madnovel Chapter 94 Selection of the Guru
Chapter 94 Selection of the Guru
"Good day, Guruji!"
Vijay clasped his hands together and bowed reverently, just as he had done the first time he had come here.
In the old streets and alleys south of Harappa, the wind swirls fine dust from the ground, drifting past collapsed courtyard walls and crooked wooden pillars, making the old martial arts school appear even more desolate.
Vijay walked slowly to the white-haired old man, Guru, his expression sincere, deliberately concealing the utilitarian look between his brows, and steadily held up the heavy leather money bag at his waist.
The bag was open, and the gleaming gold coins reflected a dazzling light in the daylight. "This is my promise, and I'm delivering it as promised!"
Guru, who had been sitting quietly on the sand with his eyes half-closed, slowly raised his eyes after noticing the movement. His gaze swept lightly between Vijay and the money bag, and then he stretched out his thin but bony hand and took the bag of gold coins.
He ran his fingertips along the rough texture of the money pouch, but did not immediately count the money or say thank you. He simply remained seated in silence.
The only sound was the rustling of the wind. Dust was whipped up by the wind and swayed from side to side in the training ground, and an awkward atmosphere slowly spread throughout the place.
Vijay was unwilling to let the silence continue, and his gaze swept across the entire martial arts school.
Everywhere you look, there is a scene of desolation: the weapon racks that were originally used to hold knives, spears and wooden swords on both sides are overturned and crooked, many wooden weapons are broken and cracked, and the metal weapons are rusted and have no sharpness in the sunlight; the simple wooden fence surrounding the training ground is rotten and broken in many places, with gaps large enough for people to pass through freely, and it does not serve any purpose of enclosure at all.
The vast training ground was deserted, with not even a few apprentices practicing martial arts in sight.
He spoke casually, with a slightly conversational tone, deliberately trying to break the ice: "Guru, in the past when I came here, I would see quite a few apprentices practicing martial arts. Why are there no one here today? Have they all gone home to rest?"
These questions, though unintentional, happened to hit the nail on the head regarding the current situation of the martial arts school.
Guru slowly raised his head, his deep gaze fixed on the center of Harappa City. His tone was so calm, as if he were recounting a past event unrelated to himself, without a trace of sorrow: "They're all gone. Now, this martial arts school has no students left."
Once the conversation started, Vijay didn't need to guide it any further. Guru paused for a moment, then continued, "The city of Harappa is currently in turmoil, with the power struggle among the Kshatriya elites intensifying, and war already spreading in the shadows..."
"Most of my apprentices are children from poor families in the city, ordinary people. No one wants to get involved in the infighting among nobles, let alone become a victim of the power struggle. After weighing the options, everyone chose to leave and return to their hometowns to avoid this unnecessary disaster."
After hearing this explanation, Vijay nodded repeatedly, deeply agreeing with it.
Harappa is now rife with internal strife, and fighting is commonplace. For the lower-class Vaishya and Shudra people, self-preservation is the only way to survive.
If the children in the family continue to practice martial arts at the martial arts school in the city, they may be forcibly conscripted one day and dragged into the Kshatriya civil war, ending up dead without a burial place.
It is perfectly understandable that these children chose to return home to avoid trouble.
This news also brought a quiet joy to Vijay's heart. The martial arts school was deserted, and Guru had no more attachments or livelihoods here. Wasn't this the perfect time to invite him to Mittal Village?
Suppressing his inner excitement, he maintained a sincere expression and solemnly invited, "Master, since you have no more apprentices here, staying in this dilapidated martial arts school is a waste of time. Why not come with me to Mital Village? I will build you a brand-new and magnificent martial arts school, gather the finest martial arts equipment, and serve you daily delicacies from all over the world, superior robes, and precious spices. Everything you need will be provided, so you can enjoy unparalleled luxury!"
When Vijay spoke, he adopted a very humble posture and spoke earnestly, believing that his invitation was sincere enough to move the other party.
But Guru merely raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint, mocking smile playing on his lips, and slowly said, "Mital Village? I heard that name decades ago."
Vijay was taken aback upon hearing this, and was secretly surprised: I never thought that our little village was famous outside the village decades ago.
Before he could think it through, Guru's words followed: "I heard in the past that Mital Village was famous for its long-distance trade and mercenary employment, and was quite wealthy. Why is it that now it suddenly wants to train its own martial arts practitioners? In its heyday, it never got involved in martial arts, but now that the village is no longer what it used to be, it's in a hurry to build a martial arts school to train people. Is it just to save face?"
These words bluntly revealed the changed state of Mittal village, with a touch of irony.
Vijay understood. This old man was knowledgeable, and the situation in Mittal Village back then was well-known. It wasn't wrong for him to know about it.
Furthermore, Vijay didn't take the slight mockery to heart.
He composed himself, carefully considered his words, and found a plausible excuse: "Master, you may not know this, but my family has been merchants for generations. Most of my servants and caravan members are defenseless. In these turbulent times, wild animals roam the land, and bandits frequently ambush and plunder on the roads. If a caravan goes out to trade without any means of self-defense, it is no different from lambs to the slaughter!"
"Therefore, I would like to invite the master to go and teach everyone basic self-defense techniques, so that they can protect their lives when traveling."
After listening, Guru revealed a set of yellowed teeth, shook his head and chuckled, "Hahaha, an unarmed adult trying to develop combat skills in a short time? I can't do that. You'd better find someone else!"
Seeing Guru's expression, Vijay's heart sank. He knew that the other party had not simply seen through his words.
This old man had a keen eye; he had discerned my unique breathing technique simply by observing my aura, and had also demonstrated advanced body-forging skills far surpassing those of ordinary warriors.
With his insight, he must have guessed that his recruitment of him was not simply for the purpose of training caravan guards.
Vijay weighed the situation in his mind. Guru's strength was unfathomable. Even if he was not a warrior of the level of Mahayana, he was definitely one of the top elite warriors.
With his abilities, if he wanted to attach himself to the Kshatriya nobles in the city or seek refuge with the wealthy Vaishya families, he would surely be treated as an honored guest and enjoy endless glory.
The reason the other party chose to live in seclusion in this dilapidated martial arts school is probably because they are indifferent to worldly affairs and do not want to get involved in conflicts.
But his true purpose was to have him train the filthy and lowly Dalit...
If this purpose were stated directly, even if the man in front of me, Guruji, had the best temper, he would probably turn on me on the spot and kick me out.
Faced with this dilemma, Vijay could only force a smile, unwilling to give up.
But Guru had already turned his back to him, clearly unwilling to continue the conversation.
Left with no other choice, Vijay could only put his hands together in a gesture of respect and say softly, "Since Master has made up his mind, I will not bother you any longer. I will come to visit you another day."
After saying that, he turned and left the dilapidated training ground.
Kara and Rajan, who were waiting at the alley entrance, saw this scene from afar. Although they couldn't hear what was being said, they could guess the outcome from Vijay's dejected expression.
Rajan stepped forward first and asked in a low voice, "Shiva, please bless me! Master, is something not going well?"
Vijay shook his head slightly and said frankly, "The recruitment attempt failed."
Kara's face instantly contorted with rage, a savage glint in her eyes. She whispered, "Master, since kind words are useless, why don't we..." The coercive intent in her words was unmistakable.
Vijay immediately raised his hand to stop him, his tone stern: "Don't do anything reckless!"
He didn't explain why he couldn't act recklessly.
Vijay then quickly assigned tasks: "Rajan, take the gold coins and go to pay a visit to Lord Sadah. Ask him to use his connections to recommend warriors who are willing to go to the village to serve as Guru."
Rajan dared not delay, took the money bag and gift box, and quickly ran towards the Kshatriya mansion.
Vijay then looked at Kara: "You have two things to do!"
"First, continue to search the city to see if there are any martial arts masters willing to accept the invitation; second, conduct a detailed investigation into the background, past experiences, family and relatives of this Guru Master, as well as the reasons for his seclusion here, the more detailed the better."
Kara accepted the order, turned around and blended into the crowd in the streets, looking around for information.
In the blink of an eye, only Vijay remained at the alley entrance. He casually walked to the cold stone steps, sat down, his brows furrowed, and fell into deep thought.
The fact that the other party didn't care about the bag of gold coins just now is enough to prove that this Guru is not a greedy person.
Offering hefty sums to recruit them is clearly not a viable option.
What else do I have that can move the other person?
He suddenly remembered his own unique breathing technique.
This breathing technique originates from a system and has remarkable effects, something that ordinary martial artists cannot obtain.
Guru himself is proficient in various body-strengthening techniques and martial arts methods, so he will definitely be interested in this.
However, if this is used as a bargaining chip, it would be tantamount to exposing another trump card that one might use to recruit others. Moreover, the other party is highly skilled and may also possess secret techniques of the same level, so they may not be tempted by this.
Vijay hesitated and deliberated for a long time, but still couldn't make up his mind.
Currently, we lack sufficient intelligence and know too little about Guru, so revealing our hand rashly would be extremely risky.
He sighed, suppressing the thought for the moment, and instead opened the system panel in his mind, hoping that the system could provide a solution.
He went through all the system's functions, information, and prompts one by one, but no matter how many times he looked through them, he couldn't find any useful tips.
Just when he was at his wit's end, his gaze fell on the 'Artifact Control'.
It's been a long time since I last browsed this section, and I don't know when it started, but the number of items and buildings available for exchange in this section has quietly increased, with famous blades, standard armor, and rare elixirs all on display.
Among the many options, an icon for a "martial arts school" immediately caught the eye.
Vijay's eyes lit up instantly, and he was overjoyed.
He carefully checked the exchange requirements: one thousand gold coins.
That's it? It's that simple?
Vijay no longer hesitated, and with a thought, confirmed the exchange.
With a crisp system notification sound, one thousand gold coins were deducted out of thin air.
Based on past patterns, items redeemed through the system do not appear out of thin air; they will inevitably trigger corresponding events and processes.
Vijay suppressed his excitement and waited quietly in place, rubbing his hands together.
While he waited, in the distant area of Harappa, where the Kshatriyas lived, a series of deafening shouts of battle and the clanging of weapons echoed continuously.
The sounds of metal clashing, angry roars, and shattering armor mingled together, clearly audible even across several streets and alleys.
This commotion caught Vijay's attention and made him realize the truth.
Harappa appears calm on the surface, but in reality, the internal war among the city's high-ranking officials has never truly ceased. This hidden battle beneath the surface is extremely intense, and countless warriors and servants have perished in the struggle.
Vijay shook his head, uninterested in the chaos in the city.
Now he only wants to settle the matters of the martial arts school as soon as possible and return to Mital Village as soon as possible. The situation in the city is becoming more and more dangerous, and the longer he stays, the more unknown dangers he will face.
Not long after, Kara, who had gone out to gather information, hurriedly returned with a hint of surprise on her face and quickly went to Vijay to report.
As the sun began to set, its golden rays bathed the scattered houses of Harappa, making the mottled cracks on the walls even more apparent.
The streets and alleys in the south of the city were sparsely populated, with most people keeping their doors and windows closed and unwilling to linger outside, fearing that they might be caught up in the sudden fighting.
He bowed before Vijay, took a few deep breaths, and then reported the information he had gathered in a clear and organized manner: "Master, I have searched all the streets and alleys in the south of the city and interviewed several elderly people who have lived here for many years. I have finally figured out the general background of this Guru..."
Meeting Vijay's expectant gaze, Kara didn't keep him in suspense: "This man's name is Tiye. He is not a native of Harappa City. It is said that he came here from a distant city-state more than ten years ago... but no one knows his previous identity."
"Over the past decade or so, he has charged fair fees and taught without discrimination, taking on countless disciples in this area. Many active-duty warriors and village martial arts masters in the city have become his students. It is only in recent years, as he has grown old, that the number of his students has gradually decreased."
"As for his family, there are many different opinions. Some say that his wife and children died in the war years ago, while others say that his relatives went far away and he is now all alone with no ties. There is also an unreliable theory..."
Kara hesitated for a second. "I heard he has relatives in the temple district!"
"Because he always revered the gods, visiting them far more often than others, and offering the same amount of sacrifices, yet he did not appear any more devout than the others!"
This last sentence left Vijay completely bewildered. This Thyeguru was clearly not a Brahmin, so how could he possibly have any relatives in the temple area...?
But on second thought, it doesn't seem impossible!
Vijay seemed to be deep in thought.
It's not impossible to pay homage to the gods, but Vijay could sense that this Tiyegulji was not that kind of person!
He was not a captive of a god in the traditional sense!
After pondering for a moment, and considering the martial arts school he had just redeemed through the system, Vijay gradually formed a new plan in his mind.
"Go and investigate again, this time focusing on Guruji's purpose in frequently visiting the temple area..."
Seeing Kara's puzzled look, Vijay seemed to be muttering to himself, "I'm sure he didn't just go to worship; there must be another reason!"