Xing was angry. No. He was furious.

How could he…how could he mention her name…like that.

Xing performed an Instantaneous Step appearing behind Master Chaoxiang. The old man turned to face Xing and smiled. He loosed is punch and felt air, only to drop to one knee after being struck in his lower back.

Damn it…the old man’s in the Qi Perception Realm…I can’t attack wildly, he can’t read th flow of my Qi.

As Xing stumbled forward, but he waved his hand in an upward arc, sensing the old man was trailing above him.

Chaoxiang grabbed Xing’s hand, landing on the ground. He stepped in, barging into his shoulder making Xing shriek.

Xing swirled his Xi around hands, forming it into his Iron Shredding Claw. Master Chaoxiang released his grasp and kicked off the air, using his qinggong to distance himself from Xing.

“MASTER RELEASE THE CHILD.” Xing pleaded, but the indifference that registered on his face, filled Xing with wroth.

“Make me…” Master Chaoxiang harrumphed.

Xing dashed forward, releasing an unrelenting series of attacks. Chaoxiang dodged, each and everyone of those attacks with ease, frustrating him.

Despite knowing his master was of the Qi Perception Realm. He didn’t care. Xing believed he was good enough. He believed he was the best.

He just had to ensure he didn’t tax himself too much, forcing his meridians to shrink as he tried his best to attack and evade his master’s simple attacks.

Xing kicked wildly, missing Chaoxiang. The old man sidestepped, and unleashed a vicious attack to his right side. Hitting him with precision strikes that made him flail out frustration. “Zhao Xing,” Chaoxiang said coldly, Qi smothering his right hand. “Surely, this is not your best.”

Xing’s eyes gapped the moment he realised what his master had done. The Qi swirling around his right hand solidified and turned into something he was so familiar with.

Iron Shredding Claws.

He’d spent years perfecting that deadly technique, and now his master, Feng Chaoxiang wielded it against him with cruel nonchalance.

“You know, I’ve heard so much of the vigour of your Iron Shredding Claws. I’ve always wonder, if you’ve ever tasted it.”

“…how did you…” Xing sputtered.

“Boy, everything you know of Martial Arts came from me. What makes you think I couldn’t initiate a technique that was based on my own MARTIAL ARTS!?”

Chaoxiang’s raked his Iron Shredding Claws raked through Xing’s cloth and flesh, agony and pain erupted from his chest, similar to the tales of a dying hero found at the local taverns.

Xing hissed and gnashed his teeth trying to fight off the pain, as he was sent flying ten meters across the grassy plains, feet skidding across the surface.

Once he stopped, he dropped to one knee, holding his chest and looked up at his master, who was already attacking him from the left, not giving him a chance to recover.

He tried to counter his master with his own Iron Shredding Claws, but the old man danced away, toying with him as he smiled ruefully. “I am truly disappointed Zhao Xing. You’ve only shown how gauche you are!”

The blow had depleted Xing’s Qi, as the Qi he held within his Dantians went to heal the wounds on his chest, draining his Qi reserves. I can’t stop…I CAN’T! Xing cried out to himself.

Xing charged forward, again. Chaoxiang, appeared to his left, easily sidestepping his attack. He raised his hands in defence and tried countering with a knee strike, then swept his foot back, forcing his master to float backwards.

Xing kicked off the ground, using his qinggong. He changed from his signature claw style into the The Guided Fist: Tenth Fist.

Swallow’s Flight.

As Xing burrowed towards his master. Chaoxiang shook his head, but raised his hand above his head, swirling Qi around it.

“Swallow’s Flight? Of course…if you’d excelled at qinggong, you would’ve been been able to master the Tenth Fist of the Guided Fist. However, because you couldn’t get it master faster than Susu, it was catalyst for you to create your Iron Shredding Claws…you truly are laughable Zhao Xing. Come, let me show you the Sixth Fist of the Guiding Star Fist!”

The Qi that swirled around his fist, condensed, forming around his hand like a colourless fist. Then, the Qi disappeared. Guiding Star Fist? What!?

Xing burrowed Swallow’s Fist through the air, as he aimed for his master’s chest. Lines of Qi swirled around him, emanating from Master Chaoxiang. He tried to pivot mid-flight, but he realised he was too late.

Chaoxiang appeared behind him and whispered something that filled him with fright. “Guiding Star Fist: Sixth Fist.- Lunar Crescent Fist.”

A crescent-like curve buried into Xing’s back, making his scream out in agony. He tried to relieve the pain with his Qi, but Chaoxiang had neutralised his Qi, with his own, forcing him to endure the pain.

The old man then appeared in front of Xing in a flash, smiling bitterly at his pupil. “Guiding Star Fist: Eight Fist - Starfall Barrage.”

A rapid series of punches rained down on Xing, like a meteor shower. He tried to raise his hands in defence, but the speed and accuracy in which Master Chaoxiang was firing off his punches, completely immobilising him.

After his onslaught, Master Chaoxiang spun. Channeling more Qi into his right hand, which only made Xing frustrated. Is the gap between Accentuation Realm and Qi Perception Realm…is this…vast?

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“Guiding Star Fist: First Fist - Starlight Strike.” Chaoxiang said calmly.

Chaoxiang

The old man buried his fist into Xing’s chest once more. A subtle somber light exploded the moment the punch landed.

A loud boom echoed throughout the plains, as Xing was shot down to the ground like an arrow. He skidded backwards for twenty-two meters, forcing all his Qi into his feet, trying his best to cushion his slide.

“You may have created the Iron Shredded Claw to hide the weaknesses within the Guided Fist. But you you never improved it. All you did was mask the softness of the technique with your overbearing Qi. That’s not fighting, thats barbarism!” Chaoxiang said coldly.

“MASTER PLEASE!” Xing growled out.

“I see…you’re only interested in this demon child. Alright. Fine.”

Chaoxiang performed an instantaneous step, appearing at Xing’s right. He wailed out his right hand, trying to force his master back, but the old man released a surge of Qi, then hit his hand with a palm strike , shattering his Iron Shredding Claw.

A gentle breeze passed across the prairie, but was quickly silenced by a burst of Qi that exploded from Chaoxiang’s left, which forced him to turn.

Susu charged toward her former master. The old man skipped back, dodging her attack, then twirled at an acute angle, looking down at her as she tried to follow him into the air using her Qinggong.

As Chaoxiang soared in the air. He turned mid-air, and shot himself back to Susu, hitting her in the chest with a palm strike. She flailed, but Chaoxiang He grabbed her by the throat before she could float away.

She tried to grab the child from Chaoxiang, but he slapped her with the back of his elbow, then tighten his grip around her neck. “You disappoint me. Ban Susu. How can you EVER expect to protect this demonic child...WHEN YOU CAN’T EVEN PROTECT HER FROM ME!”

Chaoxiang released Susu, slapping her in the chest with the back of his hand. He raised his leg, blocking her counter-kick, then used the momentum to violently spun loosing a kick of his own, which missed her.

He tapped the air, using his Qinggong, then shot himself towards her. The child giggled in his ear, and he felt even more frustrated, because this is not what he wanted to do, but if he didn’t...how would they understand strength and weakness?

Xing appeared behind Chaoxiang, elbow pointed at him. Chaoxiang whipped himself in a circle, blocking the elbow strike with his own. “Guided Fist: First Fist - Whispering Wind.” Chaoxiang said coldly.

Chaoxiang’s struck Xing in the right side, fast and fluid like a breeze of wind. That’s what the Guided Fist lacked, power and Chaoxiang knew it. “Now, let me show you how weak you are.”

Master Chaoxiang pivoted to Susu, who was still keeling over. He channelled more Qi into his right fist, then appeared in front of Susu.

He rocked his hand back, feeling his Qi reverberate throughout his body, then formed into his right hand. “Guiding Star Fist: Third Fist - Comet’s Tail”

Xing appeared in front of Susu, kicking her out of the way. Master Chaoxiang buried his punch into his stomach, intent on sending him to the sky.

A trail of Qi formed like a comet tail after the punch connected, but Chaoxiang wasn’t done. He grabbed Xing by the shoulder, forcing him back down to the ground.

Xing freed himself, by rolling away with a thunderous kick, forcing to dodge. The old man spun and dodged another kick, but drilled his finger into Xing’s back. “Without your dreaded Iron Shredding Claws, you can’t function can you?”

Xing gnashed his teeth as he growled in frustration. Then he attacked wildly, trying his best to stop his master, but Chaoxiang weaved through his attacks easily, dodging each attacks at the last moment.

He could feel Xing’s frustration with each thrown fist and purposely delayed his attack just to bring his morale down.

It began to glow yellow, then he pushed it into the fingertip tip. “Guiding Star Fist: Fourth First - Solar Flare.”

Xing released a wild slash using his Iron Shredded Claw, making Chaoxiang smile bitterly as he spun into Xing.

Chaoxiang punched Chaoxiang in the chest at an explosive and blindingly speed. The moment he hit Xing in side, a bright light, mimicking the intensity of a solar flare exploded.

Xing flew over forty meters into the air, failing to the wayside of the prairie. Chaoxiang shook his head in disappointment and only could muster up one word. “Pathetic.”

The sound of crunching grass, echoed, sending goosebumps through his wrinkled skin. The old man turned right, to only see pushing herself off the ground, but her shoulder wouldn’t let her.

It was dislocated.

Susu bit her bottom lip, drilling her arm into the ground, shifting her weight onto her shoulder.

A loud crack bellowed across the plain and Susu cried out in response, turning to Master Chaoxiang in anger. “Slotting your shoulder back in place. You were always tough, but you were never smart when it came to giving up.”

“Master--” Susu pleaded, but Chaoxiang cut her off.

“Master? Didn’t you just severe our relation?””

Susu snapped her Scourge free, rocking it back and hurling the tip at Chaoxiang. He didn’t waver feeling the explosive power Susu wielded.

He stepped forward, feeling its explosive power in the wind again. Humph, So you won’t attack me on the right, because of the child Chaoxiang thought.

He switched arms, resting the baby in his right hand, then caught the whip with his left hand, startling Susu. “If you’re going to be this easy to read,” He said, “Why did I even bother to train you?”

He tugged the whip from Susu’s grip, and then snapped it in tow. He thrust himself towards Susu, who danced back barely dodging the palm strike aimed at her waist.

She rested her hand on the ground, thrusting two kicks upwards. Chaoxiang, countering with his kicks.

“STOP Master!” Bo Ying shouted.

Chaoxiang turned, eyed him for a second, then spun, snatching up three pebbles. He spun and finger flicked the pebbles doused in Qi and Bo Ying.

The pebbles zipped through the air, shredding grass blades in their path and struck Bo Ying in the chest, waist and thigh. “Be quiet!” Chaoxiang snarled, sealing his acupoints.

Susu darted up, arms raised, trying to grab the child from Chaoxiang. He tossed the child in the air, stepping into Susu’s range, then drilled a finger into her collarbone, then twisted.

Susu screamed from the pain, eyes red as ever, not from the pain, but anger

She held a pitiable gaze that filled Chaoxiang with sorrow. He didn’t want to do this to his disciples, but as he wasn’t meant to be in this world any longer, who will be the ones to discipline them.

Xing flew through the air like a bee, heading directly at his master. He hit him in the chest with the back of his, which forced him to drop the child.

He tilted to the side, catching her, but allowed her to slide from his hands and into a cradle of grass. Relief washed over Chaoxiang for a second and watched as Susu scampered up towards her.

“You’ve roamed the Jianghu for years. Is this you’re showing. A sneak attack?” Chaoxiang said coldly. “I didn’t train you to be this pathetic, but if you’ll be pathetic. Fine. So be it!”

The venomous aura swirled within Chaoxiang’s Soul Dantian as he raised and pushed himself up. The Qi swirling within him began to feel like nails pricking his meridians as they flowed through him.

He took a deep breath, walked toward the child and felt his body grow weaker as he channelled all the Qi he had left into his right hand. Curses I overdid did It He thought bitterly but was still determined to prove his point.

“Master PLEASE!” Susu wailed to his left, as she ran towards him eyes bloodshot.

“IF YOU DO THIS YOU’RE NOT MY MASTER ANYMORE!” Xing snarled, to his right

Chaoxiang ignored both of them.

He raised his hands to the sky, Qi swirling like a thunderstorm. The baby was nestled beneath him, and a menacing smile painted itself across his face.

Xing, Susu nor Ying ever saw this face from their Master, this was the first time and also the last. “This is what death feels like Xing’er, Su’er and Ying’er....remember it.”

Chaoxiang thrust his hand at the child, burying his hand into the ground right next to her. A shockwave of Qi sprayed across the plains, sending a menacing aura through the surrounding area.

He spat out a mouthful of blood from the overuse of his Qi. The blood was crimson and golden, with a hint of silver, unrecognisable.

He saw the pained eyes of Susu and Xing. His lips curled into a painful smile as he watched them both to his right and left.

“Su’er...Xing’er,” He said calmly, kneeling on the ground. “This is my final lesson to the both of you. To protect those you love, you need strength. You both are weak. How do you expect to protect an Axsumite child when you can’t even protect yourself? Hmm?”