Strongest Among the Heavens
Chapter 62: Class Eight Battle I

Chapter 62: Class Eight Battle I

Hockey rinks were one thing. Football stadiums were a rank above that. A stadium of Valhalla’s Colosseum was an entirely different beast. The deafening roar of the crowd swept the world, a sea of eager spectators waving flags and banners. In the highest reaches of the stadium sat Dasha, Rehan, and Salah.

Frank too, because somehow, Rehan convinced him to tag along.

Peering down at the common masses, with a single look, Dasha could tell these people had put a steak on the battle.

Dasha put a fist to his cheek. "Who did you bet for?"

"I don’t bet," Rehan replied. "Ooh, ooh, here they come."

From the tunnels, two figures walked. A casual, almost humble strut, yet Dasha’s Qi went into a spiral at the sight of them. On the left was a crowned man that could only be described as ethereal. Robes woven by a white fabric and embroidered with gold threads spelling out celestial motifs. His sleeves connected, the Imperial Crown of the Qing Dynasty era atop his head, he stopped and waited.

To his opposite was a sword-wielder. A flamboyant man with an open smile, a condescending look, and a striking sword at his waist, accompanied by the long, flowing crimson hair that cascaded down to said waist.

An attractive man that garnered a concerning amount of attention from the ladies. A single scar went down his lip and his eyes were redder than his hair, sharp and almost feral too.

"Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, and eccentric characters, welcome to the most exquisite showdown of the century! Is there any need for introductions? Any need for a reason? In one corner, we have the Emperor himself, leader of the Imperial Sect, the master of secrets! And challenging him is Li Tianlu, the rising martial artist of the Golden Generation! A Sect Leader versus a Great Elder! Who will prevail?"

Magic amplified his voice, bouncing off the walls and into his ears. The electric thrill was palpable and, as the two came closer, the screams and shouts doubled. Banners were waved accompanied by loud, three-hundred men chants. Dasha was glad he took Rehan up on his offer. If he had stayed, he wouldn’t have been able to analyze the fight properly.

The checkered platform functioning as the battle arena was large but perhaps insufficient. The crowd went into an uproar as a barrier between them and the platform was erected, the arena changing in its entirety from a simple grey platform to a valley. Space and time twisted and the impossible nature of the environment came into being. A vast, ancient valley of green and rock.

[ Li Tianlu vs the Kangxi Emperor!

Location: Western Rift Valley

Win Condition 1: Till one fighter cannot fight

Win Condition 2: Till one fighter is dead ]

It was like looking into a snow globe from the outside-in. The barrier acted like a camera that zoomed into their faces and supersized them for the audience. Rehan elbowed him, smiling, as if to say, "Cool, right?"

"I think it’s cool," said Frank.

The barrier wrinkled and zoomed in on the handsome face of Li Tianlu. His animalistic grin and eyes rose slightly.

"Are you ready to lose, old man?" asked Li Tianlu, holding the hilt of his sheathed sword.

The Kangxi Emperor replied without rising to his provocation, "Do not be a bore, boy. You started this. See it through to the end."

The commentator’s voice drawled out, "Aaaaand....begin!"

Boom!

The barrier trembled.

Arm against arm, Li Tianlu and the Emperor clashed. The towering cliffs looming on the sides shook.

In a swift move, Li Tianlu drew his single-edged blood-red sword, a dark rhombi pattern on both sides of the blade. The sheath must have been airtight, because as he eased it out, the wind started to pick up. Then he swung it. At the direction he casually swung, a sizable piece of the mountain toppled off cleanly, like an apple cut. The reactions from the audience were one of awe. Chants spread like wildfire. Beside him, Rehan applauded lightly.

Li Tianlu backed away with graceful steps, while the Emperor lunged forward, meeting Li Tianlu’s blade with a powerful punch. The clash sent echoes reverberating through the valley.

How was he seeing this? Was he supposed to be seeing this?

Then everything made sense. The barrier. It was slowing them. Translating the fight into something tangible.

Li Tianlu twirled like a dervish, his sword moving like a flash of crimson lightning. He was testing the Emperor, gauging his speed and strength, till he had enough and smirked. A red lightning coursed through his blade and he unleashed a flurry of red projectile strikes. The Emperor weaved and dodged, the uneven terrain disrupting his footwork even though it didn’t seem like it.

’Speed, power, technique...they have everything.’

They were calculating everything in their head. Footwork, future movement, the flow of their Qi—everything.

The Kangxi Emperor entered close-range to deliver a palm strike with a low mutter. Kazi couldn’t hear it but Rehan and Frank seemed to recognize the eerie glue. Dodge, dodge, dodge, dodge. The martial artists anticipated each other’s movements and for a second, no contact was made. They were both utilizing Qi Sense to the highest degree. Predicting, predicting, predicting, and consequently, dodging, dodging, dodging.

The Kangxi Emperor was on the offensive and kept trying to hit with that one-palm attack. Li Tianlu was focused, disregarding his own blade just to avoid the palm; as if he had trained for this.

Clang!

The palm strike met the tip of his sword. The Kangxi Emperor’s palm was cancelled out. The crowd on the side of the Imperial Sect were hushed into silence.

Thus, began the chants for Li Tianlu.

The Kangxi Emperor leaped back and up, and didn’t come back down. He glided through the air like an ice skater, a single arm raised defensively.

Because so far, that was all he had used. One arm. His left arm.

Dasha immediately understood. The crux of a martial artist was their technique. In a public stadium like this, his form and techniques could be scrunitized and possibly imitated with sufficient study.

"Just using one arm, huh!?" Li Tainlu grinned and launched himself into the air—and climbed. He didn’t fall down, he glided further and further up, his sword raised ignited with a fiery aura. He flew way higher than the Kangxi Emperor and disappeared into the clouds.

The sky darkened. The very world began to breathe and unleash terrible winds.

Finally, the globe zoomed in to the man in the sky, to the one who was attempting to surpass the Emperor. "O Dragon of old! Enlighter of the darkness! Pass me your torch and execute this moon!" The marks on the metal blade glowed, then disappeared. Red lightning expanded from it and transformed into a massive Chinese dragon, and descended down upon the Emperor. "Zhulong’s Illumination!"