Useless martial arts

Cai Kang is in Shenmi where she decides to look around the shopping district after leaving Ren and Saeko to finish getting groceries. Due to the more modern look, it is a balance between futuristic and traditional marketplaces with a few exceptions, no cars, no lampposts or signs that light up. 

"Runaway horse!" a passerby yells.

Horse? Cai Kang turns towards the sound to truly witness a runaway horse speeding through the crowd, who all managed to barely avoid the horse speeding advances. Cai Kang notices that the rider is unconscious. Thinking fast, she jumped onto the horse and forcibly pulled the reins to stop it. After the horse stopped, Cai Kang got off the horse and glared at its rider. She forcibly dragged the irresponsible man off the horse and slapped the guy on the face several times with everyone as her witness. He is not injured so either he is a heavy sleeper or intoxicated. She then noticed his clothing. Unlike the Kimono that he saw the Shiratori family wear on their first meeting, his has gold lining. But the fact that he is riding a horse in this time and age means he is either putting up appearances or cannot use chi and can only travel by horse.

Then the guy finally opens his eyes to see Cai Kang and the crowd. Remembering what happened, he quickly got up. "Thank you for saving my life!" He yelled and did a dogeza in front of her. "I'm so sorry!"

Cai Kang is taken aback by this sudden display seconds after he woke up. "I didn't do it to save your life. I just wanted to stop the horse so no need to thank me. Just take care of the horse before it causes any damage."

Cai Kang pats the horse a bit before the man approached her and suddenly opened a pouch, attached to the side of the horse, in front of her. It popped like a spore and Cai Kang immediately went limp upon inhaling it and fell into the man's arms still conscious. 

Paralysis powder?! Cai Kang couldn't move, talk or even make an expression. Shit, I can't move. Even with chi, it will take a few minutes at most to get her bearings. She then looked at the man's expression. Once I start moving again, I'm gonna break him. She internally swore.

"I'm sorry miss. I will take you to my home to help you recover as repayment." He lifts her up in a valiant way in the eyes of the people but to Cai Kang, he is just some pretty boy pervert trying to make himself look chivalrous. 

"You see. I accidentally inhaled the smoke and had gotten affected from it. It seems that you weren't able to avoid it either."

Fucking liar! He opened it in front of me. she snarled.

"With my help, you will be better in no time."

He then helped her on the horse then rode off. The witnesses do not sense any malice towards the rider as he provided compensation for the damages caused by the horse. 

Saeko and Ren left the store with groceries when they noticed a man in horseback. As if that wasn't strange enough, they noticed a completely stunned Cai Kang who is limp on top of the horse.

"What the? Cai Kang?!" Ren says in a panicked voice.

The expression she has despite her paralyzed state is one of shock. Recognizing this as a kidnapping, Saeko didn't act twice as she used a hairpin and aimed it at the rider but she missed and he quickly got away. It wasn't in vain though. They already got what they need just by seeing the crest on the back of his kimono.

"I've seen that crest before but where?" Ren said.

"The Morinaga Guild." Saeko said in shock and grabbed her phone where she makes a call. "I might need to call this in."

__________________________________________________________________________

Cai Kang was paralyzed while on the horse. Even though, it only it takes a few minutes to get the drug out of her system, the kidnapper managed to take her inside his mansion. Since she can't move, she can't move her eyes as well. Then she is carried by various women and taken into a room.

"Man, she is quite stiff. She is quite rigid underneath her clothes. " One of them said. 

"She is quite volumptuous though. If it wasn't for her large chest, I may not think of her as a woman." Another one said.

"Perhaps the young master has this kind of taste?" The lady said.

"Maybe, how long does the potion last again?"

"Two hours." 

The body-shaming comments are not only offensive but embarrassing as they are all touching her while they take her away especially when they think she is unconscious. When she gains movement, she is gonna teach the girls a lesson. Then a sudden thought appeared in her head. One of her first lessons is to not attack women when she was at primary school. Cai Kang wants to scoff. 'Don't hit girls my ass.' Cai Kang is half woman too so that rule doesn't apply to her at all and there is no rule that prohibits teaching someone a lesson. Cai Kang is then gently placed on a futon and covered up.

Not long after the girls put her down, Cai Kang finally can feel her fingers move. After that, her chi has eradicated the rest of the drug from her body.

Yes!

Cai Kang didn't waste time getting up and scaring the two maids guarding outside. Cai Kang grabbed the girls by their collars.

"Now, you girls shouldn't body-shame people, you know. Especially ones who have worked hard to gain their physique." Cai Kang glared menacingly, scaring the girls. 

"Body shame?"

"You really think that potion would be able to keep me down for long? Now, you're gonna tell me where I am before you get even more hurt." she threatened.

__________________________________________________________________________

"What?!" Noriko yelled on the phone. She was painting something until she received a call in their home. She is wearing a smock already covered in paint.

"I'm afraid that Cai Kang has been kidnapped by a high member of the Morinaga guild. Is the master home? I wasn't able to contact him." Saeko said on the other side.

"He's not. You're gonna have to call Yae." She said.

"Yae is not answering her phone either. I seem to recall that Toya has a game somewhere and Yae has to take him there."

"Why the hell is the merchant guild kidnapping Cai Kang anyway?" Noriko said on the other end.

"So far, we have gotten no leads but Cai Kang was a woman on her moment of her kidnapping. I can only guess on the assumption that it may be..." Saeko is a bit hesitant to finish it.

"Bride-napping?" Ren suggested.

"Bride-napping?" Noriko said incredulously. "The hell? Who the hell does this person thinks he is? If I remember my history, this practice was banned in Luminescent over a thousand years ago and even then only the common people practiced it. Why did a rich guy on a horse decided to do that anyway?" She said.

"No clue. But he is riding a horse which means he is struggling." Ren said.

"It won't be hard to find him but I'm gonna need you to get Kazuha." Saeko said.

Noriko stopped for a bit and smiled. "Kazu-nee is not home. I got an even better idea."

__________________________________________________________________________

Cai Kang left the room leaving the girls with red swollen cheeks and tears. She got information as to where she is. She is in a summer home of the Morinaga family, who are the leaders and managers of one of the most powerful japanese merchant guild in Shenmi. The kidnapper is the third young master of the family. As for why he kidnapped her, they're not entirely sure.

It doesn't look like a summer villa. Cai Kang thought while wandering around the area. This place is even bigger and western than the Shiratori estate. Apparently they really like the western look.

She then sense someone approaching her direction. It was an old short man with a bushy mustache. Cai Kang can sense that this guy is skilled. The fact that she doesn't know what he does is surprising. 

"My young master wishes to see you in his room." He said. "He will provide an explanation as to why you are here."

Cai Kang knows better than to cause problems even though she really wants to. The door opened to the young man sitting at his desk while a doctor stitches his wound on the side of his torso. She looks at her kidnapper in contempt.

"Why the hell did you kidnap me? What's your motive?" said Cai Kang darkly.

"I know that you're upset but I have a justifiable reason as to why you are brought here, miss." He said, putting on his robes. 

Cai Kang's eyes are on his injuries. Saeko threw something at him and that resulted in a deep cut that requires stitches. "You're injured so I'm not gonna beat you up but I'm getting the hell out of here."

The guy outstretched his hand to stop Cai Kang. "No, wait! Please listen to what I have to say. My name is Morihiko and I need students in my new animal mimicry martial arts. If you agree then you can be my successor." He said.

"Sounds fake" she said flatly. She has read newsletters of every martial arts in the world. Animal mimicry was the base for martial arts but the way he puts it doesn't seem to be the case. He doesn't even look like a martial arts practitioner. She has heard of certain martial arts practices but none of them are practical in every way hence they don't get to put a name on themselves. He is one of them.

"I failed to be acknowledged because it was deemed useless. Now I have no options. Please be my first disciple."

Cai Kang is visibly annoyed and went face to face with the man. "First of all. Masters don't kidnap their students and beg them to be their student and second, if your martial arts is useless then it's useless. End of story. And third, I am the heir to the Cai school of martial arts. I cannot be a student of a different school." The man is clearly taken aback by the statement.

"You are already a martial artist?" He silently asked.

"Yeah, you kidnapped me without even asking if I was a student in a school first." She glared at the man. "Besides, martial arts schools are usually hereditary. Your heir must be your kid or son-in-law." Then she realized why he kidnapped her.

Seeing her reaction, he knew what she was thinking about. "Yes. I need an heir. You are a woman of strength. If you marry me then I will train our child to take my place. I will ensure your financial wellbeing. Money is no problem for me." He said.

Cai Kang shivered. Even though she is half woman, she is also half man. The thought of being a mother is foreign to her, not to mention impossible. "Gross. Listen, Things are already discussed in terms of my marriage prospects and besides-" Her body morphed into a man. -what happens if I don't fit those terms anymore?" he said.

"What happened?" he cried out.

"It's my special trait. I change genders."

The man was devastated and moved to tears.

"Oh stop crying." He said.

"And I thought I found someone who could save my fate." he said.

"Whether or not you found a wife, it won't save your dojo. Give it up. If your martial arts is really that useless then there's no point." Cai Kang said. "And save your fate? You're not in danger, are you?" He said. 

"I am."

He's really distressed. Cai Kang thought. "From what?"

"You see,"

Then they were interrupted by the sounds of yelling.

"Where the hell is that bastard?!" 

Cai Kang immediately recognized the voice and turns to its direction. "Great, it's Snow white." He groaned. But he is relieved that Saeko acted fast. He ran out the door and saw Kurai with Saeko. 

"There you are!" Saeko yelled. 

"I'm fine. The drug wore off pretty quickly." Cai Kang said. "I'm interrogating the guy around the time you came in."

"Let's go see him." Kurai said and speed walks to the room.

"Wait, what are you doing here?" Cai Kang asked and followed him.

"Seaweed girl called me to come to your place telling me that you got kidnapped. She took me to the Inverse, I followed your scent and met her along the way." He points his thumb at Saeko.

"Where's Ren?" Cai Kang asked.

"He went home. It is too dangerous for him to stay here right now." Saeko replied.

Kurai looked at the guy who is intimidated at the terrifying cold glare from the trio.

"So, you're the perv who kidnapped the turtle."

"He kidnapped me to be his disciple at his martial arts school and also be his wife." He said.

"Gross" Kurai commented.

"That's what I said." Cai Kang said.

"I'm afraid to tell you this. But even if he agreed, he can't. He has a marriage agreement with our clan." Saeko said to him.

"May I ask what clan you are from?" Morihiko curiously asked.

Saeko pulled out a seal with an engraved emblem. The man was pale upon seeing it. The outline of a swan with outstretched wings inside a white circle.

"That crest..." He said silently and looked at Cai Kang again. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know that I offended someone closely associated with the Shiratori family!" He cried out in a dogeza style again.

Saeko puts it away. "Now, why is a high ranking member of the Morinaga guild trying to recruit someone by kidnapping them?" She said.

Morihiko is a bit hesitant. "I am the third master of the Morinaga family. My oldest brother is the heir and my second brother has talent. I have none. I want to study martial arts and have my own school but I do not have talent as I create my own techniques. I failed and I lose the tournament every time. If I win, I can rebuild my dojo."

"You said that you failed every year. Even if you do win the tournament, chances are that it would close again." Cai Kang said.

"The hell does that mean?" Kurai asked. 

"The Himiko tournament is one of Japan's biggest tournaments. The senior division is when students from different martial arts schools come together to display their strength for glory, fame, and even power. There is no clear winner but those who do are all sure to have bright futures. Many no-name schools often participate in order to gain prestige and show how strong their schools are to others and also gain legitimacy by the government." Saeko said.

"He says that his school is called the Animal mimicry martial arts." Cai Kang said. "Know anything about it?" He said.

"According to newsletters, The Animal mimicry martial arts school is completely useless as it doesn't give them a tactical, practical, or even a theoretical advantage in martial arts." Saeko said.

"If it's that bad, then it should be best to give up." Kurai said. "Just simply getting strong people to learn your techniques are worthless if the techniques wouldn't even allow them to protect themselves."

"I should also mention that in order to participate in the tournament, you need at least ten students. Cai Kang is only one person."

"I know. This is why I kidnapped you thinking you are a woman. If I have a strong heir then that child could continue and after putting that child in a martial arts path then he would be a grandmaster."

"It is best to give it up. No one's gonna take you seriously anyway." Kurai said. "I know a lost cause when I see one. You are too old to train and to cultivate your chi and you are physically too weak."

"I still need an heir," Morihiko said.

"No one fits that criteria. Get a girl the normal way unless you want to get arrested." Cai Kang said. 

"Please I'm begging you! It is my life's work." He was crying at this point.

"You have a large house, staff, and future. Focus on that." He said. "Your family could still help you. If you want then you can start becoming different by being a student at the Shiratori dojo."

"I can?" Morihiko said.

"The Dojo has classes where it could be nurturing for your body even without using chi-level martial arts." Saeko said.

"Give up on your endeavor on your animal mimicry martial arts and dojo and focus on your inheritance and how to run your business and be the best person you can be." Cai Kang said. "You just need someone to push you into the right direction."

Morihiko wiped his tears. "I... will think about it."

The three are all escorted out of the estate and they all head back to the mountain where the portal is.

__________________________________________________________________________

Morihiko went back to his family after thinking this through and reconciled with them and even became a student at the Hinagi school where he learns martial arts which suits his physical needs. Also, Cai Kang got the recipe for the paralysis powder for compensation and bribery so that he wouldn't sue him.