Chapter 17: FOUR WINDS OF LIFE
Rhys's eyes opened wide when a huge amount of Air Energy burst out from all over his body and flew upwards towards the ceiling.
It spread out to fill the entire room.
The energy was pure and strong. It seemed to cover every part of the room except the wall in front of him.
It didn't take long for the energy to spread to every corner of the room.
The Middle aged man took one step backward when suddenly a bright light exploded in the air around him.
The air filled with a thick aura as though it was compressed into a solid block.
"What.....what is going on!?" The Middle aged man exclaimed with widened eyes.
Rhys raised his hand and pointed at the middle aged man. A small tornado formed around his finger and began spinning madly.
He watched as the tornado got stronger and stronger as the seconds passed.
Finally the tornado turned into a powerful gale which sent the middle aged man flying through the glass windows, shattering them as he did.
The storm raged for a few moments then calmed itself,all signs of damage erased from the surroundings.
Rhys let go of his hand and the whirlwind disappeared.
He fell down with a heavy thud and lay down grunting in pain.
[Kid...you overused it...]
"It's...so....pain...ful arhh..." Rhys screamed as his blood oozed from his facial orifices, eyes excluded.
He clutched his abdomen while rolling on the floor.
Rhys felt something wet trickling down his cheek. When he touched it, he realized it was his blood. As his fingers came closer to his face he noticed there was another pool of blood on the ground.
"Whaa? Nooo.. I.. I'm going to die"
[No kid,we'll survive. The System hasn't notified the quest as Completed, that means that Evil man is still alive] Alvin said.
"I...can't fight if he comes "
[Get up and run,let's live to see another day]
"But...I can't feel my body...I feel...dead" Rhys replied weakly.
[You are alive. You have to stay that way. You've survived before,come on now get on your feet. Fight back! For me!For your Life!]
Rhys tried,but just couldn't move his legs and arms. He tried to stand up but failed everytime.
The debris was clearing and a the middle aged man's frail voice could be heard under the rubbles.
He was in shock ! How could he, Noble Rank Level 2 Essence Cultivator lose to a Puny Kid who just got a medium to channel his magic powers through.
Absolute Shameless and Embarrassing!
He had to kill the Kid.
His anger and hatred towards Rhys had doubled. He was going to kill the kid right here.
He lifted up the rubble and saw a pair of blood shot helpless eyes staring at him.
The kid was writhing in pain,he looked very weak and totally helpless.
The Middle aged man slowly rose from the ground as blood dripped down from his forehead and onto the floor.
"I don't normally toy with my preys. I tried with you and you crossed the boundaries. Now Die!" He screamed as he flicked a red flower towards the direction of Rhys.
[Dodge kid! You'll be corroded if it touches you] Alvin warned.
Rhys managed to make a small maneuver and made the Red flower miss him slightly. He watched with shocked eyes as the huge boulder the flower touched corroded into nothingness.
"Hahaha. Nice dodge Brat. You'll still die" The middle aged man spoke out.
[He is an Essence Cultivator specialising in Poison if my guess is right] Alvin said.
"Yes. I also guessed it. He focuses on poison " Rhys mentally replied.
[That means one thing...]
"He has a weak body"
[Exactly kid. Target his body and let's get our defenses well. His robe might be a poison, heck even this whole Shop might be a big Poisonous Complex. Heads up].
Rhys nodded and got up once again,taking a battle stance.
[You can use that power for one last time. Let's use it when he's at his most Vulnerable]
"Alright, but shut Up! You talk too much" Rhys replied.
[I'll give you a mental scolding when we're out if here Kid, Now fight!]
The Middle aged man smiled maliciously,his sharp canines sticking out in the form of fangs.
"This will be your final chance kid!" He yelled as he started to advance towards Rhys.
[The target is approaching. Prepare yourself kid. You may not like what happens next, but you better not chicken out now ]
"Shut Up" Rhys roared .
The middle aged man looked at him with intense loathe. He thought "the shut up" was for him.
"You dare to be rude Kid!" He screamed at Rhys and summoned a black stick into his hand.
[Kid,that's a dangerous weapon he's holding] Alvin cautioned.
"I guess I have to attack " Rhys sighed.
[You're never going to beat a Cultivator two ranks above you. Never! The only reason we got him in the first clash was the fact that he was toying with us. Only a miracle can save us now]
"Take control,like you did at the Mountain "
[No kid. There drawback will be worse than three of that black stick our adversary is holding] Alvin replied solemnly.
Rhys frowned. He needed to think fast. The powerful Cultivators were unpredictable. One mistake could cost him his life.
'What if...what if I attack first? Maybe if I hit his weak spot,he won't be able to move. That's it.' Rhys thought as inspiration flooded his mind.
But...before he could move a muscle, everything around him became Unusually cold. His body couldn't move ,no matter how hard he tried.
[Kid? Are you alright? What happened to you?] Alvin asked worriedly.
"N...nothing. It's freezing. My whole body is numb. I...I can't move "
[Shit]
[The Black Stick is working. I think...its a Trap of some sort. We're doomed]
The Middle aged man looked on with his sadistic countenance. He enjoyed every the torture he was inflicting on Rhys.
"Arhhh" Rhys screamed in pain as his skin started swelling up. His veins were bulging and seemed to be on the verge of exploding out from his skin.
The blood started flowing out of Rhys's nose and mouth and he started coughing violently.
He clenched his teeth as tears rolled down from his face and mixed with blood.
The man laughed.
He walked towards Rhys with a small saber in his hand.
"Let's end it" he grinned.
BANG!
The door of the shop flew wide open and a masked man in red robes appeared.
Rhys sighed as he remembered the familiar figure. He had saved him during his encounter with the Dark figure and once again, he had appeared to possibly repeat his heroic deed.
[We owe this man,Kid.] Alvin said.
Rhys nodded in agreement.
The man in the red robe also known as Red Dragon Claw took a battle stance and dared the middle aged man to come over .
The Middle aged man gave him a dark glare and moved forward quickly,stepping on the bloody floor.
Suddenly Red Dragon Claw lunged forward towards the middle aged man.
Red Dragon Claw held a spear in front of himself and thrust the tip downwards aiming at the center of the middle aged man's heart.
"I support Justice only!" He cried out as he stabbed the middle aged man.
The middle aged man gasped for air, his entire chest filled with blood as he stumbled backwards.
As he was falling backwards, Red Dragon Claw jumped off the ground, landing on the opposite side and charged straight toward the middle aged man.
Red Dragon Claw swung his spear at the middle aged man once again.
The middle aged man blocked it but failed to evade the incoming attack.
Red Dragon Claw stabbed the spear deep into his torso before pulling it out and stabbing it once more.
Blood poured from the middle aged man's torso as he fell to his knees.
[This guy can really fight huh? Good. ] Alvin commented.
"He's a Dual Cultivator too,Martial and Elemental " Rhys added.
[Oh yeah. Not much of an achievement. Still good.]
"Whatever " .
The battle was still ongoing but it looked one-sided. Red Dragon Claw was launching attacks upon attacks whiles the Middle aged man kept defending.
Red Dragon Claw was gaining the upper hand,he pushed the middle aged man backward and grabbed him by the arm,pulling him towards the ground while throwing a strong kick towards his opponent's head.
The middle aged man was thrown into the wall behind the counter. He grunted loudly before lying on the floor,still breathing heavily.
Rhys and Alvin both sighed in relief.
"Are you okay?" Red Dragon Claw asked.
"Fine Sir. Thanks for saving me twice "
"It's a pleasure to..." Red Dragon stopped midway in his reply.
Something seemed amiss. The middle aged man was grunting on the floor but there was a looming sense of danger.
[Kid,warn Red Dragon Claw and get out of here. I sense danger]
The middle aged man sprang up from the floor. His robes tattered, flesh exposed and blood dripping from his skin pores.
"I won't die alone " he said with a fiendish grin.
[He'll blow this place up kid, run!]
"He's weak " Rhys responded " How about I use my skill and defeat him".
[Time Kid! I can sense a destructive mechanism. He can power it up anytime!]
Rhys took a deep breath and launched his skill;The Four Winds Of Life.
The blinding white light appeared and the spinning tornado followed.
"Get out of the way, brat." The middle aged man yelled angrily.
The whirlwind spun so fast that Rhys felt dizzy trying to control it. The wind started to turn stronger and faster.
"Damn you! " The middle aged man cursed before his drew his final breath.
[DING DING]
[QUEST COMPLETED]
[REWARD GRANTED: 20 EXP]
[REWARD GRANTED: NEW AIR ELEMENTAL SKILL LEARNT;PIERCING GALE]
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone