Age of Heroes

In the morning Arial is still practicing. Most of the cave surface is scratched and some bore holes. 

Arial is mastering the idea of distribution of energy. 

Sometimes he releases it at the tip. Sometimes at the edge. Sometimes at the back. Combining inner skill with swordsmanship. 

Then his ear picks up the voice. Batrisya. The tournament is beginning. He heard the announcement. Sun Moon Sect is fighting the Blinding Sword Sect. 

Arial smile and shakes his head. 

"Train' he said to himself.

Arial is not interested in their fight. Then about an hour, their battle concluded. Arial with enhanced hearing can hear pretty well even though he is in the cave. 

Then Yilin began fighting Taojing. 

The result is Monk Sigrid from Yilin won. It is something that Arial expected. After all, with Yilin reputation, there is no way it will lose to some new sect. 

Even though Taojing has long been around, compared to Yilin, they are but a child. 

Then from outside Batrisya announced Two Bladed Sect Aeri will fight against House of Knives Eain. 

Arial grin and sheathe back his sword.

'Now this is interesting' he said to himself. 

He take a breath and release his breath, relaxing his tense muscle and his focus sweep across the Peak, his ear hearing the most faint noises, his nose smell even the most faintest smell and his senses spread out all across the forest, the water and the jubilant atmosphere around the arena and then with opening his eyes, the feeling, the smell, sound disappear in a second.

'So that is how it is'

He began walking to the entrance and see that around the area is empty. They all must be at the arena. Arial mused 

Arial quickly jump around the hills and with his lightness skill, he rushed to go to the arena. He reached the bridge and finally he arrived at the Arena. 

There is a gigantic statue of a Giant in the entrance of the arena. The moment Arial arrive the martial arts schools and the sect stirred. 

Arial after all, insult the Abbes of Ermeishan yesterday. The fact he is a junior and insults his senior is not view well in the martial art world. 

But Arial on the other hand is confident of his strength. So many of the disciple of Ermeishan look at him with contempt while some school lauded Arial bravery. 

'Teacher let me dispatch him' one of the female disciples said unsheathing her sword, ready to attack Arial. 

The Abbess stays her disciple hand. 

'We will settle the insult in the arena' the Abbess said. 

'There is no need to offend the Western Serpent because of a young boy.' The Abbess advised her disciple.

The disciple moves back and sheathe back her sword. But honestly? The Abbess believes that Arial is not her match but it is not like the Abbess doesn't know who Arial is. 

He is a lord, with an army rivaling any great kingdoms. She is not like the Four Immortals that are confident on taking an army by herself. 

While she views Arial disrespect of her as an insult to her personally, even she would not risk her sect safety. 

Who knows what could happen if she offends the lord personally? 

Even though Ermeishan is in Southern Tai, she knows how much influence the lord of Arrandy has there, and the resources he could employed. 

So for now she exercises caution. But if Mu Liyun kills him in battle there will be no problem. She will also receive the Four Immortals protection if Arial army retaliates.

She just needs to extract a promise from him never to hunt their sect before fighting, that is of course if Arial survive his fight with Nanshan Shu Ren Gui.

The Abbess doesn't believe that Arial is powerful enough to fight with Shu Ren Gui. Arial could see Mu Liyun giving him the eye. 

Arial then puff his chest. She just gritted her teeth.

'After all in the martial art world, strong is right.' One of the martial artists spoke in defense of the lord, seeing that the lord shows no fear in his eyes, looking at the Abbess, his eye challenging

'Maybe because he is strong' a martial artist said offering an explanation. 

'Or maybe he is just stupid.' 

Yet Arial ignored all of this chattering behind him. After all, everything will be make clear in the upcoming battle. 

Arial cross his arm and look as the battle between two assassination schools begins.

'Begin' 

Batrisya yelled beginning the battle between Aeri and Eain. Aeri uses a blade while Eain used a knife. 

They first circle each other looking at each other opening. Their eyes shine with a glint of murderous aura.

Most people when they are fighting will make some conversation but both of these two fighters is not talking. 

Full concentration to the obstacle in front of them. They just stared at each other, their eyes, no doubt looking, analyzing weak spot on their opponent bodies.

Then with a slight grin on both of these two fighters they clashed with a clang of two different types of weapons as sparks fly and the arena rang with their clash. 

Arial smile. 

Arial type of weapon has always been a sword and a glaive. 

So he is curios of knives technique and most importantly Blade technique of an assassin who is reputed to use stealth in their attacks.

Aeri uses blade technique while Eain uses Knife technique. 

Flying knives is thrown to Aeri with incredible speed, all of the knives originating from spot Arial could never even imagine. 

Some were thrown when Eain flutter his sleeve. Some when he is crouching, taking it from his leg, a leg strap with dozens of knives.

Aeri deftly dodge all that with great agility, dodging left and right, ducking down, crouching, and then when he spotted a chance he goes on the offensive trying to slash Eain neck while Eain sidesteps to his left and duck down and try to cleave Aeri neck with his big knife. 

'Oh that is close' one said. 

They are fast another chimed in.

'This is the battle of an assassin. Nimble footwork, hidden weapons and fast attack' Demon eye Zheng give his commentary. 

Arial nodded. He then turned back to look at the battle.

Aeri manage to use his lightness skill to get out of that crisis but there is some scratch on his neck. 

Blood can be seen flowing from that scratch. He grins a little. 

The crowd is concentrating on the battle as they look with open eyes, not wanting to miss even a moment. A few second late and he would lose his head.

'Such cruelty' the Yilin Temple disciples said. Yilin it seems does not afraid of the Renasian sect very much.

'Hahaha. Dodging and striking. Beautiful.' one drunk said looking at the battle. 

'Drunk Jean, don't yell so hard' some laughed. 

'Hahaha…I am complimenting the battle. What does it matter to you?' and he laughed. The others followed, even Demon eyed Zheng.

This time both the fighter in the arena once again took position, circling each other again and in matter of second they clashed into a storm of flurried attack between these two. 

In about ten second they must have exchange forty strikes against each other. 

All the Junior disciple could see with their eyes is some flashes and all they could hear is the sound of the blade and knives clashing. 

Arial on the other hand could see it clearly. 

'What a prodigious skill in speed technique.' Arial said.

Both of them is like lightning, dodging, striking, slashing, cleaving with both of them not giving an inch to their competitor.

'This is a very high level battle' the Abbess said.

Arial ears perked up. 

'True' Arial have to admit. 

Only high level expert can enjoy this battle to the fullest. 

Aeri jump back ward when he tries to dodge another of Eain attack when he spotted the round stone and with one kick the stone flew to Eain. 

Some gasped. Who would have thought that this thin assassin could have such strength?

Eain who is shocked by Aeri strength did not have enough time to response and instead of dodging he used his sect technique Splitting Sky technique and the stone is slice to two but Arial already know the decision.

Aeri turn to a shadowy like figure and with incredible speed he stabs Eain head, creating a hole in the forehead of Eain. 

With one flick of his wrist, Eain head explode to smithereens. Blood is like a raining day, filling the arena with dot of blood.

'So that is the Dark Blade technique' Shu Ren Gui said. 

One of the Sun Moon Sect who heard this ask 

'Senior Shu, please tell us, what is that technique?'

'Dark Blade technique is one of the secret techniques of Two Bladed Sect. Even I do not have such extensive knowledge on it but one could say that under the influence of that technique for about three second the user will be imbued with an almost godlike speed. The higher the level of mastery, the longer one could maintain this state' 

Arial nodded secretly. He has to admit it. That when Aeri use that technique, even Arial could not see him. 

But Arial believe such technique must have some restriction. After all, if it can be used every time, why not use it every time? 

It must harm the body to always use the technique so that must be why it is restricted to three second.

None of the martial artist is very shocked that Aeri killed his opponent. After all both of them came from an Assassination school. 

This is a norm for them. 

If they do not die here, they will die someplace else. But if Aeri fight one of the righteous sect, Arial believe he will be more hesitant to kill. 

After all the Righteous sect is very vengeful. It can turn into a blood feud between schools. And most school of the righteous sect will force their opponent to surrender. 

This is the norm.

Arial seeing this, is satisfied. 

'So that is how to execute Dark blade technique.' He grins as he opens his eyes. 

He understands it. The intricacies of the technique, the inner skill employed in the foot, and the trajectory of the force when Aeri dashed for his enemy vital organs. 

Arial could not see this before. 

Only after he change his heart with the dragon, he could see the subtle changes in energy, the force employed, and during the battle Arial use this ability to capture the moment of Aeri using the Dark blade technique onto his memory. 

Then closing his eyes, he opens his Scape and with that a scene of the fight emerged but this time Arial slow the scene, so slow Arial could even see the tiniest movement that Aeri made. 

It is a terrifying abilities Arial received from the dragon. 

With this ability, with Arial deep understanding of internal energy, he can copy anyone technique when he sees it and commit it to his memory. 

After all his foundation of technique springs from the sea of creation, referring to Levitia, as he is also called the sea of creation of martial arts.

Arial after seeing this battle without caring for anyone exited the arena and once again went back to his cave after seeing the battle and gaining some insights. 

He will wait his name called and then he will fight Shu Ren Gui but for now he needs to train again.

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