The sun dipped low and with golden light dancing over black banners, Shifu walked home.
He ran home under a darkening sky, the scent of nightbloom flowers rising as stars pierced the firmament of Kyouyen.
And unseen from the rooftops above
Two golden threads shimmered in the dusk. One straight and one fraying.
Only the wind noticed…
how they both led to Amer.
The morning, Shifu woke up early as he had to start packing his things for Amer. He packs lightly, repeatedly packing and unpacking. After few minutes, he closes his satchel and gets up to get ready for the day.
"What a cool wind today!" exclaims Shifu upon opening the windows.
Sweepers were cleaning before dirt even arrived, dockworkers were singing to keep hold of time and spice merchants were arguing over scent of spices instead of prices in a distance.
All bathed and ready to eat, he scuttled downstairs and met her mother in the kitchen making some breakfast for him and his father.
"I have to go to the market today to buy some groceries, wait for me at the door after you are done with the breakfast, we will go together"
"Yes, Ma"
After heartfully finishing their breakfast, Ma and Shifu walk to the market as busy as ever even in the morning.
"Watch out Mister" Shifu remarks at a courier about to bump into them.
"This way goes there and then right and down and...., oh sorry ma'am and mister, I was so busy memorising this route to Master Kaen's house that I wasn't watching my feet.."
"First right, then straight, then left and then down goes the road straight to his road." remarked Shifu
"Oh, thank you"
They finally arrived at Dinjun's stall, his mom's favourite stall as he would lower prices for her."
"250 pounds lettuce, a bunch of radish and cucumber." Shifu's mom asks Dinjun to sell.
"It will be 50 coins" says Dinjun
"Huh, the whole thing would cost no more than 38 coins, I am your regular customer, that price won't do"
"You will have to wait few more days for the price to lower down as the farmer lost his crops to rain last month, so produce is low. We are having the extra things brought from other towns, but it will take a few days to arrive"
"It still doesn't explain the rise in price by more than 10 coins!!."
"I can't lower the price to less than 45" exclaims Dinjun
"That will be fine"
"Mom he is probably lying. How can someone lower their prices so quickly." remarks Shifu
"Don't worry Shifu. I know him since yesteryears. His voice is true to his breath."
Dinjunn: "See you again, madam"
Out of nowhere they both saw Kaen walking towards the same stall they were at.
"Morning, Master Kaen, I heard you were finishing Shifu's training today" exclaims Shifu's Mother
"Yes, it's true. He is almost of the age when most of my students graduate. However, he is one of the earliest to graduate this year and he is very hardworking and sincere. I am really proud to have him as my student."
"So nice to hear so many praises from you, Master Kaen."
"I was thinking that he needs more experience and he should go on a trip, if you allow" says Kaen.
"Oh! he can do as he pleases, I don't mind." Shifu's mother replies with a delay and heaviness.
Kaen: "Don't worry, I will take good care of him and he will be back."
Shifu was listening to their conversation: "I don't remember you telling me about me graduating, Master Kaen!!."
"I decided it two days ago only, that's why the trip to Amer.... I will be waiting for you at the Doujin yard"
Doujin yard was a spare ground at a corner of the town on a hill. It was used only for sparring and that too rarely as it was a bit far.
Shifu and Mother part their ways. All excited Shifu walks to the yard. As usual Master Kaen had reached almost an hour ago.
"Again," Kaen said.
Shifu adjusted his stance, blade aligned cleanly to the Line. Kaen watched without moving. Shifu exhaled, stepped in, and cut his sword. Kaen wasn't there. Not because he moved fast but because he moved early.
"Missed"
Shifu recovered into position. "You are moving unpredictably and faster than usual, I'll obviously miss you as I am not so perfect yet."
"Nothing is ever usual or unusual, it's only whether it's predictable for you or not. Never forget to measure the movements and the momentum they generate in any direction before you swing your sword". Kaen replied. "Again."
Shifu reset. This time he waited. Too long. Kaen tapped his wrist with the flat of his blade.
"You're asking permission," Kaen said. "From whom?"
Shifu frowned. "From you." Kaen shook his head. "From yourself." They circled.
"Attack," Kaen said.
Shifu moved. The cut was clean and familiar. Kaen met it with the blade of his sword with a defensive technique called as "mon" - just enough redirection to make the blade pass harmlessly by.
"Stop," Kaen said.
Kaen gestured at Shifu's shoulders. "Too tight."
"I was focused."
"You were afraid of being wrong."
Shifu bristled. "I wasn't."
Kaen raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you breathing like you're apologizing?"
Shifu flushed and corrected his breath. Kaen stepped back, lowering his blade. "Sit."
Shifu blinked. "We're done?"
"No," Kaen said. "We're starting."
They sat on the edge of the yard, blades resting beside them.
"Tell me," Kaen said, "how many Shung-fui masters do you think fought exactly the way I taught you?"
Shifu hesitated. "I am not sure, what you mean. I am sure there are lots of advanced stances and techniques, that you still haven't taught me, that the masters know of. Once I learn them, I shall become one like them too."
Kaen laughed "None. There are no other stances or techniques that can be taught in Shung-fui"
Shifu stiffened. "What you mean to say is that all those masters everyone speaks of used only the seven basic principles you taught me, and that there are no other techniques or stances? I faintly remember tales of royal masters slicing the air with their blades, shattering armor with bare hands, and more. Are all those myths just lies?"
"No, they are partially true. There do exist some masters who can slice air with their blades or destroy armour. But it is also true that, every master has ever only learned the seven principles you know of. None of them were ever taught anything outside of it. They all learned everything else that you know of by themself" Kaen replied.
"Kon"- rooting your whole body over the ground.
"Sen" - Line that the blade must always align to.
"Iki" - the rhythm of your breaths that decide the unconscious momentum of your body.
"ma" - the measure and predictability of space where your enemy lies and is about to lie when you strike.
"modori" - the recovery of stamina and balance that your body demands to remain in tune with natural forces.
"Sei" - the silence that precedes the storm and has it's own story.
"mon" - the defensive stances that you can control or take to prevent invasion of your mind or body.
He leaned back on his hands, gaze distant.
"There was a master whose body was slow," Kaen continued. "Not injured. Just… unwilling. He never won exchanges quickly. So he stopped trying," Kaen said. "He built Shung fui that waited. Opponents thought he hesitated. They rushed. He never did."
Kaen looked at Shifu. "Same basics. Different timing."
"There was another, who breathed too shallow. Couldn't fix it. So, he changed his movement to fit his breath instead."
"Isn't that wrong?" Shifu asked.
Kaen shrugged. "Only if you believe the technique is more important than the person performing it."
Shifu frowned. "But the basics"
"do not change," Kaen finished. "They support."
They resumed positions.
"Attack me as if you were angry."
Shifu hesitated.
"Not dramatic, just honest."
Shifu tightened his grip and stepped in harder than before. The cut came faster, shorter. Kaen parried and staggered half a step.
Kaen grinned. "Good. Again."
They exchanged three more blows. Each time, Shifu's movement was rougher, less elegant, but Kaen had to work for the defense.
"Now," Kaen said suddenly, "attack me as if you were tired."
Shifu did. Slower. Less commitment. Kaen slipped inside the cut and placed his blade at Shifu's throat.
"See?" Kaen said. "Same technique. Different truth."
Shifu's breathing was uneven now. Sweat ran down his temple.
Kaen circled him. "Shung fui is not a collection of moves. It's a way of listening."
"To what?" Shifu asked.
Kaen tapped Shifu's chest with two fingers. "That."
Then his forehead. "That."
Then the space between them. "And this."
Shifu swallowed. "You never taught me that part."
Kaen smiled faintly. "You weren't ready to understand it yet."
They sparred again.
This time, Kaen did something unexpected, he fought badly.
His stance was loose. His cuts slightly off-line. His breath irregular. Shifu seized the opening, then stopped.
"You're baiting me," Shifu said. Kaen nodded. "Good. Why didn't you strike?"
"Because it felt wrong."
"Describe 'wrong'."
Shifu struggled. "It was… early. Or late. I don't know."
Kaen's expression softened. "That feeling is what scholars chase for the rest of their lives."
He straightened. "That is why I can't teach you what comes next."
Shifu's chest tightened. "So, what do I do in Amer?"
Kaen sheathed his blade. "You experience."
"That's not helpful."
He stepped closer. "You will see fighters who break form and call it freedom. You will see others cling to form and call it purity."
He placed a hand on Shifu's shoulder. "Do neither."
Shifu looked up. "Then what do I do?"
Kaen met his gaze. "Identify your rhythm."
"My what?"
"The pace at which your body agrees with your mind and the pace at which both agree with whatever it is you carry when you're quiet."
Shifu frowned. "That sounds like... a long journey,"
"Yes."
They both stepped back, breathing hard.
Kaen nodded once. "You're ready to leave Kyouyen."
Shifu exhaled shakily. "I don't feel ready."
"Good," Kaen said. "That means you're not lying to yourself."
He turned away, then paused.
"One last thing," Kaen said.
"Yes, Master?"
"When you find yourself changing how you fight," Kaen said, "ask this question before you keep it."
Shifu waited.
"Does this build upon the basics… or does it avoid them?"
Shifu nodded slowly. "I understand."
Kaen smiled. "No, you don't. But you will."