[THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT IS DIFFERENT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL CULTIVATOR. IT IS THE STRATEGY WITH WHICH A CULTIVATOR PATTERNS HIS ATTACKS, DEFENSE, AND ABOVE ALL, HIS ACTIONS. SOME CULTIVATORS WOUKD PREFER TO STRIKE FIRST, OTHERS THIBK DEFENSE IS THE BEST OFFENSE, AND SOME BELIEVE THAT IN A FIGHT THERE SHOULD BE NO MERCY. THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT OFTEN TIMES DECIDE THE OUTCOME OF A FIGHT BEFORE IT HAS EVEN STARTED. A MARTIAL ARTIST WUTHOUT HIS OWN RULES, IS LIKE AN AIRPLANE WITHOUT A TAIL. HIS MOVES WOULD HAVE NO SUBSTANCE, NO RHYTHM, AND FINESSE. BUT THE PROCESS OF DISCOVERING YOUR OWN RULES IF ENGAGEMENT USUALLY TOOK A FEW YEARS IF NOT YOUR ENTIRE LIFETIME. IT IS CHANGED AND IMPROVED DEPENDING ON THE EVOLUTION OF A CULTIVATORS STRENGTH. ONLY WHEN A CULTIVATOR STOPS GROWING WOUKD THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT BE COMPLETELY SET.]
BARTHOLOMEW ALE
"I didn't expect this."
Alex muttered to Anya as they looked at the announcement hanging over the school gate.
"I didn't either. Do you have any idea why they would decide to this?"
"I'm not sure, but I think its because the number of fighters are to much, and they a running behind schedule. Or it could be that this was just a part of their plan from the beginning, though that definitely doe's not make sense."
(Dear cultivators of all age and sizes, the competition today has be deemed fit to take an altogether different form than the traditional one on one fight. To spice up the competition, a battle royal would be had with the rest of the young cultivators still in the competition. All two hundred and thirty four of them would have to fight on a specially built platform, where the rules a still relatively the same. The goal of each fighter would be to throw his opponent off the battle stage, or make them forfeit their match. There's no definite score to be kept as the royals would stop the moment the number of cultivators on the stage reach seventy. However all crippling blows are forbidden, along with any form of eye gouging, low blows and usage of weapons. However anything else is permitted, including ganging up on an opponent. As soon as the royals is over, the competition would move on to the final stage, with the remaining seventy cultivators in a grand display of skill tonight. Enjoy hehehehe)
"I have one question though. Alex do you think the person who wrote the announcement, intended to write all that hysterical cackling too?"
Alex shrugged his shoulders as he answered her.
"Who knows, Anya, there's bound to be a lot of strange and rather eccentric personalities in the world. But that aside are you ready, this is not something we're used too."
"You're right, but I doubt any of our other opponents had experienced a fight on this scale and magnitude before, we just have to watch each other's backs. We have matching outfits after all."
Alex smiled at her words, and did something she didn't expect. He reached out to hold her hands, completely startling Anya, who looked around afraid people were watching them. Of course her fears were a reality, as quite a bunch of people were gathered, and whispering amongst themselves at the sight of Alex holding Anya's hand. Almost overcame with embarrassment, Anya ran into the school, but she never did let go of Alex's hand as she went in. as they went in, the gatekeeper of the school, looked on at them as he muttered wistfully.
"Oh to be young and in love. It's definitely the best feeling in the world."
The school seemed to have undergone an overnight renovation. Of course the changes were not too drastic, but it was still very different. The platforms had all been pushed together, to make one big massive stage. But since the platforms were circular, there was bound to be uneven edges at the point where the platforms meet.
Those edges and angles, now had four meter tall pillars jutting out from it. Alex felt that it was rather ingenious, it would make for a very interesting event to see how the fighters would maneuver the obstacle on the platform.
Alex and Anya went towards the platform, and stood in like waiting for the battle royal to start. As most of the fighters had not arrived yet, they both busied themselves with small talks, making conversation about everything they had experienced, during the few days they had spent here in Dekina.
Midway into their discussion, a young man approached them with three older guys behind him. With the way he was walking, it was quite obvious that he was someone important, and that the men behind him were his bodyguards.
"My greetings to fellow cultivators Anya and Alex. My name is Lu Yen of the prestigious Lu family. It is my honor to be in the presence of such great heroes in the making."
"Oh....um Lu Yen right?....cool. Nice to meet you too."
With the way Anya replied, it was quite obvious she had no idea who he was, and even if she did. She did not give a damn. Alex however knew of him, and of his prestigious family. His family were actually descended from a banished elder of the Wudang sect. It has been about a hundred years, but the news around, was that that elder has had his banishment lifted, and that this competition was a front for him to come home, but to also prove his repentance by showing how good a cultivator his descendants were.
Basically he could come home, but he had to prove himself and his family, so that they could at least have a status that was close enough to the one he held before his banishment. And if rumors were to be believed, Lu Yen here was not just good, he was the best in the state. Putting him at two grades above Alex who was just fighting for the first time in the inter village competition. But right now, Alex had to find a way to diffuse a situation that was about to turn sour, due to Anya's blatant lack of disrespect.
"So it is Big brother Lu Yen, I have long admired and respected you for your martial arts skills. You might think we are great heroes in the making, but you're already a very well known and established hero. Truly it's an honor to meet you."
"Alex? What's with the sudden ass kissing, this completely unlike you. Are you sick, did this guy charm you. Do you want me to beat him up for you. Hey! What did you do to my boyfriend."
Alex choked on his saliva at Anya's sudden outburst. He was trying to diffuse a situation, but she was trying to make it worse. What the hell was wrong with this girl. Though he had to admit that hearing her call him her boyfriend had made his heart skip a beat. Of course Alex was not sure she was entirely conscious of what she said.
And to set matters straight, Alex was not ass kissing. Lu Yen had been the state champion for four years in a row, and the national champion for two of those years, before he was dethroned last year by a girl called Helen. And he was only twenty years old, by rough estimates he should be in the late levels of the open meridian realm, and half a step into the open dantian realm. He was very close in strength to Alex's own father Ben.
"Big brother Lu Yen, please forgive Anya for her outbursts, she's not usually this.....protective."
"Hahahaha. No problem little brother Alex. It is quite refreshing to see someone who has no idea about my fame, or is completely unfazed by it. Dare I say it, but little sister Anya is a woman above many others, you're quite lucky to have her by your side."
Alex could only nod in response. There was just something about this guy, an aura or a presence that made him very likable and worship worthy. However there was something else that Alex could not Kay a finger on, something different that he couldn't tell whether it was positive or negative. But regardless of what it was, it was taking all of his self control to not completely go into full fan boy mode.
"Anyway little Brother Alex, Little sister Anya. I have been impressed with your skills in your previous fight, and even more so for you Alex. Your sheer talent is the talk of town, and from what I can see it is very true. You have just stepped into the ninth level of the body refining realm, and just yesterday you were at the sixth level. Talent like yours makes the rest of us look very ordinary and weak."
Alex had been discriminated all his life, so it was not so hard for him to pick out a tone of hostility from his words. It was only there for a moment, but Alex was able to pick it out regardless of how fleeting it was. By the looks of it, his Advancement and the reaction from it, had displeased Lu Yen very much.
"It is not my intention senior brother Lu Yen, you are a dragon among men, so I very much my star will ever outshine yours hehehehe"
Alex smelt danger, the only unfortunate thing was that it was coming from someone he really admired. With how strict his father had been about martial arts, Alex had been forced to find many different ways to be close to that world.
He picked discarded Wulin times magazines, hid behind the window of people's houses so that he could watch a match between cultivators whenever it was broadcasted. In retrospect for one of his heroes to actually feel jealous of him was both flattering and upsetting at the same time. It made Alex feel the need to keep things low key, so that things like thus don't happen again. But Anya was a demon.
"You're right Alex, he doe's look like a dragon among men."
At her words a smile broke out on Lu yen's face. And he was about to open him mouth to speak to her, before Anya dropped a bomb that could get them. Killed.
"But you Alex, you're a dragon among dragons. I'm sure in a year's time or less, your achievements will definitely overshadowed his. I mean seriously, you're much to talented to be put in the same level as him."
'I'm dead, I'm going to die, oh God I'm I dead yet.' At that moment, all his thoughts centered on how he knew Lu Yen was going to rip his arms from his sockets, and beat him to death with it. To make matters worse, all of their conversation had been heard by bystanders and they were adding fuel to the fire.
"Do you see who that is, that's State Champion Lu Yen."
"Of course I can see who that is, people call his Red Warrior of the first mountain."
"Yes but can you also see who that is, it's the genius."
"Wait! Is the guy who broke through three levels in one night.?"
"Are you retarded, of course it's him. You were also here Robo when he defeated that Eight level body refining realm cultivator with one punch."
"Of course I was, and he almost killed him too. To be honest I also agree with Goddess Anya on this. In not time at all he would definitely surpass the red warrior of the first mountain."
"Yes robo, and when that happens, he will become the blue warrior of the dark mountain. Equal if not greater in strength to even dragon bull Emeka who is the most powerful cultivator of our country."
"Cop, I think we have been blessed enough by fate, we have witnessed the birth of a legend."
'And you have also killed him too!!!!' Alex shouted within his mind. If Lu Yen did not have any reason to hate him, he did now. And he was sure, that Lu Yen would hate him for a very long time. Alex did not know how thing's got completely out of hand. He just wanted to be a cultivator, head to the Wudang sect, find his mother and maybe get married to Anya and live the rest of his life in leisure. But before he could even leave his own village, much less the country, his life as a cultivator was already becoming even more complicated.
"Do you hear that Alex. Every body here thinks you have the potential to surpass me. Well I wish you the best of luck, and waiting for the time when you will be staring enough to challenge me. But until then I will be watching you, blue warrior of the dark mountain."
Alex was able to pick out the distinct lack of the word 'brother' when Lu Yen called his name again. It was safe to say any sort of hope he might have had to create a relationship with one of his heroes had been ruined by Anya, and those two idiots in the crowd who had already disappeared, probably to go ruin the lives of some other people.
But now almost every one in the arena were talking about him, some of them even recognized him from his time as a soccer captain.
There was nothing Alex could do, as all of a sudden a massive pressure was dropped on his shoulders. When he looked at the eyes of everyone in the Arena, and Anya too, he could see their expectations, he could see that because of his revealed talent, they expected him to be the best, to become the best. Which meant that from now one, no matter what happens, Alex was not allowed to loose a fight.