Location: Lil. Red Storm, Seed World, Devil Merchant Code, Inter-Realm City, Sector WS9909, Infinity Library, Study Room
Listening to the Field Marshal's intent, Wyatt was taken aback. He had never imagined that his hard earned physique, traits, and abilities would one day become obstacles in his pursuit of Martial Path. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if the Martial Sage Lorn was just a quack martial artist who didn't know what she was talking about. However, recalling that Dalie had praised her strength, he decided to hear her out to the end.
If her explanation didn't make sense, he always had the Infinity Library to fall back on. The only decision would be whether to hire a devil merchant to train him or compile all available combat arts guides in the Infinity Library to generate a tailored training routine. Hiring a devil merchant for combat training was an intriguing option-the higher the price he was willing to pay, the better the instructor he could get. This was particularly viable in sector WS9909, where a gym-rental business model had given rise to the gym-trainer profession. There, individuals could sell their expertise in combat, martial, or even fine arts for a price. The devil merchant code set this price, evaluating the trainer's expertise and their ability to impart knowledge, ensuring that trainers didn't harm their trainees by teaching them incorrectly or unable to understand their employers needs.
This system provided muscle-brained demons and devil merchants-those walking the Martial Path but lacking the cunning or intelligence for demon/devil merchant title-a way to earn a living. It was, in a way, a fitting environment for the Field Marshal. She would likely thrive there if she managed to gather the initial capital to become a upstart in this sector.
Planning to introduce the Field Marshal to sector WS9909 and MayMay, Wyatt refocused on Martial Sage Lorn's guidance.
"However," she continued, "all hope is not lost for you. If you're willing to place your physique, traits, and abilities under probation-essentially starting your training as a mortal-you'll be able to walk the Martial Path far enough for it to aid you in your pursuits or even more.
"Before you question my judgment, let me explain why this is necessary. With your physique, traits, and abilities, you don't need to train to gain strength, control, and power. But training offers something more valuable: the wisdom that comes with gradual development. Brick by brick, training allows you to build a martial foundation, fostering a unique understanding of your body, mind, and soul. This connection forms the foundation of martial arts, enabling you to craft them into a temple and become the sage inhabiting it.
"Dear Disciple, you've found ways to gain strength, control, and power, but you haven't figured out how to apply them efficiently. That's why you've turned to the Martial Path-to fill the gap that even your vast knowledge, that helped you gain strength, control, and power without training, couldn't bridge.
"The difference here is the same as that between memorizing a theory and truly understanding it. Memorizing allows you to recite it, but understanding lets you apply it and even impart it to others. Dear Disciple, even if the Martial Path is merely a means to an end for you, you still have to start from scratch. There's no way around it. "When you accepted me as your master, I initially planned to use my intent to suppress your physique, traits, and abilities, forcing you to train until you mastered the basics. Only then I wouldn't feel ashamed to call you my disciple. However, the power protecting your mutated ego gem far surpasses mine, leaving me helpless. I had no choice but to wait for you to take combat training seriously.
"Now that you've chosen to walk the Martial Path, whatever your reasons, I ask you to trust me. Prohibit your physique, traits, and abilities, and begin training as a mortal. Since you've already experienced the strength, control, and power others train to achieve, you know what you're aiming for. This puts you ahead of most. All that's left is to train-train until you no longer can, then train some more.
"Dear Disciple, trust me, and I will guide you far enough on the Martial Path that you'll no longer need me. Hopefully, by then, you might even come to devote yourself to it." "Damn! You've got all the makings of a sect master. I almost joined your martial cult!" Wyatt exclaimed, pondering whether he should seek a second opinion or trust the Field Marshal, who was clearly bent on turning him into a Martial Mad Card Apprentice. Not to forget, the her guts to shamelessly claim herself his master and then shamelessly add that the she was ashamed to call herself his master.
"It's just prohibiting my physique, traits, and abilities, right? I'll give it a try," Wyatt decided. His study room had an array designed to temporarily suppress all his physique, traits, and abilities, rendering him mortal without adversely affecting his physical body in the physical plane.
Apparently, many demon and devil merchants used this array to better understand the arts they practiced, relying solely on their mortal capabilities without making use of their heightened senses or powers. This approach was especially popular among those striving for sage-level proficiency. The reasoning was simple: using their innate and acquired gifts to bridge skill gaps would only widen those gaps over time, preventing genuine improvement or mastery.
Upon learning this, Wyatt, who had been doubting the Field Marshal and considering a second opinion, changed his mind. He decided to follow her guidance wholeheartedly. Only by giving his best could he earn the right to judge whether the
Field Marshal's methods were right or wrong.
Using his demon merchant codex, Wyatt accessed the array formation to prohibit the physical attributes, abilities of the primordial spirit and himself, turning themselves into mere mortals, allowing them to immediately begin the rigorous training regimen the Field Marshal had prepared for him as she wanted him to.