For a moment, no one on Everjoy County's side spoke.
Guo Wei snapped, "One victory, and you've already forgotten your place. Step down."
Xia Chun, however, waved a hand with a smile. "It's rare for these youngsters to gather together. A few more bouts won't hurt, so long as no one gets injured."
With those words of approval, Zhao Tang grew even more spirited.
Clearly, he treasured this chance to take the stage and was determined to astonish everyone with a single brilliant showing.
Ding Yuan quietly asked Li Dashan for permission to fight. Li Dashan waved him off. "This is the Martial Exam Students' stage. Why make a nuisance of ourselves? Just enjoy the show."
Embarrassed, Ding Yuan backed down.
The next instant, a figure leaped out from among the seats. It was Li Cheng.
Zhao Tang smiled faintly and called out, "State your name."
Li Cheng said, "Li Cheng of Everjoy County, skin tempering third layer."
Zhao Tang asked again, "Who are your father and grandfather?"
Li Cheng remained composed. "We're comparing the skill in our hands. Why ask about that?"
Zhao Tang snorted coldly. "Fine. Let's see what those hands of yours can do."
As his words fell, Zhao Tang surged forward a step and drove a fist straight at Li Cheng's chest.
Li Cheng turned sideways to evade it, his right hand hooking down in the same motion. His five fingers curled like talons as they reached for Zhao Tang's elbow.
Zhao Tang sank his shoulder and dropped his elbow, throwing a punch to force Li Cheng back before immediately hammering out another.
Li Cheng was using the Family Secret Hand. Its moves changed with extraordinary speed, and his attacks came from exceptionally tricky angles.
When Zhao Tang had faced Sun Hui earlier, he had been able to seize the initiative again and again with Yuewang Dispersed Strikes, keeping firm control of the fight.
Against Li Cheng, however, his punches were cut off before they could even unfold.
After barely a dozen exchanges, Zhao Tang had gone from attacking to being forced onto the defensive.
One of his punches missed, and two of Li Cheng's fingers were already darting toward his Adam's apple.
Zhao Tang hastily leaned back to evade them and retreated two steps, his expression growing uglier.
Zhao Tang knew full well that continuing to fight barehanded would only leave him increasingly humiliated. He shouted, "Saber!"
Someone on Dongting County's side immediately tossed a long saber into the arena.
Zhao Tang caught it and drew the blade, its cold gleam instantly lighting half his face.
Guo Wei's expression darkened slightly. "This is only a spar. No injuring anyone."
"Don't worry, Uncle. I know my limits."
Just then, a longsword was tossed into the arena, and Li Cheng caught it steadily.
Zhao Tang let out a long cry and swept his saber across with a howling rush of wind.
His saber technique followed a similar approach to Yuewang Dispersed Strikes, both excelling in fierce, unbroken attacks.
Once his saber attacks unfolded, they came like a raging storm, one slash after another, giving his opponent no chance to breathe.
Li Cheng refused to meet him head-on. He extended his longsword, sliding it along the saber's blade toward Zhao Tang's weapon hand, deft and elusive.
Startled, Zhao Tang had no choice but to change his move and pull his saber back.
Yet his saber had barely begun to turn when Li Cheng's sword tip rose from below, striking toward his ribs.
Zhao Tang hurriedly twisted aside, his saber attack once again forced to a halt.
Alarm flooded him. He attacked several times in succession, only to meet the same fate each time.
His saber attacks were clearly fiercer, and he had the advantage in strength, yet he could never truly bring either to bear.
Whenever one move was nearing its end and the next had yet to fully connect, Li Cheng's longsword would arrive at precisely the spot that troubled him most.
If Zhao Tang did not withdraw his saber, the sword tip would strike him first.
But whenever he brought his saber back to defend himself, the offensive momentum he had painstakingly built scattered with it.
The murmurs around the arena gradually grew animated.
Zhang Yan exclaimed in surprise, "Is that the Seven Forms of Settling Solitude?
"To think Li Cheng has actually mastered this art. His talent truly is exceptional. If he's willing to stay and develop at our Celebration Hall, he'll surely become a formidable fighter."
Li Dashan quietly drank his tea, pretending not to hear.
He knew perfectly well that a young master of the Li Family would never confine himself to Celebration Hall.
In the arena, Li Cheng fought with ever greater ease, while Zhao Tang grew increasingly impatient. With a loud shout, Zhao Tang gripped his saber in both hands and swept it fiercely across.
The long saber came hurtling toward Li Cheng's waist, wrapped in a fierce wind, seeking to force him back through sheer strength.
Li Cheng stepped back, avoiding the strongest part of the attack. Only after Zhao Tang's slash had passed and his arm was about to draw back did the longsword suddenly cut in.
The sword's spine slipped beneath the saber's edge and struck Zhao Tang squarely on the wrist.
Zhao Tang's hand went numb, and his fingers involuntarily loosened.
With a clang, the long saber flew from his hand and landed several yards away.
The outcome was decided.
Zhao Tang stood rooted to the spot, his face alternating between red and white.
Only moments ago, he had been swaggering before everyone from Everjoy County. Now his weapon had been knocked out of his hand in full view of the crowd. Naturally, he could not save face.
But with Xia Chun and so many prominent figures from both counties watching, he could hardly keep making trouble. He could only retrieve his saber and return to his seat with gritted teeth.
Li Cheng lowered his sword and saluted everyone around him with clasped hands, preparing to leave the arena.
Just then, Song Wuliang suddenly set down his wine cup and smiled at Xia Chun. "Lord Pacification Commissioner, since we're here today to watch the young heroes of our two counties compete, surely we shouldn't let only the Martial Exam Students have their moment in the spotlight.
"The martial circles of our two counties have plenty of outstanding young talents as well."
Xia Chun was thoroughly enjoying himself and chuckled. "Sect Leader Song has a point. Since this is for entertainment, there's no harm in watching a few more bouts.
"Who will challenge our young friend Li Cheng next?"
No sooner had Xia Chun spoken than Song Que strode into the arena. He saluted Li Cheng from a distance with clasped hands. "Song Que of Dongting County, skin tempering fourth layer. Please enlighten me."
He was like a saber concealed within its sheath, his presence imposing.
Deng Qing was even more astonished. His own progress from the first layer to the third had already been fast enough, yet here was someone even more impressive.
How little time had passed, and Song Que had already advanced straight from the first layer to the fourth.
He could not help thinking, Senior Brother Fan was right. In the Skin Tempering Realm, breaking through isn't difficult as long as you're willing to work hard, have ample resources, and receive help from an expert.
As Deng Qing sized up Song Que, Song Que also fixed on Deng Qing out of the corner of his eye.
After his defeat at Blackwind Ravine, Song Que had changed his approach to cultivation.
Previously, he had thought highly of himself. Though he had no shortage of resources, he had been unwilling to rush his breakthroughs, always seeking to hone his foundation to perfection.
Only after losing to Deng Qing had he understood that any grand future ultimately had to rest on the ability to defeat the enemy standing before him.
Over the past few months, he had used the resources Song Wuliang provided to break through one barrier after another, while also training diligently in the Golden Saber Sect's secret arts.
All of it was for the day he met Deng Qing again, when he would reclaim both the face he had lost at Blackwind Ravine and the Blacksteel Soft Sword.
Today, the Pacification Commissioner, officials from both counties, and figures from all the major martial halls had gathered under one roof.
To Song Que, there could be no better place to wash away his past humiliation.
But to deal with Deng Qing, he first had to defeat Li Cheng and claim the position of reigning challenger.
Li Cheng, meanwhile, was confident that he had reached initiation in the Seven Forms of Settling Solitude. Though Song Que enjoyed a considerable reputation and now surpassed him in cultivation, he remained utterly unafraid.
Neither wasted words. They went straight into battle.
As soon as they exchanged blows, Li Cheng sensed something was wrong.
Song Que's saber technique was strange and unpredictable. As he delivered a slash, the blade's gleam suddenly wavered midway, seemingly splitting into several overlapping shadows.
Though the attack seemed strongest from the front, its true edge might be hidden to the side.
By the time Li Cheng saw it clearly, the blade was often already upon him.
"Shadow Saber."
Li Dashan's gaze sharpened, and he said quietly, "This is one of the Golden Saber Sect's most closely guarded secret arts. It excels at confusing the enemy with phantom images, interweaving the real and the false until there's no way to tell them apart."