-------------------------------Chapter 20 Tiger Hazuki----------------------------------

Focus, one of the most neglected basic skills in Martial Arts. Without it, a Martial Artist was no different then a mindless thug who fights without purpose. Howerver, this basic fundamental had relations with experience. If you understood the basics, as well as the Martial Arts, the only thing that holds your back is your experience.

-Kez

Ryo could only focus on what was blocking his path, a man who had lost himself. It made him think, if he did take his revenge on Lan Di; would he come out like Ziming. A high member in the Chiyoumen, responsible for heinous crimes. Would killing Lan Di really sate his heart?

Ziming charged at Ryo throwing a series of well aimed punches at Ryo's torso section. Ryo was ready for the onslaught as he blocked or evaded each and everyone; stepping back on each unsucessful sucession.

"You allow yourself to be overwhelmed!" Ziming shouted.

Ziming slowed his attack down; in effort to see if Ryo would leave an opening with the change of pace. Ryo continue to block and evade with methodical skill, using his forearms and evasion to thwart his attackers melee.

Growing weary of Ryo's stand, he swiftly dropped down; and swept his right leg sharply towards the back of Ryo's knee. Unable to avoid the attack, Ryo purposely dropped backwards on his backside under the sweep. He then rolled to his feet in next movement; jumping towards Ziming; with his leg raised above his head, who was halfway risen from the previous move. Ryo brung it towards his head, Ziming skillfully halted this attack by bringing his forearms together, however the resulting force pushed him back. Ryo saw this and when his attack leg came halfway down, he rebounded it, and striked towards Ziming's abdomen connecting.

Ziming stumbled a couple of feet before recovering, and charging in again faking a kick towards Ryo's lower body, before bringing the same leg back across Ryo's face. Ryo would only halfway recover after falling back several feet, before he felt another sharp blow impact his chest. Ziming stood in a forward stance with a open palm, as Ryo slammed into the ground.

"Weak...." Ziming said to himself.

"Come on Ryo, you look like a fool!" Ren shouted.

"Ryo, stay focus.." Guizhang advised.

Ryo held his chest as got back to his feet, Ziming was already upon him showing no mercy. He brung foot across Ryo's face after swift rotation of his body sending Ryo hurling across the soaked pavement. Blood trickled down Ryo's forehead, he closed his eyes to prevent it from bliding him. He felt his forehead, he could fill a gash, everything was slowly turning to black. His hands felt numb, he slowly rose again against his will.

Ziming grabbed him by the back of his head, laughing as he did so.

"This is battle, this is what it is. The clash of flesh and fist, I love it!" He begin to laugh again.

He brung Ryo back to his feet, at the sametime, he brung Ryo's abdomen into his knee with a piercing blow, he followed this by slamming his head into the same knee. Ryo fell to the ground disoriented.

"Hahaha" He looked to Guizhang and Ren. "You will not come to the aid of your ally?"

"Tch...man"

Ren being to walk over there, only to be stopped by Guizhang.

"What's your problem, Ryo has lost you idiot."

"No, Ryo hasn't, even after taking all of that. His desire to win still burns strong. He is a man of virtue, I can see that now..."

Ryo rose to his feet once again, his fist clenched.

Ziming stood with his back turn to Ryo shocked that he still had fight in him. His eyes widen even more on what he saw next.

"What!?"

A aura only seen by Ziming resonated around Ryo. Ryo's left eye was sealed shut, his right eye focused on Ziming.

"How could you understand!?"

"...you couldn't undestand...." Ryo said in a low tone.

"Fool!"

Ziming charged in with the same open hand strike, Ryo stepped back and with both his palms parried the attack upwards, leaving ziming off balance and open. Ryo quickly stepped in with jabbed to the abdomen, at the sametime a thunderous roar of lightning breached the clouds, Ryo begin to decimate Ziming's body with these punches until he could barely stand.

Ryo sized him up, then executed his next attack as he dashed in with a knife hand to the abdomen, then to the throat, followed by a spinning heel kick across the face, sending Ziming flying into the pavement.

"Alright Ryo, that's what I'm talking about"

"Impressive, didn't think you would pull it off."

Guizhang and Ren ran over to his side. Ryo walked over to where Ziming laid, defeated.

Ziming looked up to him, somehow still remaining conscious.

"So...the prophecy...remains...true. Heh....you are the Tiger. I was right." He spoke in the weakest tone.

"Tiger?"

"Yes...from a far eastern land. The Tiger...hidden strength...you understand it..."

"I don't know..." Ryo answered truthfully.

"The Dragon will destroy this world...and perhaps"

"Do you mean the Dragon mirror?"

"No.....Lan Di, could she be the....No, you must find the answers on your on."

"The answers.."

"Xiuying, Xiuying, if you see her. Do not tell her of what I have become, tell her I have passed."

He struggled to his feet, turning his back to Ryo as he did so.

"Why?"

"Please, I've dishonored myself. I could never face here again, little Xiuy."

"You are a man, you must live by your convictions, and die by them. I can't do that for you...Ziming." Ryo answered truthfully.

"Heh,...perhaps. Wise words. Realise your destiny....."

Ziming limped off into the shadows. A man scarred, yet who would one day find peace with himself.

"Ryo our mission isn't over..." Guizhang pointed out.

"Yes, this train hasn't reached its destination." Ren agreed

"Yinlongyan....."

------

Lan Di exited the vechicle, and observed the skyline, he could sense a disturbance. The cave was just ahead, he would not be denied his destiny. If he was truly the Tiger, he would meet him in the cave to end it all. That is where the Tiger would fall.