Chapter 19 - The Banquet part 4 (1/2)

POV Xiao Luocheng

Coming to the New Moon Profound Palace for the ceremony to officially welcome the new Palace Chief Qin Wuyou with a few elders of the Xiao branch sect was a truly dull affair. If it wasn't for my father telling me to do this I wouldn't have even dreamed of coming to this boring place, but alas I am here and I should make the best of it.

After all the greetings and the speech is done it's time for the main event: 'the beat down of the Palace disciples'. Grabbing a bottle of wine and a glass, I pour myself a glass and get ready to watch these other sects beat down these pathetic New Moon Palace disciples. Soon enough the battles started with Xuan Yu of the Profound Heart Sect and Li Hao of the New Moon Profound Palace. And as expected the battle ended with Xuan Yu easily beating down Li Hao and leaving him in an injured state. Maybe this evening won't be as boring as I thought, at least this way I can watch those pathetic disciples be defeated and watch those other sect disciples act arrogantly in front of them.

These disciples aren't even worth my time to begin with so maybe after all this is done one of our disciples can teach those other sect disciples why the Xiao branch sect is number one.

After Li Hao is taken away for treatment that Xuan Yu focuses his attention on a big guy from the Palace disciples. And I gotta say for a Palace disciple this guy sure is big. Almost make me wonder what his parents fed him for him to become this big. But then all of a sudden some weird guy in black coat with red clouds stood up and volunteered. What a weirdo, but it should at least provide some entertainment watching this guy get pommeled. So Itachi Uchiha is his name, what a weirdo.

Soon after the battle between Xuan Yu and Itachi began it was made pretty clear who was stronger between the two of them. That Itachi guy just kept dodging all of Xuan Yu's attacks like he was some child throwing a temper tantrum. And after that Xuan Yu threw a temper tantrum and challenged Itachi to stop dodging, he responded with a claim that he wouldn't dodge his next attack. Let's see how he deals with that. As Xuan Yu uses his most powerful attack against Itachi, he just catches his attack and just like that he crushes his hands and kicks him so hard he flew up in the air. So this weirdo has some strength, very interesting. Now let's see what you can do against the rest.

Next up was Yan Ming from the Cloudy Sun Sect. This fight ended much faster than the last one. Yan Ming unleashes his cloudy sun chain and in response Itachi makes some weird hand signs and suddenly spouts a column of water out of his mouth like a geyser. That Yan Ming is standing there like he saw something incredible happening, but in the next moment Itachi instantly appears in front of him and punches him across the hall right into a wall. So that Itachi guy doesn't only have strength but he also has incredible speed.

Next up was Feng Guangyi from Stormy Profound Palace. He was standing around proclaiming how he was above him and that he is nothing in front him. But just after he starts his attack and right as he is about to hit Itachi, he stops. What is wrong with this guy, stopping just before your attack hit and yet it seems like he also doesn't know why he stopped. Until Itachi told him he took control of his body. Listening to his explanation I felt like laughing, there is no way he could do that. But all a sudden Feng Guangyi starts moving in a very weird manner while Itachi moves his hands. So he was telling the truth, he has taken control of his body and now he moves it however he wants to. And just like that he slapped Feng Guangyi unconscious. And now he has these weird powers too. This is getting much more interesting.

Next up was Tie Hengjun of the Iron Spear Clan. Tie Hengjun fought with a spear and Itachi brought out a sword. Their fight was one of techniques and they both had great techniques, only Itachi was noticeably much better in his techniques. After a while Tie Hengjun prepares his strongest attack for Itachi to take head on. After his attack has landed on Itachi and promptly impales him in the chest I was surprised. This guy has displayed such amazing strength and speed and he should have been able to dodge his spear attack with ease yet he didn't. But what happened next truly took me by surprise. Itachi body that was impaled on Tie Hengjun spear suddenly explodes into smoke and all that's left is wooden log at the end of Tie Hengjun's spear. In the next moment Itachi appears behind Tie Hengjun with a knife at his throat. This guy never ceases to surprise me. If this goes on then he will become next 'New Star' of New Moon City. I can not let that happen. Let see what he will do with the next guy.

Next up was Lu Zhannan of the Seven Deadly Sword Pavilion. As that Lu Zhannan tells Itachi about he has crushed many geniuses and how he also known as Cold-blooded Lu making Itachi look down. Did he really get afraid of him? He has such powerful skills, he couldn't be afraid of him. Just as Lu Zhannan goes up to him to attack Itachi looks up to him and all of a sudden Lu Zhannan just drops to the ground. How is this even possible? He didn't even touch him and yet he defeated him.

I think Lu Zhannan said something along the lines of ”You monster” to Itachi. He probably used some kind of mental attack against him. This cannot go on any longer. I have to put this guy in his place before rumors start about his strength and he will be looked at as the 'New Star'.

Itachi POV

”NEXT!!!”

After calling out for his next opponent Itachi knew who was gonna come up to him. Looking over the crowd he saw Xiao Luocheng come up to him. Looking at him, I could see in his eyes that he was feeling threatened to lose his top dog position among the disciples here in New Moon City.

As Xiao Luocheng was coming up to Itachi he was clapping along the way while praising Itachi for his consecutive victories against the others.

”Bravo! Truly magnificent! I had originally come in my father's stead to congratulate Palace Chief Qin, but I unexpectedly was able to enjoy one brilliant battle after another. I'm even more lucky to see another brilliant rising star in our New Moon City.”

Looking at Xiao Luocheng come up to him Itachi kept quit while giving him a small smile. As he got in front of him he stopped clapping and his smile faded to a serious look.

”What would you say to a sparring session between the two of us. As the current 'New Star' of New Moon City I believe it's my job to check up whether you are truly worthy of being called another rising 'Star'. Would you do this humble one the honor of a nice sparring session?” said Xiao Luocheng with a wide smile on his face.

Meanwhile Itachi was looking at him the whole time not taking his eyes of of him. Holding his left hand out he took out the Yamato from his inventory and started to tie the blade to the scabbard using the straps. After he tied the blade to the scabbard, he looked back at Xiao Luocheng and accepted his challenge.

”I accept.”

Seeing the Yamato appear in Itachi's left hand frightened Yun Che to no end. He started trembling in his seat and face was getting paler by the second.

'NONONONONONONONONONO!!!! Not that sword!!! Anything but that sword!!!' thought Yun Che to himself as he was getting more and more afraid.

Xia Yuanba who was sitting next to him saw that Yun Che was trembling in fear and he started to get worried about him.

”Brother-in-law what happened? Why are you so afraid all of a sudden?” Asked Xia Yuanba out of concern for Yun Che.

Instead of answering Xia Yuanba, Yun Che just pointed his trembling finger at Itachi and started stuttering one word.

”Y....Y.....Y.....Y.....Y.....Y....Y.....Ya.....mato” said Yun Che who was sweating like crazy and whose face was as pale as a sheet of paper.

”Yamato? What is that brother-in-law?” asked Xia Yuanba who didn't know what Yun Che was talking about. But Yun Che didn't answer him, instead he just kept his eyes on Itachi.

Xiao Luocheng was smiling widely after Itachi accepted his challenge. He took out his own personal sword and got into a fighting stance.

”I thank you brother Itachi for accepting this humble ones challenge. But I can't help but ask. Why would you tie your sword to your scabbard? I can't help but think that it's quite unfitting to fight with a sword still in it's sheath?” asked Xiao Luocheng who was confused with Itachi's actions.

”Do not worry. This sword is my favorite sword of all and I would like to preserve it as long I can. If the scabbard is damaged I can always replace it, but if the sword itself is damaged it would be quite a chore to repair it. But do not hold back. This scabbard is very durable and it can take quite a lot before it's damaged.” said Itachi who was getting into a fighting stance himself.

”Hahaha, very well then. Don't hold it against me if you get hurt than.” said Xiao Luocheng who immediately after saying that lunged at Itachi with an overhead slash.

Itachi held his sword above his head and deflected Xiao Luocheng's slash and quickly countered with his own attack that Xiao Luocheng deflected himself and countered. This went on and on with neither side gaining on the other. As Xiao Luocheng deflected another blow from Itachi, he countered with a thrust attack at Itachi's abdomen. Itachi quickly sidesteps away and then forward and came up to Xiao Luocheng's face. Hitting him in the face with his elbow he staggered Xiao Luocheng and than hit him in the face with the Yamato knocking him to the ground.

After getting knocked to the ground Xiao Luocheng quickly gets up and looks at Itachi with a face full of anger.

'How is this possible?!?! This guy is just at level 3 Nascent Profound Realm while I am at level 10 Nascent Pround Realm. I should be stronger and faster than this guy. How is it possible that he keeps up with me and has even knocked me to the ground?!?!' Thought Xiao Luocheng to himself who was getting increasingly angrier at the fact that his plan to beat and humiliate Itachi in front of everyone was failing misarably.

Getting back into his stance Xiao Luocheng quickly launches a flurry of attacks at Itachi who easily deflects all of his attacks while holding the Yamato with one hand. As Xiao Luocheng kept up his flurry of attacks he had left himself wide open to a counterattack. Itachi seeing one of these openings quickly takes advantage of it and hit Xiao Luocheng in the chest with the Yamato's tip launching him backwards. Just as Xiao Luocheng was about to hit the ground, Itachi appeared next to him and hit Xiao Luocheng across the abdomen slamming him into the ground and causing cracks to appear around him.