50: Chapter 50 Another Defeat

The number 2 arena was covered in rain stains; at the very beginning of the battle, Miss Shi Yu had treated the arena like a spirit field and irrigated it using her Rain Casting Art.

Just as Miss Shi Yu attempted to cast her Rain Casting Art a second time, she was ruthlessly interrupted by Ye Jiekang. Since he knew her Cultivation Technique was the Water Control Art, he certainly would not allow her to create an advantageous environment for the battle.

A single use of the Rain Casting Art had already caused Ye Jiekang significant trouble. The Cultivation Technique Ye Jiekang practiced was the same as Ye Jiehua's: the fire-element Great Sun Sword Scripture.

Originally, with the great sun hanging in the sky today, it was very advantageous for him. Under the environmental boost, his sword techniques might have even achieved double the effect!

Now, due to a moment of carelessness, not only had this young girl's spell disrupted the original environment, but since water overcomes fire, the environment had shifted to become disadvantageous for Ye Jiekang.

Ye Jiekang was extremely annoyed and had no choice but to push forward.

Miss Shi Yu controlled the limited flow of water, sometimes shaping it into swords to form a simple Three Talents Sword Formation to attack Ye Jiekang, and other times transforming it into giant rocks that descended from the sky, forcing Ye Jiekang into a flustered and exhausting defense.

"This is no good. This young girl's Water Control Art is too troublesome. If I keep dragging this out, I will surely have my Spiritual Qi drained by her," Ye Jiekang thought to himself. "I must find a way to end this quickly."

"Hm? I have got it. Do not blame me."

Ye Jiekang noticed that Miss Shi Yu's Water Control Art had not yet reached the level of being able to change at will; there was a blank period between her various maneuvers.

As long as he seized this blank period, Ye Jiekang was confident he could heavily injure Miss Shi Yu in one strike, leaving her with no ability to counterattack.

Ye Jiekang secretly gathered Spiritual Qi on his treasured sword, waiting for Miss Shi Yu to transform the water into another form.

"It is now."

A figure suddenly lunged forward, charging straight at Miss Shi Yu. By the time she reacted, it was already too late.

Miss Shi Yu was still thinking of sidestepping to create space to cast her Water Control Art again, but Ye Jiekang would not give her that chance; he swept his sword across the air.

"Great Sun Divine Sword."

The sword struck Miss Shi Yu's back. She spat out a spray of bright blood and collapsed to the ground. Her entire back was a bloody mess, with bones exposed, looking extremely horrifying.

"That is too ruthless."

"He does not know how to cherish the fairer sex at all."

"Miss Shi Yu is so pitiful."

"Yu'er!" Miss Shi Yu's father, Shi Anxin, called out in distress.

Seeing her father's anxious gaze, Miss Shi Yu shook her head slightly to signal she was fine, then gave Ye Jiekang a resentful look. "Young Master Ye, I concede."

She walked off the arena, swaying with every step. Ye Jiekang hurriedly said, "Wait."

"What is it? Does Young Master Ye wish to humiliate me further?" Miss Shi Yu said coldly without turning her head.

"Miss Shi, you have misunderstood. I was too heavy-handed on the arena just now, and I feel quite guilty about it. Here is a Medicinal Pill for muscle regeneration; I hope you can accept it."

Under those circumstances, Ye Jiekang had not dared to hold back and had struck with full force, not expecting to hurt the young lady so badly.

Although the Martial Examination concerned the distribution of resources, most of the time it did not involve life-and-death struggles, leaving some leeway for both sides.

"Many thanks for Young Master Ye's kindness. Although the Shi Family is small and cannot compare to the Cangjiang Ye Clan, we still have a Medicinal Pill or two." Miss Shi Yu's back was still bleeding; how could she accept Ye Jiekang's Medicinal Pill?

"Miss, please just accept it, otherwise I will not be able to sleep tonight." Ye Jiekang stuffed the Medicinal Pill into Miss Shi Yu's hand and quickly ran off the arena.

Miss Shi Yu gazed at this elegant young man, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

"Oh, if the young lady does not accept it, I will not be able to sleep tonight!" Ye Jieyang mimicked him vividly.

"Hahaha!" Seeing Ye Jiekang's flushed face, everyone laughed unkindly.

At this moment, the second match on the number 1 arena also ended violently.

Song Yilun was hanging off Ye Jiejing's Overlord Spear, looking like he would not make it. His entire spine had been broken, and two large holes had been pierced through his abdomen.

"Lun'er!" The Song Family Clan Chief, Song Qingshan, cried out with a broken heart, wishing he could rush onto the arena.

"I... con... cede..." Song Yilun said weakly in the air.

Ye Jiejing retracted his long spear and wiped the blood off the spearhead with Song Yilun's clothes, saying domineeringly, "Kid, keep your eyes peeled. Do not provoke people you should not."

"How did the Song Family provoke the Ye Family?"

"You do not know? Hehe."

"Brother, try these spirit melon seeds of mine. Hehe, tell me what exactly happened?"

"Last month, this kid got drunk at the Gourmet House, ate without paying, and even hit people!"

"Good grief, eating without paying on the Ye Family's turf? He has guts."

Looking at the honest and simple-looking Ye Jiejing, Ye Yisong was almost dumbfounded; judging by appearances is truly fatal. He had not expected this honest-looking cousin to be so fierce in his actions!

Magistrate Sun Nanyu glared at Ye Jiejing, annoyed, and announced, "Ye Jiejing wins."

Ye Jiejing rubbed his hands together and said with an innocent face, "Magistrate, I just accidentally used a little too much strength. My apologies, my apologies."

Whether it was accidental or not, anyone with clear eyes could see. If he broke Song Yilun's spine by accident, heaven knows what would happen if he were careful.

Not long after Ye Jiejing crippled Song Yilun with one spear strike, Ye Jielu walked off the arena with a pig's head; his left eye was swollen shut, and he looked truly miserable.

Upon closer inspection, one would realize this kid was just feigning pity. He looked miserable, but in reality, these were just superficial injuries that would naturally subside after a few days of recovery.

Before Ye Jiehua and Ye Jielu had stepped onto the arena, they had privately agreed to compete in hand-to-hand combat without using weapons, to avoid hurting their relationship.

The Body Refining Cultivation Technique they had both practiced since childhood was the Thirteen Fierce Tiger Styles passed down by the Old Ancestor, Ye Erhu. This technique had been tempered through thousands of battles in the army and was excellent before the fourth stage of the Martial Dao.

The two were of similar age, and Ye Jielu, thinking their Body Refining progress should be about the same, agreed to Ye Jiehua's proposal. He had not expected that Ye Jiehua had not only broken through to the third stage in Spiritual Qi cultivation but also in Body Refining.

Ye Jielu's punches landed on Ye Jiehua like he was scratching an itch.

When Ye Jiehua landed a hit on Ye Jielu, it was painful. He did not hold back at all, aiming specifically for the face, beating him into a sorry state.

"Hehe, you suffered, did you not?" Patriarch Ye Tuanzhang teased with a smile.

"Grandfather, you knew all along but did not warn me; you just wanted to see me make a fool of myself," Ye Jielu complained.

"Suffering a loss at home is better than dying outside," Patriarch Ye Tuanzhang said lightly, still wearing that same smile.

"Hmph." Ye Jielu knew he had been careless and tricked; he did not mean to blame anyone, as he was not a sore loser.

Ye Jiesheng looked at this group of disciples from the Shuinan Ye Clan. Although their strength was a notch lower than the Cangjiang Ye Clan's, their Heart-Nature was quite exceptional; each of them could let go of what they held, and they would surely achieve great things in the future.

Developing strength too quickly is not necessarily a good thing!

Finally, only Ye Jieyang and Li Yuan remained on the arena. The entire arena was shrouded in Li Yuan's water mist, making it difficult to see clearly.

Ye Jieyang's attacks almost never connected with Li Yuan; it was merely a waste of Spiritual Qi.

Instead, during a few moments when Ye Jieyang was inattentive, Li Yuan seized the opportunity, and Ye Jieyang ended up wounded on his back and left hand. If this continued, he likely would not be able to hold on.

Ye Jieyang's inner pride did not allow him to concede, especially to the same person twice.

On this small five-hundred-square-meter arena, he could not even find where his opponent was. Ye Jieyang was extremely frustrated and had no choice but to make one final effort, releasing all the Spiritual Qi in his body.

"Mystic Ice Sword Formation."

Small swords made of Spiritual Qi flew in all directions, piercing through layers of water mist in search of Li Yuan's figure.

Unfortunately! These water mists seemed endless; once one layer was broken, another formed, leaving one at a loss for how to strike.

"I concede." Ye Jieyang said unwillingly. His Spiritual Qi was exhausted; if he did not concede now, he would be humiliated, and he did not want to be toyed with by Li Yuan.