Black Woods

"Our sect was named after this area..." Andi explained leading Atom outside the city. "Our sect master was from this area, one day after ascending to the celestial realm he decided to create his own sect." Her face glistened in the sun light as the two ventured deeper into the dark misty woods. "He fought with his sect and after being wounded came back to the country. While he never recovered he planted in the area many wonderful plants and herbs to help local cultivators. After a few years the immortal city leader invited him in, the founder asked to form a sect and inter he forged a pill with the ingredients from the Black woods as an offer..."

Andi came to a pause as she stopped on a large stone that perched over a small pond - fed by a slow but consistent stream before she finally continued. "The Immortal Yan was so impressed that he claimed 'a pill sect will be formed' then held up the sky blue pill and said something like "From the black woods to the blue sky this Master of the Black earth and sky sect is protected within the Paoen Empire!"

Atom smiled, the pure joy as Andi waved about hopping from stone to stone explaining this old tale. Dipping a toe in the water, kick up a splash towards Atom she asked: "What do you think of our sect Master?"

Atom paused, honestly he had not given much thought to the sect beyond Master Lee. Passing his first few thoughts he finally opened up - "If he wanted his own sect, why did he let someone else name it?"

Within a moment Andi closed the distance driving a single finger into his chest with a poking fashion, each time pushing him a step further back, "Good Question! You see despite actual strength the great master was a bookworm who was always forced to fight. When he heard the name he liked it, my master said he renamed all his skills and wrote books to teach others."

"So he was so taken by the name he just accepted it?" Atom questioned as he took a seat overlooking the lake.

"Yea dad and Grandfather always said 'master loves puns!'" Andi waged her finger making an impression of the two as all of a sudden the pressure began to rise.

Behind the pair droplets of water began floating upwards as the downward pressure slowly began displacing the lake. A rattle from the edge of the tree line when a line blood gushed from Andi's shoulder driving her to the ground.

Atom jumped up trying catch her only to be driven into the fangs of a three meter sabertooth tiger. As if he could see the Qi flowing into its legs, Atom dodged to the side as the tiger drove its claws into the stone Atom was just standing on.

Without hesitation or even a glance in the direction Atom used his foot technique to drive back towards the beast. Spinning at the waist he shifted his Qi utilizing the inertia drove his fist into the tiger pushing it into the pond.

"Are you ok?" He yelled towards Andi looking back.

"You fool!" She cried - echoing deep through the wilderness as the sabertooth lunged back at Atom.

Shocked and panicked he turned left hand catching the lower jaw as a tooth ripped through his palm. His right hand trembled with a Qi that began to resonate physically. Head first he lunged into the ferocious animal driving his fist into the top of its jaw, shattering the weakest link as his fist finished the beast with the second blow.

The weight of the moving creature drove the upper jaw and teeth into his chest as the pair tumbled back along the stones in a bloody mess.

"Atom!" Andi yelled trying to carry herself over. "Atom!"

Slowly raising Atom looked over the unmoving beast, "I'm ok..." he half said to Andi half to himself. Wobbling as he stood but without thought Atom made his way over to Andi. "How bad is your wound?"

"No worse than yours..." she cringed.