The storm's fury continued unabated, only increasing in power as my anger fed Qi infused with lighting, water, wind, and ice into the coalescing storm clouds. Thunder and lighting gaining in power, the might of this storm only contained by the defensive arrays that the Sect had placed around the city.

If the two I had killed had been the only people that were participating in this assault on my family, I might have calmed, and as I calmed the storm dispersed, but they weren't alone. Three other people had attacked once they realized I had acted.

What infuriated me, even more, was that one of the people engaged in this attack was at the Qi Gathering Realm. Powerful enough that if they had unleashed their abilities, they might have accomplished what the Body Refinement fire aspect cultivator had not been able to accomplish.

I released reams and reams of material, literally burying the two Body Refinement cultivators to give me a chance to deal with the more deadly threat the Qi Gathering cultivator represented.

I exchanged my Tessen for the Bow. I hadn't had time to give much attention to the Spirit Bow, barely establishing my claim, but the weapon gave me another layer of power that I was going to need if I expected to survive against a Qi Gathering opponent.

With the two lower-ranked cultivators confined, the material I had buried them in answering to my will to tighten and bind them, they were sidelined for now. I unleashed another [Lightning's Rush] while embracing [Stealth]. I had dashed behind another building as I did so.

I tracked the man that was searching, the lighting and rain that was raging doing as much to confound his senses as my [Stealth] had. Stepping on my ice platforms, I ran up the side of the building until I had enough height I could target, aim, and release my most powerful archery attack.

The arrow I created was one I had been practicing with but hadn't used in battle. I had control over the elements of air, water, lightning, ice, and fog, but until now, my attacks had been made using one or two of those elements. This would combine all five elements into a [Powershot] that would release the combined frenzy of each of those elements.

I still hadn't identified who the cultivator I was targeting was, only to know he was from Flowing Water, the emblem embroidered on his shoulder establishing his relationship to the Sect. That he hadn't even bothered to try to hide his affiliation only served to increase my anger. He believed, all of these people believed, there would be no repercussions for what they did here today.

They were wrong.

I didn't wait to see how much damage the [Powershot] did. The explosion was all out of proportion to anything I'd released before, but I was attacking a Qi Gathering cultivator with full control of his Dharmic powers. I couldn't give him a chance to respond or counter-attack.

So as soon as I'd released my arrow, I moved running across the rooftops quickly enough to stay out of his reach but keep him in my sights. And as I ran, I released [Powershot] after [Powershot], my fury now tinged with glee as I noticed defensive treasure after treasure being destroyed to protect the man.

I moved with forethought, taunting, and shooting him the entire way. He would have known where I was heading if he'd spent even a second observing the path we took, but he was too lost to anger or embarrassment to pay attention.

I wanted his perfidy exposed. It wasn't until the gates of the Sect were in view, that he realized where I was headed, but by this point, it was too late. The items that he had used to protect him were either exhausted or destroyed and with my objective in view, I began targeting vital areas of his body.

I had reached enlightenment during the tournament, merging my knowledge of the elements with the techniques of [Tessenjutsu] to create a unique skill. [Winter's Bite] fused each of the elements I controlled, releasing the fury of a winter's storm. It would translate just as well to the arrows I was creating, and as my perception recognized more and more of Flowing Water Sect members arriving, I released an [Empowered Winter's Bite]

Another new technique, but a more bastardized version of a skill that I had created to fit Tessen. The arrows reacted exactly as I intended. One shot, two, ten, fifty. Each releasing the power contained in the most powerful blizzard.

He didn't stand there allowing me to use him for target practice, his attacks came screaming with the power of Dharmic spell work. His control over the water element was so much greater than mine. Attacks that I had to deflect with ice and air, by dodging and moving. My movement skill tempered by my [Dao] serving as an equalizer, allowing me to withstand the difference in power between our Realms.

There is no question he would have won if I hadn't formed a pillar if I hadn't taken those first steps that would lead me to an understanding of the [Dao of Movement], but I had. That understanding of [Movement] included the reaction and action that was required to create lighting. The excitement of atoms released heat five times that released by the sun. I had no control or affinity with fire, but the heat that lightning produced was mine to direct.

I watched emotionlessly as the lightning, and the heat that element released finally landed, the [Dao of Movement] allowing me to slow my perception of time so that I could fire an arrow, striking an area of his body that he had left exposed.

He didn't vaporize like the cultivator I had slain in front of my parent's shop had. Instead, he became a blazing flash of fire and ash. His body and clothing detonating into a blaze of fire, his control over water unable to control or deflect that last arrow.

"Was that necessary?" Patriarch Amaya asked having arrived to see the battle's conclusion.

"Yes," I answered not turning continuing to watch as the body burned, my fury calming along with the storm that was still raging.

"Six of them came to my parent's house, to attack," I explained my voice devoid of emotion. "They would see my parents, my brother, my sister all dead. I have ignored much from this Sect. Your failure to put a leash on Elder An, his faction, and their politics.

"I have endured the taunts, attacks, and theft that they have engaged in. But they have gone so far as to attack and try to kill my family, and I have had enough.

"It seems as long as the name An is mentioned there are no reprisals, no repercussions to their actions. Nero lost his leg attacking me. Braun has come close twice to losing his life. My contributions to the sect, the spirit mine, the lotus field, have done nothing to engender goodwill or protection," I continued making sure my voice was carried by the wind so that those in the Sect and the residents of the city heard my words.

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"I am beyond their reach now. Four Elements would never ignore any attack on an Inner Sect member no matter how new the Sect or the position. So, they act to destroy what they believe I can't protect.

"While you were in closed-door cultivation, I excused their excess, believing that you were unaware, but I no longer believe that," I said turning to face the Patriarch.

"You have allowed this factional schism to exist. You have allowed Elder An to skirt the rules that every other member must abide by. You have failed as Patriarch and since you will not act, I will," I continued not caring how my words were received.

"I have killed two other Flowing Water Sect members that attacked my family. But there are still two alive, trapped and contained. I give my permission for them to be collected, but Sect justice must be implemented," I warned.

"Elder An and his faction must be proscribed," I said turning the full fury of my vision on Elder An and Braun. "They have encouraged this insanity, and if you allow it to stand, I will be sure to mention these proceedings with Elder Shadow and his aunt, Patriarch Umbra."

The silence was deafening as I finished my speech. Those Sect members that had been standing near Elder An and Braun slowly edging away. If I was staying, if I hadn't the protections of Four Elements and Elder Shadow, my words would have been a death sentence for me and my family.

With those protections, those that would be forced to pay for today's attack would be Elder An and his people. This would not be ignored or swept under the carpet as had happened for so long. Patriarch Amaya might have not wanted to, but now she had no chance but to root out the corruption that had been allowed to infest the Sect.

I didn't give her or anyone else a chance to respond, before quickly activating [Lighting's Rush] and returning home. The two men I had left swaddled in cloth were still straining to free themselves, but I ignored them to make sure my family was alright.

Dad was busy repairing the door I had destroyed as I burst from our house. Mom was sweeping up broken crockery that my unleashed anger had shattered. Their actions so domestic, so normal, that it released the remaining tension I was holding and allowed me to cry. My tears were hidden by the gentle rain that was all that was left of the storm I had summoned.

I spent the next few days helping my parents get organized. The move would be a massive undertaking for them. The herbs that father was growing would have to be abandoned, for the most part, but there were some rare clippings that he'd managed to grow that would have to be transported.

I purchased one of the spatial devices the Sect allowed members to requisition when they went out on missions. Pouches that could store plants and maintain an atmosphere steeped in spirit energy to keep the plants stored healthy. Father would have to decide what he would try to transplant and what should just be harvested. I knew he would leave the garden in pristine condition when the family moved, allowing whoever purchased the building to profit from his hard work.

I visited Cyntyne's Shop, browsing their stock of spatial devices. I found three that I felt would be useful. One of which, I kept for myself. It was an interesting device, more torc than a choker, it served as both spatial storage and inner world. Someone had taken the time to cultivate enough land to grow a very small forest. There was no wildlife, but the torc could hold several animals.

I planned to populate it with a small herd of jackalopes, a rabbit crossbred with an antelope. They were vicious carnivores, well-armed with horns and fangs, so territorial they would attack anything or anyone that came within range. I was going to allow them to become well established within this inner world, then release Storm. I'm not sure if anyone else trained their bonded companion in this manner, but I liked the idea of a controlled environment for hunting until she matured.

The other two I gave to mother, one for use in storing and transporting our furnishings. The other would be used to transport the shop paraphernalia she had garnered. Equipment potions, philters, and ingredients that made up the bulk of my mother's workshop, that had survived two attacks.

This would be our last day before Leon, Jinli, and I would accompany a Beast Tamer back to Dragon Spire to meet up with the other people who would be traveling to Four Element Sect. I had purchased extra seating so that my parents could leave with me. I no longer trusted them to be ignored or protected by Flowing Water.

I hoped I would have time to secure transportation for them, for the rest of the journey, but if I didn't, it would be safer for them to leave from Dragon Spire. At least there was no one would be holding a grudge.

Dylan, the Beast Tamer assigned to us, was an Elder, barely recognized because he was too focused on his animals to play the game of politics that came with that position. The Sect allowed him to focus on Tamer Hall, but in exchange, he was called upon to provide transportation occasionally.

He had one of the largest flying mounts of anyone in the Sect. A Wyvern that he had raised from an egg-like I was doing with Storm. The ride might have been more dangerous, we wouldn't have the protection of the Patriarch or the Elders like we had last time, but the Wyvern would be able to ignore attacks.

Wyverns hadn't existed long; a recent breeding program had been implemented that had given them life. I'm not sure if anyone knew who started the program, but a Pterodactyl had been crossbred with the Eurotrochilus, the progenitor for hummingbirds. The result was an animal that retained the power and lizard-like qualities of the Pterodactyl while maintaining the speed and maneuverability of the hummingbird. Wyverns could hover, fly backward, and dart in any direction, their ability to fly, their speed unparalleled.

Because of these characteristics, the chances of us being caught, forced to stop and fight anything that might attack were minimal. The only exception would be another cultivator riding a Wyvern of their own. That possibility was not as remote as you would think, but Flowing Water had no real feuds between Sects, so we should be safe on that front.

Packing up my belongings and clearing my lodgings was a matter of moments. I had already gotten into the habit of keeping most of my possessions in my ring's spatial storage. I grabbed my blankets and pillow, a tea set, and carafe that I used each morning and was set to go.

The only thing left was my farewells to Elder Tye and Tarrah.

"Take the tokens," Tarrah finally demanded in exasperation.

"They belong to the Sect, Tarrah. I'm sure Four Elements will have copies that I can use. If not, I'll find a set of reference material I can purchase," I said refusing to bend.

We had been arguing for ten minutes now about what I should and shouldn't take from the lab I had been assigned. I was willing to take the cauldron, the mortar and pestle, some of the glassware, and the herbs I'd left drying. Those I owned, I'd purchased each item with my contribution points, so there could be no hint of impropriety by taking them.

The tokens belonged to the Sect. They were text, treaties, and research material on Alchemy that Elder Tye had loaned or that I had borrowed from Elder Cix and the library. Even if Tarrah could speak for Elder Tye about those tokens he had loaned, the ones from the library were not hers to gift.

Tarrah's response was unexpected. She grabbed me up in a fierce hug. Holding me tight as tears that I hadn't realized I had been holding back finally broke free.

"I am going to miss you. You are so stubborn," she cried. "I don't know why but you have become like a sister to me, even if you won't listen to reason."

"I wish you and Elder Tye were coming with me," I agreed, comforting her. "You will never know how much your friendship has meant to me over the past year." As I had prepared to leave, I realized how important some of the people from this Sect had become to me.

Elder Cix's wisdom and guidance could never be discounted. It was his vision that recognized how well I would do with [Transcend the Heavenly Footpath]. He had been a fount of wisdom that I had come to depend on.

Elder Dalis was more interested in his plants and herbs than people but would still find the time to discuss his passion with me whenever I had questions or sought advice.

Elder Healer Kailee had put me back together a few times.

The fondness for all of them would remain, but it was Elder Tye, Elder Cix, and Tarrah that I would hold deep within my heart. Three beacons of light, in a year that found me isolated, despised, tormented, and attacked.