CG Chapter 23: The Stalker: The Birth of a Hunter Prodigy
In the depths of the silent forest, Tom began his training under the guidance of Tian Chang. As the two stood, Tian Chang began to explain the First Ring with more clarity.
Tian Chang looked at Tom as he said, "If you want to build a tall pagoda that reaches the sky, you must ensure that your foundation is strong. Without a sturdy base, your tower will fall in seconds. Thus, if you wish to reach the final Ring of The Eight Predatory Rings, you must focus on the First Ring and ensure that you master it."
Tom sought guidance on training the First Ring from Tain Chang as he asked. "What advice would you offer?"
Once Tom asked him that, Tian Chang's face was filled with a grin as he asked, "How far are you willing to go for your goal? For true mastery? Do you want to become an old man who could only reach a basic understanding of his art, or do you want to become the young genius who reached beyond mastery?"
"I desire to become the young prodigy; however, I don't only want to reach beyond mastery. I aspire to elevate the Eight Rings to a level that surprises even the creator upon witnessing it. " Tom's response was firm and unyielding, leaving no doubt about the sincerity of his belief.
After he heard that, Tian Chang said, "I can aid you in reaching that level; however if you wish for me to mold you into imperishable steel, I would need to break you first. Are you willing?"
Tom said with a resolute tone, "I wouldn't mind it even if you told me that you would need to break me into a thousand pieces if that implies that I will be able to reach my dream."
Tian Chang replied, "Good." As he started laughing. "Well, don't worry since I have a bag filled with herbs that will put you back together to your original self when you break."
"I am certain that you know of the horse stance. However, I am not sure if you are aware that the majority can't do it for even a minute. Once I say the word start, I want you to utilize the horse stance for as long as you can without caring about your surroundings. I don't care if the heavens collapse on us or if a merciless nasor came flying as it wanted your head."
.
.
"Start." Once he said that, Tian Chang ran as he disappeared out of Tom's sight.
Tom unhesitatingly took on the horse stance as he closed his eyes and started to breathe in the pattern that Tian Chang taught him.
"Inhale gradually until you sense that your lungs are about to burst. Once you do, inhale even more until the feeling of ache fills your whole body. Hold this high amount of pressure until you feel nothing. From there, you must exhale all of the air out until you feel your lungs disappear."
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The seconds passed as if they were years for Tom. As the sensation of agony filled him, he started to have ideas of lying on the cozy soil under him and thought of simply giving up and stopping the Pain; however, every time he thought of that, he told himself to keep going. He told himself that he could keep this up for an extra second.
Tick-Tock
Tick-Tock
"Pain, Torment, Anguish." Tom had, but one thought, and that was of Pain.
Tom felt as if the muscles surrounding the femur bone of his leg were about to split apart. He felt as if multiple blades were stabbing him all over all at once.
"This boy has been doing the stance for twenty minutes. Should I stop him? I remember the first time I did it. I held myself for ten minutes and was labeled as a genius, and now my son has already surpassed me on it. I wonder how long he will be able to hold himself for." Tian Chang thought as a sense of excitement filled his body.
The clock passed on as an additional minute passed slowly on Tom as he heard the sound of an approaching animal that appeared to notice his presence.
"Should I interfere? If he had only trained the First Ring for a little longer, he would have been able to disappear into the surroundings as he would not be detected by this Sylphidant; however, this is his first time, so I don't think it is possible for him to reach that level just yet." Tian Chang hesitated on what he should do. On the one hand, he wanted to see how far Tom could go, and on the other hand, he didn't want him to die.
On the other side of the forest, Tom's mind was filled with calmness as he began to visualize himself as if he were one with the wilderness. He started to smell the refreshing aroma coming from the grass as he improved himself at an exponential rate. Tom's ears reached a higher level as they began to hear sounds that they couldn't before, and of those sounds it detected were the steps of the unidentified creature.
"Little dragon, I will not assist you. In moments like these, you can either fall as the fool who didn't understand his own limits or rise as a genius." Tian Chang finally decided to let things go as they were, as he had a glimmer of hope that the son in whom he put all of his faith would not let him down.
"An animal is approaching this spot at a rapid pace. How did it sense me?" Tom started to analyze his situation as he kept the horse stance. "Smell? No, I already covered my body with the green paste. Sight? No, if it saw me, then it would have run at a greater pace. These steps have the sound of a curious animal. It must be sound; this animal must have the ability to sense the breath of its prey."
Tom began to shorten his exhale and inhale as he kept himself from breathing for much longer. "To be thoughtless to be one. To be the rock that I am."
Tom opened his eyes, and his heart rate started to drop. He became a corpse-like entity as he became unnoticeable.
The animal's steps started to slow down once it stopped hearing the sounds. It seemed as if it started to retreat as it became annoyed that its prey had escaped.
""Did I do it?"" Tom thought as he became excited for a second; these seconds caused his breath to skyrocket. This caused the animal to run toward his place hurriedly.
As the animal's footsteps drew closer once again, Tom's excitement quickly turned to determination. He knew he had to regain his composure and silence his breathing once more. Drawing upon the understanding of the First Ring, he focused on finding that inner stillness, the state of being a rock, thoughtless and undetectable.
With immense concentration, Tom slowed his breathing to a crawl, almost imperceptible. He regulated his heart rate, calming it like the gentle rhythm of a calm ocean wave. He silenced his mind and let the forest envelop him, becoming one with the world around him.
Tick-Tock
Tick-Tock
As the animal approached, it paused once more as the faint presence that it sensed disappeared. It searched the surroundings, perplexed by this unusual prey that seemed to fade in and out of existence like a ghost. Unbeknownst to the animal, Tom's mastery of the First Ring granted him the ability to blend seamlessly with the environment, becoming invisible to its senses.
The animal's curiosity began to turn into frustration, and after a few more moments of uncertainty, it gave up on its unfruitful quest for prey and retreated into the depths of the forest.
Tom's heart swelled with relief. He had not only reached high mastery in the First Ring but also strengthened his resolve as he demonstrated to himself that he had the ability to control his breath and emotions even in the face of death.
As Tian Chang emerged from the shadows, a smile of approval graced his lips. He had witnessed the birth of a true martial arts prodigy. The word prodigy is too small to refer to Tom, who achieved a feat beyond what any other man can do.