Training in martial arts

Seeing the weeds choking the area, Wenlong drew his large black saber and hacked his way through. The Black Saber was excellent-a fine blade that could truly slice through iron like mud.

Wenlong could not help admiring it inwardly. It seemed he ought to bring out a few more of these precious blades for his kin to use when he had time.

When he returned to the cave where they had been staying, his kin were overjoyed to see him come back safely. Long'er's parents were so overcome that they burst into tears.

Seeing that his kin were unharmed, Wenlong felt relieved as well. Long'er's mother pulled Wenlong into a tight embrace and sobbed aloud.

The others shed tears with her. He was the last lone seedling left-how could Long'er's mother not be heartbroken?

In just a few days, Long'er's mother had grown noticeably thinner. His heart aching, Wenlong comforted his mother.

Only after everyone had calmed down did Wenlong recount what had happened that day. However, he did not reveal everything that ought to remain unsaid.

The secret of the hidden chamber was far too consequential. If word got out, it would not just be members of the Kai Lineage hunting them down.

People from both the Wasteland Continent and the Azure Dragon Continent would likely come swarming in. Even the strongest Lineage would struggle to withstand them.

For safety's sake, it was better to keep it secret. He would still give his kin the basic martial arts manuals to study and strengthen themselves.

One of the older men in the Lineage spoke up. "Long'er, I'm afraid the Kai Lineage won't let this rest. We need to think of a way to deal with them."

Wenlong nodded and pondered for a moment. "Let's reinforce this hiding place first and set more traps. I'll go find some powerful weapons to bring back and make everyone stronger." Everyone voiced their agreement.

Then Wenlong took out several basic martial arts manuals for his kin to study.

"Everyone, start by following the methods in these books to improve your fighting skills," he instructed. His father accepted the manuals, his eyes full of hope.

Still, with thorny wild vines choking the valley entrance, anyone unaware that people were inside would find it very difficult to get in.

For safety's sake, he planned to find a way to capture some wolf cubs and raise them. He wondered whether training them from a young age could change their wild nature.

He had no experience with this, but he still had to give it a try.

This time, he would take only Shitou with him. His kin were all worried, leaving Wenlong feeling quite helpless.

He picked up a pebble from the ground and hurled it with a sudden burst of strength. It struck a sapling, which snapped at the impact. Everyone was utterly astonished and stood frozen.

Before anyone could react, Wenlong pulled Shitou along, and the two headed into the Deep Mountains.

They searched along the way for signs of wolf activity. Only after crossing several mountaintops did they find traces of wolves.

Both were panting heavily. Though they were already exhausted, neither was willing to give up.

They tracked the wolves all the way to their den, where Wenlong sensed wolf cubs with his Mental Power. Delighted, he and Shitou silently approached the den.

Wolves had a very keen sense of smell. How could their arrival possibly escape the wolves' notice?

A large male wolf lunged out. Wenlong dared not let him get close and struck his head with a backhand throw of a stone.

Not daring to hesitate, Wenlong hit the male wolf with several more stones in quick succession. Unable to withstand the blows, the wolf collapsed, blood pouring from his wounds as he howled in agony.

The female wolf also came running at the noise. Without waiting for her to approach, Wenlong greeted her with another volley of stones.

Every shot found its mark. Wenlong had learned only the barest basics, and achieving such results was no small feat, even with the aid of his Mental Power.

The female wolf met the same fate as the male. She twitched a few times on the ground, then stopped breathing. Delighted, Shitou went forward to bind them and carry them away.

Wenlong smiled. "Forget it. Let's bury them. You want to adopt their cubs and eat their parents too? Isn't that too cruel?"

Shitou thought it over and agreed. Besides, it was a long way back, and dragging them home would take too much effort. He could only bury the two wolves.

Wenlong and Shitou reached the den and found six wolf cubs less than a month old. They were delighted, though they did not know whether the cubs could be tamed. Taking the cubs with them, the two happily made their way back to the cave.

His kin no longer lacked food. They had devices for snaring pheasants and wild rabbits, as well as fenced traps fitted with mechanisms for catching wild boars.

For the time being, they did not have to worry about food shortages. Everyone in the Lineage, men and women alike, could study martial arts and improve their strength.

Wenlong handed all the basic martial arts manuals to his father. Fortunately, his father and the other older men had some grounding in martial arts. He would have them familiarize themselves with the manuals before teaching the others.

He often entered the Secret Passage to focus on improving his techniques for throwing concealed weapons, practicing until he knew them as thoroughly as a melon ripened to bursting.

He also taught everyone the beginner techniques for throwing concealed weapons. Without Mental Power, they could learn only the barest basics. There was nothing Wenlong could do about that.