Wuxia: Drinking with Spring Breeze

"...because I'm going to kill you!"

Yang Ge lunged forward, his leg swinging like an axe.

The man in gray agilely dodged to the side, Yang Ge's leg chopping through the air, shattering stone steps.

The man in gray raised his leg for a sweeping kick, aiming for Yang Ge's left knee with force like a hammer.

Yang Ge leaped into the air, twisting in mid-flight to deliver a snap kick toward the man in gray's throat.

The man in gray crouched in response, turning his sweeping kick into a low leg sweep.

One high, one low, two gusts of wind whizzed past each other.

Yang Ge, quick with both eyes and legs, followed the falling momentum to turn his snap kick into a stomp, suddenly aiming for the man in gray's waist.

The man in gray heard the wind behind him, his stabilizing leg forcefully pushing back, propelling his body forward.

"Bang!"

Yang Ge's foot grazed the hem of the man in gray's clothes, brutally stomping onto the stone slab, cracking it with a large, web-like fracture, dust billowing.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze fiercely fixed on the man in gray who was slowly getting up a short distance away, lightly laughing, "Quick reflexes, huh!"

The man in gray was also staring at Yang Ge, his ferocious eyes now filled with a mix of solemnity and shock, "Your fundamentals are not bad either!"

Indeed, that's how Yang Ge's fundamentals appeared in his eyes, merely not bad.

But the problem was, Yang Ge changed moves too quickly, and what's more, the power of his moves seemed to undergo no weakening!

How on earth did he manage that?

How could his meridians withstand such intense output of Inner Qi?

Wasn't today the first day he's transformed Inner Qi into power?

"Warmed up yet?"

Yang Ge twisted his neck, the ferocity in his gaze intensifying, "Shall we get serious?"

The man in gray took a step back, tensing up, but retorted, "You talk too much!"

"Courtesy before force,"

Yang Ge smiled, then also took a step back, "Well then, here I come!"

Before his words had faded, he had already leaped up, his legs turning into a blur of afterimages, enveloping the man in gray.

The man in gray likewise leaped up, his legs turning into a blur of afterimages, meeting Yang Ge.

"Bang bang bang..."

The powerful explosive sounds of their clashes were dense like a drumbeat, the two combatants stepping through the air, competing in speed, endlessly crossing and dodging, with countless leg shadows flipping and flying up and down, like leaves whirling in the wind. Bursts of forceful air swept through like rapid gunfire, making it nearly impossible for ordinary people to discern which figure was Yang Ge and which was the man in gray.

The surrounding guards of the Imperial Bodyguard were forced to retreat step by step by the surging gales, eyes aching from straining to follow the combatants!

"How come they seem taught by the same master?"

"Yeah, they can't seem to break each other's moves!"

A few guards murmured in discussion.

Fang Ke turned his head and glared at the talking guards, "Shut up!"

But as he turned back to gaze at the still intertwining figures in the air, his eyes were also full of shock.

He had been part of the Imperial Bodyguard's investigation into Yang Ge's identity and background, and knew some things about Yang Ge.

It was precisely because he knew that he was so shocked!

Previously, he didn't understand why a high-ranking official like Shen gave Yang Ge such importance, even willing to lower his own status to befriend him.

Now, he understood...

For a moment, he was filled with confidence about his future prospects!

"Watch carefully!"

He shouted out once again, unconcerned with the proprieties, "If our standard bears even a hint of danger, shoot that thieving rascal dead!"

"Someone go, get me all the people from the county office and camp... all of them!"

"Someone go, notify the city gate officials, keep their eyes wide open tonight. Even if a mosquito flies by in front of them, I want them to tell the sex, and if there's a thief, they're all dead!"

"Someone, prepare the pigeons immediately, should anything befall our banner, report it to the Northern Pacification Commission at once..."

Brazen shouts echoed down the empty streets.

But no one found it funny.

Several strongmen cupped their fists and hurried away, casting a shadow over the whole street like dark clouds!

The only ones fully engrossed were the two fighters in the thick of battle.

In their eyes and hearts, there was only their opponent!

Capturing the Wind, Rushing Wind Forceful Grass, Chaotic Wind Torrential Rain...

They threw out their power moves as if their lives depended on it, relentlessly targeting each other.

Their Inner Qi was being consumed crazily as if it cost them nothing!

Yang Ge had the advantage of quick reactions, and with the blessing of his natural talent for fully connected channels, his eye, heart, and Inner Qi arrived in unison. With the assistance of the Chaotic Wind Leg technique, which grew increasingly faster, his attacks rose like waves, one after another, each higher than the last!

The man in grey had the advantage of experience and profound Inner Qi. Even though he could not keep up with Yang Ge's rhythm of attack, he could still stand firm against Yang Ge's wave-like offensive with his abundant combat experience and deep Inner Qi, and he even had the strength left to counterattack!

But after all, these were their ultimate moves...

Neither Yang Ge nor the man in grey could easily sustain the consumption.

Both understood the strengths and weaknesses of this leg technique and knew how to maximize their advantages while avoiding their shortcomings. Who could easily expect a quick victory?

Without the possibility of a quick victory and no chance given by the opponent to change tactics, what else could be done?

They had to grit their teeth and drag it out!

Dragging it out until the opponent couldn't keep up was the moment when the victor would be decided!

At least, that's what the man in grey thought. Confident in having been in the Qi Sea Realm for some time, he believed his Inner Qi was definitely more profound than Yang Ge's, who had just entered the realm and came seeking revenge. The longer they dragged it out, the more certain his victory!

And Yang Ge, actually thought the same...

It's just that what he had confidence in was different from the man in grey.

"Sweeping Wind and Scattered Clouds!"

As the two's leg techniques, fast enough to create afterimages, began to slow down, Yang Ge suddenly roared, his body spinning and raising a tornado-like wind, transforming into a side kick, and swiftly shooting towards the man in grey like a meteor.

"What?"

The man in grey felt his scalp tingle at the roar, his wolf-like sinister and brutally cold face showing an expression of utter astonishment.

He was all too familiar with the six killer moves of Chaotic Wind Leg.

The first three moves, slaying the enemy!

The last three moves, fighting with one's life!

The reason for this distinction was that the first three moves didn't require charging up or building power and could be used freely as long as one could withstand the consumption.

But the last three moves required charging up and building power, and if not done, the meridians would be damaged by the forceful Inner Qi, hurting oneself before the enemy.

His fourth brother had died under the suicidal move "Wind Howl Desolate Valley..."

But at this moment, he could see clearly that this fellow had not charged up at all, directly connecting the move "Rushing Wind Forceful Grass" seamlessly with "Sweeping Wind and Scattered Clouds".

Are your meridians made of iron?

As the forceful Inner Qi wind rushed towards him, the man in grey dared not hesitate nor forcibly use "Sweeping Wind and Scattered Clouds" to clash with Yang Ge. In his urgency, he had to completely abandon his offensive, dropping down heavily to the ground, stabilizing his stance with a horse step, crossing his arms, and roar fiercely, "Unyielding Mountain Style!"

As he spoke, the Inner Qi surged from his body, forming a mountain peak illusion that enveloped him.

"Boom."

In the deep, bell-like sound of an air explosion, the man in grey used his crossed arms to block Yang Ge's side kick.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

The next second, a powerful force erupted beneath the man in grey, cracking the stone floor with a large web of fine lines.

"Thud."

The man in grey's back ripped open, the invisible Inner Qi spilling out, lifting a cloud of dust.

He held his breath, his face turning purple as if it were about to bleed, but his eyes grew more ferocious.

He curled his mouth into a sinister smile and said to Yang Ge, word by word, "Boy, your uncle has caught you!"

"No!"

Yang Ge bared his teeth, his mouth full of fresh blood, but his smile was even more menacing than the man in grey's: "It's I who have caught you!"

Under the puzzled gaze of the man in grey, he extended his left hand and grabbed the man in grey's right arm.