Tang Ye headed out of the pavilion without giving any response to Ming Feizhen, face as stiff as a statue. Tang Ye never spoke to Ming Feizhen after their last sparring match or anyone else for that matter and still didn’t speak as he passed by the latter. Howbeit, he did hear from Ming Feizhen, “You made up your mind?” and shuddered. He couldn’t explain why his friend and teacher’s black hair had an unexplainable gloss that outshone the sun. With his eyes narrowed, he asked, “What does that mean?”
Eyes trained on Yi Wangyou, Ming Feizhen replied, “You feel better if you walk a different path to everyone else?”
Tang Ye showed the same gloomy reaction he did when losing to Yi Wangyou: “You… found out?”
“Generally speaking.”
“… But you… didn’t stop me.”
“Should I?” Ming Feizhen pushed Tang Ye toward the ring and waved the way a father would when sending his child off to a monastery for schooling: “Come back soon.”
What is Big Bro thinking?
Yi Wangyou amplified his aura enough to make his target flinch into their guard but not harmful, yet it didn’t disturb Tang Ye. Yi Wangyou, therefore, pulled his sword out on Tang Ye, a gesture that would force even pugilists above Tang Ye to reactively move to defend, yet it still wasn’t enough to draw Tang Ye’s attention. Taken aback, Yi Wangyou brayed, “When are we going to fight?!”
The wind’s response wasn’t representative of Tang Ye’s, resulting in Yi Wangyou snapping, “Your rudeness knows no bounds. First you steal my sect’s skills, and now you show no manners. I shall educate you in your parents place.”
Tang Ye finally turned around. Yi Wangyou’s sword qi around him involuntarily retreated as he barricaded himself within his Yang Realm internal energy. Tang Ye’s energy alone was adequate to make the wind howl as violently as a mini tornado.
Somewhat surprised, Yu Feiyuan asked Ming Feizhen, “He’s a Yang Realm internal energy user?”
Ming Feizhen bobbed his head.
Yu Feiyuan focused her gaze on Tang Ye for a while then remarked, “Hard to say,” which was a reference to it being tough to predict who’d win between Tang Ye and Yi Wangyou. Yi Wangyou wasn’t an amateur who let commentators from the audience throw him off his game, nevertheless. A moment of doubt or distraction would be enough for the tides to change against him.
Yi Wangyou started to activate Yang Blood True Qi just as Tang Ye did, albeit the two assuming different stances. The two engaged in a war of patience, each waiting for the other to make a move, subsequently showing an opening to exploit. Eventually, Yi Wangyou decided to draw Tang Ye out, initiating the first attack.
Although Yi Wangyou’s strike itself wasn’t fancy, Tang Ye knew better than anyone that Desolate Sword Dance wasn’t fun and games if Yi Wangyou ever acquired his target. Tang Ye remained inert until Yi Wangyou brought his sword in from the side.
Tang Ye already stung Yi Wangyou’s body with three palm strikes before the latter could react, yet Yi Wangyou’s swing didn’t lose momentum. While the two were outside of physical striking range, their fight suggested they were engaged in combat in clinching range.
Tang Ye managed to sustain his performance, answering with punches, claws and palm strikes, notwithstanding Yi Wangyou’s pressure tactic that reduced the former’s mobility zone. Tang Ye chiefly threw his attacks at random instead of thinking as he switched from style to style in the past, even inventing new styles. Yi Wangyou criticised Tang Ye for that random style last time, yet he struggled to gain the advantage this time around.
After detonating about fifty bombs each, Yi Wangyou belted upon reaching a place Tang Ye should’ve been exposed, only for Tang Ye to pivot and drop a back kick with his left foot against the flat surface of Yi Wangyou’s sword, creating space between the two once again.
Yi Wangyou’s high-pressure assault didn’t win, but Tang Ye’s constantly-evolving defence didn’t give him any room to launch an effective attack of his own.
How did his internal energy improved so rapidly? He would’ve gassed by now last time. By my estimates, his internal energy has doubled since our last match. There’s no way anyone could’ve improved this dramatically in such a short time if he didn’t resort to unorthodox methods. You learn my sect’s precious skills and then want to sully my sect’s reputation with wicked methods? I must erase your Yang Blood True Qi to stop you from vilifying our reputation any further today.
Su Xiao tugged Ming Feizhen’s sleeve and queried, “Big Brother Ming, is Tang Ye about to show his true skills?”
Ming Feizhen kept his eyes focused on the horizon instead of the fight and muttered under his breath, “It’s time.”