Joe had washed up quite thoroughly. In fact, with the new clothes that Old Tong provided him, he looked comely, nothing like his previous ragged appearance. Still, this new look did not give him a lot of confidence. Reason? He was standing in front of Duke Renne who was eyeing him as if he wanted nothing more than to throw him out of his sight right this instant.

What’s with his eyes? Joe wondered.

“What is his name?” Duke Renne asked Old Tong who stood to Joe’s side respectfully.

“Servant reports, the head-servant there didn’t tell me his name, my lord,”

“He must have referred to him in some way?” Renne asked again.

“My lord, I only ever heard servant Shah call him Mute,” Tong replied.

The Duke nodded, “I suppose that’s because he can’t talk. Regardless, he would need a name. Look at me boy,”

Joe matched the Duke’s eyes unflinchingly,

“Henceforth, you will be called Regan Phoenix.”

A maid standing in the room dropped the plates on her hand at that very instant. It would have been a pretty big deal had it been some other time. Right now though, her mistake was conveniently masked away by the clamor that suddenly arose in the room.

“““My lord!”””

““Old master!””

Several people present in the room including Old Tong and head butler Heshu and Duke’s other advisors spoke up at once.

“Silence!”

The Duke said. He hadn’t really shouted but the room quieted down nonetheless.

“You have heard me right. As of this instant, I am officially adopting him into Phoenix household. All of you are to call him young master from now on.”

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So shocked were everybody that they even forgot to reply anything.

“Tong, transfer him to one of the family rooms. I appoint you as his personal attendant. See to his need. Heshu, you are to teach him the basics of Phoenix Arts starting tomorrow. I want to see him master the basics within three months. All of you are dismissed,” Renne proclaimed.

““As the Duke commands””

The two bowed slightly and left the room, taking Joe, no Regan, in tow.

Throughout this entire episode, the only one to remain calm was an old man. This old man was hidden so perfectly in the room that no one beside the Duke knew of his existence.

Once everyone departed, he silently came out in front.

“Do you think the boy has what it takes?” Duke asked the old man.

“My lord, allow me to be blunt, he won’t last a month.”

“Hmm.. you speak truth. Regardless, all that is required of him is his presence. I don’t care whether he lives or dies.”

The old man mused, “Why allow him to train in the Phoenix arts then my lord?”

“Just call it a whim.”

“Or perhaps a lingering affection?”

“Impossible!” the Duke exclaimed, a bit too soon.

That was the signal for the old man to quietly meld back into the shadows. He did so with a mysterious trace of smile.

The next day in the courtyard of the manor:

Regan stood with a sour mood. He still could not speak which would adequately explain his mood but to add insult to injury, he found that whispers followed him wherever he went. Maids would start talking to each other in hushed voices whenever they saw him, butlers would eye him with contempt and an unexplained cautiousness. Even old Tong, his supposed attendant, would be caught staring at him once or twice. The only hint of normalcy in this unexplained environment was the old butler Heshu. He was cold to him before and he was cold to him now as he stood in front of him.

“Master has asked me to teach you the basics of Phoenix Arts in three months. I’ll be blunt with you, I can’t.”

Regan did not know what to think of it. To begin with, what the hell was Phoenix arts?

It was as if butler Heshu heard his question as he began explaining,

“Phoenix Arts is one of the signature Martial Art of the Phoenix clan that is, the Duke’s clan. It is said that the first Phoenix Duke learned it from a mysterious expert of the unknown realm. It is fire attributed and once you learn it to sufficient levels, you can do this:”

Heshu took up a very odd stance. It was a horse stance with his left palm facing forward and right fist held back as if to punch something.

Regan’s analysis of the stance had to stop because he suddenly began feeling very hot. The source of the heat was Heshu’s entire being.

“Haah!”

Heshu punched out with his fist.

Regan felt something moving through the air and after only a small moment,

BANG! The tree towards which Heshu had punched broke into splinters and simultaneously erupted into flames.

Bloody hell !

Regan was absolutely stunned at that moment, completely incapable of any thought at all.

Heshu breathed out a long breath.

Regan looked at Heshu, and then at the burning tree, then back again at Heshu. It was hard for him to register that a single punch of a stupid old butler could do that to a fucking tree!

I am to learn this? Regan came back to his senses.

“This is merely the third level of the phoenix art, no need for you to be so awed.”

“You, however, are only required to learn the basics. Don’t expect yourself to be blowing trees anytime soon,” Heshu scoffed.

“Now, first step, the Horse Stance,” Heshu said.

Not again!!

Regan cried inwardly.