Blood and Qi: A Vampire Xianxia LitRPG

John relented. “Fine. Speak,” he said between fits of coughing up blood.

Preceptor Muzaran said, “I know we fought and you see us as enemies, but there’s no reason for such rudeness. It requires little effort to have manners and only takes a moment to add Preceptor or Gold to your replies.”

Accepting the rebuke, John said, “Preceptor Muzaran, you are correct. My apologies.” He was having so many lapses in manners due to seeing Muzaran more as a peer than his better. John was the clear victor both times they fought.

“I hate bringing that stuff up, but it’s important. You saw what happened to the Diamond. Some of your betters will feel forced to kill you for insolence even if they don’t want to. It’s an easily avoidable and dumb way to die. Now, my proposal.

“You didn’t seem familiar when I brought up the Indomitable Hundred. Have you heard the story?”

John spit out blood and said, “I haven’t, Preceptor Muzaran.”

Muzaran smiled and nodded. “It’s one of the most famous and well-known stories there is. It’s easy to forget how little the population of this world knows. You’ve heard of the Forsaken War, correct?”

“I have.” Remembering his manners, John quickly added on, “Preceptor Muzaran.”

“This was back during the Sonu period, early in the war. Before the g’athu were created, before the g’athu became what they are, long before the Betrayer showed his true colors. Everyone thought the war was over. The demons defeated. Pushed back into the NetherRealm. Licking their wounds.

“Emperor…well, I’ll keep it short and skip most of the details. Khaga the Undefeated pushed through the armies of the Favored. Only he and a hundred others made it to the core. The Indomitable Hundred. Half the core was laid to waste before the Indomitable Hundred fell. Only…”

Muzaran stopped and waited patiently as John had a coughing fit. Once John finished, Muzaran continued, “Only the mighty Khaga was left standing against the remaining forces of the Favored. Khaga, champion of Nightmare, blessed of Adversity and Darkness, wielder of the mighty SoulRend, bearer of Aegis of Souls and the Mantle of Curiosity, master of True Coalesce.

“Khaga laughed at his enemies and said, ‘This is too easy for me. With my power, no matter how many I face, this fight is still unfair for you. I came here to be challenged, so hear this offer. I will agree to not use my power, my manifestations, if you agree to the same. I will face two of your highest Eternals at once, or eight peaks, or thirty-two mids, or a hundred and twenty-eight lows. As for Sublimes, I’ll face five hundred and twelve at once. If you want to try and weaken me with any tiers lower, I’ll face all of them you have at the same time.’

“The challenge was offered and accepted. For a thousand days Khaga battled the forces of the core. For a thousand days all fell before the mighty Khaga. Even without the use of essence, Khaga proved his title true and remained undefeated. Then, the cowards, the highest Eternals of the core, attacked him together with their best manifestations while he was fighting a...”

The unspeakable feeling all around John disappeared and he was refrozen. It took him a moment to notice Stretch was gone.

[The Eternal has gone down into your planet. God Almighty, I didn’t know that was possible. The construct was taken, I think by whatever controls it. Either way, there’s nothing you can do about it. Sorry, no suicidal battle against an Eternal for you today.]

Again, John somehow knew only he was being spoken to by the Sublime. He was relieved that the Stretch and Eternal situation was out of his hands. He hoped Stretch was okay and would survive. Stretch was annoying, but he was fearless and a doughty fighter.

[Alright everyone, you will be freed to recommence combat in three, two, one.]

Both John and Muzaran looked around hesitantly as they were unfrozen. “Mind if I finish my proposal, Copper John?”

“Please do, Preceptor Muzaran,” replied John after he coughed up more blood and sent vital essence to heal.

The demon walked closer to John and said, “So, the cowards ended up killing the mighty Khaga with treachery, the only way they could win against him. Dishonorable curs. Since that glorious battle, such offers of duels have been called the Challenge of the Mighty Khaga. No real chosen would ever turn down such a challenge. We love that kind of shit. It really gets the juices flowing.

“Here’s how I see it. We can fight again. This time everyone’s joining in, from Wood on up. Maybe you’ll even beat me. If I fall, a new Gold’s coming right through the portal. If a Silver falls, it will be replaced immediately.

“We’ll keep at capacity and grind you down. Maybe you’ll get two Golds. Maybe three. Maybe more. Since pressing the city of Eisu, we have a nearly endless supply of Golds. We don’t care if we use up every single one of them. Yokels or not, at some point we’ll get you, or someone makes a mistake or gets angry and accidentally kills you. No one wants that.”

Muzaran raised his head up high. “Ask for the Challenge of the Mighty Khaga. We’ll set terms. You lose the challenge, you come to the War Academy willingly and swear loyalty to us. You win…well, you get the portal anchor, all our gear, crystals, and your freedom.”

John said, “If I win, all demons leave Earth and never come back.”

Scowling, Muzaran replied. “I can’t speak for the other anchor holder. Only myself.” He held up his hand. “See this ring? This is a spatial storage ring and holds all my treasures. This will be part of the loot if you can take it from my corpse.”

John liked the idea of the Challenge of the Mighty Khaga. He nearly agreed to it before stopping himself. He thought, I love this kind of shit too. He knew he had to think it through. “How exactly does this work? How many of what do I fight?”

Muzaran said, “If you ask for the challenge, you’ll face five hundred and twelve Woods at once. Then a hundred and twenty-eight Coppers, then thirty-two Bronze, eight Silvers, and two opponents of the rank you challenged – Gold. All tiers separately, but the whole tier at once.

“Things have changed a little since the challenge was first offered. Instead of no manifestations, it’s usually restricted to body and weapon enhancements only. And, of course, any equipment can be used freely. Use of any other type of manifestation would immediately end the challenge with the offending side declared the loser.”

John tried to think of any way he could be rooked or trapped. “So, I’d face two Golds at once? What stops you or your teammate from just using manifestations and killing me?”

Angrily, Muzaran snapped out, “What? We’re not filthy magals! My honor and the honor of my academy and the sacred challenge itself! The honor of all chosen! And again, you’ve replied to me twice now without including honorific or title. I’m just asking for the basic curtesy due all higher-tiered cultivators from lowers. That you make me mention it so often is annoying. I hate being that guy.”

John had a fit of coughing before he could reply. “Apologies, Preceptor Muzaran.”

Both vampire and demon stared at each other for a long while before Muzaran asked, “Well, will you offer the challenge?”

John had no worry about Wood to Silver. He got the best of Muzaran when John couldn’t use any manifestation and his opponent used his own freely, but two Golds at once wouldn’t be easy.

What it came down to, for John, was his love for fighting and testing himself. He hadn’t had as much fun fighting as he had both times fighting Muzaran in far too long. He got a little of it fighting Munashi, and to a lesser extent, Joyat too.

After coughing up some blood, John said, “Preceptor Muzaran, I ask for the Challenge of the Mighty Khaga.”

Muzaran laughed. “That’s the spirit! I accept!”

[Oh, I’ve got to see this.]

Muzaran scowled and looked around before smiling. “Okay. Gorgamon! Everyone in range through the portal!”

The demons started streaming back through the portal. When only Muzaran and Gorgamon remained the two talked quietly for a few moments. John strained his senses to listen in but could only make out some yips and grunts that weren’t translated.

Gorgamon entered the portal and Muzaran turned to smile at John.

Before the smile could even fully form on the Gold’s face, five hundred and twelve Woods appeared in a wedge formation facing John, and all were dressed in slick, black-leather outfits, held large shields in one hand, and handheld devices that looked like firearms in the other.

The closest row went prone, the second row got on their knees, the third row bowed a little over the second row, the fourth row stood tall, and all fired their strange handguns at John at the same time.

John panicked and almost cast his essence-shield before remembering the rules of the challenge. He jumped in the air to avoid the shots. The red balls the handguns discharged all curved upwards and followed John.

[Halt! What is this? You know the deal struck. No outside tech for Circle Xakariz. I picked a tenth ring world for this very reason. These weapons are high Tech 1 equivalent. Even the g’athu must make tech on this world and aren’t allowed to bring any through. Why is Inner-Circle Master Ith'tas begging me to lay waste to his circle?]

All was frozen, even the balls of red light that tracked John, as well as new shots heading right at him, discharged from deeper in the formation once he jumped in the air, giving those demons a clear shot at him.

Muzaran, unfrozen, scurried to kowtow. “Mighty Sublime, this one was offered the Challenge of the Mighty Khaga. This one is a preceptor at the War Academy on Nether Four, Region Lizard, Prime World. A seventh ring world. The one offering the challenge knew this. The challenge is sacred and recognized even by the NCS magals use.”

[Fantastic. I’m proud of you for having the ability to state obvious things. Except I’m the one that made the deal with Circle Xakariz. By what right do you claim a Copper can override my authority? Speak delicately, Gold, lest you meet the same end as your Diamond.]

“Mighty Sublime, the Diamond was of Circle Xakariz, not the War Academy. But this one apologizes on behalf of both circle and academy for any inconvenience.

“Has the mighty Sublime checked the status of Terra in the NCS? The one known as Copper John is recognized as this world’s leader. An invading force bargained with him in good faith as the leader of this world, and a peer of the mighty Sublime, one known as Sublime Sunshine, also recognized the one known as Copper John as this world’s leader by an NCS enforced contract.”

Some moments passed before John was unfrozen but still suspended in the air. [Are you insane? You gave that maniac all rights to Terra’s goods, services, IPs, and exports off-world?]

John became nervous and kowtowed after coughing up some more blood. “I didn’t know I did that, Sublime.”

[You signed the contract, yes?]

“Yes, Sublime.”

[How do you not know you gave Sunshine all those rights, then?]

“Uh, he said the contract was for something else, Sublime.” Through his orb-eye, John saw Muzaran smile widely.

[You didn’t read it!?]

John thought about explaining that in his time, and in his mind, men of honor made bargains with the words they spoke, and only clerks, priests, and weak kings needed bargains with words they wrote down. But that was just an excuse, and he knew he disliked excuses. He should’ve read the contract. He didn’t see what harm could come of it since no one on Earth could leave the planet to sell anything, and according to the demons, Earth had nothing worth selling anyways.

“I didn’t, Sublime,” said John between bouts of coughing.

[You fool. That damn Sunshine is nothing but a headache. Well, you brought this on yourself then. Demon, nothing changed regarding the tier cap. There are currently three Gold demons on Terra, discounting the one allied to the terrans. If at any point there are four, I intercede. And not nicely. Understood?]

“Mighty Sublime, the challenge is sacred, even the magal NCS considers it sacred. Since this one’s War Academy has nothing but respect for the mighty Sublime, the academy would never think about going over the cap on Golds the mighty Sublime set. This one can’t order the other Golds of Circle Xakariz to leave Terra. If the one known as Copper John survives to face the last challenge of two Golds, he must go through the portal and face two Golds on Esau. If the one known as Copper John doesn’t, he forfeits the challenge.”

[No. The challenge was given on this world and will be completed on this world. I can dictate that. If you refuse to remove a Gold from the other portal, I end the challenge now with no winner. I am willing to temporarily raise the cap on demon Golds to four if the Copper survives to the final phase, but only if I am given the name and location of the Forsaken sect that gave you information from the NCS.]

The smile disappeared from Muzaran’s face. “Mighty Sublime…this one…it’s not illegal for magal Forsaken to give us information.”

[Correct, demon. And it’s not illegal for you to give me the name and location of their sect. What does legality have to do with it? This is a bargain. If I get what I want, you get what you want.]

“Mighty Sublime…uh, this one doesn’t know their name and location.”

[I don’t give a shit what you know, demon. Someone knows. Get me the information or this challenge is over.]

John took the opportunity to speak up. “Can I ask a question? Preceptor Muzaran, you said only body and weapon enhancements were allowed. Those Woods all have some type of handguns discharging offensive manifestations. How is this allowed?”

Muzaran answered. “Gear doesn’t count as manifesting. You offered the challenge to a Gold from a seventh ring world, that includes facing what tech we have.”

Anger filled John and he snapped out, “That seems cowardly.” He stopped to cough up some blood. “You led me to believe this would be a challenge of body cultivators.”

Muzaran, his voice filled with anger, said, “You have too many slips in manners, Copper. Calling a preceptor of an academy you’ll soon be joining a coward isn’t very smart. Neither is having poor manners towards him.”

As Muzaran was speaking, Gorgamon exited the portal and kowtowed, holding a small ball above his head with one hand as he did so. “Mighty Sublime, the information you requested.”

The ball disappeared and John was refrozen back to his original position. [Good. If the Copper survives to face the last challenge, I’ll allow one additional Gold to exit through this and only this portal and stay on Terra for the duration of this challenge. Once the challenge is concluded, there will be a grace period of only two minutes for one of the Golds on Terra to exit. Prepare yourselves, the challenge recommences in three, two, one.]

John started moving forward through the air again. He tried to deflect the first small red ball of essence to reach him with his sword and the ball was powerful enough to stagger his sword arm. He caught two balls on his shield that hit hard enough to change his trajectory in the air.

Then the volley reached John, and for some moments he was knocked around violently as the essence-balls tracked him to each location he was sent to.

Spinning in the air, John managed to block most of the balls but still took many hits. The hits stung, but he noticed with his orb-eye they caused just a small burn on his skin where he wasn’t protected by his leather armor. Many of the shots didn’t make it through the armor, and the shots that did caused little to no damage.

John ended up on the ground still in front of the wedge formation. He quickly sent vital essence to heal then to enhance his speed and was casting [BB Buff] as a new volley was discharged at him by the bulk of the demon formation.

John rushed to the side and forward into the demon horde. The little red balls fired at him curved around and followed him. He didn’t attack the Woods and just ran deeper into the formation while zigzagging.

When John was nearly through the formation, he turned around and raised his shield. Only a few of the shots still followed him. He blocked them easily while taking in the devastation the volley that followed him did to the Woods he ran past.

His chest burned and John coughed up blood and took many other shots at point-blank range from the demons around him, but he still smiled.