NOVEL WEB chapter 538
Seeing this, Ye Yong felt even more envious. A character like him had no need for excessive worry; as long as he diligently cultivated his skills, success would come effortlessly. Truly, comparing oneself to others could be a bitter pill to swallow.
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Ye Yong also divided a portion of his consciousness, attaching it to the sword, allowing the blade to clash against itself.
Jin Liang was not surprised that Ye Yong could wield a sword, but besides swordsmanship, he had also cultivated palm techniques. Without hesitation, he swiftly formed hand seals, gathering spiritual power, ready to show Ye Yong the might of his formidable palm arts.
Don’t think I’m unaware, Ye Yong, that aside from your sword, you only dabble in sound and painting. What use is that? In such a short span, can you truly play the flute and paint? The number one prodigy of the Eastern Continent? Merely a hollow title! Watch how this handsome lad toys with you!
Jin Liang’s perfected Xuan-level Qingyuan Palm struck straight towards Ye Yong, relentless and unyielding, aiming to seal off all of Ye Yong’s movements.
Yet Ye Yong had no intention of evading. With a single hand, he formed a fist and struck at the palm print in the void.
“Roar!!” A fierce tiger’s roar erupted, and a semi-transparent tiger shadow shattered all those green palm prints, charging straight at Jin Liang.
“Is that the Five Tiger Fist at the furnace fire level!?” A discerning cultivator exclaimed.
The Five Tiger Fist, capable of unleashing the power of five tigers from the very beginning, though a Xuan-level technique, wielded considerable might. Yet, it was notoriously difficult to master. The journey from entry to mastery was merely a growth in strength, but upon reaching the furnace fire level, the Five Tiger Fist underwent a transformative leap, with the fist energy morphing into a ferocious tiger.
“Now, that’s truly rare.” The overseers marveled, for the Five Tiger Fist belonged to martial arts, typically scorned by most cultivators. Yet Ye Yong not only practiced it but had also honed it to perfection. One could only imagine the perseverance and hardship he endured.
“If this child does not meet an untimely end, reaching the Great Ascension or even becoming a Saint may not be beyond his grasp.” Elder Jin sighed sincerely, glancing at his grandson, who was struggling to evade the tiger shadow, his expression one of shock. He couldn’t help but sigh again, “I once thought Liang had great talent, but in comparison… in terms of innate ability, strength, and temperament, he pales in comparison to Ye Yong.”
“How could you possibly know martial arts?!” Jin Liang could not accept the reality before him. He had deliberately spent time cultivating palm techniques, intending to deliver unexpected attacks while wielding his sword.
Wasn’t it said that Ye Yong practiced swordsmanship for ten years before joining the sect? Wasn’t it said that after joining, he focused on sound and painting? What was this furnace fire level Five Tiger Fist all about?
Ye Yong found Jin Liang’s reaction quite amusing. If you can master palm techniques, why can’t I master fist techniques? Should I tell you that besides fist techniques, I also know palm techniques, knife techniques, spear techniques, staff techniques, and so on?
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17 Anxiety
Jin Liang, unwilling to accept defeat, unleashed a series of palm prints, all shattered by the tiger shadows of the Five Tiger Fist. His mindset began to crumble, and with his spiritual power depleting, he realized this match was lost.
But surrender was not an option; he chose to endure.
Ye Yong envied Jin Liang’s smooth, untroubled path, yet there was no enmity between them. Thus, he refrained from mockery or humiliation. Sensing Jin Liang’s desire to fight until exhaustion, attempting to lose with some dignity, Ye Yong obliged. Once Jin Liang’s spiritual power was nearly spent, he amplified the power of the Five Tiger Fist, using the residual force to send him crashing out of bounds.
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The seasoned steward and the elders naturally discerned Ye Yong’s intentions, offering their praises for his actions. Elder Jin nodded subtly; after all, Ye Yong had spared some face for his grandson, and following this encounter, Elder Jin believed his grandson would surely make further strides.
Jin Liang still possessed a flicker of spiritual power, not yet fully fainted. After stabilizing his body, he couldn’t help but sigh and summon his sword back.
As dashing as he had been upon entering, he now felt like a fallen star upon his exit.
He had expected to be mocked by his fellow disciples for overestimating himself, yet unexpectedly, he overheard others speaking highly of him, though their words felt somewhat uncomfortable.
“This Jin Liang is truly a genius of the Sword Pavilion, not only can he wield his sword with thought, but he has also mastered the Qingyuan Palm to great heights. It’s a pity he encountered Ye Yong.”
“He indeed possesses talent and potential, to have battled Ye Yong for so long and allowed everyone to witness a glimpse of Ye Yong’s strength. Alas, Ye Yong is simply too monstrous, beyond reach.”
Though they were indirectly praising Ye Yong, it could be seen as an acknowledgment of his prowess, right? It wasn’t that he lacked genius or strength; it was merely that Ye Yong was too extraordinary.
With this thought, Jin Liang felt a bit better.
“Usually, the stewards place those of comparable strength at the back. Why was this batch thrown straight into the top fifty?”
“In the newcomer trials, rankings aren’t of utmost importance; what truly matters is the later joint competition. If Jin Liang can learn something from this match, he needn’t worry about achieving good results in the joint competition.”
Jin Liang wholeheartedly agreed. He had once believed himself the strongest among the new disciples, blinded by his own arrogance. His grandfather’s good intentions, which he had failed to understand before, were now crystal clear.
He had foolishly likened Ye Yong to a whetstone; if that were the case, his blade would have been shattered. Ye Yong should be likened to a towering mountain—though he blocked the path, if one could scale it, an infinitely bright tomorrow awaited.
With his heart stirred, he suddenly felt light, the spiritual energy around him surged. The nearly depleted energy not only replenished but also broke through to the sixth layer of crystallization.
The surrounding crowd buzzed with excitement, remarking on Jin Liang’s remarkable feat of breaking through in a single battle.
Elder Jin’s eyes glimmered with satisfaction, solidifying his resolve to send a token of gratitude to Ye Yong. However, as an elder, he couldn’t lower himself to deliver it personally; he planned to send Jin Liang instead, hoping to see if the two could forge a connection. If Ye Yong truly looked down on Jin Liang, there were still his sister and younger siblings to consider. Yes, that would do.
Because Jin Liang had gained something significant, even before the second round of battles concluded, the stewards were already bickering over the list for the next round. Everyone wanted their own descendants to face Ye Yong, the commotion escalating, a stalemate ensued.
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More than two hours passed, and the third round of battles was announced.
Ye Yong’s opponent was a female cultivator, standing tall and graceful, her beauty striking. Yet, most importantly, her background was formidable enough to secure a chance to battle Ye Yong.
Indeed, now to face Ye Yong, one had to rely on connections.
After stepping onto the stage, the female cultivator was exceedingly proactive, calling out “Senior Brother” repeatedly, to the point where Ye Yong felt a bit embarrassed. What should have been an intense battle resembled young lovers flaunting their affection in public.
With every move she executed, she would ask Ye Yong if there was anything he needed to correct, her expression serious, her attitude sincere, yet her body seemed to tease him, unconsciously leaning closer.