Chapter 25 Tianlong vs Yi Delan

Augus sat down by Tianlong's side unwilling to move a centimeter. He felt she was close to coming, and when she did he wanted to be the first person she saw. After all, he felt deeply responsible for her injuries. If he was only stronger than he would have been able to stop it.

Alas it had happened and he could only blame himself thus, he chose to get stronger as a result. Augus held her hand and put it up to his forehead "come on now you're making me worry now."

"Hehe, well I guess you shouldn't worry now." Tianlong sat up and grasped his cheek with a gentle touch.

Tears fell from Augus's face as he held her hand on his face. "Tianlong, you're really back with us!" Augus felt a lump in his throat and found speaking hard.

Tianlong nodded her head "yes Augus I'm back, but not for long this recent battle taught me a few things, Ineed to do some reflecting." Tianlong stood up and left.

Tianlong got casual greetings from her friend but didn't stay long. She fled to a nearby mountain range and sat down at the mountain peak. This was a time in which she could be truly alone and think. This was something that she needed. After her last bout she was in a horrible place.

"I was useless and couldn't do anything." Tianlong Xun huffed hot air at herself. Although she had woken up, that brush with death gave her the awakening she needed to move forward.

"If all I do is run then I will no doubt suffer in battle, I must move on." Tianlong tried her best to reassure herself.

This was for the best after all she was on her own path to self discovery and along that path she needed to hear ugly truths. It was less than easy for her, but she knew what must be done. She had to work on herself now more than ever.

"If I keep climbing soon I shall leave the canopy." she gave deep, relaxed, spaced out breaths each one superseding the other.

She was an empty vessel and could feel the natural flow of energy around her. This was normal for Tianlong Xun as reaching a Dao Realm in a few Daos meant she had long since connected with the cosmic energy of the universe.

The Three Realms, Tianlong Xun, for what the Dao was concerned of, were one in the same!

She continued to breathe, her breaths were sporadic at first, but soon came to its lull. Tianlong could feel that she was close to reaching a new stage. In fact she was close to making a full beast transformation. If she could do this her power would jump after all fighting as a beast was more than suitable as she didn't wield any weapons and her power came from the Dao.

She could feel her heart change, what stood in her way before was doubt, but now she had no reason to doubt herself. She had overcome death twice. She was more than capable.

"I should go see Augus soon." Tianlong Xun stood up and began to make her way over to Augus.

After the time she spent with the main group the person she was the most fond of when it came to discussions and other matters, was Augus. So she wanted nothing more than to send what time she had before her match had to start with him.

Yunshe Li was sitting next to Taotie Zishan and Miko Yang. Yunshe Li was taking the most diligent care when it came to maintaining his weaponry.

"Tianlong is up again." Yunshe Li said.

"It appears so, yet I am unable to show her what's what, how dare she take this long." Taotie gave a cold snort.

"You are too impatient, remember she is still stronger than any of us!" Miko told the group."

"Still it would be better if she just took charge again." Yunshe Li continued to polish his blade.

"Stop your whining, when she's back in action I'll show you who's the strongest." Taotie slammed his fist into a wall, the wall was riddled with hairline features.

"I just hope she is still here." Miko twiddled her thumbs together.

"Good morning senior apprentice brother." Tianlong gave a respectful greeting to Augus.

"Hm you seem different, you have a more vibrant glow to you!" Augus clasped her shoulder and led her to Qin Ming and the others.

"Little brother, I hope I didn't worry you too much!" Tianlong was shaking as she had to confront him again and was not sure how.

"No no do not worry, this was nothing really you did good!" Qin Ming waved hi shand and told her to sit.

"Come, come let us celebrate your swift recovery." Qin Ming waved his hand and produced an assortment of wine and fine meats.

Tianlong Xun sat down next to him and Augus and began to enjoy this spread.

"I heard the woman you have to face next is no one to sneeze at. She has a few Dao Realms herself, although her cultivation is a bit lackluster." Qin Ming spoke plainly.

"In truth if this was the only battle you could probably do away with her in a few blows, but you must suppress your power as much as possible." Augus gave his two cents in the matter.

"Hmm this is true, If I wanted to I could just turn into a Celestial Dragon and be done with it entirely, but alas I must keep my true power a secret."

Qin Ming spat out his wine "y-you have reached full transformation!"

"Yes I have, during my secluded meditation I was able to reach my true self!" Tianlong sighed.

"Hmm this can only be a good thing in our coming battle this may prove to be the sweetest fruit on the branch." Qin Ming took slow sips from his cup.

"Indeed you may have to spar with me a few times as well!" Augus slapped her back and gave a tender look to her.

"Well just see my coming fight and see if you are not too scared after." Tianlong felt a warm embrace in her heart, she finally felt whole. She felt welcomed again.

Qin Ming stood up giving no time to breathe "do you feel that!?"

"Now that you mention it… these ripples they are somewhat familiar!" Augus stood up as well and looked at the source of these ripples.

"They are getting closer!" Tianlong jumped to her feet and released her Dao Realm.

Her Dao spread out and crashed upon this mighty force, but even then, her Dao shuddered as it collided. "It's a Xiantian level cultivator, I'm sure of it!"

"Right, let me take point Augus we can't be too hasty, move on my command!" Qin Ming spat out orders.

"Whatever I'm not THAT reckless!" Augus readied himself.

The huge power stepped through the door and to their dismay it was none other than Ryu! Qin Ming was absolutely dumbfounded; he needed to pick his jaw up from the floor. "Could it really be you!?"

"Hehe in the flesh, tell me what have I missed?" he walked over to Augus and clasped his shoulder, "I really am truly sorry for being away for so long, but in my meditation I found something and had to stay!"

"You gotta believe me I had no idea it'd last around three weeks!" Ryu continued.

"Ah whatever come here" Augus wrapped his arms around his lost brother.

"It's been so long I thought you forgot about lil' ol' me, well now we have to spar, after the tournament though. You don't know how many eyes that Akemi has!" Augus held his shoulder as they walked hip to hip.

Ryu looked at the corner of the room and sent a small unnoticeable wave of spiritual energy. "Hm you have no idea!"

In truth Ryu had grown so much he had been able to see all the small spying devices Akemi set up, but it appears as though he was the only one.

"Ryu…. Have you really surpassed me in only three short weeks? How is that even possible!?" Qin Ming pondered to himself.

Ryu left just as fast as he came, when he came there was only one person he had not met up with yet and that was Naomi and he so wished to do so.

"Well I can't stay for long, Tianling Xun we shall see each other after you win, this Yi Delan appears to be quite weak, but even then… it is hard to say!"

"Right one should never be too careful when dealing with big threats." Tianlong Xun nodded her head.

Tianlong stood up and began her departure as well, "I am terribly sorry my friends but I must also leave my match due to start at any moment!" she bowed then left.

Tianlong casually walked onto the stage greeted by the pleasant smell that wafted in from the banquet hall, in truth there was much to celebrate on many ends not just for Tianlong and her group. Alas, Tianlong couldn't care one way or another and didn't try to investigate further than what her five senses had already.

She steps onto the ring awaiting for her opponent to arrive. Sure enough a few seconds later Yi Delan appreses. She looked over Tianlong Xun from head to two, "hm you, I've heard more than my fair share."

"As have IYi Delan. Are we here to talk or fight?" Tianlong took her stance and readied herself for the coming battle.

"I guess that's true enough!" Yi Delan turned into a blurb as she sped as fast as she could to Tianlong Xun.

Yi Delan drew her sword and struck down Tianlong Xun. She and with no effort dodged Yi Delan's strikes, Tianlong placed the porcelain-like hands on Yi Delan and in that next second a blast of wind threw her meters back. This blast of wind was so powerful that the ground under her was torn to bits. Yi Delan also suffered major internal damage, but walked it off like nothing.

Tianlong used her palms to force open a spatial rift, this rift was thrown to Yi Delan instantly trapping her within the formation. Tianlong Xun then flew into the air and threw down several formation flags further ensnaring her in this formation of hers.

The space that was twisted and contorted around Yi Delan firmly held her in place refusing to let go. Yi Delan was forced to her knees.

As a cultivator Tianlong was somewhat a weaker body refiner but excelled beyond all her peers in Ki refining. As a result, Tianlong wished to fight from a distance. Once Yi Delan was trapped Tianlong raised her hand into the air and the Dao of Wind coalesced around her finger tips. With a simple swipe of her hand the full force of her Dao came crashing down on Yi Delan.

Yi Delan was forcing her Ki to slap and break apart the formation entrapping her, but alas this was once again a failed attempt at such. With no way to guard at all she had to just grit her teeth and accept the full brunt of Tianlong's hit.

The typhoon came hurtling towards Yi Delan at an extreme pace. This typhoon gobbled the ground underneath it. This unstoppable force made Yi Delans heart weep in anguish.

BOOOOOOOM!!!!

Yi Delan's body suffered immense damage and was struggling to hold on. No longer pulling any punches Yi Delan released her sword Dao Realm, this simple action destroyed the formation she was locked in not leaving even a single fragment of it.

"Enough of this!"

Yi Delan jumped up to reach Tianlong and swung her weighty sword across her chest. Blood spurted forth formTianlong. This blow was simply way too fast for her to react.

Tianlong turned into a mad beast, her nostrils flared up, her eyes turned fiery. Tianlong's eyes turned into the golden sun and her teeth became fangs. She had one thing on her mind. Blood.

Tianlong disappeared before Yi Delan's eyes. Tianlong also had a Dao Realm of her own, and she sacrificed power for speed. Right now her speed was inconceivable.

Tianlong struck Yi Delan's chest and ripped a chunk of flesh from it. She spun her legs around several times and used that momentum to crash into Yi Delan. She was sent crashing into the earth like a meteor.

The ground was destroyed and Yi Delan formed a deep crater into the earth. The earth was sacred beyond repair. Yi Delan was broken and couldn't move, she felt nothing but disgust for herself and Tianlong.

Yi Delan stumbled to her feet and drew her blade. She summoned 18 blades to surround her back; this array of power was controlled by the natural power of the world in a flying sword formation.

"GOOO!!!"

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

The blades flew forth from her command, Tianlong danced around each of these blades and could only doge for so long before being stabbed. Yi Delan jumped into the air and slashed as fast as she could. Between this onslaught and the sword formation Tianlong found it increasingly difficult to doge, let alone strike back.

"Damn it I will really have to use that!" Tianlong said while biting on her teeth.

Tianlong's palms turned beast like her legs too, azure colored scales covered her body she became more beast like and berserk.

Her power and speed grew nearly tenfold. Tianlong turned into a streak of light slashing and hacking at Yi Delan. She used the swords in her hands and the sword formation as best she could to block the blows. However she couldn't block everything, some claw strikes hit Yi Delan and blood spilled from her wounds.

Tianlong s;apped her palm repeatedly each blow that landed a typhoon of wind came from the other side. Each of these blows carried an insane amount of power in fact mountain tops would cease to exist if it so much as grazed it! Tianlong knew her limits and if she had to fully transform that would be the end of her time here so she wished to use that as a wild card.

Yi delan used her blade to take careful swings each time she landed a decisive blow against Tianlong Xun and she was visibly growing much weaker in power, any longer and Tianlong would die!

Tianlog switched up her pace and each of her fist strikes warped space around it, the Dao of space was simply too oppressive! Yi Delan was backed into a corner, she no longer had any new tricks to show and she was on the end of the rope.

Tianlong swiped with her claws, three bloody gashes dotted Yi Delan's body. With that Yi Delan fell back down to earth he immortal energy could no longer keep her afloat. Tianlong came down with a soft landing and with that she was declared the victor. Tianlong had a sour taste in her mouth. She departed just as she came, she turned into a blurb making her way back to her friends.

"Welcome back big sister!" Qin Ming respectfully bowed and greeted Tianlong.

"I watched you kick ass out there, good job Funny!" Augus slapped her back and sipped on his wine.

"Heh thank you friends but she really wasn't worth a celebration." Tianlong's face looked like a ripe tomato.

"Nonsense of course we had to celebrate." Ryu and Naomi came from the kitchen and brought a platter of food.

"Ryu is right we had plenty this is your first fight since you entered the Abyssal Region! You didn't even tremble once!" Augus wrapped his arm around her neck and brought her closer.

Tianlong couldn't help but smile. Her friends were so kind to her this made her heart swell with unbelievable joy. "Thank you all so much!"

Ryu sighed softly "you really scared everyone!"

Ryu wasn't much for feelings although his rough demeanor did decline somewhat he wouldn't show it! They all gathered around Tianlong and began to regale her with compliments and words of praise, after all they were nothing if not proud.

Tianlong put her left arm on the table and began to sip on her wine "little brother, this is quite a troublesome time. After this we will have to try much harder. I don't think Ryu will have much trouble, but after this the herd will be thinned."

"You are right, we must be more cautious than before!" Qin Ming said in a solemn tone.

"Bah who cares weak or strong we will crush them all!" Augus slammed his fist on the table and began to bellow deep from his chest.

"Let's not be rash now ay Augus" Qin Ming took another small sip and calmly stated this.

Raya came in to greet her friends "my friends I do not wish to spoil the mood, but first I must fight Jin Wu. I am not confident in this battle."