"Boom!"
The two men merely stood there, yet their invisible auras erupted at full force.
Without making a move or exchanging another word, they gave a simple introduction and then appeared in an open field.
The winds and clouds shifted, their imposing presence pressing down on all around them. The two men were like peerless divine swords, their Sword Qi shooting straight into the heavens.
"I am Ye Yang, the disgraced Young Sect Master of the Ye Household."
Ye Yang held nothing back. His reputation as a good-for-nothing had long since spread far and wide. The world knew only one side of the story, unaware that another soul had already taken residence within his body.
There was a hum.
Just as the two men finished introducing themselves and prepared to fight, an invisible, immense force gathered around them, forming a sturdy formation.
"Very well. I've used my cultivation and methods to set up a formation. Anyone below the Martial Emperor realm can fight to their heart's content. You may battle without restraint, but remember one thing: stop once the point has been made. Under no circumstances are you to kill in a fit of rage."
The Abbot of White Cloud was filled with anticipation. One was his grand-disciple, while the other was the descendant of an old friend. The question of who was stronger would soon be settled—and he still had something even more important to confirm!
"Please forgive me, Big Brother Ye!" Qin Tian did not hesitate in the slightest. He had been holding back just now.
If he unleashed his full strength, he had feared damaging the flowers and grass. But now that his grand-master had acted, there was no longer any need for such concern.
Since the day he had entered White Cloud Temple, he had never seen his grand-master so delighted, nor had he ever seen him make a move. Witnessing this today had truly broadened his horizons.
Through all those days and nights when he had wanted to give up, he had clenched his teeth and persevered. Now, getting to spar with a young prodigy of his generation was precisely the opportunity he had dreamed of.
With a single gesture, he focused all his attention, and an ancient, unadorned saber appeared in his hand.
"Seven Forms of Heaven's Rupture, First Form—Swanflash Slash!"
With a backhand slash, he charged at Ye Yang. He transformed into an afterimage, and the air erupted with sonic booms, as though it had caught fire.
The strike carried tremendous weight and the supreme might to cleave mountains and shatter stone. It was a simple slash, yet it was impossible to look straight at, much less withstand.
"My good grand-disciple, I never thought you had already comprehended the Seven Forms of Heaven's Rupture to such a level. You wield your saber with perfect ease, achieving Man and Blade as One. Congratulations!"
The Abbot of White Cloud paid no heed to worldly affairs, standing aloof beyond the mortal world. Yet the various factions still had to take his existence into account and show him some respect.
"What a thrill! I've never encountered a situation like this before, where I can unleash my full strength without restraint. Since this is such a good opportunity, I won't embarrass you, Big Brother Ye. Take this!"
At first, Ye Yang had thought his opponent was merely putting on an impressive show. Only when they truly exchanged blows did he realize that Qin Tian had been giving him a chance to practice and prepare himself.
"Mountain Shattering Fist, All Laws Return to One!"
He gathered momentum, clenched his fist tightly, and after storing up his strength, drove it horizontally toward the opponent's unstoppable slash.
"Big Brother Ye, you're courting death!"
Seeing that Ye Yang had no weapon and was actually trying to block his killing blow with a bare fist, Qin Tian was utterly dumbfounded!
"What a fine boy. His physical body truly is powerful. Though his cultivation is only at the Martial Master realm, the strength of his body rivals that of a Martial Saint!"
The Abbot of White Cloud stroked his beard as he watched the two prodigies battle, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
Boom!
A miracle occurred at that very moment. When the two men collided, Ye Yang relied solely on his fist to clash with Qin Tian's ancient saber, producing a crisp ringing sound.
There was another hum!
One man retreated more than a dozen steps before steadying himself, while the other did not move an inch. Only his shoulder swayed slightly as he dissolved the danger of that strike.
"Big Brother Ye, I'm filled with admiration. I never expected you to possess such strength. I underestimated you."
The young Qin Tian and his elder brother Qin Hao were twin brothers. He was also a unique existence shared by White Cloud Temple and the Azure Cloud Sword Sect. At times, he had the chance to enter a state of sudden enlightenment. Whether he could do so this time was something to look forward to.
"Big Brother Ye, if you don't even have a suitable weapon, wouldn't it be unfair for me to fight you like this? Hurry and choose one."
Qin Tian was unstoppable. He intended to seize the momentum and make the young man before him kneel obediently and sing of his surrender.
Yet when they truly exchanged blows, he discovered that all his thoughts had been incredibly childish.
"Very well. The greatest skill appears unadorned, and the hidden sword waits within its edge. Since that's the case, I'll use this to fight you."
The powerful force from their earlier clash had spread in all directions. Though it had been contained within a certain range, the shockwaves from their collision had still shattered the branches of a nearby tree, scattering them all over the ground!
"Big Brother Ye, are you looking down on me? What do you mean by trying to fight me with nothing but a tree branch?"
Qin Tian did not dare relax in the slightest. He understood that once he stepped onto the battlefield, he could only fight to the bitter end.
"Enough. In the hands of a true expert, anything can become a peerless divine weapon. A tree branch is enough. If I weren't concerned about your feelings, I could do this with nothing but my fist."
Ye Yang deliberately selected a tree branch. It looked exceptionally sturdy, but in truth, it was more than capable of bearing the power of his Dao.
"Again!"
Before one wave had settled, another rose. The two men collided once more.
"Hahaha, what a thrill..."
Their bodies flashed like startled swans. In the blink of an eye, they exchanged several more rounds, still evenly matched and unable to determine victory or defeat.
"Again!"
Within the designated area, they could soar into the heavens or sink into the earth without restraint. One moment they were there; in the blink of an eye, they appeared somewhere else, leaving everyone unable to fathom their movements.
"Sure enough, my big brother was right. He looks like a frivolous fool, but in truth, he hides great wisdom beneath a foolish exterior. He's a true expert."
As time passed, the gap between the two finally revealed itself completely.
In Ye Yang's hand, a mere tree branch displayed power comparable to a divine weapon.
Every time, he could dissolve danger into nothing and then exploit his opponent's openings to launch a deadly counterattack.
Several times, Qin Tian nearly fell into a perilous situation.
"No. This won't do. I can't keep going like this. I need to think of something."
The great saber in his hand trembled without pause, ringing with a crisp saber cry.
His saber flashed like a dragon, its momentum astonishing.
He had thought he could resolve this trouble, but now it seemed that had merely been his wishful thinking.
"Good, good, good! It seems I won't be able to win in a short time unless I bring out my true strength. Since that's the case, I'll let you try my secret killing move—Dual Blades Mastery!"
The two men collided once more, each retreating over a hundred meters before coming to a stop.
One man held a tree branch, the other a saber. They stood facing each other across the void, their figures towering in midair.
"Oh? You're finally getting serious? I'm very much looking forward to seeing what kind of strength you possess."
"Big Brother Ye, I had no intention of doing this. You forced my hand. Since that's the case, let me personally verify whether you're a genius or a fool."
One had merely been warming up, while the other was gradually reaching his peak and preparing to reveal his trump card. What sparks would fly when the two collided again? Everyone waited to find out.
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