Round of Eight
The matches after Qiu was some what interesting, the most notable match was the last match between 保(Bao) and 镖(Biao), the bodyguards of the young master of the 李(Li) family.
Apparently they are brothers, Bao was the younger one but bigger in size, looking a bit too similar to a certain panda martial arts master, if you know what I mean.
While Biao was scrawny looking person with the face of a creep, he gives of the feeling that even the slightest touch could shatter him.
The two brothers were hesitant to fight each other, but they had no other choice but to fight, it was the rules of the recruitment ceremony, before this they were tasked by the master of the Li family to protect the young master in the recruitment ceremony and the sect, so they can not falter here.
"I am sorry brother, I have to make it to the next round." Biao said.
"Same here brother." Replied Bao.
The two brother lashes out their strongest attack at each other, Biao was like a snake trying to bite his opponent, while Bao was like a boar rushing at its opponent.
The two brothers fought to a stalemate that ended with Biao standing at the end. Biao was able to dodge the attacks of Bao with his quick reflexes, while Bao was unable to do so.
As the match ended, the round of 16 concluded, next up was the round of 8, and new lots to be drawn.
This time round, Qiu drew the number 8 being the last to battle.
The first was the match between the cloaked figure and the young master of the Li family.
"Ha ha ha, never would I have thought that you would make it this far, talk about how surprise I was when I knew you made it so far and the king of joy I had knowing I will end your journey here. Ha ha ha." The young master said arrogantly.
'Looks like there is something to look forward to now, how will the cloaked figure do.' Qiu thought to himself. Not only Qiu, all other contestants are thinking of the same thing. Everyone here have some what heard about what happened between the two, so it will be interesting to see what will happen.
Before this matchup, both the contestants have easily overpowered their opponents, climbing up the ranks easily, so it will be a fun matchup to see who will end up victorious in the battle.
"Let me have you know that, I young master 李峰(Li Feng) of the mighty Li family here in Dongting City, might not look the type that is good at fighting, but I dare say this. In this city I am the strongest amongst the new generation of the four big family. Ha ha ha." The young master said arrogantly.
"What a smug, strongest, I still remember the time when you got you ass kicked by your brother." The young lady from the stairs said.
"Cough, we don't talk about that monster, I am the strongest amongst us people." The young master said trying to correct the young lady.
During all these, the cloaked figure remained quiet, like he just want to get this over with.
"Now, let us begin shall we, weirdo." The weird young man said.
With that the battle begins, the first strike was made by the young man, he did like a wavy snake strike like Biao and opened up his fan as it got closed to the cloaked showing off spiked ends protruding from the fan.
Reacting to the attack, the cloaked figure used a quick and direct kind of steps to avoid the attack.
The battle has now become a cat and mouse chase, with the young man chasing and striking, while the cloaked figure is dodging and running.
'Is this his strategy, tiring out his opponent and strike when the opponent is down, how, cowardly.' Qiu thought.
"So what are you just going to be a coward and keep running, ha ha ha, I bet you learned this from your parents, as they said like parents like children, I bet your parents are cowards too. Ha ha, what."
Before he could finish talking, the cloaked figure stopped running and struck the young man.
"I see, your parents ..." Before he could finish, the cloaked figure once again interrupt him and hit him with a strike so hard that the young man spat out blood and was knocked off the platform.
Underwhelming is the first thought in people's mind when thinking about this fight, there was no heated battle or near miss dodges, it was just underwhelming.
The next two matches were nothing interesting, the winners were the first and second person that reached the top of the stairs.
The last match is the interesting one, Qiu and the lady from the stairs.
"Hi, I am back, you know a gentleman will not just ignore a lady when she is talking to him." The lady said with zest and pride.
"By the way my name is 冷妍希(Leng Yanxi), what is yours, I know, I know you are the cold type, but be a gentleman here and let me know pleeaaasssseee."
"For someone with that family name Leng (meaning cold) you are quite the talkative one."
"Ha ha ha that is what people say all the time, even my parents keep asking whether I am their real child, ha ha ha."
"I don't think that is something to laugh about."
"Should I act more like my name? Will take make you like me more? Will it? Will it? By the way little brother, you have got quite the looks its just the eyes."
"Are you born with it, those eyes of yours are sooo cooool, I wish I have those eyes."
"Uhhh thanks?"
"You're welcome, by the way can I know you name now, please, please, pleeaaasssseee."
"If you beat me, I will give you my name so focus."
"You said it. No backies."
By the way as the conversation was going on, the two was in a hitted battle like the kind you see in a Kung Fu movie.
Ending the conversation, Yanxi took a low stance and is getting ready to spring at Qiu with her full force.
"Icicle dash! Ooops."
As Yanxi dashed forward, Qiu Ivory Tiger Stepped to the side and let Yanxi spring off the platform giving him the win.
"Ow, hey how can you just do that it was suppose to be a proper square off. Huh!"
"My name is Qiu, the autumn's Qiu."
"Huh? Oh, hi Qiu nice to meet you."
'The change of faces, what a weird person, and interesting. Thankfully the match has ended now, I don't think I can stand the talking any longer.' Qiu thought.
"Now, we have our last four stan..."
"Wait, I demand a redo, that guy clearly cheated in the match, he caught me off guard, how can he hit me when I am still talking." The young man said arrogantly.
"I am sorry, but we do not allow redos here, and please stand at the side." The lady said kindly.
"This is atrocious, what kind of sect is this, I demand a redo, do you know who I am, I"
As the lady was about to lash out at Li Feng, Yanxi knocked him out to keep him quiet, ending his yapping abruptly.
"You may continue." Said Yanxi.
"Okay, nevermind the small drama, now we shall draw the lots for the last four standing contestants." The lady said as she calmed herself down.
"For the first match of the semi-finals, we have 破岩壁(Po Yanbi) and 欧阳阴(Ouyang Yin), for the second match, we have Qiu and the masked fighter."
"The semi-finals will commence, after a while at dawn, so please all have a rest in you resting quarters first as we get ready the stage for the last two rounds of three matches."
With that said, the lot of them headed back to their resting quarters and awaited for the round to begin when dawn starts and the sun is about to set.
It is a Clear Water Sect tradition that the finals of any fighting event to be done directly under the moonlight, which will reflect majestically from the water that is splashing all around the platform from the fighting, this will make the fights more interesting and also engaging for the viewers. This tradition was started by the founder and master, Lingxi when he first held the Clear Water Ranking Ceremony, for his disciples.
The tradition has been kept till now, due to its elegants and the attraction it brings to other Dao cultivators to visit and watch the fight, also to advertise and increase some revenue with the increase in viewers.
Hence making every fighting event, pretty much a festival in Dongting City, similarly, the finals of the recruitment ceremony will be open to all, not only for the money, but also to show the world what king of monsters have joined the sect. To earn some cash and to make a statement. Killing two birds with one stone.