To Walk The Mist

Emperor Sage Academy (4)

The outcome was as expected.

The power of the commoner's fist tore through Hunten Gi's shields and reached his hands. His elbow was snapped like a twig as the fist met his ribs. Blood filled not only the stage but the air. That fist should have passed right through Hunten Gi, but the commoner had reduced its force after breaking his shield.

Those with eyes saw what she did, including chief Gi. Anger could be felt as steam leaving his skin in a slow-burning rage. Hunten Gi had used all his strength to block that punch and had nothing left in him. His core was empty. He struggled to crawl away soaked in his own blood. As long as he left the stage the game should be over, he thought. She watched as he did so with a vicious look in her eyes. When he thought he had escaped, he noticed she came down the stage too.

"Have you forgotten? This fight is to the death," she crashed all the hope in his mind.

"Mercy," he begged pitifully. This was a shame upon the noble house, but he did not want to die.

"Did you show my brother mercy?" she growled and with a swing of her sword, took his left foot. The Arena was silenced by his screeching scream.

"When you sent your men to capture my brother causing us to run away from our home and live in the woods, did you show us mercy?" her eyes reddened as she cut his legs to his thigh. She swung the sword lightly, only breaking his bone but allowing some flesh to remain connected. She grabbed the leg as he screamed and tore it from the body.

The pain was nothing compared to seeing his leg thrown away like trash. She stumped forward and cut off the other leg. With a small kick, it was on the other side of the arena.

"Mercy? When you took your men and rode out into the woods and hunted us down like rabbits, did you know this word? When you stripped my brother and tore his little behind with your filthy rod, did you remember this word? Mercy?" she grabbed between his legs and crushed his sacks with her hand. His screams could be heard from the valley gates.

"You did not even let him die. You let your men have their turns! One by one, they ploughed his hole like wild animals till the last breaths left his body. Mercy? I will show you mercy! My mercy will be worthy of the heavens!" she growled and swung her sword in the air and it suspended there. Circling the sword and the screaming Hunten Gi, she made hand signs that caused the Emperor Sage Academy elders to stand.

"Enough!" Chief Gi bellowed, "You have gotten your revenge. Let him go!"

"Using demonic power is forbidden in the territory of the God Hand gate. No matter your hate, you must not enter the dark! Your only outcome is death!" the recruiting elder warned.

His words were completely unnecessary as the elders around were already releasing the power of their core, ready to create a barrier. Most of them sighed. They were only in some small valley to recruit disciples and are now caught in a messy situation. If she completes her summon, many things may happen. They are not sure if she is trying to summon a demon, a horde of demons or a demon general. The possibilities were endless. How could a little commoner from the valley end up learning such a summoning?

The watching crowd were confused, making a lot of people unsettled. What was happening? The sun ahead in the sky had deemed till it was a red ball. This caused the sky and clouds to appear red. Lightning crackling in the sky did nothing to calm the audience. Everyone was confused.

"You think you will die and enter the cycle of reincarnation? What right do you have to go where my brother went? I gift you to the Demon God to do with as he wishes!" she bellowed under the red sky. A hand tore out from the thunder clouds, grabbed a wailing Hunten Gi and receded back. It happened so fast; as it came, it went and the sky started to clear up.

The elders of the Emperor Sage Academy and tribe chiefs of the valley surrounded her in seconds.

"You have gone too far little girl," the valley chief said with a frown.

"Using demonic power is forbidden," the recruiting elder said.

"Grab her!" Lu Guan said and they prepared to pounce. The sky that was receding returned as lightning struck down from the clouds, hitting the commoner on the face. Her whole body went alight for a moment then the sky returned to the way it was as though nothing was wrong, leaving behind the commoner girl with a dark mark of three lines engraved on her forehead, her body afloat in the air.

"Girl," one of the elders tried to call to her.

"I am Lin Rue," the girl said, her voice dark and raspy.

"Grab her now!" Lu Guan said and the elders released similar inscriptions from their hands into the air. When the inscriptions clashed, they formed a prism caging her in.

"Do you still have your jade coffin?" Lu Guan asked the valley chief.

"Why? Are you trying to preserve her?" the valley chief frowned.

"Placing someone in the jade coffin does not only preserve them but it also suspense all their energy from leaking out. It can also be a good prison," Lu Guan said sternly when he saw the valley chief hesitate.

The Valley chief had no choice but to hand over his jade coffin. A large glowing green coffin appeared behind him and made its way to Lu Guan.

The next thing that happened, none of them expected. The energy Lin Rue was emitting was like nothing they had ever seen. The prism cracked and shattered like flimsy glass. Dark figures surrounded Lin Rue in seconds, grabbed her and the jade coffin, and sped away.

"Pursue!" Lu Guan ordered and the tribe chiefs and Emperor Sage Academy elders did as said. They all moved at incredible speed out of the arena, the audience was flustered. This is not how they expected the day would end. Those on the stage did not know what to do. Do they come down or not?

"Those on the stage will be considered part of the Emperor Sage Academy," Jia Lin said, making everyone pause.

"For those not on the stages, if you think this is unfair and you had no chance to prove your worth, let me tell you now; if someone could make you step down, then you are not qualified to be in the Emperor Sage Academy," Jia Lin said.

"Who made you in charge?"

"Can you speak for the academy?" many contestants voiced their dissatisfaction.

"When my master is not here, I make the decisions," he said, reminding them that he was Lu Guan's disciple. This silenced them. An inner disciple stepped down towards the stages and looked at those on the stage.

"You are all outer disciples. But don't jubilate so soon. This exam was interrupted, so you will be tested in the academy. Only then can you truly be considered a disciple," he said.

"Except him. The valley chief's adopted son. You have not passed," Jia Lin said, making the entire arena still.