His Takushu rei, his bow, was not much different from the bows I had been taught. Where mine more resembled the Wai used by the people of Thailand, his required him to place his right fist in his left palm as he executed a full bow. It was the exact bow that martial artists that competed were taught on Earth.

This world may not have diverse races, there were no black, white, or red Elves, but cultural differences did arise. More based on regional location. Very like how different dialects could be found across North America. For the most part, the empire I was living in followed cultural influences that were heavily influenced by Asian history. There would be exceptions, his Takushu rei one small deviation.

There was an energy barrier separating us, so we were forced to stand and wait as the audience was updated on who we were and where we came from. That kind of information I didn't mind being shared. But what was aggravating was when the announcer began detailing my affinities, my Spirit Root type, and how far along my cultivation path I had traveled. Information I would rather my opponent not have.

Tibes had given me much of the information about Daniel that the announcer was sharing, but the added information on his Spirit Root and the nature of his martial techniques was new. His technique was called [Wing Chun Kuen] a fist and leg style of combat that relied on the body instead of weapons. He had opened a Tin Spirit Root which was only one tier lower than mine.

Knowing the name and style of his fighting technique might have given me an advantage if I knew what he was capable of. I didn't understand how he would be able to damage me if I maintained range, not if he relied on punches and kicks for attacks. But there had to be something that allowed him to equalize the fight. He had made it past the first round, so there must be something about the technique he practiced that allowed him to adapt.

With introductions complete, the barrier was lowered. I thought it prudent to stay out of melee range, at least until I had more of an understanding of his abilities, so I engaged [Dancing Wind and Rain], a leaping dance of spins and fabric that allowed me to ascend until I had reached I height I was satisfied was outside of his attack range. Once I had reached the apex of the opening Kata, I released Storm.

I hadn't planned on using the Roc during these battles, she simply wasn't ready for combat. But that didn't mean she couldn't be helpful. Part of the duality of our bond meant that Storm and I gained some of the skills of the other. I had named her Storm for a reason; she had gained my affinity for lightning and could call the storm she was named after. I could use and direct the bolts of lightning she would call.

I gave her exact orders, our bond allowing communication channels to form naturally. She was to create a lightning storm, but never engage either Danial or his snake if he allowed it to participate in this fight. The storm, Storm created was to be controlled, I wanted random lightning strikes to be released as a means of confusing my opponent, and forcing him to split his attention between me, my pet, and the environment.

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I once again removed that hideous dress that women were forced to compete in. I had laughed with glee when I'd scoured the rules as they pertained to the armor. I had to enter combat wearing the appropriate style of armor for my gender, but there was no rule that said I had to continue to wear it once engagement had commenced.

As Storm released and directed the air and water element she controlled, my hair and clothing were whipped into a frenzy. Tendrils of each moving with the wind, framing my head and body as each moved to the rhythm of air currents. The ebb and flow of air forging a picturesque scene as my hair lashed in concert with those invisible forces.

Daniel was not impressed with my opening gambit, instead, he was focused on attack. The audience was more impressed, unable to ignore the spectacle of a young woman wreathed in lightning, cocooned, and protected by the forces of air.

I withdrew my Bow from my spatial ring and began creating an ice and lighting forged arrow. I didn't spend much time aiming, my intent wasn't to hit him, at least not yet. Instead, I intended to release a half dozen bolts at the ground near his feet, watching as an ice field expanded from each strike. The ice was strewn with small sparks of lightning, that arced haphazardly.

As a trap, it may have been simplistic, but I was hoping to stun or slow his movements once the real fight began. But my salvo of arrows was a waste of time. Daniel sprang in the air as easily and adeptly as I had. But instead of using platforms of air to find purchase, the ground moved at his command. Pillars of earth growing, as he ran, using his Qi to create a series of stairs, earth platforms that allowed him to sprint towards me.

I watched as the occasional lightning strike descended, those strikes increasing as he gained height, but his elemental affinity with the earth was a natural counter to my lightning. He ignored the attacks, trusting in the nature of earth to ground the lightning, able to neutralize the damage the storm could inflict.

I swapped out my Bow for the Tessen and I reacted to his charge by activating [Lightning's Rush], I created my own series of platforms to leap from, keeping the distance I had initially settled on, I also began an ancillary attack. Incorporating the changes to speed [Lightning's Rush] gave, I began attacking using [White Crane Opens Wing].

My Tessen began fluttering, guiding the forces of air to act as a bulwark, a solid shield that was able to bash as well as repel. As my movement speed increased, I began snapping the Tessen open and closed while continuing the oscillating movements that controlled the wind by fluttering the Tessens back and forth.

Daniel was fast. His ability to create pillars of earth meant that he had a profound understanding of his element. As I continued to snap the spines of my Tessen opened and closed, I watched carefully, and when he took his next step forward unto a quickly rising platform, I released one of the tines of the fan too.

The tine, dagger-like in construction was linked directly with my Spirit Root with a meridian channel that had been created to control ice and water. As the dagger separated from my Tessen, I completed the kata I had begun with [White Crane Opens Wing], aiming not at Danial, but at the pillar of earth, he was about to stand on.

As he stepped forward, dashing to keep up with me, that dagger released the expansive properties that water enjoined when it became ice. The pillar shattered, fragments of ice and earth exploding in Daniel's face.

I watched as his foot, finding no purchase sent him flailing to the ground. The harm he took from the ice and earth shrapnel was minimal, but the same could not be said for the falling damage. He was not out of the competition, but I took some enjoyment when the announcer informed the audience that I had drawn first blood.