Lightning crackled in a spiral of purple, gathering around Labby’s body with rising fury. I watched as Labby leapt from my shoulders, glowing a bright purple as a powerful beam of lightning surges from her body and shot towards the boy.

I watched as the guy’s eyes widened in shock at seeing the lunar lightning rushing towards him. Mist exploded around him, as the boy leapt, gracefully lifting off the ground briefly for a moment. The purple lightning struck the cloud of mist a moment later, spreading across the cloud, making it look like a thunder cloud hanging near the ground.

I didn’t waste time, quickly commanding Labby for the next move. “Labby, thunderbolt again!” I shouted, but sent a different thought to her through our bond.

“Aim a few crescents near the ground, to trip him while you pretend to throw lightning.”

Labby gave me a mental acknowledgement, and I grinned, watching my thunder rat crackle in all her glory as she shot towards the boy. Lightning surged around Labby once more, and for a moment I felt surprise rising in my chest at the amount of Qi she was using. Labby had grown in the past few weeks, and if I let myself sit around too long, then she may one day surpass me like this.

I grinned, feeling an odd excitement budding. This tournament was my chance to show the Sect my Path, and the Path of my spirits. To demonstrate the power of science. An empire doesn’t rise in silence after all, and if I wanted to have support, then I needed to show them what I was worth.

I felt Lu Jie stir in my chest at the thought, a half whisper in my mind starting to bud. “We’re not hiding anymore. Not afraid?”

I smiled, watching Labby strike with her lunar crescents as the boy tripped and Labby quickly used the opportunity to strike him with a bolt of lightning.

“I’m terrified as shit,” I replied to Lu Jie in my mind. “But I realized that running away from this world held no meaning. That in a world of power, my naivety would have killed the people I love. We saw what happened to Zhang and we felt the wrath of the heavens, and the truth it tries to hide. Can I truly afford to sit around and do nothing? I don’t think so. This is an opportunity. To show my worth to the Sect, to show them my path, and then leave before they can get their hooks in. I do not wish to be tied down under the Sect’s chains, but if I have to leave, why not leave with a blast?”

I felt Gu flare in my second core, roaring widely to be released. It seems Lu Jie shared my excitement. I laughed out loud, envisioning the future with my friends, in a different sort of world around me, one that I’d helped shape.

“Time to gain some Xianxia MC points,” I said out loud, commanding Labby to charge the guy with lightning.

Labby squeaked as she shot towards the guy, as I watched the boy’s face covered with a scowl.

“Sending a rat to fight for you. Have you lost all sense of honor?!” the boy screamed, as phantoms of mist swirled around, swiping at Labby.

I didn’t bother replying, continuing to watch Labby fight with fervor. I could sense her desire, to grow, to be faster, stronger, and the sheer joy at finally being able to help me.

“Labby is your opponent!” she screamed, launching a bolt of lightning towards the boy who cursed, leaping to the side. I could see his face slowly start to turn red as the rat he’d dismissed immediately continued to trouble him.

“It seems I had underestimated your spirit. Very well, if you’re set on not giving me any face, then I have no reason to do so either,” the boy said, as I sensed his Qi flaring. With a pulse, something began to rise around the boy, a coiling figure that writhed and pulsated around, formed of mist that smelled to me of sulfur. Little limbs twitched about, in a slimy slick Qi that made my chest writhe with disgust. I watched the massive worm, with fangs lining its maw rise around the boy.

“Will you be fine Labby?”

Labby gave an affirmative, and I nodded. I would let her have a go at it for a while longer, if things got bad, I always had my trump card.

With a screech that made me grind my teeth, the worm shot towards Labby, charging in a mad frenzy towards her. Labby squeaked, jumping back, as she shot it with lightning. She squeaked in surprise when her lightning spread across the worm’s mist-like body, not slowing it down in the slightest.

“Chii~” Twilight chimed, patting my head as I sensed her worry for Labby.

“Don’t worry, she’ll be fine,” I reassured Twilight, before sending another message to Labby. “Labby, use your claws, focus on its belly.”

“Squeak!” Labby replied with enthusiasm, crackling with lightning as she charged in. Lunar light gathered around her claws, lengthening them as they lit up. Dodging the worm’s maw as it smashed itself into the ground, Labby reached under and slashed through the beast's underside. A screech cut through the spirit’s voice as it shuddered, and tried to turn back around to hit Labby, but Labby was faster.

With surprising agility, she ran up the worm and then, with a powerful surge of purple lightning, she crackled down. The creature screeched and howled, as the lightning coursed through its body. The creature broke apart, fading to mist as Labby squeaked in triumph.

I grinned, sharing in the feeling of victory when something flickered in my vision. “Watch out Labby!” I shouted, but it was too late.

A kick near Labby had the ground splinter as the boy attacked. Mist poured all around him, forming claws that extended from his fingers, his breathing heavy and his eyes red.

“You’ve insulted me enough!” the boy screamed, charging towards Labby as she ran back, trying to shoot lightning but her Qi was overpowered, and she was flung back.

Quickly, I pulled Labby back into my Dantian before she could get injured and turned towards the boy looking at me with disheveled hair and furious eyes. I felt anger rising in my chest at how he’d hit Labby, and a part of me wanted to jump in and shove his face full with drugnades but I let the thought go.

“Fight me, coward. Your rat cannot buy you any more time,” the boy growled.

Silently, I turned towards Sheldon. “You know what to do buddy,” I said.

“Chirp!” Sheldon replied, walking ahead.

“Y-you wouldn’t dare. Even now, you refuse to fight…?” he spluttered in surprise, as his face turned red from anger. With a roar he leapt towards me, mist boiling all around him.

“Chirp!” Sheldon exclaimed once more, as a wall of water rose around him, Qi flared, like a deep well of power as the boy crumbled on his feet. His eyes widened in shock, soon replaced by terror as the tide of water swallowed him. There was a brief moment, where my eyes met the boy’s before he was flung across the cavern like a doll.

A moment later, I saw a glimmer of light surround him as the boy vanished, likely teleported away by the safety formations.

“Well, that was quick. I almost feel bad,” I muttered with a smile, as Sheldon chirped once more.

After making sure it wasn’t a trick, I walked up to the other end, and picked up the other half of the lunar medallion. I put the two halves together, and watched as they snapped together, forming the complete medallion.

Labby manifested onto my shoulders, crackling with lightning, and I smiled, petting her head. “You did great, Labby!” I said, as she squeaked back.

“Labby will do even better next time!” she exclaimed and I laughed. Twilight chimed happily in response as I turned back around, putting the Lunar medallion in my sleeve as I began to make my way out of the cavern.

Now to find the sun medallion.