After Takeshi, Dai was called up to fight.  Dai's opponent came from Codal Country.  They were at the same peak Water Bound Martial Stage.  The outcome of the fight depended on their quick thinking and experience.  

Dai stood and watched the short stout man made a huge jump from his seat to the stage.  As he landed it created a small crater on the stone stage.  Dai's unwavering determination did not diminish as the moment after they bowed to the referee, Dai attacked.  His whole body lit up in qi as he pulled out his short swords.  

Dai's quick and agile movements were able to penetrate through the opponent's defense, making several cuts on his body that slowly bled as they fought.  When the opponent fought back, Dai's qi body was a shield that he couldn't penetrate through, with either his weapon or his qi.  His strength was what gave him an edge from everyone else, but with Dai's qi body shield, he didn't have a way to win.  

As his body bled from even more cuts from Dai, he knew he couldn't win.  By only conceding would he be able to survive.  

"I concede."  He said as another cut was made on his chest.  

Dai immediately steps back and puts his short swords away and pulls back his qi into his body.  

"Winner.  Dai Lei of Bido Kingdom."  The referee said.   

The crowd roared with cheers as Dai goes back to his seat.  

-----

Chiyo's number was called next as her opponent was a girl from Yukah Kingdom.  The girl, Akemi has have several encounters with Chiyo before.  All of them unpleasant and hateful.  Akemi, born into nobility, treats others that weren't born into nobility like dirt.  Not liking how she treats others and herself, Chiyo has tried several times to kill her.  But she was always surrounded by guards or her disciple brothers were always near by.  She somehow always had luck on her side to have someone save her just at the moment Chiyo would hit her with a killing strike. Injuring the savior instead of Akemi.  

"Well isn't it the daughter of Master Teacher Lei?"  Akemi said sarcastically.  

"No one can save you in this ring."  Chiyo said as she pulled out her sword.  "You should concede now, to save your face." 

"As if you could ever get close enough."  Akemi said as she too got ready to fight.  

"Why don't you keep on asking the men who jump in front of you every time I get near?" Chiyo said as they both bow to the referee.  

"Die!"  Akemi shouts as she attacks first.  

Since the last time they fought, Akemi has risen her strength however she was stuck in a bottleneck at peak Earth Bound Martial Stage.  Akemi's sword was infused with her qi as she swung her sword.  It hit Chiyo's qi infused sword as well, deflecting the hit immediately.  

Chiyo defended at Akemi attacked vigorously.  Her attacks tried to break Chiyo's defense, but with all her skills and tricks, she couldn't penetrate through.  

Akemi's attacks started slowing down and hits with less strength, Chiyo unhooked her dagger from under her robe and infused her qi into the dagger.  With a flick of her hand, the dagger swung up as it marked her beautiful face with a cut from her right cheek, across her nose, pass her left eye and ended at her forehead.  

Akemi screamed out in horror as she felt and saw the blade hit her face and she couldn't do anything.  She was too preoccupied with defending the sword attack from Chiyo to notice the dagger aimed at her face.   

"Cheater!"  Akemi yells as blood drips down her face.  

Chiyo's dagger switches direction as it swings again across Akemi's face.  Akemi leaps back to dodge the dagger, forgetting about Chiyo's sword.  With a flick of her wrist, Chiyo's sword slices twice over her shoulder and chest. The falling flap of clothing exposes her breast for all to see.  

"I CONCEDE!" Akemi yelled as she drops her sword to cover her expose breast and at the same time stop the bleeding from her face.  

"Winner, Chiyo Lei of Bido Kingdom."  The referee said.  

"I'll remember this!"  Akemi shouted at Chiyo.  "You'll pay for this."  

Chiyo had a million of things to say to her to make her angry.  But instead she looks at Akemi as if she wasn't even on the same level as her and walks away, dismissing her.  Akemi cries out in anger as she sees Chiyo treat her like dirt.  Chiyo's the one without noble blood in her, she's the one who should be dirt, not Akemi!  

Her tear stained face leaves the stage to go visit the doctor as Chiyo jumps back into her seat as if nothing happened.  

----------

Takao's fight was the last of on the second day.  His opponent was a man named Crowen from Cara Country.  Crowen's martial skills were at low Sky Bound Martial Stage, while Takao's skills were at peak Water Bound Martial Stage.  

Their fight was intense.  Crowen not backing down, for he wanted to prove to Hell King that he was worthy to be selected to go to Phantom Mirage.   And Takao, not backing down because he is Master Teacher Lei's son.  All his siblings and cousin won their fight, how could he be the only one to lose?  

Their skills were neck to neck, however with Crowen being Sky Bound Martial Stage, he held a slight edge over the fight.  Takao kept pushing himself, harder and harder as they fought.  Crowen suddenly unleashes his final move on to Takao.  Takao finds himself on his back on the ground with Crowen on top of him, raining punches onto him.  Although the punches weren't covered in Crowen's qi, Takao's chest and face got the brunt of the punches.  

Takao's depleted qi couldn't make a qi body shield to block the punches. All he could do was take the punches.  He refused to say the words 'I concede'  he would rather die or die trying.  Takao struggled from under Crowen's body, but Crowen has pinned him down tightly.  Punch after punch rained down on to him as blood seeped out his eyes, nose, ear and mouth.  His battered body took the hits for a long time.  

Who would win, nobody knew.  It depended on who's will was stronger.  Both of them had depleted their qi, so their punches were not as effective as they would have liked.  Both of them were tired, yet none of them were willing to give up.  With the last of his strength Crowen pulled back his fist, as his other hand scrunched Takao's collar, slightly lifting his head up for the last blow.  

His fist landed on his face as a crunching noise echoed through the arena.  The crowd quieted down as they watch the fight.  The tense atmosphere rang loudly as Takao's head snaps back and his eyes roll back.  His head hit the ground in it's descent.  

And like a dam breaking, Takao breaks through his bottleneck from Water Bound Martial Stage to Sky Bound Martial Stage.  Qi fills his body, recharging and filling his dantians as the qi moves through his veins from one dantian to another.  With renew vigor, Takao was able to flip Crowen off of him and managed to pin Crowen's tired body down onto the ground.  It was Takao's turn to slam his fists into Crowen, paying him back for all the blood loss and broken bones.  

But this time, Takao's fists were surrounded in qi, meaning a couple of hits could kill Crowen.  Without letting him say he concedes,  the first couple of hits were to the mouth and cheek to break his teeth and jaw.  The next couple of hits were to his face, breaking his cheek bone and smashing his eye socket.  

Crowen had long ago lost consciousness and his face no longer was symmetrical, but instead of killing him, Takao gets up to stare at the referee.  

"Call it." Takao said.  

"Winner.  Takao Lei of Bido Kingdom.  

Takao left the stage as a Sky Bound Martial Stage fighter.  He knew the only reason he survived, was through his breakthrough.  He would have died if not for it.  He thanked his Grandma's lucky stars for his breakthrough.  Grandma always said she was lucky, that she passed down all her luck to her family.  He firmly believed that this was one of those times, his Grandma's luck helped him.