Writer's note: Forgot to post this chapter due to midterms and papers. Thus, it will be a double release. Good luck on midterms guys!

Chapter 9: Calm Before the Storm

"Remember, you three represent our Ni Clan and the Burning Phoenix District in this year's Young Sun Tournament. If you don't even pass the qualifiers, you will be subjected to ten month solitude confinement and forced to do closed door training," Ni Kong warned his children.

"That's too boring!" Ni Bu cried as he and his eight other siblings followed Ni Kong and the patriarch. Several members of the sub branches and Ni Clan guards also traveled with them.

"Then you better qualify, Bu'er," Ni Kong warned.

"It seems the black pearl and talisman wasn't truly wasted after all. You actually entered the late stage of the Flame Realm," Ni Wang laughed as he walked alongside Ni Lang.

Ni Lang laughed weakly and said, "My hard work counts as well."

"This one looks so cute now," Ni Qian said as she stared at the panda. "Did you name it yet?"

"He's more dangerous than he is cute. Don't touch any black gas escaping its mouth, it will turn all it touches to ash," Ni Lang warned the panda burped as it chewed on bamboo, some the rocks on the ground turning to ash as if all its vitality was destroyed.

"Death attribute?" Ni Kong and Ni Wang cried, staring at it in shock.

"I decided to call it Yomi, for death," Ni Lang answered, thinking back to his empire where the name meant death in that language.

"The name fits," Ni Kong sighed as he stared at the ground before the black gas disappeared. "How did it grow so big so fast? It's even at the ninth stage of the Metal Realm."

"Stronger than me and Ni Bu?" Ni Qian gasped as she and her little brother trained hard and used their clan's resources to reach the ninth stage. "This panda?"

"He ate something he shouldn't have and grew instead of me," Ni Lang shrugged as the panda looked at him with pitiful eyes. "Heh. That won't work on me."

"Whatever the case, you wear the jackets of our clan," Ni Wang said, all three children wearing crimson jackets with a black phoenix on the front and back. Without a hood covering his head, people noticed Ni Lang looked incredibly serene, as if a monk that attained enlightenment. If it wasn't for the fact that he had grey eyes and affinity to darkness, destruction, and the evil jade fire; they would really think he was a man from the Heavens.

"Lots of girls distracted, a lot of items stolen and dropped into master's shadow," the imp laughed. "Wait until they learn you have affinity to wood, an extremely rare element. Hehehehe."

"Behave yourself for now and stay in my shadow. Too many eyes and powerful cultivators here," Ni Lang warned, the imp flying into his shadow after receiving the mental message.

"Big brother, what's with that rectangular box inside your jacket pocket?" Ni Bu asked.

"Oh, this?" Ni Lang asked as he took it out. "It's a secret weapon, the apex of combining mana into an item."

"You're a mage?" Ni Kong cried, everyone staring at him in shock. "But how? Your soul fire only converted elemental essence into spirit energy, not mana."

"It's because his soul evolved. It's possible," Ni Wang said. "What's in the box?"

"Uh, scarlet talismans with white runes," Ni Lang answered. "So far, I am only able to use destruction type magic with the talismans."

"Where did you get them?" Ni Kong asked.

"I stole it from a very luxurious house," Ni Lang wanted to say, but said, "You all know most mages use magical gloves, rings, scepters, or staffs. I prefer a talisman as I wield a sword."

"Ah, the low immortal ranked magical sword all the main branch members use?" Ni Kong guessed. The Ni Clan all had weapons made of a black, fire-like metal of the low immortal tier grade. It could be considered a magical treasure as it could be bound by blood and very few clans or organizations had any immortal ranked treasure. It was why it was every mage and martial artist's dream to enter an academy or sect.

"Talismans, an old mage method of fighting. I'm surprised talismans even exist," Ni Wang nodded. "Wait, you said you're a mage? That means you can manipulate the elements before the Obsidian Realm!"

"Yeah, but I can't use manipulate fire as it stimulates the curse," Ni Lang said.

"So that's why you're hand is covered in rune bandages," Ni Qian noted as hey all stared at his left hand after hearing her words.

"Enough. We are headed to the city palace. Mind your manners and try to endure the formalities of the banquet. You three and I will go there with your father. The others will rest in the guest wings with all the other escorts and families of other participants," Ni Wang said, the five saying goodbye as they headed inside the black palace in the center of the city.

"Behave, Yomi. Do not release your black gas," Ni Lang warned his panda using their connection as magical beast and master, his golem appearing and holding the panda. The guards stared at the grey golem with unease as it walked behind the others, the ground shaking near its feet with every step.

"Ni Wang, old friend, you came," a bald man with dark black tattoos on his head laughed as the five arrived. "And even a golem. Where did you buy that?"

"It belongs to my grandson, Ni Lang," Ni Wang answered.

"What? Initial stage Flame Realm?" the man gasped as three people appeared behind him, no one able to see his cultivation as dark elemental essence suppressed it. It was the unique power of an undead while humans with darkness affinity could learn it through a cultivation clouding technique. However, most people did not practice it as they lived in a world where power meant survival.

"Your clan is truly gifted. Even the girl and other lad is at the ninth stage of the Metal Realm," the man said. "I,  Mao Yoshi, am truly jealous. However, my young warriors and assassin will defeat your grandchildren. Is that right?"

"Yes, Yoshi-dono," the three children, two of them boys, cried as they appeared behind him in a flash. They were all at the ninth stage of the Metal Realm.

"Since you arrived twenty six years ago, you are considered a native faction. What do you think about these new four?" Ni Wang asked as his group walked alongside Mao Yoshi's Mad Blade Clan, a clan comprised of foreigners from the far east with incredible sword and dagger techniques.

Their clan made money by mercenary work while the Ni Clan sold spirit pills and mana stones. In Black Sun City, they were the only two major factions that withstood the change in power after the refugees came from many western and south western continents that bordered the demon lands.

"The Nine-Headed Hydra Group were not the culprits. The destruction and dead assassins testify that. I just know it is one of the other three. Their aim, I can only guess," Yoshi sighed as they entered a giant banquet hall with refreshments and waiters everywhere. "I don't like it. They are killing others for spirit reactors. My men have been encountering bandits that even had ordinary humans casting spells or techniques without any cultivation. We need to stop whoever is causing this chaos. Even the Guan Dynasty has made its move."

"They are? Good. Our cultivators are not weapons that exist solely for power or to kill demons and undead. We are living beings. For the Guan Dynasty to move, it means one of their extended members must have been a victim. I fear one might be watching this tournament," Ni Wang brooded aloud.

"You teenagers enjoy your last years of youth. Mingle but try to stay out of trouble," Ni Kong said.

"He still thinks we are kids," Ni Qian pouted as the six left the three adults alone. "I mean, all of us but Ni Bu are in our twenties, right? We are of age to go to sects or academies already."

"Your complaining like a kid," Ni Lang said, Ni Qian glaring at him. "We should be introducing ourselves to each other."

"Hello. I'm Ni Bu, the fifth child of Ni Kong," Ni Bu grinned. "This big sister Ni Qian, the third child of my dad. The strongest of us is Ni Lang."

"I am Mao Ken, a warrior of the sword," a tall youth with massive muscles said. "This is my brother, Shiro, and the assassin of my group, Hamada Tifa. We are all nineteen, not twenty. My own grandfather, you met as we met yours."

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"Younger than me and at my cultivation," Ni Qian sighed, then thought about her two brothers while one was even at the Flame Realm.

"Dark, water, and wind element affinities?" Ni Lang asked as he stared at the girl.

"Yes. As expected of one in a higher realm of cultivation," Tifa nodded.

"Yup. Big brother was always talented, convincing father to even let him join a sect two years ago. However, it is gone," Ni Bu said.

"I joined a sect that happened to be in Quentican City," Ni Lang answered as they stared at him.

"You were there during the massacre?" Shiro asked, eyes widening. "Did you kill any undead? What are they like? Oh, and demons too."

"Idiot," Ken snapped, slapping the back of Shiro's head. "The city was massacred!"

"Ah, sorry," Shiro said and inclined his head.

"It's alright. There were countless demon races. Some with six arms, four heads, twenty feet height, tentacles, horns, wings, and much more. As for undead, they are weaker and tended to wear more armor close to a complete set, including a helmet. Each of them had two golden golems under their command. It was quite scary. I escaped using my own golem to crash through houses in my way," Ni Lang answered.

"So that thing with our grandfather, and your dad and patriarch, is yours? Sweet. Why a panda magical beast?" Shiro asked.

"Never seen one like it. It has a few nasty surprises," Ni Lang grinned mischievously. "I wouldn't upset it though. It's as strong as you are, cultivation wise."

"You're lucky. Magical beasts are hard to tame as you have to make it submit unless it is given with a submissive intent. It's why most cultivators join an academy or martial sect. You only get three magical beasts in life," Ken said, all of them staring at the panda.

"Master can have two more thralls and magical beasts. Heh. You get three more than others, excluding magical items like that golem. That's a total of six. Hehehe. Course, there is no better imp than me and most people don't even tame three magical beasts, willing or otherwise," Ignus snickered through the thrall link.

"Fuck," Ni Lang thought as he clenched his left arm, the curse beginning to pain him.

"Something wrong?" Tifa asked, seeing Ni lang's expression harden as he held his left arm.

"Is he injured?" Ken asked.

"Big Brother Lang was cursed by--ouch!" Ni Bu cried as his sister chopped at his head.

"Little brother," Qian began.

"I'm fine," Ni Lang said. "Sorry. It passed."

"No way! I thought curse arts were lost," Shiro gasped.

"If it was a flash of pain, it would not spread," Ni Lang sighed in his heart.

"What have we here? These are the so called native factions? I expected better," a man said as he approached them, three people behind him.

"Do I know you?" Ni Lang asked. "Oh. You're just an insignificant faction. I would have known you otherwise."

"You tell them big brother," Ni Bu laughed, all eyes turning to them as Ni Qian sighed at the development.

"I am one of the elite of my faction. My name is...." the man began when Ni Lang held a hand up.

"I honestly don't care. Your participants are at the seventh and eighth stage of the Metal Realm and you are just some foreign power that became one of the top six due to money. In this world, money means nothing in front of raw power," Ni Lang shrugged.

"Insolent brat!" the man roared as a fist came at Ni Lang's face.

"And a fool too," Ni Lang sighed as he dodged the fist, grabbed the wrist, and pulled forward. The man lost his balance as he was pulled forward and Ni Lang spun the man's arm, slamming the man on the ground. Ni Lang had an evil grin on his face as he lifted his foot and stomped it on the man's face.

"Really? You can't even see I am at the initial Flame Realm? Please," Ni Lang sighed and stared at the three henchmen as they ran forward. In a flash, two of the three were slammed into the ground as the third choked as Ni Lang held him in the air by his throat. "You know, I really hate people who look down on others without warning. I don't even know you people. Do you see me bullying or acting haughty in others, recklessly provoking them like an idiot? You don't even know what kind of hellish training I've been through. Such arrogance can get you killed outside Black Sun City."

"Kuck---" the boy coughed and fell to the ground, gasping for breath as Ni Lang let him go.

"Strength displacement? Using the opponent's strength against them? His technique is quite good. You raised a fine lad there," Mao Yoshi laughed as Ni Wang and Ni Kong laughed helplessly.

"It seems the Ni Clan are not the champion without reason," some teens commented.

"Of course not. When my clan was one of the top six, we lost due to Ni Feng and Ni Jing, both were also at the Flame Realm. It seems the Ni Clan will be the victors this year," another said.

At that moment, twenty eight assassins arrived in a pyramid formation. All the guards, patriarchs, and elders of the various organizations and clans cried out in shock! So many came and half of them were at the Flame Realm!"

"Foolish!" Yoshi and Ni Wang cried as the leaders rushed to them, crying out in shock as they were trapped in a formation barrier.

"Run!" Ni Kong cried as he was also trapped with the golem and panda cub. "They are here to bind us in a powerful formation! There must be more to kill you!"

"Hearing Ni Kong's words, all the teenagers and young adults ran out of the banquet hall. As they rushed out, dozens of assassins from the sixth to ninth Metal Realm appeared.

"Little Yomi, quick, expel your black gas!" Ni Kong cried and the panda nodded while the golem pounded at the formation barrier trapping all the adults and the people who stood nearby them. No matter their methods, only the panda cub had some effect on the barrier. This shocked many elders and patriarchs of the various factions as they all looked down on panda magical beasts.

"Our hopes are on you, Little Yomi. Ah, if only we had our formation experts with us," NI Wang cursed. "We can't even communicate to them with magical treasures."

"It seems we can only hope they get away. I imagine Ni Lang will be able to hold them back for some time before they realize his cultivation," Yoshi said. "Still, this proves that someone wants to cripple our city. The whole Wu Province knows that Black Sun City is one of the top most powerful and prosperous cities in regards to trade."

"How could this be happening!" Shiro yelled as the six late teens ran for their lives. "Can't we just find a room somewhere and duke it out?"

"Our swords are katanas, too long to be used effectively in the halls and rooms. Also, cultivation stage does not matter if they gang up on higher numbers and obviously have superior teamwork. Even Ni Lang is running," Ken shouted.

"Our best option is not to hide ourselves, but disguise it. For that, we need to find a dark room. Try to find one that is unlocked. We can't break in and leave any traces. I'll handle the rest after I hold them back. Whistle when you found one," Ni Lang said as he faced back and drew his sword.

"Let's go, Ni Bu!" Ni Qian shouted as her youngest brother looked back.

"But big bro..." Ni Bu said as she shook his shoulders.

"He is a talisman mage! Mages who use talismans are suited for subterfuge or ambush tactics! He is also at the Flame Realm. He will make it back," Ni Qian shouted, causing the three Made Blade Clan stare at him in shock as they helped drag Ni Bu away.

"Not a staff or scepter, but talismans. I don't know how to counter that kind of mage. They are close to medium range combat mages," Ken muttered, Shiro and Tifa nodding in agreement as they sped into different halls to try to find an unlocked room.

"Ignus, looks like we are devouring souls tonight," Ni Lang said as the imp materialized, stunning assassins as they saw the imp.

"What the hell is that thing? Aren't imps much smaller than that?" one of the assassins cried.

"I am the Mighty Ignus, greatest and most powerful thief among all imps! Hehehehe! I'm gonna devour souls! Feed me! Feed me!" the imp laughed as black fireballs appeared in its hands the size of melons.

"How do you gentlemen fight in the dark?" Ni Lang smirked as he threw a talisman in the air and covered the whole hall in pitch black darkness.