33 Battling Gu Jiang Again!

Standing on the stage across from Gu Jian, Yun thought back to her previous encounter with this brutish man.

Back in the River Wood.

"Stop right there child! I, Gu Jian, cannot stand by and let you pass me so easily!"

What a conceited thing for him to shout at her. He, a large Canis warrior who relies on his brute strength to fight, was angry that someone who is faster was going to pass him?

Then they fought. He used his brute strength to overcome Yun's speed and reach by parrying the spear shaft and entirely avoiding the head. But the two of them never got to finish that battle.

Volvaka Hunters interrupted.

Obviously these Hunters were seeking her death in revenge, because despite the major difference in body size between her and Gu Jian they attacked her in a pair and only had one Hunter drive him away.

Back in the present.

Yun looked at her opponent and tilted her head a bit, "Gu Jian, this Yun never imagined that she would be fighting you again. What say we pick this up where we left off?"

Hearing this challenge the large Canis, Gu Jian, grinned fiercely. "I will fight you again, young fox. But this time, instead of being interrupted by a group of sniveling Volvaka, you will be thrown into the river!"

The Elders were quite amused at this. This was the final battle for this phase and victory or defeat would determine whether Gu Jian was in the top 50. All the competitors were gathered together watching this one final match.

"Both of you, prepare yourselves." An Elder roared out.

Yun retrieved her spear and took a low stance.

Gu Jian pulled his clubs, now with many nicks but also some metal rings around them, from his belt and twirled them menacingly.

"Begin." The Elder spoke softly this time, and ,with that gentle word falling down to the ground like a leaf in fall, the battle began.

Yun launched herself forward towards Gu Jian at the same time as he charged her. Their battle began just like the previous one. Yun slashed strongly towards him, her spear bending under the force, and he blocked with one club against the shaft while closing in too near for her to use her weapon properly.

But something changed.

Suddenly, as he thought he had made contact with the shaft of her spear, the little fox in front of him pivoted strangely, the spearhead swishing back over her shoulder as the tail of the spear smashed upwards at him like the tail of a dragon!

He could nearly hear the roar of a dragon as the flanged spike split the air strangely!

Gu Jian's eyes shrank. He instantly forced his whole body to stop and try to block that spear blow!

Smash! The spear whipped into the clubs in his hands and sent him sliding back a dozen meters. Blood leaked out of the corner of his mouth and his hands felt a numbing feeling. This strike was formidable!

Gu Jian, with fire in his eyes, ignored the tumbling blood within his body and charged forwards again. Knowing that his opponent has such a trick, he was now prepared for it and managed to trap Yun in close combat this time.

As his clubs rained blows down on Yun she just calmly stood there, parrying the force from his blows like it was nothing, while looking for an opportunity to strike.

Suddenly he brought both clubs down together in an overhead smash and she knew this was her chance!

She stepped to the side slightly, angled her spear, and, with the tail planted against the ground, slid his attacking force down the shaft before lifting it and whipping his arms as hard as she could!

At the last second Gu Jian managed to lift his clubs one more time and, with the very top of them, catch the blow of the spear!

Once again he slid back over a dozen meters, this time spitting a small amount of blood on the ground.

"Good, good. What a strong fox! This Gu Jian will drive you off the edge!"

He wildly charged again, seeming to have lost his mind in the battle. But this time, Yun charged as well.

Smash!

Smack!

Crack!

They traded blows repeatedly before a large cracking sound could be heard. Yun's spear spike had left a huge crack in one of his clubs, shattering the metal ring that surrounded that section!

Once again Gu Jian was pushed sliding back, but what he didn't realize is every time he slid back she had closed the distance just a bit, pushing him further towards the edge with each exchange.

Yun charged!

Gu Jian charged!

Yun swung out wide with her spear, trying to sweep him across the midsection. He blocked it with one hand, swinging out at her elbow with the other club!

Smash!

Yun grinned at the huge Canis in front of her as his eyes went round as saucers. She had released one hand from her spear and struck his elbow hard enough to break it with another spear!

Striking out with both spears she pushed him back step by step as he manically parried with his one good arm and his cracked club. Finally, nearing the edge of the arena unknowingly, he was struck one last time by a cross strike from both spears and sent flying back into the water.

"Victory, Yunlong. Due to point values this means that Gu Jian has been eliminated from the competition. All competitors please gather on the shore in front of the seats for the final announcements!"

Gu Jian was fished out of the water by an Elder and his broken arm was quickly set and treated with a medicinal pill. Within a few days he would be able to use his arm again, but it would be weeks before it was fully healed and ready for battle. He looked over at Yun with a glimmer in his eyes, then turned and sat down in the spectator seats with resignation. This was the end of his path in this tournament.

The Elders waited for all the competitors to gather before speaking to them again.

"All of you, congratulations on completing five entire phases of this Inter-Sect Tournament. This is something to be proud of! Look at how many competitors were unable to even arrive at this stage and witness it!"

"Just now we finished another round of competition, and many of you competed with all your heart. Unfortunately, to complete this tournament, just over half of you are being eliminated in this phase. Fifty one percent!"

"I will now call out your names, as you are called out, please mount the small stage nearest to you."

The Elders began calling out names, one by one, and a small number of people were gathered on the stage nearest the shore.

"Huli Yunlong! 161 points! Mount the stage!"

Yun looked over her shoulder for a moment, looking up in to the spectator seats and smiling at her brother Fenglong, then stepped forward proudly and leapt over to the stage to stand with the others.

After quite a while, the Elders finally finished calling the victors over. This time, there were merely fifty competitors left.

"The final phase of this competition will be a double-elimination tournament. Step forward and draw your lots."

As lots were drawn randomly, Yun was surprised when she drew the number four. Looking up at the tournament board, this number received a bye in the first round and would fight directly in the second round. Whoever won in the sixth bracket, between numbers 29 and 36, would face her in her first match.