Chapter 16 - Battle - 2

Finding the first elder of the Sun Clan wasn't something Long Yang expected to encounter. He were prepared to find the report was false and the leaders power would differ by one or two layers, but an elder of the clan was something else. When he first saw the first elder he hadn't stepped on cultivation path yet, so he couldn't figure out his power by then, at least when he searched the memories of the Long Yang he saw it's like that.

'Is he a Foundation Sea cultivator too like the elder in the Martial Hall of the clan? But that elder wasn't one of the five elders known by public, so he should be one of the reserve powers of the clan. They wouldn't let anyone guard the foundation of the clan and risk the techniques to get stolen. So maybe the first elder isn't at that level yet.' thought Long Yang and pulled himself from sinking into depression and giving up.

"You're right, I don't remember your name but I saw your face in the pass. Never expected the one who would take the bait from Mount Emei Sect would be you. From the Qi in your martial art I can say you're at the seventh layer, indeed these five months you have run could be count as your spark. But it is shame this is how far you can go, I shall be the one extinguish you." said the first elder before releasing his Qi.

"Hm? Eighth layer? You talked that long and you were just an eighth layer cultivator?" scoffed Long Yang. "Even Sun Guo should have passed you by now, don't you feel shame staying as an elder of the clan?" continued Long Yang mockingly. He was trying to shake mindset of his opponent.

"Hmph!" the first elder snorted. "Sun Guo has all the resources of the sect under his disposal and I don't dare saying he isn't talented. There is of course a reason to whole clan to groom him. But things will change soon, we will have more than enough resources with this opportunity. But I should really give you a praise, kid. I don't care how you hide your power but you shouldn't have that much resources in those years you stayed in the clan. I wonder what secret are you hiding?" said the first elder while his eyes squinted a little. From his tone his greed and anger were evident.

"The so called oppotunity you talked about was being a bandit leader? I wonder if you're brave or fool, do you think you can face the wrath of a sect? said Long Yang avoiding the topic.

"Dead men tell no tales. But even if you could inform them as a ghost, it wouldn't effect our plans. This is something more than robbing some poor merchants. Well, since I explained some of it before your death, I should send you to your way now." said the first elder before bending his knees a little bit. Crimson flames appeared on his hands and feet, the flames were dancing around his hands like it was alive. A scorching hotness could be felt even so far away from him.

While the elder was doing his speech and starting his preparations for the battle, Long Yang was also doing his own preparation. Since he didn't have enough time to check the shop fully, he decided to buy his missing method.

-Congratulations host has comprehended Bronze Skin Method. Noted that the host had already cultivated the incomplete version of the method. Correcting the mistakes... Congratulations after correction host has passed his barrier and entered Level 4 of Bronze Skin.-

A tingling sensation has passed on his whole skin. He felt weird and his hair stood up from the sensation. But after it passed he sensed his skin were lighter than before but more firm. 'It seems like it compressed somehow, the incomplete version probably was adding more bulk than any technique. That's probably why I didn't lose any Qi.' thought Long Yang. The progress was complete even before the first elder finished his speech.

Noticing the elder was building his power to probably rush and finish the fight as fast as possible, he decided not to charge head on. Although there was a high chance he would win from the collision, it was unnecessary to risk it before trying a roundabout way first.

As he expected the elder has stomped the ground again and leaped towards Long Yang with a flaming fist.

"Phantasmal Blow of the Distant Apes!" yelled the old man while he was on mid air.

Hearing him shouting the name of the technique he was using, Long Yang felt goosebumps. 'Cringe...' he thought and didn't give it a second thought. While the old man was leaping he also gathered his Qi in his ankles and bursted it with the method he derived from Dragon Stretching Its Claws.

He leaped to the side and dodged the single minded strike.

Noticing his momentum was lost the elder didn't get encouraged and as soon as he touched the ground he leaped sideways.

"Smashing One Ape Strike!" yelled the elder again. A gorilla with a burning fur siluette could be seen behind him.

This move of the elder didn't have enough momentum behind it but the amount of Qi it contains were enough for Long Yang to take it seriously. He didn't have a spesific defensive art but he could use the offensive as a way of defense.

But he couldn't afford to prolong the battle, even if he had a stronger body his total amount of Qi in his body was lacking when his opponent was considered. Thus Long Yang decided to use his art with almost at full strength and as soon as he used it even before firing it, a fatigue swept pass him.

Long Yang gritted his teeth and his fist has connected with the opponents fist.

*BANG*

The headstrong collision made a burst of Qi around them and ground shattered, even the bandits took a couple of steps before stabilizing themselves. But the collision impacted most the closest.

Long Yang felt his inner organs getting damaged. But his bones and skin absorbed the most of the damage. He felt he had some minor inner bleeding but when he saw his opponent he didn't feel any reason to voice his grumblings.

The elder's right arm was twisted in a very weird way and the damage didn't stop there his chest's right side was almost completely open, blood was oozing from the deep wounds and some of the ribs were sticking out. The push has bended his sternum to his left side and effected his heart too. Even someone without any knowledge of human body could say he wouldn't live long.

The elder first fall on his knees and plumped to the side shortly after. A pained look could be seen in his eyes.

"How..? How could your body be this..." midway to his question he felt blood gathering in his throat and he coughed it out. "...strong. It even deflected almost all of my martial art..." muttered the elder.

"You wouldn't think I would come to an unreliable mission without any trump cards, right? To be honest I thought for a second you were as strong as the elder in the Martial Hall for a second and thought I gambled wrongly this time." said Long Yang admitting it was a gamble which he had happaned to win this time. He decided to prepare more for the next time he was out of the sect.

"But even then, why would a clan elder be act as a bandit? At least you can say it before dying right?" continued Long Yang.

"Hehe.." laughed the elder while coughing blood. "Things are bigger than you or me this time. I shall congratulate you for entering the Mount Emei Sect, but sadly you aboarded a ship which is destined to sink soon..." said the old man with a light smile on his face. After pausing for a second, Long Yang waited for him to continue but no voice could be heard anymore. Instead a release of breath reached his ears and cold voice of system was heard in his head.

-An eighth layer of Qi Condensation cultivator has been slain. The host gained 120 Immortal Domain Points.-

'Wow, jackpot.' thought Long Yang. He didn't continue his thoughts and looked around, the bandits were wary of him but checking him out. If Long Yang showed a weakness, they would pound on him. But the initial fight made the bandits lose many of their members, Long Yang alone killed four of them and gave the much needed momentum to the rest of the escort team.

Thus the situation wasn't looking too good for them, and seeing Long Yang staying in his place as intimidating as ever, some started running.

Seeing that Long Yang decided the battle didn't need him anymore. He turned around and told a single sentence to Chen Zhaohui "Finish the rest.".