Chapter 20 Round One

Lei Laoshi holds his son's shoulder "walk with me boy."

Qin Ming nods and allows himself to be led by him, Lei Laoshi lifts his head into the air. The sun gently kissed Lei Laoshi. His eyes carried a hint of calm, yet also a mountain of pride. Lei Laoshi sighs like a feather in the wind, "son I am so proud of you, to reach this level at such a young age." he stared far off in the distance.

"Look, it's up to you to win this! I believe in you." He continued.

Qin Ming felt a heavy weight over his heart. Qin Ming slowly wiped the sweat off his brow, the sweat glistened in the sun as it pooled on his forehead. He tried to speak but found a lump in his throat. Lei Laoshi grabbed his shoulder "no worries son, come the first game is bound to start.

They walked over to the common area of the arena. They were in the heart of the Old Jade major world. It was actually the area which the Crystal Emperor staked out for himself. For whatever reason this was where he wanted the AllClan tournament to be.

Before the games actually start there are some things that need to be cleared, the roster went as follows: Qin Ming, Augus, Ryu, Raya, and Tianlong. This was what Lei Laoshi had decided on. The room was crowded with over ten teams, however there were about four points of interest, Rubia, the Jade Empire, the Crystal Kingdom, and Diamondia.

About an hour passed by, Qin Ming locked his eyes on the one named Akuma, he glared back at him. Tension laid thick like a blanket of syrup. It was like a dark smog that filled their lungs with poison. "Alright I've had enough of this kid!!!"

"Yeah well you're not treating yourself!! You wanna talk about what happened back there!!" Qin Ming snapped.

"You want some kid!!! Come fucking get me!!!" Akuma beat on his chest like a gorilla. He started to walk forward, but a hand grabbed his wrist.

"Akuma settle down! No need to give him anything!" the man glared into Akuma's eyes.

Akuma pulled his arm out of the man's grip. He slightly rubbed his wrist "fine Wu Bai!"

Qin Ming also settled down, they sat there in silence till they were called to the center stage.

"This is it!"

"It's really here."

Several voices rang out through the tunnel leading to the arena. Bright light beamed into Qin Ming's eyes. The sharp hounding light forced him to cover his eyes momentarily. "This is… so elegant!!"

Qin Ming had never been in such a formal setting before, the stands held over a million people. The arena was carved from intricate marble that glistened its elegance for the world to see. The stage was split into five different sections, and each stage had a taji diagram in the center. However each of those stages could be combined into one whole stage! The full stage was at least five kilometers in length.

A man whose appearance was blurry and shredded from public view fell gently from the sky. "Greetings youth of the world, I am the administrator of the Allclan Tournament. Show the world what talent you are!"

Augus tuned this man out as his eyes darted around the stands, his throat grew a lump. He started to sweat profusely, "so many Immortals all in one place…." Augus quietly thought.

"Now that formalities are out of the way, the first game is simple. Each clan please send a representative." the administrator boomed

"I'm going!" Augus interjected.

They look at each other, then Qin Ming speaks up "are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Augus confirmed.

"Fine then, go up boy!" Lei Laoshi admired.

He nodded then jumped onto the stage, the rest of the teams were still scrambling to decide who they should send. There were murmurs raging through the stands, "just who is he?"

"How bold!"

Augus heard each of them as clear as day. He gritted his teeth as he started to chew on his front lip and tongue. His right hand clawed the insides of his palms, he wanted to jump up there and kill each of those bastards. Then like dominos each team came up, Augus found breathing much easier.

The administrator looks at the ones chosen "the game goes as follows, two people will be linked together from two separate clans. You cannot remove the links, the link… well it was a special surprise."

An azure colored fox trots onto the stage, that same fox morphs into a beautiful maiden, with a case with nine mystical chains. These mystical chains hum sapphire light, they smash against the box they are contained in. The Azurefox opens the box and each chain links to a group. All of them were linked except for ten people. Those men and women look at the administrator "what's up with this!"

"The chains don't accept you, why should I?" he said as he glared with disdain.

The combatants that weren't chosen stared wide-mouthed, their lives at this tournament were short lived, who could just accept this? "NO I rEFUSE THIS!!!" one of the contestants bellowed.

"You refuse?!" the administrator curved an eyebrow as he chuckled like cream.

"Yeah I refu-"

The administrator swiped his hand and in an instant the man's head came flying with a fountain of blood. "Anyone else!?!" he beckoned.

The crowd grew silent and those that were not chosen quietly stepped off stage. The administrator patted his shoulders off, "now, the aim of the game is to eliminate as many as you can! Begin!"

Augus looks over at his partner, this man he recognized as a clansman from Rubia. He was next in line for a very powerful clan. Augus just looked at him intently, he looked over at Augus "do you have a problem?" he raised an eye at him.

"You are Honglian Xiao!" he couldn't stay still as he gushed.

Honglian looks forward and doesn't say a word. Augus glimpsed at the competition. The two jumped forward and turned into blurbs as well. They both synchronized quickly, however… "will you stop for a second!!!" Honglian Xiao stomped his feet on the ground as he exploded through gritted teeth.

"If you would go faster we wouldn't have a problem!!!" Augus flared up into a ball of flames as he snapped back at him.

"So it's a death wish I see!" Honglian Xiao waved his hands as he blew up in a similar ball of flames.

A group of people arrive in lieu of the noise. Augus snapped his head to glare at them, they backed up slightly.

Augus was about to burst forward but Honglian stopped him "OH WHAT NOW!! YOU WANT MY KILL TOO!?!"

Honglian shakes his head "look at them, that's Crimson Soul and Wandering Mountain."

"And?!" Augus scratched his head while he blubbered.

"They are notorious body refiners, do you even look at reports?" Honglian cocked his head, he was simply perplexed.

Augus frowned; he would have to fight at a distance. He waved his hand and a miniscule wisp of flames escaped his hands, this wisp strolled over to them. Honglian was holding his gut trying to stay up as a torrent of tears fell from his face, his laughter dancing around the voluminous field. It canopied this field and everyone caught a brief embrace of his laughter. "That's all you have Augus?"

"You do better!" Augus scowled at him as he snapped.

Honglian smirked, "fine, then."

Honglian twirled his fingers and a vortex of fire shot from the tip of his flames, these flames were azure in color and burned brighter and a bit more than Augus's. Honglian shot a cocky look at him, "that do it?"

"Watch!" Augus huffed hot air from his nostrils, a stream of fire even escaped.

That 'small' wisp when greeted by the azure flames was greedily gobbled up by Augus's, those flames grew over five times in size. "You were saying!" Augus bellowed with a boom.

These flames galloped toward Wandering Mountain. His face collapsed "what am I seeing!"

He thrusted his hand forward and crushed those flames under his fingers "oh it was all show, this is gonna be easy right Crimson Soul?"

Crimson Soul scoffed, he walked forward in toe with Wandering Mountain. They became blips and transported over to Honglian, each of their fists moved in sync with the other. The one named Wandering Mountain slammed his fist into Honglian's rib cage. He coughed up a river of blood.

Honglian grit his teeth and threw his head into Wandering Mountain's, he stumbled back. He held his head and slowly pulled his hand away. He stuck his tongue out and licked the blood off his finger. "Oh?"

"BLOOD, THIS ANT MADE ME!!!!!! BLEED!!!" Wandering Mountain, exuded a heaven shattering roar.

He lifted both palms and smashed them across Honglian's head. Honglian slumped over and his eyes lost all color, "what was that!" Augus puzzled.

Wandering Mountain shot a look over to him, he charged over the ground trembling under his foot. "Calm down you big goof I'm still attached. When Wandering mountain swung his fist down, Augus curved his hand so that chains would take the brunt of the attack.

CRACK!!

SNAP!!!

The chains snapped in two. Augus looked at his hands, in the moment he realized he was free he disappeared into smoke. He rammed his leg into the back of his head, the force of the kick wasn't enough to affect him on his own. Augus coated his leg in flames, he rocketed his entire body into the ground. Augus Lightly chuckled, however Wandering Mountain wasn't amused. "RRAAAAAAGHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

Wandering Mountain slung Crimson Soul like a ragdoll. Crimson Soul gripped Wandering Mountain's arm and shattered it in the next! Crimson Soul dusted himself off "don't blame me you whimpering child I told you to stop!"

Augus looked at Honglian's lifeless body, a lump popped itself down in his throat refusing to budge from his mouth. His heart wrapped itself around his vocal cords. Crimson Soul gazed past Augus "lets deal with this." Crimson Soul said this as casually as one's own name.

Crimson Soul teleported over to Augus, his hand was like a whip that snaked its way past Augus's defenses. His hand slaps and caves in Augus's chest. Augus's sternum snapped in half, his eyes flared up, he grinds his teeth. "You won't get away with this, you are just a pile of shit that I will wipe off and forget in the next!"

Crimson Soul just continued his barrage, his hands slammed down on Augus's shoulders. Augus bit his lip, a small pool of blood dripped down his chin. Augus' exploded flame shrouded Crimson Soul, he jumped back over three meters. He pats the fire off his robes, his face turns ugly as his glare stabs Augus's heart. Augus shook this feeling off then pounced on him. Ruby flames trailed behind his hands as he rams both of them into Crimson Soul's kidney.

Augus pounded Crimson Soul's body with fountains of fire. Nine pillars came crashing down on Crimson Soul's flesh. Crimson Soul pulls a whip out of nowhere, in his other hand he pulls out a horsetail whisk. The horsetail whisk seemed to have a mind of its own, it snuck around and violently attempted to grab Augus's arms. Augus rushed his arms past the horsetail whisk, the tendrils pulled themself back as his arms threw flames out in a vigorous manner. The whip in Crimson Soul's hand slashed Augus's chest and blew him back. As one tried to grab him the other tried to suppress him. However the arm that held his horsetail whisk was also bound by Wandering Mountain.

"That side is actually slightly slower!" Augus thought for a moment.

Eight full lotus petals spanned Augus's back, each petal was a different flame, one was gold and another was scarlet in color. Crimson Soul's face changed and it distorted "this Augus!" he said through grounded teeth.

The whip began to resonate a Crimson aura. The aura stretched through his entire body, the whip hummed with power, he became like a frenzied beast that twisted and contorted itself; it swung itself towards Augus barreling through the wind. The whip actually stabbed through Augus's abdomen like a thread through a needle. Augus gripped the whip flames and danced merrily back to Crimson Soul's hand.

Crimson Soul endured the pain and pushed the whip deeper down Augus's chest, Crimson Soul whipped his hand and pulled the whip out. He slashed Augus's chest and blood seeped from the cut like sap on a tree.

Augus gripped his cut, he chuckled slightly as he pressed his finger up against his cut. He lifts his fingers up and tastes the blood. He cocks his face and laughs like a madman. He lifts his hand and rams his fist into Crimson Soul's chest, Augus also in that exact moment stepped on Wandering Mountain. The Mystic Chain made a horrid, ear-piercing screech before the links exploded.

Augus in the blink of an eye met up with the speeding Crimson Soul an ocean of flames trailed behind Augus as he met in a split second. Augus lifted his leg high up in the air, it was as if his leg kissed the sky as it axe kicked Crimson Soul down to the earth once more. The earth shattered apart in less than a second.

Crimson Soul was unmoving as he laid half dead in a crater. Augus huff hot air from his nostrils as he walked off in the distance, "come on Honglian we got work to do!"

Nightfall quickly befell the battlefield and the moon quietly shone its radiant gaze. Augus had been carrying Honglian this entire time, and soon after he came to the decision of finding respite under a willow tree. He piled together some wood before starting up a fire.

"Grrrr I don't like taking care of this pissant… but I do want to win!" Augus grumbled and left to go find food.

The next day

When Augus arose the faint echoes of his dreams still danced around in his memory. He shook his head as the sun beams from the golden crow laid its warm embrace on his face. Honglian slightly groaned. "Huh you finally woke up!"

"Be quiet, I'm trying to rest!" Honglian threw a rock at Augus.

Augus lifted his hand up and it seemed to land in his hand perfectly. In the next moment he ground the rock to dust. "Fine be that way, die here for all I care!"

Honglian sighed "wait… don't leave, much hate to admit it I can't fight this alone!"

Augus tilted his head back "well?"

"Well what!" Honglian barked.

Augus sighed "well I guess I'll leave now!"

"WAIT, fine look kid, we're equally happy!" Honglian muttered through gritted teeth.

Honglian sat up straight and hissed as a rib poked into his lung. "Listen kid these two are gonna be the least of your concerns…. What I'm worried about most is that guy from the Diamond Continent!" Honglian said.

"Huh why's that?" Augus marvled to his surprise.

Honglian bites the bottom of his lip and looks to the side "listen, that new guy they got running things for them is a genius beyond geniuses! This kid is so intelligent that the imperial army wants him to join!"

"You gonna give me a name or are ya just gonna stay pouting. I got a competition to win the sooner the better!" Augus demanded.

"Akemi…" Honglian's face turned pale the moment these words left the grace of his lips.

Augus began to laugh hysterically, he grabbed his gut as he dropped on the floor. "WAHAHAH that AHAHA little runt is WOOOHOHOO is running things BWAAAHHAAH!! Oh man Honglian you had me there for a sec!" Augus wiped the tear off his cheek and stood up.

Honglian just stared at Augus, perplexed to death. To Honglian Akemi was the word akin to death, but for Augus it was nothing more than a joke! "Wa-wa-what do you mean little runt! He has stopped many wars for the Diamond Continent, a-a-and he's what a joke to you!"

Augus sighed "are you gonna stop riding my Junior-apprentice brother's coat tails already!"

"JUNIOR-APPRENTICE BROTHER!!" Honglian was flabbergasted to say the least!

"Ok ok well hold on if you're confident! Let me think of a plan." Honglian begged.

"Do what you want but in an hour I leave with or without you." Augus said in a stern manner.

Honglian nodded. In the blink of an eye the sun's wonton gaze kissed the land it was now at the crescendo. The Jade Rabbit battled the Golden Crow for supremacy of the land. Night was nearing as the sun began its descent into the horizon. "So you got that right!?!" Honglian poked and prodded.

"Of course I got it, can we leave now!" Augus was on the last straw.

"Fine let's leave!" Honglian allowed.

Right as they poked their heads from the cavern they holed up in…

BOOOM!!

BOOOOM!!

Two figures came crashing down and Augus couldn't help but laugh "ahh look Honglian the duck came baring onions how nice!" chirped Augus.

Two beads of sweat came rolling off of Honglian's head "let's just finish this already!"

"Fine, whatever more for me to enjoy!" Augus's arms and legs were shaking.

One of the figures gripped his chin "oh oh look big brother Primal Mist that one is already quivering before you!"

"Watch carefully that one…" Primal Mist trailed off.

Augus looked over to Honglian who shook his head, Augus's arms and legs were like jelly. The other one snorted "he's quaking in his sandals why should I watch him!?!"

"Go after him if you don't trust me." Primal Mist said, his eyes looked as unwavering as a tall mountain when he spoke.

A flash of light swept the battlefield as the man charged at Augus. Honglian screamed at Augus "now do it!"

Augus cracked a crooked smile, his eyes were more sly than a foxes. "Good!"

His body stopped shaking and a blast of fire crashed against the man, nine fiery lotuses appeared on Augus's back. Augus slightly turned his body and the man kept going, Augus shook his head "tsk tsk tsk did they teach puppies not to bare their fangs at wolves?"

Augus stretched his knee as far back as it could go. A trail of crimson flames followed behind. His foot pierced into the man's lungs, the man was sent like a rocket into the air. The next moment Augus turned into smoke, he appeared right in front of the man as he was barreling through the air. Augus primed his fist, then used all his might to propel his fist into the man's spine. A tunnel of fire cascaded beautifully to greet his descent.

Primal Mist scoffed "what a useless brat, at least he held them off long enough!"

The ground began to hum and it split open. From the cracks in the ground sapphire light exploded forth. Streaks of light shot into the sky and spun around each other like ribbons dancing in the sky. Augus cracked a smile and shot himself at Primal Mist, the sky boomed and light crackled. A beam of flames followed Augus's every move.

BOOOOM!!!

His fist collided into the ground, jets of steam shot out from the ground. Primal Mist laughed "yes, yes! Get angry! Fight me."

Primal Mist twirled his hand and Augus instantly teleported off into the distance. In that same moment gray fog rose up from the ground. Honglian shouted from the bottom of his lungs "Augus this guy is a Formations master."

"It's pointless he can't hear you" Primal Mist chorted, it sounded as though his voice came from every direction.

Honglian looked around in every direction. He became uneasy and beads of sweat fell from his brow. Primal Mist raised his hand into the air and a cone made of azure crystal formed from this fog.

PEW!!

ZIP!!

The crystals zipped along as they whistled through the air. Honglian swiped his hand and a sword appeared in his palm. He slashed the sword along the crystals as they came by and minimized as much damage as he could. Still fragments of the crystals broke off and punctured his abdomen and legs.

Honglian sat there, blood pouring from every aspect of his body. He gritted his teeth, his gaze fixed on the location the first crystal came from. Honglian knew that the only thing he could trust right now was his own senses. The bewilderment formation he was caught in ment that he couldn't trust his sight or hearing. Primal Mist snarled, he lifted his hands up then flicked them at Honglian.

Once again dozens of crystals came fluttering at Honglian at crazy speeds. Honglian lifted his blade and an immense pressure befell the formation, Primal Mist's face turned ugly "you bastard!"

"What? Struck a nerve?" Honglian snickered as he blew away all the incoming crystals in one fell swoop.

Primal Mist gathered all the energies of heaven and earth into one point and fired off a gigantic crystal. Honglian's face became pale "crap!"

The crystal was at least a kilometer or two in diameter alone! Honglian twirled his hand and over 180 flying swords appeared out of nowhere, he thrusted his hand and all the swords turned into amorphous blobs. They rocketed themselves towards the monstrous crystal.

CLANG!!

CLASH!!

The swords helped push this crystal back but it simply wasn't enough. Sparks sputtered off in every which way. The fog parted as if to let Honglian know of his impending death!

CRASH!!

BOOOOM!!

The crystal plunged itself into Honglian's chest. Blood painted the battlefield a gorgeous crimson. Primal Mist couldn't help but to release a small chuckle from his bank vault of a mouth. "That bastard really thought he could beat me!?!"

"HAHAHA-" blood trickled out of his mouth like rain caught on a window. Three thick red streaks fell from his face.

"Nice work, no splendid work Augus!" Honglian praised. The formation around them quickly collapsed only to travel a much larger one hidden beneath Primal Mists!

Augus couldn't hold back his smile any longer "I would never have been able to do it without you though!"

"What the?" Primal mist was perplexed beyond belief.

"Oh you must want an explanation before you die, well it is your dying wish." Honglian said.

"When Augus was 'teleported' away he was able to escape your formation and activated my formation, everything you saw was an illusion!" Honglian bursted into hysterical laughter.

"You fell into our trap Primal Mist! I am the greatest formation expert, not you!" Honglian held his forehead.

"You are a fool Primal Mist!" Hongliang pulled his blade out of Primal Mis's spine. Like a rock Primal Mist hit the floor.