v2 c77: The Misty Duel Part 1 (Patreon)

And back to the tournament. My second attempt at this.

EDIT: Third

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The trick to not becoming bored with these matches, Tigu found out, was to act like the crowds above.

They shouted and ranted, and it was quite fun to copy them. Especially as she could shout the loudest out of any of them. Her Qi enhanced her voice, and sent it booming off the stands. The people watching listened intently to her shouts, and echoed her sentiments.

“Go on, Smaller Blade of Grass! Fight!” She demanded, her voice booming off the stands. Her opponent was pressing her hard, using his greater size and strength to try and keep her off balance.

It was finally something mildly exciting. An Ran looked far more composed now than she did this morning. During breakfast Yun Ren had questioned them on their whereabouts after the meal., Both had turned a shade of red, and let out frantic denials that they had done anything last night.

The rest of the Blades of Grass had found this most interesting, and Xiulan had been smug about it.

For some reason. All the two of them had done was talk about growing crops, for some reason. Or at least Gou Ren had, while the Smaller Blade of grass listened. Up until  a point. Then they started making increasingly nonsensical poems before they fell asleep on the roof, the fools, and Tigu had to put them both to bed after Ri Zu mentioned they might catch a cold.

Now, The Smaller Blade of Grass’ eyes were focused and narrow, even as she was pressed. Small cuts appeared across her arms, and one small gash tore open her cheek.

Her eyes glanced to Tigu, then the Blade of Grass.

The next strike she blocked fully, throwing herself backwards, and grasping her sword tightly with both hands. With a flip, she landed on her feet, and took a breath. Her hair waved in the wind, as her eyes scrunched closed.

An Ran pulled her arms apart. The blade separated into two.The second sword was ghostly, and smaller by half. Near-ethereal, it's form not quite solid.

“And An Ran shows the main technique of the Verdant Blade Sect, The Blades of Grass!” The announcer boomed. “What an accomplishment for the outer disciple!”

Xiulan was on her feet, and Tigu leaned forwards, interested. So thats what that move looked like incomplete. Xiulan’s swords always felt the same. As solid and dependable as the original, but the Smaller Blade of Grass’ was only half grown. More a dagger than a blade, and still helped in her hands.

Her opponent seemed surprised by the sudden shift, as An Ran abruptly went on the offensive, trying to capitalize. It was inexpert, and had clearly never been used in battle before, but it was the tipping point. The Smaller Blade of Grass managed to block the man’s strike with her dagger, the blade shattering from the force, but the strike diverted enough that she got in a clean blow. It was a cut down the side, and one that sent the man sprawling.

Tigu shouted with the rest of the crowd, as the announcer man proclaimed An Ran’s victory.

She managed to stagger out of the arena under her own power, and the next contestants took their place.

She smiled at who it was.

“Go and win, Handsome Man!” She shouted, her voice echoing. The crowd roared its approval, and a few began to laugh.

The handsome Man’s face turned bright red at Tigu’s encouragement, And tentatively raised his hand, waving at her. Tigu smiled brightly at him and waved back. The man’s face somehow got even redder. His entire body coiled, as he turned to face his opponent. His shoulder muscles bunched up, and his arms flexed most pleasingly.

The match was called to begin.

The handsome man simply charged his opponent. His large, superior frame slamming into the smaller man like Chun Ke. The spearman tried to put up a fight, but his weapon simply skittered off the Handsome Man’s body.

“The Hermitic Iron Body!” The announcer roared, as the twitching spearman failed to stand.

The Handsome man looked back at Tigu, who clapped at his victory. He would be fun to fight!

He seemed almost in a daze, as he exited the arena.

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The rest of the day proceeded most pleasingly. It seemed that the quality of the fights was slowly increasing, and Loud Boy managed a victory that seemed certain to end in his defeat. The sudden reversal in fortune had been interesting.

“And our final match for today! Rou Tigu versus Liu Xainguha!” The fat announcer man boomed.

It was finally her turn! Tigu bounced from foot to foot, her blood pumping merrily in her veins. This Misty Lady was supposed to be strong! This is what she came here for! This is what it was all about! Honestly, so far she would have been better off staying at home and continuing to battle Xiulan!

But now, she was going to face a worthy opponent!

Hopefully, at any rate.

She managed to prevent herself from skipping into the arena, however. It was a close thing, as she calmed her excitement, and focused her intent. She expected to see her opponent in a similar state. Ready for battle, as they tuned out all the unnecessary distractions.

Her opponent was tall and lithe. Her strange contraption was on her back, a large pipe sticking out of it and so it rose just slightly above her head. A gauntlet was strapped to her left arm. It looked like a recent addition, and her sword was strapped to her waist.

But the Misty Lake Lady was distracted. Her eyes were searching the stands, almost frantically, until they alighted on something. Her gaze abruptly softened, and a small smile appeared.

Tigu glanced at where she was looking. There was a pack of people, but one stood out. A small boy with crutches was in the stands, and he was staring directly at the Misty Lady, a complicated expression on his face.

Tigu’s eyes snapped back to her opponent.

The Misty Lady’s soft smile morphed into a grin, as she planted her hands on her hips. She took a deep breath.

Then began to laugh, her hands on her hips.

“Rou Tigu! I, Liu Xianghua, acknowledge your cultivation!” She boomed, pointing directly at her. “But be warned! Even your power, a stage above my own, will not be enough! The Techniques of the Misty Lake Sect shall defeat you without fail!”

Tigu cocked her head to the side.

“Kowtow before this Young Mistress, and I shall take it easy on you!” Misty Lady declared.

Tigu frowned, annoyed that this woman would dare even insinuate that she would take it easy on her. And her attention was not even fully focused upon Tigu! The Misty Lady’s eyes strayed to the stands again, once more seeking out the boy, who was smiling and shaking his head.

….she was doing it because the boy in the stands found it amusing?

This was meant to be a fight! Yes, fights were entertaining, but the fact that this one wasn’t giving Tigu her full attention!

How rude!

Tigu’s eyes narrowed. Her intent leaked out.

The Misty woman’s cheer vanished from her face, as her eyes focused on Tigu.

Good.

“Hpmh! A peasant raising her fangs at the heavens.” The Misty Lady declared, staring at Tigu with some wariness. “I shall crush you, and have my fated battle against my rival!”

It had been amusing, directed at Xiulan. Now that it was directed at Tigu, it was significantly more annoying.

“You? The Blade of Grass’ Rival?” Tigu asked, scorn in her voice. “I have taken that place, Damp Pond. You can watch from the sidelines, after I defeat you.”

Misty Lady recoiled, her eyes narrowing, and shooting once more to the stands. The boy she was looking at mouthed something, and a little smirk tugged at Damp Pond’s lips.

“You court death with your words! Very well, I shall crush you with all I have!” It was haughty and arrogant. She flipped her hair out of the way, and leaned back slightly, so she was purposefully looking down on Tigu.

Her eyes flicked once more away, to a box seat, high above. There was a flash of irritation, before she rolled her eyes.

They suddenly focused, going cold and hard. Tigu had her undivided attention.

Mist began to swirl on the ground, getting thicker and thicker, as the Misty Lady’’s Qi formed around her.

For the first time in the tournament, Tigu formed a Qi Blades. Misty Lady was supposed to be strong.

Tigu glanced at the announcer man, who for some reason hadn’t started the fight yet. He had a massive grin on his face, and was rubbing his hands together.

“Begin!” he boomed.

Tigu attacked. A relatively gentle, probing strike. To be on the offensive was her place. It felt right, and natural. While her instincts to hunt Ri Zu may have faded, this had remained. In her previous two disappointing matches, her opponents could not even react to her.

For a brief moment, Tigu thought this would be the case for the Misty Lady too.

Until she moved with grace, stepping out of the way. Tigu’s blades missed by hairsbreaths. She drew her blue sword, mixed with swirls of white.

For the first time, an opponent truly attacked her back. The sword lashed out for Tigu’s head, and she jerked herself away, a single strand of orange hair falling to the earth.

Tigu bounced away, greeting some distance.

“Hmph. is that it?” The Misty lady demanded haughtily. She had a bit of a smirk on. “I suppose it is the natural way of things for lessers to scurry away from their betters, even after a single exchange!.”

Tigu stared at the fallen strand of hair. She considered her opponent, and her reactions.

She grinned.

One Qi blade multiplied to six. Three for each hand. The smirk paused on the Misty Lady’s face.

She absently heard the crowd’s gasp, as she closed the distance, her claws ready. The Misty Lady’s eyes widened briefly, as Tigu unleashed herself on the woman.

A relentless barrage, coupled with her own bouncing movements. Attacks that gave the Blade of Grass pause.

She proved herself Xiulan’s rival. Six blades tried to break through her guard, and Six blades failed.

The Misty Lady’s sword slid through the air like a swan through a lake. Silent and deceptively calm. It reminded Tigu a bit of Bi De. A kind of serenity in the heat of battle. Her eyes shot from side to side as she catalogued every threat, and responded accordingly.

Two more Qi blades formed.

Tigu pressed harder. Little cuts appeared in the woman’s clothes. A strand of black, tinted blue, drifted free, only to be torn to pieces by a storm of flensing blades.

And still, the Misty Lady held. Her breathing was heavier. Tigu could feel the grin stretching at the corners of her mouth.

The mist started to gather around the Lad. Her form became instinct, and her sword wavered as it seemed to disappear and reappear.

But whatever trick it was, it couldn’t defeat Tigu’s eyes. Her fist passed through the Misty Lady’s head, a hazy mirage, continuing past the illusion as it appeared. The woman grunted as she was forced to twist unnaturally to avoid the blow.

The hazy outline disappeared.

“To—defeat the Misty Shrouded Swan is no— hmph—mean feat!” The woman shouted, trying to project her voice.

Tigu responded by slamming a kick into the woman’s side that was blocked by a gauntleted arm. The woman grimaced at the blow.

The taller woman let out a breath, and stepped into the next strike. Her sword deflected the claws made of Qi, and she tried to counter attack.

Tigu flipped away, and this time the strike hit air.

Tigu landed gently. Silently.

Her opponent was breathing heavily, but with a single huff, that ceased as well. She clicked her tongue. The woman reached behind her back and pulled on something on the contraption.

It coughed once, and hissed. The entire device squealed loudly, as the vents on it lit up from dull red to bright orange.

Tigu paused, as the air seemed to shudder, and a burst of Qi washed over her.

“I see! You will not be defeated so easily, Rou Tigu. Loath as I am to use this against you, instead of my rival, it seems I must use all of my skills!” She boomed out.

The pipe sticking above her back puffed, a great billowing cloud of steam pouring out, and instead of travelling up into the sky, lingered, completely hiding the Misty Lady from view.

“Behold the technique that will defeat the Demon Slaying Orchid!”

The Qi Blades increased from weight to ten. Tigu bounced up and down, her eyes searching the mist. Wary for the illusions, and a sudden blade in the back.

Something hissed again. Like Chun Ke, when he started to run. The steady puff puff puff as he got faster and faster, building up speed.

Tigu’s eyes widened, as she remembered one of her Master’s sayings.

Building Up Steam.

[Burning Breath, First Form]

The cloud abruptly sucked inwards. Pulled into the gauntlet the Misty Lady wore. Her skin was flushed pink, and her eyes were the same orange colour as the fires within her contraption.

She opened her mouth, and more steam vented itself.

[Heron’s Beak]

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Maybe better than the other version. Still not 100% happy with it.