Alive

"Old me would also like to spar with you," Venerable Chi Ling said with a smile.

"Please instruct me, Teacher." Shangguan Ye cupped his fists.

Venerable Chi Ling walked to the weapon rack and picked up an iron pestle. Seeing this, Shangguan Ye took a metal staff as tall as himself.

The two assumed their stances. Venerable Chi Ling struck first, rapidly closing the distance. His first thrust was a probe. Shangguan Ye stepped back and used his staff to deflect the pestle's head. Venerable Chi Ling pressed forward again, and Shangguan Ye deflected it once more. Venerable Chi Ling turned and put more force into a downward smash. Shangguan Ye turned, raised the staff's handle to cover, and forced down the pestle's head. Venerable Chi Ling withdrew his pestle and attacked again, while Shangguan Ye once more used the Lone Step Gazing at the Moon to cover his position.

"Damn, Teacher's attacks are really fierce," Lu Piao exclaimed.

"But they're useless. Four attacks, four times Shangguan saw through them and redirected their force to block them. The outcome is already clear," Nie Li said calmly.

Seeing that his upper attacks were ineffective, Venerable Chi Ling flipped and swept low. Shangguan Ye spun aside to evade. Venerable Chi Ling flipped again and smashed downward, and Shangguan Ye answered with another spin. Venerable Chi Ling seized the chance to unleash a one-legged tornado kick. The two kept flipping and spinning through the air, and the sight was quite pleasing to the eye.

After landing, Venerable Chi Ling flipped and swung horizontally. Shangguan Ye ducked beneath it. Venerable Chi Ling countered with an upward strike, and Shangguan Ye blocked with a side chop. Venerable Chi Ling immediately changed his move, reversing his grip and striking upward from below. The blow was extremely fast. Shangguan Ye raised his staff to block it. Had an ordinary person been struck, their knee would have been shattered on the spot. Fortunately, Shangguan Ye reacted quickly. Venerable Chi Ling spun the handle and smashed upward from below. Shangguan Ye reversed his grip, spun the handle, and chopped downward to block. He then withdrew his staff, used the Lone Step to cover his position, and swung sideways. Venerable Chi Ling raised his pestle to block. Shangguan Ye swiftly changed techniques, turning sideways to strike upward before turning and swinging the handle. Venerable Chi Ling blocked it with his pestle, then seized the opportunity to hook the handle and scoop at the base.

"Whoa, Venerable Chi Ling is bold. He actually wants to disarm Shangguan. Even I wouldn't dare do that," Nie Li said in surprise.

Facing Venerable Chi Ling's disarming move, Shangguan Ye tossed the handle and spun the staff in a flourish to resolve it. Venerable Chi Ling swept horizontally, and Shangguan Ye raised his staff to block. Before Venerable Chi Ling could withdraw his hand, Shangguan Ye kicked his lead hand.

"He hit his lead hand. Looks like Shangguan is about to counterattack."

"Huh?" Lu Piao and Gu Bei were somewhat confused.

"The lead hand is the hand placed in front when using most long weapons, and it is also the hand that generates force. Once it's kicked and injured, the opponent's strength weakens, leaving an opening to exploit," Nie Li explained slowly.

Shangguan Ye reversed his grip, turned his back, and trapped the staff. He raised the handle, spun the staff in a flourish around his neck, and caught it behind his back. After catching the staff, Shangguan Ye smashed downward. Because of the earlier rotation, the strike carried tremendous momentum and immense force. Venerable Chi Ling raised his iron pestle to block.

Clang!

The instant their weapons collided, Venerable Chi Ling felt a sharp pain in the web between his thumb and forefinger. But before he could think further, Shangguan Ye's next attack was already upon him.

Shangguan Ye flipped, bracing the staff across his body. He spun it in a one-handed flourish, ducked and swung it behind his back, then raised the handle and whirled it one-handed. He leaped forward with a diagonal chop. Venerable Chi Ling raised his pestle to block, but Shangguan Ye changed direction in midair and spun the handle, increasing the force of the staff's strike. Venerable Chi Ling was knocked back a step. Shangguan Ye flipped and spun again, further increasing the power of his chopping strike. Venerable Chi Ling was forced back once more, and his footwork began to falter. Shangguan Ye stepped in from the left and raised the handle, then swung it after settling into a resting stance. He flipped, braced the staff, and used the momentum to circle it around his neck. Catching it behind his back, he leaped into the air to increase the force of the vertical downward chop. Shangguan Ye's entire sequence flowed as smoothly as drifting clouds and running water. Venerable Chi Ling only felt his arms go numb in waves, yet surrender was impossible. In contrast, Shangguan Ye looked completely at ease.

Shangguan Ye continued his assault, flipping into a diagonal downward chop. He then feinted another downward strike to bait Venerable Chi Ling into blocking. Just as Venerable Chi Ling prepared to defend, Shangguan Ye immediately stepped in, crossed his feet, and thrust his staff at the groin. Venerable Chi Ling's footwork was completely thrown into disarray. Shangguan Ye hooked the handle and scooped at the base, returning the very move Venerable Chi Ling had used moments before. Venerable Chi Ling wanted to resolve it with the same spinning-handle technique, but Shangguan Ye kicked the iron pestle away with a front kick, opening Venerable Chi Ling's centerline. A straight kick slammed into his abdomen. The iron pestle flew from Venerable Chi Ling's hand as his body staggered backward. Shangguan Ye trapped the pestle with his leg and flung it away, sending it skimming past Venerable Chi Ling.

Venerable Chi Ling steadied himself. Rather than feeling disappointed or regretful, he grew even more excited.

"I lost, and I accept it wholeheartedly! Your martial attainments and Nie Li's are already above mine. To be honest, there is nothing left for me to teach you," Venerable Chi Ling said with a smile.

"That's enough for today. All of you, go back and carefully reflect on these two battles. They will benefit you greatly," Venerable Chi Ling said with a broad smile.

Everyone returned their Mysterious Iron Armguards and departed.

"Brother Shangguan, you truly shone today," Gu Bei could not help praising as they walked along the road.

"It was all right." Shangguan Ye scratched his head.

After the three of them returned to Xiao Yu's residence, Nie Li and Lu Piao entered the Mountain River Space to cultivate, while Shangguan Ye left the room.

Shangguan Ye spread out his senses, and a wooden house soon entered his range of perception. He immediately slipped over.

I wonder if I can persuade her...

Before long, Shangguan Ye arrived outside the small wooden house. Just as he was about to knock, the door creaked open, but no one was visible. Shangguan Ye knew Ying Ru Yue was aware of his arrival. Without wasting words, he pushed the door open and walked inside.

Several lamps stood beside Ying Ru Yue, and strange formations had been drawn around them. Ying Ru Yue had her eyes closed, muttering a few words from time to time.

After a long while, Ying Ru Yue slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Shangguan Ye seated before her, she showed no surprise.

"You came."

"Mm."

"What do you want?"

"Do you believe in fate?" Shangguan Ye asked.

"What is decreed by Heavenly Fate cannot be changed by anyone," Ying Ru Yue said bluntly.

"Then why did you alter Nie Li's fate and transfer it onto yourself?"

"Hm?" A trace of confusion appeared in Ying Ru Yue's eyes.

"Though I do not know how you found out, he is an exception. Without him, the Dragon Void Realm will sooner or later perish." Ying Ru Yue shook her head.

"If I told you that, with me here, none of what you fear would happen, would you believe me?" Shangguan Ye asked.

Ying Ru Yue looked deeply into Shangguan Ye's eyes.

"To be honest, when we first met, I used the Heavenly Evolution Technique to calculate your fate. Yet apart from your origins, I could calculate nothing else. Therefore, I truly do not want to place the safety of the Dragon Void Realm, or even the entire world, in your hands."

"Ding. Master, when Ying Ru Yue first used the Heavenly Evolution Technique to calculate your fate, I concealed the heavenly secrets and prevented her from succeeding. Would you like to remove the concealment now?" The system's voice sounded.

"No." Shangguan Ye refused.

"Let me show you something." With a thought from Shangguan Ye, he and Ying Ru Yue entered the Mountain River Space.

"This place?" Ying Ru Yue's expression changed slightly.

"What do you think?"

"I can sense restrictions here. My Heavenly Evolution Technique cannot be used, and my aura is completely concealed as well. The outside world would never be able to find me."

"Do you believe me now?"

Ying Ru Yue stared intently at Shangguan Ye, trying to discern even a trace of emotion in his eyes. But Shangguan Ye's gaze was resolute. After a long time, Ying Ru Yue slowly nodded.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I only want you to live well. People live for themselves. You do not need to sacrifice yourself. Nie Li is my brother, so I will naturally fight the Holy Emperor alongside him. Just watch."