Day 40 Tournament

The Tournament was in full swing. Elders from other schools with their students. Noble houses and merchant families in attendance as well. Liang Yu spotted a few he recognized from memory. A Dark Moon member he noted even approached him to talk.

However, he excused himself to speak with Old Xu. Liang Jian keeping the elder distracted enough. He was good at that. Even when they met later, Liang Yu didn't ask a single thing about the family. It gave him deniability and Liang Jian knew just what would be important to share with him.

Liang Yu and Liang Jian had done decent enough. Not fighting to their limits. Something Old Xu requested that they do. Linlin on the other hand...

The competition was seperated into 3 divisions. Linlin took the all-female one and scored the top place. Liang Jian was in the mix division and purposely lost to score big. He played an aggrieved loser well.

"Lots of training to make up for this..." Liang Yu was understanding of the reason why he did it though. Taking a bribe from one of the elders who all his disciples lost but one, was rewarding. A spear technique was acquired from it as well as some resources to help improve his cultivation. But he still had to play his role for show. "... 3x as much."

"Hehe, I understand." Liang Jian rubbed the back of his head embarrassed. Linlin anger towards him was real. The best way to make it believable was to not let others know you took a dive. No matter what. "I have this to study to make sure I grow stronger anyway."

The Spear Technique was incomplete like so many others. But this one was pretty high up there. Would serve him well up until the 7th Heavenly Layer. But several spear tech at the 2nd Heavenly layer could be incorporated into it.

"Eternal Dive..." Liang Yu looked at the outside cover. "..Concept of Heaven and Hell. Sounds like some Buddha.." He didn't finish as he was called for his next matchup.

"Liang Yu v.s. Huyan Ro.. competitors... enter the arena." The elder called out. Both stepped into the arena without preamble. "Same as before..." looking to them both to see if they had any to say. With them having nothing to say, he continued. "Match will only end if one gives up or is unable to continue."

"Humph, I am going to enjoy this!" Huyan Ro was slightly arrogant. "I am almost at the 6th Heavenly Layer, you are not my match!"

Liang Yu said nothing as he bounced on his feet. His arms containing sparks of lighting. They moved close around his mouth, with the elbows shifting a bit. After the few matches before and the hours of cultivating from memory, the boxing style he imitated from the memories of those in his original life was ready for display.

*Fwip!* A probing jab went out riding the current. Huyan Ro didn't know what hit him as it grazed his cheek near the eye and brow. A cut appeared instantly with blood coming out.

"That the best you got?" Huyan Ro scoffed at the weak hit. A bit of his qi circulate stopped the blood flow. He didn't notice the lighting that circled his head. "I will show you a real punch!"

Charging recklessly, he tried to hit Liang Yu. Try the operative word. Each punch was dodge with ease. Liang Yu moving like electric spurts when an attack came close. A small circulation of lighting from his core.

Punch after punch missed. Annoyed, Huyan Ro pushed his qi to cover more ground and attack faster.

"Run from this!" A wave of water poured out. He shot forward like a sea animal riding a wave. "Dragon Returning to Sea!" The water made from his qi didn't spread around the arena. The attack was limited but covered a good bit in one direction. "Come back and fight you coward!"

*Bzzt!* Liang Yu moved in a burst of lighting. Still bouncing on his feet. He moved to the other side pretty quickly. Huyan Ro turning in that direction wasting more qi. He shot to the four corners chasing Liang Yu down every time. Over and over again.

Every now and then, a bit of lighting would remain behind where Liang Yu once stood. When Huyan Ro landed after missing his attack, the lighting latched onto him unnoticed.

"Humph! Seems your cousin can only run!" A member of the Phoenix Clan grumbled. He was angry that a member of his clan had such trouble against someone weaker than him. "First you lose and he runs away, how pathetic!"

Liang Jian shrugged, having picked up the habit from Liang Yu it seems. He treated the hothead's words like air.

"Hmm, Liang Yu is barely wasting any qi, unlike his opponent." Linlin said. Her eyes paying close attention to his footsteps. "No wonder he always practices such control. Thought it was only in his fingers."

Off in the teacher area, Old Xu was wondering where this style of fighting came from.

"I guess that girl is the only one worth anything among your students." Old He ridiculed. His taunts were ignored, however. Unable to get a rise out of Old Xu." What do you think Teacher Lin?"

"I think that .. we should pay close attention." Teacher Lin did not expect to see Liang Yu fighting like this. In fact, he expected him to use his Flame Martial Arts to overwhelm his opponent. 'To wear his opponent out is good, but the difference in qi will decide the fight.'

"Humph, how foolish." Old He scoffed. He was worried despite his words. 'Liang Yu did not even try to curry favor or earn rewards from a wager. But Liang Jian did. Maybe that brat knows something I don't.'

*Splash!* A large body of water spread out as Huyan Ro attacked using more qi. Most in the crowd understood what was going on. The Phoenix clan was upset at the display of their member.

"Ha.. ha.. damn you!" Huyan Ro was out of breath a little. He caught sight of his clansmen's glare. "Tch!" Turning to strike Liang Yu who he thought was on the other side of the arena, he was determined to land at least a single blow on him. "Yoou.."

*Bzzt!* A jab full of lighting caught Huyan Ro's turning head. With enough qi, the air vibrated. The jab hit the jaw full-on mid-turn, the lighting locking up the nervous system in place. The synapses misfiring for a moment.

"Haaa.." Liang Yu took a small breath before planting his feet apart to stabilize for the next attack. "..wooh!" His qi gathering in his dominant hand as he let it lose towards his opponent.

The lighting around Huyan Ro flowed back towards the source. As if beckoned by the large lighting current near it.

"You are dead!" Huyan Ro shouted. With the lighting gone, he had control of himself again. Before he could process what was going on, he felt a sense of dread. Liang Yu moved at him in an odd motion. 'That weak fist won't solve anything.'

Liang Yu twist his arm and body while throwing the punch. As if he was drilling inwards. The lighting started circling on its own. Giving the punch more power and the ability to penetrate any guard his opponent may have had even further with the punch motion.

*Bam!* A solid strike to the solar plexus landed. Followed by a stream of lighting in the four corners. All of it leaving Huyan Ro. Whose eyes narrowed before rolling over. He felt back looking to the sky unmoving after a few seconds. Body slightly twitching.

"Winner.. Liang Yu!" The elder announced. He did enter the ring as he felt qi still moving around a little. He turned to Liang Yu who kept clenching and unclenching his hand in wonder. ".. mind dispersing your qi?"

"Oh, right." Liang Yu waved his hand over the ring. The lighting sparking up shocking even him. "Well.. that is weird. Have much to learn about these blasted techniques." The boxing and lighting flow he understood a little. But not the way it lingered apparently. 'Much to read over later.'

Walking out the arena, he was greeted by an elder.

"Liang Yu, did you study the "Lighting Field Manual" in the library?" The elder had long blond-hair and seemed to radiate a weird atmosphere of his own. "You can tell me, not like you are in trouble or anything."

"Right, but who are you?" Liang Yu looked at the man oddly. He hadn't the foggiest idea who he was speaking with.

"Oh, I am Lei Shun of the Thunder clan. I use to attend Heavenly Academy." The man was friendly enough. "That was a long time ago though. Who is your master?"

"My teacher is Elder Xu. As for the Lighting Field Manual, I have never come across it in the library. But a few things that mentioned it and an incomplete tech called Thunder.. Rolling, I think it said." He didn't really know, since a part was missing. A large part actually in the middle.

"Yes! It is part of the Lighting Field Manual, but it shouldn't be that wild like use used." Lei Shun thought it odd but not to much so. Considering how a look things have come and gone in the place. "I have a proposal for you."

"Umm ok?" Liang Yu didn't mind talking with the man really but he wanted to get something for his hand. His lighting was unavailable no matter how much he spun his Flame Vortex Core. It would start to leave then retreat back inside. "I am going to sit down."

Liang Yu was slightly woozy as well. Sitting down before the elder could talk more. His Eyes slightly closed. Not by choice. He was temporarily blind! Check himself over, there was something weird in his blood. It was not there before!

Over on the Phoenix family's side, they were at a loss for words. Huyan Ro was fine besides some bruises. And the lack of qi from over use. But the biggest shock was the poison he was afflicted with.

"Grandfather... how did this happen?" Huyan Ro asked. His cultivation was damaged from the other fights but nothing to major. The poison from an ambush was the worst thing to happen to the young man. "Just small traces are left."

"I do not know. Considering how much you used your qi coupled with the attacks of your opponent, maybe the answer is there?" The older of the Phoenix family didn't think to much on it being Liang Yu as the cause. After all, he looked bewildered by the lighting acting up after he was done attacking. "I know someone who maybe be able to help."

"Does that mean you are leaving?" Huyan Yong asked. He was unconcern about his clansmen's condition but wanted more elders to see him dominate in the competition. It was bad enough the people he really wanted to fight were gone due to the rebels' attack. "I will make sure to bring honor back to the clan."

"Yes, this matter is important." The elder said. "Besides... the trouble with the North Lord's Guardian Mansion seems to be growing."His eyes looked at those gathered around. A few of the Noble houses paying more than close attention to all the fights than normal. 'I wonder if the Imperial Family has someone here as well?'

*Woosh!* The Elder took off with Huyan Yong. Only a few noble families taking notice of the departing figure. A few felt the situation was a little safer, sent members from their family to return home to report.

Huyan Yong saluted the departing Elder. Hiding the look of disappointment on his face.

He was not the only one disappointed. A member from the Dark Moon family really didn't like Liang Yu's growth. As a member of Liang Xu's faction, he wanted the boy to only grow so much.