Life Drain System

Chapter 82 - Watching A Duel

    "I cannot wait to watch one of these fights." Shen Hu says while changing into his human form, and Huoli doing the same. Xue Meiren just jumps onto the chair making herself comfortable, while Qing sits down like one would expect of a martial artist. Yueliang taking his seat elegantly as he was raised.

    Looking at the menus, the five chose their meals, while Yinshui Ji asks. "Should I come back while you decide what to order?"

    "No need, I will take the fire roasted sikar deer, medium, with cold water." Shen Hu replies.

    Shortly after, Huoli says. "Wild boar here, medium, with cold water." 

    Then the next in the line, Qing says. "I will order the pizza hamburger please."

    Meiren on the other side of her excitedly says. "May I have the Argali wild sheep, medium?" 

    Yinshui Ji replies. "Sorry, we just ran out."

    "Really." Xue Meiren asks with a sad look on her face.

    "Sorry, I was just teasing you, do not worry too much." Yinshui Ji answers, before saying to Yueliang. "How about you, what would you like?"

    "The burglar salad please." Yueliang answers.

    "Hmm, a rare choice." Yinshui says with and interested look as she writes it down.

    "Is it really?" Yueliang mumbles while interested.

    "Mhmm." Yinshui Ji answers before turning around to give their orders to the cooks.

    As she left the five of them leaned forward in their seats a little to get a better view of the arenas below. There were four connected arenas, in which those competing against each other could choose 1 of 6 different things to fight in. The first being a magic sword dual, the next hand to hand combat, third being go or chess, the fourth being music. Although one must bring their own instrument. The other two are quarterly events according to the menu, thus not worth mentioning for now.

    In each of the different arenas one could see a different match. For Qing she was more focused on the hand to hand, where anything goes so long as you do not kill or humiliate your opponent. Shen Hu, Huoli, and Xue Meiren were all focused on the magic sword dual. Where one must control your magic to such a degree, that you can keep the shape of a sword and solidity, while also fighting.

    Then for Yueliang the last of the group, he was most focused on the music arena, where their was one was playing the guzheng and the other a flute. Each taking turns trying to match the speed and song of the other while trying to force the other to make a mistake when it was their turn to be the main instrument. However they still had to be conscientious to not make a mistake themselves.

    Although the most amazing thing about this, was that they managed to play such enthralling music that it practically guided the fighters behind them to match the song subconsciously. When the music was more chaotic so too became the fight, the same happening each time it changes to something else. Enthralled by the sight of this, Yueliang thinks to himself. 'Who knew such a thing was possible? I would love to learn this if possible. Of course, not to enthrall, but help, and to fight.'

    After finishing his thought, seeing the others next to him watching their own respective arenas, one was more distinct among them to his eyes. Thus Yueliang says. "Qing, you seem interested in the hand to hand combat fights, if you come back here again sometime, why not try it?"

    "I was thinking the same thing, however there are two problems. The first being am I even allowed to? Then the second being my injuries that are currently healing." Qing says excited to try, but reluctant to worsen her health.

    "They will certainly allow you as long as you follow their rules that is, but you are right, hence why I said another day, and not today." Yueliang says while hoping she could try it and have some fun.

    "I will thank you in advance then." She replies.

    "Do not thank me, while I own this town, and rule it, I am not a tyrant. It is up to the people within to do as they please so long as they do not do anything bad or break any rules." Yueliang explains.

    "It is really so free here?" Qing asks.

    "What is it not the same where you are? I try to allow my people freedom and peace, as much as possible. So long as they do not incite trouble for the others or myself there is not much I am against them doing." Yueliang asks.

    "I see." She replies with a nervous reaction.

    "Sorry, I should not have asked. However I am sure that if you wanted to move here you could. If not, your king and I could have a chat about the future." Yue says warmly with coldness hidden all throughout his voice.

    "Hehe, I do not want to cause trouble." She replies nervously before returning her longing gaze to the fight.

    'Although I would love to help others, there is too much on my plate already. Even if not, I should stop involving myself in others affairs. One day, this is going to get me killed, or cause me a lot of troubles.' Yue thinks to himself as he refocuses on the music, this time not just listening, and watching, but also feeling it. Trying to feel what the music is conveying, as well as the intent, as this was taught to him by his chi master, and friend.

---- Meanwhile ----

    "Come on! Are you really so poor at magic that you cannot even use the simplest of techniques." Shen Hu mumbles to himself while watching one one of the dualist lose the shape and solidity of his sword nearly getting sliced in half from his mistake.

    Huoli on the other hand is quietly cheering for the female dualist, of course not because she was female, but because when Shen Hu and Huoli looked at the two dualists, they decided to bet on how long the match would last. She even mumbles to herself. "Come on just a little slower, you can do it."

    The bet between the two was that if Shen Hu wins, than Huoli would help him look for another mate, since he wanted them to get along better, he figured it best he she helps choose. However if Huoli wins, then Shen Hu has to do the hunting for a week, while she gets to stay at home or wander as she pleases for that week.

    While Shen Hu did not really care about if he won or lost, as it would not make much of a difference, he does want to win, as it will make the future easier. As instead of having to wait for them to decide which is better among themselves, they can just try to get along on their own before anything else.

    Xue Meiren on the other hand, while watching actually chose a dualist to cheer quietly for. She was cheering for the male as even when she saw him and knew that he was weaker, she figured he might be an underdog. Thus even if he seemed weak, he likely has some hidden aspect about him that would allow for his win rather than her. 

    The two continue to fight, with skill rather than might, as this is a test of ones ability rather than ones strength and brutality. While the fight may look elegant and easy, one wrong move and you die. You lose concentration, and you likely die. Therefore unless one is extremely confident in their own skill, they would not try such a dangerous dual. 

    However many mages academies, as well as other places require people to do these to not only test ones skill, but also for those that have disagreements, so they can settle their disputes. Of course, when settling disputes or even for other matters, unless it is for war, the judge will try to stop the two before anyone dies.

    "Sorry to interrupt your viewing, however your food is here." Yinshui Ji says behind them.

    In response to hearing this a few out of the group had their bodies jolt. As they were surprised that she could arrive without a single on of them noticing her presence. Either way, they quickly leaned back so that she could place their food before them.

    "I apologize if I scared you. Please enjoy your meals. Also, your servers and I will be back here should you need anything else, or want the rest of your meal." Yinshui Ji says while stepping back, next to the food on carts.

    The reason for all the carts were, as some of them ordered an animal, the whole creature was cooked. Thus they had many different dishes on each cart, due to each of the different parts of each animal being cooked. Well all the edible parts anyways. There were also the other parts on the side in a storage device should the customer want them for any reason.

    "Thank you very much." Yueliang says as the others had already started digging into their meals with their chopsticks. Even Xue Meiren who was using her chi just to use the chopsticks, just to match her company, rather than using her chi directly on the food.

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Pizza Hamburger ~ a hamburger using pizza as the bun. Tastes better than it sounds.

Burglar Salad ~ chicken, ground meat, and a few other ingredients mixed into your basic tossed salad, with no cheese. (all in all, basically things you could find in the woods thrown together, or what a burglar could find quickly.)