Chapter 45 - 45: Civet-Sword (2)

A/N: I was busy yesterday with my studies. Also, btw, I'm still inexperienced of writing fighting scenes so please don't be too hard on me on this.

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As the bell rang, all four combatants activated their spirits. The older looking brother had a simple 1.5 meter long double edged sword on hand while the other, the younger one, has a three meter long spear, though halberd would be a better term for it. One white and yellow spirit rings appeared underneath them.

They were called the Wang brothers. The older one was Wang Chu while the younger one is Wang Li. Spirit rank 28 and 26 respectively.

Xiao Yan and Zhu Zhuqing followed after. Two yellow spirit rings appeared underneath the latter while the former hadn't released his, causing some confusion from the audience and their opponents.

Xiao Yan had decided he wanted to further his combat experiences with a blade, especially with a badass katana, so he won't use any spirit abilities but he would use his spirit power and the Tang Sect's Techniques.

As Zhu Zhuqing glanced at Xiao Yan questioningly, the latter merely shook his head and set his katana casually on his right shoulder.

"Don't worry, my body and spirit power is more than enough to handle them. Now go, I'll support you whenever I could." Zhu Zhuqing nodded and later on dashed towards the younger brother.

The older one wanted to intercept but sadly, a green-edged blade had suddenly appeared within his vision.

'So fast!?' The Wang Chu thought in shock, but as someone who was a lot of combat experiences, he quickly shook off his surprise and immediately brought his own sword up to defend himself.

Two swords clashed at each other, one with a green edge while the other an ordinary iron, their blades producing some scratching sounds as the two wielders try to overpower the other.

Wang Chu thought that he could overpower Xiao Yan with his own strength, so he tried to move his sword to further leaned on to quickly overpower the latter.

But he was shock once more to find out that he couldn't budge Xiao Yan's sword even for an inch! It was like a indestructible steel that wouldn't move nor bend by anything!

'How?!' The older brother thought in confusion.

Though how was he supposed to know that Xiao Yan's tyrannical body could temporarily handle the power of a Spirit Saint? That is something so impossible that no one would ever believe it being true.

Xiao Yan, with a body that could temporarily handle the power of a Spirit Saint, and his opponent, who's only a spirit grandmaster be able to overpower him?

The answer is no, his opponent would not be able to.

As his hands gripped the handle of his katana, and slowly he budged Wang Chu's sword back, a smirk appeared on Xiao Yan's face.

"Looks like you got some skills there." A wry smile appeared on Wang Chu's face.

"Right back at you, just what's up with that grip of yours? It's like I'm trying to overpower a mountain!"

Xiao Yan chuckled and shook his head, purple light glowed in his eyes, he glanced at where his partner Zhu Zhuqing was at.

He saw her moving around and maneuvering her body so she wouldn't be hit by the halberd of Wang Li. Zhu Zhuqing was like a phantom cat, untouchable by any mortal means. She would also used both her spirit ring abilities on her opponent when she had a chance, targeting the opponent's limbs and other parts of his body.

Though that didn't mean she didn't get some cuts and injuries but it wasn't so severe that Xiao Yan had to give her a hand. Although it's terrible for him to not give her a hand but it was necessary for her growth.

She has to handle some problems of her own and grow in both character and strength.

'Though...' Xiao Yan suddenly let go one of his hands on his sword's handle, causing Wang Chu to glance in shock at his hand and thought to use the opportunity to quickly defeat him but it was useless.

Even with only one hand, Xiao Yan's strength is more than Wang Chu could handle.

That hand Xiao Yan had let go had three small knives appeared between his fingers, sending his spirit power to empower the knives, he swung his hand towards Wang Li.

With great eyesight and precision, one of the knives had hit Wang Li's halberd, that almost pierced Zhu Zhuqing shoulder, causing it to divert it's course.

While the two knives went through Wang Li's left shoulder and right t.h.i.g.h, causing him to scream in pain and kneel down.

Those three knives had come from the storage ring in Xiao Yan's hand. After all, he had practiced the Tang Sect's Techniques and to further his practice with them was that one of the needed requirements was for him to be able to use hidden weapons, aka, knives and daggers.

Xiao Yan's mastery over throwing hidden weapons could be said just below Tang San. He practiced both his hidden weapons and Heavy Xuan Ruler for years before he acquired his sweet badass sword. Though sadly when he acquired the said sword, he had barely used it for the reasons that he was busy with his alchemy, cultivation and there wasn't anyone he could compare notes with.

Tang San was busy with his blacksmithing, hidden weapons and cultivation so Xiao Yan wasn't able to ask for his help. While Yu Xiaogang, Xiao Wu and Xun Er dosen't really use swords or any kind of weaponry.

Zhu Zhuqing turned to look at Xiao Yan in surprise but then shook it off and nodded in thanks for him.

Smiling at her, Xiao Yan turned back to looked at the now ugly expression of Wang Chu, glaring at him with killing intent.

Sadly for the guy, Xiao Yan just taunted him with a chuckle.

"Thanks for the compliment, since my partner is busy trashing your little brother, how about let's finish this dance." Xiao Yan's eyes, lit with a purple glow, narrowed and like a blur he moved his sword back, causing his opponent to momentarily stagger, and swung his sword for a horizontal slash at Wang Chu's right torso side.

Wang Chu, however, block that and with a roar of anger, parried back at Xiao Yan which the latter blocked.

"You bastard!"

The two then went on with their swords clashing. They slash, thrust, parried, block and dodged at each other. But Wang Chu did most of the latter two. Cuts and injuries appeared all around his body. His eyes became bloodshot from both anger and frustration.

Xiao Yan on the other hand, didn't looked injured nor tired. In fact, he looks satisfied. He felt that he had gotten enough experience of using his sword.

Jumping back away from Wang Chu, Xiao Yan, with a small smile on his face, let down his sword facing the ground. He turned to glance to the side to see that Wang Li was down and Zhu Zhuqing was standing by, ready to give him support if he needed it.

Xiao Yan shook his head to say that it was not needed. Turning towards Wang Chu, who's breathing heavily and not noticing that his little brother was out. His eyes was set on him, murder clear on his eyes.

At that sight, Xiao Yan softly sigh and casually said.

"I think that's enough. I've already gotten what I wanted, so I'm going to end this."

"Y-You! Are you making fun of me you bastard?!"

Wang Chu's bloodshot eyes became even more frenzy at the casualness of Xiao Yan's words.

'Is he belittling me? Me?! This little bastard who dared injured my little brother?!' Without thinking any further, Wang Chu stomped on the ground and launched towards Xiao Yan for a slash of his sword with his white and yellow spirit rings respectively lit up. His sword seem to be covered by a white aura.

First spirit ring ability: Twice Critical; the slashing power of the sword would be doubled. Second spirit ring ability: Sword Aura; the sword would be covered by a white aura that would increase the speed and flexibility of it.

Wang Chu's spirit abilities are the reasons why he's almost achieved silver rank badge and why he and his brother are one of the best two-teams in the arena fights.

Along with his numerous combat experiences, he would have typically won, if he wasn't in a berserk state and even then, if his opponent wasn't Xiao Yan.

Seeing Wang Chu's sword vertically coming down to his head while being covered with some kind of aura, Xiao Yan didn't panic. He remained calm and confident, with his Purple Demon Eyes, it was like seeing the sword coming towards him in a snail's pace.

Taking a small breathe in, Xiao Yan spread his legs apart and positioned his sword, held with his two hands, in front of his body.

His eyes trailed Wang Chu's sword then to his angered expression.

A soft sigh left Xiao Yan's lips,

"I wanted to end this peacefully but judging from your expression, looks like it must end in pain." Gripping the handle of the sword, Xiao Yan muttered.

"Godspeed." Lightning sparkled and covered Xiao Yan's entire body.

Then, like the world fast forwarded itself, Xiao Yan arrived behind Wang Chu's back in a flash with his sword in the same position as before, only difference is, blood covered the edge. Causing the audience and Zhu Zhuqing to hold their breaths as they turned to stare at the stilled figure of Wang Chu.

*Puchi*

"Gah!" Wang Chu suddenly vomited blood! A small gash appeared on his c.h.e.s.t, causing blood to slowly seep down.

Moments later, he collapsed face first on the ground.

Silence.

The announcer, with a uncertain expression, turned towards Xiao Yan and asked.

"I-Is he dead?"

Xiao Yan shook his head. Swinging his sword to the side, the blood that covered the edged flew to the ground, he deactivated his spirit and turned towards the announcer saying casually.

"Nah, that's just a flesh wound. I didn't slash my sword deep into his flesh after all. My guess is that he fainted from blood loss and exhaustion." With that said, Xiao Yan went to Zhu Zhuqing side, leaving the audience and announcer to release sighs of relief.

Taking a deep breath, the announcer opened his mouth and said.

"Winner of the match, Civet-Sword combination team! Matches 1 and wins 1! Please go to the reception area to register your acc.u.mulated points." Then the audience's cheers soon followed after.

At Xiao Yan and Zhu Zhuqing, who ate both walking out of the arena, the former turned to the latter.

"You okay?" Xiao Yan asked worriedly.

Zhu Zhuqing halted in her steps, causing Xiao Yan to follow her, she glanced at him for a moment before nodding.

"Un." It was true, although she had some cuts here and there but it weren't that deep and severe.

"Okay, but just in case, here." Xiao Yan tossed two pills towards Zhu Zhuqing who quickly caught them.

Looking down at the two pills on her hand, a warm feeling appeared within Zhu Zhuqing, causing her to pause for a moment and turning to Xiao Yan, she asked.

"What about you?"

Xiao Yan blinked his eyes at Zhu Zhuqing's worried face and thought, 'Cute.'

He shook his head and chuckled, and unknowingly, his hand went to Zhu Zhuqing head patting her, causing her to froze.

"Ah don't worry about it, I'm fine. Look, I have no injuries whatsoever so–ack!" Suddenly, Zhu Zhuqing drove a fist into Xiao Yan's stomach, now normally this wouldn't have hurt him but her hand was still in her beast spirit enhancement transformation, causing his body to bend backwards. Holding his stomach, he coughed and g.r.o.a.n.e.d in pain.

"W-Why?" Xiao Yan asked to the quickly walking Zhu Zhuqing.

Unknown to Xiao Yan, Zhu Zhuqing's two cat ears constantly twitched and her pale face was slowly turning red almost rivalling the hair of Ma Xiaotao. As a small shy smile appeared on her face, a mutter left her lips.

"Idiot."

Omake 1

Xiao Yan blinked his eyes at Zhu Zhuqing's worried face and thought, 'Cute.'

He shook his head and chuckled, and unknowingly, his hand went to Zhu Zhuqing head patting her, causing her to froze.

"Ah don't worry about it, I'm fine. Look, I have no injuries whatsoever so–" " Nyaa~" Xiao Yan froze in place.

Slowly, he looked down to stare at Zhu Zhuqing and thought to himself that he might have misheard it but unfortunately, or fortunately, he heard it once more.

"Nyaaa~" Zhu Zhuqing, the cold and indifferent girl that Xiao Yan got to know for the past several days, was purring at him with a blissful expression and her two cat ears twitching uncontrollably.

'W-What?!' Xiao Yan thought in shock. Despite his body being frozen from shock, his hand on Zhu Zhuqing's head continued to move.

In a situation like this, a normal person would have stopped his hand and froze up, but this person, Xiao Yan, was no normal person.

"Nyaaa~"

Then, something unimaginable happened. A long cat tail appeared behind Zhu Zhuqing!

"..."

*Rub Rub*

"Nyaaa~"

It was that moment on, something had awakened in Xiao Yan.