Walking there Ren sparked up a quick conversation, "How did it feel to use ki? Did you feel as if your senses increased and feel like your body became light?"
"Yea it is just like you said, I could feel and hear everything, I felt like I could jump and touch the sky," Chan answered.
"Haha, that's good to hear," said Ren.
Not being done with his answer yet Chan continued speaking, "But it felt weird, I felt like I could feel and see all around me.".
"Hmmm, what you're saying is impossible but with you, I don't know what to believe anymore. What you felt was what we call a Ki Savant's Sense. It is for those who mastered ki and could feel things around based on the interruptions of the ki's movement around them. You not mastering ki is what is making me confused about the situation thought," said Ren with his mind all jumbled up.
"I'm just a genius," bragged Chan.
"Yea, yea. Let's hurry and make it to our destination," said Ren.
Making their way to the open space by the garden of life Ren told Chan, "Wait here while I go get your sword and shield."
Ren ran into the shack near the garden and brought out 2 wooden swords and 2 shields. He handed the smaller set to Chan.
"Before we start with the techniques taught by the Ibu family you need to know what you can do with each piece of equipment. Today we'll start with only the sword," said Ren
Holding up a sword, Ren demonstrated and told Chan what a sword can do, "First the basic slash, this is for cutting down an opponent. Next is the stab, a stab is used to pierce your opponent. Next is basic defense. If you lose your shield you need to block or parry with your sword."
"Now start off with slashes, do 100 one-arm slashes then 100 two-arm slashes" Ren instructed Chan.
"Yes sir!" shouted Chan.
"Good, he has the strength and also the right mindset." Ren thought to himself.
Ren was instructing Chan about basic forms, "Hold your sword tightly and have your feet under your shoulders then you should slash and change directions after every slash until you hit 50, then after that take a step before you slash. When your foot touches the ground and grounds you, you slash. Do that another 50 times then change to two hands and do the same."
Chan did exactly as Ren said he slashed and stabbed with one hand standing still, then slashed and stabbed while moving. After finishing with one hand he did the exact routine but with two hands.
"100!" shouted Chan as he dropped his sword from exhaustion.
"Good, you are done for the day, but remember to never drop your weapon in battle," Ren told Chan.
Panting while bent over with his hands on his knees, Chan smiled as he looked up at Ren and told him, "Yes, I'll remember that.".
Slowly and tiredly Chan made it back to his bedroom drenched in sweat, too sweaty Chan couldn't rest on his bed so he just lay down on the floor falling fast asleep.
A few days passed and Chan had just finished his training with Ren.
Knowing how sweaty he gets he asked Lili to have buckets of water near his bathtub waiting for him so he could wash himself after the training.
( Splash! )
"Feels so nice to wash away the sweat," Chan thought to himself as he was being washed.
"Young Master, Mrs. Ibu told me to tell you that your father is leaving tomorrow and that your literacy teacher is arriving later today," Lili told Chan.
Chan, not knowing if he should be happy or sad hearing the news answered, "Oh ok.".
After taking his bath he quickly got dressed and went to find his father.
He went around asking the servants if they knew where his father was. He eventually found out his father was teaching the class in the training hall.
Walking towards the training he could hear the sounds of swords being swung and the air coming out of some students when swinging their swords.
The training hall entrance was open so Chan walked inside.
He walked inside before he heard his father call his name, "Chan! Come here.".
Chan walked up to his father as his father picked him up. Even though he was a man mentally he couldn't help but be comfortable with his father picking him up and holding him.
"Father I hear you are heading out again tomorrow?" Chan asked.
"Aw, are you going to ask me to stay longer?" Lord Ibu asked back.
"No, I just wanted to confirm it and tell you good luck," Chan answered.
"Hahaha, I know you aren't a normal kid but sometimes you are such a precious baby," said Lord Ibu.
In his father's arms, he watched as his father instructed all the students.
After an hour and some minutes went by Chan noticed Lili by the entrance walking in. Chan waved at Lili and she signal him to follow her.
Chan told his father he had to go as Lili wanted to tell him something, "Father can you put me down. Lili has to tell me something as she is by at the entrance.".
"Ok," said Lord Ibu as he put Chan down.
Lili signaled him to come faster, Chan speed-walked towards her asking her, "Hey Lili what's with the rush?".
"Your teacher is here and he's in the dining room drinking tea and waiting for you," Lili told Chan.
'We better hurry." said Chan as he turned around to wave bye to his father before heading off to the dining room.
( Creak! )
Chan opens the door of the dining room and peeked his head inside, he saw his mother chatting with a well-dressed fellow with a huge bag next to him.
The man looked as if he was in his late 20s and had on a mainly white outfit but with some gray added in to make the outfit pop out more. He had long hair that he put up in a ponytail, and he was also a pretty good-looking guy.
Chan walks through the doorway and greeted the man, "Hello nice to meet you, my name is Chan.".
"Nice to meet you also, my name is Co Cho. As you may know, I'll be your teacher and teach you how to read and write," replied Co Cho.
Mrs. Ibu butted in the conversation, "We had assigned a designated room for the two of you. If you don't mind, you two can follow Lili.".
Walking with Lili they made their way towards the library, before stopping by a room only a few feet away from the library. Lili told the two that this was the room assigned for Chan's literacy lessons.
"Thank you so much, Lili," said Co Cho.
Blushing Lili replied, "No problem, I go now. If one of you needs anything just call out my name."
"Thank you, Lili," said Chan as Lili was walking away.
Chan and Co Cho opened the door, and without knowing what was inside, Chan was shocked.
The room that was empty the last time Chan explored every room in the Ibu's estate now had a table and two chairs inside.
The chairs sat across from one another on opposite sides of the table.
Co Cho sat on the chair furthest away from the entrance. The chair was in front of a window. Chan sat on the other chair.
While unpacking his bag, Co Cho asked Chan a question, "I heard from your mother you're not able to read or write, why is a kid so young want to learn literacy instead of playing outside?".
"I want to learn more about the world and I think that books are the best way to learn," answered Chan.
"That is good to hear." Co Cho replied.
Finished unpacking his bag, Co Cho laid out a jar of ink, a cup filled with paintbrushes, tons of blank sheets of paper, and a stack of books.
Handing out the blank sheets and a paintbrush to Chan, Co Cho told him, "We'll start with the letters of the Ba continent's language. There are 30 letters and I'll show you how to write them and tell you what they sound like." Co Cho explained to Chan.
Co Cho after handing out the items also got a brush and a piece of paper. He took the top book from the stack of books and opened it.
The two stayed locked in the room teaching and learning before Co Cho noticed the sun was setting.
"That should be all for today." Co Cho told Chan.
Chan, mentally exhausted and hand cramping from writing for hours put his head on the table and went limp.
"We'll start again tomorrow in the afternoon. Be ready as we'll practice writing the letters again." Co Cho told Chan.
"Yes," Chan replied using every brain cell he had left.
Chan walked with his teacher to the front gate where he was escorted back into town to stay at one of the inns there.
Walking back to the house Chan went to eat dinner with his family while trying to enjoy the time before his father goes back onto the battlefields.