Chapter 51: The Oath of Yore

Upon sensing the aura of force emanating from QiQi, Wei Po Tian immediately felt a sense of unease. Having advanced two levels in a short time, he believed he could now stand a chance. However, he did not expect that QiQi’s Shui Yue Liu Yun Jue had also progressed so rapidly. But having already boasted to his subordinates, there was no room for retreat. He could only grit his teeth and follow QiQi outside, entering the prepared combat arena.

As soon as he stepped into the arena, Wei Po Tian’s aura transformed. With a deep roar, “Thousand Mountains!” a yellow-brown light surged through his body. When it enveloped him entirely, his presence became solid and imposing, giving the impression of towering, majestic mountains.

QiQi’s eyes lit up, and she praised, “Truly, your progress is remarkable! Thousand Mountains has indeed taken on some semblance of its true form. Now I’m not so sure I can handle you.”

Despite her words, her actions were swift. She darted to Wei Po Tian’s side and gently tapped the yellow light barrier. A faint blue glow spread like ripples, causing undulations in the Thousand Mountains’ protective shield.

QiQi’s palm appeared gentle, but Wei Po Tian’s mountain-like aura wavered, and he staggered. Before he could regain his composure, QiQi had already circled around him several times with graceful movements, like clouds rising over mountains, gradually obscuring their grandeur.

This was Qian Ye’s first time witnessing QiQi in battle. Her palm strikes were incredibly fast, and her steps were ethereal. Although the true essence of Shui Yue Liu Yun Jue was not yet apparent, there was a hint of the ever-changing nature of clouds. Despite her seemingly light and insubstantial attacks, each strike destabilized the Thousand Mountains. It should be noted that Wei Po Tian, even at Level 4 in Dark Blood City, had once withstood an attack from a Blood Knight, underscoring the power in QiQi’s palm techniques.

Wei Po Tian began to counterattack. His punches were not fast, and his footwork was simple, appearing somewhat erratic. This technique, though seemingly clumsy, effectively stabilized the situation. Though still swayed by QiQi, his stance remained unbroken.

Since his last battle with Ji Yuanjia, Qian Ye had noticed that compared to the rapid advancement of Bing Fa Jue, secret martial arts techniques may not show much power at lower levels but gain momentum quickly later on, with immense potential. Especially when the unique strengths of each secret technique were unleashed, the contest was no longer just about the depth of one’s force, but also control and the interplay of different attributes.

The current sparring match exemplified this. QiQi’s attacks were powerful, but her real strength lay in her versatility. Against an opponent of equal strength, she could easily gain the upper hand and win quickly. However, Wei Po Tian’s Thousand Mountains, thick as a tortoise shell, resisted collapse. His ancient and heavy boxing style, while not flashy, was immensely burdensome. Wei Po Tian could withstand many blows, but a single hit from him would likely incapacitate his opponent.

Soon, the two entered a stalemate, neither able to overpower the other.

QiQi now hoped that Wei Po Tian’s force would deplete, rendering Thousand Mountains unsustainable. But after reaching Level 6, Wei Po Tian’s force had doubled in both thickness and duration. He showed no signs of exhaustion even after such a long battle.

Suddenly, QiQi jumped back and declared, “I quit! I can’t break through your turtle shell; it’s boring!”

Wei Po Tian chuckled arrogantly, “Now you understand the might of my family’s secret techniques? Thousand Mountains, as the name suggests, is as sturdy as a mountain in defense…”

“Stop! I’ve heard it hundreds of times!” QiQi interrupted, knowing he could go on endlessly.

QiQi glanced around and called out, “Xiao Ye, come and give it a try!”

“What? Are you joking? He’s only Level 5, how can I, a dignified Imperial lieutenant colonel, bully—”

Wei Po Tian was about to boast further about his valor and chivalry when Qian Ye started walking towards the arena.

QiQi laughed, “Who’s bullying whom? Want to bet? What stakes are you putting up?”

Before Wei Po Tian could respond, he felt a surge of killing intent, as if he were on a battlefield, facing an army. The only thought in his mind was to escape, and he couldn’t muster any fighting spirit!

Startled by this, Wei Po Tian realized he was being completely overwhelmed. In a real fight, this would be extremely dangerous! Fortunately, Bai Long Jia had taught him that on the battlefield, the solution to any unfavorable situation was to first activate Thousand Mountains.

Without further thought, Wei Po Tian shouted, “Thousand Mountains!” A yellow light emerged, solid and imposing.

But Qian Ye had already begun to accelerate, charging forward. By the time he reached the middle, a thunderous sound reverberated, and he launched a straightforward punch straight to the center.

Wei Po Tian had no choice but to meet him head-on. As the overwhelming force surged towards him, he could not afford to retreat. He stepped forward, launching a simple, direct punch at Qian Ye!

Their fists collided with a resounding boom, like a clap of thunder. The ground trembled, and the clash echoed through the arena.

Wei Po Tian’s entire body shook, and the light barrier of Thousand Mountains fluctuated wildly. The barrier, which had withstood nearly a hundred of QiQi’s attacks, was now on the verge of collapse!

Qian Ye stepped forward, his elbow crashing into Wei Po Tian’s chest!

With a strange cry, Wei Po Tian cowered, protecting his head and chest with crossed arms, no longer caring about appearances.

The thunderous sound continued as Qian Ye repeatedly struck the light barrier. Three more blows, each heavier than the last. The second blow caused severe fluctuations, and the third shattered the Thousand Mountains barrier entirely!

Wei Po Tian screamed, falling backward and landing heavily on the ground. Just as he tried to get up, he froze, feeling Qian Ye’s boot pressing lightly on his throat. This critical spot, if controlled, rendered the Thousand Mountains useless.

Wei Po Tian felt his throat dry and his body cold. He sensed that Qian Ye was genuinely considering stepping down.

QiQi suddenly rushed over, pushing Qian Ye aside and shouting, “Move! Move! Let me do it! Let me do it!” The young lady hopped onto Wei Po Tian, stamping on him repeatedly, causing him to scream.

The spectators, including Wei Po Tian’s attendants, turned away, pretending they saw nothing. This had happened before; whenever Wei Po Tian challenged QiQi, he used every trick in the book, so he often ended up thoroughly beaten.

QiQi, jumping excitedly, yelled, “Let you keep hiding behind your turtle shell! Think I can’t break it, huh? I can’t, but someone can! Use your secret technique again, where’s Thousand Mountains? Where did it go?”

After stomping on him several times, QiQi finally stopped, smiling, “That’s better!”

She then wrapped her arm around Qian Ye’s shoulder, asking, “How do you feel?”

“Good,” Qian Ye said expressionlessly.

Wei Po Tian still lay on the ground. Though tough, he was weakened after Qian Ye broke through his Thousand Mountains, leaving him defenseless against QiQi’s relentless stomps. Her feet, whether intentionally or not, landed near his abdomen, causing him to gasp. Yet, Wei Po Tian lived up to his reputation, getting up in less than a minute.

Disheveled, Wei Po Tian limped to Qian Ye and handed him something, saying generously, “I lost. This is the stake!”

Qian Ye lifted it, revealing a silver necklace with a small eagle emblem.

QiQi exclaimed, “Hey, I proposed the bet!”

Wei Po Tian rolled his eyes, “Naturally, the stakes go to the victor. You, the third miss of the Yin family, shouldn’t stoop to arguing with subordinates.”

QiQi, caught off guard by Wei Po Tian’s sudden eloquence, narrowed her eyes, staring at the necklace, deep in thought.

Wei Po Tian said to Qian Ye, “This is my token. Within my authority, it grants you three wishes, anything you desire.”

QiQi was stunned, recognizing it as Wei Po Tian’s identity token. She opened her mouth, looked at Wei Po Tian’s serious face, and turned to Qian Ye, whose expression made her decide to say nothing.

One of Wei Po Tian’s attendants, recovering from shock, approached a stately young man and whispered, “Brother Huai, does the young lord think that person is… a girl?”

The person’s features were so fine and delicate that it was hard to tell, especially in traditional attire. But the fierce and valiant demeanor displayed during the fight left no trace of femininity.

The young man calmly replied, “If Miss QiQi says so, then it is so.” Then, glancing at the attendant, he added, “You will explain this to the young lord later.” The attendant’s face contorted in horror.

Qian Ye, looking at the necklace, felt conflicted. Wei Po Tian’s words indicated he recognized him. Thinking of how he had won these three promises, he recalled Shi Yan and Lin Xitang, who had placed their hopes in him.

Wei Po Tian continued, “If you ever need help, remember to find me!”

QiQi, finally losing her patience, snapped, “Wei Po Tian, are you trying to seduce my person in front of me?”

Wei Po Tian turned, pulling QiQi aside, and said in a low, resonant voice, “Let’s discuss the Spring Hunt. We need to plan carefully!”

Seeing Qian Ye’s unchanged, sullen expression, QiQi decided to change the subject. Placing a hand on Wei Po Tian’s shoulder, she asked, “What’s your goal this time?”