One Month Later, Showdown with Tang San (Please Vote!)

"You want to challenge me?"

Hearing Tang San's words, Lin Ye could not help but frown, somewhat surprised.

But after glancing at Tang San and recalling how effortlessly he had handled the forge before, proving that he was quite capable, along with Lin Ye's long-standing doubts about whether Tang San practiced martial arts, Lin Ye agreed after only a moment's thought.

"Fine! I accept! But when?"

"One month from now!"

Looking at the chunk of iron on his anvil, which had already been forged down to the size of an iron disc, Tang San took a deep breath and replied in a low voice.

"Alright! One month from now!"

Lin Ye agreed.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

This day.

Early in the morning, the rising sun cast rosy clouds across the sky.

On the mountainside behind Holy Soul Village, beneath several large trees, Lin Ye stood with a longsword in hand, his eyes tightly shut as though he were sensing something.

Suddenly, a breeze swept past, and clusters of fallen leaves drifted down from the trees.

Sensing the leaves falling above him, Lin Ye suddenly opened his eyes and sharply swung the sword in his hand.

Whoosh! Accompanied by the shriek of the blade cutting through the air, a flash of silver appeared in midair. With a single swing, Lin Ye instantly pierced a fallen leaf.

Then, his gaze sharp as lightning, Lin Ye shifted his feet lightly while the longsword in his right hand rapidly struck out.

Amid repeated swishes through the air, sharp sword gleams flickered continuously. In only a few breaths, once the flashes vanished, a string of fallen leaves had already been skewered upon Lin Ye's sword.

"Whew~"

After finishing his practice, Lin Ye shook the leaves from his sword, sheathed it again, and let out a long breath.

The most basic and most important aspect of sword practice was eyesight.

Picking off fallen leaves with sword thrusts was the most effective training method. After nearly two months of practice, Lin Ye's eyesight had basically reached the required standard.

With his foundation in place, after continued practice, Lin Ye had already entered the beginner stage of the Nine Swords of Dugu. Though he had not yet fully mastered it, he could now skillfully execute all nine sword forms of the Nine Swords of Dugu.

After Lin Ye finished practicing, footsteps suddenly came from the foot of the mountain.

Then, a little boy in rough cloth garments hurried over from the distance. It was Tang San.

"One month has passed. Are you ready?"

Lin Ye sheathed the longsword on his back. Once Tang San approached, he slowly asked.

"I'm ready!"

Hearing Lin Ye's words, Tang San subconsciously touched the iron ring around his wrist, his expression solemn.

"Very good! Then let's begin!"

A faint smile curved Lin Ye's lips.

"Lin Ye, you're not using your sword?"

Seeing Lin Ye place his longsword back into its wooden scabbard, seemingly with no intention of using it, Tang San could not help but feel puzzled.

"Since you don't have a weapon, naturally I won't use one either. I don't want to win unfairly."

Lin Ye merely smiled faintly and shook his head at Tang San's question.

Hearing Lin Ye's answer, Tang San's brows immediately relaxed, and he thought to himself.

I almost forgot. Lin Ye doesn't know about my Hidden Weapons.

But since this is a duel, I had no intention of using Hidden Weapons anyway. Let's simply settle this with fists and feet!

Tang San's gaze gradually turned serious.

"Then let's begin!"

Hearing Tang San's words, Lin Ye retreated some distance, and Tang San did the same.

The two tacitly left more than ten meters between them.

Bang!

Once they were ready, Tang San, as the challenger, launched the first attack. He stomped on the ground, and after a muffled thud, shot forward at once. At the same time, he clenched his right fist and fiercely swung it toward Lin Ye's face.

But in the face of Tang San's attack, Lin Ye remained completely calm.

Just as Tang San's fist was about to strike Lin Ye's face, Lin Ye drifted backward like a feather borne on the wind. With a slight turn of his body, he dodged the punch and instantly knocked it aside.

Seeing how effortlessly Lin Ye dealt with his attack, Tang San's expression turned stern. With a low shout, he swung his other fist at Lin Ye.

At the same time, his right leg swiftly kicked toward Lin Ye's abdomen.

But Lin Ye merely shifted his body and dodged Tang San's attack again. He then quickly knocked Tang San's strike aside, with no intention of counterattacking.

"How is this possible?!"

After several consecutive attacks, all of his strikes had been easily evaded. Tang San's heart filled with disbelief.

His attacks were not slow at all. How could they be dodged so easily? Had Lin Ye seen through them?

I refuse to believe it!

Gritting his teeth, Tang San used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track this time. In an instant, his speed suddenly increased severalfold, and his entire body nearly became an afterimage.

Originally, he could only attack from one direction.

But upon using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, after launching an attack from in front of Lin Ye, Tang San moved and instantly appeared behind him, attacking Lin Ye once more.

Faced with Tang San's sudden burst of power, Lin Ye finally became serious.

The Phoenix Dance Six Illusions, which he had previously used only for evasion, now began operating at full force.

Lin Ye instantly unleashed a speed not inferior to Tang San's at all. He began countering every move and exchanging blows with Tang San.

On the open grassland, their figures moved rapidly without pause. One moment they were beside the sea of flowers, the next beneath a large tree, their two figures constantly colliding.

But Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track was ultimately a footwork technique meant to be used alongside Hidden Weapons. Hidden Weapons were weapons that either remained unused or killed with a single strike, so they did not require endurance.

Therefore, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track naturally became a footwork technique that sacrificed endurance in exchange for greater explosive power and agility.

Against Phoenix Dance Six Illusions, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track could match its agility, but fell far short in speed and endurance.

Thus, as time passed and Lin Ye became slightly more serious.

The roles of attack and defense began to reverse, and Tang San gradually became the defender.

At first, the two could still trade blows evenly. But because he had used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track for too long, Tang San's body was beginning to give out, and he found himself struggling more and more.

Now, faced with Lin Ye's offensive.

Tang San had to use Purple Demon Eye in conjunction with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track just to barely withstand Lin Ye's attacks.

No! I have to end this quickly!

As the situation grew increasingly dire and the scales of victory gradually tipped toward defeat, Tang San gritted his teeth. After weighing the pros and cons, he finally made his decision.

I have to use the Mysterious Heaven Skill now. I'll use Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and Purple Demon Eye together with Mysterious Jade Hand for one final strike. If this fails, I'll admit defeat!

With no way left to retreat, Tang San resolutely decided to stake all his trump cards on a final blow that would determine victory or defeat!

After another rapid exchange with Lin Ye, Tang San swiftly retreated several meters.

At that moment, Tang San suddenly mobilized all the remaining Mysterious Heaven Skill inner force in his body and used Mysterious Jade Hand. At the same time, he pushed Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and Purple Demon Eye to their limits.

"Let's settle this in one strike!"

Looking at Lin Ye, who was close at hand, Tang San let out a low shout. The Mysterious Heaven Skill inner force surged through his body, and the skin of his right hand almost instantly turned the color of white jade, brimming with a powerful sense of strength.

With another low shout, Tang San moved, instantly transforming into an afterimage as he charged at Lin Ye. Purple Demon Eye shone with brilliant violet light in his eyes, while his Mysterious Jade Hand clenched tightly into a fist and smashed heavily toward Lin Ye! Everyone, is anyone reading this? QAQ If you are, and you think it's alright, Little Tong isn't asking for rewards—just cast a vote and leave a comment. Otherwise, I really have no motivation!

(;`) I'm crying!