Blade - Unbound

Shopkeeper Wan had naturally noticed him long ago.

Shopkeeper Wan remained expressionless in the face of the young man's proposal, simply cupping his fists and replying. "We're all fellow practitioners. Since you've come from afar, you're our guest. How can I raise a hand against a guest?"

"Well said, Uncle!" The young man flattered him with a grin, still wearing his carefree smile. "Once tonight's over, I'll definitely come by your place to beg for a cup of wine. But for tonight... We're still short one banner, so I'll have to be rude."

With matters already laid out so plainly, Shopkeeper Wan had no choice but to accept. Refusing now would only make him appear timid. He replied in a steady voice, "The civilized way, or the martial way?"

The young man glanced at the divine apparitions drifting through the smoke around the Divine Tower and chuckled. "We're all people of the mystic path, but we're also jianghu folk. What's the fun in playing it the civilized way? How about doing it the martial way?"

Shopkeeper Wan's eyes narrowed. "And how do you propose we do that?"

"Simple!" The young man grinned broadly, and cupped his fists. "First we compare the size of our fists, then we compare techniques. We'll stop at the point of victory. I’d like to see what the young talents of the Guanzhong Plains are capable of."

There was a trap hidden in those words. If the other side sent out an old man, it would seem like they were bullying the younger generation. If they sent someone young, he wouldn't fear them.

Unfortunately for him, he had overthought things. Shopkeeper Wan was an artisan of the mystic path whose specialty was drum and musical craftsmanship. The people he associated with were mostly performers of the jianghu or independent practitioners of the unorthodox schools. There really weren't many among them who excelled at fighting.

Moreover, neither the Taixuan Orthodox Sect nor the established Daoist lineages would intervene in this event. As for ruthless monsters like Night Crier... Shopkeeper Wan had no hope of inviting someone of that caliber. Li Yan was already the strongest fighter in their procession.

Without waiting for Shopkeeper Wan to speak, Li Yan strode forward.

Looking calmly at the young man, he cupped his fists. "I am Li Yan of the Guanzhong Plains."

Only after drawing nearer could he see the young man clearly. He appeared dark and lean, yet his eyes shone with remarkable vitality. Standing beneath the lantern light, he resembled a black panther poised to pounce.

The young man also seemed to sense that Li Yan was no easy opponent. The smile gradually disappeared from his face as he returned the salute seriously. "I am Yuan Ba of Mount Mei."

Li Yan frowned slightly. "The Mount Mei Faith?"

The Mount Mei Faith was one of the great sects of Xiangchu, immensely powerful and highly influential. Its reputation extended even into neighboring provinces. The name of the Fifth Lord, the Overturner of Altars and Caves, was legendary throughout the land.

Yuan Ba immediately laughed. "Don't worry, fellow Daoist. At most, I'm from a side branch. Maybe one day I'll qualify to become a true Daoist of the main branch, but I'm certainly not one now."

Li Yan's eyes gleamed with interest as he raised a hand. "Even if you were, it wouldn't matter. Please."

He had joined Shopkeeper Wan's procession ostensibly to lend a hand, but in truth, he had also wanted to witness the abilities of heroes from every corner of the realm.

"Ssss..." Seeing the look in Li Yan's eyes, Yuan Ba shivered, scratched himself, and complained, "I'm not a woman. Don't look at me like that."

But he cupped his fists once more before placing his hands on his hips, seemingly sizing Li Yan up.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes and mumbled, "General Surveys the Forest?"

Most followers of the Mount Mei Faith were hunters, cowherds, duck tenders, fishermen, bricklayers, or herbal physicians. To put it simply, they worshipped a "Hunter God."

Not only were they masters at summoning Ferocious Spirit Soldiers, but their Mount Mei Boxing was also exceptionally fierce, blending martial arts and mystical techniques into a single discipline.

General Surveys the Forest was their opening stance.

Like the Fifth Lord's Somersault Technique, it was distinctive enough that Li Yan had heard of it before.

Yuan Ba grinned. "You know your stuff!"

Dark force surged through his body as he suddenly shot forward with astonishing speed, stepping in with a simultaneous double punch: Twin Dragons Emerging from the Sea.

The unexpected attack was nothing more than a test. If Li Yan couldn't even handle his move, Yuan Ba wouldn't bother showing him any courtesy. He would simply finish the fight as quickly as possible.

Far from alarmed, Li Yan was instead delighted. "Excellent!"

Twisting sideways, he extended one arm before rolling it backward in a sweeping motion. A faint rumble of thunder accompanied the movement. He was rotating his energy internally as he prepared to receive the blow. Yet now, empowered by hidden force, the pulling strength it generated far surpassed anything an ordinary rotation could produce.

Feeling the powerful gust rushing toward him, Yuan Ba cried out in surprise, "What a ferocious Pigua!"

He hurriedly retreated, but the moment he gave ground, he immediately fell into a disadvantage. Li Yan hounded him relentlessly. Opening and closing, rising and falling, twisting and turning; his arms became thunder hammers, striking with chopping, hanging, cleaving, and deflecting techniques.

Four consecutive attacks arrived, each faster than the last. Li Yan had no intention of underestimating his opponent. Though Yuan Ba appeared young, at most only a few years older than himself, the ease with which he had circulated his hidden force earlier revealed that he, too, had reached the peak of the Dark Jin Realm.

In other words, he was a genuine prodigy.

Mount Mei Boxing possessed an ancient lineage, originating from primitive mountain tribes who fought fierce beasts in the wilderness. It excelled at combat within confined spaces and was famed for the saying: A fist that can strike within the space where an ox lies.

Allowing such an opponent to close the distance would be a grave mistake. Pigua Boxing excelled at long-range striking. Keeping the distance open was precisely its greatest advantage.

Yuan Ba darted left and right, growing increasingly frustrated with every exchange. Naturally, he knew of Pigua Boxing. But the range he was being kept at prevented him from displaying his true strengths. His best chance was to find a flaw in Li Yan's rhythm, close the distance, and force the fight into close quarters.

Unfortunately for him, Li Yan's Pigua Palm had already fused with the momentum of lightning. To Yuan Ba, it felt as though he were facing the Thunder God himself, wielding bolts of lightning in both hands and cleaving down relentlessly.

He simply didn't dare meet those attacks head-on. After all, the moment the Pigua Palm broke through his guard would be the moment disaster would strike. A single palm blow could send a man flying.

Driven into a corner, Yuan Ba suddenly let out a loud roar. "If you're playing with lightning, I can do that too!"

Lowering his stance, he formed a triangular fist with his hand. His feet advanced in rapid succession as he unleashed several driving punches, choosing to clash with Li Yan instead of retreating.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Both men wielded hidden force. Their fists crashed together repeatedly, each collision sounding like muffled thunder.

Li Yan slid backward a few steps, shaking out his hand, and said in surprise, "I've long heard that Mount Mei Boxing is bold and fierce. It truly lives up to its reputation. What's that technique called?"

Yuan Ba assumed another stance before answering, "Five Lightning Break the Formation."

Li Yan raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Don't your hands hurt?"

Yuan Ba immediately grimaced. "They do!"

Rubbing his hands nonstop, he bared his teeth in pain. "I'm done, I'm done. There's something strange about your Pigua Palm. Without a weapon, it's a terrible matchup for me! You win this round.

"Anyway, do you know any mystic arts?"

Li Yan nodded. "A little."

"Excellent!" Yuan Ba's grin immediately returned. "It's the Lantern Festival; we're inside the city; and this is just a friendly exchange between fellow practitioners. Let's skip exorcism techniques, spirit possession, and the like.

"You and I will each perform one task. The other person simply has to see whether they can accomplish it. How about that?"

Interest flickered across Li Yan's eyes. "Agreed."

This was the civilized form of a mystic duel. The two sides would compete by seeing who could stump the other. If one party failed to accomplish the challenge set before them, they would simply admit defeat. The only question was what sort of challenge the other would propose.

Yuan Ba glanced around before walking over to a young Chang'an resident standing nearby with a torch. He cupped his fists slightly and smiled. "Brother, let me perform a little trick for you. Would you be willing to help me out?"

The torchbearer was also a young man, already enjoying himself to the fullest during the Lantern Festival. Naturally, he had no intention of spoiling the fun.

He nodded in excitement. "Sure! What do you need me to do?"

Yuan Ba burst into laughter. "Nothing at all. Just hold the torch steady!"

Taking a bowl of water from one of his fellow disciples with his left hand, he pulled a yellow talisman from his robes with his right. As he stepped in the formation of the Big Dipper, he began chanting under his breath.

"Patriarch of Snow Mountain, descend from Snow Mountain. Old Mother of Snow Mountain, descend from the Heavenly Terrace. Upon Snow Mountain dwells the Queen Mother. At the first watch comes mist and dew; at the second watch comes heavy frost; at the third watch comes great snow; at the fourth watch, frost blankets the snow..."

As soon as the incantation ended, the yellow talisman ignited of its own accord. He tossed the burning talisman into the bowl, formed a hand seal and stirred the mixture with his sword fingers. Then, he drank the contents in one gulp before spraying it onto his right hand.

Yuan Ba grinned mischievously as he thrust his hand directly into the flames. "Brother, don't be afraid. Just hold it steady!"

"Well, damn!" The young man holding the torch jumped in fright. "Hey! Are you trying to scam me? I don't have any money!"

Still wearing that carefree grin, Yuan Ba replied, "Relax. Why would I scam you? It's a bit chilly tonight, so I'm just warming my hands."

As he spoke, he casually turned his hand over and over within the fire, yet not the slightest injury appeared.

Shopkeeper Wan's expression changed as he gasped, "Snow Mountain Technique!"

After roasting his hand in the flames for a while, Yuan Ba withdrew it. His palm was completely unharmed.

Waggling his eyebrows at Li Yan, he said, "Brother Li, your turn!"

Li Yan stared at the torch, narrowing his eyes. Naturally, he had no fear of burning his hand. He could simply repair the damage with the Great Luo Dharma Body. But this was a contest of mystical arts, not a life-and-death battle. There was no reason to waste his strength.

The Northern Emperor Scripture he cultivated excelled entirely in destructive and offensive techniques. As for little tricks like that... He truly didn't have any at the moment.

Unless his cultivation advanced enough to learn the Northern Emperor Five Elements Escape Art.

Unfortunately, those were profound and intricate techniques with an extremely high requirement to learn. He would only have the chance to study them after reaching the third level of cultivation.

Thinking it over, Li Yan simply shook his head. "Brother Yuan's technique is marvelous. I can't do it."

He had already defeated the other man when it came to martial prowess. Even if he lost this round, as long as he came up with something Yuan Ba couldn't replicate in the next, he would still win overall.

Yuan Ba was delighted, and quietly let out a sigh of relief. Next, he raised a hand and gestured. "Brother Li, please."

Li Yan nodded. Suddenly, he pulled a strip of yellow cloth from his robes. Its surface was covered with runes and images of divine generals riding horses.

"A Paper Horse?" The moment Yuan Ba saw it, he broke into a broad grin. "Brother Li, you had better pick something else. As luck would have it, I know how to do it too."

Li Yan merely smiled and replied, "Just watch."

With that, he tied the talisman around his legs. Stepping in the formation of the Big Dipper, he formed a hand seal and quietly chanted, "Nuogao! Six Jia, Nine Chapters; The Heaven is round and the Earth is square. Four seasons, five elements; sun and moon their radiance. The Big Dipper opens the way as gods and spirits avoid my path. The Azure Dragon supports the chariot while the White Tiger bears the talisman. Dazzle everything before me and inauspicious things, be gone..."

It was the Northern Emperor Divine Movement Technique.

The Northern Emperor Divine Movement Technique was far more than a simple talisman. Not only could it be combined with hidden force, but it also formed the foundation for the movement arts he would one day cultivate.

As the incantation took effect, Li Yan felt an overwhelming surge of power flood into his legs. At the same time, fierce winds suddenly rose around him, causing the nearby torches to flicker wildly. Hidden force erupted through both of his legs as he sprang into the air.

The crowd shielded their eyes against the sudden gusts and looked up in astonishment.

Li Yan had leapt nearly three zhang into the air! Just as he neared a flagpole, he twisted in midair and kicked off with one foot.

Crack!

The flagpole, as thick as a jar, nearly snapped in two.

Using that momentum, Li Yan shot diagonally through the air as though riding the wind itself, landing directly beside the Ezhou procession.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

With two successive bursts of force, he borrowed the plum blossom stakes of the Ezhou performers, vaulting into the air once more. In a single bound, he landed atop a tavern beside Zhuque Avenue. His figure streaked through the air like a flying arrow, wrapped in the roaring wind. After circling swiftly overhead, he leapt gracefully back down.

"Excellent!"

"Magnificent!"

"What incredible skill and what incredible technique!"

The Ezhou troupe had already noticed the commotion. Knowing the two were engaged in a friendly contest of mystic arts, they took no offense and instead applauded enthusiastically.

Li Yan removed the talisman from his legs, and it immediately burst into flames. But he paid it no attention. Instead, he looked at Yuan Ba with a faint smile.

"Impressive." Yuan Ba was thoroughly shaken by what he had witnessed. Without another word, he raised his thumb. "Brother Li, I can't replicate that technique of yours. I admit defeat."

After speaking, he secretly glanced behind him. Seeing his master's face was as black as charcoal, his heart immediately sank. "Um... Brother Li, can we discuss something? Our team really doesn't have enough banners. If I lose one to you, my master will skin me alive. Can I trade you something else for it?"

"Oh?" Li Yan's interest was piqued. "What do you have in mind?"

Yuan Ba scratched his head, furtively glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention, then pulled a golden object from his robes.

Lowering his voice, he said, "I found this while patrolling the mountains. It's an ancient artifact. It's definitely no ordinary item."

Li Yan looked it over. It was a spiral-shaped golden phoenix ornament, ancient in age and seemingly a ritual object from the ancient State of Chu.

He had loved such artifacts even in his previous life, and his interest was immediately aroused. But the instant he accepted it, his expression abruptly changed.

Streams of fortune flowed from the golden phoenix ornament into his Great Luo Dharma Body. Moreover, its energy was completely different from everything it had absorbed before.

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