Fight!

Seeing Aya confront Adam's older brother, Zen warily smiled.

"Aya? Isn't this my fight?"

Aya harrumphed.

"Humph, you're taking way too long to finish so I got bored."

Zen was speechless, scratching his head he turned his attention to Adam's older brother.

"Uhh…I still don't know your name yet."

Adam's older brother had a cold look on his face and answered.

"Lance."

"Alright, Lance. How about we settle this properly in the clan arena?"

Lance, heard Zen's proposition and thought about it for a while before nodding.

"Agreed. Let's meet in an hour. I'll go inform the elder."

Zen nodded.

He was keenly observing Lance's actions, Zen was clear about his strength and he was sure that Lance's power had a slight advantage over his.

Fights between clan members frequently happened so the clan imposed a rule that an elder must preside over the match to ensure that both parties wouldn't get mortally injured. This was because back when the clan was just a small family and still developing and had scarce cultivation resources, many would be fighting against one another and many would result in many deaths. Causing the clan to halt its development but luckily one member rose to power, uniting its member under his rule and leading the clan to what it is today. That person was the first patriarch.

Once Lance had informed an elder, news quickly spread about their match and of course, Zen's parents heard of it.

"Son, what are you thinking challenging someone who is clearly older and stronger than you?!"

Zen had long expected this reaction from his Mother, Sherry but luckily someone intervened.

"Don't be so anxious, Sherry. This is a good thing."

A figure walked in the room and it was Lucifer. Sherry was still angry at the time and raised her voice at Lucifer.

"How can I not be anxious? Lance is a known genius in the Clan, he's already at the peak of the 2nd stage. My son could get hurt!"

Hearing his reason, Lucifer sighed and said.

"This is why I said you're too anxious. So what if this kid is a genius of the clan. Is your son not a genius?"

"But-"

Sherry wanted to say something but Lucifer interrupted.

"Your son has been training under me and I can confidently say that his skills are at the top of his peers but he needs more experience. Now that someone has offered to be his punching bag, how can this not be a good thing?"

Sherry still wanted to stop Zen from fighting but her husband, who has been silent all this time, spoke.

"Wife, I agree with Lucifer. How can our son be an expert if he doesn't experience a fight?"

It took a while, but Sherry finally sighed and agreed. Indeed, she agreed with them. She didn't want her son to grow up as a worthless young master. It was just that she was a protective mother and didn't want to see her son get hurt.

"Alright, Let's all go together."

She then faced Zen and knelt down, touching Zen's cute cheeks and asked.

"Are you confident that you can beat him?"

Zen eyes seemed to have been lit aflame as he puffed his chest and answered.

"Of course!"

…

The clan arena was just a few hundred meters wide to fit a number of people but it was enough for the members of the clan. The first row of the seats was occupied, many of them were here because of Lance and few of them were just bored.

Lance and Zen stepped on the stage and as they stared at one another, Zen remembered what Lucifer said.

"Remember, An Eye for an eye. If he hits hard, hit harder. Don't worry about the consequences, for now, just do what you want."

Such words strengthened Zen's fighting spirit and the aura that rose from him was growing fiercer.

Lance naturally felt this and said.

"I hope you don't lose to me badly."

"Same to you."

Zen's replied was caught by the audience a lot of them thought he was being conceited.

"Heh, even if he's the son of the second elder what makes him think he can beat brother Lance, who is known as a clan genius?"

"Has this kid, even reached the 1st stage?"

Many other comments came from the audience and irritated Ren but as an Elder, he has a position and image to uphold thus he kept it in.

"Relax, your son will show them what it means to be a true genius."

Ren looked up and saw Lucifer seated at the upper rows with a nonchalant look. Hearing his words, the anger within his heart vanished and he smiled expectantly, waiting for the moment that his son stood triumphant.

"Let the match begin!"

The elder presiding the match officially announced.

Boom!

Lance quickly darted towards Lucifer and his first lit with power as a shadow of a claw vaguely showed itself. As the claw descended, Zen jumped back and with a twist, he sent a kick toward Lance.

Bam!

Zen's kick was blocked and was gripped by Lance. He was then pulled and flung away by Lance.

Zen's figure flew and as he fell he rolled a few times before stabilizing himself but he was surprised when he saw a foot coming at him.

Lance flung him away and quickly followed with a kick, attempting to make him fall out of the stage.

Suddenly, Zen remembered when he was sparring with Lucifer.

"Find and attack your enemy's weak spot."

Zen quickly reacted and sidestepped away from Lance's kick and as Lance's body passed by, he delivered an uppercut to the ribs breaking one of Lance's rib but Zen wasn't finished. The force from his punch was about to fling Lance upward but Zen caught one of his legs and pulled him down before following up with a kick.

Lance raised his hands to guard against the kick but he was still flung down onto the stage.

"Cough!"

Blood spurt out from Lance's mouth as he quickly rolled away avoiding an ax kick from Zen.

Boom!

From the audience's perspective, it was within their expectation that Lance was winning at the start. They were even cheering when Lance was pressuring Zen but their cheers slowly turned to disbelief when Zen suddenly reversed the flow of the match and started to overpower Lance.

"How is this possible?"

"Brother Lance is at the peak of the 2nd stage, he should have physical superiority."

"Also, didn't Zen only have a trash Soul Armament? How did he have this must strength?"

A few fans couldn't believe it but a sneer entered their ear.

"Humph, he may be at the peak of the 2nd stage but his skills are way below average. Unlike his opponent who has a clear grasp of his strength and his opponent's weakness. This is what happens when one only has false strength and not enough skills."

They quickly turned in anger but quickly reigned it in once they saw who it was.

"Brother Lincoln!"

"Shit, it's brother Lincoln, the 3rd strongest within our generation."

This Brother Lincoln ignored their flattery and turned his attention back into the fight.

"Also, that kid has also reached the 2nd stage of the Body tempering realm."

Such stunned whoever could hear it. They were sure that Zen had just been tested a few weeks ago but now he has reached the 2nd stage? No matter how much medicinal pills you feed a person it was impossible. Even for the strongest cultivation manual of the clan, it was impossible for Zen to grow this much.

Unaware of the change happening within the Audience, Zen continued his assault not giving Lance enough time to recover or reposition himself.

Lance couldn't take being humiliated by someone who he knew was trash so he jumped up and summoned a serrated sword out of nowhere.

"Soul Armament!"

"Brother Lance has summoned his Soul Armament."

"With his Soul Armament, Brother Lance has already won."

A lot of Lance's friends boasted, thinking that he has already won the match.

Lance hacked down with his sword, Zen quickly jumped back. The floor exploded after being hit, Lance quickly followed and now it was his turn to pressure Zen.

Woosh!

Woosh!

Zen avoided one attack after another, he bent back as Lance tried to cut off his head. This was immediately followed by Lance continuing his movement and twisting his body and attacking Zen's feet. Jumping up, Zen avoided the attack and countered with a kick sending Lance away a few steps.

Zen hurriedly jumped back to catch his breath and create some distance.

"Ha...Ha..." Zen breathed heavily.

"Puh! Stop struggling, you're only prolonging your defeat." Lance spat out blood.

Zen glared at him and said. "Where is that confidence coming from? Is it because of your Soul Armament?"

"Yes! So what?" Lance fired back.

"Then...have a taste of mine!" Zen summoned every strength he had to charge in.

His speed shocked Lance as he only saw a blur coming at him then he felt a foreboding danger coming at him. He instinctively raised his sword to defend.

Ding!

The sound of metal clashing with metal rang, followed by Lance being blown back by the shock.

"What...the hell is that?"

"Is that a Soul Armament?"

The Audience was shocked, whether it be the younger generations or the elders they were surprised.

Zen had a dark silver liquid floating around his body. They this liquid appear from Zen's body so they can be sure it was his soul armament. Ren, his father was also sure of it as he was there when it was awakened. But what they couldn't believe was that this Soul Armament which they deemed to be trash was able to overpower Lance's Soul Armament.

All they saw was Zen charging in, summoning his Soul Armament then the clashing of the two Soul Armament.

But there was one who saw and understand what happened.

"That kid...took him long enough to understand the basics of the [Formless Edge Art]"

Lucifer was leisurely seating on an empty seat, he wasn't that much concerned with the match. But when Zen brought out his Soul Armament, he got curious.

There, he saw it.

The part of Zen's Soul Armament that collided with Lance's had a concentrated, solid part.

Zen stood there with a triumphant look on his face and Lance saw it and he was livid.

"Don't think you've won yet!" And he charged back ignoring the damage that was done a while ago.

Lance raised his sword and hacked down but Zen shifted away and thrusts his hand and the Liquid metal followed. The liquid metal flowed across the surface of the blade before rejoining into a sharp point and continued towards Lance's face.

Suprised, Lance hurriedly moved his head away from the path of the liquid metal.

The liquid metal barely grazed his cheeks. Zen quickly retracted his Soul Armament. Meanwhile, Lance retracted his sword and followed with a clockwise spin, attempting to cut Zen. But Zen entered a horse stanch and the sword hit the side of his stomach.

"I got you now!" Lance celebrated.

Ding!

As the sound of metal clashing rang out, Lance couldn't believe it and when he glanced towards Zen's stomach and saw an abundant amount of Liquid metal gathered there, blocking his sword.

Zen shifted his stance, his opponent took this chance to jump back but it was not enough. Zen punched out.

Swoosh...

The Liquid metal on his stomach flowed around his back, over his shoulder and flowed outward his fist. It was like a dragon swimming around his arm and as it approached Lance, it was akin to a hammer.

Ding!

Lance managed to block it but Zen wasn't finished. Zen pulled back his fist and punched out with the other one.

The Liquid metal moved and flowed across the other arm, it collided with Lance's sword again but Zen didn't care. He continued attacking with hard punches that lead to the liquid metal forming like a hammer. Switching it from time to time with a slashing motion with his hand that the Liquid metal followed, attacking like a snake.

Lucifer smiled at Zen's action, he was proud. This student of his finally grasped the proper method of wielding his Soul Armament and what's more, was that he was moving with the principles of Yin and Yang. Hard punches and Flowing slashes...

Finally, Lance couldn't keep up with Zen anymore and his defense slipped. Zen didn't let this chance go and he controlled his Liquid Metal to flow across Lance's sword before forming a sharp tip that pierced through lance's shoulder. Zen made a tossing motion which the Liquid metal followed and tossed Lance away.

"You've lost."

The entire arena was silent, everything that happened was out of their expectations. They didn't expect that Zen had become this powerful, more than that he managed to use that trash Soul Armament to be a unique weapon. Wait, maybe it's wrong to call it 'trash' anymore.

"I-i haven't lost yet!"

Lance was wide-eyed as he madly charged towards Zen but a figure suddenly appeared blocking his way.

It wasn't an elder, in fact, it wasn't an adult at all but a kid.

Long flowing, golden hair fluttered as he moved to catch Lance's sword with his bare hands.

"Young Lord!" Zen exclaimed in his heart.

"Kid don't get in my way. Move!" Lance raised his voice but the sword won't budge.

"Too noisy." Lucifer shook his head and moved his hands, throwing Lance away along with his sword.

Suddenly a few more people appeared in the arena but this time it was the elders. Ren was among them and he quickly went to his son. There were three elders, including Ren and all of them had an imposing aura but Lucifer faced them with a leisure smile.

"Who are you? I don't recognize you." One of the two elders spoke.

"He's my guest, fourth brother." At this point, Ren spoke up while giving Zen a healing ointment.

"Second brother...Since when did the Silver Stallion Clan allow outsiders to interfere with its matters?" The so-called, Fourth elder started to raise his voice.

But Ren didn't lose out and an incredible imposing aura rose from him as he replied. "Mind your tone, fourth brother. As I said before, he's a guest of mine and the match has already ended with Junior Lance losing but he still foolishly attacked. My little friend here had all rights to interfere."

Hearing the words of Ren, the fourth elder's face turned unsightly and Lance slowly stood while uttering.

"I-I haven't lost yet, a respected elder."

"You already did and in an unsightly way too." At this point, Lucifer spoke again before turning to the fourth elder.

"If you have a problem with just say it. Don't beat around the bush like a girl."

Such words stunned the whole crowd, from their eyes. Lucifer was no more than around their age and yet he was so disrespectful against an elder of their clan.