Chapter 14: Chapter Fourteen – Duel.

There was no formal duelling arena in Temple Gorge. Th Blue Crane Kingdom was a nation ruled by cultivating families, but their lack of aggressive neighbours meant that the army focused more on internal peace keeping as opposed to real war. As such The Blue Crane kingdom lacked the martial atmosphere that was apparently common in most of the world.

When duels did happen in the city, they were held in a wide flat part of the riverbed that only filled with water during the spring high tide. There where no seats for people to watch the action from. Instead, people packed the streets of the vertical city on both sides of the canyon.

Many joked that on duel days the city stood on its head as the rich secured positions down low and close to the action while the poor had to make do with a place high up in between the palaces of the wealthy.

The streets were packed with spectators this morning. Chairs had been set up and those with higher places had various binoculars and telescopes. Businessmen in the city had erected street food stalls in an impromptu fashion in the middle of streets.

Once word had spread around the city that it was Kang Gang who was to fight people had grown exited. The Kang Clan was not well liked in the city. They had a reputation as arrogant semi-foreigners as the family had only moved their official residence to Temple Gorge from Rockcreek in this generation with Kang Gang’s Father Kang Cai.

Yen Wen had been sitting patiently on the duelling sand with her eye closed since sunrise. Xiulan and Yen Wen had expected Kang Gang to try and avoid the duel even with the aid of qi gathering pills. Next to Yen Wen was a sign that read, “Kang Gang is a coward and a pretender to grand station. I Yen Wen have already challenged him to a duel. Kang Gang has until midday.”

The appointed time was almost upon them, and the Kang Clan had yet to show themselves. The whispers of speculation and excitement bounced around inside the gorge amplified but made indistinct. Just before noon a grand palanquin forced its way through the throng of people.

When it reached the cleared ground Kang Gang stepped down with great fan fair. He had his chest pushed out and an almost comical swagger as he approached the sitting Yen Wen. He stopped just in front of the sitting woman and then proudly flared his cultivation outward. He had reached the third level of Qi condensation and the reveal drew gasps from the audience.

“I have reached the third level. Despite the fact you challenged me when I was only at the first. Not very gracious of you but luckily the Knag family has connections with a genius doctor. The pills I have taken are one hundred percent efficacy so do not think you have managed to sully my foundation with this duel.” Kang Gang sneered. The acoustics of the riverbed carried his words to the entire audience even the people on the very top level.

Yen Wen rose slowly to her feet and calmly replied, “You thought I was a mortal when you attacked me unprovoked. Honour is only a weapon when you have it yourself Kang Gang.”

The crowd was laughed as Kang Gang’s conduct was well known to all. Kang Gang flushed red and then forced himself into a martial bow not breaking eye contact with Yen Wen.

“I see only a crushing defeat will teach you to respect your betters. Where is that whore you were protecting anyway,” spat out Kang Gang viciously.

Yen Wen’s eyes flared in anger as she returned the bow, “Oh you will see her soon enough.”

Kang Gang hardly waited for Yen Wen to finish her bow before he attacked. The Kang family cultivation method was an earth manipulation method and they had built up many techniques in the area over time.

Kang Gang began by launching his right foot in an upper cut designed to catch Yen Wen on the chin. At the same time, he subtly expended a little qi to create a protrusion of rock behind Yen Wen. If Yen Wen had stepped backwards to avoid the oncoming foot then her own footing would have been fouled and she might have even fallen on to her back.

Yen Wen did not react as Kang Gang expected her to. Instead, she swayed her head to the side and stepped forward around Kang Gang’s upraised leg. Taking a step forward as Kang Gang attempted to change his momentum Yen Wen moved behind Kang Gang exposing him to brutal retaliation.

Yen Wen calmly slapped the back of Kang Gang’s head but gently, more in mockery than as an actual attack. The crowd laughed at the move.

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Kang Gang whirled to face Yen wen in a fury and then threw a quick succession of jabs at her face. On the fourth jab Kang Gang again tried to catch Yen Wen off guard by throwing up a chunk of stone from behind her at her back.

Yen Wen was avoiding Kang Gang’s jabs with easy moving her up body minimally to avoid them. Yen Wen suddenly jumped high in in air to avoid the stone coming from behind her. The stone passed through her legs and struck Kang Gang in the chest instead.

Kang Gang stumbled backwards, and Yen Wen landed with one foot on his chest. She let her weight force Kang Gang to the ground as he was already off balance. When kang Gang’s back hit the ground the air was forced from his lungs.

Discombobulated, kang Gang could do nothing to resist as Yen Wen lent down and slapped him on both cheeks.

Unable to take further humiliation to his family Kang Cai stepped out on to the sand with several household guards. They had surreptitiously made their way into the crowd. If the fight had gone well for Kang Gang then the Patriarch had planned not to show his face. Showing up to the fight personally only lent credence to the duel as an important event.

Kang Cai flared his own level Six qi condensation cultivation and said, “that is enough, he surrenders.”

Yen Wen ceased slapping Kang Gang and bowed in a mocking fashion to Kang Cai. She said in an over formal tone of respect, “of course if the father insists on fighting his son’s battles, I can only withdraw. Why don’t we call this a victory for the Kang Clan.”

The crowd roared with laughter. This was the best show the city had seen in months.

Kang Cai flushed with anger and hissed, “Yen Wen? Good I will remember you.”

Kang Cai signalled to his men to bring the air deprived and gasping Kang Gang away. As he was turning to leave, he saw Zheng Ling and XIulan making their way to Yen Wen’s side. His eyes widened at the implication.

 XIulan spent some time raising Yen Wen’s hands in victory as if she had won some sort of real martial competition. The crowd whooped and clapped drowning the gorge in adulation.

Xiulan raised her hands for silence and when the noise died down began, “well as arrogant as Kang Gang is he is right about one thing his family did meet a genius doctor,” Xiulan gestured to Zheng Ling, “this is her and the quick rise of Kang Gangs cultivation speaks for itself.”

There were some murmurs of speculation from the crowd. Xiulan continued, “luckily it is not only idiots who can use one hundred percent efficiency qi gathering pills. Yen Wen here has used the same. Genius Doctor Zheng Ling has been able to drastically reduce the price. She is selling them for only five silver per pill at her new practice and medicine shop.”

At that announcement the crowd began to seethe with confusion and outrage. That price was simple unimaginable. Xiulan sensed the scepticism and took out five bottles of pills, “I will give these bottles out for free to any brave enough to try them. Once the effects are clear you can all decide on the truth of my words.” 

Kang Cai had felt as if he had received a punch to the gut as soon as he heard the price per pill. He knew that the pills were indeed effective. He had used them himself. He fled with his son. He recognised the whore from Kang Gang’s descriptions. Somehow this woman had schemed against him so perfectly. He was determined to return this humiliation. Forty thousand gold was not enough to shake their foundations, but it still hurt.

Xiulan watched the Kang Clan retreat like injured dogs and smiled and the perfect marketing feat. Soon everyone in the city would be buying Zheng Lings pills and even at five silver per pill she would still make even more of a profit.

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