Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

At these words, the surrounding disciples from Cloud Platform Hall burst out laughing, their mockery completely unrestrained.

On the fighting stage, blood was still flowing, and bottles of Healing Medicine lay scattered across the floor.

Ye Yang remained kneeling, one hand cradling the back of his daughter's neck while the other frantically stuffed medicine into her mouth.

Zhu Mingyuan was the first to rush over.

As if he'd lost his soul, he collapsed to his knees beside them.

His lips were pale, his eyes stared blankly. He wanted to reach out and nudge Ye Qiluo, but ultimately didn't dare. His hands were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned bone-white, the skin stretched as if it would tear.

If he could have, he would have taken that punch for Ye Qiluo. But right now, there was nothing he could do to help.

Cao Zhao and the other disciples gathered around as well, but they were just as powerless to change anything.

One look at Ye Yang's increasingly ashen face told them all they needed to know: Ye Qiluo's chances of survival were slim.

"Elder Pang! Elder Wu!"

Ye Yang suddenly flung away the last bottle of medicine in his hand.

Then, he snapped his head up, his gaze cutting through the crowd to fix on the two Grandmaster's Chairs at the front of the stage.

He remained kneeling.

His knees were submerged in a pool of blood, his hands still cradling his daughter's neck, the rims of his eyes blazing red.

Pang Shixun and Wu Shannan exchanged a look.

Wu Shannan said nothing, merely reaching into his sleeve to produce a small vial.

The vial was small and made of blue-green jade. It glowed with a soft, warm light in his gaunt hand.

He summoned an attendant, who immediately delivered the jade vial to Ye Yang.

The moment the vial was in his hands, Ye Yang ripped out the stopper and shook out a single, orange-red Pill.

The Pill was no larger than a fingernail, yet it exuded an incredibly rich medicinal aroma that could be smelled from several paces away.

He had no time to examine it, impatiently pushing it into Ye Qiluo's mouth.

A few moments later, Ye Qiluo stopped vomiting blood. The rise and fall of her chest steadied, and though her breathing was still faint, it at least found a regular rhythm. It was no longer the intermittent, one-way struggle of exhalation without inhalation.

Her life was saved.

Ye Yang let out a long sigh of relief. The heavy stone weighing on his heart had finally lifted.

But anyone with eyes could see that the life-saving Pill would not come without a price.

Afterward, Ye Yang would undoubtedly have to pay an enormous price for it.

SWOOSH—

Just then, Zhu Mingyuan shot to his feet.

He channeled all the Blood Qi in his body, holding his breath to compress it and build his Hidden Strength to its absolute limit. He was pushing far beyond his capabilities, forcing twelve-tenths of his power from a mere ten.

His five fingers bent into the shape of a Great Dragon Claw. Blue veins bulged from the back of his hand up to his forearm, and his skin flushed a furious crimson.

He unleashed a Hidden Dragon Seal—a technique designed for pure destruction—and sent it hurtling toward the bald-headed youth with the force of a thunderclap.

The bald-headed youth reacted in a flash, pulling back to evade the brunt of the attack.

At the same time, Han Tianqi exploded into action. He was even faster, his momentum even more ferocious. He shot past the retreating bald youth and, in the blink of an eye, appeared before Zhu Mingyuan.

Though he moved second, he arrived first!

BOOM—!

Han Tianqi threw a punch, meeting Zhu Mingyuan's all-out Hidden Dragon Seal head-on.

The instant fist met claw, the very air seemed to implode. An invisible shockwave radiated from the point of impact, sending the hems of their clothes whipping wildly.

When the thunderous sound faded, Han Tianqi stood firm as a mountain, not having moved even half a step.

Zhu Mingyuan, however, was lifted off his feet, his body arching as he was sent flying backward.

Luckily, Cao Zhao was quick-witted and quicker-handed. He lunged forward, catching Zhu Mingyuan by the back and halting his momentum, saving him from being ignominiously thrown from the stage.

But even though Cao Zhao had caught him, Zhu Mingyuan could no longer lift his arm.

Multiple bones in his hand were shattered. His knuckles were visibly twisted and deformed, as if they had been smashed sideways with a hammer.

His wrist was sprained and grotesquely swollen, a mass of purple and blue.

His tendons were torn, and his entire forearm bent at a sickening, unnatural angle.

The muscle damage was even worse. The entire area from his shoulder blade to his elbow was trembling violently, as if caught between a cramp and a seizure.

The pain was excruciating.

"Zhu Mingyuan!"

Han Tianqi glanced at his own fist—completely unharmed save for a slight reddening of the knuckles. The mockery on his face grew even more blatant.

"A month ago, I beat you so badly you fled with your tail between your legs. How is it that a month later, you haven't improved in the slightest?"

He paused, turning his gaze on Ye Yang.

"Heh. Uncle Ye, is this the star pupil of your Middle Courtyard?"

He shook his head with a cold smile.

"If the rest of them are all this caliber, you might as well concede today's tournament right now."

At his words, Cao Zhao's expression darkened, and he started forward. Zhu Mingyuan, gritting his teeth, tried to charge forward as well, dragging his ruined arm.

"Halt!"

Ye Yang's deep voice stopped them.

"You two, help Qiluo down. Both of you, stand down."

Ye Yang slowly rose to his feet, his legs and robes stained with his daughter's blood.

He glanced at Han Tianqi, then at Han Chuo, who remained seated and motionless in the distance.

He spoke slowly.

"Out of five matches today, each side has won two, with one draw. We should call it even and shake hands... Since when does that mean I, Ye Yang, should concede?"

"Younger Brother Ye, you're mistaken!"

Before Han Tianqi could reply, it was Wu Shannan who spoke up from his seat.

The old man remained seated on his Grandmaster's Chair, his expression amiable, a faint smile even playing on his lips.

But the smile didn't reach his eyes, and seeing it sent a chill down one's spine.

"In all the years of this tournament, there has never been a precedent for a draw. Today should be no exception, wouldn't you agree?"

"I..."

Ye Yang was speechless.

'They were all old foxes; some things didn't need to be spelled out.'

'He knew full well that Wu Shannan was running the under-the-table betting. A draw would surely go against his interests.'

'He had accepted the man's help, so his hands were tied.'

After a moment's hesitation, Ye Yang could only nod, tacitly accepting the other's terms.

Wu Shannan's smile widened.

"Since Younger Brother Ye has no objections, we shall add one more match! The standard will be Five Pillars of Blood Qi!"

At this declaration, Han Tianqi grew even more smug. He crossed his arms, his gaze sweeping contemptuously over the members of Dragon Mountain Hall.

"Uncle Ye, I'll say it again. If you have any more skilled disciples, send them out. If they're all the same caliber as Zhu Mingyuan, you'd be better off just conceding."

He paused before adding,

"Conceding may be shameful, but it's better than having another disciple crippled, wouldn't you say? Un-cle Ye!"

Ye Yang kept his eyes downcast, saying nothing.

He ground his back teeth, the muscles in his jaw twitching. His gaze fell upon the bloodstains on the floor, still not fully dry.

He clenched his fists tightly, only to release them again.

'He was seething with unwillingness, but he had no choice but to accept this humiliating reality.'

In the distance, the bald-headed youth still stood in a corner of the stage, his eyes closed. He looked as if he had fallen asleep again, but it was more likely a look of pure disdain.

'Ye Yang knew with chilling certainty: this youth was an insurmountable mountain for any opponent of the Same Tier.'

'There was no choice but to concede.'

The Dragon Mountain Hall disciples stood behind Ye Yang, every one of them simmering with frustration, yet all of them were speechless and utterly helpless.

Without raising his head, Ye Yang began to speak, his voice laced with resignation. "In this match, our Dragon Mountain Middle Courtyard… con…"

「Just then.」

A calm voice came from behind the crowd.

"Dragon Mountain Middle Courtyard Inner Hall, Five Pillars of Blood Qi disciple, Chen Cheng…"

In an instant, every gaze in the arena snapped toward the source of the voice.

The members of Dragon Mountain Hall parted to either side.

Chen Cheng walked onto the stage at an unhurried pace, moving past Ye Yang to face the bald-headed youth.

He came to a stop.

He cupped his fist.

His tone was as calm as ever.

"I have come to receive instruction."

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