(Author: Hello all. The tournament has begun! This chapter will feature the Knight Destroyers during the first and second round. Many representatives of powerful families and nations are watching. The first round will be one of the first tests of the strategies of the Knight Destroyers. Liao also contemplates how to defeat Guan Xu. Enjoy.)

Chapter 11: The Tournament's Start

"Get in formation," a voice yelled. A group of five in completely black light armor and a hood covering their face began shifting around, three standing in front of two others.

"No girls," Cao grinned as he estimated their builds. "I won't be merciful to those in the defensive position. I'm going all out."

"Use only your wind qi this round. Your goal is to keep them occupied. Defeating them comes second," Liao said silently as he stood on the right side of their formation while Sakura moved to the left. The audience held their breath as both teams took out their weapons. While the Knight Destroyers had impressive weapons, it was the weapons of the Black Terror Eagles that shocked them. Each member of the Black Terror Eagles wielded sickles attached to long silver chains. They were brutal weapons designed to kill the enemy cruelly by stabbing the body and pulling the chains, enlarging the wound and forcing the enemy to scream in agony as their blood sprayed like a fountain. True experts were able to actually dismember with every strike.

"Oh crap," Cao whispered as he saw the enemy party brandish their weapons. "Are they asking for a death match in the first round?"

"I wouldn't be so sure," Liao answered. "Such a complex weapon style is leaps ahead in difficulty to master compared to most weapons. A whip would be easier to learn as it doesn't have the crescent curved blade at the end. Not only that, that weapon style relies on wide open spaces. This is actually better for Richard and Ling once Richard isolates the leader. I'd be careful if I were you Cao. Try to fight in between the two people you are fighting. They won't be so bold as they might entangle their chains."

"Both parties are ready. First aid on standby," the official muttered as he observed both sides.

"BEGIN," the official roared and both parties made their move. Cao focused wind qi into his halberd and slammed the ground, the blast sending debris and dirt toward the Black Terror Eagles as their three attackers ran forward. The two attackers beside the leader tried running around the blast but were intercepted by Liao and an arrow by Sakura.

One attacker was forced to run backwards under Sakura's arrows while Liao was locked in combat with the other attacker, his feet crackling with lightning qi as Liao used his Lightning Shadow Steps technique. Although weaker than his opponent, Liao's speed was superior and successfully isolated the last attacker from the leader.

"Gavin!" the one fighting Liao screamed.

"Don't worry Marie! Just beat that Spirit Knight and help Cray beat that archer!" the leader shouted.

Gavin grunted in surprise as Ling appeared in a flash and stabbed her rapier at him. Gavin was forced into combat, unable to use his chains with the sickle as he blocked Ling's quick thrusts and cuts. A tall shadow loomed around him and he saw a blonde haired boy with a mace create a circle of earth six feet tall around all three of them.

"Gavin!" Cray shouted and bared his teeth at Sakura. "Filthy archer! Wait until I get my hands on you! Hanes and Jack, watch my back!"

Cray cursed as another arrow, surrounded in wind qi, flew toward his legs and was forced to leap back. He looked back, wondering why the two on defense didn't help him and saw Cao in between Hanes and Jack, forcing them to fight in close combat with their sickle.

Their leader was trapped in a circle of earth and his back up was under siege by a second stage Spirit Sage.

"This wasn't supposed to happen!" Cray shouted as a blunt arrow finally broke past his guard and hit his chest. Augmented by wind qi, the arrow had hit Cray and sent him flying off the stage.

Sakura put her fist in the air as the crowd cheered. It was impressive to use wind qi and increase the power and speed of an arrow. Sakura's training over the past month under Devil Locket finally bore fruit. Marcus called it the Sonic Arrow technique as Sakura had to condense her wind qi and force the arrow to spin as it was released, increasing the velocity and power at least two times over.

"Looks like Liao is still giving orders," General Zhao laughed. The public was given knowledge about each parties' qi attributes, roles, and qi cultivation levels. Isolating the leader and positioning Cao in between two fighters that used chained weapons was a smart move. "Looks like the only problem is Liao's own fight. That archer would be trying to assist the other two in taking out the leader. A great strategy can overcome many disadvantages. Poor Black Terror Eagles. They had to encounter such a strategic team. I wonder if I should report the third young master's progress to General Hui? Liao has more muscles and has a scar over his left eye, a tattoo, and his left eye had become the color of grey ash. Did teenage rebellion come so early?"

Liao was struggling as his only advantage was his speed. The problem was that he constantly had to move in and out of his opponent's range. Marie was able to take advantage of the increased distance and utilize the chain attached to her sickle. Every time Liao moved in for a blow, Marie her hand holding the sickle and slash at him, a wave of dark qi spreading out like a wave. As he dodged backwards, she would throw the sickle and redirect its path with both her hands twisting the chain, making its trajectory unpredictable.

"Dammit," Liao cursed as he dodged another strike by the sickle. "How do I get closer to her? I have to use the Lightning Shadow Steps just to keep up with her."

Liao ran back and stopped moving outside her range. He realized he couldn't win at close range or mid-range combat.

"I can't call back Sakura as she is needed to beat the leader," Liao muttered. "If Sakura, Ling, and Richard are isolated by a wall of earth, I can use a wide ranged attack without hurting them."

"TAKE THIS!" Liao roared as he started condensing fire qi in his throat. Realizing he was charging up for a more powerful attack, Marie ran forward and threw her sickle, the chain glistening as the sickle made an arch toward Liao's neck. Cao had overcome his two opponents with ease as he used pure power and expelled wind qi from his body, blasting both victims off the stage. It really was convenient to be a second stage Spirit Sage.

"Whoa! Liao's going all out," Cao grinned as he saw Marie leap toward him as Liao's throat glowed red and orange. the audience watched as a small river of fire raged from Liao's mouth and struck Marie. Marie screamed in pain as she tried using wind qi to escape, but it only made her situation worst as the fire devoured the wind and became fiercer. Marie than brought her arms to her face as she was sent flying by the force and covered her body with dark qi to protect her body.

Liao's vision blurred and he fell to his knees as he had used a lot of qi. He smiled weakly as his opponent's armor was only charred and she had light burns. If such a concentrated qi technique barely hurt her, how weak would it be against Guan Xu who was a third stage Spirit Sage?

"You burned my hair! MY HAIR!" Marie screamed as pieces of her hair and the hood she wore were burnt to ashes. "You're dead!"

"Just shut up and cry somewhere," Cao muttered and blasted Marie with a powerful gust from his halberd. Beating a battered girl was easy compared to fighting two other people.

"You okay Liao?" Cao asked as he ran to his friend. "Pretty close shave there."

"I'm not good with agile opponents," Liao laughed weakly as Cao helped him to his feet. "The others?"

"They just finished," Cao grinned as he saw a body crash out of the earth wall, twitching for a few seconds before it was still. "They knocked that guy around pretty bad. It was three against one. Looks like we won."

The official checked on Gavin, and said. "Black Terror Eagle has been defeated.  The Knight Destroyers win!"

"Hell yeah! Those are my students!" Marcus roared, raising their banner high.

"When is the next round?" Sakura asked as they left the stage for the medical area to check for injuries.

"The first two rounds are fought in the same day to reveal the top eight parties," Marcus answered, still grinning with pride. "The third round onward are one round a day."

"That means we fight the Blazing Tigers tomorrow once we both reach the third round," Cao said, smashing his fists together. "Payback is gonna feel real nice when my fist meets his face."

"I heard rumors that the crowd wants it to be a death match. It might be the only one sanctioned as the other academies don't want to lose students and the crowd obviously wants at least one death match," Richard sighed.

"Then my halberd will rupture his guts on the floor," Cao laughed malevolently. "Even more glorious. If only I could ride Huilong while I slash him."

"Leave Guan Xu to me," Liao said, the others freezing in their tracks as they heard him.

"He's a third stage Spirit Sage," Ling warned, concern in her voice.

"I have to cut off his head," Liao said darkly, remembering the Great Dragon God's orders. "I will cut it off. With Violet Bone Claw in my hand, I will cut off his head."

The others stared silently at Liao as they were shocked at his sudden change in personality. Their friend was usually more composed and gave off a friendly atmosphere. This Liao scared them and the Knight Destroyers remembered his baleful blade aura. They didn't know that Liao didn't want to kill him and was forced to by the Great Dragon God.

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Liao and the others waited until sunset for their next fight. True to their expectations, the Blazing Tigers had made it to the second round. There were rumors spreading around that the opposing team was overwhelmed by Guan and Bull and that their opponents suffered severe injuries.

Marcus said that after their fight ends, they were to return to their cabins and rest. He would gather all the info they needed for their fated battle.

Liao's mood had brightened by the time their match started. Their opponents were the Flying Monsters. Each of the participants were at the fifth stage Spirit Knight qi cultivation while their leader was a first stage Spirit Sage.

Liao realized that the team they were fighting was one of the weaker schools of the sixteen academies and decided to leave the match to Cao and Richard. Cao would use his wind qi once again and this time Richard would fight. Richard's true role was at defending Sakura so it didn't matter if people saw Richard fight.

The match was a complete slaughter fest as Richard and Cao were both at second stage Spirit Sage. Even Ling laughed at how easily the two boys defeated the other party. The audience knew the outcome as public knowledge was none and respected the other team for showing up.

As the others left for their cabins, Liao decided to think of a strategy to beat Guan Xu. Marcus had seen the Blazing Tigers fight and told them that the other three members were only at fourth stage Spirit Knights. Apparently those three were forced to serve Guan and Bull when they formed a party during the trial. Bull would take any qi cultivation pills their teacher would give them and kept them for himself. The three students had not even broken one bottleneck to the next qi cultivation level.

Ling would be in charge of the three Spirit Knights while Richard, Cao, and Sakura would fight against Bull. They had allowed Liao to take Guan Xu alone.

Unbeknownst to Liao, the others were watching him from behind the bushes as Liao sat in front of the lake in the eastern district of the academy. The coliseum was in the western district, the forests where all the specialized parties did training was to the north and all the other students who were not deemed to have the most potential in the trials in the first year were taught in the white marble buildings in the southern district of the academy . Various buildings, such as the library and cafeteria where all located in the center of the academy. Dorms and guest houses were also in the center district of the academy.

"How do I kill Guan?" Liao wondered as he stared at the sky. He ran his hand through his hair and yelled in frustration. The Great Dragon God had ordered him to kill someone at such a higher level of qi cultivation than him. Not only that, Guan Xu could use steel and fire qi techniques. He would have to go all out with Violet Bone Claw. He had to focus all his qi  and fight using destruction qi and ice qi. Lightning and fire qi would not be able to help him as steel qi made Guan's body as hard as steel and his power was inferior to Guan's defenses. He had to rely on the Sundered Heaven Force for his blade techniques and his mastery of ice qi for defense.

"Just how bad is the enmity between Guan and Liao?" Cao whispered as they watched Liao struggle to come up with a strategy.

"Enough to kill," Richard said. "I think he must have been told to kill Guan. If it had to do with his family, his father or twin brothers could have easily wiped out the Xu family."

"Wait, who is that?" Sakura whispered as she pointed on the lake.

They watched as an older girl had come from further in the lake by a small boat. They watched her come to shore, creeping silently to Liao. Sakura gasped as it was Yueying.

"Score," Cao grinned, imagining how he could tease his normally composed friend.

"Hi Liao," a feminine voice said softly. Liao turned around in shock and saw Yueying. Under the moonlight, she looked so beautiful that Liao's mind went blank. Yueying smiled and laughed at Liao's reaction.

"Yueying," Liao coughed, his face red. "What are you doing here?"

"I was enjoying the moonlight near the center of the lake as I was meditating. I heard a yell and came here. I didn't think it was you. Is something wrong? I heard you won your matches. I would have watched them but I was meditating as I gained insight by watching the lake last night."

"You must have gained an insight as you use wood, water and dark qi," Liao murmured as they sat down, admiring the reflection of the moonlight on the lake's surface.

"And you use thunder, ice, fire, and destruction qi," Yueying laughed. "It must be hard for you. Destruction qi is one of the ancient qi. You're avoiding my question though. What's wrong?"

Liao was silent for a moment and said, "I have to kill a third stage Spirit Sage named Guan Xu. I have to depend on my ice qi to defend me. I'm not worried as I have enough qi to rival a Spirit Lord, but it's my lack of power that vexes me."

"There is a big difference in power. I'm guessing Guan Xu uses a sword? Most sword masters are fire or water qi martial experts," Yueying said and saw Liao nod as he recalled the information he found out about Guan Xu.

"I'm not like the main character in a wuxia novel who reincarnates and suddenly becomes overpowered," Liao sighed.

"Wuxia novel?" Yueying asked as she stared at him.

"It's a kind of book about martial experts and their journey as they mastered martial arts and made a name for themselves for their deeds," Liao sighed, remembering reading novels back on Earth. He had forgotten those memories ever since he began living as Liao Lu instead of Liao Sima. His life changed two years ago and now his fantasy had become his reality.

"I never read a wuxia novel, but I do know one thing. Liao Lu, you are strong. Many people had placed bets on the Black Terror Eagles defeating your party in the first round, but your strategy led the Knight Destroyers to victory. Most of my party members lost some gold and a few silvers as a result," Yueying said, and held Liao's hand. "You survived the bottom of the ravine and trained in four different qi attribute techniques. My teacher told me that qi is life energy all around us and inside of us. She said that the more qi one had, the closer in nature that person is. She said that the most powerful immortals are not the ones with the greatest power but the ones with the greatest amount of qi and understanding of nature."

"Really?" Liao asked after Yueying released his hand after a tight squeeze as they stood up.

"What she said must be true. She became an immortal and left the Mortal Realm when I was six. She was the one who taught me how to cultivate qi," Yueying grinned. "I was a first stage Spirit Knight during the trials just like you and now I am as strong as a few fourth year students and I just started my third year. I believe you can win as you have a better foundation than I did. Good luck Liao."

Liao watched her leave and stared back at the lake, lost in his thoughts. He took out Violet Bone Claw and began practicing the first stage of the Sundered Heaven Force. Baleful blade aura covered his blade in dark purple qi and he made small waves with each swing. His qi cultivation was slower than most but that didn't involve his mastery of qi techniques and blade techniques.

Liao closed his eyes and began reciting the second stage as he swung his blade, "Baleful blade aura is the first stage. It awakens the ancient qi and wraps the blade in a baleful aura. The second stage refines the aura. The Heavens discarded the Mortal and trapped them in the Mortal Realm. Why must mortals be excluded from the heavens? Why can only immortals enter the heavens and ascend to the Immortal Realms? It is because they do not understand qi.

Qi is the essence of immortals. It shapes us. It frees us from the mortal limits of our bodies and enables us to do feats of greatness. The second stage refines that qi and expels the impurities at our foe. Let the Heavens watch as their believers are assaulted by the wave of our qi! Let them bear witness and fear us!"

Liao began imitating the images he had seen of the second stage under the words and felt the baleful blade aura change. It had become darker, denser. He swung Violet Bone Claw and saw an arch of destruction qi blast forth like a wave. It was similar to what Marie had used against him, but more powerful.

"With this I might stand a chance," Liao muttered and put his blade back in the space ring. He sat down as he had gained an insight on destruction qi and began meditating.

"Whoa," Cao said in awe. "Liao's got freaky good luck. He's not strong but he's got an awesome technique."

"Looks like you have competition," Sakura whispered to Ling as she and the others decided to go back.

Liao meditated for seven hours and went back to his cabin before the sun rose.

"It's finally time," the Great Dragon God said, bloodlust in his voice. "The son of Xu will die today. The first of many. The FIRST of MANY!"

Chapter 10: Unexpected Contestants MAIN PAGE Chapter 12: The Fated Battle