46 A Taste of Your Own Medicine

In the vast tapestry of the universe, the elements are the very essence that shapes our world. Picture it: fire, an inferno of passion and transformation, it's flickering flames dancing with raw energy. Consuming all in its path as it brims with life, and more so with destruction.

Air, the intangible breath that carries whispers of wisdom and freedom, swirling and caressing in a symphony of unseen currents.

Water, a mirror of emotions, flowing with the tides of intuition, ever-changing and adaptable.

And Earth, the sturdy foundation on which life takes root, nurturing and grounding us amidst the grandeur of existence.

But that's not all. With the universe being vast, more elements branching away from the four we know are created.

Lightning crackles across the sky, a dazzling display of power and intensity, bridging the realms of fire, air, water, and earth.

Light, a celestial beacon, illuminates the path of truth and understanding, banishing shadows and revealing hidden wonders.

Nature, the living embodiment of harmony and vitality, sings its symphony of life, intertwining the elements in a breathtaking dance of flora and fauna.

Together, these elements weave a tale of cosmic drama, beckoning us to explore the depths, embrace the light, and cherish the intricate beauty that exists within and beyond our grasp.

Amongst the handful of sub-elements that are known, there is one. A mysterious enigma veiled in darkness, a tantalising glimpse into the unexplored recesses of our souls and the universe itself. Shadow.

Tian gritted his teeth as he drew all his power into his punch. The adrenaline rushed through him after he had almost died to his uncle. His mind had gone blank as he came close to accepting his death. He let himself go, allowing a sudden foreign feeling to permeate into him. He had heard about this. Affinity.

The relationship one would naturally develop with the element they would fight with. The Li's were known for having at least a small affinity with all the primary elements, while they excelled in one or two, as evidenced by Li Wang and his likeability to set his fists ablaze.

Usually one would need a catalyst to awaken their dormant affinity. One could tell how strong their affinity was due to how prominent the feeling arising from their spirit. At least, that's how it was explained. Li Tian had never had the luxury of experiencing such a feeling, hence the name Failure.

However, in what seemed to be his final moments as his life hung in the balance, he felt something spark inside him. A dormant connection shocked to life, as if a hidden reservoir of power, untapped and unknown, surged to his surface, intertwining with the very essence of his being.

Isaac smiled in surprise and awe, feeling relieved Tian hadn't suffered at the hands of death, watching intently at the spectacle, unlike anything he had ever seen before.

"You pesky little cockroach. Die!" Yelled Li Wang, frustrated at the twerp's annoyance. He swung his arm outward, expecting to strike Tian in the ribs with his forearm. However, once again, Tian disappeared into the darkness, becoming one with the shadow of the night.

Like earlier, Tian emerged after a few seconds, striking the large barbarian, however, losing the element of surprise as Li Wang stood akin to a boulder, hard as stone as he barely flinched at the attack. He smiled arrogantly as he spoke.

"Whatever you're doing suits you. All you've become is an annoying pest that still can't throw a punch." Said the Barbarian, throwing another unsuccessful attack. He looked around, intently looking for where the next attack would come from.

Meanwhile, Wukong stood in the distance, watching the event unfold as he couldn't help but admire the strength of his friend. As he thought this, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He darted his head, moving back, preparing for an attack, only to find Tian staring at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What the hell, man! Don't scare me like that!" Despite whispering, Wukong's words carried every drop of emotion he felt as he resisted the urge to strangle his friend.

"Sorry. I thought you'd be able to sense me." Said Tian with a slight chuckle. After a second, Wukong turned back to Li Wang as he spoke.

"How are you here? You were just fighting the ogre. And how are you doing…whatever you're doing?" Asked the confused Wukong.

"I'm not sure to be honest. It's a bit of a long story. The short version is, I don't think I'm a failure anymore." Despite his sad words, his tone was unusually chipper as he and Wukong smiled.

"Anyway, we need a plan to beat Li Wang. Neither of us packs enough punch to damage him, and my new ability specialises in mobility from what I know." To this, Wukong smiled widely as his sharp teeth glistened.

"Well, it's your lucky day. You just so happen to be allied with the smartest Monkey King to exist. Here's what we'll do."

***

Li Wang stood still as he waited for the next attack. He wasn't going to make the same mistake in assuming his enemy had fled, only to be caught off guard. And to no one's surprise, Tian emerged seamlessly from the shadows a few feet away from the barbarian.

"Uncle Wang, I'm quite saddened. Of all the family, I shared the most resemblance to you. I was hoping you'd go easy on me." Said Tian with a nervous smile. Li Wang halted his urge to lunge at his prey as he listened to the child, scoffing shortly after.

"You must be joking. What resemblance would I share with a failure." He said with an arrogant smile.

"Well, that's just it. We're both failures." Li Wang's smile was quickly turned to a frown as he said nothing.

"The older brother to the current head of the Li family, an anomaly who has long since given up on any goal, only left to be given pity tasks from his younger brother. Meanwhile, his sibling soared his entire life, touched by the gods as he was the epitome of talent and leadership."

"Here you are, bottlenecked at the Fourth Stage of cultivation while my father is compared to the likes of Master Subhuti. Maybe you shouldn't have spent all that time on women and booze. If I am a disappointment for failing my early duties as a Li, what does that make you?" Li Wang's face went dark as visible veins popped from his neck and skull. His blood boiled as his teeth threatened to crack under the pressure of his tightly gritted teeth. A familiar ominous feeling leaked out from him as he revealed his blood-lusted eyes, his fists showered with orange embers that glistened in the night.

"Not yet. It's not enough."

In a blurring second, he disappeared from his position, appearing before Tian with the raw intent to kill. Tian's heart skipped a beat as he stepped backwards, taken aback by the unexpected speed. He disappeared into the shadows leaving Li Wang alone. After a few seconds, Tian appeared once again a few feet away from the man, to which Li Wang responded by presenting his teleport-like speed.

Tian was given no time to rest as he sweated, once again disappearing into the shadows.

"I can only stay hidden for a few seconds. I've got to make it count." Thought Tian as he emerged once again, only to find a rage-induced uncle towering over him.

"Predictable fool." Before the barbarian could attack, a punch had landed on his cheek, however, to him, it felt as if he had been tickled.

Wukong stood as he let out a nervous chuckle after seeing his attack had done nothing. Li Wang stared at him, grabbing the Monkey's arm with great speed and twisting it until a loud crack was heard echoing through the silent night.

Wukong let out a feral howl as he tried his best to escape from the man's clutches. However, for once in his life, he had met an opponent that far exceeded him in strength. Li Wang followed with a blazing fist into Wukong's chest as the helpless Monkey vomited a sea of blood, sending him zooming at great speeds, breaking trees upon impact as he finally came to a stop, lying on the floor after leaving destruction in his wake.

Tian froze as he witnessed his ally suffer a life-threatening blow. Li Wang stared at him, his thirst for blood clearly not quenched as he lunged at Tian with his hands slightly burning.

"Just a little more."

Tian barely escaped into his shadows, emerging a few seconds later, yet once again forced to flee as he and Li Wang engaged in a cat and mouse, blitzing across the battlefield as Tian tried his best to hold out as long as he could. However, he knew this was all a desperate attempt at temporary leisure. Li Wang was inching closer to him as he felt the embers touch his skin until an attack landed on him.

Li Wang's fist drove into Tian's gut, sending him soaring through the night sky. He heaved a mouthful of blood as he battled to keep his consciousness. He was given no time to heal as Li Wang appeared instantaneously above Tian, clasping his hands together as he struck his Nephew's back, sending him rocketing to the ground as a loud BOOM was heard upon impact.

Li Wang hovered in the air for a few seconds before tightening both his fists and falling into the small crater Tian had created. After a few seconds, another BOOM was heard as dust covered the surroundings.

Silence enveloped the surroundings as Tian stomped out of the large crater, witnessing Tian emerge from the shadows as if they were previously one.

Blood flowed from Tian's mouth, his taste buds being bombarded with the iron tang of the red liquid as he limped, struggling to walk, his vision blurry and blood trickling from his head.

"Is that the best you got? Well, I don't know what I was expecting from a failure. You should be kissing my father's feet. If it were me, I'd have disposed of such trash immediately." It wasn't so much the words that were angering Li Wang, instead, it was the person saying them.

Arrogance and power over the weak. He knew he was destined for greatness, but due to what he assumed to be his unluckiness, he was stripped of his rightful place as the leader of the Li's, leaving him to take control of those who couldn't oppose him as a means of coping. He couldn't stand the fact that someone he knew to be beneath him was opposing him.

"I'll kill you!"

His fists which once created embers that sparked through the night sky, quickly changed to small streams of flame, expanding until they became a blazing fireball that enveloped both his hands. It had changed from the slight heat it once was, to a miniaturised sun that overpowered the darkness around them with its blinding light.

"Now!"

***

~A Few Minutes Earlier~

"From what I can tell about this guy, he's got some real emotional problems." Started Wukong as Tian leaned in to listen, all while Li Wang was still searching for Tian.

"I guess you could say that. Why does it matter?" Asked the confused Tian.

"Well, remember what Master Subhuti said? During the lower levels of cultivation, one must keep a level head during battle and wisely utilise his Qi."

"I guess it's a stretch calling uncle a Low Level, after all, he is at the Fourth Stage of Cultivation." Argued Tian.

"Yes, thankfully, he's only in the early stages too. And since his Qi Fusion is that of an Initial Stage cultivator, it'll make my plan easier." He said with a smile, to which Tian waited patiently to hear it.

"You know you're Uncle well. Use every bit of knowledge you have of him to insult him. Point out every flaw and failure you can think of to send him into a frenzy of rage. Leave nothing out, call him all the names you know will push his buttons. Give him…"

***

"...A taste of his own medicine."

Tian disappeared into the darkness as the barbarian with burning hands searched for where he would appear, preparing to lunge. Little did he expect his two enemies to appear right under his nose.

Tian and Wukong stood before the man as they both pulled back their arms, gritting their teeth and fighting through the pain of their injuries. Wukong's broken arm flailed in the air as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, all while he put on a forced grin, revealing his mischievously sharp teeth. Meanwhile, Tian's eyes burned with determination as he was littered with wounds and blood. They pulled every bit of strength they had into this attack, fighting the pain that assaulted their body.

Li Wang's delayed reaction would cost him greatly. He watched the events unfold, sweating as his rage quickly turned into nervousness. He had poured all his Qi into his blazing fists, leaving his body protected by whatever Qi Fusion he had, and something was telling him two Foundation Stage Cultivators would prove too much for him. With a final curse, he braced himself.

Li Wang and Wukong shot out both their arms simultaneously, striking the barbarian in the chest as his eyes rolled back and he heaved a river of blood. A loud BOOM mixed with several bones breaking was heard that echoed through the forest and night after the assault. The force of two Foundation Stage Cultivators proved too much for him as the two allies pushed themselves further, past their limits, passing all expectations as Isaac watched everything unfold with a gaping mouth, silent as he stood still.

Li Wang was sent zooming through the air at incredible speeds, breaking through every boulder, tree and any form of nature that stood in his way, suffering a torturous amount of pain, as he travelled further than the eye could see.

Tian and Wukong barely stood as they breathed heavily, clinging to their consciousness as the rising sun peeked over the horizon.

Wukong smiled as he fell to his knees.

"Don't mess with the goddamn Monkey King, and his best friend, the Shadow Monarch."

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