Chapter 27 Rivals!

Ryu cups the underside of his tea. He wafted the delicate fragrance into his nostrils. "Ahhh".

"You ain't worried?" Augus tilted an eye.

"Nope, not one bit. The man I am to go against is a few leagues below me." Ryu sipped on his tea.

Ryu was calm and collected what was the point in him being anxious when victory was all but assured. "Tell me Augus, would you be scared when going up against a baby?"

"BWAHAHA you sure got a sense of humor on you!" Augus slapped Ryu's back.

The sun shined down its radiance gently kissing Ryu's cheeks, the birds cooed their delicate songs and summer neared its final breaths. "Times sure are changing, knowing Qin Ming simply killing Jin Wu will not be enough. I fear for our future. Do you not?"

"Times may change, leaves will rot, the snow will melt, nothing stays the same. What's to fear!" Augus clasped his friend's shoulder.

Ryu took his leave in any case his time would come, he more than ventured to walk the courtyard and take in the summer air. "Time for an immortal is different from a mortal's, one would find each changing season to be special, for me there will be millions of these."

Ryu had yet to become a Celestial Immortal, at that point his lifespan was truly infinite. Even so with his talent it was more or less a when and not an if.

"No matter what the point is in having immortality if I can't enjoy it?"

An hour passed in a single breath and it was time. Ryu took the stage. Zhan Tia followed suit.

"Two."

"Two what?"

"Two blows is all Ineed to do you in, this isn't overconfidence, just simply a statement of fact."

"Why you…."

The director of the tournament waved his hand and allowed for the fighters to start. "As a show of good grace I'll let you have the first attack, don't waste it!"

Zhan Tia gathered the natural forces of the planet and mustered as much of the Dao of Rock in the left hand, in the right was a just as dominant force of the Dao of Wood. These two came hand in hand and worked perfectly with the other, hence why most early practitioners of the Dao mastered these.

He turned into a streak of light, crashing both his fists into Ryu with reckless abandon.

BOOOOOMM!!

The stage underneath their very feet was shattered; not a crumb of it was left over, just an earthy patch. As the dust cleared, Ryu was standing tall. He wiped his shoulders, his lips curled into an ugly smile. "That's all?"

Ryu turned his fist into Zhan Tia's abdomen with one fluid motion he was sent into the air. Ryu pointed his fingers at Zhan Tia, gale force winds stirred up. With starved eyes the winds tore apart Zhan Tia, his skin was rent from his body. His lower half cleaved from the top.

He walked away from the puddle of gore without saying a word. In this world one must be violent, if you slip up and show mercy then you would die or someone dear to you would die. He would be showing cruelty to his friends and himself.

When traversing life or death you cannot be merciful. As an immortal cultivator your only end will be by someone else's hand, anyone who was a practitioner knew of this.

After leaving Zhan Tia's body reformed to a full and lively state, it was hard to fully kill someone when you were merely aiming to show superiority. Ryu knew this, if he wanted him dead then it would have been as easy as him taking his next breath.

In The Jade Empire Living Quarters

"Grr, I'm so close I can taste it. I'm on the breadth of taking the next step so why is it so hard traversing that next step?"

Akuma sat in the lotus position slowly taking in air. He was extremely close to breaking through to the next level and becoming a Nascent Soul. Although he could only be at the Xiantian level to take part in this competition, what he would gain was minimal as compared to reaching the next level. He frankly didn't care too much.

"Hm that Akuma is one wild card huh. If he can make a breakthrough we have a hard chance at winning… but if he doesn't, Qin Ming is as sure as dead." Jin Wu laid his careful eyes on the comatose Akuma.

Akuma takes in an immense amount of air. Space around him seemed to fold in on itself, his body turned into a bright crimson color, a swirl of natural energy flooded into his body. Akuma's muscles bulked in size, his lungs grew heftier. His skin was like tofu before, now it's harder than steel!

Jin Wu sucked in his teeth and walked away.

"So this is the power of a Nascent Soul…." Akuma clenched his fist. He shot out a small breath of air, this was unlike anything else the very breath bent space and distorted the room.

"So this room really was meant for someone at the Xiantian level. I should leave before I break anything else." with that he turned into a blurb and left.

Back In the Yellow Marshland

The desolate wasteland wreaked havoc on the scenery. Caters of blood and gore ran rampant, the otherwise murky water was blood red, the grass or what was left anyways singed. At least before one could consider this place hospitable, now… forget it. Only the strong could live, the weak crumbled.

Qin Ming gnarled on the hunch of meat, "just a little longer"

This was an exceptionally trying time, Qin Ming's heart was hardened. The marshlands were filled with monsters and Qin Ming fit right in. the horn in the middle of his head was much more monstrous than ever before, his eyes were dyed yellow. He was essentially stuck in the Blood stage.

Qin Ming stood up and turned into a blip making it to the marketplace in under a second. He bought all that he needed and left with no resistance to speak of, to be frank no one dared questioned his movement and wanted to see him gone as fast as they could.

It was smooth sailing to get back to the tournament so this was nothing out of the ordinary for him. He couldn't bear to see his friends, with his current state someone was bound to get hurt.

"The way I see it my friend, if this keeps up then what is the point of your revenge?"

"You wouldn't understand… no matter what, I will save her!" Qin Ming barked.

Qin Ming's robes were torn to pieces; his bare muscular chest was clear as day. The tapestry of scars that painted the picture of his toil was clear to see. This past week was torture but he decided to bear it for the sake of the one he lost.

The stage was calling his name, it was time to face his last form. "Akemi the day shall march upon you, and you will regret the day you decided to cross me!"

He walked to the stage, the son caught his eyes and he used his hand to block the rays. Akemi stood at the other end of the stage, the final showdown. Only one could walk away. They both knew this. Akemi was a solitary mountain. Nothing could outdo him. He was the one favored to take it all and win. Qin Ming had his work cut out for him. He needed this win. He needed to avenge Raya!

"Are you ready?"

Qin Ming said nothing and just glared, killing intent rose from him, he had no interests in anything but Akemi's head. Qin Ming was a beast first and foremost. This was not just a battle for them, it was the past rectifying itself. The universe corrects its mistakes. Back then Akemi should have died.

The director waved his hand, and like that the beginning of the end started. This was nothing either of them was ready for. Qin Ming's unbridled rage muddled his thinking, his eyes bloodshot from rage rushed Akemi.

With simple movements he casted his blows aside, not a single blow could land on Akemi. "This is not what I wanted from my old friend. I merely wanted to unlock that latent potential!"

Of course Qin Ming didn't listen. Everything was coming to an end, the built up emotions from years ago are coming into fruition now.

Qin Ming spun his leg and planted it cleanly. Akemi spat up blood, but he kept playing defense. Every so often Akemi's ironclad defense would shine its glaring weakness which Qin Ming spent no time in exploiting.

"LISTEN TO ME!! Qin Ming, I created Dai Mu. It was all illusion work. The fruits you bore were exceptional, I feel as though you can leave my care and fly on your own."

Qin Ming heard every word he said but he simply couldn't stop now he had to win! Qin Ming moved his hands and their very fabric of space was bent and folded, pulling Akemi ever so closer. Qin Ming's fist was much faster and deadlier.

A strike of lightning crashes onto Akemi splitting the stage in two faster than one could perceive, not even Akemi knows what happened and falls prey to the assault. "What is this?!"

"A tool I picked up a while back!"

Sword strike after sword strike, these blows were absolutely gruesome. Qin Ming had not yet unlocked to full power of the Dorje Thunderbolt an couldn't release its full power. At most it was a deadly tool he could use his World Level insights in.

"Just what is this power!" Akemi's shoulders were gashed and bloodied, each blow worn on his Immortal energy. At most he could survive ten or so more blows. "Right, I didn't want this to happen. I just need you to know that."

Akemi waved his hands and 18 formation flags stabbed into the ground. With a simple word it locked space in place. This was Akemi's most deadly formation to date. It was hand crafted to deal with threats like Qin Ming.

Akemi couldn't kill his moves simply slow him down enough! Qin Ming thrashed inside the formation takeing his bestial transformation up one more notch taking on dragon-like claws and scales that covered his abdomen and shoulders.

Qin Ming, if not for the angry beast he was at the moment, would have looked elegant and beautiful with the scales adroning him like a king. Qin Ming used all of his insights in the Dao of Space and Qiankun to shatter this formation. Every attempt was unsuccessful to say the least. Truth be told Qin Ming's only hope was brute force, Akemi was leagues and bounds ahead of Qin Ming in regards to the Dao.

"KILL KILL KILL!!!" Qin Ming sent swipes of lighting after swipes. Each one held awesome power. Mountains would quake in its presence.

Akemi dodged each one like a snake and went for the kill. A single palm blow to the chest blew Qin Ming back. Like a stone skipping on a lake he crashed into the ground. Qin Ming found standing to be a chore, "Akemi.."

Qin Ming charged at full speed not holding anything back. With the help of that Dao of Lightning and Space his speed reached new levels that people at Akuma's level would find hardpress to counter. In less then a second he met Akemi, his fist was cocked back more than ready to take its kill. Akemi waves his hand, a thin glass stops him dead in his tracks.

In the next moment the glass shattered, blood trailed in every direction tracing Qin Ming's movement. Qin Ming grabbed his shoulder putting it back in place. Sword light flashed slashing Akemi where he stood. Qin Ming was able to keep his distance well enough however, Martial Arts was the only card up his sleeve.

Boom Boom Boom. three concussive blows slammed against Qin Ming's body. Pillars of space limited the amount Qin Ming could control. It was used to clash against his blows and even attack. Akemi was a genius in formations and used the Dao of Space to an exceptional level. Unleashing his Dao Realm was more than enough to suppress most enemies. Qin Ming was a whole other breed.

"Grr Akemi you are making big mistakes!"

Palm blows connected with Akemi's own, a flurry palm blows and sword strikes combo just enough to keep Akemi guessing on the next. "You've gotten better…"

"JUST DIE!!'' Each blow that lands on Akemi, he is able to make his own. The power levels of both warriors were declining; it was only a moment of time before a victor would be decided. This rivalry would see its end.

Streaks of lightning and ice strike Akemi faster than he can deal with them. Akemi sends more than enough attacks to keep Qin Ming on his toes. This was an utter stalemate the other couldn't find a solid ground. What was gained was lost in the next. Still Immortal energy was drained nonetheless.

Qin Ming needed to win, with this burning need for revenge. If he couldn't see it fulfilled it would leave a dark spot in his heart and be a tribulation down the line. Not only was simple revenge driving him, but he needed to show himself that this hard work, the blood and sweat wasn't for nothing.

"Akemi…"

"Qin Ming…"

A fist containing all the knowledge of the Dao Qin Ming had clashed with an equally powerful fist. The two knew how to keep the power where they wanted it to go and stay contained within themselves. It looked unimpressive but in reality this singular clash of mountain ranges would shatter, oceans would shudder. It was as powerful of an attack the two could muster, no one in this world could stand to face those two when they worked together.

Qin Ming pushed forward and opened up just enough to finish him off entirely. With this small gap he thrusted his leg into Akemi, shattering every bone in his abdomen. With that Akemi couldn't fight any longer, he couldn't regenerate any part of himself.

Qin Ming fell face forward and his muscles gave out on him, refusing to move a single centimeter more. "Akemi tell me something."

"Yeah"

"Why did you do all those things, make a fake Dai Mu, make me hate you? I don't understand it a single bit!"

Akemi stares into the sky silently. "I wanted to see you grow, I saw you as a piece of unpolished jade. To temper that talent."

"Idiot.."