Settling the Score

When Jin Chenxi got back to the tent, he found that it was already almost packed up with both Jia Waimin and Hu Meng stuffing the tent into a bag.

Jia Waimin noticing Jin Chenxi's approach Finished putting away the tent and stood.

"Ya excited kid. Yer first raid going to be on a sect, gosh my first was on some shitty silver merchant, " Jia Waimin chuckled out as he hefted the pack onto his back.

As Jin Chenxi prepared to answer Jia Waimin, he was interrupted by a loud snort from Hu Meng.

"What?" Jin Chenxi demanded, glaring at Hu Meng's interruption.

"Nothing, it's just I thought it was funny that the cripple is still running to his death," Hu Meng sneered, mocking him in the first words that he'd spoken to him since they left the city.

Jin Chenxi would like to think that that the last two years had tempered him, made him humble, more controlled. And it had, he was more than willing to scrap and grovel when necessary, to those stronger than him that.

But he still had an arrogance that would probably never leave him. So, when Hu Meng, someone he saw as weaker than him, insulted him, he, unfortunately, can't say that his reaction was that controlled.

"What did you say you sack of fat shit" Jin Chen growled out, moving his hand to his sword.

Hu Meng just met his glare with his own, his face turning an angry red.

Just as they seemed to be ready to fight each other Jia Waimin's calm voice cut in.

"Boys, boys lets calm down," Jia waimin said, holding his hand up in peace, "I thought it seemed tense between you two. But you can't just go around killing each other." He continued, Both boys continued to glare at each other.

"We got rules around here, you know. If you two want to sort out your differences, you got to get in one of the rings," Jia Waimin finished, a good-natured smirk on his face showing off his crooked teeth as Jin Chenxi and Hu Meng's Eyes finally moved to him, looking interested.

It seemed, Jin Chenxi thought, that the rings were just a set of painted rings near the center of the rapidly dissolving camp. A Rack holding a collection of metal batons of differing lengths was placed near to the rings.

"You're not allowed bladed weapons by the way," Jia Waimin announced, as the group made their way towards one of the rings "So just give me yer sword and pick out a pole from the rack," he finished, nodding over to the weapon rack.

Jin Chenxi just nodded, passing Jia Waimin his sword and walking over to the rack to choose a baton of adequate length.

Hu Meng just walked into the closest ring.

Jin Chenxi smiles at the rack of weapons as up a baton of adequate length, giving it a test swing.

He had slightly lost control earlier. That was true, and he did wish to avoid conflict with Hu Meng but when an opportunity slaps you in the face, you would be a fool to ignore it.

Turning around Jin Chenxi continues to think as he walks towards the ring.

This wasn't only an opportunity for him to get revenge it was also a chance to test out some theories he had. Although the journey to the bandit camp hadn't allowed for much cultivation, it had allowed ample time to think about his path.

As Jin Chenxi walked into the ring lazily holding his baton Hu Meng takes a stance his face set in stone.

Jin Chenxi keeps his smile, as he shifts into his own.

Hu Meng would be a great test to see if he could pull off any of the techniques he'd come up with.

Seeing the two teens getting ready to fight a crowed slowly began to form, a brake from packing was welcome and what better entertainment than a fight.

"I Jia Waimin will be the proctor of this fight, do you both agree," Jia Waimin questioned both of them, as he stood off to the side.

"yes," Jin Chenxi and Hu Meng's voices blended together, as they nodded.

"On Go then," Jia Waimen said, sounding quite excited.

At that Jin Chenxi and Hu Meng, both let their Qi burst out, letting everyone see their cultivation.

Jin Chenxi isn't fazed by Hu Meng's sixth step cultivation. He already knew that Hu Meng was a step ahead of him. It wouldn't matter.

Time seemed to slow for a few weighty seconds as they waited for Jai Waimin to start the match. Jin Chenxi golden eyes meeting Hu Meng's Dull blue.

"GO!" Came Jai Waimin's excited shout.

Hu Meng is the first to move, dashing straight at Jin Chenxi trying to take away the advantage of having a weapon.

Hu Meng was fast, faster than most people would be at the peak of the internal realm, quite the feat for someone so large.

But He wasn't fast enough. Jin Chenxi calmly backsteps, making sure to keep Hu Meng within his range but himself out of Hu Meng's.

With Hu Meng within his range, Jin Chenxi strikes, the baton falling like a hammer onto Hu Meng's face. Or it would have, Hu Meng quickly raises his left arm to block the strike, the crash echoing out into the surroundings.

Hu Meng seeing his opportunity swung, his right arm blazing with QI as it flung was at Jin Chenxi exposed side.

Jin Chenxi just lightly smirked.

He knew his weakness was his left side, he knew it was where Hu Meng and anyone else who fought him would aim for it. But he also knew that every problem is, in fact, an opportunity.

Instead of trying to dodge Hu Meng's incoming fist or try to block it, Jin Chenxi did something unexpected he moved into it.

But what was even more shocking was the result. Hu Meng's fist instead of connecting with Jin Chenxi, seemed to bend around him at the last second dragging him forward.

Jin Chenxi was already in motion and used the bottom of his baton to hit Hu Meng's now shocked face as he fell towards him, hurling Hu Meng to the floor.

A vortex, specifically a whirlpool. This is what Jin Chen had come up with using his Qi to make a vortex with him in its center, making it extremely hard for any one of a similar level to hit him. Although, it wouldn't affect anything more than a centimeter from him.

It wasn't a fully unique path. others had done similar before it was however very uncommon, mainly due to the instability of the Qi necessary, making it hard to control. A lack of control would usually slow down cultivation and make it hard to do many axillary skills, Jin Chenxi, however, was more confident in his control than anything else.

So Jin Chenxi just stood there, staring down at Hu Meng watching impassively as Hu Meng tried to comprehend what had happened.

"Maybe if you had your little pups with you, you might've stood a chance," he said mockingly, "Ah, but you abandoned them, didn't you," he laughed out or at least tried to.

Jin Chenxi wasn't surprised by much but the sheer look of anger on Hu Meng's face as he lunged at him was a surprise the roar wasn't pleasant either.

But he was quick to react and struck Hu Meng down once again.

Hu Meng just got back up, looking even angrier.

So, he struck him down again this time with a kick to the jaw.

Hu Meng just got back up again.

Hu Meng was like a storm. A very angry storm.

He just wouldn't stay down it didn't matter how much Jin Chenxi hit him; it didn't matter where he hit him. Hu Meng just got back up and charged time and time again.

The surrounding was silent the only sound seemed to the rhythmic panting of two individual, in two very different states.

Jin Chenxi stood uninjured, his state, however, was haggard; with sweat drenching his robes, his hair in disorder, and his back hunched from exertion.

Hu Meng, on the other hand, was in a very different position. Hunched on the ground; bruises covering his body, his clothes ripped and torn, with blood dripping from his mouth into a small puddle below him.

Jin Chenxi had to admit, Hu Meng had gained some semblance of respect from him. It took real, willpower to stay conscious after that kind of beating.

"Take it back," Hu Men quietly slurred out.

"what?" Jin Chenxi questioned, confused.

"TAKE IT BACK," Hu Meng screamed, his glare making Jin Chenxi recoil "I DIDNT ABANDON THEM. TAKE IT BACK!"

Now it was Jin Chenxi turn to be angry.

"Take it back? after what you've done to me." Jin Chenxi said cold fury evident in his voice as he matched up the hunched form of Hu Meng.

"After all the abuse you gave me. After you almost killed me." Jin Chenxi growled out, glaring down at Hu Meng.

Jin Chenxi's words seemed to strike a chord in Hu Meng. Confusion seeping in his anger.

Unfortunately, Hu Meng is a wild animal. And what do wild animals do when they're confused and angry? They attack.

Like the wind, Hu Meng launches his haggard body at Jin Chenxi, grabbing onto his robe before he can react.

Jin Chenxi tried to bring his vortex out, unfortunately, he had gotten overzealous in his beating of Hu Meng and didn't have enough Qi to activate it.

Hu Meng was moving on pure instinct; when he lifted Jin Chenxi's smaller body into the air and pumped all of his remaining Qi into his arms as he tried to slam Jun Chenxi into the ground.

If Hu Meng was more aware, he probably would have won. But unfortunately, he wasn't.

Jin Chenxi wasn't trained to be a swordsman. He learned it of course, but it wasn't what his family focused on.

He was trained in hand to hand combat, not very effective with one hand, but he still knew how to turn a body slam to his advantage.

So, as he was hefted up into the air, he wrapped his legs around Hu Meng and twisted.

The first to slam into the ground then wasn't Jin Chenxi it was Hu Meng.Jim Chenxi sat there catching his breath for a moment before he let out a victories roar.

The loud roar signaled for the now large crowd to begin cheering.He had won.

Jin Chenxi looked down at Hu Meng's unconscious face covered in blood. He might just have to change his opinions on Hu Meng even more.