Ling Cai Yun, The Battling Clouds

Ling Cai Yun, officially known as the Battling Clouds in the sect, she was a battle maniac to the highest degree. In her eyes, strength was the deciding factor for everything.

Born to the High Counselor of the Clear Sky Kingdom, her father was the emperor's right hand man. She was taught to be a graceful woman, one of nobleness. However, her plump body and round face made her a target for ridicule. No matter what clothes she wore or how extravagant she acted, there were those who talked behind her back, making snide little comments about her weight. Back then she was shy, unable to speak forth and endured the constant mockery. She knew fully, that all of her friends were not true friends, forced to do so out of courtesy.

Cai Yun felt lonely, she hated her life, hated how she looked, hated these political games.

Then she found something, something that made her fearless. She had talent, talent for martial arts.

Perhaps she was not as pretty or as elegant but there was no doubt she would best them in strength. Finding her grace in battle, she made a place for herself in Clear Spring Mountain for her techniques using her shield.

In front of her now was a new opponent for her to battle, clad in armor she slowly walked to the center of the arena.

A full head taller than Ming Yue, she looked down on her, taking off her helmet so their eyes could meet. Ming Yue did not feel any disdain for her and neither did she, both of them were formidable in their own ways.

Those judging from the pillars watched closely before nodding to the them both. Paying their respects and bowing towards each other, they stepped away without saying a word.

Ling Cai Yun put on her helmet and put her round, silver buckler in front of her while Ming Yue unsheathed Drifting Sky.

Many disciples were surprised by her sword, all this time they had thought it was a staff. To think she was a sword master gave them a bit of surprise.

"That sword... is it divine ranked?" the judges thought, they could not tell.

Drifting Sky seemed like a normal sword but it had this quality of sharpness to it, none of them could accurately gauge the rank of Drifting Sky. However that did not matter, one of them hopped down to start the duel.

"Ready! Begin!" a small shockwave came from the judge's voice as he started the match.

Surprisingly enough, Ling Cai Yun moved first, what was even more surprising was how quick she was. Even with all of that armor on her, she was still swift enough to keep up with Ming Yue.

She was an aggressive fighter, smashing down with her fist and shield at every opportunity she had. Ming Yue dodged each one with ease, even if Ling Cai Yun could keep up with her at this speed, this was not her top speed.

She watched Cai Yun move, finding something strange about her martial arts. Even though all of them landed on the ground, they did not have much effect. It wasn't even that they left a mark or a crack but rather there was no sound. She could not hear the impact of the strike, even though she felt the power of each one.

Why was this?

Where did this energy go?

Ming Yue was unsure and played it safe. She would attack every now and then, but the large shield made it somewhat difficult.

Onlookers watched, scoffing at Ming Yue.

"Ling Cai Yun has already begun. It is too late for her to win now", one of the disciples said.

"How do you know?" another asked.

"What do you think is the basis of the martial arts of our sect?"

"It is softness right?"

"Yes and what do you think softness means?"

"To be flexible and not forceful, To yield but never break. Is this not the principle of soft martial arts?"

"What you said is correct, however there are so many different other paths you could take. Softness has more than one meaning, flexibility can be understood differently, there will always be an infinite number of differing views. In this case, Ling Cai Yun's unique understanding of softness is focused on pliancy, bending but never breaking. If you've noticed, all of her strikes have hit the ground but did they make an impact or a sound?"

The younger disciple felt enlightened and then confused, "If that is so, then where is that energy?"

"Inside her body, with every attack, the energy returns to her body only to be reused in the next strike, stronger than before. Like a spring, the energy bounces back. Until she hits her target, it will continue to grow and grow until it is released onto her victim."

"Then what happens if she accumulates too much? Would she not be injured?"

"Idiot, its her own energy of course she could release it whenever she wants. However the most terrifying thing about her is not the strength of the strike but her endurance. A technique like that takes both precise control and mental fortitude. Having to control that energy and make sure it does not go out of control is difficult. Yet she is able to do so for fifty moves, if that first strike could crack stone, the fiftieth could probably crush boulders to dust. To be able to control that power is a feat of itself."

"Then wouldn't that mean that one strike would be all it takes to win?"

"Possibly, we know barely anything about that girl. Who knows what sort of trump card she has."

By now, Ling Cai Yun was on her 34th strike. Ming Yue had already faintly guessed her technique. She could could feel each strike growing stronger and stronger.

At this point, attempting to take that strike head one would definitely end in her loss. However, something like this had to have a weakness. She did not change her speed, trying to think of a way of breaking it.

Every time, she attacked, the force within each strike would grow stronger. If there was no impact on the ground then the energy would have returned to her body, a cycle that grew stronger and stronger.

To break it, she needed to find a weak point and only one came to mind. Her only chance to attack would be when the energy is midway through strike. If she were to disrupt the process, Ling Cai Yun would receive backlash.

But even if Ming Yue knew when and where to strike, Ling Cai Yun's shield blocked her. It was not even the size that stopped her but the skill. In all of her strikes, Ling Cai Yun has managed to parry all of them with her shield. It was annoying but currently, this had become a stalemate, one that was disadvantageous towards Ming Yue.

It there was any a good time to use more of her strength it would be now.

This was the first time that she would fully utilize her cultivation at the 8th human level. She was testing herself, slowly adjusting to just adequately fight Ling Cai Yun. But now it was time to end it.

In the middle of the fight, she had almost vanished from everyone's eyes. For a split second, Ming Yue was no where to be seen. No one but the judges could track her. Her aura was withdrawn as she ducked down and went behind Ling Cai Yun. She was extremely quick, too quick for even Cai Yun and she attacked her arm.

The blade itself hummed as her inner force joined together and accumulated itself. One downward slash cut down Ling Cai Yun's arm but contrary to what she thought would happen, her blade was stuck!

Cai Yun's armor had managed to stop her attack but under the force of it, cracks started to spread throughout the armor.

She dashed away, her armor slowly falling apart. Rather than let it fall, she took it off herself. Under it she wore well fitting clothes, a silver tunic with white pants. She still held her shield, standing tall.

"You are one of the few to have broken this technique", she said.

Blood began to flow from her mouth as she stood but she did not collapse, instead, she slammed her shield onto the ground. The impact reverberated the area, impacting her the most.

"She...she took control of the rampaging energy like that?" she thought, feeling a bit shocked.

Cai Yun was definitely someone to respect, despite taking recoil damage, she was still calm and quickly solved the problem.

She raised her shield again and advanced.