[Tai Lung's POV]
I stood on of a small pile of bodies, which was on top of a small boulder as I looked down at the battlefield with a satisfied smile.
My soldiers were winning as the enemy had given their back out of fear. It was not hard to cut down enemies who had no courage to face you.
I had stopped fighting after taking out the initial soldiers as I needed to conserve Chi, especially after pulling off a big move like I just did.
I did not know what the enemy was planning, so I had to be ready for everything. Besides, my effort would be better placed to change the tide of the war rather than to double down when we were already winning.
The war continued on as the battle cry and the frequent explosion of cannons filled the valley. I was sure the ground was shaking too, although I was standing in an elevation so I couldn't feel it.
I saw how they tried to send their Kung Fu Masters to the frontlines to change the tide of the battle but just like I had instructed, Master Ox and Master Croc came down from the mountain and stopped them.
They were Kung Fu masters, sure, but they were not even strong enough for me to remember their names. That meant each of them was weaker than one of the Furious Five so even if there were eight of them, I knew Master Ox and Croc would be able to handle them.
"Push ahead my soldiers!!" I roared from behind, giving more motivation and ferocity to my soldiers and it also worked to frighten the enemy as they were reminded of my despairing presence.
Its like two children sparring in the presence of one parent. The kid without a parent would never even be able to muster enough aggression to give a proper fight.
Everything was going well.
..
..
Until it was not.
*VOOOOOWWWWWMMMM!!!!*
"AHHHHH!!!!!"
Screams
But this time, they drilled into my ears because they were from my soldiers.
!!!
The wolves fighting at the frontlines got their body thrown in the air and before they hit the ground, their bodies were cut into multiple places as a whirlwind swept past them.
The scene looked oddly similar to how I ran through the frontlines not too long ago. If a master was to look at both scenes, they would be able to tell that both of them were executed in a shockingly similar manner.
It was almost the exact same style of fighting and technique.
"Tai Lung!!!!" I heard an angry roar. I registered the wrath in the voice but I was stuck in its familiarity instead.
A white blur, like the wind.
I could feel how it flew right at me, destroying and knocking away anything between us as its aim stayed true. A heavy malicious intent grasps the air with its cold hands.
Now my sense tickled, something deep in my bones which once guided my ancestor away from danger.
It screamed, 'Run' or 'Fight'.
A thin sound, sharp and high pitched entered my sensitive ears as I saw black claws slicing the air and coming at me.
I pushed out my own claws and swiped up, slicing the space between us as two sets of claws met in a spark of razor clash.
The place grew quiet before a shockwave erupted from us, blowing out waves of dust. My enemy stayed stagnant in the air, pushing himself up against my hand as I locked my arm by tightening my muscles. I was not going to move an inch.
"It's been a long time, Bai Hu." I said with an evil smirk as I looked at the Tiger in front of me.
Master White Tiger of Dali.
"You should've stayed in prison." He said in an icy cold voice and then we moved.
Our image blurred as we met in a continuous clash that the normal soldier could not even comprehend. We left a crater of destruction and many things were cut or sliced apart as we fought in different places.
The continuous spark created when our claws would meet was proof of our clash, it was also like fireworks as we danced around the battlefield and slowly moved away from the main army.
He was extremely fast. He was probably as fast as I was before being imprisoned by Oogway.
In the end, after our 211th clash, we separated from each other and came to a slient agreement for a break.
We both landed away from one another, a good 20 meters of distance was between us and we faced each other.
"Nice to meet you too." I said with a small chuckle as I blew on my right claw which was glowing bright red due to the heat caused by the friction of our clash.
Instead of greeting me back, he crossed his arms and with a condescending look, he said "You have not made any improvement."
Those were big words coming from a Walmart Tai Lung.
"But its still enough to put you in your place no?" I asked. We were talking about the Dragon Claw Technique which was a style of Kung Fu we both practiced.
It was also one of my main fighting styles besides my Leopard Kung Fu.
Long ago, we used to be rivals as fellow practitioners of the Dragon Claw Kung Fu. But after a short amount of time, it became obvious who was the once-in-a-million genius as I left him in the dust.
While he dedicated his life to that one specific Kung Fu, I went ahead of him and mastered every Kung Fu.
"I wouldn't be so sure." He said with a disdainful smile before crouching down.
I immediately recognized his posture and a small smile tugged my lips while I crouched down too. It was a traditional challenge from one Dragon Calw practitioner to another.
It was almost like a cowboy gun duel.
One attack will decide the winner.
"Give me your best." I said softly and mockingly. As an old rival, I decided to give him a chance and humour him.
We exploded out from our position. The earth caved in under our strength as we shot at each other like the wildest tempest.
I limited myself to not using Chi as I utilized only the Dragon Clew Technique.
We cut through everything which resisted our approach towards each other. The wind became blades in the wake of our cash as gnawing slash marks appeared everywhere.
The ten claws in our hands turned into swords as we split apart every matter that stood our way, including each other.
It was so fast that there was no sound until we both appeared in each other places. I stood at the place he once at and he did the same.
We waited.
Then reality finally caught up with us and a loud booming cry split the earth and sky.
*BOOOOOOOM!!!!!*
....
A deep silence followed the most violent exchange of the war. It was the calm after the storm.
Master White Tiger was the first to stand up and there were multiple small cuts on his body. Small streams of blood painted his white fur crimson but there were no serious injuries.
I was still crouching down, not because I did not want to but because I couldn't.
.
.
.
"You've changed." I said in an eerie monotonous tone.
Then small cuts also appeared on my body, painting my fur red. But unlike him, there was also a deeper wound right at my left chest.
But that was not the only part where the difference between us ended.
If you look closely, my wounds were bleeding more and there were small dark blood vessels popping out around them.
Especially on the huge claw mark on my chest.
It was poison.
..
Now I knew why my instincts were screaming at me that much when I could beat him easily. It explained why I felt a sense of threat even though I was stronger.
He coated his claws with poison.
Really? How could he?
That posture, that challenge. It was meant to be respected with dignity.
He had dedicated his whole life to this Kung Fu, it was baffling how he could show such disrespect when even I, myself showed him courtesy by accepting his challenge.
"You lost your honour."
"Like I said before, you should've stayed in prison." He said and looked at me, "Now please die, Tai Lung."
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[IMAGE]
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