Battles of the Gods

Ru Shenqi, oh Ru Shenqi, weren't you supposed to be slowing Hu Liena's Inheritance down? she sighed. I can't help it if she became a Three-Tailed Charm Fox! I just wonder how Xingyun is doing on his Inheritance.

<><><>

A bright purple light beamed down.

Third Trial, Test of Endurance, completed. Fourth Trial, Test of Perseverance, automatically passed. Reward: Barrage of Storms. Fifth Trial, Battle of the Gods, begun.

"Xingyun, how is it?" Bai Shanxin asked.

"My Fourth Trial was completed when I completed my Third. So, I'm onto the Fifth now."

"That's good!" Fang Youyou cried. "What is the Fifth Trial?"

"Battle of the Gods."

"Huh?" the others gasped.

"I have to battle three Gods. They can be of any God rank. I just need to hold out against three for an hour."

"An hour?! That's so long!"

Gu Xingyun frowned and nodded. "As for the three, I can choose who they are. So, I was thinking if I battled Senior Tang San, since he is both Sea God and Asura God thanks to Senior Xiao Wu. Yong, are you willing to be the other God?"

Silence fell over the group. The other five all remembered when Ming Yong and Gu Xingyun last fought. It had been over Xiao Shen and was the beginning of the end for the Shrek Seven Tyrants.

Finally, Ming Yong bowed his head. "Of course. You helped me to become a God. I should return the favor."

"Then, let's get going back to Liuying Gorge so we can move on to the next Trial," Shu Jiaxiang spoke quickly. "We're running out of time."

Everyone nodded in agreement and started back.

<><><>

Ru Shenqi sat in her room, meditating. Hu Liena was meeting with her brother and Yan, going over further war plans. A sound suddenly pulled Ru Shenqi from her cultivation. She frowned and summoned her conch.

"Xiao Shen?" a soft voice asked.

"Suyin, you shouldn't be contacting me."

"We just wanted to update you on Xingyun's progress. He's a Limit Douluo now and has the Thunder Armor of the God of Storms. We're coming back to help him complete his Fifth Trial."

"And his Fifth Trial is?"

After Suyin had told her, she asked, "Once he becomes a God, will you come back to us?"

Ru Shenqi hung her head, letting tears slip silently down her cheek. "No. I'm the Holy Maiden for Spirit Empire now. I won't be returning to the joint empire's camp."

"Why not? Because you're scared the same thing will happen again?"

"Oh Suyin, you guys have no idea..."

Then, she crushed the conch in her hand. Tears welled in her eyes. They cannot know. No one can know. The only way for Xingyun to become a God is the same as the only way for Hu Liena to fail her Inheritance. To achieve both, I cannot let anyone find out the price to be paid.

She dried her face and stood from the bed. Walking to the balcony, she looked out over Liuying Gorge and the joint camp.

"Xingyun... you must become a God."

Just then, there was a knock at her door. "Come in."

Hu Liena entered. "Xiao Shen, when do I have to fight you?"

"Patience, Laoshi. Xingyun... the beloved I left behind, he's currently undergoing the Inheritance Trials for the God of Storms. One of the Tyrants contacted me and told me they're returning to Liuying Gorge. Apparently, he needs to fight three Gods for an hour. He's chosen Tang San and Xiao Wu's Coexistence of Two Gods and Yong, the God of Music, because they'll fight fair and without the intent to kill."

"Then why are we waiting? Don't tell me you're wanting to let him become a God?"

Ru Shenqi shook her head. "Not at all. But if he can keep those Gods busy for an hour, you can complete your next Trial within that time period. You only need to hold out against me for half an hour. That way, the others will be too busy to notice what we're doing."

Realizing that her disciple had a point, Hu Liena nodded slowly. "I see your point. Very well. We'll wait. You can keep an eye out for the Shrek Six Tyrants' return. Once they draw Tang San and Xiao Wu away, come find me."

"Yes, Laoshi."

With that, Hu Liena turned and left. Ru Shenqi continued looking out over the battlefield. Sadness filled her eyes.

Xingyun, will you ever know the lengths I've gone to for you? Perhaps, you'll only realize once it's too late.

<><><>

A couple weeks later, the Shrek Six Tyrants returned to Liuying Gorge. Once she caught glimpse of them heading for the forest with Tang San and Xiao Wu, Ru Shenqi teleported from her room to the main hall. She bowed respectfully.

"Laoshi, they've gone into the forest. Why don't we go into the gorge? We'll be far enough away that these two Battles of the Gods can happen simultaneously."

Hu Liena nodded. "Alright. Let's go."

They headed out from the fortress and into the gorge. Down at the bottom, Ru Shenqi's Divine Aura shot out. She threw an incense stick, the speed lighting it.

"Laoshi, your half hour has begun. As long as you're still alive by the end, you'll have passed this Trial."

Hu Liena launched her seventh spirit skill. Ru Shenqi raised a few meters off the ground. Nine nine-pointed stars swirled around her.

"I can only use the Goddess of Nine Stars powers for this battle. But as you know, Laoshi, they're even more tyrannical than my spirit skills or divine skills."

Hu Liena launched her eighth spirit skill, Charm Protection, which was her only defensive skill. For being a skill from a decade millennium spirit ring, it could reduce the effectiveness of all physical attacks by twenty percent and all spiritual attacks by twenty-five percent. At that moment, she released her Death God Domain. Although she rarely ever used this domain, she did it now to go all out against this Second Class God.

Ru Shenqi raised an eyebrow. "Goddess of Nine Stars Domain, evolved skill: Omnipresent Supremacy!"

She immediately broke Hu Liena's domain and released the Flight of Nine Stars. The Nine Stars Whip appeared in her hand. The Three-Tailed Charm Fox rose into the air as well, and her red ninth spirit ring lit up. Just a few days before, Xie Yue, Yan, and an elite team had gone with her to Star Dou Great Forest to hunt a spirit beast for a ninth spirit ring. Although she had long been a Titled Douluo, Hu Liena gave up her decade millennium spirit ring in the hopes of getting a more powerful ring. In the end, they had gotten her a century millennium Three-Eyed Charm Fox.

"Ninth spirit skill, Boundless Charm!"

Just like Xiao Wu's seventh spirit skill, Hu Liena could make six copies of herself. But since this skill came from a stronger spirit beast, it had better abilities. All six of her copies could not only attack with every one of her spirit skills at one hundred percent of her power but the seven figures together could launch the secondary ability, Idyllic World. This secondary ability could put a person in a dream world and make them relive their happiest moments, all while slowly seeping their lifeforce from them.

Knowing she would lose her spirit power under the Flight of Nine Stars, Hu Liena decided to use her strongest skill to trap Ru Shenqi while she still could.

<><><>

Meanwhile, in the forest, Gu Xingyun launched his most powerful defensive skills and attack skills. Ming Yong's fingers danced across his strings. Tang San and Xiao Wu merged to create the Coexistence of Two Gods. The Sea God's Trident and Asura God's Asura Sword appeared in their hands.

"Ninth spirit skill, Electric Heavenly Lion!"

"With one sound, the world unites. With two sounds, divinity is realized. Melody and Harmony Domain!"

Gu Xingyun's skill was instantly restricted. Taking the opportunity, the domains slipped back and forth between the Sea God Domain and the Asura Domain. Gu Xingyun avoided crashing waves and the pursuit of swords. Ming Yong plucked his qin strings again.

"Duality Cry of the Heavens."

He began to drain his friend's power while strengthening his own and Tang San and Xiao Wu's. Gu Xingyun scowled.

I can't lose. I must defeat Spirit Empire for all that they've done. I must become a God to help rid Douluo Continent of them once and for all!

He roared, and fur sprouted. His Golden Heavenly Lion was becoming truly heavenly. As his spirit evolved into its divine form, white streaks blotched through his golden fur. His yellow eyes turned to gold. He had become a Golden Divine Lion.

Tang San nodded, pleasantly surprised. "Good, good, your spirit has become divine. Asura, endless shackles."

Red fire surged up around Gu Xingyun. Determination set in his eyes.

"Barrage of Storms!"

Thunder rumbled overhead. Dark clouds floated over Liuying Gorge. Heavy pain began to pelt down, and lightning crackled in the sky. Soon, bolts began to strike down around Ming Yong and the combined form of Tang San and Xiao Wu.

Ming Yong used the White Wolf Emperor left leg bone to avoid the electric strikes. Tang San and Xiao Wu soon covered the area in the Asura domain once more. Needing to take the advantage, Gu Xingyun shot forward, engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the combined Gods, throwing the first punch.

<><><>

Caught in the dream world, Ru Shenqi recalled the few remaining memories she had of her parents. She saw Gu Xingyun and her friends. Tears welled in her eyes.

Xingyun, I'm so sorry. But the Rakshasa God can never return. Guys, we can never be the Shrek Seven Tyrants again. I will always cherish our time together. But my time has nearly come to an end.

Tears slipped down her face. With all of the overbearing sadness weighing on her, Ru Shenqi coincidentally broke out of Hu Liena's Idyllic World. The pain in her eyes was great. She turned towards her Laoshi before glancing at the incense stick. She had been caught in the dream world for longer than she had expected.

"Flight of Nine Stars, evolved skill: Eighteen Stars Roaming Dance!"

Flying nine-pointed stars shot out towards Hu Liena. The Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Empire raced around, dodging the array of stars. Ru Shenqi's eyes narrowed.

"Nine Stars Meteor Shower!"

Stars showered down. Hu Liena relaunched her defensive skill. All she could do at this point was to outlast this attack. When the stars hit, she was thrown backwards by over ten meters. She fell to the ground and spit out a mouthful of bright red blood.

Ru Shenqi slowly lowered to the ground and stalked forward. But then, the incense stick caught her eye. She sighed and summoned the Golden Scepter. She released the Power of Haishen Hall and let it envelop Hu Liena. Soon, water was sucked from the atmosphere and was used to heal her wounds.

"Fifth Trial, Starry Defense, completed. Sixth Trial, Retrieve the Divine Weapon, begun."

Ru Shenqi threw the Nine Stars Whip, and it lodged itself in the very top spire of Liuying Fortress. She approached Hu Liena.

"Laoshi, well done. You've survived the attack from a Second Class God."

"Xiao Shen, your God powers are too much!"

"When you've fully recovered, I will teach you how to use the nine-pointed stars. I will teach you Flight of Nine Stars and Eighteen Stars Roaming Dance first. If you achieve proficiency in those two, then we'll see about the Thirty Six Star Prison."

Hu Liena nodded, and Ru Shenqi brought her back to Liuying Fortress.

<><><>

Half an hour later, a bright purple light beamed down. Fifth Trial, Battle of the Gods, completed. Sixth Trial, Stormy Obsessions, begun.

Gu Xingyun dropped to one knee. Tang San and Xiao Wu split. Ming Yong ran over to his friend.

"Xingyun, are you alright?"

A nod. "Yeah. I've passed."

"Congratulations," Tang San said as he walked forward. "What's your next Trial?"

"Stormy Obsessions. It seems I must face four obsessions and overcome them."

"What are the four?" Ming Yong asked cautiously.

"The throne of Guang Kingdom, the hatred towards Spirit Empire, the care for my friends, and the last one..." he groaned and clutched at his head. "All I see is a person's back. It seems to be a young woman."

Tang San appeared behind him and hit a couple acupoints. A few seconds later, he fell unconscious. Tang San sighed sadly and shook his head. Ming Yong looked at him and Xiao Wu.

"Seniors, his last obsession..."

Xiao Wu murmured sadly, "Is Xiao Shen."