v4c5: Across the Face

Shi Jipeng of the Shrouded Mountain Sect was quite glad that the yearly examinations were his contribution to the sect. To weed out the weak was his duty—one he quite enjoyed.

The current brat had been uniquely unworthy. The First Stage of the Initiate’s Realm, and no techniques to his name? How utterly contemptible! To think that he would dare even disgrace their doorstep!

He did the boy a favour in crushing him. The Shrouded Mountain Sect was a place for the strong, and better to be defeated and banished here than killed later! Perhaps the boy would even come to him and kowtow before Jipeng like he was the boy’s father!

But of course, the boy had to land beside one of those. One of the bleeding hearts. The annoying fools who would shout and rave about unfairness, and who would waste valuable resources on the unworthy.

And indeed, the woman before him did have valuable resources. Healers were not entirely common, and ones that could obviously brew their own cures and potions were a resource to be acquired.

“The first lesson all cultivators should learn is that one should not waste their time with trash. Harden your heart and discard worthless things, especially the weak,” Jipeng instructed the woman. “Leave him and I shall be lenient.”

She froze momentarily at his words, then smiled at Jipeng.

“Worth differs between perspectives,” the insolent girl replied. Her Qi pulsed, and the boy’s breathing evened. She stood, interposing herself between Jipeng and the defeated brat, still smiling. Perhaps she meant that smile to be intimidating? A laughable thought. She was below him in cultivation—he could feel her power, that of the First Stage of the Profound Realm.

“Foolish. You should have taken this Senior’s wisdom, girl,” he informed her.

Arrogant as her actions were, he knew he could not break her for her cheek. She was a healer, and in the Profound Realm. Her admittance was a forgone conclusion, from what he had seen of her skill, and his superiors would not look kindly on driving her way completely.

Still, something of an example could be made. After all, a senior had a duty to… chastise a junior who was disrespectful.

He strode back into the ring and the woman stepped in behind him, her movements graceful and her smile still locked on her face. Her body, however, betrayed her tension. He could see the taut readiness of her muscles, and her left fist was clenched into a white knuckled grip.

“What is the name of the one before me who wishes to join the Shrouded MMountain sect?” he demanded.

“Hong Ri Zu greets the Examiner,” the small woman said, her voice tight and slightly guttural.

“Take your stance, girl. Your Senior shall make this quick.” She was lucky he was such a kindly instructor. “Be thankful to have caught my attention. Do well, and I will allow you to have personal lessons under me.”

He could overlook some blemishes, and her eyes were rather fetching.

Ri Zu stilled. Her dark eyes looked to be in shadow and the air around her looked thick, roiling with her Qi.

Very well, Jipeng thought to himself. If she is not ready, she is even more deserving of her lesson than anyone could expect.

He opened up with a strike that would have slain the boy on the ground outright, a fist heading directly to the girl’s chest. It was speed certainly beyond one who had just ascended to the Profound Realm!

So it was a bit of a shock when she dodged it. Easily, as though she was used to taking on far faster foes.

Jipeng’s eyes narrowed, and Ri Zu immediately counterattacked. A claw hand lashed out to blind him. He jerked his head back, and the claw transitioned to another blow, this one heading to his throat while covering an attack meant for his liver.

Three strikes in such short succession, and each one to a vital area? Enough, Jipeng snarled to himself.

[Heavenly Fulmination Arts: The Lightning Strikes!]

A flurry of punches flashed out. Each one flew like lightning and crashed thunderously, shattering the air—and each one was dodged. The woman bobbed and weaved around his blows with what looked like ease, her eyes never leaving Jipeng’s… and not once during his flurry did she strike back.

He continued his assault, trying to tire her out, knowing that every blow he failed to land was a loss of face in the eyes of every other examiner. His movements got faster with every strike until he reached the end of his technique, culminating in a knife hand that was as a bolt from the heavens.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Something stabbed just below his thumbnail, and he hissed. A little silver needle had been driven into his body.

Ri Zu was still smiling. A heat built in his thumb.

He jumped backwards, considered for an instant of what kind of poison the woman had used and easily identified the feeling. It was a paralytic, something he could easily purge. She dared think that this would work on him?

“Ri Zu expected more from an examiner from the Shrouded Mountain Sect,” the woman said, her head cocked to the side.

“Well, you shall see my might now!” Jipeng snarled, ignoring the weak poison as lightning Qi gathered around his fist. Ri Zu pulled two fingers up in front of her face—

[Thunderous—]

[Poison Arts: Virulent Spread]

—and his arm seized as lingering green Qi activated. The weak poison twisted and mutated within his thumb… and burst past the Qi barrier he had formed to contain it. It raced up his arm and into his chest, making every one of his muscles contract painfully.

His technique spluttered and died—and Ri Zu was suddenly right there.

Two dark eyes boring into his own. A smile that had seemed laughable before, now suddenly no longer funny.

He tried to strike her with his good arm, but almost leisurely Ri Zu deflected it. An instant later her palm hammered into his chest just above his stomach. Bile rose in his throat at the blow.

“Sit down and let Ri Zu examine you,” the woman said conversationally as more poison entered his bloodstream, paralyzing him completely. Ri Zu shoved him over and, like a toppled tree, he landed on his back with the woman’s fingers still on his chest.

Green Qi invaded his body like an army through open gates, brushing aside his own attempts to dislodge her. He was utterly helpless. The feeling of utter violation and terror grew as her Qi plunged deeper into his body. The touch ghosted along vital pathways, feeling like a bared blade gently tracing meridians and vital organs, promising that it could plunge into him at any time. The poison waited like a slavering hound just outside his heart—with a single thought she could let slip its chain, and the organ would freeze just as much as the rest of him.