In an explosion of movement and energy, it was as if Tian Long flew. He spiraled, graciously, and for a moment, everyone there was seeing a dragon. As for the wind? Didn't it sound like the roar of a distant beast?
But it was only for a moment. Because immediately after that, the flight ended with a powerful flying kick, straight into the chest of Tian Zhang. It was as if he was hit by a catapult, as he was sent flying straight into the courtyard wall, more than a dozen meters away.
At that moment, Elder Liang knelt at his raised dais. Sweat was all over his face, and only he knew what had truly transpired. As soon as he felt the pressure, even though he was stunned speechless, he also acted as fitted of his title. Even though there was no chance he could stop Tian Long, he started to condense his own Qi. When the flying kick was almost reaching Tian Zhang, he used it to form a barrier around the man and reinforce his body. The fact Tian Zhang was still sent flying like a rag doll only spoke for the strength of the attack. Had Elder Liang not acted, maybe the spectators would be showering in bits of blood and guts.
That was a truth that not even Tian Long was aware of. After all, even though he could indeed feel the Qi, he was by no means an expert. In fact, he had not even ever felt so powerful. Even though he had mastered the first move of the Style of The Flying Dragon, it was never this powerful. It made him a little surprised, but not that much. He was, after all, a young dragon, so was it not expected such feats from him? Maybe he would have felt more surprised if Elder Liang had not blocked most of his move strength without his knowledge.
When the fog of Qi - and pure surprise - lifted from the spectator's minds and hearts, there was a flurry of exclamations and movement from the stands. The people yelled in exasperation, astonishment, indignation, and admiration. All those emotions directed at the sole young man still standing atop the arena. A few of the more responsible disciples moved to check on Tian Zhang and among them was Elder Liang. He, among all the other spectators, knew better the true danger faced by the young man sent hurling. Even though his Qi had protected his exterior well enough, what about his insides? Was Elder Liang's Qi enough to protect the man?
Slumping on the cracked wall, Tian Zhang was found with life, but unconscious. The back of his head was bleeding a little and his back was bloody and flayed. Nevertheless, he was at least alive. As the nephew of another Elder, if Tian Zhang had died under his watch, he would lose all his face among the other Elders. He might even suffer retaliation.
Once he realized how close of misfortune he had been by simply offering his training grounds for an exchange of pointers between disciples, his heart surged with rage. How dare Tian Long do that? So much talent, so much power, all spent on a youth so devoid of filial values. It was a disgrace. No one should have such power at such young age, and much less someone so domineering
But nevertheless, he was a personal disciple of the Clan Master, and there was nothing Elder Liang could do to Tian Long without the express permission of his master. Still, he had to save some face for himself. So, after sending his disciples to carry Tian Zhang to the Healing Hall, he turned with a serious face and walked to the arena, where Tian Long still stood with a thoughtful expression.
"Tian Long! What is the meaning of this? Don't you have any brotherly feeling for your fellow disciples? Don't you have any respect for your House of The Flying Dragons? How dare you harm your brothers in such manner! They are part of our clan just as you are!" Elder Liang reprimanded Tian Long with his true feelings. It was not enough for a clan to have genius disciples like Tian Long. The House of The Flying Dragon was the biggest and strongest clan in the whole China due to its power in its entirety. The disciples residing and training in the House the whole year ranged somewhere between ten and fifteen hundred, aside from the Elders, Deacons, and Protectors.
Outside the house, formed from disciples who choose to leave the House, they also had control over an army of over three thousand warriors, the Dragon Army. They were elite soldiers and served as a link between the Wulin and the mundane society, following only direct orders from the House and the Emperor of China himself.
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The house also owned lands awarded to the founder, General Tian Long, for his exploits during the Unification Wars. It was with those rewards he created the House, which now expanded his fortune and influence several folds in both the Wulin world and the mundane society, reaching terrifying degrees.
And more than anything, The House of The Flying Dragons had a reputation, and because of this, there could not ever be a disciple to walk so blatantly around the House wrecking such havoc, no matter how promising. The House of The Flying Dragons was a dynasty, more powerful than any single man, genius or not. Knowing that such brat had been awarded by the heavens with such talent and chosen by the Clan Master as one of the sole inheritors of the Style of The Flying Dragon made Elder Liang want to puke blood.
Even with the reprimand, though, Tian Long did not look even slightly repentant.
"I have nothing but respect and gratitude for The House of The Flying Dragons. This is my home, the only place I know and want to know. Seeing the House reach the highest heights in the Martial Path is my biggest dream. And I will be the one leading it!" He yelled with a fiery passion in his voice.
"I do this precisely because of my love for this House! This is a house of dragons. Those that are not dragons, should become. And those who are not should know their places!" With those words, he turned around from Elder Liang, and looked, towards the other disciples.
"You are all weak! But you are also disciples of the House. So honor it! Become Dragons! Try harder! If not, you should leave this place. When I become the Clan Master, there will not be such allowances. We don't need failures." And then he walked down the arena and left the courtyard in heroic and slow steps, leaving a stunned and silent audience.
How could a person have such little sense? Weak? They were all core disciples of the strongest martial clan in the Empire of China! The most talented young martial artists from the whole world! Try harder? All of them had risen from the ranks of outer disciples through diligence and hard work! There were no slackers there! Even though they were surely weaker than Tian Long, the difference was not enough for him to be so arrogant! Besides, not everyone would be so blessed by the heavens to be born with such talent as him! As for being Clan Master? Even though the Clan Master was ill and moribund, how could he so blatantly declare himself to be the next Clan Master? Wasn't Tian Wang, Elder Yan's son, also an inheritor of the Style of The Flying Dragon?
The huge absurdity of the few sentences said by Tian Long was such that it took a long time for the core disciples to process it. Feelings of rage and indignation rose from the hearts of his audience, but Tian Long was long gone before they could voice it.
Elder Liang was just as shocked as everyone else by the words said by Tian Long. Thinking about it, though, he understood from where such insanity came from. The boy had been raised inside the House, among Deacons, Protectors, Elders and the Clan Master himself. A place where the strength of the fist was all that mattered and where your standing among your peers was defined by your achievements on the Martial Path. He never left the House and never had anyone to teach him better. He probably knew nothing about the various functions a person could apply himself for in the real world. The many talents one could have and the many values someone could show.
'He is barely human... Just a shell, sculpted solely to pursue the Martial Path...' Thought Elder Liang. A broken young man, blinded by his environment and his own power. It would not have been so bad if he was a regular disciple, but Tian Long... he was an inheritor of the House. He could possibly become their leader in the future. There was no doubt, that with the talent and power he had displayed on that day, Tian Long would be the top expert on the whole China in a few years time. But this fact only made the doubt in the heart of Elder Liang grow stronger.
Was this kind of leader someone the world needed? Or even more importantly, was this the kind of leader The House of The Flying Dragons wanted?
Unknowingly to Tian Long, on that day, the biggest storm that he would experience in his whole life started to brew. It would be a storm so violent that no ordinary man would be able to stand. The kind of storm that topples kingdoms and changes the tides of time.
But of course, Tian Long had never been an ordinary person, and this storm was also the kind that fell arrogant young dragons and gave rise to the few true dragons that this world has ever seem. And thus it would become the beginning of a legend.