Writer's Note: Next release this Saturday as I got stuff and not a lot of time to write. Enjoy.

Chapter 9: The Battle Royal

"Alright. The thirty of you will now proceed to the combat grounds for a battle royal with all the second and third year classes," Guan Hai said, shocking even the prince and the princess as she was related to the emperor and part of the royal family. She was just not a candidate for the throne so not many people considered to call her princess.

"Right now?" Mu Xing cried, the noble girl also being in the same class as Guo Yang and Guo Mei again.

"The tournament between the eight schools is in three months. You must prepare for nothing short of victory. I need to see your capabilities now in order to make proper training regiments," Guan Hai answered and turned to Guo Mei. "You are eager to fight, yes? You'll have plenty of that today. I want Class 3-B to fight the other classes first. I only want my class to own the top three ranks. You do not want to know the consequence for failure. I especially want the five of you to take the top eight spots. You know who you are. With your cultivation, failing to take those spots will result in immediate punishment. I will redefine your imaginations of what hellish training really is."

"Is killing allowed?" Guo Yang asked. "I am practice poison cultivation."

"No. However, the tournament between the five schools allows it. You want to kill? Do it there," the teacher answered.

"It's not that I like to kill. I just hate holding back all the time," Guo Yang shrugged and was the first to leave, stunning the ten transfer students while the other nineteen sighed as they already knew all about his poison cultivation.

"You guys are transfers?" Guo Mei said as she walked past them. "Besides the children of the imperial clan, you will all lose. I will make sure of it."

"Those two don't really get along with others. Don't feel offended. They have the strength to back it up," Guo Lin laughed as he followed his siblings while the other students followed him out in turn.

"What do you think of them?" Shen Dong asked Guan Hai.

"Guo Lin is indeed powerful and has a normal personality without arrogance in his heart. His sister is like her element: cold and dark as if she were made of shadows. She must feel inferior to her younger siblings. As for the last one, he is the one to watch out for. Based on the reports before ordering our transfer here, his practitioner arts resembles that of snake magical beasts. That snake of his is also a variant I have never seen and he is said to own four more snakes. Without poison practitioner arts, you must be wary of his element arts and spear techniques. Because he follows poison cultivation, he has no need for attribute-less practitioner arts like other students," Guan Hai answered. "In terms of challenging you two for the first and second top ranks, only the brothers can challenge you. Guo Yang is also in the third level of cultivation while Guo Lin can fuse elements together to create his own unique element practitioner arts. The sister evidently cannot control her power and relies too much on her speed and element attributes. She will be no contest for the top three ranks."

"What do we do, cousin?" Shen Hua asked.

"We take out the other classes first. When we and the triplets are the top five, we defeat Guo Mei first and fight them one-on-one. You will fight Guo Yang. Let me take care of Guo Lin and his manticore," Shen Dong answered and turned his head at a noise.

He saw the snake stare at him and fly out the class in Guo Yang's direction. Shortly, Guo Yang learned of their plans. He only sighed as the snake did not hear of them speak who the third member of the imperial clan was. It seemed he would have to find out in the battle royal.

"Whoa! So many people," Guo Lin said as the triplets walked onto the combat grounds, seeing other students in large groups based on their classes. However, the second year students were more united as they were weaker than the third years.

"All the second year students decided to team up to take down each class of third year students. Smart," Guo Yang commented as he gazed over the students. "You guys go fight the third years. I'm going to have fun squashing these second year students. Not every day do I ever get an opportunity to just let just let loose."

"Just don't kill anyone," Guo Lin warned as he gazed into the stands. "Hey...that's mom, dad, grandpa, and grandma! They knew the school tournament was today and didn't tell us!"

"So that's why grandma made me end this morning's training early," Guo Mei nodded. "We'll be fighting with our Class 3-B students. Don't lose, Guo Yang. I need to pay you back."

"Heh. You're welcome to try. Just expect to fail," Guo Yang shrugged as he was the only third year to walk toward the second year students while the other third year students decided to fight each other first. They only saw the second year students as cannon fodder and didn't even have them in their thoughts.

"Ah, Guo Lin and them saw us," Guo Feng sighed as he, his wife, and the elders of the Guo Clan sat in the stands, younger children of the clan waving banners to support the triplets.

"Guo Yang is going to fight the one hundred and fifty second year students?" Ji Ting cried, shocked.

"Oh, calm down. He is in the third level and none of those second years, transfer or otherwise, are even at the Spirit Forming Stage. Only their numbers qualify those brats to be a decent warm-up for Yang'er. Still, I'm surprised he's attacking from the front. He never fights head-on," Guo Jing said, curious.

"I know why," Guo Li said, turning to her husband. "Guo Yang just sees them as stress relief. He will spend little spirit energy to defeat them as the difference in cultivation is two levels. So young and at the third level of cultivation. He could have already graduated and left for a sect or academy."

"That's why he is fighting all those kids? Because he is saving his spirit energy? I don't think so. My son and I don't get along, as well as a father and son should, but I do know his personality by now. He is just like a snake. He is fighting them all to instill fear into the hearts of the other third year students. He will break the bodies of those second year students so as to make his future opponents surrender before he even lifts a finger at them," Guo Feng said. "I'm sure members of the more powerful clans are realizing this by now."

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the combat grounds of Tang Arts School for Practitioners. I am retired imperial guard captain and current teacher of Class 3-B, Guan Hai. We have gathered here today to witness the emergence of the top eight and top three students. Three will receive a prize from the school while those three and five others will represent the school in a nationwide competition against the other top nine schools in the Pangu continent," Guan Hai began, the crowd awed into silence as many could not sense his cultivation. "As a Earth Mortal, I guarantee your safety in the stands. This battle royal will determine the top eight most powerful practitioners of the student body. Without further ado, let the match BEGIN!"

As the third year classes clashed instantaneously, Guo Yang just smiled at the second year students. All of them drew their weapons and sweat dripped down their brows as Guo Yang took out his sword and witnessed Red Death in its true form and all its glory. Red Death slithered behind him, acting as a barrier to prevent people from interfering or escaping. Any third year who had other ideas was instantly smashed into the walls beneath the stands, Red Death's tail breaking nearly every bone in the third year's chest and back with a casual flick.

"Ah, being outnumbered like this brings me back to my glory days. It is as if it is me against the world again. This feeling of being at the top and gazing at the insects below is truly gratifying. I really thank whoever came up with this tournament. Don't worry, juniors. This senior is only going to break a few bones short of your life," Guo Yang cackled maniacally as his spirit energy burst from his body.

"W, what? A third year student at the Element Adept Stage?" a transfer cried out. "I thought only the imperial clans had such prodigies."

"Stand firm! We outnumber him. Everyone use long range practitioner arts!" a boy screamed, people who knew such arts standing at the front of the hundred and fifty and focusing all their spirit energy at Guo Yang.

"Yes! It is this feeling! This feeling! Come! Attack me all at once! Do it!" Guo Yang roared, grinning from ear to ear with ecstasy. "Let me show you how futile your efforts are."

Guo Yang laughed as he condensed his spirit energy into his body, letting it explode outward as he roared. All the practitioner arts and projectiles that flew toward Guo Yang were incinerated, a blast of spirit energy slamming into the second years. Many of the weaker students fainted upon impact, crashing deep into the wall behind them. Some coughed blood and rolled twice on the ground before landing on their backs. Guo Yang had used the light practitioner art: Viper's Dominance Art. It was a simple practitioner art that expelled light spirit energy, the damage dependent on the cultivation of Guo Yang and his targets.

"HAHAHAHA! Do you see it now? You are nothing to me. Nothing. You should have forfeited when you had the chance. Since you are on the stands of the combat grounds, your lives are mine!" Guo Yang laughed. "I can't kill you, but you will know the consequence of facing me. No matter how much you beg and scream, no can help you. I can;t use the point of my beloved spear, you'll all die. So, you can only prey your bones don't break when I use the butt of the spear. You won;t die, but you'll certainly feel like dying."

Guo Yang took out his Moon Lotus Spear, twirled it to the blunt end of the spear, and charged to the sprawled second year students. He was like a fiend among a war zone, bodies and screams filling the air where he passed. He smashed their knees, smacked their arms, and crushed their legs. He tossed them up in the air with his spear and hit them as if they were a baseball.

They could do nothing as he was in the third level of cultivation, the difference in power the same as Heaven and Earth. The crowd cringed and many cried for him to stop, only be even more horrified as they heard him laugh with glee as the students tried to resist him.

"Your brother is evil, Shen Hua noted as she fought the other third year classes alongside the other two triplets and Shen Dong.

"Don't saw it like that. Little brother's finally letting loose. He never fights like that as all the other students were too scared of him. With your presence here, many idiotic students transferred and it resulted in this situation as they knew nothing. Heck, you have the cultivation to do the same," Guo Mei shrugged.

"But we wouldn't do it," Shen Dong said as the four of them saw another three bodies fly in the air and crash onto the ground. "I would at least let them forfeit or knock them out. Him? He is just....toying with them."

"Brother isn't that simple-minded. He uses what he calls psychological warfare. By doing this, none of the third years are trying to fight them and are forced to fight against other third year classes. He ensures his victory and many more future victories as less students would challenge him. That is what brother is doing," Guo Lin said as he did a shoulder tackle on another student, the student crying as his bones broke and fainted before crashing on the ground.

"Evil," Hua nodded as two third year classes were quickly defeated.

"Red Death, let's join the party," Guo Yang grinned, letting go of a student he held by the throat as he and his snake rushed into a class of third years. His spear was covered in rocks as he used the Stone Breaker Art. As he smashed through some students, he condensed and shot out a boulder of rocks that exploded against students who clustered together at the back. His snake used its tail to flick screaming students into the walls, sometimes crushing three or four students at once as it coiled around them and constricted its body.

"Too ruthless," Ji Ting muttered.

"That's the way of practitioners," Guo Jing laughed. "Go, Yang'er! Show them your might! Hey, why the fuck aren;t you cheering your fellow clan members?!"

"C, cheers for the young master!" the Guo clansmen cried as they waved their banners, the faces of many powerful clans turning dark. Some had already expected this, but many new clans and organizations that had their young children transferred did not expect such....carnage.

It was as if they were sacrificing their children to a mad, sadistic beast. Even now, many curled their hands into fists as Guo Yang laughed maniacally and smiled as his body was doused with blood. How could they know that this exact scene was what made Guo Yang truly appreciate cultivation.

In the past, battles like this made him smile. He was the hunter now, toying with his prey instead of being the hunted. No schemes, no worries. Just him utterly destroying his enemies. He was like a snake on the verge of immortality, no equal to challenge his wrath.

"W, wait!" a student cried as he was the last of his class while only Class 3-B remained and began their infighting. "D, do you know who I am? My father is a duke!"

"So, like I give a rat's ass what a duke is. Let me tell you, rats don't taste as good to a snake as they do a cat. Ugh, fuck," Guo Yang said as he sneered with disgust as flashes of memories swirled in his mind. "Yeah. You made me remember something unpleasant. Grit your teeth or risk losing them."

"D, did you not hear me? My father is a duke!" the boy shouted, pointing at his father.

"Oh, pray tell, what is his name?" Guo Yang asked.

"My dad is Lu Jin. I am Lu Jing," the boy said, looking arrogant as he rose to his feet.

"Oh, well that esteemed duke can't save you," Guo Yang grinned, his snake stealthily slithering around them to the boy's back.

"Y, you would harm me?" the boy cried.

"I just can't kill you. Nothing says I can't break you. Harm you? That's not enough for me," Guo Yang grinned, spirit energy bursting from his body.

"W, wait! You are in the third level of cultivation, right? I have this Dark Hell Fruit that can only be used to assist in breaking to the fourth level of cultivation: the Meteor Vessel Stage. If I give it to you, you can't harm me," the boy said as he took out a black pear with purple and red dots across the skin.

".......it does sound tempting. Fine, I agree," Guo Yang said, the boy delighted and handed the fruit.

"What?" the crowd, Guo Lin, Guo Mei, Shen Hua, and Shen Dong gasped. All of them were speechless as they did not think Guo Yang would take the bribe.

"Y, you....accepted it?" Guo Lin asked, stunned.

"Well, he did say I couldn't," Guo Yang and gestured to them. "But you six can."

"There's only four of us," Shen Hua said, confused.

"How could you neglect their presence. Did two more not fight beside me and Guo Lin?" Guo Yang grinned, Lu Jing paling as he looked around and only saw the manticore.

"AUGHHHHH!" Jing screamed as a snake loomed over and swallowed him whole.

"I said no deaths!" Guan Hai said and paused. "Ah, how cruel."

"Yup. Hey, Red Death, spit him out. He 's not your lunch," Guo Yang shrugged and acted regretful as Jing was spat ot and crashed onto the ground, making a small crater in the process.

"You! You hurt my son!" Lu Jin roared.

"I did not," Guo Yang said as he stored the fruit away. "Hey, do you not have eyes? This snake is not bound to me by a soul contract. He is NOT my magical beast. I merely....tamed it."

"He speaks the truth. The snake has no master," Guan Hai said and checked Lu Jing. "The boy lives. Covered in spit and with several fractures, but lives."

"That stuff can't be washed off. Those clothes are ruined. Trust me," Guo Yang sighed. "But hey, he qualifies for the top eight. Shouldn't you be grateful? Besides myself and the four others, he is ranked six due to my....benevolence in saving him for last."

"You...." the duke said but could say no more as Guo Yang was right. The crowd did not know whether to laugh or cry as they stared at the sad boy covered in snake saliva. He didn't look like someone who should celebrate in attaining the sixth rank.

"Lu Jing is indeed ranked six. Congratulations to him....I suppose," Guan Hai shrugged.

"Yup, I'm a nice guy," Guo Yang nodded as if he did not do anything wrong, some members in the crowd coughing blood as Guo Yang truly did not feel any remorse for the mayhem he caused. Many stared at the Guo Clan and wondered how exactly did they raise him.

"What? Guo Lin turned out okay," Guo Feng snapped, some nodding as that was true.

"HEY!" Guo Mei shouted and Shen Dong took the opportunity to hit her in the solar plexus. Guo Mei doubled over and coughed saliva before falling unconscious.

"Well, I guess that makes her ranked fifth?" Shen Hua said as she scratched the back of her head. One of the two who got the seventh and eighth rank was her cousin. No one noticed her cousin's true cultivation or how her cousin was defeated.

"I got pretty boy. You fight the princess to determine third place," Guo Yang said as he walked to Shen Dong.

"But I want to rank first or second," Guo Lin complained as he stood beside his brother.

"How does 100,000 demon spirit coins sound?" Guo Yang asked.

"Add a 150,000 more and some spirit pills," Guo Lin haggled.

"Alright," Guo Yang shrugged, giving them to Guo Lin who happily stored them in his ring. "Try not to lose. You do have a disadvantage, but you can fuse elements. Think how you can use that to control the battlefield, even changing it to give you an advantage."

"Right. Good luck," Guo Lin said as he and Shen Hua moved to the side as she and Shen Dong had a similar plan.

"It's been a while since I faced someone stronger than me. Can I enjoy this battle?" Guo Yang smiled as Red Death moved to the side by Guan Hai. "It's just you, me, your great sword, and my spear."

"I can accept nothing but first place," Shen Dong said as he brandished his giant sword and the two charged with their weapons, their spirit energy blazing a trail glowing trail behind them.