Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Starting From Zero

The morning after Arthur and Ariadne’s arrival, Lei Kung stood alone in the shadowed throne room. The vast chamber was silent, empty except for him and the hooded figure seated in darkness.

“You have doubts,” the voice rasped from beneath the hood.

“Many,” Lei Kung admitted, clasping his hands behind his back. “The boy—he is no ordinary warrior. The power I sense from him… it reminds me of the forces we’ve only heard about in legends. And he breached our barriers like they were nothing. For all we know, he could come and go as he pleases.”

“Yet he arrived as a student, not a conqueror,” the figure replied calmly.

“Or so he claims,” Lei Kung countered.

The figure was silent for a long moment. When it finally spoke again, there was a faint trace of amusement in its ancient voice. “Do not hold back in his training, Lei Kung. Test him fully. Teach him fully. Push him to his limits and beyond.”

“What if he proves hostile—”

“He won’t. Not if we handle this correctly.” The figure shifted slightly, the first movement since Lei Kung had entered. “Form a bond with them. True teaching creates a connection stronger than any chain. Make them part of K’un-Lun, even if only temporarily.”

“And if they betray that bond?” Lei Kung pressed.

“If he is as powerful as you say, why waste time on meaningless precautions?” the figure replied. “They are here to learn, and I suspect these two will prove more valuable as allies than we can yet imagine. The barriers they crossed today may pale compared to the ones they help us cross tomorrow.”

Lei Kung bowed deeply. “As you say. I will train them as if they were our own.”

“Good.”

Lei Kung turned to leave but paused at the doorway. “And what if he wishes to become the Iron Fist?”

The figure’s voice turned cold. “That is one thing we must ensure does not happen. The Iron Fist is K’un-Lun’s guardian. An outsider can never hold that title. We will deal with the situation if it arises. The next Iron Fist selection is still some time away.”

That was something no one in K’un-Lun would allow. Not without a fight. If Arthur desired the title, they would resist him to the bitter end.

—

The morning gong resonated through K’un-Lun like thunder trapped in bronze. Arthur stepped out of his quarters to find Master Wei waiting for them.

“You will be evaluated first,” Wei announced, leading them to the training grounds.

Lei Kung stood at the center, red robes billowing lightly in the breeze. His presence alone commanded silence.

“Ariadne Anderson,” he called. “Step forward.”

Ariadne drew her twin blades, stepping forward into a ready stance.

Lei Kung struck without warning. His movements were fluid as water, sharp as lightning. Ariadne barely blocked his opening blow, the impact shuddering through her arms.

The assessment was relentless. Lei Kung tested her on every front—speed, strength, technique, adaptability. He approved of several of her counters, nodding at clever combinations and precise footwork.

“Good,” he remarked after sweeping her legs and forcing her back. “Your instincts are sharp. Your blade work has a proper foundation.”

But his critiques were just as pointed. “You rely too heavily on your weapons. What happens when you lose them? Your footwork deteriorates when you’re tired. And you telegraph your finishing moves.”

Fifteen minutes later, Lei Kung stepped back. “Adequate. You have potential, but much to learn.”

Breathing hard but grinning, Ariadne sheathed her blades. The trial had been tough, but she had held her own.

—

“Arthur Hayes,” Lei Kung called next.

Arthur stepped forward, white light flickering instinctively around his hands. Lei Kung’s eyes narrowed.

“No magic,” he ordered. “Only your body and whatever martial skill you possess.”

Arthur nodded and let the energy fade. He slipped into a stance that looked confident but felt wrong to Lei Kung’s experienced eye.

The fight was more intense than Ariadne’s. Arthur’s enhanced physical abilities made him unnaturally fast and strong but Lei Kung saw through him within seconds.

“Your form is atrocious,” Lei Kung said, easily redirecting Arthur’s punch and nearly twisting his wrist in the process. “You fight like a brawler who learned a few fancy moves. No foundation. No understanding of flow or balance.”

Arthur grimaced as Lei Kung swept his legs out from under him, landing hard on the mat.

“I’m self-taught… with a few tips from experts here and there,” he admitted.

“Obviously,” Lei Kung replied dryly. He extended a hand to help Arthur up, his touch unexpectedly gentle. “Your magic has made you lazy. You rely on raw power instead of technique. Before I can teach you anything meaningful, you must relearn the fundamentals.”

Arthur knew he was right, though hearing it stung. Still, one thing was certain – no matter how much he trained, magic would always be his greatest weapon. He could set aside chi if he had to, but he would never give up magic.

On the sidelines, Ariadne tried to suppress a grin but failed. “Looks like someone’s joining the kids’ class,” she teased.

Arthur smiled back, snapped his fingers—

—and Ariadne vanished, replaced by a small tabby cat sitting indignantly in the snow.

“I’ve always wanted to do this,” Arthur said cheerfully, picking her up. “You look fantastic.”

The cat hissed furiously, eyes blazing as she wriggled in his grip.

Lei Kung cleared his throat pointedly. “Please turn her back.”

Arthur shrugged and snapped his fingers again. Ariadne reappeared, still scowling and ready to pounce before she caught Lei Kung’s stern look and forced herself to calm down.

“Remember whom you’re teasing next time,” Arthur repeated with insufferable smugness.

“Please,” Lei Kung said firmly, “no more magic. If you rely on it here, you will never learn. Magic will be a crutch that blocks true understanding of the body’s potential.”

Lei Kung separated them into different classes. “Ariadne, you will train with the advanced students. Arthur…” He paused, looking almost apologetic. “You will begin with the fundamentals class.”

“With the ki—” Ariadne started, then stopped when Arthur raised his fingers again. She wisely stayed silent.

—

That afternoon, Arthur’s unexpected appearance in the beginner’s class caused an immediate stir. The other students, mostly between six and ten years old, whispered among themselves, sneaking curious glances at the tall, handsome young man standing awkwardly in their midst.

“Why is the big person here?” a little boy asked his neighbor in Mandarin.

“Maybe he needs remedial lessons?” another child guessed.

Arthur ignored the chatter, focusing instead on the lesson. Master Lin, the instructor, demonstrated the basic forms of K’un-Lun’s martial arts—flowing movements that emphasized balance, breathing, and internal energy cultivation.

But practicing the forms was difficult. Arthur’s muscle memory was already set in his old ways, his body wanting to move in the patterns he’d learned through years of self-taught combat. Changing that would take time, and the frustration showed.

He stumbled through a simple sequence, his timing off and his center of gravity slipping with each step. A few children giggled.

“The big person has no balance,” one boy whispered, loud enough for Arthur to hear.

At the end of the session came the traditional one-on-one sparring. Arthur’s opponent turned out to be a sharp-featured boy, no older than eight, who carried himself with the kind of arrogance only prodigies seemed to have.

“I am Davos,” the boy declared proudly. “I’m the best in this class.”

Arthur studied him carefully. Davos. The name rang a bell—vague memories surfaced of Danny Rand’s future rival, the one who would eventually challenge for the Iron Fist. But right now, this Davos was just a boy brimming with pride and ambition.

Danny himself was probably still enjoying a pampered childhood somewhere far away.

They fought using only the style taught in class. Davos was better—much better. His forms were perfect, his technique flawless for his age. He moved like water, striking like lightning, just as the masters taught. Arthur’s own attempts looked clumsy by comparison.

But Arthur wasn’t about to let himself be embarrassed by a child. When technique failed him, he fell back on what he did have: superior strength, reach, and reflexes. Timing his move carefully, he intercepted Davos mid-strike, lifted the smaller boy effortlessly, and pinned him to the mat with controlled force.

Davos’s face flushed red with anger and humiliation. “You cheated! You used your size!”

“I used what I had,” Arthur replied calmly.

“I’ll be back for revenge!” Davos spat, scrambling to his feet before bolting from the training ground.

Arthur watched him leave, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Would these early setbacks shape Davos into someone different? Stronger? More determined? Perhaps strong enough to surpass Danny Rand and claim the Iron Fist for himself?

Who knows, Arthur thought. But it would certainly be interesting to find out.

—

That evening, Arthur met Ariadne outside their quarters. She looked pleased with herself, practically glowing from a successful day with the advanced students.

“How was training with the trainees?” she asked, clearly wanting to tease him again but remembering the morning’s lesson and keeping her tone neutral, though her smile remained.

“Educational,” Arthur said dryly. “Apparently, even seven-year-olds here take martial arts very seriously.”

Ariadne’s smile widened, but she left it at that.

—

Later that night, alone in his quarters, Arthur made a decision. If he kept training while his old instincts and muscle memory interfered, his progress would be slow—painfully slow. He had no desire to waste weeks relearning what his body stubbornly resisted.

He needed a shortcut.

So he turned inward, diving into his mind arts. One by one, he located the memories of his martial training and battles – the techniques, the instincts, the ingrained responses – and gently muted them. Not erased, just tucked away. Temporarily forgotten.

When he was done, Arthur was, for all practical purposes, a complete beginner at martial arts. He retained his magical knowledge and other powers, but his fighting instincts were gone. A dangerous move, perhaps, but necessary. His muscle memory would resurface in actual combat, and by then, he hoped to have a strong new foundation to support it.

—

The next day, Arthur approached training like a blank slate. Without his old habits getting in the way, he picked up the basic forms with astonishing ease. His enhanced learning speed and physical abilities made him a quick study, and for the first time, his movements aligned with the teachings of K’un-Lun.

Master Lin watched in disbelief as Arthur flowed through increasingly complex sequences with growing precision.

“Remarkable improvement,” the instructor muttered under his breath.

Over the following days, Arthur’s progress became impossible to ignore. He mastered forms that took other students months to grasp, his understanding of balance, breathing, and chi control growing rapidly.

Lei Kung, observing from the shadows, quickly promoted Arthur to the next class. Then the next. And the next.

Keeping him with the children any longer would’ve been unfair for them.

Within a couple of weeks, Arthur had caught up to Ariadne’s advanced class, earning surprised looks from students who remembered his clumsy first day.

Davos, meanwhile, could only watch as Arthur surged ahead. The boy’s frustration hardened into determination; he trained relentlessly, already plotting his future rematch.

Ariadne tried to hide her disappointment, but Arthur noticed the slight droop in her shoulders when Lei Kung announced his promotion.

“Congratulations,” she said flatly as they walked to their quarters afterward.

“Thank you,” Arthur replied with exaggerated humility. “Is it really that surprising? I was always strong—just needed to fix the basics.”

Ariadne’s eye twitched. “It took you just two weeks.”

“A very productive two weeks,” he countered with a grin.

“I’ll never be better than you at anything, will I?” she muttered.

“No, you’re better than me at several things,” Arthur said, pausing thoughtfully. “Well… some things. A few things, anyway.”

“Name one,” she challenged.

“You’re definitely better at… hmm.” Arthur stroked his chin dramatically. “Give me a moment, I’ll think of something.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“I prefer ’exceptionally talented.’ Has a nicer ring to it,” he said smugly.

As they entered the dining hall, Arthur reflected on his progress. Things were going well, even if he still wasn’t sure whether chi training would ultimately pay off. Magic would always remain his priority, but he hoped that building a stronger body and better control through martial arts would complement his power.

Besides, he hadn’t even begun learning the art of chi yet. That, he was genuinely looking forward to.

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