Born in Blood



The veil dissipated, but massive plumes of dark gas threatened to escape the barrier.

The Myriad Brush instantly got to work. As the intermediary in charge, he couldn't have the fighters dying under his watch.

The other clan members helped as well, suppressing the tides of darkness that gushed out of the circular enclosure, before dispelling it entirely.

What they saw was… unfortunate. And a bit cruel, too. Miasma Queen's body was in tatters. A lump of shredded flesh and bone. Life was slowly leaving her eyes.

Myriad Brush barely saved her in time using his inscription abilities to send Character after Character on her wounds. 

Though, it was more of a delayed death until she could figure out a cure for herself.

Usan's condition wasn't much better, but at the very least, he was able to stand on his own two feet.

"5 points to the Temple of Shadow. 14 in total," the Myriad said with a low voice as the Unforgiven shot towards the Monolith Lion.

14 points.

Now, the Clans were treading dangerous waters. 

"What happens if that guy wins?" Unmoving Mountain asked with furrowed brows. "And how powerful is this Miracle Fruit, anyways? Is it as good as he says?" 

Nobody wanted the Temple of Shadow to win. 

They'd seen the brutality common among their people. Shadow Demon and the Unforgiven being obvious examples.

"War," North Star said with an aloof face, not answering the Mountain's question. "It's what he wants, and it's what you all gave him an opportunity to."

Their expressions grew a little bitter.

Some, however, were of a different thought.

'Maybe a war would do Ilali good. The Imperialists have gone unpunished long enough,' Sun's Spear thought. 

'The Moyong family is losing their tenacity, allying with the Echorians of all people,' Cerulean Dragon shook his head inwardly.

Nevertheless, all they could do was try their best to win.

Shortly after, the remaining bouts were starting to begin, while the Temple had to hide from view.

///

Liam woke up with a massive headache, muscles twitching in random spots, with the stinging sensations still fresh in his mind.

He was in his temple room, laying on a bed and bandaged from head to toe.

"Finally awake?" Ryu said with a growing smile. 

In his hands were a pair of oversized mugs. 

"Drink it," he said, stretching one of the mugs. "Don't give me that look. It's not alcohol. It's not like you accepted the past hundred of my invites, anyway."

Liam grumbled and sat up, taking the drink and gulping it down in one breath. Slowly, his energy returned to him.

'Blegh, nasty.'

"How long was I asleep?" Liam asked.

"Just 12 hours. You heal like an absolute monster." Ryu asked with a raised brow. "I literally saw your muscle striations reforming around your bones. How is that even possible?"

Liam shrugged, got up and cracked his shoulders into place. 

Most of his bodily structure was in one piece now, and even a few hairs started to grow on his bald head.

"Did Usan win?" Liam questioned.

Ryu nodded with a toothy grin. 

"Stripped that woman of a human form, too."

"Who else won?" Liam asked. 

Although the two chances were allowed for all the current participants, they couldn't fight the same opponent twice.

Miasma Queen, for example, couldn't fight against the Temple since they lost to them, but they could fight against the remaining four clans who advanced to the next bout.

"Myriad Brushes, Temple of Shadow, Luminous Light and the Solar Spears won their fights."

Liam nodded to himself. Those three clans were indeed the strongest out of the seven, with the Luminous Light clan reigning above them.

Liam raised a brow at the man.

"Why are you here, though?"

Ryu gave him an offended look.

"What? I can't check up on another disciple?"

Liam shook his head. 

"Not unless you want to drink or 'prank' the others. Tell me the real reason."

Ryu let out a wry laugh.

"...They've already decided the next bout."

Liam's eyes widened slightly.

"Yeah?" he said slowly.

Ryu looked unsure if he wanted to continue the conversation. He looked to the side and scratched his scruffy chin.

"Your opponent…"

"Yes?" Liam said quickly, annoyed.

"...He's a Rank 4 cultivator."

Liam's eyes widened with shock. 

"You have to be joking. Who? What clan? And they agreed with this?"

A Zenith fighting against a Mortal cultivator was like a fully grown bear against a nine year old child. 

In the most basic terms, of course. 

Liam was confident in killing a Rank 4 beast alone. His Ashura Form gave him amazing strength, and even as a human, he had his Blood and Shadows to assist him. 

But a human Zenith was different. Even the weakest of them could flick away fully Rank 3 cultivators away with ease.

…But maybe Liam was selling himself too short here.

"Well, it's the Unmoving Mountain Sect, and they're on the fence themselves. Apparently, if the Zenith they picked loses, the Sect leader has promised to cut off his own hand."

"They've also assured the Temple that it's the weakest Zenith they have. The Myriad Brush confirmed it."

Liam heaved a long sigh.

"Has Usan negotiated better points, then? These people don't even abide by their own rules."

Ryu burst with sonorous laughter.

"Yeah, he has. You'll be receiving 5 points if you win. This isn't a small advantage, by the way."

And it wasn't, Liam realized. Ah, whatever. At the end of the day, he'd fight anyway.

"Will he take a—"

"Binding Oath?" Ryu completed for him. "Yeah, he did... well, Usan forced him," he laughed. 

"Also, they can't dictate a rule on you, and you can."

This entire thing was getting on Liam's nerves. First the three versus one, and now a Zenith. What was next, a Sect leader?

…Better not jinx himself. 

'At least I'll be able to use my Ashura Form now that he has the Binding Oath,' Liam turned stern. 'And while I'm at it, I might as well make it a death battle.'