Song and Dance

Song and Dance

The scroll had so much information on it it made my head spin. For how small it was, there was some spatial fuckery involved, because the words, well, scrolled across it as I read. In addition to the entire book on how to properly grow the ship, it had things on mountain carving, fortress making, how to correctly hold a calligraphy brush, how to make ropethere was even a combat style.

But I suppose that's par for the course with a cultivation manual. The name [Arts of the Wandering Deer] echoed through my head whenever I looked at it.

As I studied the scroll, meditated, and cultivated, I could feel myself get stronger and tougher. My endurance quickly ramped up to yes. I didnt actually feel physically tired no matter how much I exerted myself, and my stride started to change into something best described as fleet. As a cultivator I haven't exactly been slow before, but there was an increasing surety to my steps as I cultivated the first style I had ever received.

It was even showing in my spars.

Before I met Bailu and Seiyu, I would have said I was alright at fighting. The part of me from this world certainly knew how to kick ass, and in the other place he would have been a world champion MMA fighter or something if he didnt get disqualified for being too brutal. Gramps moves that he had taught me were geared directly for combat and killing, and had been refined by, I was beginning to think, an absolute master rather than a random hobo. The sports of mortals would have been crushed into paste underneath the vicious onslaught.

Now I knew that I wasnt particularly good, even with my moves.

Your rhythm is good today, Young Master. Seiyu praised me as she casually received blows that could shatter boulders. She had limited herself to my speed and strengthmaybe even below my speed and strength, but she was still deflecting and blocking everything with a soft, approving smile on her face. Youre adapting wonderfully to your new style!

Some people might have their pride rankled that a girl half a foot shorter than them and maybe a third of their weight was casually dominating them while sandbagging so hard they might as well be the practise tool in a fighting game.

I was just glad both of the women knew what restraint was. I knew what their all out looked like, and it was landscape rearranging.

I sucked in a breath and stomped forwards, like a stag challenging a rival, and sent a punch into Seiyu that she obligingly gave ground before. The Wandering Deer was surprisingly aggressive, with explosive, powerful strikes that messed well with what I had already been taught. I fired a quick jab to keep up the pressure, Seiyu dodged another kick, and I tried to capitalize on her movements.

Seiyu stepped into my next strike, sliding past my fist, and she was suddenly chest to chest with me.I knew instantly my last blow had been too wide.

She bumped me. The last time Seiyu had done this I had gone flying. This time I clenched my stomach, stood my ground, and slammed a knee full force into her thigh.

It was like hitting a block of solid steel wrapped in a pillow.

My fist then hammered into her face.. Or at least tried to. Seiyu deflected the blow flipped me over her head so that I hit the ground with just enough force to make my breath erupt with a whuff, and make sure that the lesson would stick.

Seiyu crouched down , her elbow on her knees and her face in her hands. She smiled. Excellent recovery and improvement but making some space would have been better, Young Master. Your reach is a powerful tool.

Thank you for the pointer, Senior SistSeiyu. I corrected before she could pout at me.

I sat up and rubbed at the slight stinging in my arm, only for Seiyu to take over, her fingers making the soreness disappear.

I carefully didnt think about the fact that I could really get used to this, and instead I looked at the other sparring match that was going on.

Is that all you have? My, my, you crow and you crow but this is it?! Bailu shouted as she clashed with a whirling dervish of feathers and wind blades.

I had no idea how this one started.

Big D spat back a terrific crow.

What was that, you bastard?! Bailu demanded.

Fufufufufufu. Cut that birds pride down to size. I heard Seiyu mutter, and rolled my eyes. Really. They went from proper cultivators giving me pointers to having a rivalry with a chicken.

I sat back to watch, while Seiyu shamelessly cheered for Bailu to win.

Kick her ass, Big D! I shouted, lending my own support.

Young Master?! Bailu turned to me with a look of absolute betrayal.

And then took a rooster to the face, as Big D capitalized on her moment of distraction.

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Every day we did cultivator things, hung out, or learned about skyships, and every night we sang and danced around a tree.

At first I had been stuck on sea shanties, but the scroll said anything was fine as long as it came from the heart.

Country Roads, Take me Home~ I sang.

To the place, I belong! Bailu and Seiyu shouted, their accents surprisingly not butchering the song.

Er-er-er-aaaaaa! Big D yodled as he shook his tail feathers.

Mountain mama! Take me home, Country Roads!

I unleashed the majesty of John Denver upon the world.

Bailu and Seiyu had just accepted it when I said it was an obscure tribal language, and to my surprise, had learned the chorus real fast.

And so the days rolled by.

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Bailu took a swig of her wine and watched as Seiyu ran a comb through her Young Masters hair. It was getting back to a good length finally, after it had been mostly burned off during the well. The accident.

That said he was looking a bit shaggy. Like a homeless mortal, or some vagabond. He had even wanted to just cut it off, but that was no good! A Young Master needed to have long hair, to show proper respect to his parents!

Their Young Master had grumbled and moaned, but in the end he had given up and had told them to choose a good style.

Bailu had tried a few braids, but nothing had clicked so far, and now Seiyu was. Doing his hair up like one of her people. It was kind of a topknot.

Normally a man would shave the top of his head, so that he could properly wear his helmet! Seiyu explained.

Their Young Master just looked amused.

Oh? You have the guts to be putting Tianzhe Minyans sons hair up in that barbarian style? A voice interrupted them, and Seiyu instantly paled, while Bailu put away her wine and turned to bow.

We pay our respects to Elder Minyan and Elder Song! Bailu said, bowing low. Both women had been hiding their presence, and one couldnt feel a true masters strength unless they allowed it.

And both had clearly wanted to surprise them. Elder Minyan looked unconcerned, while Elder Song had a frown on her face.

So? What have you to say for yourself, girl? The Elder asked, her eyes sharp.

Seiyus eyes were on the floor, and she opened her mouth to take responsibility.

I asked her to, Elder Song. Their Young Master spoke up instead, a disarming smile on his face. We were trying to find something that looked good, but we ended up running out of ideas. And this one is probably a no. I dont like the look of having the top of my head shaved.

Hmph. See that you do not do it again. It's improper. The woman declared, and her eyes switched to their Young Master. She blinked, and then looked slightly confused when Bi De looked up at her, and bowed low.

Bailu sighed internally. That bastard bird disrespected them all day, but at least he had enough sense to be polite to the Elders!

Leave us. We are here to speak with my son. Elder Minyan commanded them. And that was that.

Bailu and Seiyu flew to where they had previously lived together, the manor still maintained by the servants.

Phew! The Young Master really saved your butt, eh? Bailu asked, trying to lighten the mood.

He did again. Seiyu whispered, her accent still missing. I really should stop being such a barbarian fool.

Bailu raised an eyebrow.

Nah. Bailu said, as she took a swig of her drink.

Nah? What do you mean, nah?

I like Seiyu as she is. And so does the Young Master. Bailu said simply, offering her wine.

His hands opened and closed three times like a great beak. He mimicked Bi Des majestic wingsthen he shook his rear too in a manner that the Blue and the purple hens stared at.

Such was the face his master gave him! Acting like a bird!

His Lord clapped four times, and jumped, continuing the way around the circle.

The hens looked at each other, shrugged, and then they too recognised their place, joining in the nightly dance as was proper!

This one is a bird

His wings are majestic;

His tail feathers divine!

To Bi Des slight disappointment, his Great Master found himself entranced by the hens rumps as they shook them back and forth. Bi De forgave his Lord. The hens were well. Bi de had to admit they had pleasing rears. The purple one especially.

But like the man of temperance and virtue he was, he tore his eyes away.

They completed the circle, and then Bi De truly left loose, his wings freed to grasp the sides of the Harmonic Wind Tines.

Oh, the good ol Ha Qi game, is the best game one can name

And the best name one can name is the good old Ha Qi game!

Bi Di didnt know what Ha Qi was, but it had to be powerful!

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Hey. whatcha doing? Seiyu heard Bailu ask, and she flinched, cutting through the board.

Learning how to cook. Seiyu replied.

Bailu stared at her, then took a glance into her bottle. Is the world going to end or something?

Seiyu huffed and turned away from the grin on Bailus face. Only for her friend to sit down beside her.

Where ya at? I want to learn too. Bailu said. I heard a bunch of ladies say the fastest way to a mans heart was his stomach!

Seiyu flushed.

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We spared. We trained. Me and Big D both learned how to play the harmonica.

Soon, the tournament loomed, and I was getting increasingly nervous about having to be in front of the entire sect.

I was too nervous to cultivate properly, so I just ended up watching the girls as they cultivated. Bailu sat in the lotus position in the middle of a localized storm. Wind swirled around her, the air was charged with electricity, and clouds formed off her back only to drift away. Two ethereal, draconic horns had formed on her forehead as she breathed in and out. The bubbly woman I knew wasnt therethis was Lanlong Bailu, the Typhoon Wing of Soaring Heavens Isle.

Beside her was Seiyu, in a similar state. The Tsunami Wing was sat on a pillar of water, while liquid orbs the size of buses floated around her in perfect formation. Over her forehead floated what looked like a full moon, radiant and pure.

Their Qi, additionally, seemed to mingle and feed off one another, in something that was almost dual cultivation. Or maybe it was dual cultivation?

I thought that was supposed to be an intimate thing, but well, I hadn't actually seen one go anywhere without the other.

Maybe they were like that?

Still, I sat and watched, and it took my mind off things for at least a little, until Seiyu opened her eyes. That seemed to be a cue, as Bailu stopped cultivating as well, yawning and stretching as the winds died down.

So, Young Master. Did you have any insight from watching us cultivate? Seiyu asked, smiling.

Sorry. I was just watching. I replied.

Seiyu nodded. Worry not. The West Wind Evil Destroying Gale is hard to comprehend! One must have a good understanding of the concept of flow to successfully cultivate this technique. She explained. But perhaps your Seiyu can help you? First, what is flow, Young Master?

I paused. Giving somebody insight like this was kind of a big deal, wasnt it? Still, I couldnt help myself.

I felt my lips quirk into a smile Q=V/t, I replied. Man, it had been a while since those fluid dynamic courses

Seiyu cocked her head to the side, looking utterly baffled. Ara?

Flow rate is Volume divided by time. Or its Q=VA, where flow rate is volume times the cross-sectional vector area. Its why as the size of a pipe goes down, the water speeds upand why you can cut something in half with a thin and fast enough water blade. I explained.

Seiyu just stared at me. I was a little worried that I had taken it too far, when she turned to look down at her hands. Water manifested above them, growing to a ball the size of a small car, before it suddenly compressed.

With a sound like a gunshot, Seiyu fired it offand it punched completely through one of the nearby uninhabited islands.

Bailu gaped at it. The hells?

Young Masteryoure a genius! Seiyu exclaimed.

I scratched at the back of my head.

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Dokkoishou, Dokkoishou!

Soran, soran!

Dokkoishou, Dokkoishou!

Soran, soran!

Bailu smiled as she watched her Young Master and Seiyu just absolutely let loose. Bailu may or may not have spiked the fruit juice their Young Master liked juuust a little. He was too tense!

Their Young Masters face was flushed as he grinned, while Seiyus normally blank face was nowhere to be seen, instead bearing a massive smile as they sung what was apparently a really important song for Seiyus tribe.

Their Young Master had all kinds of knowledge about tribal customs and language. It was weird, but Bailu couldnt say she minded it, especially with how into it Seiyu was.

Maybe a little too into it. Seiyu was pretty sure you didnt have to get that close to someone while teaching them the proper dance. Really, Bailu was feeling a bit left out! She took another swig of her wine and stood.

Oi, Seiyu, teach me too! she demanded.

Seiyu whipped around, and her smile brightened. She practically tackled Bailu, and well, maybe she did need to be that close to teach you how to dance?

Okay, now, my students, show me if you can do it together! Seiyu declared once Bailu kind of had it down. Seiyu spun Bailu around and slapped her ass, sending her staggering into their Young Master. He caught her with a laugh and ruffled her hair.

Then Seiyu slung her arms around their shoulders, and Bi De landed on their Young Masters head.

Now, you gotta be close! Seiyu demanded. Soran, Soran!

Well. What the hell!

Soran soran! Bailu yelled, as they bounced around like they were on a storm-tossed ship.

They didnt really notice the saplings bouncing with them.

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