The Urban Dao Child

Yang Dao did not pay attention to anyone and went back to his seat. After he sat down he asked Thale, "Senior brother, can you guard me for ten minutes?" 

Thale nodded with a smile, Yang Dao could tell that this gut had no hidden agenda and thus it was okay to have him protect the order. He sat down on the chair and crossed his legs into a lotus position while his sword rested in his lap. His hands rested on the hilt and the sword sheath. If anyone dared to approach him and disturb him, they will face his slash. 

He did not know why he was sitting in this stance. He began to circulate his spiritual energy to consolidate his cultivation realm. The boy had no other thought in his mind. The people around also did not say much about this and the gathering continued. 

Yue Ming was also counting himself lucky in his heart. Just earlier he lost control of his emotions and challenged Yang Dao in front of everyone. The spar earlier agitated him to a level where he could not help but take a step out to challenge. He could tell that Yang Dao had been guiding Allan and not fighting with him seriously, so that meant he had still not displayed his original skill. 

If that was not enough, the cultivation realm of the first stage of spiritual formation was the bigger problem. He was sure that if Yang Dao gave in to his challenge, then he would have lost. Yue Ming was a true disciple. His skill was mediocre, but the network of connections was his strength. As he watched the people exchanging views with each other he silently watched. 

Yang Dao did not open his eyes until ten minutes, as he had asked Thale to guard him. He looked around and found the people busy with themselves. Suddenly, he sensed a gaze focused on his back. He did not react as soon as he sensed it, he waited. He asked Thale, "Senior brother, is this exchange of martial views and learning from each other is the only purpose of this gathering?" 

He raised a glass in front of him and pretended to drink water, and in the reflection on the glass surface, he found the shallow reflection of the person, who has been gazing at him. Thale nodded and said, "The purpose of this gathering is to circulate information between the disciples. Also, the person gazing at you is Trent Grande's cousin, Amil Grande." 

Yang Dao drank the water and asked, "Why is he staring at me?" 

Thale replied, "It could be because he and you share some history, or your fathers do to be precise." 

Yang Dao raised his eyebrow and asked, "Please enlighten me." 

Thale smiled and said, "His father used to pursue your mother, however, one-day Senior Yang Shan appeared and he swiped the floor with all the young 'self-proclaimed' geniuses. Then later the two people crossed paths in a secret realm. Amil's father was the next in line to inherit the Grande Overlord Throne. He decided to wash away his fame and attacked the heavenly herb your father wanted to acquire. 

Since that herb was desperately needed, your father withstood the blow using his body. However, he did not stop before making Tristan Grande pay the price with his right hand. So, probably as a filial son, he wants to take you on, or could be that he is just curious." 

Yang Dao looked at the glass surface and said, "Well, he wants to take me on."

The boy spotted his cousin sitting at the same table as Amil Grande. He said, "You are aware of the struggle of power back in Yue Overlord?" 

Thale nodded and said, "All the overlords know about it. You are dragged into it as well?" 

Yang Dao nodded and said, "However, it is fun." 

He did not reveal any big information to Thale as he did not trust him much. As soon as his words stopped a deep voice sounded, "Junior Brother Yang, would you like to have a friendly spar with me?" 

Yang Dao smiled and turned around to look at the person who issued the challenge. He smiled and asked, "If only senior brother thinks, I am worthy enough." 

The person who issued the challenge was other than Amil. His cultivation was at the sixth stage of the spiritual formation realm. He was the prime disciple of Elder Perseus. Yang Dao stood up from his table and walked to the center of the hall. Everyone else became silent. They wanted to observe what was the extent of his skills. 

Amil also walked over, he was dressed in a blood-red and black robe. He was a fairly handsome boy and had a small scar on his right eyebrow, giving him a wild charm. The boy then walked over holding a long halberd in his hand. He said, "Shall I hold back my cultivation?" 

Yang Dao shook his head and said, "On the battlefield, my enemy will not hold back." 

Amil nodded with slight surprise on his face and said, "However, this is not the battlefield. We will be sparring and spar is done among equals. I will limit my output to a stage three spiritual formation like that brother earlier. Okay?" 

He was now standing in front of Yang Dao. The latter thought about it and nodded. He did not dare to underestimate his opponents at all. Amil nodded and the two people bowed to each other to show courtesy. While Yang Dao held his sword in his hand, Amil held his halberd diagonally. 

It was unknown who said, "Begin." 

The spar began. The two people charged at each other, unlike earlier, this time Yang Dao displayed a faster speed and took the initiative to attack. The sword stabbed out and Amil reciprocated with a stab from the head of the halberd. The two metals collided but they did not step back. 

Yang Dao had a thought in his mind, 'He is strong.' 

While the same sensation was occupying Amil's thoughts. He mumbled, "Death shower." 

The halberd in his hands turned into afterimages. The audience was taken aback by this intense attack. While the girls worried about Yang Dao's safety, the boys became agitated. 

Yang Dao smiled and said, "Four elemental swords, first style, Blade dance in spring." 

The next moment his sword became a shadow. What everyone heard next was a constant clang and clink sound as they saw sparks flying in the void. What surprised them was that Yang Dao was on par with Amil. 

Amil was known throughout the sect for his prowess in the way of spear and halberd. Today, a new disciple was fighting with him toe to toe. This was something they had never expected. Yang Dao channeled his spirit energy inside the blade. They exchanged two hundred stabs in just a few seconds. Suddenly, Amil took a step back. 

He gazed at the spear tip attached to his halberd and was surprised to see that his weapon was full of chinks. Yang Dao gazed at his sword, shiny with a gleam, and sighed in relief. He did not know the level of a Dao Armament. 

Amil said, "Your skills are good and your weapon is better." 

Yang Dao smiled and said, "Senior brother praised. Thank you for your guidance, I found the missing element in my stab attacks." 

Amil asked, "Share your comprehension with us." 

Yang Dao nodded and said, "I always used to think that aiming at vital points is the key to fatality but the way you stabbed aiming from vitals to known vitals confused me. A moment of confusion in battle can lead to death. Thank you." 

Amil nodded and said, "Everyone has their style of fighting. Soon, you will understand your way too." 

With that said, he walked back to his table, and Yang Dao returned to his place. The gathering continued, a few people did spar with Yang Dao again, but the result was a tie. Everyone understood that Yang Dao was deliberately holding back and not showing his complete strength.

The boy left a good impression in the minds of those who played against him. In the gathering, Yang Dao stumbled upon a lot of information from Thale, both, about the sect and Yue Ming. 

He consolidated his image in the hearts of his peers and also consolidated his realm of cultivation. The news of the gathering and his performance circulated around the sect and the elders also came to know his name. 

After the gathering, Alisha escorted him back to his dwellings in the cloud palace. Yang Dao came back inside the cultivation room and took out the communication talisman that Yue Yun has left him. The first thing he did was to send a few loving and missing messages to his mother and then he contacted his grandmother Madam Yue. 

His message for her was, "Find me all the information on Thale Fray. Also, Yue Ming seems to have a wide network of contacts here and is close to the Grande family. Please have someone monitor the connection between Uncle Jiren and Tristan Grande. Things are not as simple as they seem to be on the surface. We need to find out the reason for Yue Jiren's strength."

With that done, he took a stroll to the kitchen as he was feeling hungry from all the exercise.