"They're both geniuses, both people who might advance to Earth Rank and become renowned powerhouses. Years from now, when they look back on today, they'll surely have much to reflect on."
"Though we're merely ordinary mortals, being fortunate enough to witness the rise of two powerhouses would be a blessing in itself. I only hope this duel proves exciting."
Below the arena, Kong Chongshan watched Fang Qianyuan and Ye Tianming stand facing each other as equals, and could not help speaking thoughtfully.
"Senior Brother Kong, who do you think will win?" a Training Institute disciple beside him asked.
"That, I really couldn't say." Kong Chongshan chuckled.
"Senior Sister Lan, who do you think is stronger?" On the other side, Ma Wenhua glanced up at the arena, then turned to ask.
"Just watch closely. There's no point making needless predictions about this duel. They're both heaven-blessed geniuses, but now that they've stepped into this arena, one must win and one must lose. Thinking about it, it's rather cruel." Lan Mei did not answer Ma Wenhua's question. Instead, she sighed softly, an inexplicable sorrow in her voice.
"Hm?" Ma Wenhua's expression froze at her words.
Once he understood, he murmured to himself, "True. In a duel between two young geniuses, losing would be a setback, neither great nor small. If the loser can move past it in time, all will be well. But if he gets trapped in it, he'll be finished!"
Wei Wen and the others had similar premonitions.
"No matter which of them wins this fight, only the one who can conquer himself will laugh last!"
"But Junior Brother Fang definitely won't lose."
Because they understood Fang Qianyuan and knew the strength of his heart, they had tremendous confidence in him.
Wei Wen was even certain that, whatever the outcome of this fight, Fang Qianyuan would not lose.
The reason was simple: Fang Qianyuan possessed the mettle to stand invincible against all, a vessel capable of holding his entire life.
He would not fall in this match. Whether he won or lost, he would gain something.
"Fang Qianyuan, is it? I never expected the Training Institute to finally produce a genius worthy of my attention. The fact that you can stand here and fight me on equal terms proves you're extraordinary. But this is where your journey ends." Before the match began, Ye Tianming suddenly spoke to Fang Qianyuan atop the arena.
"Because you're my opponent?" Fang Qianyuan smiled. He suddenly felt that, despite Ye Tianming's perpetually cool, icy demeanor, he was not actually so aloof.
There was no reason for that impression, but he felt it all the same.
"Exactly. I, Ye Tianming, will never lose to anyone my age," Ye Tianming declared proudly.
"Not necessarily." Fang Qianyuan rubbed his palms, eager to begin. "Let's have a proper contest. I'm already starting to get excited."
Ye Tianming's expression stiffened. Clearly, Fang Qianyuan's insistence on saying his own piece, completely disregarding anything he said, had left him speechless.
Yet Fang Qianyuan's words were no empty boast. He really was growing excited, impatient to experience this genius opponent's prowess.
Throughout this Training Institute selection, elite disciples had emerged one after another, but his physical advantage had been so overwhelming that he had encountered few difficulties.
Even comparatively troublesome opponents such as Kong Chongshan and Wu Longjie were too old for Fang Qianyuan to consider them true rivals.
Only a genius his own age, like Ye Tianming, was worth looking forward to.
"Are you both ready?" the officiating disciple on the arena asked after listening to their exchange.
"I'm ready," Fang Qianyuan said.
Ye Tianming gave a cold snort and nodded slightly.
"Good. The match begins now."
The officiating disciple struck the copper gong with a clang, then jumped down from the arena.
"Shadow Step!"
Fang Qianyuan moved instantly.
He activated his Spirit Essence and circulated it throughout his body, charging straight at Ye Tianming with a trail of afterimages behind him.
Sharp Claw Gang extended from his five fingers, like treasured swords that could slice through iron as though it were mud.
With the excitement and anticipation he had long held in check, he launched his first attack.
But Ye Tianming reacted with incredible speed. He twisted at the waist, swinging back like a pendulum, and drove his shoulder toward Fang Qianyuan's chest.
With a dull thud, their bodies collided heavily, meeting head-on in a contest of pure strength.
Fang Qianyuan felt as though a speeding carriage had struck him from the side. Its momentum threatened to carry his body off his feet and send him flying.
His balance began to falter, and his feet were about to leave the ground.
An ordinary person would have been almost certain to be knocked flying at this point. But Fang Qianyuan abruptly shifted his footing and stamped down on the arena floor. An even louder crash rang out beneath him, and the disciples watching nearby felt as though an earthquake had given the ground a sudden jolt.
At the sound, they could not help drawing sharp breaths, their heels tingling and their scalps prickling.
"Bracing himself like that-wouldn't he stamp his own feet clean off?"
Someone could not help muttering under his breath.
But Fang Qianyuan's sinews and bones were powerful, his body as formidable as forged iron. How could he injure himself?
He forcibly withstood Ye Tianming's collision, making his opponent feel instead as though he had slammed into a city wall cast from molten iron.
"Ha..."
Fang Qianyuan laughed and suddenly reached out to seize Ye Tianming's shoulder.
"Got you!"
"Let go!"
Ye Tianming narrowed his eyes, his blade-sharp gaze cutting coldly into Fang Qianyuan.
But Fang Qianyuan had finally found an opportunity to make full use of his physical advantage. How could he let go so easily?
He activated Berserker Wolf Power and heaved upward, tossing Ye Tianming's entire body into the air.
Immediately afterward, his Spirit Essence surged, fierce winds howled, and blade-like Force Energy burst forth.
"Gale Chain Slash!"
The attacks came one after another, so swiftly that everyone watching felt unable to take them all in.
An ordinary person could never have accomplished this. They needed to regulate their breathing and recuperate while channeling their power, and their reserves of Spirit Essence were limited. Without a grasp of rhythm and sensible allocation, they could easily exhaust themselves in an instant.
But Fang Qianyuan relied on his formidable physique to endure every backlash and expenditure, forging his own fighting style with an unstoppable, forward-driving momentum.
This sudden Gale Chain Slash was a finishing move worthy of ending the fight. Ye Tianming's feet had already left the ground, leaving him nothing to push against.
Yet at that very moment, silver light flashed over Ye Tianming, and a barrier like a screen of light enveloped his entire body.
Blades swept onto it like a raging gale, carving wound after wound into its surface. But the silver screen swiftly restored itself, like a curtain of water.
A moment later, the Gang Edge and the light screen dissipated together. Ye Tianming retreated several steps and steadied himself, his expression still as cold as solid ice.
"Heh, not bad," Fang Qianyuan praised sincerely.
Fang Qianyuan had thought that even if Ye Tianming could block this move, he would be left in a sorry state. He had never expected him to fend it off so effortlessly.
He did not know whether that light screen had been a Secret Art or an Inscribed Talisman. It seemed Ye Tianming had never truly used his full strength in his previous matches!