve your skills you can learn more of the Arts, but we'll go over that on a later date. What you need to know, is the hierarchy of the Core."
"Which is?" Bohai interrupted.
"Brat, don't interrupt me!" Tan Huizhong yelled. He had been trying to teach the boy something important, yet the impatient boy had dared to interrupt him. He really was spoiled by his grandfather!
"As I was saying,
"Everyone at birth, is assigned a destiny. Depending on the individual's fate, the color, or what you might know as aura," Tan Huizhong changed his wording upon remembering that the Chen clan used different words than he was used to when describing. "Of everyone is different."
"So, there is a natural hierarchy. The lowest being purple, then blue, green, orange, yellow, red, brown, black, white, and then, what you are capable of achieving, transparent or clear."
"However, despite the hierarchy, one with a purple aura can be stronger than one with a clear aura. It all depends on their foundation. Which shows by how bright your color is." Tan Huizhong said while suddenly presenting a bright ball of white in his right hand.
"Your grandpappy sure was impressive," Huizhong spoke with a proud smile, "his was even brighter than mine." He said with now a nostalgic smile.
"Although yours is impressive, your foundation is lacking." Huizhong snapped back to reality by harshly stating the truth. "Of course, it is fixable. Which is why I'm even bothering to help you, you lazy brat. But, since your not a child anymore, it'll take more work and longer for it to develop more smoothly. It may even break your Core. Do you still want to proceed and train under a legend as myself?"
So much information had just been inserted inside of Bohai's mind, that it took him a second before reluctantly nodding his head to Huizhong's question. Agreeing to train under Tan Huizhong would mean that he'd have to give up on his peaceful life with the Yuan family - he knew that. But, he originally never wanted to live a peaceful life anyways.
The conversation brought up memories of past lessons he knew, but had long forgotten. And taught him things he'd never learnt before. Such as the color hierarchy and the possible revolution caused by a person with a stronger foundation. It was all too new, yet interesting, for him to understand it all in one lesson.
"Then, let's begin."