Fighting Experience

After Shui Ba's man went to the Feng clan's settlement, he returned with another young man by the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

(About 30 minutes.)

Feng Shuai, as the challenging boy called him, was as his name meant. He was handsome, featuring honeyed hairlines and blueish eyes like Yun's. Shuai was definitely older than us and I could tell at a single glance that his cultivation was much higher too.

I was still not able to step in the first layer of the Corporeal Alteration so it's a given to be perfectly true.

"Who is this?" I closed in on Yun while awaiting the action to begin.

"Him?" he ushered at Shuai and I nodded. "That's my second cousin Shuai."

"What's his cultivation status?"

"I think he's a half step to Qi Harvesting realm. He's reached a bottleneck and has been unable to breakthrough to the 2nd realm for almost half a year now."

If Yun's cousin was a half-step from breaking through, it meant that Shuai was at the 6th layer which was the Tempering Marrow.

After reflexion, I thought it would be a good idea to watch someone of a higher cultivation fight. Perhaps I could get some pointers and scope out the difference in strength and level. I didn't know what Xiao Ming's realm was but whether he was inferior, equal or superior to Shuai was of no matter. The boy was higher than me too and a good experience to watch nonetheless.

"You again!" Feng Shuai scoffed and spat on the floor when he reached the platform and saw the one that made a fuss in their clans' grounds. "Wasn't the lesson from before ample enough? Did you come for another beating?"

Ming rubbed his prickly bald head and clenched his fist tightly towards Shuai. His eyes were flaming with anger and grudge.

"My family have punished me for the humiliation I suffered at your hands and shaved my head."

"Ah! I knew something about you was different. For a second I thought you had a change of clothes."

The entire area burst with laughter and mocked Xiao Ming for his current appearance.

I, on the other hand, watched carefully how this world's matters were settled and apparently humiliating an opponent before the fight was common practice among martial artists.

Ming gritted his teeth and took up a stance, a signal of his duel.

"I will take my revenge right here, right now and claim my love."

"Hoh!?" Shuai tilted his head and his demeanour changed entirely from playful to dead serious in a glimpse. "You think you are qualified to declare your love to my sister?"

"I-I do and I will!" Xiao Ming stood firm on his statement regardless of the expression his opponent made.

(I knew it was a fight for the sake of love. Boring!)

Feng Shuai spaced his legs, raised his fists and covered a fighting stance himself. That meant that the duel was accepted and a fight would ensue.

"Let me see if you are worthy of her then" he taunted him with his palm. "I'll let you have the first strike."

"Then don't mind if I do!"

Xiao Ming made a few waves with his hands and launched himself towards Feng Shuai in a formidable speed. He backed his right hand, charging it and dropped a powerful punch. A small pressure packed behind his jab, Ming aimed right at his opponent's vitals.

He screamed, "Small Force Technique!" and released it.

Shuai who was standing still and letting him have the first attack, smirked and took the punch head-on. Ming's fist hit his chest square near the heart and a puff of dust erupted upon impact.

"Pff hahaha!" Feng Shuai wiped his tears and loosened his guard. "Is that it? You came to take revenge without at least practicing a stronger technique?"

"You- you're definitely bluffing. A direct hit to the heart must have injured you—"

Before he finished his sentence, Shuai had pounced just beside Ming and struck him with the length of his arm. His body left the ground and flew backwards before hitting down once more.

"If you have time to chat, then just die!" he followed up with a monstrous stomp.

Fortunately for him, Xiao Ming rolled out of the way or lest he would have suffered the fate of the broken platform. He got up quickly on his feet and readied himself for another round.

It was only a single exchange but the boy had already been reduced to a tight breathing state. Yun's cousin must have amazing strength compared to him.

(He-He broke the floor with a kick? Monster!)

Next to Ling, Yun and Shui Ba, I watched fervently the magnificent display of martial arts. I was not only marvelled by the sheer raw power they manifested but by the speed they could allow their bodies to attain. When I watched them, I was relieved to know that I could reach such heights if I trained diligently.

One thing troubled me though was how dull the moves were and how easily countered could they be by trained individuals. I mean, if I was still in my old body, even with my normal strength, I could beat these two joined together without a scratch.

It troubled me but not necessarily in a bad way for if that was the extent of the martial arts they learned, then I would reign supreme once I attained myself.

The fight was continued as I was thinking.

"Had enough yet?" Shuai now stood relaxed with his hands behind his back, full of confidence.

While I daydreamed, they had rowed a few more times and Xiao Ming was not looking great from what I could distinguish.

While some blood dripped from his lips, his clothes torn up and his skin covered in bruises, Shuai had but a measly cut on his trousers. He huffed desperately and grasped the area near his heart tightly from near exhaustion but he didn't back down yet and was still standing…barely.

"I suggest you take out your sanjiegun if you wish to have chance against me."

Xiao Ming squeezed tight on his shirt and clenched his teeth furiously. To be backed down and forced to use his weapon was another humiliation he had suffered since his original plan was to beat Shuai with strength alone.

Seeing no fruition to his initial plans, his hand released and slid down a leather pouch strapped to his waist. From it, and it weirded me out at first had not Yun directly explained, he took out a three-section staff which was basically three short wooden rods attached by chains to be used as a weapon.

"This is a space bag and it can store items that can fit its abstract storage space. It can usually store the same amount a casual wardrobe could house" Yun explained to me as I had never seen one before now.

The concept of space was very important in the daily lives of these people. Even Demonic God and Lady Kun relied heavily on it, so imagine lesser mortals.

"You will not wield your weapon?" the tri-staff user huffed and glared in an exasperated way at his arrogant opponent. He was probably reaching the peak of his patience by now.

Shuai changed his stance just now and sneered, his smile widened enough to reach his ears.

"Like I need it against a loser like you!"

In a fit of rage, his eyes discoloured, his mind unleashed and awry, he made his final desperate struggle and rushed at him as he flailed his weapon. One breadth away from him, he swung it with all his remaining might.

Fickle and versatile as the sanjiegun could be, Shuai channelled some qi around his fist and challenged the blow. His arm passed between the wooden rods and let out a violent burst of air that took apart the chains and destroyed the weapon. His punch didn't stop there and continued towards the boy directly, straight at his jaw.

"3rd movement, Wind Destruction!"

Streams of air were gathered at his knuckles and knocked the poor challenger out of his mind, sent on the ground with a foaming mouth.

Everyone applauded the Feng's young master for his victory. There was no doubt he would win in their minds but it never hurts to show appreciation to a good performance.

"This be a lesson to whoever gets ideas about my sister, the Feng clan's gem!"

He was received with more applause and cheers.

"Take him back to his clan and tell them of what happened here."

"Yes, Shui Patriarch!" old man Ba's men grabbed Xiao Ming and escorted him out of the premises.

Feng Shuai looked our way and bowed to the patriarch in thanks. He did not stay for long before returning from where he initially came but was not secretive to spare a curious glance at me. He jumped away and disappeared behind the structures.

After the entertainment ended, everyone went back to their businesses and practices.

The patriarch also phased out and focused his attention on the three of us standing nearby. He strolled towards us once again, rubbing his goatee like before. He saw the excitement in my eyes and deduced quite quickly the situation.

"Is it your first time watching martial artists fight, Lei Ba?"

I jerked my head and batted my eyelids a few times before turning to face him as I was watching the jumps of the young master.

"En" I responded with an exhilarating tone. "It is interesting. I can't wait to train too."

"Good, good. Ambition creates futures and motivation" he nodded and stroked his facial hair, sounding extremely cheesy. "I sense that you will reach great heights on your path. Remember this old man's words later."

I nodded, whatever his words meant and thanked him for the encouragement. He brushed it off and waved his hand dismissingly, saying it was nothing to be thankful for and only a trivial matter.

It hit me out of nowhere. I just remembered that I came here for a specific reason and it was now the time to inquire about it.

(Oh, yeah.)

"Um, excuse me old man Ba" I stopped him before he distanced himself from our company.

"Yes? What can I do for you?" he peaked his eye without turning around in case he didn't need to.

"Is it possible to find someone who can appraise or identify an artefact in the Shui clan?"

Shui Ba did turn around, his eyes wide open and his hands no longer fidgeting through his grey beard.

"Hoh? You possess an artefact?"

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*Check the very first chapters at the very beginning for the Index*