Skyfire Avenue

Lan Jue felt sluggish, and the others felt it too. His four teaching assistants could barely move.

Such a powerful, dangerous aura!

The green masked man didn’t race toward Lan Jue right away. He took a step, and then suddenly he was off like a gust of wind. He threaded between Tan Lingyun and Wang Hongyuan, then whirled around so that he was behind the dance instructor. Now the assistant stood between Lan Jue and his opponent.

While Wang Hongyuan was fast and reactive, the green masked man was simply too quick. He couldn’t keep up with the man’s speed. He kicked a leg out behind him in hopes of connecting, throwing everything he had in to it.

In this sort of all-out melee, the focus was to do more damage to our opponent than he did to you in a short time. But as the green masked man moved around, he reached out with a hand and slipped to the side. This permitted him to simultaneously avoid the kick, and grab Wang Hongyuan by the back.

By this time Lan Jue had arrived. But instead of pursuing the green masked man, he instead headed straight for Wang Hongyuan, and punched at the beleaguered dancer’s shoulder.

The poor man felt a strange power course through his shoulder, and his back grow hot.

The green masked man wrenched his hand back as quick as he’d lashed out. A quiet ‘yi’ was sputtered through the mask. But he wasn’t done, and before Wang Hongyuan could turn the man was slapping viciously at his back with both hands.

Lan Jue, never idle, reacted by thrusting both hands forward toward Hongyuan’s chest.

The National Eastern University’s dance instructor became the proxy for the war between the two masked drillmasters. He could feel a series of blasts rush from behind him.

Tan Lingyun grunted in dissatisfaction, throwing herself in a flying kick over Wang Hongyuan and toward his green masked assailant.

The man retreated a step, faster than anyone would have thought. Now his series of exchanges with Lan Jue had come to a close. As he retreated, Wang Hongyuan’s clothes fluttered, then dissolves in to ash. He stood there, naked as the day he was born.

“Ah!” Mika, Xiuxiu and Tan Lingyun were all understandably taken aback. Xiuxiu especially yelped in surprise.

The green masked man moved like the wind, weightless and effortless in every movement. He raced to the side, smooth as silk, appearing behind Xiuxiu.

Xiuxiu’s bashful and tmid nature had her stunned at the image of Wang Hongyuan’s naked body. All she felt was her body going numb, and then suddenly Xiuxiu collapsed to the ground.

A dignified indignation flared in Lan Jue’s eyes. Faster than lightning he raced forward to meet the green masked man head on, and protect the second of his companions assailed by this stranger.

Since the beginning, this man’s target had been Wang Hongyuan, and then Xiuxiu. And Wang Hongyuan’s clothes, specifically. A true master of battlefield control.

“Back off,” Lan Jue’s voice growled. “He’s mine.” He knew attacking in numbers would add no pressure to this man. On the contrary, it just gave him more opportunities.

Wang Hongyuan tiptoed off the field, his face bloodless. There was a flash, and he vanished. That was certainly his Discipline at play.

The fight had only been very brief, but it had felt like hell. Wang Hongyuan could feel wave after wave of that terrifying aura passing through him. Although it did no harm, he felt himself frozen, locked in place like a statue. Even the bursts of air that passed by him didn’t strike. But the mere fact of being that close to the terrifying specter of death was draining. For these two, clearly the slightest mistake could mean terrible consequences.

Insane! These two are like damn nightmares! Without any hesitation, he was gone the moment Lan Jue said he wanted this fight one on one. He couldn’t have gotten out of there fast enough.

Gao Lei watched as Wang Hongyuan veritably blinked out of existence. It caused his brows to raise. He was no weakling, evidently! More surprising, though, was the golden masked drillmaster. He really could face down his own military instructor. Who the hell was he!

Mika and Xiuxiu backed off the moment they heard their boss’ voice. Tan Lingyun, however, did not.

There was a light for the lust of violence in her eyes, and excitement written clear on her pretty face. She looked at Lan Jue fervently.

“If you want to go one on one, that’s fine. But let me go first!”

“You?” Lan Jue paused, looking toward the green masked opponent.

He stood calmly to one side. “Very well then,” he said without being prompted.

The light in her eyes shone ever brighter, and she crouched like a lioness eyeing her prey. Then, straight as an arrow, she launched herself fist-first at the man’s face.

The green masked man swept his arm back and around, slapping Tan Lingyun’s fist toward the ground.

Tan Lingyun’s wrist flowed like water, wrapping backward around the man’s own hand. But she didn’t stop there. Her hands were like silk, and slid along the inside of his arm until she struck his chest.

“Huh?” Lan Jue blinked, surprised at what he saw. Even without the use of her Discipline, she was a competent fighter. It was news to him.

A flash of surprise flitted through the masked man’s eyes as well. He twisted his torso, and with the motion his arm began a corkscrew motion downward from the shoulder. Lingyun’s arm began to vibrate.

But Tan Lingyun was right where she needed to be. Her body arched as her legs swept up and over. With an acrobatic twist, her legs wrapped wrapped around the man’s neck. It was a nigh inhuman display of suppleness.

The green masked man stumbled back a step, groping at her back. She writhes from side to side like a snake, deftly evading his hands. With her ankles locked and her legs squeezing his neck, the Savage Goddess twisted her body violently to the side, making a full one hundred and eighty degree turn.

The very acrobatic strike was unexpected. Lan Jue also knew this was not some manifestation of her Discipline. She sure had some spectacular fighting methods.

Unfortunately, she didn’t know what she was going to face

Her legs were clamped around the man’s neck, but he responded by throwing his head back, trying to throw her free.

The inertia from her upper body forced her legs to twist. She hoped the fulcrum of the twist would force the green masked man to the ground.

But the end result was similar to Gao Lei’s exchange with Lan Jue. It was like the masked man could anticipate her every move.

Her legs were strangling the air from the man, but despite her hold and twists he never moved. She’d come at him full bore, but he was like a cast-iron statue. He would not be budged.

She felt a fist like steel strike her lower abdomen. By virtue of his terrifying strength, she was thrown away flailing. She curled in to a ball, pained by the strike.

There were many things to consider in a fight between a man and a woman. A man had to be careful not to strike a woman’s head, face or private areas. As a result, the abdomen became the primary target. Hits there didn’t leave any permanent damage, but they certainly reduced your opponent’s combative prowess.

Tan Lingyun flew a good five or six meters before striking the ground. The green masked man approached and, with the tip of his boot, kicked her.

Tan Lingyun was in the air again, flailing unceremoniously toward Lan Jue.

The drillmaster caught his assistant. Immediately he could see the skin of her face around the mask was pale and drawn. Sweat was coursing down her forehead. There was a fear in her eyes that spoke volumes, underpinned by a strange and unsettling mania.

Lan Jue passed her over to Mika, and then slowly turned to face her assailant.

Their powerful and frightening Savage Goddess lost so easily? The students of the NEU stood in shocked silence. Who was this man? He was like a monster!

The green masked man returned Lan Jue’s stare. After a moment his calm voice emerged from the mask. “I did indeed look down on you all. But this woman’s strength is passable, and your students are not entirely worthless.”

Lan Jue nodded. “I hope to have them undergo the Iron Army selection process after their training is complete. What do you say.”

“If they can pass twenty courses, then fine.” The man said.

“Excellent!” Lan Jue’s voice was fierce and prideful. Then, once again the fight was on. He raced forward toward his opponent without warning. He even began much the same way Tan Lingyun had, fist first.

The green masked man responded by lashing out with his own fist. The two white-knuckled appendages met in mid air, and where they collided there was an audible bang! A burst of air followed, and the gathered students and soldiers stared wide-eyed and open mouthed as they gust of air buffeted their faces.

How strong were these guys!

Lan Jue attacked, fast as lightning. His whole body was like a martial weapon, and he used every part to put pressure on his enemy. Hands, shoulders, elbows, knees, legs – even his head. Whatever was needed to get the edge.

But the green masked man’s defense was impermeable. His hands were like fan blades, no matter which direction Lan Jue approached from, his blocked any attack that came his way. Gust after gust of wind blew out from between them with each exchange.

The wind was strong to begin with, but as the fight raged on it became almost a tempest. The sounds of their strikes landing sounded like thunder. Footprints and craters appeared on the battlefield beneath them. The metal alloy floor couldn’t stand up to the sheer strength of the two men.