The next morning.
Shu opened the room's door. He started walking out, but he felt a piece of paper under his leg.
This was the letter left outside his room last night.
He went back inside and opened the letter and was greatly surprised by its contents.
{To Shual Adom.
You need to come to my room first thing in the morning. We have much to discuss.
By your great-grandfather, Huwang Redfox.}
On the letter, there was also the official seal of the Redfox family. So Shu couldn't say it was fake.
After finishing reading the letter, he was about to exit the room but noticed that there were clothes placed for him by the entrance's side. How many things around this door that he keeps missing them?!
Shu wore these new clothes. It was a traditional black kimono with gold trim.
He opened the door again. He couldn't keep the elder waiting.
He walked through the hallway quickly until he reached his great-grandfather's room.
He knocked on the door as he remembered Yua had done the day before. He heard a voice that said he was allowed to enter and went in.
In the same place as the day before, his great-grandfather kneeled. Both knees touched the ground, and he looked like an ancient, unmoving statue.
Shu sat in front of him in the same position since he didn't want to disrespect him.
"Shual, please relax."
The old beastman said. His eyes were still closed.
"I called you here today for a reason. I want to ask what you know about Tao?"
Huwang Redfox asked.
"Tao?"
Shu asked. He had frankly no clue of what this elder was talking about.
"Tao is the way of the world. Those are the binding rules that govern the world. I have been told the gods refer to it as divinity."
Huwang Redfox explained. Shu was still questioning his relation to the matter.
"I did hear the term 'divine gifts' once. It was some god who appeared out of nowhere and declared he would kill all who have 'divine gifts' and 'help get rid of the cheaters.'"
Shu had no clue why, but as he mentioned this god, he felt great hatred toward him. This didn't make much sense since they had only met once, but it felt like he had resentment toward this scumbag.
Elder Huwang seemed distressed at the sound of Shus' words.
"What did this god look like?!"
He asked. Since the start of this conversation, this is the first point when he opened his eyes.
"Blue hair, silver earrings, and shut eyes."
Shu described what he remembered.
"The god you saw is the weather god."
Elder Huwang said.
The great elder pondered for a bit before stating his thoughts.
"In our world, there are people who call themselves cultivators. These people cultivate their strength and knowledge to use even the most minor forms of divinity. I will send you to a family related to us so that they would teach you their way of Tao. At that time, we here would teach your friends the Tao of swords."
The elder proposed his idea.
"The Tao of swords?"
Shu was surprised such a thing existed. Why should there be a fundamental rule merely to use swords?!
"The Tao of swords is a skill that teaches a person to move with the world and not against it, so the person's power will connect with the divinity around him, and his sword would be sharper, stronger, and longer than any sword could ever possibly be."
Elder Huwang explained.
"Is there any mortal who can control all Tao?"
Shu asked out of curiosity.
"No, the gods have limited mortals, so we won't be able to use Tao. The Yokai god and the True god brought the knowledge of Tao to mortals. These are the two gods with the greatest control over Tao, and they gave people techniques to try and surpass the system created by these gods."
Elder Huwang explained.
Shu wasn't surprised to hear that. The 'Yokai god,' Danniel, is the one who gave him the training that lets him surpass his limits of potential and the spell that allows him to use the magic around him. If anyone were to provide people with a technique that lets them surpass the limits of their potential, it would be Danniel.
"Why can't I study the way of Tao here?"
Shu asked.
"Our family has spent centuries, even before the previous tournament, practicing the way of the sword, but you don't use a sword, so our ways are useless to you."
Elder Huwang answered swiftly.
"Tonight, I will have you, your lion, and another family member ride the monster train to the land of Long."
"The land of Long?"
Shu asked.
"As you climbed up this mountain, didn't you see another continent to the west? Long is the name of their Ryu. The Ryu beastmen, or Dracon-kin, as the people around the middle sea call them, are the ones who control the southeastern side of that continent."
Elder Huwang answered in detail.
"What relation do we have to these 'Dracon-kin?'"
Shu asked. Shu wasn't so stupid that he couldn't understand all these words Dracon, Long, and Ryu were simply different ways of saying dragons. This baffled him. What do they have to do with dragons? Weren't they Vulpini?
"We don't!"
Elder Huwang claimed angrily.
"During the beastmen massacre, they were strong enough to defend themselves, so they ignored the rest of us. Their potential is naturally higher than two hundred, can shapeshift and fly. They are not our allies!"
Elder Huwang was visibly angry. It was clear he resented them deeply.
"If you encounter one, and you are not certain you can humiliate them in a fight, then either run or avoid them."
Shu's great-grandfather commended.
"Come in!"
Elder Huwang called, and the door opened. Shu didn't hear a knock and was surprised his great-grandfather could notice people standing there.
These two were Yua and Akainari.
"I approve."
They didn't even get to speak before he answered.
"How long did you know?"
Akainari felt embarrassed.
"Since you were kids. A better question would be how you didn't."
Elder Huwang stroke when the iron was hot, and the two youngsters felt defeat.
Elder Huwang seemed amused by their dejected expressions, and Shu had no idea this old beastman could make such an expression.
"So you are leaving soon?"
Akainari asked. They caught part of this conversation, which is why they stayed outside. No one who lived in this house for over ten years would want to hear this old beastman's Dracon-kin rent again.
"This is what Elder Huwang is saying."
Shu answered. He didn't want to leave so soon, but if that's what he needed to defeat that weather god, he would have even jumped through the dragon's gate if he had to!
Shu knew of the dragon gate from his stepfather, who claimed he saw it and won the contest. He said they called him the demon dragon for winning the competition.
"I plan to send Shu along with his demon lion and Fennec to the land of Long tonight."
Elder Huwang said.
"Why Fennec?"
Akainari was confused. Fennec was his cousin, and while he had a remarkable talent for fighting techniques and great intelligence, his potential was low. He is inept at magic, not talented with weapons, and not incredibly strong like Shu.
"I want them to train him in their way of Tao."
Elder Huwang explained.
"What is their way of Tao?"
Akainari asked.
"They have basic Tao that lets them surpass their limits and understand the path of the world. Our path of Tao works only through the sword."
Elder Huwang answered.
For some reason, Shu thought this "Tao" would help him understand the voices he heard and the visions he saw.