Days passed as Jing Yuan watched his master lay down on bed motionless. He then rubbed his own backside which was aching and swollen.
Turns out his traitorous disciple had gone behind his back to try boost the chemistry between Ziyun and him.
Only to end up finding the devastating truth.
The exchange of events went something like this...
Jing Yuan: I came here to visit a friend. What do you think of him after spending so much time together?
Ziyun: Hmm... At first I thought he was just someone who stood out more starkly but we ended up getting along quite well. So who are you?
Jing Yuan: I'm his colleague, I found it quite strange he had a secret hobby we didn't know about.
Ziyun: Ah I see, so you've been spying to see what his secret hobby is? Unfortunately for you guys its just drinking tea and listening to stories.
Jing Yuan: So what do you think of him?
Ziyun: I think he's a really great friend. He listens quite attentively and just has a sort of natural charm to it. I think any woman would definitely jump at the chance to get to know him better.
Jing Yuan: Oh? That's quite some high praise. Does that include you?
Ziyun: Haha, unfortunately no. I already have a fiance~
Jing Yuan's Internal thoughts: By the reignbow arbiter, shit. This is bad. Damage control, damage control.
Jing Yuan: Oh I see, that's quite amusing. I'm trying to set my friend up with someone. Do you perhaps know anyone you could recommend to set up a blind date?
Ziyun: Hmm, off the top of my head I'm not quite sure. But I'm surprised Mr Taigong still hasn't found a partner. Let me get your information, I'll let you know if someone's interested.
Taigong meanwhile only heard one part during the suspicious conversation between an old man (Jing Yuan in disguise) and Ziyun.
"I have a fiance."
...
....
.....
...
*Crack* The sound of glass shattering was heard within his heart. Instantly any desire or preferences were erased.
"Ggwp" Taigong listlessly stared at the peaceful weather above.
"Forget it. Let's go find Zephyro again. I won't come back until I defeat him in a duel." He listlessly spoke to himself.
With that he stood up and departed silently.
Originally there was nothing much for him to do, he had no disciples except for Jing Yuan, who by now no longer needed such training. Jingliu did a good job raising him up.
There was no war for him to fight.
His days of listlessly hanging about the Yaoqing and Loufu were just dreams of romance and drama episodes.
Yet his budding heart for romance had been crushed where he stood.
He left a note before deciding it wasn't enough. He had been relentlessly pursuing strength, and yet his progress stagnated, he no longer learned as much now.
He would return when he felt like he should return.
With that he left a letter notifying his friends about his decision.
Climb the totem pole until he was too tired to climb.
And with his departure the Xianzhou ushered in a new age in which the title of Grandmaster of Arms was slowly forgotten.
~~~~
"Zephyro~ I'm back." His clothes looked just as impeccable as before. Years had passed and he had made a name for himself. By now, many would have forgotten his relation to the Xianzhou.
The cloaked figure of black and white stared at him. A sword materialised in his hand as Taigong did the same.
"Let's begin."
And with the very first move, a planet was split in half. Everything and anything could be used as a weapon including planet halves.
The very planet went up in flames as it became molten before being thrown towards Zephyro. Only to be eradicated in an instant.
A white hole appeared as Zephyro soon exerted more force only to find his concerned suspicion being confirmed. A nearby galaxy ripped apart with the force of the white hole yet nothing was happening.
Many times had this Grandmaster at Arms fought him, yet with each battle he found it suspicious with the rate if improvement. He was a genius no doubt, in pure skill Zephyro could not match him.
But for firepower and combat oriented skills, he surpassed him by far due to the path of destruction.
Yet, here the white hole that usually resulted in his defeat and escape was no longer effective. The white hole did nothing.
A pure amalgamation of energy soon condensed into his blade as he slowed.
"Observe."
Observe the target.
"Define."
Define the target, grant it a material existence
"Sever."
Cut the definition, not the target itself.
A genius in the realm of combat. His abilities had evolved into their true realm over time. And Zephyro, his last challenge stood in front of him.
That goal would finally be surpassed.
He swung his sword, no distance was passed. There was no travel time, no fluctuation. All that energy simply vanished into thin air as the sword was swung.
Zeph/yro couldn't understand what had happened.
He couldn't feel any damage at all. Yet his lower half refused to respond. Another swing as his arms soon failed to move.
Truly this was defeat in every way.
Z/eph/yro floated in the depths of space seemingly without any injuries. Yet what was injured was not his body but his existence defined.
"That was an anticlimactic battle Grandmaster." Zephyro spoke moving only his neck and head.
Taigong stood there nodding, "Indeed it was, I have you to thank. Without your strength showing me how weak I was. I would have never continued to climb higher and higher."
Zephyro sighed, "A monster, they think your genius is with arms, yet they fail to recognise the true danger. Adaptation. Anything I threw at you would be rendered useless soon after."
"A true counterstrike adaptation. My life is yours."
Taigong lowered his sword as he sat next to him on a floating debris left from the other half of the planet.
Zephyro's confused look was conveyed through his body language.
"To be honest, through our countless battles I've come to see you somewhat as a friend. An unruly and chaotic friend but not friend. A frenemy you could say."
Zephyro chuckled hearing the words come out of his mouth.
"Very well, a friend you say. Hahaha, will you regret keeping me alive?" Zephyro questioned.
"No I will not, out of all the Lord Ravagers, I believe you are the most honorable." Taigong responded as Zephyro thought silently for a bit.
"Very well. We shall be friends. Now about this strange injury?" His head wobbled about as he attempted to point towards his body.
Taigong produced a needle in which he slowly began to thread his existence and redefine it once again.
"I've left one of your arms crippled, think of it as a trophy and proof of my victory for the cosmos" He stood up and began to leave.
Soon news of Genius #83 defeating Zephyro echoed throughout the cosmos with even Celenova confirming his defeat.
Of course due to wanting to keep the reputations of the Lord Ravagers they also broadcasted that he had also sustained a serious injury.
And therein lies in the problem.
For those who are desperate enough to attempt to catch the gaze of Nanook, what better way to try catch his attention than to kill another Emanator capable of defeating Zephyro.
Taigong had long lost track of time. His days were spent constantly fighting and traveling. Perhaps it was time to go back, if they even accepted him back.
His body travelled through the depths of space without any protection. Simply floating in a single direction and being pushed by bursts of energy released.
Very quickly he found himself in trouble with the faction which had attachment issues.
The Everflame Mansion of the Annihilation Gang.
Oh what perfect timing, he was getting hungry either way.
Which all these events lead to the current situation:
"Such a wonderful meal, could I perhaps have seconds? And dessert would be appreciated."
A single streetlamp sat on the ground beside his seat Duke Inferno found himself embedded into the wall.
A red haired woman looking like a pirate was hung upside down and tied like a pig about to be slaughtered.
A blue haired man remained silent and continued to play classical music while a short child brought him some dessert.
"You know, before I set off on my journey to climb the totem pole of the cosmos. I never truly understood you guys. Destroy~ Destroy~ Big daddy Nanook look at me please." The group winced at his teasing and mockery.
"But have you ever thought about why Nanook won't look at you? Man this stuff is delicious. I might stay here for a while, beats floating out in space."
A voluptuous woman sat opposite to him as she asked, "Why?"
Her eyes betrayed her confident look.
Taigong bit and chewed on his cheesecake before replying, "Cause you don't do it for the love of the game. You do it for his attention. Phantylia? She practically gets off whenever she's in the middle of collapsing a government internally."
The group stilled as Akash, The Tuner, stopped playing.
"Hey, that was a great song, keep going." His hand waved at Akash who continued playing.
Perhaps Duke Inferno may not fear death but the others did. It was only after they attempted to gang up on him did they realise they Zephyro was outmatched. What injuries? The few scratch marks and tiniest amounts of blood on him?
Caterina was too rowdy, Akash wasn't good at speaking, Dubra was usually silent and Duke Inferno was currently a piece of modern art.
That left only Constance to communicate with him.
"Anyways, I'm a bit tired after fighting with that Doreo (IPC Brand Oreo) swordman. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Always welcome to challenge me anytime." A yawn broke out of his mouth as he cleaned his plates up before walking through the door.
"Wait where are the bedrooms?" He scratched his head sheepishly as Akash simply whispered, "Down the corridor upstairs to the left."
Taigong was simply too tired after pulling off that move, Definition Collapse.
He kept opening and entering rooms until he found the largest and the most comfiest as he dozed off dreaming about weapons and power fantasies.
"Exucaliba!"