The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 251 - 174 Duel in the Long Street

Chapter 251: Chapter 174 Duel in the Long Street

Manager Wan had already noticed.

Hearing the young man speak, Manager Wan’s expression remained unchanged as he made a fist with one hand and covered it with the other in salute, "We’re all colleagues in the same line of work, and a traveler come far is a guest, how could we raise a hand against a guest?"

"Well said, uncle!"

The young man paid a compliment, but continued with a mischievous smile, "After tonight, I’ll surely visit my uncle’s mansion for a drink."

"But for today, our side is in need of a flag, so I can only apologize for the impoliteness."

At this point, Manager Wan had no choice but to agree, for to refuse would be to show fear, so he said gravely, "Will it be a contest of intellect, or a physical one?"

The young man glanced at the hazy figures of gods amidst the smoke and laughed, "We are both members of the Mystical Sect and residents of the pugilistic world, playing with intellect is boring."

"A physical contest, shall we spar?"

Manager Wan narrowed his eyes slightly, "How do you want to spar?"

"Simple!"

The young man laughed and saluted with his fists, "Let’s start with a fist fight, then a contest of spells, stopping upon the slightest touch, and let me see the power of the young talents of Guanzhong."

His words were full of traps.

If the other side sent an older individual, it would be the strong bullying the weak, and if they sent a young person, he certainly wouldn’t feel the slightest apprehension.

Of course, he didn’t realize he was overthinking it.

Manager Wan was a craftsman from the Mystical Sect, specializing in the creation of musical instruments, his acquaintances were either performers from the pugilistic world or from side doors of the Mystical Sect, and there were truly not many who could fight.

Especially since the Taixuan Orthodox Sect and the Magic Veins were not going to make a move, and figures like the ferocious Night Mourner were beyond his means to summon.

Li Yan, therefore, was the team’s main force in combat.

Without waiting for Manager Wan to speak, Li Yan stepped forward, looking at the young man from the opposite side, and greeted him calmly, "From Guanzhong, Li Yan!"

As the distance closed, the young man became clearer to see.

He looked lean and dark, but his eyes were bright and energetic. Standing there, with the lamp light glinting off him, he resembled a black panther.

He seemed to realize that Li Yan was not easy to deal with as the smile on his face faded to a respectful salute, "From Mei Mountain, Yuan Ba."

At the mention of this name, Li Yan’s brows furrowed slightly, "The Magic Sect?"

The Mei Mountain Taoist Sect was a powerful and prominent institution in Xiang Chu, its influence even extending to other provinces.

The renown of the great Yu Step to Upturn the Altars and Caves was as loud as thunderclap.

Yuan Ba instantly laughed, "The Daoist friend can rest assured, at best I am considered an offshoot, and perhaps in the future, I may have the qualifications to be addressed as ’Teacher’s Master’, but for now, I am not yet."

"It matters not, please proceed!"

Li Yan’s eyes were filled with interest as he gestured.

He joined Manager Wan’s team to help, but he also harbored the desire to witness the various heroes’ abilities.

"Hiss—!"

Feeling Li Yan’s gaze, Yuan Ba shivered and rubbed himself, complaining, "I’m not a woman, don’t look at me like that."

Having said that, he waved his hands in salute, placed his hands on his hips, and seemed to observe.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes, "General Overlooking the Forest?"

The followers of the Mei Mountain Sect were mostly hunters, cattle herders, duck keepers, fishermen, masons, and herbalist doctors.

In plain terms, it means worshipping the "God of Hunting." Not only is the ability to summon Rampaging Soldiers formidable, but the Mei Mountain Fist is also quite sharp, especially when combined with spells, and they use both combat techniques and spells.

This General Overlooking the Forest posture was their initial stance.

Like the Five-Dire Wolf Flip, it was so unique, that he had also heard of it.

"You know a bit!"

Yuan Ba grinned and suddenly exerted force from his feet, his Hidden Energy bursting forth as he leaped out, thrusting both fists forward in the Double Punch technique known as Double Dragons Emerging from the Sea.

This unexpected attack was purely a test.

If Li Yan couldn’t even handle this move, he couldn’t be blamed for not showing courtesy and it was better to finish the fight quickly.

"Well done!"

Rather than being frightened, Li Yan was thrilled. He sidestepped, extended his arms, and rolled them back with a whoosh, accompanied by a rumble like thunder.

This was the Windmill Force, but he executed it with Hidden Energy, making the counterforce far beyond comparison with a simple windmill.

"What fierce chops and hooks!"

Yuan Ba felt the rush of the forceful wind and yelped, hastily retreating.

However, this dodge immediately put him at a disadvantage.

Li Yan advanced, his movements like swallowing and spitting, rising and falling, twisting and turning, his arms like Thunder Hammers, chopping, hooking, slashing, unloading—in a continuous four-move combination that got faster with each strike.

He certainly wouldn’t underestimate his opponent.

This Yuan Ba seemed young, at most only a few years older than him, but the Hidden Energy he had unleashed was so smooth that he too had reached the peak of Hidden Energy.

In other words, a real genius.

The Mei Mountain Fist had a long heritage, originating from ancient tribal practices, fighting fierce beasts in the mountains and forests, skilled in small space combat, and was known to "strike down a lying ox with fists."

Allowing the opponent to get close was undoubtedly a mistake.

The chop and hook technique extended the distance, which was exactly what was needed.

Yuan Ba, dodging left and right, was getting more and more frustrated.

Of course, he knew about the chop and hook, this distance was not suitable for his style, and he needed to find a break in the sequence of punches to close in for hand-to-hand combat.

But Li Yan’s chop and hook technique incorporated Thunder Force, making Yuan Ba feel as if facing a Thunder God, continuously striking with thunderous hands, preventing him from even trying to block.

One should know that once the chop and hook broke through his defenses, that would be disastrous, as a single strike could send someone flying.

In desperation, Yuan Ba bellowed, "If it’s thunder you want to play with, so can I!"

With that said, he lowered his stance, formed a Triangle Fist with his hands, stepped in a continuous pattern, and delivered several punches in succession, choosing to clash head-on with Li Yan.

Boom boom boom!

Both men wielded Hidden Energy, colliding with a series of blows that sounded like muffled thunder.

Li Yan stepped back, shaking his hands, and said in astonishment, "I’ve long heard that the Mei Mountain Fist is brave and fierce, and truly it is exceptional. What is this called?"

Yuan Ba assumed a stance, "Five Thunder Breakthrough Formation!"

Li Yan raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Does your hand not hurt?"

"Painful!"

Yuan Ba suddenly made a pained face, rubbing his hand nonstop and said with a grimace, "No more playing, no more playing. Your cutting has some tricks, and it’s hard to fight without weapons. This round counts as your win. Do you know any spells?"

Li Yan nodded, "I know a little."

"Good!"

Yuan Ba said with a playful laugh upon hearing this, "It’s the Lantern Festival, we are in the city, and it’s a fellowship of peers. It’s best not to engage in serious conflict."

"Let’s not use those Rampaging Soldier Divine Strikes or anything like that."

"How about each of us does one thing to see if the other can follow suit? What do you think?"

Interest sparkled in Li Yan’s eyes, "Sure."

This was the literary battle within a spell contest.

Both sides vied to see who could outmaneuver the other. If one couldn’t do it, they would simply admit defeat, but it was a mystery what the other party intended to do.

Yuan Ba looked around and went over to a Chang’an commoner who was holding a torch.

He bowed slightly with a smile and said, "Brother, I’ll show you a magic trick. Would you dare to help me?"

The young man holding the torch, also enjoying the festivities of Lantern Festival, wouldn’t want to spoil the fun and excitedly nodded, "Sure, what do you want me to do?"

"Just hold steady the torch; that’s all you need to do!"

Yuan Ba laughed heartily and then took a bowl of water from a fellow disciple behind him with his left hand, while his right hand produced a Yellow Talisman from his bosom. He stepped an Astral Step and at the same time chanted an incantation:

"Ancestor of Snow Mountain come from afar, mother of Snow Mountain descends from the terrace high, with Queen Mother of Snow Mountain, one watch brings dew and frost, two watches bring heavy frost, three watches bring thick snow, fourth watch layers frost on the snow..."

Whoosh~

The incantation finished, and the Yellow Talisman self-ignited.

He immediately threw the burning talisman into the bowl, pinched a hand seal, stirred it with a pointer finger, and then downed the mixture in one go and sprayed it onto his right hand.

"Brother, don’t be afraid, just hold steady!"

Yuan Ba chuckled slyly as he plunged his hand into the flames.

"Goodness!"

The young man with the torch jumped in fright, "You, are you trying to scam me? I don’t have any money!"

Yuan Ba said with a mischievous grin, "Rest assured, how could this be a scam? It’s a bit cold tonight. Let’s just warm up by the fire."

All the while, he moved his hand back and forth in the flames without any harm coming to it.

Manager Wan’s expression changed, "It’s the Snow Mountain Skill!"

Yuan Ba toasted his hand in the flames for a while then withdrew it, only to reveal that his palm was completely unharmed. He winked playfully at Li Yan, "Your turn, Brother Li!"

Li Yan stared at the torch with narrowed eyes.

A burning torch was no threat to him; he could simply use his Daluo Dharma Body to recover, but since this was a duel rather than a fight to the death, there was absolutely no need to waste that power.

His practice of the North Emperor’s Scripture was preeminently destructive in nature, not suited for such minor tricks, and he didn’t currently possess anything of the sort.

Unless his Dao increased, allowing him to learn the North Emperor Five Elements Escape Technique, which was a sophisticated spell with an extremely high threshold, only after reaching the level of the three-story might he have a chance to learn it.

Thinking this, Li Yan shook his head and said, "Brother Yuan, your spell is impressive. I can’t do it."

He had won the fistfight; losing here was fine so long as he could come up with something that the other couldn’t do, he would still win.

Yuan Ba was inwardly pleased and relieved and raised his hand, "Your turn, Brother Li."

Li Yan nodded, then suddenly from his bosom he pulled out a strip of yellow cloth covered with various runes and images of divine generals riding horses.

"Armored Horse?"

Yuan Ba brightened up the moment he saw it, "Brother Li, you should pick something else. Coincidentally, I also know the Armored Horse Skill."

Li Yan just smiled, "We’ll see."

With that, he strapped the Armored Horse to his legs, stepped in the Astral Step, and began muttering a low chant while making a hand seal, "Nuogao! Six Armors and Nine Seals, heaven is round and earth is square. The Four Seasons and Five Elements, the sun and moon for light, the Yu Step paves the way, gods and demons avoid the soldier. Azure Dragon supports the axle, White Tiger supports the charm, Mars leads the way, warding off all misfortune..."

It was the North Emperor Divine Travel Technique!

The North Emperor Divine Travel Technique was not just an Armored Horse Skill; it could also combine Hidden Energy for use, and it was the basis for future Escape Techniques.

As the spell began, Li Yan felt a strong force welling up in his legs, and a fierce wind suddenly sprung up around him, causing the torch to flicker wildly.

His legs surged with Hidden Energy, and he leapt into the air.

People around, their eyes shielded by the gust, looked up squinting to see Li Yan ascending to a height of seven or eight meters!

Not only that, but he also somersaulted in mid-air, and when he neared a flagpole, he kicked out, almost snapping the thick flagpole with a crack.

Then, in a swift oblique jump, he landed in the ranks of the Ezhou team as if riding a swift wind, clambering up the Mei Mountain stakes they had set up, and once again leapt high, reaching the rooftop of a tavern next to Vermilion Bird Street. His figure, like an arrow shot through with wind, circled swiftly and then leapt down again.

"Great!"

"Impressive agility, formidable spells!"

The people from Ezhou had already been alert to the commotion here and knowing the two were engaging in a duel, didn’t take offense, and instead shouted their approval.

Whoosh~

Li Yan tore the Armored Horse from his leg, and the yellow cloth immediately caught fire.

He didn’t pay it any attention, instead looking at Yuan Ba with a smile.

"Amazing!"

Yuan Ba was stunned and wasted no time in giving a thumbs up, "Brother Li’s Armored Horse, I can’t do that; I admit defeat."

Then, glancing furtively behind him and seeing his master’s face was as black as coal, he felt bitter, "Well, Brother Li, can we discuss this? We’re really running low on flags, and if I lose to you, my master is sure to flay me alive. Could we swap something else?"

"Oh?"

Li Yan’s interest was piqued, "What would you like to exchange?"

Yuan Ba scratched his head and looked around stealthily, then pulled a golden artifact from his bosom and whispered, "This is something I found while patrolling the mountains. It’s surely an ancient divine artifact and absolutely extraordinary."

Li Yan took one look and saw that it was a spiral-shaped Phoenix Gold Ornament, ancient in origin, seemingly an offering from Ancient Chu.

He had a fondness for such things in his past life and became interested right away, but the moment he laid hands on it, his expression suddenly changed.

Fortune surged from the Phoenix Gold Ornament into his Daluo Dharma Body, and it was entirely different from any power he had absorbed before...