---------------------------------Chapter 23 Climatic confrontation----------------------
"Kei-oppppppppppp!"
Ryo lunged in with another series of punches and which Lan Di begin to parrying, finally catching Ryo's arms in a lock, between his bicep and forearm.
"Such unpolished skill....you which to overcome me with..." Lan Di observed.
Lan Di disengaged the lock, at the same time he sprung his hand invertedly across Ryo's face, knocking him back once again. Ryo recovered from the minor blow, realizing he had made an error, he shrugged it off. He was toying with Ryo, like a Master to a apprentince; in his eyes Ryo could not defeat him.
"Come..." Lan Di extended his hand forward, palm facing up, he rested in a natrual forward stance.
Ryo charged in again, changing his stance to that of the Bow-arrow stance of Tajiquan, shifting his left leg back at forty-five degree angle in comparision to his right. His hands in front of him guarding high and mid sections, ready to intercept attacks.
"No..you come." Ryo instructed.
"So you wish me to end this?"
Lan Di blazed forward as if he phased from sight, striking an open palm strike at Ryo's chest; Ryo quickly intercepted the blow dispatching it to the side, he used the motion to quickly slash at Lan Di's open abdomen, Lan Di countered this by raising his knee in defense; Ryo forearm made a smashing halt into the barrier Lan put between himself.
Ryo instinctively jab with his free hand, at Lan Di's head. Lan Di deflected this punch in the same motion....
"Balance is the most important part of Martial Arts...." Ryo remember Master Qin Tan words.
Hazuki darted forward sharply catching Lan Di off guard; using the brief instant of opportunity he invertly flipped forward, striking both legs across Lan Di's face as he did so. Lan Di's eyes widen as Ryo connected with the unorthodox technique, causing him to slam into the stone ground. A cloud of dust shot up as Lan Di made impact, the wind knocked from him.
Ryo regained his balance, it was a move he had seen the JKD master do when he fought against her in Kowloon. That was just like Ryo, having only seen the move performed a few times he would be able to perform it himself with seemingly adept skill.
Maybe that is what made him different...what made him the Tiger...
Lan Di laid on the ground he could not believe what happen. Not only had this boy found a way into his guard twice; he had connected with a powerful blow that had knocked him to the ground.
"How could this...boy? Is this the same boy that I easily defeated....." Lan Di questioned himself.
The Tiger Swallow style master rose to his feet looking at Ryo with a new concentration.
"If the Tiger did not flow within you. Yes, that is the reason..." Lan Di spoke of something only he and Ryo understood.
Ryo did finally understand, he was fighting with fist of virtue. This was the will of the Tiger, of the Hazuki style. If he was to die here in the Hidden Dragon cave; at least it wasn't for revenge. He did not hold hatred for Lan Di, that wasn't the reason he was fighting him.
Shenhua went to her knees, clasping both hands together she closed her eyes and begin to pray. A white aura invested her body almost immediately, a blinding light blazed up to darken clouds parting them briefly before they closed again. Lan Di looked at her in disgust for he knew what she was up to.
"She hinders the balance!" Lan Di cried out.
"You will not disturb her...."
Lan Di knew had to end this now or the whole cycle would be destroyed because of Shenhua. She sought to change what was written, and make a new prophecy, he would not allow it. He had search to long for his delusional providence. Like a snake he slipped into Ryo's guard with an swift punch to the abdomen knocking Ryo back; Ryo countered before Lan Di could advance anymore evading to the side then quickly sweeping Lan Di's legs. He easily flipped out of this, spranging off his left foot towards Ryo.
"I shall finish him with the same technique I did to his father..." Lan Di though to himself.
Ryo sized up and stepped in jabbing, Lan Di ducked under the attack and formed his hands together while stepping hard in on his right foot. Both his palms connected fiercely into Ryo's thorax, it felt as if all Ryo's internal orgrans imploded upon impact. The blow was like that of a sledge hammer. Hazuki's pupils turned white, images of his life passed through his pupil a million times over...
Shenhua open her eyes; completely terrified and shock over what had just occurred. She ran over to Ryo who now laid on the ground, peaceful. The aura disappeared from around his body.
"Ryo! Answer me Ryo!"
He smiled a tear ran down his face as everything begin to fade to black, Lan Di stood smirking with aspiration.
"Weakling like his father..now everything should go to plan like it was written."
"Yes it will!" Shenhua agreed, a look of anger on her face.
Lan Di look at her in awe, for once he was afraid. He had never seen such a look of anger from someone so peaceful and innocent. Yet now she had the will to destroy him in her eyes.
"What do you mean!?"
"From a distant land in the East, from across the sea, he shall appear. He does not know the strength hidden within him. The strength that would destroy him. The strength that would fufill his wishes. When he is ready, he shall seek me out. I shall wait... this encounter has been my destiny...."
Shenhua begin to weep, she was overwhelming herself; losing her composure. Yet she found the strength to continue.
"s--ince ancient times. A dragon shall emerge from the Earth, and the dark clouds shall obscure the heavens. A phoenix shall descend from above, its wings will create a purple wind. In the mist of the pitch black night, a morning star shall glisten, alone..."
Lan Di could not believe what he was hearing, he looked up and could the the dark clouds were being parted by a blinding light. A purple mist formed around the blinding light, Lan Di could not believe his eyes.
"What is that creature!? No it can't be!?"
A brownish, gold bird with glorious wings summoned purple winds with the stroking of its wings. It flew stationary as if it was observing what was occuring below.
"What you read is false, this is what truly is suppose to occur......"
"Chiyou....."
Lan Di could not deny what he was looking at; one cannot deny what illustrates in front of their eyes...He searched for reason.
Ryo eyes suddenly opened, he looked up and saw a shining star. It shined directly on his body, recovering his strength.
"Is that the Phoenix, Shenhua?"
She nodded, and smiled.
Shenhua was overwhelmed with joy, she begin to hug Ryo. Even though he didn't understand that he had just been ressurrected. Lan Di's hands begin to tremble, what kind of sorcery could cause it to occur.
"How could it be, I destroyed him. This should not be happening."
Even the strongest of men deny fact even when it potrays itself before them.
Hazuki rose to his feet and stared at Lan Di, he knew Lan Di's plan had been thrwarted.
"You are defeated Lan Di, walk away and change your ways. There is always another path for those lost..." Hazuki's voiced boomed with virtue and peace.
Lan Di look at Ryo with disgust, the ultimate insult this youth preaching to him. He did not understand his quest. There could be no walking away from this, he would finish him.
"I'll make you understand..."
Lan Di charged at Ryo with the intention of ending it all, either way he would not let one of them walk away from the cave. They would all feel his suffering.
"When you meet Lan Di, fight with my spirit as a guidance, virtue as a light, but not for revenge." Iwao's words ringed in Ryo's head.
Lan Di stepped into Ryo striking range, Ryo lunged in with the pit blow and which Lan Di blocked the first punch and then evaded the second punch.
Lan Di's eyes flickered seeing had an opening for an attack.........
"Goodbye Lan Di..." Ryo retorted.
Ryo's elbow exploded into Lan Di's solar plexus before he could formulate his counterattack, sending Lan Di flying into the altar where the Dragon mirror resided; it exploded into hundreds of pieces.
"Thank you" Lan Di smirked before slouching over lifeless.
Ryo held in place briefly thinking of his father's words.
"One must learn the fundamentals to reveal the essences."
It had been a move he had show Fuk-san once more before he left to China.
Ryo looked back to Shenhua who was still a little overwhelmed because of what happened. She went to Ryo's side as they both look upon the morning star that gleamed into the cave.
"Its finally over..." she said softly.
"Shenhua.." He looked deeply in her eyes.
The star twinkled as their lips touched.
------
Meanwhile outside the cave
Ren, Guizhang sat upon the bodies of Shao and Lee. Observing the the morning star Ryo and Shenhua were looking at in the cave.
"Eh Guizhang? I don't know what happen in that cave but I think Ryo won."
Guizhang smirked agreeingly.
"Yes, I can feel it. Ryo I know you would do it, my father was right about you."
"Heh, I think I'll be going in and getting whatever treasure is in there..."
Ren got up and walked towards the cave entrance.
"Ren..." Guizhang rolled his eyes and lit a smoke and continue to look at the morning star.
"Ryo you realized your destiny your father would be proud."
---------------------------------------------------
"Kei-oppppppppppp!"
Ryo lunged in with another series of punches and which Lan Di begin to parrying, finally catching Ryo's arms in a lock, between his bicep and forearm.
"Such unpolished skill....you which to overcome me with..." Lan Di observed.
Lan Di disengaged the lock, at the same time he sprung his hand invertedly across Ryo's face, knocking him back once again. Ryo recovered from the minor blow, realizing he had made an error, he shrugged it off. He was toying with Ryo, like a Master to a apprentince; in his eyes Ryo could not defeat him.
"Come..." Lan Di extended his hand forward, palm facing up, he rested in a natrual forward stance.
Ryo charged in again, changing his stance to that of the Bow-arrow stance of Tajiquan, shifting his left leg back at forty-five degree angle in comparision to his right. His hands in front of him guarding high and mid sections, ready to intercept attacks.
"No..you come." Ryo instructed.
"So you wish me to end this?"
Lan Di blazed forward as if he phased from sight, striking an open palm strike at Ryo's chest; Ryo quickly intercepted the blow dispatching it to the side, he used the motion to quickly slash at Lan Di's open abdomen, Lan Di countered this by raising his knee in defense; Ryo forearm made a smashing halt into the barrier Lan put between himself.
Ryo instinctively jab with his free hand, at Lan Di's head. Lan Di deflected this punch in the same motion....
"Balance is the most important part of Martial Arts...." Ryo remember Master Qin Tan words.
Hazuki darted forward sharply catching Lan Di off guard; using the brief instant of opportunity he invertly flipped forward, striking both legs across Lan Di's face as he did so. Lan Di's eyes widen as Ryo connected with the unorthodox technique, causing him to slam into the stone ground. A cloud of dust shot up as Lan Di made impact, the wind knocked from him.
Ryo regained his balance, it was a move he had seen the JKD master do when he fought against her in Kowloon. That was just like Ryo, having only seen the move performed a few times he would be able to perform it himself with seemingly adept skill.
Maybe that is what made him different...what made him the Tiger...
Lan Di laid on the ground he could not believe what happen. Not only had this boy found a way into his guard twice; he had connected with a powerful blow that had knocked him to the ground.
"How could this...boy? Is this the same boy that I easily defeated....." Lan Di questioned himself.
The Tiger Swallow style master rose to his feet looking at Ryo with a new concentration.
"If the Tiger did not flow within you. Yes, that is the reason..." Lan Di spoke of something only he and Ryo understood.
Ryo did finally understand, he was fighting with fist of virtue. This was the will of the Tiger, of the Hazuki style. If he was to die here in the Hidden Dragon cave; at least it wasn't for revenge. He did not hold hatred for Lan Di, that wasn't the reason he was fighting him.
Shenhua went to her knees, clasping both hands together she closed her eyes and begin to pray. A white aura invested her body almost immediately, a blinding light blazed up to darken clouds parting them briefly before they closed again. Lan Di looked at her in disgust for he knew what she was up to.
"She hinders the balance!" Lan Di cried out.
"You will not disturb her...."
Lan Di knew had to end this now or the whole cycle would be destroyed because of Shenhua. She sought to change what was written, and make a new prophecy, he would not allow it. He had search to long for his delusional providence. Like a snake he slipped into Ryo's guard with an swift punch to the abdomen knocking Ryo back; Ryo countered before Lan Di could advance anymore evading to the side then quickly sweeping Lan Di's legs. He easily flipped out of this, spranging off his left foot towards Ryo.
"I shall finish him with the same technique I did to his father..." Lan Di though to himself.
Ryo sized up and stepped in jabbing, Lan Di ducked under the attack and formed his hands together while stepping hard in on his right foot. Both his palms connected fiercely into Ryo's thorax, it felt as if all Ryo's internal orgrans imploded upon impact. The blow was like that of a sledge hammer. Hazuki's pupils turned white, images of his life passed through his pupil a million times over...
Shenhua open her eyes; completely terrified and shock over what had just occurred. She ran over to Ryo who now laid on the ground, peaceful. The aura disappeared from around his body.
"Ryo! Answer me Ryo!"
He smiled a tear ran down his face as everything begin to fade to black, Lan Di stood smirking with aspiration.
"Weakling like his father..now everything should go to plan like it was written."
"Yes it will!" Shenhua agreed, a look of anger on her face.
Lan Di look at her in awe, for once he was afraid. He had never seen such a look of anger from someone so peaceful and innocent. Yet now she had the will to destroy him in her eyes.
"What do you mean!?"
"From a distant land in the East, from across the sea, he shall appear. He does not know the strength hidden within him. The strength that would destroy him. The strength that would fufill his wishes. When he is ready, he shall seek me out. I shall wait... this encounter has been my destiny...."
Shenhua begin to weep, she was overwhelming herself; losing her composure. Yet she found the strength to continue.
"s--ince ancient times. A dragon shall emerge from the Earth, and the dark clouds shall obscure the heavens. A phoenix shall descend from above, its wings will create a purple wind. In the mist of the pitch black night, a morning star shall glisten, alone..."
Lan Di could not believe what he was hearing, he looked up and could the the dark clouds were being parted by a blinding light. A purple mist formed around the blinding light, Lan Di could not believe his eyes.
"What is that creature!? No it can't be!?"
A brownish, gold bird with glorious wings summoned purple winds with the stroking of its wings. It flew stationary as if it was observing what was occuring below.
"What you read is false, this is what truly is suppose to occur......"
"Chiyou....."
Lan Di could not deny what he was looking at; one cannot deny what illustrates in front of their eyes...He searched for reason.
Ryo eyes suddenly opened, he looked up and saw a shining star. It shined directly on his body, recovering his strength.
"Is that the Phoenix, Shenhua?"
She nodded, and smiled.
Shenhua was overwhelmed with joy, she begin to hug Ryo. Even though he didn't understand that he had just been ressurrected. Lan Di's hands begin to tremble, what kind of sorcery could cause it to occur.
"How could it be, I destroyed him. This should not be happening."
Even the strongest of men deny fact even when it potrays itself before them.
Hazuki rose to his feet and stared at Lan Di, he knew Lan Di's plan had been thrwarted.
"You are defeated Lan Di, walk away and change your ways. There is always another path for those lost..." Hazuki's voiced boomed with virtue and peace.
Lan Di look at Ryo with disgust, the ultimate insult this youth preaching to him. He did not understand his quest. There could be no walking away from this, he would finish him.
"I'll make you understand..."
Lan Di charged at Ryo with the intention of ending it all, either way he would not let one of them walk away from the cave. They would all feel his suffering.
"When you meet Lan Di, fight with my spirit as a guidance, virtue as a light, but not for revenge." Iwao's words ringed in Ryo's head.
Lan Di stepped into Ryo striking range, Ryo lunged in with the pit blow and which Lan Di blocked the first punch and then evaded the second punch.
Lan Di's eyes flickered seeing had an opening for an attack.........
"Goodbye Lan Di..." Ryo retorted.
Ryo's elbow exploded into Lan Di's solar plexus before he could formulate his counterattack, sending Lan Di flying into the altar where the Dragon mirror resided; it exploded into hundreds of pieces.
"Thank you" Lan Di smirked before slouching over lifeless.
Ryo held in place briefly thinking of his father's words.
"One must learn the fundamentals to reveal the essences."
It had been a move he had show Fuk-san once more before he left to China.
Ryo looked back to Shenhua who was still a little overwhelmed because of what happened. She went to Ryo's side as they both look upon the morning star that gleamed into the cave.
"Its finally over..." she said softly.
"Shenhua.." He looked deeply in her eyes.
The star twinkled as their lips touched.
------
Meanwhile outside the cave
Ren, Guizhang sat upon the bodies of Shao and Lee. Observing the the morning star Ryo and Shenhua were looking at in the cave.
"Eh Guizhang? I don't know what happen in that cave but I think Ryo won."
Guizhang smirked agreeingly.
"Yes, I can feel it. Ryo I know you would do it, my father was right about you."
"Heh, I think I'll be going in and getting whatever treasure is in there..."
Ren got up and walked towards the cave entrance.
"Ren..." Guizhang rolled his eyes and lit a smoke and continue to look at the morning star.
"Ryo you realized your destiny your father would be proud."
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