Chapter 20: Implications

Fa Ma discreetly ran back to the Academy and hurriedly reported to Su Qian. Su Qian soon got in touch with his father, and they started discussing further plans. "Dean, some of the officials of the city are in contact with the Beast Emperor Sect." Su Mu's aura bursted out and his office started to shake before he slowly cooled down. He stroked his beard and pondered how deep the corruption spread. In the city, they have a Battle Emperor in charge with two Battle Kings and 10 Battle Spirits. For the Beast Emperor Sect to be so arrogant, it has to be one of those 13 men. "Did you get any sight of what they looked like?" Su Mu asked. "No, they were covered in cloaks," Fa Ma responded. Su Qian was also fuming with rage as the Academy and City were his home. 

"What should we do now?" Fa Ma asked. "Fa Ma, just go back to the academy, you did your job well. We'll handle it from here." After that, Su Mu hurriedly left with Su Qian to discuss their further options. Fa Ma simply accepted it and moved on, things were getting much bigger than him and he wasn't qualified yet to be a part of those discussions. As he walked back, he simply sighed as his expectations weren't met at all. As he got into his house, he noticed that there was a small cat.

It was a small cute animal and even reminded him of his previous life's cats. However, warning bells went off in his mind as a dagger flew right at him. As he turned to it, he soon felt a claw attack coming from the cat itself. He took out his spear and deflected the dagger while getting grazed by the cat. The cat soon expanded to a 4 meter long agile panther. "You truly are a genius, huh, kid. You should just surrender as Sister will take care of you for the rest of your life." Fa Ma felt a soul power trying to affect him and easily countered it causing a lady with black hair to snort and bleed from her eyes. As he finally saw his enemies, he noticed that the "sister" was a beautiful woman and the "cat" was a rare "Illusion Eye Panther" which was renowned for its stealth, camouflage, and illusion. Their strength was in the early Battle Spirit stage but, together, they formed a fearsome duo.

The woman took out two more daggers and they launched into battle. The air crackled with tension, and Fa Ma could sense the subtle distortions in reality as the duo's illusions began to weave around him.

The woman lunged first, her movements fluid and deceptive. Fa Ma's spear whistled through the air, meeting her daggers with precise strikes that sent sparks flying. The panther, agile and elusive, darted in and out of shadows, its form shimmering with each movement, making it hard for Fa Ma to lock onto its true position.

But Fa Ma was no novice. With each feint and illusion, he anticipated their maneuvers, countering with swift thrusts and parries that kept both opponents at bay. The woman's blades flashed dangerously close, forcing him to dance back just in time, the tip of his spear grazing her arm in a shallow cut.

The Illusion Eye Panther, sensing an opening, pounced from an unexpected angle, claws slashing through the air. Fa Ma twisted aside, feeling the rush of displaced air as the panther's attack narrowly missed him. With a quick thrust, he aimed for the creature's flank, but it melted into thin air, reappearing moments later behind him.

The battle raged on, each combatant testing the other's skill and resolve. Fa Ma's spear became an extension of his will, its movements a dance of precision and power. The woman's relentless assault and the panther's elusive tactics pushed him to his limits, yet he remained steadfast, fueled by determination and the weight of responsibility.

As sweat dripped down his brow, Fa Ma tightened his grip on the spear. With a sudden surge of energy, he launched a series of rapid strikes, forcing the woman and her panther companion into a defensive retreat. Even with his spear momentum, the two remained strong. Their illusions faltered under his relentless onslaught, revealing glimpses of their true vulnerability.

The woman gritted her teeth, eyes narrowing with a mix of admiration and frustration at Fa Ma's resilience. The Illusion Eye Panther let out a low growl, its form flickering as it struggled to maintain its illusions under Fa Ma's unwavering focus.

In the midst of battle, amidst the clash of metal and the snarls of the panther, Fa Ma's mind remained clear. He knew he couldn't afford to falter now. With a final, decisive thrust, he aimed for the woman's dagger arm, forcing her to stumble back with a cry of pain.

The Illusion Eye Panther, sensing its mistress' distress, lunged forward in a desperate bid to protect her. It swung its claws that seemed to split everything in front of it. Fa Ma used his footwork to dodge out of the way before sprinting towards the panther. The woman threw a dagger and soon made hand signs. The daggers seemed to multiply and then disappear as she murmured "Night Assassin Barrage". Fa Ma spun his spear as it formed a golden red shield. He could hold back no longer as he rushed forward with his "Thousand Explosions Thrust." He rapidly thrust his spear and soon shadows of dozens of spears appeared in front of the women. The panther rapidly ran in to block the assault and soon felt Fire Qi attached to his fur. In a moment of shock, the Qi exploded, severely injuring the panther, causing the woman and panther to break through the walls of the dilapidated house. The woman yelled, "Shadow, no don't!" As Fa Ma went in to finish the job, the beast and woman seemed to have merged. As the light of the two intertwined, he attacked the cocoon to no avail. As he just finished one, he was soon caught by surprise as he was brutally tackled by his new opponent that had a beast head as well as tail but still maintained a human body. The merger had caused the two to go mad as the red light in the merged woman and panther glared menacingly. The opponents speed and strength tripled compared to before, and Fa Ma had a hard time keeping up. However, its moves remained obvious. Fa Ma remained on the defensive until he got his opportunity as the opponent lunged at him once again. He launched his "Ape Roaring Canon" as the sound waves paused the panther-woman in midair, his spear ran right through its heart. 

Breathing heavily, Fa Ma stood victorious, his spear dripping with the remnants of battle. As the adrenaline of combat began to ebb, Fa Ma allowed himself a moment of relief. He quickly searched the pantherman's body and soon saw another Beast Emperor tattoo. While he was happy to let the Dean take care of it, he needed to see the threat to his life end with his own eyes. 

He hurriedly ran to an instructor and soon fell asleep out as the strain and stress of the fight and investigation had worn him out completely.