The scion of the noble family, upon seeing Qian Ye, adopted a condescending and coldly arrogant tone, declaring, “My name is Liu Yuqing. Remember it, for I will be the one to restore the Liu Family’s glory, and I will also be the one to defeat you.”
Qian Ye shrugged, feeling that there was no need for pleasantries with such a noble youth. He vaguely recalled that this was the direct line of the Fan Tang Liu Clan, and for them to enter the top ten in the Spring Hunt was quite an achievement, which might have given Liu Yuqing a significant boost in confidence.
Liu Yuqing lowered his waist, assuming a horse stance, and displayed the starting posture of a secret martial art. Immediately, primordial force light radiated from his body, and a faint column of light appeared above his head, rising several meters high.
This was the secret combat technique, One Line Heaven, which was somewhat famous among the clans. For Liu Yuqing, at such a young age, to have mastered it to this extent, it was no wonder he was so arrogant.
However, seeing the meticulous and rigorous starting posture, Qian Ye inwardly shook his head. It seemed that Liu Yuqing was the type with good natural talent, who spent most of his time diligently training within the clan, never having been on the battlefield. His combat experience likely came from virtual sparring systems and at most, friendly duels with real opponents.
In many esteemed clans, it was not uncommon to cultivate their young members in this manner. Although the Empire had been at war for its 1,200-year history, the interior, especially the major provinces, had enjoyed long periods of peace. The idea of honing one’s will in the fires of battle was more of an idealistic notion; in reality, the harsh conditions of the battlefield often led to the premature demise of many talented but unfortunate individuals. Many noble families no longer advocated such a method of cultivation.
Below the rank of a war general, level five was a dividing line. Young clan members usually trained to reach this level to acquire basic self-protection skills before being sent to the military to start as low-ranking officers. At this point, they were less likely to be used as cannon fodder, and they could gradually accumulate experience through real battles in regular armies. This path allowed for growth and advancement, and most importantly, it provided experience in military command. Although their personal martial progress might be slower than those who rose through the ranks of soldiers, the advantage of their secret techniques would become increasingly apparent later.
Qian Ye stood casually, with the tide of Dawn Primordial Force already rising within him. He had decided that the first battle must be swift and decisive, conserving energy for the later fights. Today, he faced three rounds, and all the noble heirs had entered the competition. The gap in levels was always his weakness, and this defect would only become more pronounced as the tournament progressed.
To Liu Yuqing, Qian Ye’s casual stance contrasted sharply with his own readiness, and his face darkened. He glared at Qian Ye, clearly feeling that his warrior’s dignity had been insulted.
When the horn sounded, Liu Yuqing launched himself at Qian Ye like an arrow. The beam of light split into two, extending along his arms to his fists, with sharp and fierce primordial force energy rushing towards Qian Ye’s chest like twin daggers.
Qian Ye stood firm, not moving an inch, and even showed no intention of defending. Instead, he suddenly retracted his upper body, his right hand shooting out like lightning, with his index and middle fingers emitting a faint primordial force glow, directly aiming for Liu Yuqing’s eyes!
The first exchange was a mutual damage scenario! However, the result would be internal injuries for Qian Ye and severe eye damage for Liu Yuqing! Internal injuries, no matter how severe, were not fatal, but eye injuries, even minor ones, could leave lasting effects, and in the worst case, cause complete blindness.
Liu Yuqing was shocked and had to retract his punches to defend. Qian Ye smiled slightly, sidestepped, and advanced, his attacks immediately surging like a tidal wave, overwhelming and relentless! Each punch and kick was heavy, aimed directly at vital points, ferocious and merciless, leaving no room for counterattacks.
Several times, Liu Yuqing found openings to attack Qian Ye’s vital points, but Qian Ye ignored them, continuing his relentless assault! This fighting style, while seemingly trading blows, was actually a fight to the death. Liu Yuqing had never encountered such a person before. He soon found himself in a desperate situation, only able to defend, unable to counterattack.
On the high platform, an elderly man suddenly harrumphed, displeased, “That number 163, truly a ruffian! This is the Spring Hunt, how can he use such an unorthodox fighting style? Yuqing, too polite, has let the scoundrel take advantage!”
Although the old man was seated on the high platform, his position was near the edge, a considerable distance from the Duke of Wei’s main seat. He was the current patriarch of the Fan Tang Liu Clan, and his seating reflected the clan’s current status among the nobles. Given the Liu Clan’s strength and status, participating in the Imperial Garden Spring Hunt was impossible, making the Heavenly Mystery Spring Hunt their best stage to shine.
Not far from the elder, a lady with a dignified and elegant appearance smiled lightly and said, “I don’t see it that way. Number 163 uses true battlefield tactics. In the midst of iron and blood, life and death are determined instantly. Who has the time for slow, formal exchanges? Yuqing is a good child, but unfortunately, he lacks practical experience. When facing a slightly stronger opponent, he shows his lack of confidence. What good is it to train well at home if you can’t apply it in the real world?”
The Liu Clan patriarch’s face darkened, and he harrumphed, “Yuqing is gifted and has a bright future. We must carefully nurture him. How can we let him go to dangerous places like those commoners, risking his life for vague opportunities?”
The lady laughed lightly, “There is some truth to that. Yuqing can grow slowly, but I fear Miss Xinger may not have the patience. I’ve heard she plans to choose her husband from this year’s young talents.”
The Liu Clan patriarch’s face darkened further, and he harrumphed, falling silent.
Xinger was the second granddaughter of the Duke of Wei, always favored by her elders. The news that the Duke intended to select a husband for her during this Spring Hunt had spread, and many noble heirs and high-ranking young aristocrats were eagerly anticipating it. But such a noble lady, no matter how unchoosy, would not marry someone who was eliminated in the fourth round.
On the arena, Liu Yuqing’s solid foundation gradually became evident. He had not yet been knocked down, showing great resilience. However, under the experienced Qian Ye, he had no chance to turn the tide.
Qian Ye’s attacks grew more intense, his punches more frequent. Suddenly, he roared, delivering three rapid punches, sending Liu Yuqing flying out of the arena!
Liu Yuqing was still in shock, only realizing he had crossed the boundary when he saw Qian Ye withdraw. “You!” he shouted, pointing at Qian Ye, not knowing what to say.
“I won,” Qian Ye said calmly.
“How can this be considered a win!” Liu Yuqing shouted, indignant that he had been forced out of the arena by Qian Ye’s rapid punches.
At this moment, a guard from the Duke of Wei’s private army walked over, coldly saying, “Finish the fight and leave the arena immediately!”
Liu Yuqing, though furious, had no choice but to comply, glaring at Qian Ye with a look that seemed to want to tear him apart.
Qian Ye just smiled and turned to leave. The three punches he delivered had all hit Liu Yuqing’s left arm, which was in a defensive posture, pushing him out of the arena. If he had aimed elsewhere, Liu Yuqing would have suffered at least minor injuries under Qian Ye’s twenty-plus rounds of Warring Strike. However, Liu Yuqing’s lack of experience prevented him from realizing that Qian Ye had already shown mercy.
As Qian Ye approached the arena’s edge, he looked up and saw Zhao Junhong again.
Zhao Junhong suddenly said, “Your fighting style is not suitable for these arena matches.”
Qian Ye, now somewhat understanding the second young master’s temperament and recognizing his passion for martial arts, replied calmly, “Actually, I haven’t learned any secret martial arts. The military combat techniques and Warring Strike are for killing, not for performance.”
Zhao Junhong nodded, deep in thought. He had never paid attention to weapons below level five, especially the standard military firearms, which he considered almost useless. Yet, Qian Ye’s Eagle Strike had managed to injure his guard.
Warring Strike, known for its inability to advance beyond the war general rank, was generally seen as unsustainable. In Zhao Junhong’s eyes, military combat techniques were no different from street brawling. Yet, in Qian Ye’s hands, these techniques seemed to transform the mundane into something extraordinary, nearly overturning the second young master’s long-held views.
The fifth round quickly arrived, marking the first appearance of the Zhao and Song Clans. The remaining contestants were divided into two groups, with Zhao Junhong and Song Zining placed in different groups to avoid early encounters. They had the right to choose their opponents, but to avoid accusations of bullying the weak, they simply agreed on the groupings, with the order of battles still determined by draw.
Qian Ye looked at the groupings and chuckled; he was not in the same group as Zhao Junhong. This meant he would have to rise to the top of his own group to face Zhao Junhong, which would require defeating Song Zining at the very least.
When the battle began, all eyes were on the arenas where the Zhao and Song Clans were fighting. Zhao Junhong, with incredible dominance, kicked his opponent out of the arena in one move. Song Zining, in a more orthodox manner, engaged in a ten-minute battle, ultimately winning by a small margin.
Qian Ye finally faced a formidable opponent, Nan Gong Wanyun.
Nan Gong Wanyun, with a gentle and refined aura of a traditional noble lady, smiled slightly at Qian Ye and said, “Can you go easy on me?”
“No,” Qian Ye replied.
Nan Gong Wanyun smiled, “Really, you don’t know how to appreciate a girl. I didn’t ask you to lose to me, but when we fight, please don’t hit my face, okay?”
Qian Ye thought seriously and said, “I’ll try my best.”
“Thank you then.” Nan Gong Wanyun spread her hands, and a misty aura swirled around her fingertips. She then extended her palms, and from the mist, several colorless primordial force beams shot out, sounding like sharp blades slicing through the air, aiming for Qian Ye’s vital points.
Qian Ye gave a low shout, a faint crimson light enveloping his body. He charged forward, slightly avoiding his most vulnerable points like his eyes and throat, ignoring the other attacks, and instantly reached Nan Gong Wanyun, delivering a powerful punch!
Nan Gong Wanyun’s face changed, and she dodged, exclaiming, “We agreed not to hit the face!”
“You should also not sneak attack, right?” Qian Ye said, turning and delivering another punch, this time straight for Nan Gong Wanyun’s midsection, with a sound like thunder and wind.
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