47 Personal Disciples

The shift was instant, and had Momo not recalled why Sana's actions felt so familiar to her and expected something of the sort it would have been far too late. As it was, Momo was forced to shift into her true form to react in time, catching Sana's fist with the strength of an Advanced Bottom Origination, crushing the Storm of Fists before it could even showcase any of it's power.

Sana had no words for her amazement or her feelings as she felt Momo's gaze while her fist felt like all the bones inside it would break under a simple squeeze. All her instincts told her that only now did Momo consider Sana herself as an equal after a sort, a threatening existence that required extreme measures.

Without a doubt, the Pheonix had decided that this was no eagle. It was a baby Roc. And as such there was indeed grounds for the Pheonix to compare itself with and to even show some degree of wariness about the Roc in the future. And only now that it decided to do so did Sana realize just how overwhelming Momo truly was, as Sana was the only one who knew that Momo had crushed a Low Origination Technique from herself at Perfect Broken Origination with her bare hand's raw power.

Not even Grand Elder Ichirou knew how much Sana had stacked into her Storm of Fists, thinking it was closer to 20 instead.

Sana couldn't stop herself from asking in a whisper. "What kind of monster are you?" The deep sadness in Momo's eyes frightened Sana more than any anger or arrogance ever would have. Because her sadness was the sadness of one who wanted to give mercy and was left with no choice.

In an equally soft voice, Momo whispered back. "Now more than ever, I am sorry Sana. I hope you will recover from this swiftly." She lifted her mace to end this fight in a single attack with her full strength. A commanding tone stopped her.

"Enough! Stop this idiotic nonsense at once!" Grand Elder Ichirou ordered Deacon Gorou, who separated Sana and Momo. "Elder Jirou, explain the purpose of this farce. Now."

Face grim, Elder Jirou handed his brother the manual for the Mighty Mace. Grand Elder Ichirou looked through it. "Did you ask her any questions about it?"

Deacon Gorou answered before Elder Jirou. "I did lord brother. Her understanding exceeded my own, though she had extensive study."

"Was your understanding deep enough to conclude ownership of the manual, prior study and ability to put it in practice?" Grand Elder Ichirou asked.

"Yes lord brother, at the very least on the simpler matters." Deacon Gorou agreed.

"Momo, I am willing to take you as my personal disciple. Are you willing to have such an old and foolish master after the actions of his foolish younger brother?" The Grand Elder offers with a single further question. He had learned enough about Momo as a person from watching her fight. In terms of talent, personality and especially Comprehension she exceeded anyone else he'd ever seen.

Momo hesitated only a second. "Is it possible for you to accept Cifer and Sana as well?" She had to know, and would not wish to gain protection alone when the other two might also be targeted.

This humble request, given from a pure heart, touched Grand Elder Ichirou deeply. But another present was outraged.

"Ignorant and greedy slut! Do you not realize that as a Grand Elder of the Skull Sect, my brother has completely thrown away his own face to even consider a scheming whore like you!?" Elser Jirou swore he would destroy Momo by any means necessary. Somehow she had convinced Sana to lose on purpose and now even his older brother had been taken in! "But you expect him to also take in a fake and some unknown ant? Do you not know the immensity of the heavens and earth?!"

While his second brother was ranting, Gorou informed his older brother of Cifer's perfect score on the entrance exam, his Azure Manifestation and the match with Sana.

Hearing the quality of Momo's recommendations, Grand Elder Ichirou nodded. "I will extend the same invitation to Sana as well, and to Cifer when I meet him. Little brother Gorou tells me he is as exceptional as yourself, and Sana rules supreme over an entire Tier within the Skull Sect."

Wasting no time, he turned to Sana. Grand Elder Ichirou opened his mouth, saying "Sana, I am willing to take you as my personal disciple. Are you willing to have such an old and foolish master after the actions of his foolish younger brother?"

Both Momo and Sana bowed. "Disciple greets Master." Before long they'd gone to Cifer the same question, getting the same answer. Then their Master ordered them into closed door Cultivation for a week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oji had a difficult time thinking of a month in his life he cursed as much as he had during the teaching tour of Zhou. Literally the only bright spit had been the kid and the first half of his stay with Momo and that ice cold Grand Elder bitch. There he goes again!

"I hate teaching. I hate kids. I hate laziness. I hate school." Oji had nearly turned the list of things he hated about the job into a mantra, and it was a nearly endless list that simply kept having more added.

So far, out of 100 Clans he was being paid to visit on the behalf of the Crimson Sect Oji had visited less than half and had spent the majority of his available time. So he'd have to visit 2, 3, and even 4 Clans in a day to catch up to the schedule. Right now he was on the extreme western edge of Zhou's Skull Sect to a small group called the Kuro Clan.

When Oji arrived they had been slaughtered to the last man and a Qin flag was waving over the city the Kuro Clan once ruled. "Well that's just f*cking perfect." Oji curses.