Chapter 114: Sacred Object
Chapter 114: Sacred Object
On February 1st, the first day of the new semester at Wu Yi Academy, some students, including Chen Chuan, were called out by the dormitory supervisor early in the morning.
The supervisor waved a form in his hand and addressed the students in front of him, "I've reviewed your records, and last year, most of you only attended a limited number of open and invited classes. This was your choice, and I can't say much about it.
However, today, a teacher from the Makara exchange program is giving an invited lecture. Go and show your support, and consider it as your invited and open classes for this year."
Upon hearing this good news, the students immediately agreed.
The dormitory supervisor reminded them, "Don't underestimate this Makara teacher. In terms of combat, they may not be as skilled as us, but in certain aspects, they have their own unique methods. To earn our respect, they will share some knowledge that is not taught outside their country. It's beneficial to learn from them."
Hearing the supervisor's words, the students became more interested and were no longer just going through the motions as before.
As the time for the invited lecture was approaching, Chen Chuan and the other students left the dormitory building and headed towards the teaching hall specifically designated for exchange students and teachers.
The hall was just a five-minute walk from the dormitory building. When Chen Chuan and the others entered, they saw the Makara teacher already seated there.
The teacher was around forty years old, a typical Makara with a hooked nose, high forehead, and a simple training suit that showcased his well-defined muscles. He had tanned skin, a beaded necklace around his neck, and a headband with a few white feathers at the back.
After greeting the teacher, the students sat on the cushions laid out on the floor, with Chen Chuan choosing a spot near the front.
As the time approached, the Makara teacher stood up and spoke fluently in Great Shun Mandarin, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Duma, which means 'teacher' in Makara. However, we Makara use the language of Great Shun Republic, so this has become a title and a term of respect. You can call me Teacher Duma, yes, even though it may sound a bit strange."
The teacher's words and demeanor made the students feel at ease, reducing the initial distance between them.
"I'm delighted to be teaching the students of Wu Yi Academy during this exchange. Makara has a population of just over a million, and we only have one combat academy nationwide. Our combat skills may not be as advanced as yours, but we have some unique techniques.
In our Makara understanding, all things originate from nature, which is omnipresent and capable of various transformations. The highest spiritual concept for us Makara is to master oneself and merge with nature.
We believe that everyone is a slave to their body, so we must free ourselves and become the true masters of our bodies. Now, I will demonstrate how to coordinate your body. I'll start with a relatively simple movement."
He spread his hands to the sides, extending his thumbs and little fingers, forming a 'six' with his hands, especially with his little fingers raised high.
Some students tried to mimic the gesture, but they knew there was more to it than met the eye.
Indeed, Teacher Duma smiled and then sat down gracefully, using his nimble toes to remove his socks with ease. He then used his toes to form the 'six' gesture again and even managed to wiggle his middle toe independently before relaxing it back into place.
"If any of you are interested, you can try it yourselves," he said.
Some students attempted the feat, and managed to remove their socks with their toes, but when they tried to replicate the finger gestures, their faces contorted in concentration.
Chen Chuan, with his Altered Tissue now reaching even the smallest parts of his body, knew he could easily perform such a task, even without demonstrating it.
It seemed that Teacher Duma's techniques were specifically designed to enhance control over the minutest parts of the body, something that required either Altered Tissue or extensive muscle and tendon training to achieve.
"What I'm demonstrating now is just a glimpse of Makara Energy Pulse Study," Teacher Duma continued. "In this class, I'll give you an overview of the learning process and mastery methods.
Don't underestimate this, students. With long-term practice, you can improve your self-mastery and perception of the external world. In combat, you'll be able to detect subtle movements and changes. Sitting here, I can sense each of your breaths, heartbeats, body temperatures, and even the flow of your blood.
If any of you are interested, feel free to attend my classes regularly. Over the next semester, I'll teach you this unique Makara technique."
As the class was underway, a Makara student named Nali was peering out from the gap in the curtains on the ninth floor of the First-Class Student Dormitory.
Nali had prominent features, a high brow ridge, and a small earring on one ear. His hair was adorned with a headband-like accessory, and his physique was robust, clearly indicating his prowess in combat.
The door behind him opened, and another Makara student entered, saying, "Nali, we've received the notice from Mary."
Nali acknowledged with a simple 'okay'.
The new student sat on the bed and remarked, "With the separation of male and female dormitories here in Great Shun, we can't room together."
Noticing Nali's gaze, the student asked, "What are you looking at?"
"The people here," Nali replied.
"What's so interesting about them? They're just like us, you see them everywhere on the streets."
"And the land here," Nali added.
"The Maraka student paused, then lay down on the sofa, gazing upwards. 'There's nothing much to see here. This place doesn't belong to us anymore; it stopped being ours the moment our people abandoned our ancestral lands.'
Nali asked, "Shani, have you met any of our people at the school?"
Shani sighed, "Don't mention it. They no longer acknowledge their Maraka heritage. What tribe are you talking about? They're no different from the people of Dashaun now."
Nali said, "In that case, we're on our own this time. Go and gather everyone."
"Now?"
Nali nodded. "Now."
"What a hassle," Shani muttered, getting up and leaving the room.
When he returned, seven Maraka students followed him. Fortunately, the dorm room was spacious enough that even with so many people, it didn't feel crowded. Everyone found their own spots to sit.
Nali drew the curtains of the floor-to-ceiling window and turned to face everyone. "According to the information exchange between our country and Wuyi, if we're unlucky, our identities will be exposed within five days at most. So, we must obtain the item as soon as possible."
He continued, "As per the schedule, in two to three days, Teacher Duma will take us to the Foreign Affairs Bureau in Yangzhi City to meet with the foreign affairs officials for a friendly exchange. That's when we'll display the oak leaf we hold in reverence from Yangzhi City, which is our only chance to retrieve it."
Nali added, "The danger of this task is evident. Although the local resistance forces have agreed to cooperate with us, we'll be facing the security of the Foreign Affairs Bureau, and we won't be allowed to carry weapons. It's a challenging task. Are you prepared to make sacrifices?"
Shani spoke up, "Nali, there's no need to say more. From the moment we set foot on our ancestral land, we've been called upon by our ancestral gods. We will definitely reclaim the sacred object of the Maraka people."
The others in the room also displayed determined expressions.
Nali looked at each person present, and everyone met his gaze with unwavering resolve, not a single person flinching.
Nali spoke in a solemn tone, "Zua, Shani, and the rest of you, go and spar with the Wuyi students on the lower floors over the next two days.
These students might accompany us during the ceremony. If we sense something amiss, they will surely intervene. We must first understand their capabilities to prepare accordingly."
"Understood!"
Everyone in the room agreed.
Nali nodded solemnly and asked everyone to leave. About two hours later, the door was knocked on again. He quickly opened it and welcomed Teacher Duma inside.
Nali said, "Teacher, I've finished my class."
Teacher Duma walked to the window and opened the curtains. "The students of Dashaun Republic are quite capable. Although it's their first time learning the Maraka Energy Art, I can sense that some of them have already grasped the fundamentals."
Nali was astonished. "So quickly?"
Teacher Duma sighed, "After all, Dashaun has a large population, and they can find many individuals naturally gifted. Our Maraka population is too small, and our country can only afford to support a few of us as fighters."
He turned back and said earnestly, "You must not sacrifice yourselves recklessly. You have a long future ahead of you. When we retrieve the oak leaf, I'll try to stall those present. Once you have the item, leave as quickly as possible, even if it's just a few of you."
Nali's voice was heavy with concern. "Teacher, will the local resistance forces truly help us then?"
"They will. They want to associate us Maraka with them, even if it's for their own benefit. But we must do this for the sake of our sacred object, and we have ways to make amends."
Nali asked, "But if the oak leaf was originally ours, why can't we just ask Yangzhi City to return it? We have such a good relationship with them..."
Teacher Duma shook his head. "It's not the same. They only know it as a symbol now, so they don't care much. But if they knew it was our sacred object, they might not be willing to return it. The world's resonance is intensifying each year, and we'd rather secure the item first and let our country handle the negotiations."
After Chen Chuan finished his class, he returned to the dormitory. He found the lesson interesting, with many valuable insights. Perhaps he could attend more classes in his free time.
As soon as he reached the seventh floor, the dorm supervisor called out to him, "Chen Chuan, your phone."
Chen Chuan walked over, and the supervisor said, "Chen Chuan, you have so many calls that you can apply for a separate phone line."
Chen Chuan was surprised. "Really?"
The supervisor smiled, "You're the recipient of the first-semester scholarship, so you have this right. But if you don't get it this semester, it will be revoked."
"Understood, thank you, teacher."
Chen Chuan picked up the phone, and the excited voice of Ren Shu came through, "Mr. Chen, the Government Hall just issued a new assignment. The agents we sent out have located a possible main base of the Flying Head Cult in an old village in the Northwest Wilderness Mountains. The Government Hall plans to mobilize forces to eradicate these heretics.
We're currently lacking experts in handling the flying heads, and since they were satisfied with our previous performance, the Government Hall has entrusted the task to our company again. Mr. Chen, are you available to take on this assignment?"
Chen Chuan's eyes lit up. "When?"
Ren Shu replied, "The encirclement and suppression operation is scheduled for tomorrow noon. We need to reach the Northwest Wilderness Mountains by tonight, so we only have this afternoon to prepare. You don't need to worry about the peripheral matters; we just need you to handle the flying head monster at the end."
Chen Chuan considered the matter carefully. It would be prudent to communicate with Cheng Zotong first. "I'll wait for your confirmation."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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