Writer's Note: Releases are every two or three days. Just saying. The training begins.

Chapter 13: The Demon Instructor

"Now? We start your training," Guan Hai said and drew Yang's and Mei's attention. "First off, I now know your cultivation and affinities. Needless to say, those with affinities are more likely to become strong. However, their training is divided and they comprehend and increase their skills with those elements at a slower pace with the more affinities they possess."

"So I can master my fire element faster and defeat Yang?" Lu Jing asked.

"Heh. Dream on," Yang snorted.

"Oh? You mean to say that my thinking is incorrect?" Guan Hai asked. "And just how long have you been training?"

"If I were to say for over two millennia, would you believe me?" Yang smirked. "I don't need your training on comprehending the elements. I just want the prize I'm due and I'm out."

"Oh, shame. That behavior will get you killed. You must change," Guan Hai said and his fist met Yang's chest faster than he could react. Yang spat a small trail of blood before he crashed into the wall.

"Will you change?" Guan Hai asked as the other seven moved out of the way and moved together.

"Scary," Mei said, Lin nodding in agreement.

"Fuck," Yang cursed aloud as he got out of the hole in the wall only to have his face slammed to the ground by Guan Hai.

"Will you change?" Guan Hai asked.

"You anger me!" Yang roared and released his spirit energy, the air sizzling from the poison as Yang stared at Guan Hai as he got up. He used Viper's Dominance Art but combined it with his poisonous spirit energy without holding back. Guan Hai waved his hand and the spirit force was neutralized. Yang narrowed his eyes and sent twelve moon blades of water using the Moon Slicer Art. Guan Hai sighed and broke them with his bare hands.

"You must change. You know alot of element practitioner arts, I admit that. However, you don't use them efficiently," Guan Hai said. "You have not comprehended the level of Understanding the Elements."

"Comprehension? I'll show you comprehension!" Yang roared and closed his eyes, spirit energy surging to his body like a vortex.

"What's happening?" Mei asked as the ground began to shake as Yang's body began to glow with light.

"Impossible, he's only fourteen and he's reached the level of Understanding the Elements?" Shen Dong gasped, Hua and Sima Qing also shocked. As his father was a duke, Lu Jing also knew what it meant. Sun Yi's father was the city's head librarian. He too, knew what Understanding the Elements was.

"You know what Yang's doing?" Lin asked the the ground now only quaked beneath Yang, Guan Hai narrowing his eyes as if he was waiting for something.

"Understanding the Elements is not something we can just reach. It means we have been exposed to the element so many times, we can control the element to a degree. What Yang is doing is actually controlling all the light spirit energy and earth energy and harnessing them to himself. The thing is, it's even higher than most people I've seen! Even most Earth Mortals do not create such a disturbance in the natural spirit energy," Shen Dong explained.

"Element practitioner arts is a complex version of it and is more focused and have many effects. With element practitioner arts, we can use the element in ways it was never supposed to be used  in accordance with nature. An example would be teleportation. That Snake Specter Art, as Yang calls it, is use of the earth element on an advanced level. What Yang is doing now is a more simplified but powerful application of spirit energy!" Shen Hua concluded as Yang had his right arm covered with tiny rocks and sand while his left hand glowed with light.

"I will show you the true terror of light and earth. I will also show you a neat surprise," Yang said and appeared next to Guan Hai faster than a blink of an eye. Guan Hai's cultivation was two cultivation levels above and easily blocked Yang's left punch.

Lin and the rest could only see a blur around the imperial guard as Yang punched and kicked while constantly changing his trajectory and movement. When Guan Hai moved back, Yang stopped momentarily and stomped the ground, spikes of earth appearing to cover twenty feet of ground around him. Guan Hai easily shattered them and took to the sky, but Yang was already there in a flash, a small tower of earth beneath him to suggest he catapulted himself.

"Earth and light fusion element art: Terra Destroyer Art. I just made it up just now," Yang said coldly and had a giant boulder high above his head that spun so fast, it appeared like a sun. Light was distorted around it and gravity seemed to increase. Yang pointed at Guan Hai and the artificial sun was wrapped in light and sped toward the imperial guard like a comet. Guan Hai dodged it just before it would hit him and appeared behind Yang, drop kicking him to the ground. Yang formed a small crater in the ground seconds before his fusion practitioner art smashed into the wall.

Everyone gasped as a large explosion occurred from the impact. If the Jade Poison Desolation Spear Art was his most powerful practitioner art, this fusion art was his most destructive. A crater fifty feet in diameter replaced what used to be a piece of the wall as well as a few rows of stands that were previously above the wall section.

"You are strong," Guan Hai approved as Yang spat blood as he pulled himself out of the crater. "It is no wonder you know so many element practitioner arts. I don't believe the rumors of you having a hidden master. It is because you reached the level of Understanding the Elements. Your training will be fun."

"Uh, then what about us for this near three month training camp?" Lin asked.

"You seven don't have as much spirit energy as Yang. Even you, Shen Dong, do not. It is because your body is not strong enough to harness and possess more spirit energy. Spirit energy does not condense in your Spirit Realm alone. It also condenses within your blood, bones, cartilage, and organs. One example of you using your body at a higher level is adrenaline. For that, I need one of my partners," Guan Hai said and a ten foot tiger with red stripes and a gold horn appeared. "Here is your first lesson: you must run around the academy faster than my tiger. If you don't, some of you goes into his stomach. You run until sun down. Have fun."

"What?" Sun Yi spouted and paled as the tiger roared and lunged at them, Sun Yi turning fast enough so that the tiger's claws only grazed him.

"Blood! He;s not joking! RUN!" Lu Jing screamed and the seven ran out of the training grounds with a feral tiger right behind them, narrowly missing their backs with its claws with every swipe.

"You're a demon," Yang said as he stood up, eating a medicinal pill from his storage ring.

"You disapprove?" Guan Hai asked.

"No. Running in fear does agitate the body. There are no breakthroughs without pain and trials," Yang said.

"Speaking from experience?" Guan Hai asked.

"You can say that. So what's my training?" Yang asked.

"Since you reached the Understanding of the Elements and have the highest cultivation with Shen Dong, your training will be different. Your body is strong and your affinity with the elements is monstrous. You also seem to have plenty of combat experience and a cunning mind. If it wasn't for your twisted personality, you'd be perfect," Guan Hai commented truthfully.

"Sounds fair," Yang nodded as he glared at his grandmother's phoenix. "So what's my grand prize all things considered?"

"You tell me," Guan Hai said as they heard a blood curling scream followed by a string of curses. "Must be that Lu Jing boy. That duke spoiled him so."

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"You guys have something called hidden weapons. I want to learn how to use one," Yang said.

"Why?" Guan Hai asked, curious.

"A snake's best weapon is subtlety and surprise. A hidden weapon contains and relies on both elements. Hidden weapons could be used to take out people, especially if I infuse them with my poisonous spirit energy. It could also be used in times where the opponent is vastly superior or knows my practitioner arts and fighting style," Yang answered.

"An assassin I killed long ago used an interesting magical tool. It was these," Guan Hai said as he took out a grey colored bracelet with a single sapphire embedded on it.

"What is this?" Yang asked.

"That is a magical tool used to create daggers out of thin air. These daggers can only be held by the owner of the bracelet and disappears five seconds after it cuts flesh. If flesh is cut with these daggers, black poison is injected into the body. If not cured after seven days, the target dies. Not only that, the poison spreads by feeding on spirit energy in the blood. Only you or a very powerful alchemist can cure you," Guan Hai said. "Bind it and see if you can recognize the poison."

"Interesting," Yang said and bound the bracelet, wearing it around his left wrist. He summoned a dagger and admired its curved edge before cutting his palm and sucking the black poison into his mouth. His body trembled and he sat down in lotus position. He closed his eyes and began to circulate the spirit energy in his body.

"So the rumors are true, poison cultivation requires poisoning yourself to advance. Since he advanced from the battle royal, he must have poisoned himself through that forbidden technique to make spirit armor," Guan Hai noted as he saw a jade light dimly emanate from his body. His eyes widened as the poison seemed to disappear into Yang's Spirit Realm.

"Truly mysterious poison," Yang said as he coughed blood, black impurities within. "So poison from magical treasures are different from biological poison. This one's effect was as you claimed. It could be considered a supreme poison and a useless poison at the same time. Seven days is too long. A poison expert could poison himself to cure poison with poison of equal strength. Surprisingly, it is a dark element practitioner healing art that could cure the poison. Light element healing arts would just agitate it."

"So you are immune to the poison then?" Guan Hai asked.

"Yes. However, I did not experience much pain as I have devoured more lethal poison than this. However, it is the first poison from a magical treasure. There are not many after all," Yang said and Guan Hai nodded in agreement.

"You improve by devouring poison. Is that also what you do with the poisonous herbs?" he asked.

"Yes. However, I prefer eating magical beast meat infected with their poison," Yang answered.

"You lack the aptitude with your spear compared to Shen Dong. You are indeed the best spear specialist in this city. However, you haven't tasted much blood with the spear. Only through life-or-death experiences can all your training be utilized and perfected. So your training will be to kill magical beasts at the late Element Adept stage with your spear. You are no doubt a poison supreme expert. Thus, you can only rely on your elements when fighting with your spear."

"That kind of training, the fear and rush is what I used countless times before," Yang agreed as he remembered his past.

"For now, let's play some chess," Guan Hai said and a table and two chairs appeared out of nowhere with a board with several lines craved on it. Atop the table were two small bowls, one containing black stones and the other containing white stones."

"Finally done," Lin said as he arrived. Only Shen Dong had no scratches or blood on his robes. Lu Jing, as heis cultivation was the weakest, had many.

"Eh? Yang is still here?" Mei said as she and the others arrived while a smug looking tiger appeared and rested beside his master.

"You shouldn't tease them too much, old friend," Guan Hai said as he stroked the tiger's head. "Hmm. Seems I lost this chess game twice now, the difference in stones even increased by two. What frightening strategy."

"My first time playing and all I wanted was to box his white pieces in. I just baited him and made my tiles look like a coiling snake, if I could," Yang thought as he faked a smiled and nodded when he noticed the others. "You're back? Not too much blood missing?"

"You didn't train?" Mei asked, angry.

"I ate poison. Would you care to try?" Yang grinned evilly as he saw her pale. "Besides, my training will be more advanced than yours. You are training your cultivation and probably learning more practitioner arts. Me? I am practicing my spear techniques. I rely too much on my spirit energy and waste too much when using it alongside my spear. If my training succeeds, my Jade Poison Desolation Spear Art will ascend a new level. I should also buy regular steel spears. I don;t want to throw my spear and suddenly need it later. I must admit, my martial arts is lacking compared to my knowledge on practitioner arts and the elements themselves."

"And usually it's the other way around. What a freak," Sun Yi laughed. "Glad we're not enemies."

"I will beat you," Lu Jing said. "My fire practitioner arts will be so strong, earth and water will not smolder it."

"You see, now that is determination but also restraint," Lin snickered to Mei.

"Shut up before I consider making you my next meal," Mei said and their grandmother's phoenix flew and landed beside Yang.

"Infernal bird!" Yang said, using his Snake Specter Art. However, its master was at the Meteor Vessel Stage and easily kept up with his teleportation. It seemed to chirp and taunt him as his fist and feet kept missing. Even when he drew the Moon Lotus Spear, he kept missing.

"Damn bird," Yang cursed as he returned to his seat, the phoenix still mocking him. With his back to the phoenix, everyone else saw a small grin curl on his face. Small mirrors seemed to appear as crystals on his skin and robes. As the sun shined its last before it set, Yang disappeared.

"What?!" Shen Dong and the others cried and saw Yang appear as he did a right uppercut on the bird's beak. The bird's head moved upward and Yang used his Stone Breaker Art to smash the phoenix's chest.

"Heh. Stupid bird. I won't kill you. I still need my human grandmother," Yang thought.

"What kind of practitioner art was that?" Lin asked.

"Light element art: Mirror Mirage Art. As I loitered around, I noticed many women admiring their faces in the mirror. It only reflects light and you cannot see the wood or metal behind the mirror's lens. Thus, I made my body as if it were a mirror and used the light spirit energy to appear invisible. Of course, it is difficult to use in darkness, but I can manipulate natural light and use the practitioner art more efficiently during the day," Yang answered. "Never really tried it out before. Invisibility is different than camouflage."

"You became invisible? Such a practitioner art is possible?" Sun Yi said and was incredibly impressed.

"He is indeed more than he appears. Even Guan Hai is impressed," Shen Dong whispered to Shen Hua, both her and Sima Qing tactfully nodding slightly.

"Our main concern is the tournament in three months. We have the rest of the year to complete uncle's mission," Shen Hua said.

"I will try to get closer to Guo Yang in the meantime, but I suspect he already knows who I am," Sima Qing whispered.

"So long as we can determine his goal, our mission can be considered complete. Either way, that Guo Lin with the Divine Tattoo must be pulled to our side," Shen Dong said and they all stared at Yang who yawned before he sipped his tea that he and Guan Hai enjoyed while they played chess.