Learning To Live As A Cultivator 88 Chapter Eighty Eight - It Is Time For Jin Li's Figh

Pike's team lost against Ari's team, the current number one was too skilled and swept away the weaker members of Pike's team within a few minutes, including Troy, the boy targeted the day before by the wind arts user. Seeing that his team were losing their confidence, Pike surrendered at the eighth minute, deciding one loss was better than three. His team apologised to Pike, but Pike rallied them saying it could not be helped, after all it was Ari they were dealing with and that man was a cut above most!

He praised their performances instead, saying that Troy was amazing for holding Ari at bay for the three minutes he had managed and Carina, the girl who had performed well the previous day, had produced excellent cover with her thrown shuriken on top of using her whip. The girl blushed beneath his praise, but the man failed to notice.

In their second and third match, the team won, gaining each member twenty points that day. Bowyer's team won their second round and drew in the third, where fighting became more intense in an effort to win the last points available to them. Thus Bowyer gained twenty two points that day, putting him one point ahead of Pike.

"See, what did I tell you!" Bowyer grinned, broadly, "I said I would catch up and overtake you and it only took until the second day!"

"Yes, exactly, the second day," Pike said, calmly as the two men walked Leon, Jin Li and Sun to the portals back to the outer school that evening. The men had slid down the ranks, to seventh and eighth, but neither were concerned about it. Just as Pike had claimed also, Ari had shot up the placings to now rank second. And only Luna remained in the top ten for the girls as a few others had been fortunate to rise in the rankings and force Carina out. However as both Pike and Bowyer were aware, it was only the second day and there was still another two days before the Standings were finally over.

It was then that Leon recalled the bullies from the morning and the battle that Jin Li would now face. "Are you r-really g-g-going to f-fight that m-m-man?" He blurted out, glancing worriedly at Jin Li. After all, as great as he knew Jin Li's skills were, that man was a walking mountain of flesh and muscle, not an easy feat to conquer. He didn't want to see Jin Li hurt in anyway and he patted the pouch at his side wondering how many blood pills he held.

"What's this?" Bowyer asked curiously.

"Ah, that disagreement that made us late yesterday," Sun replied, placing his hands behind his head as he walked without care. "It escalated, now Jin Li must face the big brother of a first year that lost face before us."

"Sounds interesting," Bowyer grinned, then turned to Pike. "Want to go watch?"

"Why not," Pike replied with a shrug. "Let's see what type of martial artist attends the outer school these days!"

And so the number to enter the outer school area including Jin Li was five and waiting for them were the two berserker brothers, a few of big brother's followers and the group of first years that got chastised thanks to the confrontation with Sun, Jin Li and Leon.

"Ha!" A youth with a crooked nose, that had been broken in the past, and beady eyes peered over at them and called out; "What's this? Asking inner school seniors to fight your battles? Such cowardice!"

Jin Li did not bother answering with a sneer or words, just calmly walked to the centre of the arena, lightly adjusting his sword at his side. This sword did not have a name, it was not the sword he wielded beyond the grounds of his home, it was merely a practice weapon. However, the 'practice' weapons of his house could not be said to be ordinary either. He could lament that his true sword was out of his reach at this time, but he did not worry about it now. This practice sword was good enough to deal with the berserker before him.

As if to emphasise the point, Bowyer held up his palms in a gesture of peace. "We are simply here to observe our junior," he informed them, although he add inflection on the word 'our'.

The seniors of the outer school could not miss the implied meaning. Bowyer and Pike would not allow this fight to become unfair, nor would they allow their junior to be bullied following the end of the fight. Pike placed his hand upon both Sun and Leon's shoulders as Bowyer spoke, indicating that the two small youths were also under the umbrella of their protection. He then ushered the two to the seating area at once side of the arena. Leon looked over his shoulder as he was manoeuvred away, feeling sickly. Bowyer followed him and the outer school seniors and first years filled up seating in the opposite direction, leaving just Jin Li and the berserker senior at the centre of the arena.

The rest of the seating also filled. These were seniors and first years that happened to be in the Food Hall when the fight was agreed between the two men, but also a handful of Teachers chose to discreetly observe as well, slipping in when others attention was on the two martial artists as they began and latecomers lamented that they had missed the beginning of the fight. Amongst those to come late were two alchemists of the female persuasion.