Capítulo 22: Day 40 Tournament Upset Night 40 Change
The damage to the arena was to much to fix quickly. Considering the amount of years maintenance was skipped over, the school was paying for it in person. A light embarrassment that brought the matter to the attention of several other families.
Not a single family skipped out on sending word back to their individual clans to check on maintenance. Especially considering the number of guests they knew would visit in the future.
Meetings to deal with the rebels had been put in motion after all.
A day of respite until the final matches would continue later. Several betting areas allowed for more wagers to take place.
Liang Jian cashed out instead of trying to risk matters. Well, some of the funds anyway. A portion still used for later. Linlin joining in it as well. Except she put everything on Liang Yu winning. Convince her friends to join in as well.
Liang Jian and Linlin were training under old Xu. Liang Yu went on a walk out of the academy into town. Considering the increased wealth now available to him, he wanted to buy some resources and material for some tests.
Heading to the market was the best chance to find something good. No auction house was available but there should be something of note, or some metals to use.
"Can not believe they have the Smelting Area on lockdown, so no beasts to snatch up." Liang grumbled to himself. 'Flame Vortex: 4th Heavenly Layer only but feels like more of it is getting revealed to me. But no direct information. Almost like nudging and inkling of ways to use the qi further. As for the Flame Martial Arts: 5th Heavenly Layer, I feel like I need more techniques besides the standard inside it to adapt even further. More unusual methods to make it grow more.'
The money Liang Jian gave him was about to be spent very soon.
Making it to an stall that sold some wine, he couldn't help but buy some. The smell alone causing a funny feeling to erupt in his soul.
*Woom!* A pulse of energy erupted in Liang Yu's soul. An overwhelming pain shot through his body next.
"Kuk!" Griping his chest tightly, he moved to the nearest alley. Vision still slightly off, he kept moving slightly fumbling. "Why the hell is this happening now?!" Focusing on Astral Sense to maneuver from any wayward cultivators was the main focus while moving.
The further he moved from the town, the more he felt the pain decrease. But it didn't stop the overall movement of his qi in an odd manner. He even tried to put the wine down to know effect.
Reaching an open space, everything returned to normal in an instant. Then a fire sprout in front of him. The man god Shango appeared. With a snap of his fingers, the area distorted slightly. Those sent by Liang Jian to protect Liang Yu were confused.
"Where did he go?" The leader of the group questioned. Not a single scuff or a look of a battle was visible. "TSk! We had one job and this happens. Search the area!" Hopeful that nothing to bad had occurred, they shot off to search.
.
A talk-
.
Liang Yu was floating in the Flame Vortex Core. Thankfully it was not spinning at all! Further down his Dantian pulsed with power. Slight signs of it trying to reach the next Layer but stopped by the Flame Vortex Core in a way.
"How are you, Leroy?" Shango asked. He floated around the outside of the vortex. Hands containing a small trace of a type of fire. Not much different than that of the qi produced by the Flame Vortex Core. But it looked unstable in a way. "Your memories are unblocked for now. Unblock a little faster due to your cultivation before the tournament."
"Well before you abducted me again, I was ok. Not the blind part anyway, that sucks. But why am I here and you here?" Try as he might, he couldn't move. Which only intensified his fear. No one liked full paralyzation. The fact words came out without talking didn't matter. "Got bored?"
"Nope. Just checking on you closer." Shango sent a bit of fire out. Before it reached the body however, qi from the core hit against it. "I see. So you still do not trust me. That is good."
*Fwish!* More fire erupted from Shango's hands. He held towers of flames with ease. The control, at a level most dreamed of. The two towers were pointed forward towards the Flame Vortex Core. Causing slight ripples near it.
"How much do you remember of the night now?" Shango asked. Having searched the happenings of the night he and a few other deities looked in on Leroy and his friends get together closely, revealed the work of an old enemy of theirs. "Talk or experience pain."
"Get bent!" Leroy shouted back defiantly. Not like he could do much else. Why in the hell does anyone listen to their abductors or what they say when they will be killed anyway? "Get started already yah bastard!"
"Disrespectful whelp!" Raising his hands to attack angrily, Shango would not be lenient. "I will show the power of a god!"
Right before the flames towers could hit, however, they burst apart harmlessly. Dissipating into nothingness.
But a small little piece was taken by the Flame Vortex Core.
"Enough!" A voice boomed like thunder from the dantian. A likeness of Shango floated out arms folded. "To imitate me, how low you have fallen Jakuta!" The booming thunder bumped into Leroy letting him move once more. A trail of lighting running around him for a moment.
"Ugh, that is just not right." Wiggling his boy, alleviated some of the tinglings. A few blinks of the eyes and he could see more. "Huh, he doesn't look like you on a closer look."
"Humph, what a foolish Champion you have." Jakuta frown almost snarling. "You should have waited until I finished questioning him. Now we will no less."
"Haa, humans are not as reliant on us as they use to be, so of course they dislike us and are uneasy to trust us." Sango was more understanding of the matters of humans. After all, he used to be one. "And this does not help. You made an enemy just that easily. He is very spiteful."
"Damn right I am." Leroy's eyes blazed with lighting and fire. To be toyed with in your own soul is really shitty. His Flame Vortex Core however didn't respond. But his Dantian was willing to fight it out. "Explain yah old fart!"
"Old fart..." Jakuta muttered the words. He was as ready to beat the mortal for his disrespect, as Leroy was willing to die fighting him. "..I will rip you apart!" But he was stopped once more by Sango. "Even now you stop me?! HAve you take leave of your senses!?"
"NO." Shango shook his head back and forth. "But would should he show you respect you should ask. Even more so, as one whose Aspect is Falsehood, you can tell when someone is lying."
"Very well then." Jakuta was just as petty as mortals. His hand outstretched as he poked Leroy in the chest. Searching his memories and his soul in seconds. "Tch!" The god pulled away not liking what he saw. "Hatred for a past you did not even live."
"Get the hell out of soul!" Leroy was furious after being toyed with and violate. His dantian exploded with power. The Flame Vortex Core reacting in kind. As if it was waiting to see his response to matters. "I said go!"
*Woom!* A thunder blast shot out from the core.
*Bzzt!* Lighting coming from every corner of the soul next. Adding togethor, as the Flame Vortex Core spun.
*Fwish!* Every drop of qi from the Dantian poured forth. A chasm traveled towards Jakuta quickly. He was not a god of fire despite the flames he produced before.
Shango moved away from his fellow deity. This was caused by him alone and would be dealt with by him alone.
"Until next time." Jakuta did not want to cause further trouble supringsly. "But you are not allowed to remember." He faded away from Leroy who started to clutch his head in pain. More of his personal memories getting suppressed. "The "rules" must be followed till the contract is fully made."
Shango did not interfere but he did grab hold of the qi. and sent all towards the Flame Vortex Core. The dantian was currently empty. The rules could be circumvented if done just right.
"Leroy.. no Liang Yu.." Shango called out. Mindful of the change already between the soul. ..circulate your Cultivation!" His voice came out urgent. Feeling a sense of dread, he moved away. "Already has enough qi, just need to put it to use with a mental strike."
Liang Yu was shunted out of his soul. The abrupt jolt woke him enough with the words spoken. Shango did not want to take to chance that anything was left behind in his soul. Better he refines everything just in case.
The man god Shango moved to Liang Yu's Internal Space. Besides the funds and a few books, it was empty. THe water from the pond already used up beforehand.
*FWOOOSH!* The Flame Vortex Core spun faster than ever before. Redlines spread around Liang Yu's body. The Metal Seed thrumming as lighting was called down from the sky. An image of an angry man could be seen in the clouds.
Jakuta was planning on using his qi that dispersed in Liang Yu later. It would have allowed the god to find him easier. But it was refined under the Flame Vortex Core's power. A mortal capable was a caused to pay attention. A Champion able to do it must be watched!
Six bolts of lightning came down at once. It was not guarded as Liang Yu only focused on cultivating. Each blast was pulled into the lines on his body. Following the circulation pattern of his techniques helped the process but not the pain.
To prevent hearing his own screams, Liang Yu made a small incision at his throat. The vocal cords muscle tissue was burned. He could heal it later on. The rampaging lighting that went through his body was as intense as his attack against Huyan Yong and Xuanyin Rei. And climbing higher.
Skin burned but was forced to heal by the circulation of lighting. Bones cracking and chipping from the pressure. The Metal Seed hummin more and more. The destroyed bone fragments dissolved into metal flakess. Each circulation spread it throughout his body in different locations. Almost like a plant spreading in away.
Hours passed as Liang Yu cultivated. The barrier created by Jakuta was still in place afterall. Not only did the angry god had its energy used in Liang Yu's cultivation process, the lighting and the illusion all helped give him a safe place to breakthrough.
.
Nightfall-
.
"I cannot believe the couldn't find him." Liang Jian grumbled. He was alarming worried about his cousin. Especially with the bets in place involving him. "If he is seriously hurt..."
"Nonsense, we are to close to the school for that to happen." Linlin consoled him as best she could. But she was also worried. "Old Xu and the others are searching, I am sure we will find him soon."
Nodding, Liang Jian continued his search. Linlin sticking close in case they discovered the worse. They were not the ones to find him, however.
A Fire Bird, Elementary Level Demon Beast had found him. It was not unusual for the low level beasts to arrive near the outskirts of the place. But the fact the flame chicken was basically rubbing against an unconscious Liang Yu was weird.
"Liang Yu!" Liang Jian shouted. He and Linlin ran over. Both stared as the Fire Bird turn and squawked at them. It's wings spread defensively in front of Liang Yu. "What in the world is this dumb beast doing?"
"It looks like it is protecting him." Linlin cocked her head to the side. Just as confused as Liang Jian. "Or maybe Liang Yu bought it to eat later and he passed out from drink?" She spotted the spilled jar of wine to the side.
*Woosh!* Old Xi and teacher Lin appeared not to far away. Observing and not getting away. Liang Jian noticed them but didn't move from his spot. His cousin started to stir awake.
"Ugh.. that was just a pain." Liang Yu rubbed his face while blinking his eyes rapidly. Finally able to see again was fantastic. But the pain in his throat was still annoying. "Need more wine." The Fire Bird hopped around his feet excited. "Umm, what the heck? Since when did chickens come to me like this?"
"You didn't buy it?" Linlin asked. By the shaking of his head she understood that was a no. "So why is it so protective of you?"
"Umm, maybe because it ate some of my qi when I was breaking through?" Liang Yu rembered around the time he finished stepping into the 5th Heavenly Layer of the Flame Vortex, he had trouble keeping control of his qi a little. "I burned a few things but not this bird I guess."
"Koko!" THe Fire Bird hopped around then jumped on his legs. "Koo koo!" A spittle of fire left its mouth. The odd thing was that is was not the standard red or orange. It was blue. THe same as Liang Yu's fire.
"Oh!" Liang Yu felt the information flood into his mind again. "I can share my qi with certain beasts and help tame them!" Creating some flames he offered it to the Fire Bird. Its eyes lit up as it swallowed it whole.
"Kooo koo!" It jumped about happily. With a flap of its wings, a small harmless fire went out.
"Neat." Liang Yu got up and stretched to the sky. Taking a deep breath he was happy for the breakthrough but even more of his memories returning. A bit of lighting flashing in his eyes as he rembered he liked to do. "We should head back."
"Alright." Liang Jian thought something changed but it didn't look to bad. Seeing the Fire Bird followed behind like a dog, made him feel a little weird though. "What about the beast?"
"Ummm, I am gonna keep the chicken." Liang Yu looked over his shoulder while walking still. Nothing against Academy rules about having one." He also wanted to check and see how much he could change the beast. 'A few books in the library talks about rearing demonic beasts. But it is costly. I should be able to supplement it easily enough with my Flame Vortex Core qi though. The same way I did for the others.'
"That is not a chicken." Linlin said. "It is a demon beast. If you are not careful it might try to kill you." Liang Yu only nodded at her. The Connection in his Status let him know that wouldn't happen without great difficulty.
As the four walked back, old Xu instructed teacher Lin to inform the others Liang Yu was found. After thinking things over, he headed to the Archives to get something to help Liang Yu's new interest. It had been a long time since a student had wanted to rear demon beast.
'Hmm a few students recruited by Liang Jian and Linlin, that is good.' Old Xu thought as he moved. 'The students are also students he lectured about not being their own person at that. So does that make them more important to him or not?'
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
Magmatide
Magmatide Status: Liang Yu Health: 1000 Qi: 1800
Power: 30 Defense: 20
Willpower: 31 Intellect: 24
Connection: 3
Cultivation-
Flame Vortex: 5th Heavenly Layer
Flame Martial Arts: 5th Heavanly Layer
Metal Seed: 3rd tech level
Fire Body: 3rd tech level
Astral Sense: 2nd tech level
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder