Eitsu's Nine Lives (永津の九生) [yuri/GL yokai reincarnation story]

23 - Zhāng Yàn

"... Who were you again?"

"That's Zhāng Yàn, the current Master of the Clear Sight School," Cheng Guk Lung reminded her.

"How was I supposed to remember that?"

"That's besides the point. Are you going to accept my challenge or not?"

"Yeah, yeah. Calm down."

Zhāng Yàn marched back to the centre of the arena, trailed by a yawning Eitsu. He turned and bowed energetically.

"Zhāng Yàn, Master of the Clear Sight School of Mount Huā, Third Dāntián Adept, requests a spar with Lady Eitsu."

"Huh, so you're kind of strong. Alright, I'll bite."

The disciples who had left earlier were starting to hurry back, called by their peers. Despite this, the audience retreated further from the pair, some disciples hiding in the safety of the trees. Zhào Xīn muttered some words, and a wall of wooden stakes, a bu high, rose around the opened space, providing some protection for the watchers without blocking their vision.

"Participants, are you ready?"

"Bring it."

"Just say start."

"Three. Two. One. Start."

Before Eitsu could blink, Zhāng Yàn was right before her. His movements were fast and fluid, on a completely different level of skill to the two disciples Eitsu had fought before. She dropped and rolled, avoiding first the fist that rushed towards her face, then the foot that nearly stamped into her stomach. She jumped backwards, hands first, her foot whistling through the air and narrowly missing Zhāng Yàn's nose as he halted his charge to avoid it.

"Seems like you're a bit quick."

"Those with a strong Fire attribute are the fastest of all." He snapped his fingers and a ball of flame erupted over his hand, enveloping it as he charged to strike again. Eitsu smelt her hair singe as she whirled to avoid him. Her nail suddenly grew long and sharp, and they took a few strands of Zhāng Yàn's faintly red-hued dark locks.

He laughed fiercely. "Good, good!"

Eitsu took the initiative next, swinging her nails at his face. He turned his face rapidly away, the tips of the nails just grazing his cheek, and let his momentum continue the turn, his leg, now also coated in flames, swinging around to strike Eitsu's back. She just managed to backflip over the leg, landing hands first, then pushed back again with them, her feet finally making contact with Zhāng Yàn's shoulder. He staggered several paces, instinctively throwing himself backwards to avoid Eitsu's follow up attack.

The watching crowd was absolutely silent. Barely anyone could see the details of the fight. At most, they were watching blurs. The combatants broke apart, their breathing growing heavy.

"A third of your time has passed," Zhào Xīn announced.

"Is she telling us we're not going fast enough?" Eitsu asked.

"We'd better hurry up then."

Zhāng Yàn charged and aimed his fire-clad legs at Eitsu's feet. She in turn leapt high, her claws aiming for his head. Red light flashed in his eyes, and he kicked his legs up, his feet meeting Eitsu's stomach and sending her flying over his head. She twisted to land safely, but had to immediately roll to put out the flames.

"Well, I'll admit this is a unique way of undressing someone. Can't say I've experienced it before." The front of her borrowed robes were tattered. She undid the sash of the ruined outer one, revealing the inner robe with a patch burnt away over her stomach. The loose pants she wore underneath were mostly intact. Many of the watching disciples shuffled with embarrassment, some covering their eyes.