16: Chapter 16 Instant Fame

For three days, Ye Tian spent almost all his time in the Ancestral Hall.

Aside from going home to eat and sleep, he spent all his time tempering his newly stabilized Qi Gathering Level 3 cultivation, and more importantly, the Overlapping Wave Fist and that Nameless Body Refining Art.

He knew Lin Hao was at the Peak of Qi Gathering Stage 4, with a deep family heritage, never lacking in Martial Skills or Medicinal Pills.

In a direct confrontation, his Realm was still at a disadvantage.

But what he had was a Body Refining Foundation, strength tempered by the stone bead, and the explosive lethality of the Overlapping Wave Fist.

He practiced the Overlapping Wave Fist over and over, pursuing that instantaneous burst of multiple layers of force.

Before the old injuries on his right fist could heal, new ones were added; the cloth strips wrapped around it were often soaked with blood.

Yet his eyes grew brighter and brighter, and his control over his power became increasingly refined.

When he went home for meals, his mother always seemed to have something to say but held back, her eyes filled with worry.

On the night before the duel, she took Ye Tian's hand, her voice trembling: "Tian'er, how about we don't go to that arena... I'll go beg the Elder, and we'll go apologize to the Lin family."

Ye Tian held his mother's cold, rough hand firmly in return, his voice steady: "Mother, there's no need. Please don't worry."

"But..."

"Trust me." He looked into his mother's eyes. "Once certain heads are bowed, they can never be raised again. From now on, no one will be able to make us bow our heads again."

His mother saw a determination in his eyes she had never seen before. In the end, she only sighed heavily with reddened eyes, turning to the stove to bring out the meat soup she had been keeping warm: "Drink more, and be careful tomorrow."

"Mhm."

The next morning, he went to the Ancestral Hall as usual.

His mother stood at the door, watching his back until he disappeared.

In the Ancestral Hall, Ye Zhong was rarely not napping; he was holding a rag, slowly wiping the incense burner.

Ye Tian walked in and picked up the broom.

"Still sweeping today?" Ye Zhong asked without looking up.

"Sweeping." Ye Tian began his work.

The rustling sound of sweeping echoed through the empty hall.

After a long while, Ye Zhong spoke again: "That kid from the Lin family reached Stage 4 by piling up pills; he's very hollow, and his lower body is even more floaty."

Ye Tian's movements paused for a moment.

"Don't let him hit your vitals. Drag it out, and he'll be the first to give in." After saying this, Ye Zhong fell silent and focused on wiping his incense burner.

Ye Tian finished sweeping in silence, bowed to Ye Zhong, and turned to leave.

On the way to the Market Center Square, various gazes converged on him.

Curiosity, pity, schadenfreude, and disdain.

"He actually dares to go?"

"He's looking for death! Second Young Master Lin is at the Peak of Stage 4!"

"I heard he had some dumb luck and defeated Ye Hao and Ye Ming, but what's the use of that?"

"Just wait and see; in a moment, he'll be kneeling on the ground calling him 'Grandpa'!"

Ye Hao and Ye Ming led several people to deliberately block the intersection.

Ye Hao crossed his arms, his face full of mockery: "Trash, if you kneel and beg me now, maybe my big brother will be in a good mood and put in a good word for you with the Lin family, so you can kowtow a few times less."

Ye Ming also sneered: "You ignorant thing, do you really think you're something special just because you luckily won once? Second Young Master Lin will show you what a gap really looks like!"

Ye Tian didn't even look at them, walking straight past as if they were just air.

"You!" Ye Hao's face turned ashen with rage. "What are you acting so arrogant for! We'll see how you die in a bit!"

Around the duel arena in the Center Square, crowds had already gathered three layers deep.

The fight between the juniors of the Ye and Lin families with such a large stake was enough to attract attention.

Lin Hao was already standing on the arena, dressed in luxurious martial arts robes, holding a fine steel longsword that glinted coldly in the sunlight.

His face carried arrogance and impatience as he enjoyed the attention and flattery from around him.

"Brother Hao, make that Trash kneel for a while longer later!"

"Make him spit out everything he ate yesterday!"

"Three Moves! Brother Hao will definitely finish him within three Moves!"

Lin Hao was smug, enjoying the praise.

When Ye Tian pushed through the crowd and stepped onto the arena one step at a time, all eyes instantly focused on him.

He was still in his old clothes, without any protective gear, carrying only an ordinary short blade.

The contrast was stark.

Boos and laughter immediately erupted.

"He really dared to come?"

"What a pretender!"

"Hurry up and kneel for mercy, you Trash!"

Seeing Ye Tian, Lin Hao's eyes were a mix of malice and pleasure. He flourished his sword, the tip pointing at Ye Tian, and said loudly: "Ye Tian! If you kneel and kowtow now, and break one of your own arms, there's still time! Otherwise, weapons have no eyes; don't blame me if you die!"

Ye Tian didn't speak, only slowly drew his short blade, its body dull and without luster.

The referee was an Instructor from a city martial arts hall. He looked at both sides and said perfunctorily: "In an arena duel, life and death are up to fate. But remember to stop at the right moment; you must not intentionally take a life. Begin!"

As soon as the words fell, Lin Hao, unable to restrain himself, shouted: "Trash! Die!"

He tapped his foot and charged forward, his longsword shaking out several sword flowers, the sharp Sword Qi piercing directly toward Ye Tian's face and chest!

It was the Lin family's well-known Yellow Rank Medium Grade sword technique, Meteor Chasing the Moon!

Fast speed, fierce offensive!

Exclamations and cheers erupted from below the stage.

Everyone thought Ye Tian wouldn't even be able to block this one Move.

Ye Tian's eyes narrowed, and instead of retreating, he advanced!

He tilted his body, narrowly avoiding the sword's edge, and his short blade followed the sword upward, slashing toward Lin Hao's wrist!

Lin Hao was startled, not expecting the other's movement to be so slippery and his reaction so quick. He withdrew his sword and slashed horizontally at Ye Tian's waist.

Ye Tian ducked again to avoid it, his short blade pointing toward Lin Hao's calf.

The two exchanged several Moves in an instant.

Lin Hao's swordplay was flamboyant and his Aura aggressive, yet he couldn't even touch the corner of Ye Tian's clothes.

Ye Tian's Moves were simple and ruthless, always attacking where Lin Hao had to defend, forcing Lin Hao's sword Moves to be interrupted repeatedly.

The boos from below gradually died down, and many people showed looks of surprise.

This Ye Tian didn't seem as Trash as the legends said?

Unable to win after a long attack, Lin Hao felt he was losing face. Hearing the faint discussions below, he became even more humiliated and angry.

"Die!" The Qi inside him surged wildly, and his sword style suddenly changed, becoming even more sharp and rapid. The sword tip transformed into three phantoms, piercing toward Ye Tian's throat, heart, and abdomen!

It was the killing Move of Meteor Chasing the Moon—Three Stars Accompanying the Moon!

"Good!" Ye Hao and the others shouted from below.

The sword tip was about to reach his body!

A cold light flashed in Ye Tian's eyes, and the strength he had been suppressing suddenly exploded!

Supported by the powerful strength of Body Refinement Level 2, his speed increased sharply. He no longer dodged, parrying the sword aimed at his throat with absolute precision while tilting his body to let the sword aimed at his heart pass!

Puchi!

He couldn't completely avoid the third sword, which slashed a bloody wound on his left ribs!

But at the moment he was hit, his right fist, which had been gathering power for a long time, finally struck out!

Overlapping Wave Fist!

First Layer Force!

His fist broke through the air with a low whistle, smashing hard into Lin Hao's chest, which was wide open due to his full-force sword strike!

Lin Hao never expected the opponent would dare to trade injury for injury!

It was too late to bring his sword back in time; he could only barely lift his left arm to block!

Crack!

A clear sound of bone breaking!

Lin Hao screamed as a surging, immense force crashed into him. His left arm broke with agonizing pain, and he staggered back, his blood and Qi churning, nearly falling off the arena!

The area below the stage fell into instant silence!

Everyone's eyes widened!

Lin Hao was knocked back?

And his arm was broken?

Lin Hao was both shocked and enraged, his face pale, barely able to hold his sword in his right hand: "You..."

Ye Tian gave him no chance to breathe!

Enduring his heavy injuries, he chased after him!

He switched the short blade to his left hand to distract his vision, and his right fist gathered strength once more!

Overlapping Wave Fist!

Second Layer Force!

This time, the wind from the punch was even more heavy and oppressive, as if it truly carried the sound of overlapping waves!

Lin Hao's pupils shrank as he felt a fatal threat!

He screamed and desperately swung his sword wildly, trying to force Ye Tian back.

But Ye Tian didn't dodge at all, enduring two shallow sword wounds with his body. His fist passed through the sword shadows and smashed heavily into Lin Hao's hurriedly blocking right arm!

Crack!

Another sound of bone breaking!

Lin Hao's right arm instantly twisted and deformed, and his longsword flew out of his hand!

"Ah!" Lin Hao let out a pig-like howl, tears and snot flowing.

Ye Tian's eyes were cold, without a single pause. His final punch went straight for the Dantian Qi Sea!

"Junior, stop!" The Lin Family Steward and attendants shouted in shock and anger, wanting to rush up.

But it was too late!

The fist landed solidly on Lin Hao's lower abdomen!

Lin Hao's body suddenly arched, his eyes bulging, and he spat out blood mixed with gastric juice. All his strength instantly dissipated, and he collapsed limply to the ground, twitching all over, completely passing out.

The entire square was dead silent.

Everyone stared at the stage in stunned silence.

Ye Tian stood in the center of the arena, covered in blood, with the sword wounds on his ribs and body still bleeding. But he stood tall, his eyes cold as a blade, sweeping over the people below who had been mocking him so crazily before.

Wherever his gaze landed, no one dared to meet his eyes, lowering their heads or looking away one after another.

Ye Hao, Ye Ming, and the others were pale, as if they had seen a ghost, instinctively shrinking back.

The Lin family attendants scrambled onto the stage, picking up the unconscious Lin Hao, only to find both his arms broken, his Dantian Qi Sea destroyed, and his cultivation completely gone!

Their faces were pale as they stared at Ye Tian with a mixture of shock and rage.

The Lin Family Steward pointed at Ye Tian, his finger trembling and his voice shrill: "Ye Tian! How dare you strike such a cruel blow! To cripple our Lin family's Young Master! The Lin family will not rest until you are dead!"

Ye Tian wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, his voice calm yet reaching the entire square: "In an arena duel, life and death are up to fate. He said that."

He stepped down from the arena, and the crowd automatically parted to form a path.

He walked out step by step, leaving behind a shocking trail of blood.

Behind him were countless gazes of fear, complexity, and disbelief.

After this battle, the name of Ye Tian would completely shake the entire Luo City.