Chapter 16: Shijin

After entering the library, Li wandered around for a while, searching for the section Hakim had pointed out during his first visit. Once he found it, he began to examine each book, looking for something useful. 

Half of the books on the shelves were about martial arts that Jihan was somewhat familiar with, though all of them seemed more advanced than what he knew. Utilizing the mana circulating in the environment, the techniques were adapted to be more powerful. The other half consisted of styles he had never heard of. These martial arts appeared to be created specifically based on mana, meaning they would be mostly useless in a world without it, except for a few. 

"Mr. Li," a female voice broke the silence. A girl with glasses and wavy brown hair held a square object in her arms. 

"What do you want?" Li asked, turning to Liming. He was still irritated, and they hadn't exchanged a word since their last encounter. 

"I think I crossed the line. I honestly didn't think you'd be so upset..." 

"And what do you know about me?" he interrupted. "We've known each other for barely two days." 

"You're right, I don't know anything about you. That's why I want to apologize and offer a reconciliation gift." 

Liming, who had been hiding what she was holding, revealed a black book adorned with golden details. The title read "Postures of Shijin." 

"What's this?" 

"I heard that the dictator... I mean, director, 'adopted' you, so I asked her how I could help you," she said, looking at the volume in her hands. "The answer I got was this book. I hope it's helpful." Liming extended her hands and offered it to him. 

Receiving the book, Jihan asked, "What's it about?" 

"Shijin are the guardians of the four cardinal directions," the woman said, adjusting her glasses. "The turtle represents the Black Warrior. The red bird represents the Phoenix. The white tiger represents the Kirin, and lastly, the Dragon represents itself. This manual is probably one of the most, if not the most, comprehensive in this library. It serves both as a guide for a fighting style and for cultivation." 

Li was speechless for a few seconds. He was still somewhat resentful of the girl's actions, but seeing her effort to make peace touched him. 

"Thank you. I'll make good use of it," he said gratefully. 

"You're welcome. If you need anything, I'll be here." Liming bowed and, adjusting her glasses, left, leaving the boy alone. 

"The four postures? Sounds interesting." Jihan began to read. 

The four celestial beings are incomplete when separated but balanced when together. The turtle, representing the north, is the guardian god of water and death. Its protective shell is impenetrable and shields those who are afflicted by pain. The Phoenix, representing the south, is the guardian god of fire and life. Its flames grant vitality to allies and burn enemies. The white tiger, representing the west, is the guardian god of metal and earth. Its claws pierce any shield, and its roar shakes mountains. Finally, the Dragon, representing the east, is the guardian god of storms and skies. Everything the air touches is its domain. 

"If I understand correctly, I have to learn the postures of the four guardians? Since each has its weaknesses and strengths, I see no other option." Li continued reading the manual. "In any case, most of this will only be useful when I can use mana, but if I get ahead on the physical part, I'll have a good advantage after the release." 

The arts of the Phoenix and Dragon prioritized the use of the lower limbs, the legs. The Turtle and Tiger prioritized the upper limbs. Only by combining the techniques of all four would the martial art be complete. Without any of them, a significant flaw would inevitably appear. 

The texts contained images and exact descriptions, but to Jihan, who had never studied, they seemed more like riddles than tutorials. "I need someone who can teach me this, but who?" 

"You seem a bit lost, young man." A voice emerged beside Jihan. 

"Sir?" Li was caught off guard. Pausing momentarily, he looked at the book in his hand and asked the librarian, "Can you help me with this?" 

"Haha, I'm no fighter, boy. The most I can do is suggest someone who can help you, though you've already met her." The old man smiled. 

"Are you talking about Amelie? Can she really help me with this?" 

The old man started laughing. "Not only can she help, but she's probably the only one who can. Don't underestimate that woman, boy. She's a monster in human form. Honestly, I don't understand why she chose to supervise the tests this year... maybe she was looking for a new guinea pig." 

Li pondered for a few moments before standing up. "Well, I feel recovered thanks to the pill, maybe I can try this today." 

"Sir, can I take this with me?" he asked. 

"Of course! However, you can't leave the structure where the tests are held with it, otherwise, you'll be listed as wanted for stealing a divine institution, hahaha." 

The boy chuckled. "Makes sense, this place does feel like a divine palace." Hakim saying this as if it were a joke startled him a bit, but it also reminded him of something. 

"By the way, what did you mean by 'I think a library is better for weakening your enemy'?" Li asked. His mind was getting sharper day by day. "That's what you said that day..." 

"Oh, that? Well, it's simple. This place contains millennia of information. Probably most of your future opponents are listed and described somewhere here," he replied. "So, study well; it might be useful someday!" 

Thinking for a few minutes, Hakim's advice made a lot of sense. Knowing your enemies is as important as knowing yourself, and Jihan had already applied this in his daily life before coming to this place, always trying to get some information about his next opponent from those who knew the area best, like Gordon. 

"Only by unraveling both can you win a battle... I really miss him," he thought. 

"Thank you for the advice, sir!" Bowing, he thanked Hakim and left. 

After Jihan left, Hakim turned to one of the shelves. 

"Now that he's gone, you can come out." 

Footsteps were heard in the corridor next door, and when the source of the sound rounded the corner, a Half-Elf peeked around the edge of the shelf. 

"My dear, if you're worried about him, you should say something." 

"I'm not worried. I know he can handle himself... apparently even better than I can." 

"You underestimate yourself and overestimate the other... you're not nearly as weak as you think, and he's not nearly as strong as you think..." 

"Do you really think so...?" Akemi asked, looking down. 

"I do, but how true that is, only you and he can answer," Hakim said. "Just be careful that while treading your own path, you don't get lost on it... A closed heart is a safe harbor... but that's not what hearts were made for, is it?" 

Meanwhile, already entering through the academy door, Li was mentally preparing to ask Amelie for the favor of teaching him. "Alright, breathe deeply and speak with conviction, Li Jihan!" he thought to himself. 

BAM 

"You're back already, boy!" Amelie shouted, slapping Jihan on the back. "Ready for the second round?" 

Feeling the pain from the slap, Jihan rubbed the spot. "Miss, I'm here to ask you a favor." 

"A favor? What do you need? As long as it's possible, I'll try to help. I'm your friend, after all." 

"She calls that torture friendship? How does she treat enemies, then?" The thought crossed Jihan's mind, but he didn't dare voice it. 

"I need help practicing this," he said, handing over the book. "You told me to choose a martial art in the library, so I chose this one, but I can't learn it alone." 

Taking the book in her hands and reading the title, Amelie looked at Li. 

"I wouldn't try this right off the bat, boy." 

"What do you mean by that?" 

Scratching the back of her head, she replied, "Well, this is an advanced technique. It will cause extreme strain on your body and drain your ener... Wait a moment... it's perfect!" 

Jihan was surprised by the woman's sudden change in mood. 

"Kid, you're a genius! With your superhuman physique, you're probably the only one who could train such an art right from the start..." 

"Right from the start? But I still can't use mana properly..." 

"And you don't need to! The basis of these techniques is pure brute strength, Taijutsu!" Amelie explained. "They primarily use your physical energy; the mana is just a support!" 

"So... will you help me?" 

"Of course I will! This will be much more fun than before!" she declared, slapping his back again. The pain he felt at that moment made Jihan briefly consider whether he had made a bad decision.