Chapter 116 Defeated

As soon as Yang Ze spoke, Wu He’s previously hesitant demeanor vanished instantly. He straightened up, cast aside his timid expression, and fixed a steady gaze on Yang Ze.

"Since Brother Yang is so confident, then please, lead the way!"

Yang Ze stepped out from behind the crowd and stood opposite Wu He. As their eyes met, the very atmosphere around them seemed to shift. A sudden gust of wind swept through the forest, sending fallen leaves swirling into the air. Despite the chaotic dance of the foliage, not a single leaf could approach the two men; anything that neared them was invisibly ground into fine powder and scattered across the ground.

Watching Yang Ze, Wu He spoke again: "Brother Yang, I will hold back."

"Brother Wu, you are truly dawdling. Can’t you just be quicker?" Yang Ze replied bluntly.

Wu He’s eyes flashed. "Fine! Then take this!"

With a stomp of his right foot, Wu He shot forward like a bolt. In the blink of an eye, he reached Yang Ze, his right fist clenched and driving toward him. Facing this ferocious strike, Yang Ze remained indifferent, standing rooted to the spot without making a move. The onlookers were baffled, unsure if Yang Ze was supremely confident or simply stunned into paralysis.

Wu He, however, was incensed. As an expert at the ninth stage of True Essence, he felt repeatedly belittled by Yang Ze. Unable to bear it any longer, he surged his True Essence, lending even more power to his punch.

Just as the fist was about to strike, Yang Ze’s feet shifted. Before anyone could track the movement, he had vanished. Wu He’s punch hit empty air, crashing into the ground and blasting a deep crater into the earth. Without hesitation, Wu He whipped around and threw another punch behind him, having sensed Yang Ze’s presence.

With his ninth-stage cultivation, Wu He’s reaction speed was lightning-fast; his turning strike locked onto Yang Ze instantly. Yet, just like before, at the very moment of impact, Yang Ze moved, and the blow missed again.

After two failed strikes, Wu He finally understood what he was dealing with. He unleashed his cultivation, pushed his speed to the limit, and launched a violent, relentless assault, his fists raining down like a storm.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Wu He’s punch speed was so great that he left trails of phantom fists in the air. It appeared as though Yang Ze had nowhere left to dodge. Facing this onslaught, Yang Ze tapped his toes against the ground, his body tilting to the side as he shifted his footwork fluidly. Not a single one of Wu He’s many strikes connected.

Seeing this, Wu He let out a loud shout. A faint white mist emerged from his right fist as he swung it upward, gathering the airflow within a three-foot radius into his strike.

The air pressure coalesced, and Wu He slammed his fist down toward the ground in front of him.

Boom!

With a deafening explosion, a shockwave rippled out from Wu He in all directions. The ground shook as a powerful force erupted.

"Let’s see you dodge this!"

As the powerful force barreled toward him, Yang Ze pushed off the ground, vaulted into the air, performed a backflip, and landed on the branch of a nearby tree. He stared down at Wu He, surprised that to force him out of his evasive patterns, Wu He had ignored his own exhaustion and unleashed a martial technique so quickly.

The onlookers watched with strange expressions, stunned that Yang Ze possessed such ghostly footwork, and that even after using a martial technique, a ninth-stage practitioner still couldn't subdue him.

"Do you think hiding in a tree will save you? Watch how I smash your hiding spot to pieces!" Wu He’s True Essence exploded, and he repeated his previous strike.

The punch hit the base of the tree Yang Ze was perched upon, snapping the thick trunk in two. As the tree collapsed, Yang Ze leaped off and landed on the ground. Before he could even steady himself, he saw a fist coming his way.

This time, Yang Ze did not dodge. He activated his Nine-Spin Finger, thrusting a finger forward to meet Wu He’s fist head-on.

The sleeves of both men fluttered violently. Yang Ze’s cuff shredded instantly, and nine distinct pulses of finger energy erupted, slamming into Wu He’s fist. Wu He roared, his True Essence clashing with the finger energy. A fierce gale swept out from the center of the impact, forcing both men to change their expressions and retreat simultaneously.

The spectators scrambled backward, their faces filled with shock as the gust of wind swept past them.

Yang Ze retreated ten full steps before stopping. He reached back, drew his long blade, and immediately began gathering his momentum. Wu He stumbled back seven or eight steps, barely regaining his footing, only to see Yang Ze standing with his blade, radiating a sharp, piercing aura.

"I had intended to save this move for the tournament, but if I don't use it now, I won't be able to defeat you, Brother Yang. Prepare yourself!"

Wu He planted his feet and spread his arms. A powerful aura rose from beneath him, swirling around him as a heavy, oppressive pressure descended.

"Vajra Stone-Crushing Fist!" Wu He bellowed. He concentrated all his remaining energy into his right fist and lunged at Yang Ze. Under the crushing pressure of his strike, nearby trees bent and groaned as if about to snap. Yang Ze’s eyes were like lightning; he swung his blade, executing a "Fierce Tiger Descending the Mountain."

Blade energy surged forth, a flash of light cut through the air, and his strike met the Vajra Stone-Crushing Fist. The True Essence wrapped around the fist collided with the blade energy, pinning Yang Ze’s sword in place.

Suddenly, Wu He’s aura intensified. He pressed down with immense force, and Yang Ze’s blade aura began to show signs of breaking. Veins bulged on Yang Ze’s right hand, showing he was exerting his full strength.

Just as he was about to lose his footing, Yang Ze flicked his right hand, layering three consecutive bursts of blade energy onto the failing initial strike. The combined energy detonated between them with a thunderous roar, sending both men flying backward.

Wu He suppressed his shock and threw two more punches, sending waves of energy toward Yang Ze. Still in mid-air, Yang Ze adjusted his blade and executed a "Tiger Kill," blocking one of the strikes. But as the second wave of energy descended, his blade faltered, and the force slammed directly into him.

"Ah!"

With a pained cry, Yang Ze was sent tumbling across the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop, vomiting a large mouthful of blood.

Seeing Yang Ze go down, Lin Hui rushed over, lifted him up, and pressed his hand against Yang Ze’s back. He channeled his own True Essence into Yang Ze’s body to disperse the lingering punch energy and stabilize his injuries.

"Wu He, the perfected Vajra Stone-Crushing Fist? You have quite the nerve! Weren't you afraid you’d kill Brother Yang?" Lin Hui scolded. The others chimed in, equally appalled; the power of that punch was such that, had it been any of them, they wouldn't have even had a chance to be saved.

Wu He looked at his right fist, where a wound was oozing dark red blood. He said, feeling wronged, "I held back at the last second! Besides, Brother Yang is just too strong. If I didn't use my real skills, how could I have won?"

"You're at the ninth stage of True Essence, attacking someone at the eighth, and you still resort to such a lethal technique? It’s disgraceful. If the Law Enforcement Hall hears of this, I wonder what you'll do," Lin Hui said with disdain.

At the mention of the Law Enforcement Hall, Wu He’s expression changed instantly. "No, no, Brother Lin, you must not tell the Law Enforcement Hall about this! How about this: we’ll take Brother Yang to the Medicine Hall immediately, and I’ll cover all the expenses!"

Wu He felt a sharp sting of pain in his heart as he said this; the people at the Medicine Hall were notorious extortionists. A visit there would surely cost him a fortune, but the prospect of the Law Enforcement Hall was far worse.

"No need, no need. It's just a minor injury. I can recover in a few days; going to the Medicine Hall is too much trouble," Yang Ze said, his strength slightly restored, as he shifted his body.

Hearing this, a smile bloomed on Wu He’s face.

"Not going is fine, but since these injuries were caused by you, Wu He, you’d better hand over some precious medicinal herbs to help Brother Yang recover. If he suffers any long-term effects, it’s all on you," Lin Hui retorted sharply.

"Of course, of course! I have a sixty-year-old ginseng and two stalks of dust-wood, both top-tier medicinal herbs. Take them, take them all!" Wu He rummaged through the pouch at his waist and produced three wooden boxes.

Lin Hui snatched them and handed them to Yang Ze. Only then was the matter considered settled.