Chapter 573 - 193: All Sides Gather, the Day of the Finals
On the fighting stage in Fushan Square.
Fierce winds howled and dust swirled. The fight between Yang Jing and Bai Ziyu had reached a fever pitch.
A faint golden halo enveloped Yang Jing. His fists brimmed with the immense power born from three fused strands of Inner Qi. His assault was like a tidal wave, with every strike aimed at a vital point. He completely dominated the fight, overwhelming Bai Ziyu like a fierce tiger descending a mountain.
Although Bai Ziyu’s Body Technique was agile, and his Wind-Chasing Step made him move like a phantom twisting and turning across the stage, he could never shake Yang Jing’s pursuit.
He could only rely on his superior speed to barely stumble away from Yang Jing’s follow-up attacks after each clash of fist and claw, leaving him completely unable to counterattack.
But even during these brief clashes, Bai Ziyu couldn’t avoid the impact of the incomparably tyrannical Inner Qi from Yang Jing’s fists.
The ferocious Inner Qi possessed a cunning edge; the moment their fists and claws met, it invaded his meridians and churned his Inner Strength like a swarm of steel needles.
Each impact worsened his injuries and threw his Inner Qi into greater disarray, causing his overall condition to plummet.
Even the speed of his Wind-Chasing Step suffered, growing increasingly sluggish as more and more flaws appeared in his movements.
They exchanged another dozen blows, the shadows of fists and the gusts from claws colliding on the stage with a series of dull thuds.
This time, Yang Jing seized an opening created by Bai Ziyu’s sluggish movements. He launched a decisive punch that struck right into the palm of Bai Ziyu’s clawed hand.
An even more tyrannical wave of Inner Qi surged into him, and Bai Ziyu felt an unbearable pain, as if his internal organs were being crushed by a giant boulder.
He staggered back six or seven steps, crushing the bluestone tiles underfoot before his back slammed hard into the stage railing with a dull thud.
Unable to suppress the coppery taste rising in his throat any longer, Bai Ziyu’s mouth flew open. With a sickening GACK, he spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood, staining the front of his crimson tunic.
He lifted his head, his vision blurry. Through the haze, he saw Yang Jing’s expression was as placid as ever as he swung another punch toward him.
The fist carried an immense, suffocating pressure. Even now, Yang Jing’s breathing was still steady, as if the brutal fight had had no effect on him whatsoever.
In that moment, a profound sense of powerlessness washed over Bai Ziyu.
It was the exact same feeling he’d had when he faced Chu Yunhai.
’No matter how much I struggle, I can’t seem to cross this chasm in our strength.’
Bai Ziyu took a deep breath, the churning blood and qi in his chest making him dizzy. He watched Yang Jing’s fist close in, the force of the blow whipping his long hair back and making his robes flutter wildly.
He squeezed his eyes shut and shouted, "I concede!"
’I’m well aware that there’s a world of difference between my strength and Yang Jing’s.’
’Even if I were to risk my life and fight recklessly, the best I could hope for would be to trade my near-fatal wounds for a minor injury on Yang Jing. Defeat is still inevitable.’
’Since that’s the case, there’s no point in fighting a battle I’m certain to lose.’
’Continuing to fight would just be asking for punishment. I’d end up seriously injured for nothing, which would only hinder my future training. The losses would far outweigh any gains.’
Yang Jing’s fist was a mere three inches from Bai Ziyu’s chest. The force alone was enough to press the fabric of his tunic inward.
Upon hearing Bai Ziyu’s concession, he immediately flipped his wrist, wrenching the surging Inner Qi back into his body. His fist stopped dead in midair, and the gust of wind it created swept across Bai Ziyu’s cheek, leaving a cool sensation behind.
Yang Jing looked at Bai Ziyu, whose face was pale and whose mouth was trickling blood. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
’I really didn’t expect Bai Ziyu to concede on his own.’
’I originally thought this fight would be like my matches against Lu Shaohua and Su Muyuan, that it wouldn’t be truly over until I’d knocked my opponent off the stage.’
’After all, many masters of the Martial Dao have their own warrior’s pride.’
’Even when they know they’re outmatched, they refuse to concede easily. They’ll grit their teeth and hang on until the very last moment, fighting to the point of exhaustion even if they’re beaten into a sorry state.’
’Lu Shaohua, Su Muyuan, Ma Guoliang—they were all the same. Not one of them would willingly bow their head.’
Yang Jing looked at Bai Ziyu and thought, ’This prodigy is ranked second on the Hidden Dragon List. He’s powerful and has an impressive temperament. Logically, he should be just like Lu Shaohua and the others, dragging the fight out to the bitter end.’
’I never even considered that Bai Ziyu would choose to concede on his own.’
Yang Jing was surprised, but after a moment’s reflection, he understood.
After all, the battle had reached a point where Bai Ziyu was already a spent force. To persist would only mean ending up gravely injured and on the verge of death; there was no point.
Yang Jing slowly retracted his fist as the surging Inner Qi within him gradually subsided.
He took a few steps back to put some distance between them, then gave Bai Ziyu a fist-and-palm salute as a sign of respect for his opponent.
Bai Ziyu, for his part, was remarkably composed.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and took a deep breath to settle his roiling blood and qi. He then returned Yang Jing’s salute, his expression serene, showing not a hint of shame for his concession.
...
The crowd below the stage watched this unfold, and the thousands of Xuanzhen Sect disciples and scions of Jintai Prefecture City’s great families filling Fushan Square were all stunned.
Everyone stared wide-eyed in astonishment at the two men on the stage. A moment later, the square erupted in a tidal wave of discussion.
No one could have ever imagined that a top-tier master like Bai Ziyu, the prodigy ranked second on the Hidden Dragon List, would actually concede to an opponent on the fighting stage.