BAB3 -Chapter 19

# Chapter 19: Hidden Tortoise, Drunken Monkey

\

\

\

\

\

\

Tortoise Hall’s chambers were set the furthest apart of any hall, with far more grassy areas and large, scattered stones.

The pagodas and pavilions for the Snake and Mantis Chambers sat at opposite ends of the grounds, each facing away from one another.

Xay quickly spotted Sasha and Sophia having the time of their lives on the Snake Style side.

They moved in an asynchronous rhythm—different in tone, yet perfectly timed.

Sasha whirled and spun an arm-length parasol, while Sophia snapped a tailed whisk through the air, its head as long as its body.

Their fluffy white cat tails swayed in rhythm behind them, perfectly counterbalancing each movement.

Xay initially thought they’d need to explain the GenoMorph Procedure, but the mountain range was close enough to the city for everyone to receive direct broadcasts—and ads.

Everyone here was already familiar with them, and surprisingly accepting.

From what Xay could tell, the twins had quickly become favorites among the practicing monks. Everyone remained respectful, of course.

Xay wasn’t worried. He couldn’t even imagine someone being dumb enough to get handsy—not with the Grandma Masters watching over their halls.

No one would willingly risk their lives like that.

In direct contrast to Phoenix Hall, Tortoise Hall was dominated by men, with very few women training openly.

Dragon Hall, by comparison, had been more evenly balanced.

Seeing the twins’ fun, Tyra bounded over to join them, while Xay continued to observe everything.

To the far left, he noticed how Mantis Style emphasized forearm strikes and quick footwork.

Snake Style, on the other hand, relied on coiling and uncoiling movements, reminiscent of tension springs snapping into action.

At the center stood Tortoise Chamber, which, to Xay’s surprise, looked smaller than the others.

The area around it was a zone of near silence, and the monks practicing there barely moved.

On the outer pavilion, Shifu Wu stood beside Rox, who was.. slowly punching a boulder for some reason.

Shaking his head, Xay finally turned his attention to the notifications that had appeared.

**Fighting Style Identified: Soft Snake Style Kung Fu (Basic).**

**Fighting Style Identified: World Tortoise Style Kung Fu (Basic).**

**Fighting Style Identified: Black Mantis Style Kung Fu (Basic).**

Intrigued by whatever Rox had going on, Xay began moving toward her.

But after his first step, the ground beneath his feet vibrated, carrying a voice with it.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

It was Master Li, the Purple Master of Tortoise Hall.

Xay froze, glancing around. A second later, the ground opened up and swallowed him whole.

He slipped through the stone like a bubble of air through water, drifting downward at a diagonal angle.

Acutely aware that the final master now had him in her grasp, Xay stayed still and just let it happen.

After another moment or so, Xay emerged at what seemed to be the bottom of a damp crevasse.

Purple crystals embedded in the surrounding rock cast a dim glow, their light reflecting off shallow puddles of water.

Looking up, he realized he stood at the base of a structure emblazoned with imagery of Lesser Tortoises.

Slow-moving monks and nuns meditated and practiced forms atop spiraling, multi-tiered pavilions carved directly into the rock face.

Tortoise Chamber had appeared to be the smallest because it was mostly subterranean.

From above, the chamber formed a wide, open maw that narrowed with each descending tier.

Xay quickly noticed that the chamber was far less populated than any of the other chambers he’d seen.

Master Li, wearing a dark purple and gold martial robe, sat atop an enormous boulder against the wall with her legs crossed and eyes closed.

A single monk stood off to the side, his arms folded behind his back. His robes were similar to hers, though less ornate. He was bald, with only a dark goatee on his face.

The ground vibrated again, carrying Master Li’s slow, deliberate voice. “Forgive me for the theatrics. But like the great avalanche, once movement begins, it cannot be stopped.”

Xay’s brows knitted in confusion. She was speaking to him without even moving her lips.

A second later, Dragon appeared over the crevasse and immediately used *Blink* to teleport down to his side. She had tracked him over their bond.

The stones around them trembled in what Xay could only assume was a chuckle.

“You and your companions bring such a lively, youthful energy,” Master Li continued. “Tell me—does Tortoise Style still interest you?”

Xay straightened his back and spoke clearly. “I’m interested in every style.”

Another low, rumbling chuckle vibrated through the ground in response.

“I will ask once more—but take time to consider your answer truly,” she said, her voice deepening, its tones overlapping like layered echoes.

“Tortoise Style is the stone that stands unmoved in the rapids, and the relentless current itself. It is unyielding, unending, and forever enduring.”

The stones around them vibrated faster in a rising chorus, but her voice never grew louder.

“This is a path of patience and strength, both internally and externally,” Master Li continued. “Now I ask you once more—will you learn Tortoise Style?”

Xay didn’t hesitate, his blood pumping rapidly through his veins. “Yes, Master Li!”

The stones stilled, and her purple eyes opened—gazing into Xay with the weight of several mountains.

“Good,” she said slowly, this time with her actual mouth. “Let us begin.”

The man to the side stepped forward, bowing without moving his arms. His footsteps were heavy, yet utterly silent.

“This is Tong, my Daitu,” Master Li announced, rising by stepping through the stone itself. “He will lead. You will follow.”

Tong slid one foot out wide and sank into a low, but incredibly sturdy stance.

Low Waters Embrace Stone; Soft Push Moves Mountain; Gentle Ripples Across Still Pond.

Xay and Dragon quickly fell in line, mirroring Tong’s movements as Master Li observed with a keen eye.

Each stance was strong and rigid, as if bracing against an unseen force, yet the transitions between them flowed like water—very, very slow water.

If Xay hadn’t stretched so thoroughly at Phoenix Hall, he might’ve cramped up from holding the same positions for so long.

The forms had fewer steps and repetitions than other styles, but demanded progression through subtle, minuscule movements in the upper body.

Still, the dichotomy of being the stone and the river had immediately captivated Xay.

Wave Circle Bank Four Times; Draw Water with Hollow Palm; Rushing Stream Descends Iron Wall; Tuck Beneath the Moonlight.

The lower halves of their bodies remained nearly still throughout the forms, and their feet never left the ground.

Each stance felt deeply rooted, intrinsically anchored to the stone beneath them.

Master Li made silent bodily corrections as she slowly circled, lowering Xay’s center of mass and pushing his arms farther out.

Xay picked up the forms far more quickly than he had with Phoenix Style. Dragon, however, had just discovered yet another form she didn’t like.

After Xay’s second perfect round of beginner stances, Tong stood and offered a silent bow. Xay quickly returned the gesture.

A small smile played at the corners of Master Li’s lips. “Before we move forward, you must meditate on what you’ve learned today.”

“You understand the forms,” she added knowingly, “but it will take more time to fully grasp the weight of the philosophy.”

Xay placed a hand over his fist and bowed to her. “Thank you.”

With a smile on his face, he teleported above ground with Dragon.

He’d had fun. He decided to just overlook the part where he was forcibly absorbed into the ground.

And he’d make sure to meditate before bed. There was still daylight out, so it wasn’t time for dinner yet.

Nearby, Rox now seemed to be meditating with Shifu Wu atop perfectly round stones, holding low stances with their knees flared out and their fists tucked at their waist.

Xay didn’t want to bother them while they were busy.

Glancing around, he spotted Tyra watching the monks near the Mantis Chamber and made his way over to her.

Dragon drifted into Xay’s orbit as he approached Tyra. “Still not clicking for you?”

Tyra looked up and shook her head. “I’m not sure what it is. Nothing speaks to me.”

Xay held out his hand. “Well, according to Shifu Wu, there’s one more chamber around the back side of the mountain. I don’t know about you, but ‘unhoused’ sounds pretty interesting to me.”

Tyra grinned and took his hand. “Let’s go see.”

Together, they left Tortoise Hall through the front arches. Following a rocky path off the peak, they descended below the clouds, where the trees and grasses grew wild and untamed.

The path wasn’t straight; it curved and looped unpredictably, sometimes vanishing entirely where it had fallen into disuse.

The animal population also increased sharply as the two continued forward.

A myriad of mana beasts in motion, both big and small, were spotted through gaps in the trees.

“It’s so peaceful here,” Tyra said as they passed a narrow stream filled with salmon. “It’s the perfect compromise between living in a big city and the Wilds.”

Xay nodded. “Yeah. You’ve got nature all around—but it’s safe.”

Just then, the deep baritone of a bear’s growl rumbled in the distance.

“Relatively safe,” Xay quickly corrected himself, making Tyra laugh.

They eventually reached a steep precipice. The spruces and firs around them gave way to a dense thicket of wind-hardened bamboo far below.

“Looks like we found it,” Xay said, glancing over to his side.

But Tyra had already taken off, running and leaping off the edge, laughing the whole way down.

Snorting, he spread his arms wide, tilted forward, and dove headfirst after her.

Tyra landed on a cushion of wind, while Xay front-flipped and slowed his descent with *Psychokinesis*.

A sudden hooting-holler rang out overhead, and they looked up to see a golden, snub-nosed monkey eyeing them intently between the leaves.

“Hi—” Tyra started to speak, but before she could finish, a sharp whistle echoed in the distance.

The monkey snapped to attention, then bolted back through the bamboo.

Tyra glanced at Xay for a split second, grinned, then took off after the monkey, with Xay close behind.

The golden monkey hurled itself forward at incredible speed, using its hands, feet, and tail to swing from tree to tree with effortless agility.

To keep up, Tyra activated *Wild Aspect*, phasing in and out of the foliage as she slid across the undergrowth.

Xay followed with rapid bursts of *Psychic Blink*, teleporting tree to tree in flashes of intent.

As they drew closer to the center of the forest, Xay began to notice more golden monkeys, each identical in appearance.

What had started as one quickly became a dozen, then a hundred, then more.

They filled the bamboo canopy in layered waves, all swinging in unison toward something up ahead.

Then, all at once, the monkeys stopped and turned their attention down to a wide, round clearing ahead.

The first monkey Xay and Tyra had followed had reached a dirty, disheveled man lying sideways on his elbow atop a patch of matted grass.

His dark hair was wild and unkempt, and he held a gourd as large as his chest, lazily swinging one foot to a tune only he could hear.

The monkey padded up the man’s leg, climbed over his body, and perched on his shoulder.

It turned back to face Xay and Tyra as they approached.

There was no hall, no chamber, no platforms, nor pavilions. Just a small bamboo house, nestled several yards away, barely distinguishable from the forest itself.

“You scared Tiffany,” the man said gruffly, his breath carrying all the way to Xay from several feet away.

“I’m sorry,” Tyra said, bending slightly. “We didn’t mean to. We just wanted to talk to her.”

The man raised a bushy eyebrow, then took a swig from his gourd and burped something foul. “You’re not from around here. Who are you? What do you want?” his words slurred as he took another sip.

Xay stepped forward. “We’re students of Lian Wu,” he explained. “She’s my Shifu, and we’ve come to see Monkey Style.”

“You’re my niece’s students?” the man asked, burping again, louder this time, but just as foul.

“Why’s Li-Lin sending kids into the woods alone? There are some real creeps out there.” He grinned, revealing stained, crooked teeth.

He took another long pull from his gourd, then lazily swung an arm toward the monkeys crowding the trees.

“Alright then, you want to learn Monkey Style? First, make one laugh.”

Tyra blinked in confusion. “Make a monkey laugh?”

“Yeah, what’d you think I meant? The forest?” He chuckled, then coughed, then hiccuped. “Wait. That’s not bad either. Go make the forest laugh next.”

Xay opened his mouth to question him, but Tyra had already stepped forward.

She crouched slightly and tilted her head, peering at the nearest golden monkey.

Then her eyes softened and a slight breeze whipped around her. Whatever she said, it wasn’t with her mouth.

A moment later, the monkey snorted—an actual monkey snort that blossomed into a wide-eyed, full-bodied cackle.

Others nearby quickly joined in, and soon the entire canopy rippled with manic screeches and wild monkey laughter.

“Huh,” the man said, sitting up straighter, but still slouching over. “Gotta remember that one.”

Tyra offered a slight bow.

He stared at her for a second, then pointed his gourd at Xay. “Your turn.”

Xay looked up. Every single monkey was now staring at him, waiting.

He cleared his throat. “I don’t speak monkey.”

The man shrugged and took another sip from his sloshing gourd. “Then be funny.”

Glancing at Dragon—who promptly floated out of his orbit like she wanted no part of this—Xay gave it his best shot. He really tried.

He juggled his Jetnir Orbs while backflipping into a tree. He slipped, twisted, caught himself mid-fall, flipped again, and landed in a dramatic pose.

One monkey blinked.. slowly.

Another scratched its butt.

A third yawned.

The man drank deeply from his gourd, then wiped his mouth. “Well, at least she passed.”

“Wait—” Xay tried to speak.

“You’re not funny,” the man cut him off, pulling himself upright, butt first for some reason. “That was hard to watch.”

“Why do I even need to—” Xay started again.

“Tests don’t matter, though,” the man waved away Xay’s half-asked question, picking his ear. “Name’s Mao. Just Mao. You can keep all that ‘Master’ stuff on the other side of the mountain.”

With that, Mao turned his back and started walking—or more accurately, swaying in every direction at once, like his head and feet were in constant disagreement.

He gestured vaguely to the bamboo forest around them. “Monkey Style comes from the monkeys, if you haven’t figured that out yet.”

Several monkeys dropped from the trees, loping after him.

Xay glanced at Tyra and saw that she was already following. He sighed and moved to catch up.

Then, Mao suddenly slipped and tumbled head-over-heels. He landed in a perfect crouch, however, then took another long drink from his gourd without spilling a drop.

“Lesson one!” he shouted. “Learn how to fall!”

Mao stood, not bothering to dust himself off, and continued walking toward the house. He entered with a creak and slammed the door behind him.

A moment later, the sound of crashing and sloshing liquid echoed from within. Then he reemerged, now holding an even larger gourd.

“Alright, Unfunny,” he slurred, pointing an accusing finger at Xay. “Show me what my niece taught you.”

Xay shrugged and stepped forward, dropping into his opening stance.

Mao didn’t prepare at all. He just stood there—well, slightly leaned, off-balance and loose—offering nothing but openings.

Still, Xay approached with caution. He wasn’t about to underestimate anyone on this mountain.

Mao continued to sway lazily with a half smirk, making no move to attack.

Xay threw a straight punch, and Mao dodged instantly. But not in any conventional way.

He.. fell backward.

He just collapsed, then caught himself by flexing his legs, swung his upper body back upright, and took a sip from his gourd as if nothing had happened.

Tyra clapped from the side, applauding his ridiculous stationary acrobatics.

Xay activated *Burst Flurry* and chained together Dragon Style forms in a rapid assault.

Mao dodged every strike by falling, rolling, jumping, bending—and at one point, cartwheeling away while still drinking from his gourd.

Xay felt like he was fighting one of those wacky, waving inflatable tube men from the hovercraft dealerships.

Xay couldn’t pin Mao down no matter what he did. His movements were wild, goofy, and somehow deftly agile.

Tyra was eating it up, watching with apparent amusement alongside several golden monkeys who were now crowding around her.

After a particularly loud, wet burp, Mao awkwardly kicked a leg out at Xay’s ankle mid-punch, while also swinging the unreasonably heavy gourd around to smash into his back.

It sent Xay face-first into the dirt.

“That was a good warm-up,” Mao said, stretching with a grunt and multiple loud cracks.

“Alright,” Mao grinned, tossing his now empty gourd to the side. “Now, I’m ready to get started.”

*You weren’t already?* Xay frowned as he stood and dusted himself off.

Mao then proceeded to move through some of the weirdest, most erratic stances Xay had ever seen.

They weren’t really even forms—more like loose suggestions focusing on using every part of the body.

And somehow, Tyra followed along perfectly.

Dragon didn’t even try, and Xay struggled.

Mao was a terrible teacher.

He didn’t explain anything or offer any corrections— just kept repeating: “Make the monkey laugh,” as if it would suddenly make sense.

Xay quickly realized why Monkey Chamber was unhoused—it was like the antithesis of structured Kung Fu.

It was feral, absurd, unpredictable, and once Xay finally stopped trying to compare it to what he knew, it actually became fun.

Though, Xay learned far more from watching the actual monkeys than he did from Mao.

He didn’t think he could ever be that wild.