Reborn As The Villain-Chapter 339: SS - 21 Part 2: Mian Xi

The silence in the inn was almost deafening. The onlookers' gazes alternate between Breuk and Arnold.

"Why my master exactly? He is not experienced with your martial arts so how could he help you?"

"I... have a feeling he will be able to teach me other things that will naturally help me improve my control over my martial art." Breuk replied.

"You're sure about that?"

Breuk nodded, a determined expression on his face.

"Hmm..."

Feeling his eyes, Arnold decided to offer a condition.

"Instead of me analyzing, breaking down and understanding your martial art on my own, teach it to me directly—if you give me your word then I will take you to my master."

Someone like Breuk was far more compatible with Sebas' gruesome physical training than Arnold. The training focused on increasing endurance, muscles, speed and strength. The problem is that Arnold is an agile fighter and can compensate for lack of a strong physical body with his immense aura pool. But now that his training with Sebastian is over, he was a hybrid warrior who was more skilled in barehanded combat than swordsmanship. He could close that gap with his martial art but if he were to face off against an actual Master Swordsman like "Enlightened" Flora or Vance von Penston, then he'll have a hard time winning with skill alone.

"Something like that in exchange for my martial art... Hng..." Breuk grumbled.

It was definitely an unfair exchange. But he's looking to get stronger and learn to control his martial art. Who better to learn it from than another martial artist with a pure derived martial art—the [Fingers of God]? Something like this is being handed to him on a silver platter so he should be grateful for it.

"Look, I cannot teach it to you—"

Not even bothering to hear him out, Arnold got up wordlessly.

"B-But the materials!" Arnold stopped right when he was about to walk away, "I... I can get you the study materials for the martial art..."

'Blurting something this taboo out loud is surely going to cause trouble for me.' He thought as he glanced at the guards, bartender girl and servant who were still present. All of them did their best to not look at him, pretending that they didn't hear him.

It's not that he doesn't want to do the exchange, it's just that he doesn't know how to teach others the martial art. Even he doesn't understand what it is and how to use it properly. As mentioned before, he either has to use a bit of its power or go all out, as demonstrated in his fight with Arnold. There was no balance to it.

This is what arrogance of one's youth does if you get too full of yourself from getting called a "prodigy".

Turning around, Arnold replied to him:

"You weren't a sect elder of your clan so how is it possible for you—a student—to know where they keep the secrets of your martial art?"

Only clan elders are supposed to know where the materials are and only they are the ones allowed to learn from them. After learning everything the materials offer, they can then decide what to teach the young ones. There are normally meetings between elders to decide that, meetings only sect elders can attend.

"My father... He told me where they were before we parted ways. If ever I wanted to rebuild the clan on my own."

"Really? If your other clansmen found out, he'll be executed for disobeying a clan rule."

"Aye..."

"Hmm..." Arnold thought about it for the moment. He was going back to the academy in a few days and since he can pass all his classes with ease, he won't need to waste time on studying that much.

There will be more time for him to go through the book Sceptim gave him. Not just that, there's also the pure martial art he's after and now Breuk's pure derived martial art.

It's going to be a busy year, not just for Luke but him as well.

"I accept."

**

"Where were you!? I waited hours!" the moment Arnold appeared in front of Mian's door, she pulled him inside and complained.

"What, you couldn't sense me downstairs?"

"Eh? You were downstairs...?" she suddenly blushed and scratched her cheek, "...It's a bit difficult to differentiate people from each other these days..."

"You're one of the most powerful martials in this empire but you can't even use Warrior Sense? Also, shouldn't Yokai have this natural ability to sense energy signatures?"

"I-It would've interfered with my martial art! Humph. Thinking about it, why do I need to know where the enemy is when they can't even harm me?" she stuck her chest out and proclaimed proudly.

"I guess that makes sense..." Arnold noticed her attire—a see-through nightdress and sexy lingerie, the same her afterimages wore.

Noticing his stare, she retreated back, "Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself. I'm not offering myself to you. This is just how I get comfortable." She hugged her bountiful chest and turned away from him.

"How comfortable do you need to be just to teach me your martial art?"

"Well, there is one thing that will require me to dress lightly so that there isn't a lot of things interfering with this training." She blushed for some reason.

"And that is...?"

"I need to pull out your Inner Essence and surround your body in it. That way, it will be easier to adapt to the martial art by starting small."

"I don't even know if I'm capable of using that energy. All I've been using all my life is aura. And what do you mean by it will be easier to learn the martial art with it?"

Lifting her index finger, she explained:

"One: Yokai are naturally capable of forcing out a non-spiritual race's energy regardless of said being's own will. I would be able to force out all your Aether if it wasn't so immense. The mental pressure alone could crush me since I need to be in my invulnerable state that requires me to have the mind of a void. But despite these dangers, you don't need to do anything, just leave it to me." She lifted her middle finger, "Two: Inner Essence is the closest physical connection humans have to a Yokai's spirit form, which allows us to travel through dimensions or survive the vacuum of space. You could say the energy that surrounds us—that is, spirits—are of a better-quality wine than your Inner Essence, that's basically cheap ale but can barely function the same as spirits can."

"By spirits, do you mean the spirits around us or is it another type of spirit I don't know about?"

"Yes, it's spirits. The little creatures that can be found everywhere. Watch what happens to my hand." she lifted her right forearm. A strange white glow suddenly surrounded it, "The white glow is a sign that the spirits heeded my command. If I were a greenhorn at this then this means I can finally stick my hand through physical objects." Saying so, she tried to grab a pitcher from a nearby table but her right hand went through it.

"I can use this ability without the need for these little creatures since I am a spirit myself. Yokai are a type of spirit—I'm sure you knew this?"

"Yeah, I just didn't expect that to be of any significance other than telling you apart from ghosts and undead. I didn't even know your kind have this martial art."

She harrumphed, "It is due to our alienation from the human race that you spout such ignorant nonsense."

"So, even if I manage to succeed, I'll need to keep using Inner Essence? Won't that get in the way of my Aether if I plan to use it in combat?"

"Practice enough then you can use both energies simultaneously. But take care not to use both for combat. As you said, you're inexperienced in handling Inner Essence so there will be a tip in the balance if you use that energy to fight. Then again, Inner Essence is mostly used for body arts. Do you use those?"

"Not even one. My master taught me to circulate my aura in my meridians at an early age so that's where most of my physical strength comes from."

"That is not an easy thing to learn... Either your master is incredibly gifted in the art of teaching or you're just that talented."

"It's a bit of both", he said.

"Pah, there's that arrogance every martial artist that's full of themselves, have! It ruins your handsome face."

"Stop spouting nonsense and let's begin already."

"Hmph."

Watching him intently, she began to slowly take off her nightdress, in an almost provocative manner. Standing in front of him in just her lingerie, she ordered:

"You strip as well."

"Alright."

"Don't take off all your clothes. I don't want to see that thing in your pants. Down to your underwear is fine enough. Adding to what I said earlier about getting comfortable—wearing multiple layers of clothing while practicing this martial art will be like picking several locks at once on the same door. I can handle it but you can't. I wouldn't want your hand to get stuck in my clothes. Skin-on-skin works best for this martial art training." She took a deliberate look around the room and tapped her lip with a strange glint in her eyes, "Since I'm the only human near you, you can practice with me before moving on to inanimate objects."

She pushed her chest out, accentuating her large breasts as if presenting them.

Before long, Arnold was in his boxers, ignoring the succubus trying to tease him. This made her pout silently.

"...So I have to touch you directly?" he looked at her breasts.

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"Like I said, I'm the only other human here. Plus, I can react in time if you happened to lose focus. Any other person will have your hand stuck in them so it's probably best that only I serve as your guinea pig. In any case, you need to experiment with flesh first before moving onto inanimate objects. Moving your hands through living cells, blood vessels, bone, and everything else in the human body is easier to do for beginners than starting with solid walls. I don't know the deep theory to it other than the familiarity you have with your own body that helps you do it easier with humans. You can practice on a door, but one wrong move then you lose a chunk of your flesh and your arm will fall off."

"..."

"Kukuku, scared?"

"No."

"Hmm~ Is that so? Then let's begin. Ah but first," she bent forward and looked at him with an upward glance with her hands on her hips, "Tell me the Spirit King's name."

"Aurelindorilthaswynvaedhiel." He didn't even hesitate to say it.

"E-Eh?" Mian Xi made an idiotic sound and face.

"Aurelindorilthaswynvaedhiel, is the name."

"Why is it so long!?" she ran over to her magic bag that was hanging over a chair and took out a pen and paper, "Write it down! I can't remember it if you just say it to me."

"Fine. But you better not let anyone else see it."

Once he was done, she held the piece of paper like it was the most precious thing in the world. Her fingers were trembling as they traced the lines of the ink.

"...This is the name of the person who can save my people..."

"They aren't your people anymore. You are human and Yokai, one foot on one side and one foot on the other side."

"I know. They'll probably be angry at me for embracing my human side..." she laughed to herself while her gaze travelled down.

She hovered her hand above the parchment of paper. The next moment, a white energy surrounded her fingers. She suddenly drew something in the air and afterwards particles of white sprinkled onto the piece of paper and made it vanish.

'She's going to keep it in her pocket dimension, huh. It's that precious to her.'

Pocket dimension is similar to a space pocket but something that only Yokais can access at will. It's like a gathering place for their people and a safe haven for their treasures. If Mian somehow manages to revive her people, then they'll all appear there.

"You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you." She bowed her head.

"If you were really a Yokai, that wouldn't have meant much to you either."

"Mm, you're right about that."

"Let's move on. I need to be somewhere tomorrow morning."

"You should be at the palace. I didn't pry because I can tell how important it is for you to learn this martial art despite its difficultly. Don't think it will be easy. This martial art was designed for Yokais but humans have the bare minimum required to learn it."

"Bare minimum? You already mentioned Inner Essence but what else is there?"

"The ability to think and to suppress your feelings."

In response to her vague reply, he frowned.

"You already know that all Yokais need to be uncaring even in the face of suffering and cruelty. We must never mourn a loved one or love our mates because all relationships should be purely for purpose and not pleasure or love. Humans are capable of the same thing but by becoming a creature devoid of thought, their true natures come out. That is, true human nature. This is how psychopaths are born and why mental asylums are prevalent in society." She looked at him silently for a moment, "...Take care you do not end up like that once you master this martial art."

"Will you care this much about the poor orphans you want to take under your wing? They'll end up the same as me in the end regardless."

"The skill I'll teach you isn't the only ability my martial art has."

"Oh right, the afterimages and that giant fox."

"Yes, and much more I will rather not show... But if you'd like me to teach you that as well, I will do so. Rather, I implore you to ask more of me because the Spirit King's name bears great value."

After saying so, she climbed onto the bed and patted the spot next to her. Arnold climbed on wordlessly and waited for further instruction. Mian held out her palm to him.

"Now put your hand against mine. I'll pull out your energy then you try and push your own hand through mine. If you fail to keep the energy around your hand, I will be able to react in time so that we don't join flesh—" she suddenly blushed, "Gosh, that came out dirtier than I thought it would."

"..." Arnold silently put his hand against hers.

'My goodness, I didn't realize he had such large hands...' thought Mian Xi when their skin touched. His hand was rugged and full of callouses. His fingers were thicker and longer than hers.

"Ahem, here goes. If you get this right, then trying touching other areas on my body. Then try it on your own body to get a feel for it."

"Right."

Mian Xi suddenly pulled her hand away from his, a thin, transparent white energy trailing after her touch. Though weaker in intensity than Aether, it shared the same pale hue. The moment she forced his energy out, Arnold felt a strange sensation—as if something vital had been yanked from within him. It reminded him of the time she had stolen his lifeforce.

'So, pulling out an opponent's energy is possible... That could be useful.'

But first, he needed to understand how she did it. Fighting magicians as powerful or on Lauran's level will be easy if he learned this.

"Hm, that's odd," Mian Xi muttered, examining the energy floating above her palm.

"What is?"

"This energy doesn't match the sign on your soul," she said, idly waving her hand. The sphere of pure white energy followed her movements like a tethered wisp.

"The sign? What does that mean?"

"We Yokai have something similar to Warrior Sense—like you said earlier so you should know about what it can do. Ours works exclusively within the supernatural plane. In simple terms, I can tell if someone is being controlled by a ghost or a devil just by comparing the energy they release to the spiritual footprint—a sign—they left on their soul."

She gestured at the energy in her hand. "Aura, Aether, mana, and Ki don't come from the soul itself, but they do carry a unique signature, almost like an identification tag. These energies surround a martial's soul, which allows their soul to leave a spiritual fingerprint as I said—a sign—and make it unique from other people's energies. We Yokai can see, feel, hear, and touch it even from birth. Although, human elementalists can do the same thing as they are spirit masters like us—albeit on a much smaller scale. While limited in what they can do with it, they can still track people down who release their energies on a battlefield."

'Well, that explains how Lancelot found me...'

Mian continued, "The difference between your sign and whatever sign is on this ball of energy is simply too vast for me to call it the same. And it also appears that the sign on this Inner Essence is much more sinister than what I discovered on your lifeforce."

"...."

"A being of unfathomable evil had its claws on you from birth until now—the question is... who?"