Chirp chirp~
The square in front of the palace was completely silent.
Cao Ba sat on the ground, having already taken out his Earthbound Heavenly Communion. He struck down the entire court in a single blow, clearly silencing all the officials present.
After Ye Xingge's attack, he didn't follow up with a finishing blow, but instead asked:
" Duke Cao, will you continue the fight?"
Cao Ba was struck hard on a vital acupoint on his ribs, causing a tightness in his chest, but Ye Xingge knew his limits and was not injured.
After gritting his teeth and pausing for a moment, Cao Ba got up again and looked at the tall figure not far away:
"Lord Ye's skill is a bit excessive."
Ye Xingge shrugged slightly;
"He matured early and practiced diligently from the age of three, a fact witnessed by everyone in the neighborhood."
Cao Ba, who had also trained diligently since childhood, didn't believe the gap between them could be so vast, almost insurmountable. After a moment of silence, he replied:
"Cao, try again."
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure shifted dramatically to the Wandering Dragon Eight Trigrams Steps, instantly circling to the left wing and sweeping his arm at Ye Xingge with a large swing, before changing to a finger-jumping motion as he passed by.
Ye Xingge had already figured out Cao Ba's moves. He leaned to the side, bracing himself with his right hand, twisting his waist and hips to lift his entire torso into the air. His legs were like crescent moons as he gathered all his strength and swept towards Cao Ba's face.
Thud--
Cao Ba didn't even understand how Ye Xingge made his move this time. He hastily raised his arm, but failed to use the Earthbound Heavenly Communion. He was thrown sideways by the brute force of Ye Xingge's "Sacrifice Kick".
Splash...
Ye Xingge and bounced back smoothly, spreading his hands slightly.
The Ye Xingge's skill now looked bewildered.
"What school of martial arts is this?"
Never seen it before...
The county magistrate, Shen Songnian, who was seated at the table, was familiar with the place and explained to his colleagues:
"This is the ' Trick Battle Dance,' it looks like a trick, but it's quite powerful."
"Oh..."
"That was Muay Thai, the martial art of peace and prosperity..."
"Really?"
Cao Ba stumbled back several steps, then gritted his teeth and got up again, this time with a truly clear mind.
After all, Ye Xingge had clearly figured out his weaknesses and started playing dirty tricks. Even if he could stubbornly get up again and again, he couldn't afford to humiliate himself.
After a moment of hesitation, Cao Ba still bowed.
"Lord Ye, your skill is truly admirable; I, Cao, am completely convinced."
"Joke..."
Upon seeing Cao Ba admit defeat, a commotion arose around the square, but it quickly subsided.
Ye Xingge stood there waiting, and when he found no one speaking, he looked up at Zhang the old bastard Diligent Governance Tower to see if the referee was warming up.
Zhang Zhiqing stroked his beard, his eyes filled with the satisfaction of knowing that this boy resembled him.
Old Master Yan was secretly alarmed to discover that this young man had broken two of Wu Chenglie's ultimate moves in a single exchange, and frowned, saying:
"Are you sure this fighting style won't make Wu Chenglie furious?"
"Based on his current skill level, it's not that bad."
"What if the outcome is still the same—being taken down in one move?"
"..."
Zhang Zhiqing did not respond, but simply observed quietly.
Ding~
After a long silence in the square, a gong sounded, finally rousing the countless incredulous guests.
Eunuch Fan continued up the white stone steps, his eyes filled with amazement:
"Lord Ye truly lives up to his reputation..."
The Emperor of Yan, standing upstairs, looked at Ye Xingge with awe and wonder.
To determine the extent of this child's potential, a third match is naturally necessary.
Furthermore, the arrangement for the third match was precisely to prevent Ye Xingge from winning; the goal was to defeat him until he was completely exhausted and had exhausted all his resources in order to truly understand his strengths and weaknesses.
Therefore, after Eunuch Fan finished speaking, Emperor of Yan turned to the east side of the table.
Then, someone stood up from where Chen Xiaobao and the others were sitting.
Because he was a relatively unfamiliar face, this person had been rather aloof, but judging from his position, it was clear that he came from a prestigious family.
Ye Xingge turned his gaze and saw that the newcomer was no more than twenty-four or twenty-five years old, dressed in a scholar's robe, and had a rather refined demeanor. After arriving at the square, he bowed.
"It's a pleasure to meet Cui Zitang of the Linchuan Cui Clan."
"Buzz..."
As the clear voice rang out, the people around the square were immediately taken aback.
Cao Xiong then switched to wearing one hand behind his back, and his eyes became more profound.
Cui Zitang, the talented scholar from Linchuan, was naturally the 'top-class horse' he had prepared for today.
Born into the Cui family, one of the Seven Eminent Confucian Families, and a candidate for the next generation's Heaven-Observing Decree, he was not only exceptionally talented in literature, having written many famous works, but also undoubtedly skilled in martial arts.
Currently ranked Third Rank.
There is no bottleneck between the Second Rank and Third Rank, therefore the top thirty in the Third Rank have already been accurately predicted for the Second Rank.
The Seven Eminent Confucian Families were ancient clans comparable to the Three Northern Mountains. Compared to these behemoths, the Cao Clan was merely a flash-in-the-pan nouveau riche.
And the successors they cultivate are undoubtedly at the very top of the pyramid; there is simply no one in the world with such a powerful talent pool.
Cao Xiong arranged for this person to come so that he could surpass the first two and push Ye Xingge to the limit to test his full potential.
For example, the tenacity to never give up, the insight to break through in dire situations, and so on...
Moreover, the threshold for the Zen discussion at Temple of Vast Compassion is definitely below the Second Rank.
The four great families can send four people each. Cui Zitang is a top contender to help Great Yan retrieve the spiritual materials. It's good to meet him in advance so that we can coordinate with him later.
Seeing that Ye Xingge had arrived at the final battle, the gentlemen in the corridor stopped their idle chatter and waited with complete concentration.
Ye Xingge, standing in the center of the square, was somewhat disappointed to find that Duke Zhang, the referee, wasn't the one who stepped down in the end.
After all, he had just beaten two of them and had already figured out the problem.
The prodigy from a wealthy family possesses unparalleled teaching skills, masterful techniques, and no obvious weaknesses in his cultivation methods. However, his privileged background means he is destined to be pampered like a baby by his protectors from a young age, lacking experience in dealing with dire situations on his own.
In short, he's an academic greenhorn.
In actual combat, relying on his vast family wealth and the power he had amassed, as well as countless magical treasures and techniques, he was indeed no match for them.
But without these things on the arena, competing purely in practical combat skills is like throwing an egg against a rock. It's better to have my second uncle, who's cunning and always says "Ah ho ho ho~" after the fight.
Since it was the last match, Ye Xingge really wanted to see how well the second-best player in the world could perform when both players had exactly the same conditions.
Even if he couldn't possibly win, he could still broaden his horizons. For this reason, Ye Xingge pondered for a moment, then looked at the popular young man opposite him and cupped his hands in greeting:
"I never expected to hear from the talented Master Cui. I am truly honored. However, according to the rules, each person can only play three matches. This is my last match, and I have a small wish that I hope Master Cui can understand."
Cui Zitang was summoned by the imperial court to compete against Ye Xingge, and initially he was somewhat burdened by his status.
But after seeing Ye Xingge's performance just now, he thought to himself, "He truly lives up to his reputation," and responded in response:
"Young Master Ye wishes to change his troops?"
While Ye Xingge's strength wasn't in weaponry, he was confident of victory even using ordinary weapons instead of renowned ones. His response at this point was:
"I've practiced martial arts diligently since I was a child, but due to my limited experience, I've never really known how high the world's highest mountain is."
"Oh..."
Cui Zitang nodded slightly, understanding the meaning:
Change to a different batch!
I'm not impressed with him; I'd like to find a higher-quality opponent to practice against...
That was said in a very tactful way, but it was still far too arrogant.
Out of politeness, Cui Zitang turned to look at the Heaven-Observing Decree, since the highest mountain present was the second tallest in the world.
Zhang Zhiqing stroked his beard, but didn't laugh; he simply replied:
"You haven't even reached the third level of martial arts yet, so you can't understand."
Ye Xingge didn't suspect anything upon seeing this. After a moment's consideration, he looked at Mei Wuchang, who was seated on the east side.
All four commanders of the Heaven-Observing Pavilion are present today.
Mei Wuchang that Ye Xingge actually wanted to spar with his master. He had been frowning slightly, but when he noticed Ye Xingge looking at him, he sat up straighter, his eyes conveying the meaning he expected.
You've chosen me to fight in the ring?
Ruan Jinyu, seemingly enjoying the spectacle, slightly tilted her head:
"Go, Lord Mei. Whoever wins this fight will be the successor of the Heaven-Observing Pavilion. This will save us from future unpleasantness."
Gongsun Yanwu was stunned, and at this moment he secretly fanned the flames:
"Yes, I would appreciate your guidance."
But it's clear that the older generation wouldn't agree to that.
Mei Wuchang was ranked ninth in the Second Rank, the second most outstanding disciple in the world. If Ye Xingge one-on-one, both the winner and loser would lower his status.
Secondly, if they were to lose, Mei Wuchang heart would shatter, and Later Zhou would no longer need to wait and see. Allowing Ye Xingge to live until this month would be considered Later Zhou's womanly compassion.
Cao Xiong hadn't expected Ye Xingge to be so fearless, and he interjected from afar:
"If you want to see the mountain, you can privately ask your elders for guidance. There is no end to martial arts; only by overcoming this mountain can you be considered to have entered the inner sanctum."
Seeing that the older generation wouldn't agree, Ye Xingge felt a pang of regret, then looked at Cui Zitang ahead:
"I humbly request your guidance, Young Master Cui."
Cui Zitang wasn't made of clay. After his appearance, he was told by his opponent to "change horses." It would be a miracle if he was happy. But he didn't say anything. He just looked at Ye Xingge, his robes fluttering without wind.
A gentle breeze emerged from the square, dispelling even the lingering heat in the air.
" The Righteous Qi Art..."
The countless warriors in the square were all astonished by this sight.
The Righteous Qi Art is considered part of the core Confucian practice, the Yellow Center Correct Chapter.
Yellow Center Correct Chapter is shared by the Seven Eminent Confucian Families and can only be mastered by the Heaven-Observing Decree in successive generations. It has been perfected over generations. In terms of grade, it is one level higher than Great Nine Yang and can only be compared with Da Chunyang, which is the ultimate ' Greater Pure Yang '.
Seeing this, Ye Xingge didn't show any surprise; he simply assumed a fighting stance and lightly hooked his right hand.
Cui Zitang scrutinized Ye Xingge for a moment, but instead of resorting to violence, he stepped forward.
Step, step...
The footsteps were light, but each step seemed to release ripples of energy across the White Stone Square, as if lotus flowers were blooming with each step!
Ye Xingge kept a calm eye on Cui Zitang's overall posture. When the distance closed to three steps, he suddenly took a step forward and thrust his elbow straight into Cui Zitang's chest.
Cui Zitang had already witnessed Ye Xingge's 'fickleness' and pressed down on him almost simultaneously, but did not immediately make a move.
As he expected, Ye Xingge's elbow strike to the head was halfway through when, with a sudden and unexpected change in momentum, he switched to a cannon punch aimed at the jaw!
His right hand, swift as a steel whip, lashed out at his face.
Upon seeing this, Cui Zitang immediately leaned back and took a risky move, barely grazing past Ye Xingge's left side with his altered-direction punch. With his right hand rising from the ground, he used a half-step leaping palm strike to slam into Ye Xingge's ribs.
Those skilled fighters at the Second Rank and above present felt a pang of fear upon seeing this, knowing that Ye Xingge had lost.
Ye Xingge were undeniably unpredictable and elusive, but his left-hand cannon punch was dodged, and his right-hand straight chop couldn't possibly hit the left side. Even if he forced his left hand to pull back and squeeze, he could at most push Cui Zitang away.
Cui Zitang's half-step leaping palm strike was flawless, its force enough to send Ye Xingge flying more than ten meters away, breaking several ribs and leaving him unable to get up for a long time.
Cao Xiong realized that the palm strike was mixed with personal grudges and worried that if he hit too hard, it would delay Ye Xingge's progress in killing and practicing his skills. He had already made a slight movement with his feet.
But the next moment, Cao Xiong's eyes turned incredulous, meaning:
How dare you kill my horse?!