Demonic Tribulations - Chapter 51 preview (Patreon)

**Author note - Captain Mao is a female, I do need to fix these typos since I put he instead of she. These chapters are rough drafts and in the final version this will fixed. - Tao

Chapter 51 - Captain Mao Ya Wen

His summons had brought her to him, a day later. She was to depart soon, crossing numerous realms and traversing the void to do so. The journey might take weeks or months, depending on her grasp of the spatial daos, the location of the various realms and their particular presence across the ever shifting dimensional landscape.

Soothsayers, diviners and celestial navigators were all plotting the most efficient path for the pair. Their departure date was entirely dependent upon their findings, with the most fortuitious period coming in a few days. In the meantime, Ascendant Long had been sent to his cell once more, though this time with celestial navigation charts to study and memorise.

Ascendant Yang, on the other hand, was receiving a truncated series of lessons on demonic politics, cultures and – at her insistence – economy. Such mercantile leanings had not altered, even as she had stepped into the immortal realms it seemed, so much so that many of his men questioned her path to immortality.

In the end, it mattered little to him. Though he knew the Vice Minister had further designs beyond custom lessons for the woman, what he had to teach her was particularly important. As she arrived, he noted that she was dressed in more mobile robes, as though anticipating what was to occur.

“Ascendant Yang.” Hefting his guandao, he let the metal cap at the bottom fall on the ground, the chiming of the impact ringing through the open air arena. In so doing, he triggered also the protective formations set in the ground, sealing the pair within. The woman gazed at the rising formation with only a slight thinning of her lips. “While you have continued to train and explore the bounds of your new immortal form, an exploration that could take decades, you have been tasked with a particularly dangerous assignment.”

“I have, Captain Mao. What is it to you?” she asked, curiously.

“Duty.” He shook his head, as an intrusive thought sought to worm its way in. “And concern for the success of your actions.”

“It is a challenge, certainly. Ah Ying tells me that the journey there is not straightforward.”

“There are numerous pathways that have been blocked off, by ourselves and the demons.” Ya Wen acknowledged. “Your challenge will be in passing through such obstacles and finding your way through – preferably without causing even greater turbulence.

“Still, conflict is unavoidable, and that is what I have brought you here to experience.”

Intelligent brown eyes darted to his weapon. “Surely the other trainers are able to aid in this matter.”

“None have spent more years on the frontlines than I have.” Ya Wen tapped the bottom of the polearm on the ground again. That motion caused the weapon to shiver, a black smoke wreathing it and Ya Wen’s form before disappearing. Left behind were new armor, all in black, with climbing, deadly ivy embossed on the armor and a snarling, open faced helm. “Nor are they able to mimic their attacks like I can.”

“Captain Mao, should not Ascendant Long be the one receiving this training? After all, he is the more martial member of our partnership.”

“No.” Harshly, Ya Wen answered her. “He is no longer my concern. You – your proper training – is. Now, ready yourself. I shall begin by testing your basic skillset. I will push you to your breaking point, and then past it.

“Then, we will showcase the traitorous and underhanded methods of the demons when they battle.”

No sooner had he finished speaking did he spring at Yang Mu, swinging his weapon downwards. The weapon telescoped outwards, growing in size as he struck such that it reached her long before he did. Yang Mu, having expected an attack since the formations had arisen, bent sideways, dodging the attack by inches.

Over the next few minutes, Ya Wen struck at her, increasing the speed and violence of his attacks with each dodged or parried failure. Yang Mu utilized the fans to parry and deflect the fast moving, heavy polearm and occasionally, snapped the fans open to deal with the attacks.

When opened, the fans created a small shadow portal, one that emerged from the other end of a nearby shadow. More often than not, she utilized such a projection to either deflect the attack again or send it cutting into her opponent’s own body, causing Ya Wen to abort his own movements less he injure himself.

It was a frustrating form of fighting, as Yang Mu utilized her most obnoxious fighting style – the Drunken Fairy – whose motions were unorthodox, unexpected and strange. At times, she would lean over backwards to an extent that it seemed she might break her back, before spinning and striking with the backend of her fans. Or she would step close, but rather than strike her opponent, she would lean on him, putting her weight on his to disrupt balance and timing.

Only as he flashed his own aura, did the guard captain note that she was layering chi on his own, slowing his actions down and readying her own attack. Breaking the binding chains placed upon him cost him chi and time, allowing her to skip aside and blow a kiss as she retreated.

Incensed, Ya Wen grew more serious. A swing of his polearm overhand set up a dodge to the side. The polearm switched direction mid-air, arcing in a crescent angle now, only for Yang Mu to drop and spin on one arm. Rather than allow her to get away with such a flagrantly idiotic movement, he kicked her. Intersecting his attack with her, opened fan, she had expected the kick to disappear.

Only to be surprised when his foot crashed into the fan’s main body and then her with such force she impacted the formation walls in moments.

“Interesting style. Unorthodox and unusual, but once your opponent learns the forms, it is no longer surprising and becomes a liability.”

“I. Know.” Pushing herself upwards and shaking off the pain, she continued. “Ideally, I would have won the fight before that happens. Most are not able to grasp its essence that fast.”

“You are used to mortals who count their existence in decades, perhaps a century or two at best. You will face demons like us immortals, many who have lived longer than your precious kingdoms. To expect the same level of incompetence is foolish.”

Yang Mu glared for a moment, then forced herself to exhale, casting aside the judgment in his voice to grasp at the truth. She set her stance in something more orthodox, front foot and fan leading the way as she added. “What next?”

“Now, you experience the demons.”

Once more darkness wreathed Ya Wen. Except, this time, the smoke did not just linger around his body but exploded to include the entirety of the arena, casting both of them in darkness and gloom.