Atop the windy peak of Mt. Aspiration, a master growing old seeks out successors to carry out his technique. Once he has found three, he shall put them through relentless training that both enhances the body, strengthens the mind, and empower the mind. Only when their reflexes are exquisite and their potential unlocked will one be allowed to become the Shifu.

However, becoming a master comes with a heavy price…


In time, all fades from memory. The destiny of the world moves along. Nevertheless, some things must persevere…

An old man, wearing a black beizi, stood atop a mountain. Facing south, he brought his hands together and bowed in that direction, a small crick echoing in his back.

An old master tests his limits as he strives to preserve his legacy…

The old man straightened, then thrust his palm out forward, then his leg, and his elbow. Each imaginative strike was purposeful, looking weak as a spring breeze but as powerful as a twister.

A powerful Kung-Fu style…Xin Shan Quan; The Earthen Heart. To use such a powerful martial art, thy spirit must be unwavering, body fit to perfection, and mind as tranquil as a lake in the dead of night…

The blows became faster, the old man darting around the mountain's peak as fast as the wind. His robe billowed as he seemed to move to one place and then the next, all in the blink of an eye.

Still…calm rivers can surge to split even hardened stone! Such skill and technique…wielded by only one…that is the way of The Earthen Heart…

Faster and faster the old man moved, blinding fast someone half his age could never do. His strikes pierced the air, his blows kicking dirt and pebbles around him as he came to a sudden stop, bowing once more.

To sow the seeds to the body, so that they may sprout to cultivate the mind and blossom into an unwavering spirit, that is what he strived for with his art. For such a thing to fade into obscurity would be heinous. His life's work, gone to the flow of time…that was his fear.

The old man turned to a large boulder standing away from him. He delicately strode up to the boulder, hands collapsed together as he bowed to the worthy opponent. After all these years…all those days of training high up on this mountain where the air is thin, aching at his aging heart…he was ready.

The old man didn't even give the boulder a warning. His fist flung at the large rock, smacking into it with the force of a ravenous boar.

The old man watched as a tiny crack etched itself onto the boulder before stopping, pulling back his slowly aching hand. His breath hitched as he closed the fist to his chest.

"It is…as I feared." He muttered, gazing past the rock and over the land. China had never looked so beautiful, with waterfalls crashing in the distance, pillars of rocks rising to the heavens, and the hustle and bustle of people not too far away. But the beautiful sight only brought a pit to his stomach.

"I'm growing old…before long I'll be one with the earth, and my spirit shall drift…but what of my art? The legacy I had made? What I have strived for all these years now? All lost to the destiny of time, fading away?"

The old man held his fist over his heart, searching for an answer. Long had he strived to preserve his Kung-Fu…and he did not want it to die. It must survive.

"...Then I must do what has to be done. Seek out students to teach my art too. Once I pass, then they will teach it to their students, and so on and so on…only then will my legacy be preserved…and only then will I be at peace."

Taking one final look over the lands of China, the old man turned and began to trip down Mount Aspiration, the idea stowing in his mind

Seek out students to pass my art to…but…who might I teach it to?

"I am the only one aware of my art. I suppose that makes me Shifu…heh. I never dreamed that I would call myself that. I still feel like I am not worthy of holding the title. But I crafted The Earthen Heart with-...by myself. If I wish to have my art persevere through history…I must find students." The Shifu finished, looking around his hut. He was talking to a training dummy, the only company he had in…has it been that long?

His hut had all the basic necessities; a bed…and that was it. He had a pot over a fireplace for meals and tea, scriptures on the wall, candles, and plants in pots. It was the perfect cozy home for one person.

"But how am I to keep students here without proper facilities? But, perhaps the conditions would prove good for training…thinking too much of it. A walk will clear my head."

Retrieving his dôulì, the Shifu exited from his hut at the foot of the mountain and traveled west to the Bamboo Forest. It had been a while since he walked through the trees, and he was eager for the calming buzz of the insects, the flow of the stream, and the whisper of the trees.

As the towering trees and bamboo stalks came into view, he slowed down to glance at a sign.

"Beware of bandits and tigers…this was not here during my last trek. As the world's time flows, unfortunately, so does debauchery…" the Shifu muttered. Heeding the sign's words, the Shifu continued into the forest. He reasoned perhaps bandits would take pity on an old man walking defenseless. If they truly had a heart, that was. And the tigers? Well, he'd cross that when he met one.

The foot of the mountain faded away, giving way to the soft tickle of grass against feet. The bamboo stalks stretched high up, with mighty oaks supporting them to the sky. Sunlight filtered through the leaves as the Shifu picked up a sizeable stick for walking. It would make him more vulnerable, yes, but appearances can be deceiving.

The Shifu twirled a fallen leaf between his fingers. "It's just like I remember it…although the destiny of the world continues to flow, I at least know that nature will never die. The will of the world will not allow it."

He gently placed the leaf on the ground before resuming his stroll, before suddenly halting. His ears pricked up as he glanced behind him.

The leaf had been moved.

"Hmm…" gripping his walking stick, the Shifu continued, keeping his senses on high alert. Whatever was stalking him, he knew it to be human. Tigers would have pounced already before he could react. Humans wait as long as they need…unless they are impatient.

A rustle of leaves to his right, the snap of a bamboo stick further ahead, and the wiggle of a branch to his left. Now the Shifu was unsure if this was truly man or beast. It was moving so fast, so swiftly like a determined squirrel. He lowered his hat over his eyes and place a hand behind his back. He would see if whoever this was had a spirit firm and true.

The Shifu walked, not for too long, as he stepped on a stick. The crack seemingly caused someone to leap from the trees, standing in front of the Shifu wielding a weapon. The most surprising part was it was a young woman, not even looking like a full adult. Her long hair was tied into an impressive braid that swung down to her back. An oversized ru clung to her thanks to a yellow cloth belt, but it wasn't doing her any favors. Tattered black pants, filthy shoes that looked like they hadn't been washed in years, and most prominently a cross-shaped scar on her left cheek. The Shifu could easily identify her despite being a girl; a common bandit.

"Hold it right there, old man!" she called, pointing a billhook into his face. The Shifu didn't respond, not even looking up. The bandit scoffed. This was almost too easy. She could just toss the geezer to the ground and pilfer his pockets…but she was being generous. After all, it was an old guy. And old guys usually had some cash stored away…

"An old geezer, wandering lost through the forest…you lost, gramps? Need me to lead you back to bed? Or are you losing your senses so much that you thought that was a good idea?"

The Shifu said nothing, staying as still as a rock in a hurricane. The bandit huffed, tapping her foot. The old man must be really senile if he couldn't talk. It was starting to aggravate her…

She thrust the billhook into his view again, frowning. "Alright, gramps. Hand over all the money you got, quick! I'm starting to lose my patience." she grumbled. The Shifu finally looked up, past the bladed weapon to look at the girl. Her eyes were that of fury, like a fierce storm over land. The Shifu saw potential. Enormous potential.

"...I'm afraid I have nothing to give you."

The bandit nearly dropped her weapon in shock as she sputtered out a response. "Wh-What was that?! You wanna say that again, geezer? Cause' I don't like what you just said to me." she spat, gritting her teeth. The Shifu uttered a sigh, shaking his head.

"I said I have nothing to give you…and even if I did, I doubt you would appreciate it. A lowly bandit, mugging an innocent old man…you must have no soul."

The bandit was silent for a moment, processing the Shifu's words before a small grin broke on her face.

"Heheheh…ahahahaha! You must think you're so fuckin' smarter than me, huh? Just because you got some years on you and you think you're so much wiser, huh? Think you're so much smarter than me, huh?!" The bandit tossed away the bill hook, raising her fists as her manic grin spread, her eyes exploding into fury.

"Well save your snide remarks, gramps! Your long life ends today, asshole! HYAH!" The girl swiftly launched her fist at the Shifu, landing a blow right onto his skull.

…Or at least she would have. Instead, her blow punctured the Shifu's hat. The bamboo was punctured easily, leaving tiny shrapnel around the forest.

"W-What the hell? This some kinda trick? Where the hell did he go?" The bandit was on high alert, looking around at all the trees that towered over her. Could the old man be in one? She doubted his old bones could stand a climb like that, even she had trouble climbing them sometimes.

"Your speed is admirable…but you attack without thought. You must calm yourself and attack with purpose! Like so!" The Shifu suddenly appeared in front of the bandit, startling her as he moved too fast for her to see, landing a swift kick to her jaw before dashing away yet again.

"As swift as a chipmunk, and with the purpose of a calm spirit! You must attack true!"

"Gah, dammit! I'll show you purpose, geezer…!" The bandit struck out with an alarming attack, shredding a fallen leaf in the process as she attempted to find the Shifu.

"Hmm…impressive…but you are still overcome by the anger in your mind. Calm yourself…" The Shifu appeared yet again, giving a fierce push that shoved the bandit into a tree.

"And you shall be as powerful as a lion! Steel yourself and face me with purpose!" he shouted from seemingly nowhere, leaving the bandit 'alone' again.

Dammit! Bastard thinks he can toy with me. I'll show him! I can't tell where he is, it's like he's invisible or something! Every time I attack, I hit thin air! I just have to keep trying, eventually I'll snag the bastard! He'll rue the day he crossed me!

"Shut the hell up, old man! I won't listen to you trying to talk wise to me! Just shut the fuck up and show yourself like a man! Come on, fight me!" she shouted up at the trees, kicking at one to shake him loose.

"Oh, but I've been here the entire time. If you focus with purpose, steel your spirit, you would be able to truly see me." the bandit turned towards the voice behind her, the Shifu standing with his hands behind his back.

"Stop talking about purpose and stupid shit like that! You think you're so much better than me?! You're just a washed-up geezer using dumbass mind tricks! I said fight me like a man, so fight me like a-" moving as quickly as a cat, the bandit launched a devastating kick at the Shifu, before he outstretched his hand, catching the foot in his grasp.

"You focused your attack. Good. You've rightfully attacked with purpose but you still need…" The Shifu tucked the bandit's leg under his arm before flipping the foe over his shoulder, slamming her to the forest floor.

"A calm spirit." The girl opened her mouth to speak and struggle, but a swift blow to her chest knocked the wind out of her as the Shifu stepped back. He politely bowed to the south as the bandit was having quite the trouble breathing. Eh, she'd be fine.

"D-Dammit! How the fu-" she devolved into another coughing fit, barely able to stand. "How the hell did I lose to someone four times my age! He was even faster than me…GOD DAMMIT!" the bandit pounded her fist into the ground, flopping on the grass with a groan. The Shifu retrieved his broken hat, hanging it around his back as he approached the bandit. She wearily looked at him through the grass.

"Ugh…so, what're ya gonna do now? T-Turn me in? Don't think you can take advantage of me, I'll still kick your ass…when my teeth stop rattling, that is…dammit…" she groaned. The Shifu tapped a hand to his chin, humming to himself. A girl like her was fast, and while she hadn't landed a hit on him, the Shifu could tell she was powerful. Someone like her would be perfect as a student…

What am I thinking? Taking a bandit as a student…of course, who am I to judge such ways? I do not know her past, and her cocky attitude has come from living on hard times. Perhaps this could help the girl…

"No…I shall do no such thing. I admire your speed, young lady. Others your age couldn't move so fast."

The bandit processed that sentence. Had he…complimented her? Of course, he must be talking down to her again. Damn this old man…

"What's it to you, gramps? You gotta be fast to get the drop on people. And what if I'm strong for a girl? I almost kicked your wrinkly ass!" she shouted from the ground, still having problems righting herself. The Shifu couldn't help but laugh, as he offered a hand to help her up.

"Yes, and those skills you use could be put to good use. I am the shifu of a powerful martial art, The Earthen Heart. You could transfer those skills into proper training if you so wish. A life of banditry does not suit you, I'm afraid." he smiled. The bandit's slowly dimming brown eyes stared up at the Shifu's hands, lips pressed firmly. Was this another trick? There's no way an old fart like this was the master of a 'powerful kung-fu'. Still, the way he moved…and all that advice he was saying while he was kicking her ass…it was pretty easy to see.

But the bandit surely wasn't going to admit to that. She swatted his hand away, picking herself up on wobbly legs.

"Piss off, old man! I don't need your pity, and I don't need your goddamn kung-fu. This was just a fluke, alright? Pure luck! If I ever see you again, I won't go easy on you. Got it?" she growled before turning and hopping up onto a tree branch before vanishing into the leaves. The Shifu sighed deeply, placing back on his hat as he resumed his walk. Unfortunate, but he would not let his encounter put him down. He must find students to preserve The Earthen Heart. He had to.

He must preserve his legacy…


"Stupid old man, stupid kung-fu…I was having an off day! If I ever see that waste of space geezer again…" the bandit huffed, passing among a small clearing, far from her encounter with the Shifu. She was steaming mad. She had a pleasant streak for weeks, mugging kid's pocket change and some merchants, but she got bested by an old man of all people…it made her blood boil.

"What the hell does he know anyway? His brain is probably all fogged up! 'Oh, look at me, I'm an old asshole that thinks beating up bandits is fun'! GAH!" Her foot came up as she violently kicked at a bamboo pole, snapping it in half cleanly as she grumbled.

The bandit dropped into a sitting position, holding her head in her hands, taking shallow breaths. "...Dammit. Dammit, Dammit, DAMMIT! How the hell was he even able to beat me!? So what if I'm just a bandit and he's 'supposedly' a damn shifu? He's an old man, I'm a young and spry woman! I'm…I'M…" her chest heaved as she breathed to say something, anything…but it fell flat. She fell on her back, groaning as she covered her face with a sleeve.

"I'm a nobody. A common bandit without a home…Grrrr WHY AM I LETTING THIS GET TO ME?!" she moaned, standing up. This was all that old man's fault…what she wouldn't give to hand him his own hide on a stick…wait…

"That's it! I got it! I'll get him to teach me his kung-fu, and I'll learn how he won so easily! Then, when the time is right…I'll get my revenge! And his secrets will still be mine! Haha, I'm a genius! Look out old man, you're about to have a rude awakening when I get my hands on you!"

The bandit swiftly took the trees again, her devious plan in motion. The Shifu wouldn't even know what hit him.


The Shifu continued his walk through the forest, sunlight streaming through his broken hat. That bandit had left a sizable hole in his only hat. He would have to go to Yunfa Market to buy a new one, or head to Wong Village to see if someone could repair it for him.

"That bandit…she is full of pride and courage…but the courageous mouse learns quickly when it strays into the path of an owl. Hopefully, she will learn some humility," he murmured, scratching his chin. His feet crunched the grass underfoot, the repeating scenery doing well to ease his nerves after his brief bout. Perhaps he would go and travel to the temple at the end of the forest.

…He wished he had someone to appreciate it with, however. He still needed to search for students, after all, and his most promising one had told him to shove it where the sun don't shine. Maybe he will get lucky next time.

And that next time might just be soon, as a shuffle from the grass made him freeze. Was it that bandit from earlier, or could it be a wild beast looking for prey?

He got his answer when a fearsome tiger leaped from the brush, uttering a roar as it slashed its claws wildly at the Shifu. The old man was momentarily blindsided, the beast snagging his clothes leaving a tear, but leaving him otherwise unhurt.

"I would hate to harm a beast conforming to instincts…but you would understand, for my own survival, I shall protect my life." The Shifu took up a stance, the tiger growling as it circled its prey. The Shifu's eyes stayed locked on the tiger, waiting for when it would pounce. The tiger suddenly crouched before pouncing again at the Shifu, the older man dodging out of the way of the attack easily. The tiger shuffled, confused about how this prey would be able to evade it.

"You must not rely on blind tactics to gain the advantage on your opponents. You must make yourself use the various tactics of the world around you to contribute to your attacks, like so!" the Shifu suddenly relaxed his stance, moving his hands as if he was a wave on the sea. His calm movements angered the tiger, pouncing once again at the prey before him. In the blink of an eye, the Shifu transitioned from his calm graceful form to his stiff fighting stance, delivering a flurry of blows to the tiger's chest and legs. The tiger snarled again, but its aching form was too much to handle. It couldn't pounce again until it recuperated, so the animal slunk off into the forest, leaving the Shifu alone.

"The grace of a fox misdirects all foes…even powerful animals. Is that not right, bandit?" The Shifu asked, looking up at the trees. A moment of silence passed before the bandit dropped from the trees, huffing a great deal.

"Godammit! How do you keep knowing I'm here without looking at me? You magic or something, gramps?" she asked, pointing a finger at him. The Shifu politely shook his head, smiling to himself.

"No, no. No magic foul from me. All my skills come from hard work and dedication. And, if I may ask, why exactly are you following me? You rejected my offer of teaching you, and I have not a cent on me."

The bandit, finally caught in the metaphorical act, waved a hand of dismissal. "I mean, I don't want to learn your stupid shoddy kung-fu, but it's gonna keep eating at me how you're able to do all those things. So, I've decided you're going to show me how you do it! B-But don't get it twisted, gramps! I'm not your student, and you're certainly not my damn Shifu! Got it?"

The Shifu scratched at his chin. This girl was most confusing, one-second swearing death to him and the next attempting to 'not' become his student. But the Shifu wouldn't turn an opportunity away, especially one that showed such potential.

"Mmmmm…your pride is boisterous and loud. That's good, but too much pride can cause one's downfall, as it did for you not too long ago…"

"Are you gonna keep bringing that up gramps, or are you gonna teach me already?"

The Shifu finally smiled, chuckling a tiny bit. "Very well, young lady. I shall teach you the art of my kung-fu; The Earthen Heart. And you are to 'not' be my student.

The bandit smiled, nodding proudly as her plan was set in motion. "Good! Seems like you finally made a good decision for one in your life," she smirked…before realizing what he had first said.

"But I'm no lady, alright?! I'm Lei, Lei Kugo! And you better remember it, old man!"

The Shifu nodded, laughing to himself and making sure Lei wouldn't notice. "I'll promise not to. It's a good, strong name, worthy of honor." Lei puffed out her chest at the praise, not feeling embarrassed in the slightest.

"Damn straight! Now come on, show me how you did all those things with the vanishing and the kicking and the swooshing and shit!" she urged, but the Shifu merely turned and continued walking down the path.

"Of course, of course…after my walk."

"After you-WHAT THE HELL!? Come on, gramps, you can walk down this stupid forest later, I'm ready for the techniques. Besides, your old feet probably won't get that far anyway!"

The Shifu continued on his walk despite the badgering, Lei following behind. "It would do you well not to disrespect your elders…nor underestimate them. After all, you remember what happened not too long ago…"

"I keep saying…not to BRING IT U-"

"I was talking about the tiger. After all, it's not every day you see an old man fight a tiger, is it?" he mused. Lei embarrassingly huffed, not willing to apologize that she was wrong. Her mouth stayed closed for quite some time as they trekked through the forest, Lei walking fast to get the excursion out of the way as the Shifu still stopped to take in the sights. Lei couldn't believe it, he must have seen these stupid trees every day but he still stopped to look at them. Maybe this was a mistake, maybe when she was starving last week and ate those mushrooms out of desperation she started seeing things. She couldn't guess with the old fart sometimes.

"We should be coming up to the temple now…" The Shifu mused, Lei snapping from her thoughts to catch up.

"Temple? I've been in this forest for a while and I haven't seen any tem-" she began to say before the trees and bamboo gave way to a massive building, stretching past their sights. It was extravagant, made out of marvelous marble stone. Intricate cobblestone paved beneath their feet, and statues of mighty dragons hung over their heads, almost glaring at them.

"...Oh. This temple…that I have definitely seen before, mind you!" The Shifu shook his head, gazing up at the statues.

"No…this was not as it once looked. It was a temple for monks to practice peace and serenity…now, it has been transformed into a castle fit for the Emperor." he tentatively took a few steps forward, Lei confusingly following behind. The gates stood before them, a pair of fearsome-looking men, hair tied into a queue stood to block the gigantic doors. Once the Shifu and Lei approached, however, the guards threw up their arms.

"Halt! This is no place for fool some old men and little girls! Go back from where you came!" One of the called.

"What did you just call me, you ass?! I'll show you a little girl, you-" Shifu held up a hand to stop her, though it would do nothing to stop her fury for long.

"Calm yourself, Lei. The wise man knows when he is unmatched by a swarm of wasps. Our mistakes, good men. We shall be on our way…but before we depart, might I know the name of the noble that resides in this castle?" he politely asked, Lei still raring to kick some ass. The guards glanced at each other, patronizing grins on their faces.

"As if we'd ever tell you, old man! Our master has no need for the likes of you! Now run along as we said, before you really regret trying to step foot in here!"

Lei was furious, making another move to approach the guards to knock some sense into them before the Shifu grabbed her sleeve.

"Very well. Good day to you, young men." he bowed politely, Lei not even doing the same, instead spitting upon the steps that led to the gates as the Shifu led her away. She wished to break free and show the guards she wasn't to be insulted, but the Shifu's grip was firm and she doubted she could get away.

The two guards watched as the pair disappeared further into the trees until they were out of sight before openly speaking.

"Hmm…do you believe we should tell the master about them? It's just a little old man and a girl, hardly any trouble at all."

His partner shook his head. "He personally told us to let him know of any who approached the gates. I shall go tell him, you stay here." the guard nodded, opening the gate for the other to walk through, before closing it behind them. The guard quickly made his way through the fortress, dodging the training sessions of the students, and the tiger kennels as the caretakers threw fresh meat into the cages.

Soon, the guard was met with the room he was meant to be in, being blocked by another pair of guards. With a quick nod, he was allowed entry, coming into a room he had only once been in before.

A long table stood before him, 12 members sitting with their heads bowed. A throne stood at the end of this massive table, a mighty gong standing behind. And sitting on the throne was a mighty man, too far away for the guard to preserve. But the way a sudden force of fear and respect came onto him, the guard knew this was his master.

A man was kneeling on the table, blood issuing from his mouth as he held his chest, his clothes in tatters as he gasped. The man on the throne held a hand to his temples as he watched the man struggle for breath. It was as if he was bored by this.

"Please…spare me…I beg you…my son will not know what has become of his father, I-"

"Then it will be good on the boy so that he will not have a spineless welp of a father to parent him. You have disappointed me, you know. All I asked was for you to simply deal with a merchant that had wronged us. But instead, you help him flee from proper justice." the master sighed, shaking his head.

"He owed nothing to you! You forced him to give all his earnings to you! He was going poor, he had no home and was sleeping in his cart! You squeezed the last cent out of him to build this damn castle, and once he truly had nothing left you sent me to kill him! I have dealt with you for so long, but I have had enough! I'm sticking to the few morals I have left, and I will no longer serve under you!" the man spat, huffing at using his few breaths to say all that. Still, the master did not even react, turning to a member of his table before turning back to the man.

"Tell me, does your son have a mother?" he asked. Hesitantly, the man shook his head.

"N-No…his mother passed away from sickness. I'm all he has left, the only one that can take care of him…so please, just let me go, I shall not spill a secret of the Indo-"

"Then it will be a shame should he learn of your fate. Deal with the traitor." The figure he had turned to, a short girl wielding twin swords hopped on the table, grabbing the man and bringing a sword to his throat.

"G-Gah! Damn you, damn you! This path you've chosen to walk will be met with a bitter end, know this! I hope you get your comeuppance, I know you shall! Know this, know this Ou D-"

The girl did not allow him to continue further. His voice was cut off into sputtering as he flopped on the table, red crimson dripping from the girl's blade.

"Urk…greh…Wa…Wan…" he croaked out, before his unwavering spirit came to a halt.

"Excellent work, Lin. However, you did allow him to crow on a bit too long. Next time, make it quick." the master said, the girl bowing as she retreated to her seat. The guard audibly coughed, hoping to get attention from this moment of awkwardness. All eyes turned to him as the master leaned forward.

"Ah, our guard. Speak your piece, and tell me why you have interrupted." he called, the guard bowing quickly out of respect.

"Y-Yes master. You see, two people approached our gate. An old man and a girl. They didn't seem to want to join, so we turned them away. The girl was awfully disrespectful as well, master. I figured you should know." he said. The master huffed, shaking his head.

"Not worth my time. Telling me about a pair of strangers that so quickly fled. Back to your post at once and learn not to disrupt me again when I am engaged in business."

"Y-Yes master! Of course…" The guard mumbled, turning away to hustle out the door. He cursed under his breath, muttering to himself.

"Stupid old man, getting me in trouble! Talking about unmatched wasps…"

As if a candle had been lit, the master reared from his throne, the sitters looking up, still silent. "Halt. What have you said, guard?"

"G-Gah!" the guard quickly turned around, bowing again. "F-Forgive me, master! I was simply repeating a silly proverb that old man had said, something about a man being outmatched against wasps!"

The master's eyes finally widened, before a small smile crossed his lips.

"A proverb…about being outmatched against wasps…listen here, guard. If that man and girl come near here again, tell me immediately. Do you understand?" the guard hastily nodded.

"Good. Now go. I am still at business and it does not concern you." the guard bowed once more before retreating from the room, the master lounging on his throne once more.

"Well, if this old man is who I believe him to be, then I will have myself a most splendid time soon. That old man shall know true power from my way, not by his pitiable kung-fu. Only then will my art be preserved…and my legacy will be written in history!" the man cheered, the members at the table bowed as he held up his right fist to the sky, swirling mist collecting around the hand before it erupted into a startling fire.

"Yes, you shall see, old man…" he muttered, dismissing the fire from his fist as he opened his hand, rubbing at a scar on his palm.

A cross-shaped scar that glowed, then faded away.

"You shall see…"