Vol. 1 - Ch. 313 - The Clash

The more Zhao Qimeng looked, the more familiar this routine seemed. "Isn’t this the same trick our clan often uses?"

But now, before the Zhao Clan could use it, someone else had beaten them to it.

Zhao Qimeng’s face darkened. Seeing his clansman act timidly and submissively only stoked his anger further. With a cold snort, he said,

“Zhao Liang, disputes between young men should be settled like young men do.”

Hearing this, the youth no longer fretted over who was at fault. His expression quickly cleared as he realized this was clearly a provocation. Backed by the clan elder, he had no reason to fear.

Confidence returned to Zhao Liang’s face in an instant. He declared,

"Such insolence! Then let us fight it out!"

"Fight? Then fight!” Chen Qinghe answered without hesitation. Yet his eyes darted around the crowd as though searching for someone.

When he didn't find the person he was looking for, Chen Qinghe forced himself not to dwell on it, though unease lingered in his heart.

As the two youths prepared to fight in broad daylight, the surrounding pedestrians quickly scattered, leaving an open space. News of the fight spread quickly, and members of other families soon arrived, mingling within the crowd to watch the spectacle unfold.

Zhao Qimeng remained calm, though his eyes narrowed slightly.

As a clan elder, he was no fool.

If this had happened elsewhere, I would have killed them without hesitation. But this is Yong’an City.

The sudden provocation by these two youths was clearly intentional. They must belong to the Chen family to act so brazenly here. The Chen family must want to use this fight to establish their prestige. Unfortunately for them, they’ve chosen the wrong opponent.

In fact, Zhao Qimeng thought this might be the perfect opportunity. The Zhao Clan's reputation has been quiet in recent years, so winning this battle would be an excellent way to showcase their strength.

With that mindset, Zhao Qimeng simply stood aside, watching silently. He had full confidence in his clansman’s abilities. Surely these two Chen brats were no match.

“I’ll let you make the first move!”

Chen Qinghe said arrogantly as he faced Zhao Liang. Though his tone was brash, his eyes betrayed caution.

Zhao Liang was a hot-blooded youth who could not endure such provocation. Fury surged within him, and he immediately circulated his Qi and Blood, launching a fierce attack on Chen Qinghe.

Watching this unfold, Zhao Qimeng furrowed his brows slightly but remained silent.

Seeing Zhao Liang’s strike, Chen Qinghe quickly abandoned his earlier disdain. The two clashed without hesitation.

Though they were both Blood Coagulation Realm martial artists, neither of them used their clan’s battle techniques. Instead, they relied on pure physical combat.

The reason was simple: they were both only in the early stage of the Blood Coagulation Realm. Their Qi and Blood were not yet abundant, and battle techniques would have consumed too much of that energy. If they failed to swiftly defeat their opponent, they risked exhausting themselves.

Thus, their fight appeared reckless, yet each held back some strength, wary of a sudden killing move from the other.

Even without battle techniques, their exchange was ferocious. Every punch and strike targeted the opponent’s weak points. Such relentless assaults would have ended the fight in moments against ordinary early stage Blood Coagulation cultivators.

The two fighters moved with speed and decisiveness. Their distinct styles were evidence that their families had hired professional martial arts instructors to train them.

Several sharp gazes from the crowd of onlookers were fixed on the duel. Information about the combatants quickly spread among the family representatives present: one hailed from the obscure Chen family of Yong’an City, while the other belonged to the rising Zhao family, which had recently taken control of Yunmeng City. Such a clash naturally piqued their interest—who would emerge victorious?

The battle also served another purpose: it allowed the representatives to gauge the Chen family’s strength before deciding whether to purchase their Blood Rice. Though it was only a contest between the younger generation, sometimes a glimpse of the branch reveals the nature of the tree.

As the fight grew more intense, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch.

Dodging Zhao Liang’s strike, Black Tiger Seizes the Heart, Chen Qinghe faltered, his balance wavering and leaving an opening.

"Good opportunity!"

Zhao Liang’s eyes lit up. In an instant, he channeled all his Qi and Blood into his right leg and launched a fierce kick aimed at Chen Qinghe’s waist.

Although this strike carried no outward spectacle, within Zhao Liang’s kick lay the essence of his family’s martial technique, the Extinguishing Star Leg.

He had trained in this technique for years, believing he could shatter even a massive boulder weighing hundreds of pounds with a single blow.

At that moment, Zhao Liang’s eyes gleamed with killing intent. The prolonged duel had left him dissatisfied, and now he finally had his chance.

Off to the side, Zhao Qimeng showed no joy despite Zhao Liang’s apparent advantage. Instead, his brows furrowed tightly.

Meanwhile, Chen Qinghe, seemingly on the verge of defeat, noticed that Zhao Liang could no longer restrain himself and had resorted to using a family battle technique. The panic in his eyes gave way to a sly smile.

His wavering body suddenly blurred into an afterimage and shifted swiftly aside. At the same time, he gathered his Qi and Blood into his fists and unleashed a move from the Taizu Long Fist.

Years of arduous practice manifested as a faint humanoid phantom rising behind Chen Qinghe. Though not perfected, he had mastered the technique beyond mere proficiency.

The crowd erupted in astonishment, their voices echoing in disbelief.

Realizing he had been tricked, Zhao Liang’s face darkened. As Chen Qinghe’s fist thundered toward him, Zhao Liang felt a chilling sense of death looming over him.

Although Zhao Liang’s Extinguishing Star Leg technique managed to make contact, Chen Qinghe’s subtle shift avoided the vital point. In other words, if the fight continued, Chen Qinghe might get hurt, but Zhao Liang would die!

Realizing this, fear flickered in Zhao Liang’s eyes. The speed of his kick faltered; his earlier unstoppable momentum was completely gone.

In contrast, Chen Qinghe now fought as though blessed by divine aid and empowered by the Taizu Long Fist. Trading injury for life was a bargain Chen Qinghe would gladly accept. After all, the Chen family had ample means of healing.

“Humph!”

At that critical moment, a cold snort rang out from behind—Zhao Qimeng’s voice filled with displeasure.

Instantly, Chen Qinghe, who had seized the upper hand, felt his body tighten as if bound by an unseen gaze.

Before he could land his punch, his target vanished. In its place, five aged fingers appeared, reaching out with terrifying force.

Sensing the sudden danger, Chen Qinghe did not panic. He drew his qi into his dantian, retracted his fist, and shouted,

"Father! Save me!"

The onlookers were utterly stunned by the sudden turn of events.

Following Chen Qinghe’s desperate cry, a surge of power erupted above the two fighters. A Taiyi Seal, formed from condensed Qi and Blood, appeared in the air and came crashing down toward Zhao Qimeng.

Sensing the deadly threat overhead, Zhao Qimeng immediately abandoned his attempt to seize Chen Qinghe. He spread his five fingers wide and struck upward to meet the descending seal.

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