Chapter 54: Successive Fierce Battles
"What’s going on? How has Guo the Second not taken that kid down yet!"
"Damn it, it’s been over thirty moves! That good-for-nothing Guo the Second!"
"Huh, that kid’s Sword Skill seems to be constantly improving!"
"Guo the Second is on the back foot. He’s about to lose."
"What the hell? The kid’s strength seems to have grown a lot. Was he hiding it this whole time?"
"Could it be that he’s improving in the middle of the fight?"
"No way. To improve in such a short time... his aptitude would have to be terrifying!"
The crowd of black-clothed, masked men exchanged astonished looks and whispered amongst themselves.
’Ling Feng... Ling Feng... "Ling" for the sharpness of the wind, and "Feng" for its agility!’ A sliver of understanding flickered in Ye Xing’s mind, yet it remained just out of reach, an epiphany not yet fully grasped. He felt as if he were separated by a thin sheet of paper; piercing it would mean ascending to a higher realm.
His swordplay was like the wind—by turns sharp and agile, fierce and yielding.
By now, the tide of the battle had completely turned. Ye Xing’s Sword Skill was unpredictable. A strike that seemed to be aimed at Guo the Second’s heart would suddenly shift into a slice toward his neck. A blow that was clearly fierce and sharp would abruptly become nimble and fluid, making it impossible to grasp. Under the assault of the Lingfeng Sword Skill, the black-clothed, masked Guo the Second was covered in sweat, barely surviving each exchange and now completely on the defensive.
Another five or six moves passed.
PSHK! "Argh!"
With a pained scream, a long gash appeared on Guo the Second’s lower abdomen. Blood streamed out, and his face went deathly pale.
"You’re not good enough. Let’s get a new one!" Ye Xing shook his head. He pointed his blood-dripping longsword at the leader of the black-clothed, masked men. "Why don’t you have a go!"
"Suits me just fine. Let’s end this quickly. Then watch how this Village Chief takes you down in five moves." The leader of the black-clothed, masked men wore a savage expression as he swung his Nine-Ringed Saber in a sweeping arc toward Ye Xing’s waist, the wind from the blade howling with astonishing force.
Ye Xing’s expression turned grave, and he quickly swung his sword to parry from the side.
CLANG! The saber and sword collided with a screech of metal, sending sparks flying.
’This leader of the masked men really is a Martial Artist of the Martial Arts Second Realm. His True Qi is so much denser than mine!’
The instant the blades met, Ye Xing felt an immense Power surge through the body of his sword. It traveled from the blade to the hilt, then to his wrist, finally vibrating up his entire arm and leaving it numb.
CLANG! PING PING PANG!
CLANG CLANG CLANG!
Saber and sword clashed, sending sparks flying. After four or five moves, Ye Xing was once again in a perilous situation, his entire arm so numb it was about to lose all feeling.
He gritted his teeth and held on for two more moves.
"Stop, stop, stop! Hold on, no more fighting!" Ye Xing yelled.
"Are you admitting defeat?" The masked man stopped his Great Saber and asked hastily.
"Defeat my ass! Let’s take a break, then we’ll fight again!" Ye Xing rubbed his sore and numb right arm.
"Are you messing with me, kid? Are you stalling for time?" A vicious glint appeared in the masked leader’s eyes.
"Why would I stall for time? Stalling for a few moments is useless. The reason I want a break is because this fight is unfair. Think about it, before fighting you, I already fought one of your subordinates. My stamina, True Qi, and Spiritual Power are all severely depleted. Then I have to fight you right after. That’s totally unfair. Even if you win, it won’t be an honorable victory, and I won’t accept it. Right? So I need to rest, recover some True Qi, and then we can have a fair match. Don’t worry, I’m right here. It’s not like I can run away. As long as you beat me in a fair fight, I’ll hand over all the gold Tickets with both hands." Ye Xing casually dangled this tempting offer to entice the masked leader.
"Very well. This Village Chief will grant you a quarter-hour to rest," the masked leader said in a low voice.
"Now that’s more like it. It would be ridiculous if a dignified Martial Artist of the Martial Arts Second Realm were afraid of a mere Martial Arts First Realm Martial Artist like me." Ye Xing smiled, took out a Pill Bottle, and tipped out a Small Returning Pill. He swallowed it and began to meditate to recover his True Qi. At the same time, he started to process the combat experience from the last two fights and the insights he had gained into the Lingfeng Sword Skill.
"Village Chief, could this kid be playing tricks? Stalling for time?" one of the masked men asked.
"Why don’t we just kill him, wash the mansion in blood, and search it ourselves? We might find his gold Tickets that way," another masked man suggested.
"No need. If he wants to play, we’ll play along. It’s only for a quarter-hour or two. I doubt he can pull any tricks in that time." The masked leader’s gaze flickered, and he immediately ordered one of his subordinates, "Go outside right now and ask Lai Sanpi and Ni Chengchun if there’s been any movement!"
"Yes, sir!" The subordinate immediately left the inner courtyard and ran towards the main gate.
A short while later, the masked man who had been sent out returned from the main gate. He leaned in and whispered into his leader’s ear, "It’s quiet outside, nothing unusual. Lai Sanpi and Ni Chengchun are on patrol."
Just then, Ye Xing opened his eyes, emerging from his meditation. They shone with a bright light, and he looked completely refreshed and full of energy.
"Let’s begin. I’m all rested!" Ye Xing said with a slight smile as he stood up.
"Your Cultivation seems to have improved a little, but it’s useless. You’re still going to lose." The masked leader snorted coldly and swung his Nine-Ringed Saber in a straight chop down at Ye Xing.
WHOOSH!
The wind from the blade howled, and its flat side reflected the chilling moonlight.
Ye Xing’s expression was grave. He flicked his longsword upward to block the Nine-Ringed Saber.
CLANG! The blades met, sending sparks flying. An immense force invaded through his longsword. Ye Xing quickly changed his Sword Techniques. His sword became like a gentle breeze, using softness to overcome hardness and deflecting part of the Power.
As he executed the Lingfeng Sword Skill, the Innate Skill within him also began to circulate rapidly, generating a continuous stream of True Qi.
CLANG! PING PING PANG!
BOOM BOOM BOOM! CLANG CLANG CLANG!
The two clashed fiercely, at times leaping into the air, at others dodging and weaving. The Nine-Ringed Saber was incredibly powerful; the large trees in the courtyard were all sliced in two at the trunk, their branches and leaves rustling loudly as they crashed to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged nearly ten moves. Ye Xing was once again in a perilous situation, on the verge of collapse, holding on only by gritting his teeth.
’A breakthrough! Only under pressure can one break through quickly! The path of the Martial Dao is long and arduous. It is a struggle against the heavens, a struggle against the earth, and a struggle against man!’
Ye Xing’s gaze was filled with unwavering resolve.
PSHK!
The saber slashed across his arm, sending a spray of fresh blood into the air.
’Soon. I can feel it, it’s coming soon!’ Ye Xing’s eyes grew brighter and brighter as the sliver of understanding in his mind became increasingly clear.
Three more moves passed.
"The wind has a gentle side, but it also has a sharp edge. Ling Feng... Ling Feng... ’Ling’ is the sharpness of a gale, while its softness is the gentleness of a breeze! HAHAHA, so that’s how it is! That’s how it is!" In the middle of the battle, Ye Xing suddenly burst into loud laughter. He swung his longsword with his blood-stained right arm, and the power of his Sword Skill instantly multiplied. His previously perilous, near-collapse situation was suddenly replaced with confident ease. Although he was still at a disadvantage, the masked leader would probably need a hundred moves or more to take him down now.
"Damn it, the kid broke through! No more time to play with him. Everyone, attack! Capture him and torture him for information! Kill everyone else in the mansion!" the masked leader’s expression changed as he roared.
"Kill!"
Instantly, the other black-clothed, masked men surged forward, brimming with killing intent as they surrounded Ye Xing.
"Heh. Now that my Sword Skill has broken through, there’s no need to play with you any longer! Did you really think the Ye Mansion was an easy target?" A cold glint flickered in Ye Xing’s eyes. His voice was like ice as he shouted in a low tone, "Wolf One, Lang Er, come out!"