Rebirth and Reincarnation 1st Arc

Age 13. The final bout

"Ready, Mu-Di?" The prince asked with a confident smile.

"Um. This brother is ready to win against Hui-ge" I answered in kind and his smile broadened.

"We shall see."

"Participants, resume your places!"

Heng Hui adopted the snake style, while I resumed my tiger starting position.

Free from the reins of propriety, I breathe in and gathered Chi around my person.

"Begin!"

The instant the call was made, both the prince and I launched simultaneous attacks. He with a double fist strike, while I released the chi from the palm of my hand with a shout, air following it and causing a gale of wind that lifted him off his feet and pushed him backwards.

But he was too accomplished a fighter to lose from one move, no matter how surprising it was, and he landed on his feet a step away from the limit of the arena.

He stood rooted to the spot, watching me with wide eyes, as did the rest of the audience, but for those in my family's and the emperor's pavilions.

However, I hadn't stopped moving, gathering chi for another strike that the prince weathered thanks to his earth-breathing.

"Wind huh? Let see you move the earth with your breeze!"

He switched to Leopard style and attacked with a ferocity and precision that had me on the defensive for a few strikes. While I moved, however, I continued gathering chi and capitalized on it when I switched styles mid-step. Landing a punch to the solar plexus him with the surety and strength of the earth element. He gasped and cradled his stomach with a hand in time to receive a short punch to the shoulder. It had been aimed for his chest, but the prince was able to mostly twist out of the way despite the pain.

This time I gave him time to catch his breath.

"Air... and Earth." He gasped "you truly are a worthy opponent for this Prince."

I nodded my thanks, but I wasn't finished. During the previous days, I had been working hard to master my two opposing elements to the point where I didn't need to switch from one to use the other like most did.

Adopting the crane style, my soles grazed the stone platform under them finding purchase in the earth beneath.

"Earth and Air aren't opposites." I educated him, while shifting from one form to another that flowed continuously like tai-chi "They are unlikely brothers that will work only for those who recognize their likeness." I hit the floor with a foot and a stone jumped form the earth, floating in the air thanks to the currents surrounding me. I hit the stone with my chi-charged fist, and it flew like a bullet toward the prince who had the sensibility to jump out of the way.

The stone ended up embedded in the wall that surrounded the stage.

--

(From Heng Hui's POV)

Heng Hui paled, as he stared for an instant at the stone that had flown out of the earth at the boy's silent command.

When he looked back, a dozen stones of different sizes were floating around his opponent.

"Ready yourself, brother. I'm coming." Shen Long Mu glared at him and he could swear that his eyes were shining.

The following moments were excruciating for the Second Prince.

Every move of Shen's Arms and legs corresponded in pain for him. He hadn't landed a single full blow since before he began using the Evolved Elemental Form, but the grazes and scratches he had received were beginning to throb, bothering him like crazy.

Every time he had tried to attack, his fists and legs met with the stones floating around his opponent that appeared to be movable until he hit them.

Hui could do nothing but respect this small child that wielded a power he had only heard of in legends. Even if he had traverser the first Heavenly Tribulation to earn his mastery, he had never thought to continue because his experience with the Elemental force of Earth had been the most scary experience he had ever had... until now.

This boy had surpassed a second Tribulation, and he had already mastered the evolved forms of both his elements.

Indeed, the Fourth Prince was a genius among geniuses.

Heng Hui felt a relief he had never known, in the knowledge that there was now another stronger than himself tied to the imperial family.

In the end it took the Second Prince five minutes to tire himself out, while Shen Mu was barely breathing hard.

"I yield" Heng Hui said, lifting both his hands.

There was a lull in the mood of the crowd as they saw the Second prince yield to the younger, yet obviously stronger opponent.

There was no dishonor in recognizing the strength before him. None in the crowd save for a few exceptions would have done any better, and it was truly an achievement for him to have lasted so long.

"Winner, Shen Long Mu!"