The Urban Dao Child

Yang Dao saw Shakti standing in front of him as she held a long sword in her hands. The boy could sense the ferocity of her aura. He said, "Senior sister, how about we all move to a place meant for fighting, you see, I have just set up the array, you will ruin my backyard." 

The others broke into laughter while Shakti glared at the boy. She scoffed and turned around. The group came over to the square where the disciples would publically challenge each other. This place also held Life and Deathmatches, however, it has been ages since someone fought with their lives at the stake here. 

The arrival of the group attracted a lot of attention and the people greeted them, they were a group of top new and old prime disciples. Alisha was not the prime disciple but she was not below them either, her talent spoke for herself. At the moment, the battle platform was occupied by two people fighting with great gusto. 

Shakti said, "Why are they so slow?" 

Amil felt a twitch on his lip and internally cried, "Not everyone is as abnormal as you are." 

Yang Dao said, "They are not slow, they have the skills that need polishing and thus they are sparring with repetitive moves. To hone and advance. Only when you have patience can you control life, otherwise, life takes control of you."

The people nodded but Shakti frowned. Suddenly, one of the people on the stage noticed the group of nine people and stopped attacking, he said, "I concede and got down the stage. His partner also understood his intention and got down." 

Yang Dao saw the person slightly bowing to him and replied in kind. Shakti said, "I never expected for you to enjoy perks, Mr. Youth Idol." 

The Dao child shrugged his shoulders and said, "You can do it too, if only you were patient." 

Amil walked over to the presiding elder and then told him the situation. The elder nodded with a faint smile and said in a sonorous voice, "Next Match, Prime Disciple Yang Dao vs. Prime Disciple Shakti." 

The disciples gathered in the square were all true disciples and they all became exhilarated. This was a chance for them to learn from the geniuses. It was not that they had low confidence in themselves but the status of a Prime Disciple was higher and the individuals holding this title were the cream among cream. 

Yang Dao and Shakti stood over the platform, ten meters apart from each other. The elder said, "The rules are simple. No intentional maiming and crippling. Any cheap moves, like consuming boosting elixir pills will have your bones broken by me. Regardless of your status, this is the platform of duels and you better play fair here."

The two people nodded and the elder said, "Draw your weapons." 

Yang Dao did not hold back and took his sword out of the sheath. Shakti was the same. The atmosphere suddenly became cold. 

...

Athena asked, "Are they going to fight with all that they have?" 

Yue Jing gulped and said, "Dao does not seem to be keen on holding back." 

Amil sighed and said, "Shakti will not hold back either, she will not be able to refine her intent if she did and develop a knot in her path." 

Alisha nodded and said, "Let us see, have some faith in them, they know their limits." 

The surrounding disciplines were all hearing all this as well, and they were surprised to find that Yang Dao and Shakti were going to fight all out. Soon, some people even started betting on who will win the battle.

...

The elder gazed at the two and said, "Begin." 

His voice still had some lingering echo left when a clanging sound echoed in the square. Yang Dao and Shakti have moved to meet in the center of the platform and their weapons exchanged a strong blow. The after wave of the attack, made Shakti take a step back, while Yang Dao, turned on his toes, jumped in the air, and slashed at Shakti with the momentum from the spin and jump behind his blade. 

Shakti was forced to take two steps back, but that was not it. Yang Dao moved in on her, with the tip of his blade aimed to strike at her throat. Shakti parried the incoming attack and moved sideways to get herself some room and attack Yang Dao. 

However, as she moved to the left, the dao child raised his empty hand and slashed it like a sword. A dim ark of spirit energy emitted from the edge of his palm blade and Shakti was forced to retract her stabbing blade to block the attack. She was surprised, this child in front of her just used his weaker hand to cast a sword spirit blade at her. 

She was not the only one, the elder presiding over the match and the spectating disciples all gawked at this. Some even covered their mouths as to not let out a scream. The blade attack landed on their hearts, leaving a scar they will never be able to hide or remove. 

Yang Dao was just ten years old and he was able to do all the things they have not even thought about. Will their pride or hearts not be damaged. Shakti regained her composure and launched a ferocious stab attack at the opponent. Her sword turned into a myriad of afterimages. Yang Dao did not take the attack head-on and moved back using his movement technique. 

However, this was not enough, the boy could still sense a faint sense of sharpness aimed all over the place. He shook his head and began a chained stab attack of his own. He said, "Senior Sister, your intent is the intent to destroy, you can obliterate mountains to rubbles, however, will that be useful? Will you be able to continue fighting once you have used all your energy?" 

He was not speaking to distract her, but to give her the much-needed push in the direction to become strong. Destruction was good but refined and precise destruction was even better. Shakti saw her attacks colliding with the boy's attacks and his soft voice echoed in her ears. It was as if something clicked inside her. 

She began to strike at him, her speed slowed down but his moves became precise and threatening. Yang Dao said, "In the river of strength if you let the stream take control of you. You are reduced to nothing but a pebble in the riverbed, rolling and tumbling all over the place, losing its way. 

You are a human, take control of yourself, your strength, your emotions. Use these things to refine yourself. If you fall, try to stand up. Remember that you are not a pebble, you are a human. Remember that you are not inside the river of strength, but it is something hidden inside you. Your blood, your bones, your muscles, your emotions, your spirit, and your thoughts. All of them make you strong.  You are the strength itself."

As his words flowed, the people were all entranced. A lot of disciples inside the square had already closed their eyes and sat on the ground. While some stood with a dazed pair of eyes, staring blankly at the void. Yang Dao did not know all this, he was focused on Shakti only. 

The girl in front of him was also the same, she slowly closed her eyes and the attacks coming from her sword all became sharper and precise. Suddenly, her sword began to glow with red color. Yang Dao smiled and increased his pace of attacks with his sword intent lingering all over the blade. 

Shakti had her eyes closed the whole time as she countered or parried Yang Dao's attacks. The boy did not stop because of this and neither did he go easy on her because the lady closed her eyes. Shakti was gradually rising to catch up his pace. 

After a hundred more moves, Yang Dao took a step back and Shakti said, "Destruction Stab." 

What followed was a ray of light firing from the tip of the blade and shooting at Yang Dao's throat. The elder on the side tensed up but before he could intervene, the beam of light was already upon Yang Dao. However, the young boy showed no sign of fear or hesitation and slashed his sword with all his might. 

The wind picked up the pace. The people had no idea what just happened. A cloud of dust rose from the ground, covering all their visions. Those with spirit sense found that everything was fine except the floor of the platform. When the dust cleared, the people found the platform to be split into two portions. 

Shakti was standing with her forehead covered in a cold sweat.. She realized only after the intent was released from the tip of her sword. Yang Dao was like a brother to her and he could have died, however, when she looked at the floor, and saw it split in two, she gulped and heard a soft voice, "Are you okay?"