Thundering Dragon

Chapter 18: Victim to nature, only strength is the common factor.

Aftereffects of the battle in the sky imprinted itself majorly upon the land of Yin Long Planet. Crystallized shards for trees, every so often illuminating briefly, whilst also producing a piercing screech.

From up above if one looked down around the centre of the planet, you would see the burnt leaves and dead animal carcasses burnt to a crisp unrecognizable. From miles, upon miles of distance the land had bulged towards an epicentre from the start of the land movement to the centre looked like a displaced carpet. The land would take a new name after today though, how could it not? The change was massive, rendering people speechless as they left their shelters and took to view the new horizon.

Toulan and Greyhound had sent word to see if Jie was safe and well. Most school masters stepped forward to issue an explanation to the commoners on the planet. Though, it was a simplified version of what they knew and all agreed in unison before announcing.

The real cause was only known to the masters, they knew it was the cause of hidden experts on the planet. Why they was hiding on the Yin long Planet, and took to fighting just now? Nobody could answer that.

In a quiet courtyard, far away from the Crater City a young male sat next to an old hooded man. Both sitting in silence, breathing in the soothing air practicing breathing techniques. The youth is extremely handsome, his body well defined and toned clearly he kept up with his training without rest. His skin fed by Qi glistened as sweat soaked his body. His features and hair nurtured by the Qi, left him with a mysterious look. His long black hair dropped to his broad shoulders, garbed in just bottom half of his clothing, he sat there allowing the sun to heat up the sweat as it ran down his body.

‘Good jie, my boy. You have far surpassed the practitioners of this planet of the past few years. Nobody is your match, not even little old me. Hehe’ His body in a meditative position, though he looked like he was practicing, his gaze wavered as he allowed his mind to be disrupted by the ever so often water filled bamboo pipes that tapped on the rocks by the man made mini water garden.

Softly continuing, ‘I have received word of an entourage coming to seek help from me. Heh, even after so long after hiding on Yin Long they still haven’t forgotten me... I don’t know if I should be irritated or honoured.’ Looking thoughtful for a second, his gaze changed instantly coughing up heaps of blood on the hot floor bed, dying the grey rocks bright red!

‘ACCKK! HUFF huff’ Taking deep breaths as he felt his chest contracting on his lungs!

Jie’s eyes snapped open! ‘Master! Hold on, I’ll go get your medicine!’

‘Sit down fool! I’m not dead yet, I can get my own medicine!’ He unwillingly momentarily raged at Jie.

‘Master!’ Jie looked uncompromised, aiming to get the medicine before his master’s illness does any more damage to his body.

Waving his hand in a state waning of the caution. The Tiandi master apologetically looked back at Jie. Knowing him, in a moment of weakness angrily shouted at Jie. However, this wasn’t the first time. Over the years, the illness that had seeped in his body had taken dramatic effects slowly.

Every night he would lose himself to rage and anger. Deep hatred would consume his body, transforming him into a hating monster. Many nights close calls happened as Jie had to protect himself against his Master. Even after his Master lashing out, he still never left him. This man had taken a spot in his heart and soul that was irreplaceable. Jie witnessed this old man who needed his help, unwilling to let a tragedy like what happened to his brother repeat itself he decided that he would do his best no matter for who and when as long as it was within his power! No! Even if not in his power! This is Jie!

Rushing in with quick successive double strides, he picked up the medicine in a simple wooden cup. It had a no lid, but was covered by a cloth, keeping it as clean as can be. This whole yard was under the protection of a partial Qi Domain set up by the Tiandi School Master, not allowing a speck of dust or animal to float by. Slowly Qi rotated inside cleansing the whole courtyard and building everyday bit by bit.

The weeds sticking out through the stone floor-bed was nurtured by the Qi in the area which was amplified due to the domain. All living things strived of Qi, and essences. Trees and plants bloomed in this courtyard, changing to the Qi manipulation of the practitioners in the courtyard. Where they practiced, the plants and trees and bugs would sway to that direction. The Qi bubble magnified the effects of the sun that shone onto the courtyard, making it even more potent.

Jie made it back without a moments delay, carefully carrying the Medicine in the cup. He handed it over to his master, returning to his meditative position. Although he moved back to his breathing, his mind wouldn’t rest easily, constantly checking up on his master who sat there slurping loudly.

The Tiandi Master must have enjoyed drinking medicine, as each time he took a slurp his facial features looked as if they were pinned back. Jie always joked inwardly, about how he must have been a Night Lima in his past life. His eyes would open round like a Ping-Pong ball, his mouth and forehead would shift towards the back of his head. Such an unusual technique to drink medicine.

‘Are you laughing at my drinking again? I’m an old man ayyy don’t do this to me. Let me save some self-conscious and drink in peace will you.’ His features wouldn’t change, even when knowing Jie would laugh at him. This was their inside joke.

‘No master don’t worry. I just wish I could save this image, and look at it when I feel sad. Maybe show my dad or Greyhound. Hahaha’

‘You silly child. You’d make a joke of your master even when he is sick and old? What kind of disciple are you? Ayyy I made a mistake back then at the acceptance day.’

‘Oo? Master, I know you wished you was as good as me back when you was younger. Haha, I see you flex trying to look younger when you see how the ladies at the red light district look at me’ and Jie snickered teasingly.

‘I’m not talking to you anymore. You know I feel self-conscious, it’s why I always wear a hood!’ his face displeased with his student, he shifted and spun himself away from Jie. Showing only his back.

‘Master... I have a serious question though.’ Curious look shone in his eyes.

‘What is it ask away.’

‘Do you wear the hood even when...?’

‘Even when? What?’

‘When you go down on the ladies?’

‘PFFTT,’ spitting the saliva in his mouth right out, his eyes bulged unable to comprehend just what goes on in Jie’s head.... ‘You fucking lunatic what kind of question is that! Quick scram! Go bring me back 20 Iron Boars before dinner you lunatic! So rude!’

‘Master don’t worry. I’ll take the answer to my grave, I just want to know. Because you don’t even take the hood of when you...’

‘WHEN YOU WHAT?’

‘When you have a shit!’ He said as a confirmed look on his face took place.

‘PFFT!’ angered by continuous onslaught of Jie, the Tiandi master finally erupted! ‘YOU SPY ON ME WHEN I HAVE SHITS? YOUR CRAZY LUNATIC GO AWAY BEFORE I CHOP YOU IN HALF!’

‘Okay, okay. No need to get mad, we like family. It’s normal.’

‘Nothing you just said is normal!’ Tiandi school master replied helplessly.

‘Jesus. So uptight. Okay I’ll be back soon master, faster than last time!’ Jie said confidently, as he was running away.

‘Ayy, I’ll keep track of time! If you’re slower than yesterday, it will be divine punishment!’ He said as an evil grin hung on his lips.

Jie’s face twitched, as his body erupted with speed dashing towards crater city!

As he descended to skip around crater city, heading towards a nearby forest to begin his hunt. His thoughts ran racing through his mind, ‘Only strength can prevail. Only way to keep anybody from dying, I need more strength! I need to become an unmovable pillar!’ Ferocity and determination shone in his eyes, as his speed once again reached greater heights!

--

The galleon kept sailing the sea of space. The bottom of the Galleon had a giant arc, providing it with the ability to cut through the empty space and sail to the desired planet.

A young male was spotted on the galleon’s brig. With a mop in hand, he kept to himself completing his tasks for the day. He looked tired, yet vigilant. If one could look deeper into his eyes, one would see a victimized soul.

Past few days had become somewhat akin to a nightmare to him. From the moment he rushed towards Taegu’s quarters to personally present him with the wanted information to now. He had even erased the status of ‘young master’ in his head. He had brown hair, with youthful skin and beaming eyes when he entered the Iron Demon Body School. Now though, he looked exhausted, dull and his eyes hadn’t beamed like his first day.

Life is cruel, and he had come to accept this notion day by day. He felt deeply ashamed, at first he thought he could get away by keeping his head down and he would be forgotten by Taegu. Little did he know, that isn’t the case.

Everywhere he moved, sat and ate he felt gazes linger on his body. He felt the heavy shadows trap him and he knew, deep down something was wrong. He tried to ask for help, even though he tried nobody had taken to help him. When one isn’t the one receiving injustice nobody is concerned with you, as long as you keep away and your problems don’t effect anybody else nobody will step up to help you in this world. That is what he came to know, and understand.

Iron Demon Body is a ruthless school, with ruthless teaching. You make your own way up, and you are your own downfall. Every night Taegu would request his presence, and every night he was forced to endure despicable acts.

Taegu enjoyed this type of perseverance. He liked young boys, who would fight back until they had no will to fight back anymore. This was sport for Taegu, he enjoyed it every time he held a young lad down and watched them clutch to the bed covers in anger till their palms went numb.

If anybody wished to help, they would tell young Jianding that if he wanted to be left alone, it would to be submissive. Don’t fight back, but nobody would help young Jianding. For helping him, would mean they were put back in the crosshairs.

Jianding left victimized day after day, declared a notion in his heart for retribution of the filthy acts committed against him. Every night when he would be sent back by Taegu, he wouldn’t sleep. Instead his aim was different, sleeping as less as possible to use as much time as possible to train and bring about greater strength to himself. Jianding wasn’t naturally extremely talented but waking up to the cold truth of the world was like a bucket of ice waking him from sleep. His mind locked and determined to not be dragged under and used as somebody’s toy.

Each night, when most of the students would take to sleeping, he would stay up and creep out. Making his way to the training hall where it was quiet and spacious. He took to practicing. The Iron Demon Body School, had a very ruthless requirement to train. Elemental infusion from the seed would require the user to have a slight mutation in their body. They would require a high content of Iron in their body once that was found in the user he would be fit to practice the Iron Body techniques.

One of the greater ways to increase one’s strength was to constantly break your bones. Crushing them over and over again. This would slowly but exponentially boost the body’s endurance, but breathing technique was required. Not so much Qi, but the Elemental absorbing was the most important constantly enhancing the mutation in the body.

Jianding kept picking the same spot, and same wooden dummy before without a care and only a determined devils look in his eyes. He would smash his fists, elbows, knees, shins and all parts of his body into the wooden dummy. Every night taking to do this, his goal grew from just escape, to more malicious content.

Every night his body bled, he would write a blood debt on the wooden dummy. Always picking the same wooden dummy, always reminding himself of what he has to do. The shame he has to lift. Some of the students who practiced so late, noticed Jianding. The ones victimized just like him, could feel their souls spurned taking to practice late with him.

One single thought kept creeping up in his mind, ‘Only strength can prevail!’

--

Master Mad Iron was standing in the Young Masters personal quarters, addressing him about a serious matter, ‘Taegu, you shouldn’t take to sleeping with too many boys. The more yang energy is absorbed by you through the action will cause the Qi and Elemental seed in your body to also receive side effects. Your techniques will become unstable, and uncontrollable. There is a reason why the gods created men and women. Your body needs to be balanced for it to bring about its greatest potential.’

‘You say that Master, but that is a bygone eras thinking. If you see my explosive power, even you would shudder with fear!’ Taegu replied with an evil flash in his eyes.

‘Taegu. Too much yang energy will cloud your judgement. Making you more agitated, you will quickly become aggressive over trivial matters. Take some time away, we have women on the ship that you can taste, and even if you don’t enjoy them, you can let them do what they need to. There is some that even resemble young boys.’ Concern in his voice, Master Mad Iron kept reiterating.

Taegu only felt like a small child getting scolded by his parents. He didn’t like this feeling and he quickly became agitated at Mad Iron.

‘Receive this then!’ He explosively leapt at Mad Iron!

His palm, and forearm transforming into a metallic alloy that darkly shined in the room! His palm in a gripping motion aiming to rip Mad Iron’s face!

Mad Iron only laughed inwardly, ‘Humph. This stupid brat. If not for my personal goals I would have long since castrated you and fed you to the boars alive!’

As he thought so in his mind, he moved to receive Taegu’s pitiful attack.

His right arm just barely made it in time. However, unlike Taegu’s metallic alloy, Mad Iron’s shined brightly and attracted the light giving him a brightly lit arm that would almost distract one if they looked directly at the light shining off. He still didn’t receive the attack with a 100% of his power. Instead, reducing his power to slightly leave him in disadvantageous position.

A look of shocked swept Mad Iron’s face, as his body was forced back by the extreme violent collision.

An astonishing look of pride filled Taegu’s eyes, even he didn’t expect such explosive power. ‘I knew it! This is the new generation’s way of practicing!’

‘Young Master your strength! Even I am no match for you now!?’ His expression, one of questioning.

‘Ha. The student becomes the master, is the right saying for this occasion. Master Mad Iron, would you like to taste my boy that I’ve handled for the past few days? He’s a little dull, though still feisty hehehe’

‘I must decline young master. I should take my leave, and prepare for the landing procedures. I’ll take my leave now young master.’ Mad Iron bowed, before he turned to take his leave.

‘Before you go, call my young friend will you. Defeating you in a single strike, has sparked something down below. If you know what I mean’ A crude look in his eyes, Taegu moved into a seated position.

Authors note:

Longer chapter than usual. Some heavy drama, some light drama. Motivations from various sources and difference areas for everybody, our young Wenrou still asleep. Jie and Jianding talk of the topic. I really like the Jianding character, and personally wish to see him join Wenrou at some point. I hope I can make it happen!

Maybe I take t writing like this better, as this chapter just wrote itself. I started at one point and before it took any time it was written! Which makes me think a lot of mistakes are in there! I hope not cause I read a lot over it!

Please I hope you enjoyed, and let me know how you feel and think so far about the book and the various aspects I have introduced so far.