(Author

------------Chapter 2: Arctic Emperor Reigns-----------------

"Hmph. You think me a fool, brother. You are just as impulsive as you were five years ago when you made your daughter fight my eldest son, Lu Xing. Do you think I do not know you wish to regain face for her loss? Tell me, Lu Li, are you a fool like your father? Do you seek another chance against Lu Xing?" the emperor snarled.

"Of course not, Imperial Uncle," Lu Li bowed.

"Brother, why bring up the past? Your second son is a Practitioner. So too, is my first born son. I am merely suggesting a contest between the next generations. There is no harm in that," Lu Ce smiled.

"Viper," Empress Rong yelled as she slammed her fist on the table, waking the tiger cub. "You will have your little contest. However, don't expect your son, Lu Tian, to face Lu Shu so easily. He is scum in my eyes. If your son defeats three others, he will fight Lu Shu."

"My thanks, Empress. Lu Tian will not fail you. Boy, thank the empress," Lu Ce smiled as he gestured to the center of the plaza.

A large boy walked to the center of the plaza. He was also thirteen years old but stood six feet tall. It was evident that the boy was someone blessed with powerful physique. Most people who gazed upon the boy wearing a full set of silver armor could not believe he was truly thirteen. Lu Ce smiled as if he had already won. His sister, Lu Fei, smiled as she sent her daughter to the center of the plaza as well. Her name was Lu Qing. She was fourteen years old and already a beautiful young woman.

"What is the meaning of this?" Lu Yi asked as he saw his nephew and niece bow but not fight.

"My apologies, brother. I also wish my daughter to face Lu Shu. Worry not, how about we have them face ten representatives of the sub branch?" Lu Fei bowed.

"So be it. In the end, you will learn that your children are nothing. Proceed," Lu Yi spat.

Ten members of the sub branch stood up and bowed to the emperor before facing Lu Tian and Lu Qing. Lu Tian drew a katana as with a blade four feet long. Seeing such a tall boy tower above the others with his large blade, many people felt sorry for the five who surrounded him. Then they saw Lu Qing draw two short swords as she faced the other five.

Lu Tian roared as he slashed with his katana. Two of the boys spat blood as they failed to block his horizontal slash. They were sent flying toward the guests, but slammed into a barrier instead. They fell to the ground and did not get up. Lu Tian laughed and fire crackled from his body. It wrapped around his katana and he slashed at the three remaining fighters. They screamed as they could not block or dodge in time. The crowd averted their gaze as the three ran, crazed, in all directions until the fire killed them.

Lu Qing had also easily achieved victory. While her cousin overpowered his opponents, she moved to fast for them to follow. Wind seemed to gather at her feet and she moved so fast, it was as if the five opponents were moving in slow motion. She knocked the blades from their hands and smashed the side of her swords in the back of their necks. They were knocked unconscious before they could land a single blow.

"I am Lu Tian, a genius among geniuses. I am a third stage Spirit Shaman. Come, Lu Shu. Let me test your might!" Lu Tian laughed as he turned to gaze at Shu. "Cousin Qing, permit me to go first."

"As you wish, Tian," Qing nodded after looking at her mother.

"Oh? It's over?" Shu asked as he lazily looked away from his plate and at the stage. "Two heavily wounded, three dead, and five unconscious. You really went all out. I'll just fight you both. I'm still hungry."

"Lu Shu!" his mother yelled as she feared for her son.

"Why worry mother? I am at the fourth stage," Shu asked, shocking Lu Ce and Lu Fei tremendously.

"What?" Lu Fei gasped.

"Impossible! How can you be at the fourth stage?" Lu Ce yelled.

"You call me a liar, uncle? There is no point to lying here," Shu said and turned into wisps of shadow.

In a flash, they saw him appear in the middle of the plaza, gazing at his cousins. A trail of shadows was left behind from where he started. He opened his arms and let out his spirit force. It blasted away his cousins and they were forced on their knees as they almost hit the barriers in front of the guests. Lu Shu sighed and drew his katana, Arctic Emperor. He brandished the blade and wisps of baleful aura appeared. His demeanor seemed tyrannical as the baleful aura spread fear, paralyzing Lu Tian and Lu Qing. They struggled to regain their composure from the fear emitted by the aura.

"You called me out. Why do you stand still? You wanted to humiliate me, no?" Shu smirked. "Come, and show me your might. There are others who wish to fight and I wish to see them and exchange pointers."

This made all the delegates and ambassadors uneasy. They had also brought Practitioners at the fourth stage, seeking to overpower the second prince and show their might. However, they did not expect the prince to also be at the fourth stage. Some did not mind as they were confident with their own pupils. Lu Qing and Lu Tian stood side by side as they stared at Lu Shu. They had felt jealousy and envy from their parents as they were often told to become strong to defeat Lu Shu since three years ago. He was all they talked about and they were not praised, despite their accomplishments.

"I'll strike from the left while you strike from the right," Qing said.

"Right. I'll distract him," Lu Tian nodded as they no longer underestimated Lu Shu.

Lu Tian roared and ran toward Lu Shu. He swung his katana high and slashed it downward. Lu Shu relazed his lef hand on the katana and suddenly blurred as he appeared at Lu Tian's right in a flash of darkness and stabbed at him. Lu Qing appeared in front of the blow and crossed her swords as she tried to block it. Lu Shu's strength was too tyrannical to black and she was sent, flying, and crashed into Lu Tian instead. Lu Qing quickly stood up and disappeared as wind covered her body. Lu Tian bellowed as he stood up and wrapped his katana with fire.

Lu Qing appeared on his behind him and became a bullet of wind as she attempted to slash him with her swords. Lu Tian also used the same move he used to kill the three opponents from earlier, and sent out a wave of fire at Lu Shu. Lu Shu spun in a circle and made a horizontal slash, sending a whirlpool of moon blades made of water spiraling from his position. The wave of fire was extinguished as the water blades cut it several times and Lu Qing was blown away, as if she was hit by a truck. She moved incredibly fast, but the power of his technique was as if she rode a bike at a moving truck.

"No," Lu Fei gasped as she saw her daughter slam into the barrier above the guests.

Lu Qing spat blood on impact and fell to the ground. The royal guards looked at her and told the guests that Lu Qing was just unconscious. Lu Fei was relieved while Lu Ce fumed. How could both his children be defeated by Lu Yi's sons? Why was his brother blessed with genius sons above his own children? Why? Why? Those thoughts echoed in his mind as he saw Lu Tian pale when his fire wave was easily distinguished. After all, how could his fire technique defeat a living water spirit technique, the one called Radiant Howl?

"Do you surrender?" Lu Shu asked.

"Never!" Lu Tian roared and slashed at Lu Shu.

The plaza rang as metal clashed with metal. Lu Tian desperately tried to hit Lu Shu with every blade technique he knew, but they were all deflected by a flick of Shu's katana. Lu Tian tried punching him with his fist covered in fire. Lu Shu merely blocked it by letting the fist hit his palm which was covered with water. Lu Tian was at the third stage. Even if he was incredibly gifted among other third stage Spirit Shamans, Lu Shu was also stronger than most people at his own stage. Lu Shu did not strike Lu Tian down and merely moved out of the way or deflected the katana instead of dodging and blocking. In the end, Lu Tian's stamina ran out and a single palm at his chest knocked him out.

"Thank you for the lesson," Agemo bowed and sheathed Artic Emperor.

"HAHAHA! What a show. I'd like to challenge Prince Lu Shu," a boy grinned as he stepped forward when the barrier was withdrawn to take away the cousins.

"And who are you?" the emperor roared. "You wish to challenge my son, without addressing me first?"

"Ah," the boy paled as the emperor released the spirit force of a Spirit Sage. Clearly, the emperor had reached the end of his temper control.

"My apologies, Imperial Majesty. I am a delegate from the Xu City. I have come on behalf of the my father, the city lord. I am Liu Mang, son of Liu Bang," the boy bowed as cold sweat ran down his spine.

"Hmph. Proceed," the emperor said as he dissipated his spirit force, the crowd unexpectedly releasing their breath as they did not know they held their breath in shock of his power.

"Prepare yourself. You are not the only fourth stage Spirit Shaman here," Liu Mang warned as he drew a long sword. "I will defeat you."

"Come and try," Lu Shu grinned, eager to test himself against someone who could give him a challenge.

Both fighters initiated a spirit movement technique and released a small gust of wind as their weapons clashed. Liu Mang used the element of light while Lu Shu used darkness. The crowd watched as sword clashed against blade the battle became a battle of speed. Liu Mang yelled as a beam of light exploded from his left hand. Shu dodged it and sent five moon blades of water at Mang, the blades spreading out like a spider web enclosing on an insect that flew into it. Mang hastily slashed his sword in all directions, but was pushed back by the force. Water splashed all over the platform and Shu grinned as lightning crackled over his blade. He yelled as he stabbed his blade into the ground, sending a wave of lightning that grew larger as it rapidly spread in Mang's direction.

Liu Mang didn't panic and surrounded himself with wind spirit energy. Concentrating at his feet, he levitated ten feet off the ground, avoiding the lightning. Shu anticipated it as wind spirit energy users could levitate at the third stage and used his Radiant Howl technique again, sending another set of five moon blades at him. Mang cried out as he was unable to block them all this time and crashed into the barrier behind him. By the time he looked up, he saw Shu appear with a burst of darkness spreading from his body, Arctic Emperor touching the boy's neck.

"I surrender!" Mang cried as Shu drew a drop of blood on the boy's neck.

"Emperor Lu Yi," an ambassador began as Liu Mang left the stage. "I request a pupil of mine to spar with Lu Shu. He had befriended the Hyperion who, I am embarrassed to admit, even fooled me to believe he was human. I'm afraid he is angered at the loss of his friend and wishes to fight Prince Lu Shu. However, he is a fifteen year old at the fifth stage. I wonder if Emperor Lu Yi will permit this request of mine?"

"Ambassador from another nation. This will be hard to deny," Lu XIng thought as he stared at his father.

"So be it," Lu Yi nodded, shocking the crowd as they couldn't believe he actually permitted it.

"Dear, how could you permit this? He is of a higher cultivation stage," Lu Rong asked.

"Hmph. A single stage is nothing. If Lu Shu applies his knowledge and training, he is sure to win. This is also a good training for him. He is too strong among people of his own level. I know my son and I can tell that Liu Mang disappointed him. That boy was too predictable. He read that wind Practitioner like a book. Besides, I believe all his opponents were only Practitioners with weapon spirits. Hopefully, he fights someone who uses more than one element, like himself. The more elements an opponent uses, the more angles he can attack and defend with. Being too cautious will hurt his growth," the emperor waved and nodded at the ambassador once more.

"My thanks, Emperor Lu Yi. Truly, you are undeterred by sudden requests," the ambassador bowed. "Zack Howe, you're up."

"Yes, Prime Minister," a blonde boy grinned and walked onto the stage with a large axe in his hand, bowing at the emperor before looking at Lu Shu. "Hello, Prince Lu Shu. I am Zack of House Howe. I am a fifth stage Spirit Shaman who uses the elements of earth and light. Let us exchange pointers well."

"Light and earth," Lu Shu muttered as they began circling each other.

Zack appeared in a flash and hacked at Lu Shu from his left side. Shu was surprised at his speed and barely managed to block the attack. The boy appeared behind him and kicked Shu. Shu was knocked forward five feet before he managed to turn around, but the boy was gone. He jumped back as spikes of earth appeared from the ground and looked up as he landed. Zack was hovering in the air and sent a large wave of wave of earth at Lu Shu as his axe slashed the ground. Shu covered his blade with lightning and slashed at the wave of dirt and rock, slicing it in half.

"Not bad, Prince Shu. Allow me to take it up a notch," Zack grinned as his axe began to release a celestial aura.

"Fuck," Shu cursed as he wisps of shadows surrounded him as he blocked the axe from his blind point.

Zack appeared as if he was teleporting as he hacked at Lu Shu from different angles around him. Artic Emperor began to emit baleful aura as Shu released his spirit force with a shout, a White Ocean Tiger spirit roaring behind him for five seconds. Zack was knocked back by the spirit force and was shocked. As far as the boy knew, no one at the fourth stage should have such power. Shu deflected a blow and cut Richard's leg, drawing spirit energy from the boy.

"What? He can absorb spirit energy?" the ambassador gasped as he stood up in shock, clearly not expecting Lu Shu to be able to match Zack.

"HAHAHA! That kid. He is really is a demon," Lu Yi laughed in his thoughts.

"My spirit energy is draining. I need to end this fast," Zack muttered as he began to store earth spirit energy into his axe.

"If the prince can take this blow, I will gladly surrender," Zack cried, hoping to end the match sooner.

"Then I will return the favor," Lu Shu agreed as a black cloud appeared next to him.

The crowd stared in wonder as the black cloud began to replicate, lightning crackling from each cloud. Soon they connected and began to spread, quickly surrounding Zack and blocking the audience from view. Zack shouted as he used his most powerful technique, slamming his axe onto the ground. The ground shook as it exploded all around Zack. Everyone involuntarily stumbled from their seats as they saw such power. Most of the clouds were destroyed in the blast, allowing them to see the plaza full of dust from the explosion. As it cleared, everyone wondered where Lu Shu went as he had disappeared.

"What? He escaped?" Zack cried, shocked as he saw Lu Shu with several cuts on his legs as the black clouds condensed into one and revealed him.

"Sorry. My technique allows me to travel between each of the clouds. I literally become lightning. Thank you for being merciful," Shu bowed as his legs itched from the cuts.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" the emperor laughed. "Wonderful! Just wonderful. That's my boy. Another great victory. As there are no more challengers, I will---"

"Excuse me, Your Imperial Majesty. I would like my son to fight him," a voice said, shocking everyone as someone dared to interrupt the emperor.

"Who the hell are you?" Lu Ce roared angrily. Even though he did not like his brother, he was loyal to the throne and would sacrifice anything for the clan.

"I am a delegate from the Nara Empire," the ambassador in golden armor bowed. "I am Yoshida Tsugumo, brother of Emperor Shingen Tsugumo."

"The Nara Empire? Ah. My apologies, Esteemed Guest," Lu Ce stuttered loudly.

"My son, Yoshi, is of the fifth stage as well. As your son seems strong, I would like my son to exchange pointers with him. He has attained a true Archon body and is to be betrothed to one of the ancient clans. May I ask that they exchange pointers?" Yoshida asked, a grin on his face that he failed to hide as he did not bow low enough.

"This, I...will allow. However, if he dies, I will kill you and destroy the Nara Empire. You think I fear the ancient clans? I, Lu Yi, fear no one! You saw my ancestor, Lu Feng. He slaughtered one of the clans and can do so again!" Lu Yi said darkly as Yoshida clearly waited until he saw enough of Shu's strength. "I will not let my son die a meaningless death."

Shu felt something break in his mind and a scene from his memories appeared. He swayed to the ground as his body burst spirit force, blowing away the fragments of dirt and rock around him. Everyone stared at Shu as they didn't know what was going on. Suddenly, the living water technique appeared a few inches above his body as it seemed to wrap him like a cocoon, its head roaring above his as its insect-like body seemed to wrap limbs around him that looks like cerulean veins that glowed and had wisps of it seeming pulse from its body.

"Lu Shu?" Lu Xing cried, concerned for his brother.

"Don't cry. Don't cry," Lu Mei whispered to the tiger cub as she stared at her brother.

The White Ocean Tiger spirit and the mask spirit appeared above him. Everyone was shocked to see dual-spirits, save for Lu Yi who already knew from Meng Ce's report a few years ago. The pupils in Shu's eyes narrowed like a tiger's and the mask spirit actually materialized on his face. His crimson wings sprout from his body as baleful aura emitted from Arctic Emperor. The temperature seemed to grow colder and the people, whose cultivations were not high enough, could see their own breath. Shu became immersed in the memory, oblivious to the real world.

"They're here! The government is here! They brought guns!" one of the scientists cried.

"Get those containment control gates down. They are eight inches thick of pure hard steel. It should delay them for a few hours, even if they had bombs!" Agemo cried. "I want the facility on lockdown. Good thing we already deleted all the data and escorted all the children out of here. Grab whatever's left and head to our secret facility. COntinue Project O there. Head Guard Hiroki-san, you know what to do."

"It was an honor to serve you and witness your ambition, Agemo-dono," Hiroki cried, the rest of the guards mimicking him as they headed to their stations.

"Tanaka-san, please prepare Firestorm. I will remain here to delay them and keep them unawares," Agemo nodded at the remaining scientist.

"You'll die, Agemo-dono! We need you. Without you, Project O would not even have been approved or witness its first success. You are the first, true success. We need you to continue the project," Tanaka cried.

"No. You only need my D.N.A. and my research. There is a large safe about six feet in diameter. Inside are several containment units that have my blood. There should be enough to replicate it and use it to analyze and improve the project. If they see me here, they'll believe I am hiding a crucial component of the project. My sensei and the world do not approve. No, they cannot believe that it is necessary. You and the others must continue the project. Those children are the future. I might be called a devil, but I won't let those kids die a meaningless death. They are not science experiments! They are my ideal. Science has always been made for the betterment of mankind. Some experiments are considered the work of a devil, but sometimes they are necessary acts of darkness to prolong the light. Go. I cannot see you off."

"Agemo-dono. forgive me," Tanaka cried as he bent on both knees, bowed his head on the ground, and left.

Lu Shu cried as he returned the reality, falling to his knees in grief. Maybe he wasn't as bad as he thought. He died in a pretty cool way. Staying behind and using himself as a distraction to buy others some more time. That was honorable. He wiped his eyes and stared at Yoshi, confused as to why the boy felt terror.

"Lu Shu, my son, are you alright?" Lu Yi asked.

"I'm fine father. I was just reminiscing an old memory. I will defeat my opponent now. I won't fail you," Lu Shu cried as his spirit force dissipated while he let his spirit energy flow in his body.

He stretched his wings as he tried to stabilize the immense spirit energy he released earlier. However, the audience didn't, no couldn't, believe he was so strong. The next thing they saw him do terrified them even more. Ice seemed to form at the back of his waist and three trails of segmented triangles shaped to form long, plated tails. The tails seemed to have a life of their own as they swayed above them as they got longer. Even though the tails did not look like a scorpion, a white green liquid dripped from the tails, packed with highly concentrated amounts of the planet's life force. So much energy entering someone would instantly shatter their veins and arteries as they were not accustomed to having that energy in their body.

"You're not the only true Archon. I practice the Titan Creator true Archon body technique. I have made a pact with the planet and use its very life force in my cultivation. Not the spirit energy around you like most other Practitioners. Prepare yourself, I won't hold back against someone who dares to look upon me from a higher stage and wait, like a pussy, for me to reveal my power first," Lu Shu said coldly, appearing tyrannical before Yoshi.

"True Archon?" one of the sub branches gasped. "The main branch has someone like that?"

"This can't be," Lu Ce gasped as he fell to his knees. "This is his true power? He can control his element with ease and even use them to such an extent as to form extra limbs. I truly lost against my brother. Why have the heavens always favored him and his family? Why?"

"Yoshi! Be careful!" Yoshida cried as he feared for him.

"These wings use a lot of that vermillion energy, I should use them for a powerful attack to start and dispel them after," Shu thought as he rose into the air.

"Barriers!" Lu Rong cried as she suspected that the fight would soon commence.

Invisible barriers shimmered a white light as they formed while Shu curled up, covering his body with his wings. Each individual feather seemed to shimmer with vermillion energy as he became like a sun, blinding the crowd and causing many to involuntarily cringe from the concentration of power. Shu yelled as he uncurled his wings into a full stretch, sending each feather at Yoshi like a field of arrows. As they rained down, the living water spirit technique retracted back into his body, recovering his spent spirit energy.

Yoshi cried out and desperately focused light spirit energy into his hands as he made several hand signs. Holding a magical item from his storage bag, he quickly made a formation barrier above him consisting of five layers. The first three layers broke as if they didn't exist, and only a few of the arrows broke through the fifth barrier. Yoshi screamed as some of them cut him as he desperately tried to block them with his katana.

Two of the scorpion tails stabbed into the ground, slowing Shu's fall to a stop and allowing him to land on his feet with ease. Shu laughed and ran forward. The area in front of Yoshi began to blur as Yoshi felt he was fighting four different swordsman at once. Each of the tails moved in an unpredictable pattern while Shu's own blade was too strong for him to block as he was pushed back.

"Did the prince take pills to increase his spirit force? He has way too much spirit energy for someone at the fourth stage!" Yoshida cried.

"Silence. You dare accuse my son for something he didn't do?" Lu Yi roared while he inwardly smiled at the power of his son. He really had to send gives of high quality to General Meng Ce, but didn't know how to thank the Overseer.

"Magical beasts, to me!" Yoshi cried and three large, black dragons appeared onto the plaza as they flew over the barrier and landed next to him. "Breathe your flames at Lu Shu!"

"That bastard!" Lu Xing roared and slammed his fist into the table while Bahamut flew into the air and enlarged to its full size.

Bahamut roared its own flames, blocking the fire from the other three, shocking everyone in the crowd. Lu Shu smirked as he covered Bahamut with two of his scorpion tales, fully protecting its body with a thinner armor of ice around its wings. The last tail formed a large ball of ice that burst at Yoshi. The three other dragons hastily breathed flames at the thick ball of ice, but Yoshi still had to dodge it as they only decreased its size in half.

"You wanna play with help? Fine, allow me to do the same. Bahamut, take care of those lizards. They are no match for an Emerald Steel Dragon," Shu smirked.

"Not if I--Argh!" Yoshi screamed as his storage bag was snatched as Wraith appeared and stole the storage bag. "WHat is that thing?"

"This? It's my puppet. Why? Expected a Practitioner to use a golem? Puppets are just tools, like that magical artifact you used to attempt to block my feathers," Shu waved as he got Yoshi's storage bag from Wraith. "Ah, good work. Didn't expect you to do that."

"He dared to fight dirty in a one-on-one duel, master. I returned the favor," Wraith bowed before disappearing into his shadow.

"Now what are you going to do now? No more sudden formations with magical items and your dragons are otherwise preoccupied," Shu sighed as he tossed and caught the storage bag repeatedly.

Bahamut roared as it overpowered the other dragons. Emerald Steel Dragons were slow but had highly resilient scales and immense strength. It quickly bit one of the tails off one dragon as it turned its body to use its wings as a blade, cutting another dragon with a deep slash in the chest. The third dragon quailed as Bahamut rammed into it and smashed a claw on its neck as it moved to bite the head off.

"Easy there, Bahamut. I know you're eager to test your power since we left, but I can't have you kill those three. They aren't wearing collars so they must be bound to this guy," Shu said, causing both Yoshida and Yoshi to sigh with relief.

"Now it's just you and me. Don't hold back and use only your skills with spirit energy and the blade. Let us fight like samurai," Lu Shu said as he motioned to a royal guard who gave both spirit bags to their respective fathers.

All four dragons left the plaza as the crowd watched the two boys circle each other. Yoshi had light green energy emit from his body, using his wood spirit energy to heal his wounds. Lu Shu narrowed his eyes as wood spirit energy was known for its great healing abilities that nearly rivaled that of light mages. Earth spirit energy also formed on Yoshi's body, becoming armor as hard as diamond. Yoshi knew he could not hold back against the prince, who was at the fourth stage. He was already humiliated at being at an even match with Lu Shu and could no longer afford to lose the match.

"Remember not to kill each other," Lu Yi warned as he knew they were waiting for each other to make the first move.

"I won't lose!" Yoshi yelled as a Lu Yi clapped his hands once.

The recent memory flashed in his mind as Shu readied Arctic Emperor and said, "Then prove it and defeat my Arctic Emperor with your blade."