Chapter 33- Partially Grown Immortals

Hong Liren was even taller than she was before. Tian had grown a few inches in the last year, and felt that he was shooting up. Hong Liren still managed to expand her vertical lead. She was starting to change, growing into a more adult face. Tian scratched his chin. Was he also growing into a more adult face?

Hong Liren bowed. He returned the bow immediately. “I didn’t bow last time. That was wrong of me. I apologize.”

“Thank you. I won’t pretend that I forgot but… it seems a bit stupid to hold that grudge today.” Tian half smiled. She half smiled back.

“True. Though you still are a first rate idiot.”

“Did you ask a sister who knows medicine about my gift? It really would work. Really. You could be better in no time.”

“Oh I know all about your recipe.” She swung her spear around. “Did you wash your feet?”

“When you don’t have webbed toes, they are easy to clean.” He started spinning his rope dart.

Their seniors had carefully padded their weapons, so neither felt like holding back. So neither did.

Tian struck first. With a spin and a twist, the dart struck like a snake. Once again, Tian aimed for Hong’s eye. She flicked the head to one side this time, but didn’t let the rope wrap. She rushed in instead, her own spear aimed at Tian’s forehead. Tian smoothly pulled the rope back as he stepped to the side. The heavy dart silently struck at the back of Hong’s head. At the last instant, she ducked into a low crouch, then exploded forward in a lunge.

The spear closed the distance, drilling at Tian’s heart. He spun to the side, hooking the rope and trying to catch the spear in its coils. Hong didn’t give him the opportunity, recovering from her lunge as quickly as it had exploded out.

It was only the first probing exchange, but it already had their seniors nodding internally. Tian and Hong had both been working hard. Hong moved like a dancing flame and exploded like a jar full of oil under a roof. Tian seemed to always be in two or more places at once, striking fiercely but flexibly. Both clearly determined to prove they had grown further than the other.

Tian caught the returning dart with his front foot. He hopped on his back foot and spun, sending the dart out with a whistle and crack that promised broken bones and blood on the flagstones. Hong refused to let him keep his distance, diving in towards the rope and spinning her spear to knock it out of the way.

Tain smiled. “Got her.” He flexed his will to bind the rope around the spear- but the spear was gone. Once again, she had retracted it before he could bind it. Worse, she had slapped the dart onto the dirt. Tian tried to recover his dart, but Hong neatly stepped on it. Her grin was downright filthy as she steadily advanced up the rope, planting one foot after the other, spear tip pointed at his eyebrows.

Tian rushed in this time, willingly moving into the spear’s range. Hong flicked a quick lunge at his brows, but it was Tian’s turn to duck. His weak hands were enough to hold him up as he whipped a brutal heel at Hong’s ankle. The kick connected, knocking her front foot out of place. Tian smoothly transitioned to a rising palm, but Hong fell back, coming down in a one leg squat, her spear hammering down on Tian. Tian dove to the side and rolled behind Hong, palms flashing towards the back of her head.

Hong didn’t wait around for him- she dove forward and rolled along the rope, keeping it pinned. Tian rushed forward, palms slapping out. Hong got her spear up, whipping the butt and head at him, happy to beat him at close range. Missing that he had hooked his feet into the rope, and that he was now standing on the end closest to the dart.

Hong Liren made the spear dance in her hands. The red tassel below the spear head fluttered like a spirit of fire, blinding Tian, making him lose sight of where the spear was actually pointed. The shaft flexed and twisted, coming at endless angles. Tian countered with furious palm blows, and when the chance came, he hooked his arm around the spear shaft and sent an open palm smash at her nose.

“NAIVE!” Hong roared as she dropped back on her rear leg, ready to lunge, the spear yanked from his grip by her full weight. Tian was wide open to her counter.

“Who is?” The heavy dart thudded against Hong’s chest.

There was silence in the square. Hong recovered her stance.

“The palm strike was a feint, blinding me to the dart you kicked up with your feet.”

“Yes, Sister Hong.”

He could see the fury in her eyes, but he didn’t think she was mad at him. It was something else. He didn’t know what. He bowed.

“Thank you for the spar. Next year, I hope we can spar again.”

Their eyes met. Tian wondered what she saw in his face. She breathed out an explosive breath. “Thank you for the spar. I learned a lot. Next year, I’ll beat you for sure.”

The juniors returned to their respective sides. Nobody said anything, but Tian got a lot of approving glances and hidden smiles. He thought his heart would burst with pride.

“That Hong girl is making excellent progress in the Fiery Spirit Spear Art, and this Tian boy seems born for Snake Head Vine Body. Both cultivated well, both in excellent physical condition, and both have honest hearts. Good, good, good! You two have really repaid my faith in you.” Elder Rui nodded approvingly, and favored Brother Fu and Sister Bai with a faint smile.

“Elder overpraises me. This junior merely did as she should.”

“It is all thanks to Master’s guidance.” Sister Bai and Brother Hong bowed deeply to the smiling Elder Rui. The elder ran his long fingers through his white beard with obvious pleasure.

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“It is your own hard work. I am strict with punishments, but equally strict in giving rewards. We will talk after I review your books. As for the Juniors- Hong Liren, Tian Zihao, come before me.”

The two walked over and bowed.

“Rise. I expect that you both know you will be headed to the Southern Border soon? You will. You will be facing bloody combat too. Junior Hong, I know your grandmother will have sent you a storage ring and probably filled it with life saving medicines. But there isn’t a single talisman in there.”

“Senior is wise!” Hong bowed again. Tian could see, even from the corner of her eye, that she was spooked.

“Hahaha! If I didn’t know what Sister Hong was like by now, these last four centuries really would be wasted. Here- Three Gold Sword talismans. Each has the strength of a single full force blow from a Level Two Heavenly Person. Use them well.”