Beside a river embankment outside Dengzhou City, Mai Lingfei and Chi Qinghu fought each other barehanded.
Fists, palms, fingers, claws-strikes and grappling holds, they used them all.
Both restrained their internal force, yet every move remained formidable, sometimes fierce and powerful, sometimes blending hardness with softness, scattering the surrounding snow and sending dry grass flying.
Several hundred exchanges later, a clawlike hand locked around Chi Qinghu's throat. His blocking right hand had been caught at the joint and twisted behind his back. His face reddened as he struggled to break free, but he could not escape.
"Let go, let go!"
A Fei released him, and Chi Qinghu immediately collapsed onto the dry grass, which had been swept almost clear of snow. Once again, the bout ended in Mai Lingfei's victory.
"Hah, hah, hah, hah..."
Panting heavily, Chi Qinghu looked at Mai Lingfei, who stood nearby, only slightly out of breath.
"You truly deserve to be called the best of Great Yong's younger generation. Beating you by even half a move is harder than climbing to heaven!"
A Fei smiled.
"Brother Chi, your martial arts are already exceptional. Among all the experts I've met in the Rivers and Lakes, you rank in the top ten!"
"Only the top ten?"
"There are some I haven't fought. After all, it's hard to say who would come out on top."
In A Fei's eyes, Chi Qinghu's martial arts truly deserved to be called exceptional. Without his own fortunate encounters, had he progressed normally, he would certainly have been no match for Chi Qinghu.
No, even that was giving himself too much credit.
With his present insight, A Fei could see that he had indeed possessed considerable talent back then. But in this vast world, how many people possessed extraordinary talent? And how many remained