Chapter 28: The Confounded Martial Artist

Ye Tian's most significant shortfall was his lack of real combat experience. Despite his Dark Energy level strength, he had never truly fought a seasoned ancient martial artist. The difference between Ming Jin and Dark Energy might seem vast, but with experience, his opponents could still pose a challenge. This was why Master Chen had immediately given him a sense of danger upon their encounter.

However, Ye Tian appeared too young, and even after defeating Gao Peng with a single move, Master Chen had somewhat underestimated him. Seizing this opportunity, Ye Tian gathered his energy like a surging tide and launched a punch.

The force of the punch tore through the air, speeding towards Master Chen's leg even faster than him.

Bad!

Seeing this, Master Chen's complexion changed dramatically. In mid-air, he twisted his body, narrowly avoiding Ye Tian's punch, and staggered onto the ground. Even a slight brush by the Dark Energy made Master Chen's leg numb, and he gritted his teeth:

"Dark Energy!"

In modern society, the ancient martial world faced extreme polarization. With the help of technology and resources, reaching the Ming Jin stage wasn't that difficult for those with the right techniques and connections. Some large families or national powers could even mass-train individuals to this level.

But Dark Energy was different; it couldn't be achieved merely with resources. Even in ancient martial families, Dark Energy practitioners were still the main force. A young Dark Energy practitioner like Ye Tian, appearing to be only in his twenties, was nothing short of a prodigy in the ancient martial world. In a significant family, he would undoubtedly be a key figure.

Could someone like him really have no backing?

Unaware that Ye Tian was effectively a paper tiger, Master Chen hesitated.

But Ye Tian wouldn't give him a chance to react. Failing to finish the fight with one strike and knowing the consequences if Master Chen regained his composure, he pressed forward. Using Tai Chi to optimize his energy, he aimed a punch at Master Chen's abdomen.

Master Chen, a Dark Energy practitioner himself, dared not take the hit and hurriedly dodged while counterattacking Ye Tian's arm.

The hit, unexpected for Master Chen, caught Ye Tian off guard, but luckily, Master Chen wasn't at full force, and his weaker martial arts level meant the damage wasn't severe.

After a few more exchanges, Ye Tian's inexperience led to another hit to his chest. He staggered back, his throat tasting slightly sweet.

"Ha, I thought you were some prodigy from a great family, but you're just a paper tiger with Dark Energy but no combat experience. Perfect!"

Master Chen's initial caution vanished, replaced by excitement, seeing Ye Tian as a treasure trove.

From the few clashes, it was clear Ye Tian was a novice, possessing strength but lacking any real combat experience. For instance, Ye Tian's instinctive retreat after a hit indicated panic. With Dark Energy, he could've protected his arm, and with a bit of experience, he wouldn't have reacted so poorly.

If Ye Tian were truly from a lineage, he wouldn't lack combat experience. To reach Dark Energy without a legacy was incredibly difficult. Either he had a complete set of techniques or a miraculous encounter.

Capturing Ye Tian and seizing his secrets became Master Chen's goal.

Excited, Master Chen launched another attack with Taizu Changquan. However, he realized his error too late. Ye Tian, while inexperienced, was imbued with system-infused Tai Chi knowledge. This included not just moves but the essence of ancient martial arts, combining practice with actual combat. Ye Tian's initial struggles were like a pro gamer adapting to a new game.

The power was there, but using it effectively was another story. Gao Peng, also a martial artist, was too weak to trigger Ye Tian's realization. But Master Chen, with his Ming Jin peak strength and rich experience, posed a real threat to Ye Tian. However, his wariness of Ye Tian's strength meant he hadn't immediately subdued him.

A flash of insight struck Ye Tian, and his mind flooded with Tai Chi knowledge. He redirected Master Chen's punch with a gentle motion and countered with his own, the Dark Energy exploding within him.

"Ancient Tai Chi?" Master Chen's expression shifted, seeing Ye Tian's perfect Hand Wave Pi Pa.

Ancient Tai Chi was renowned, even more so than Taizu Changquan.

Not daring to face it directly, Master Chen dodged the punch and counterattacked, hoping to repeat his earlier success.

But Ye Tian wasn't so easily fooled this time. He deftly redirected the force, neutralizing most of the impact and grabbing Master Chen's arm.

The fight went back and forth, Ye Tian becoming more comfortable while Master Chen grew increasingly frustrated.

What kind of monster was this kid? At first, he was all brawn and Dark Energy, but now he was fighting like a seasoned pro, never making the same mistake twice.

Was he pretending to be weak?

"Wait, there might be a misunderstanding between you and Young Master Lin. Can't we talk this over?"

Master Chen, at the peak of Ming Jin, had never intended to clash directly with Ye Tian. His continued engagement was only due to Ye Tian's lack of experience. But seeing Ye Tian's rapid improvement, he lost his nerve.

But Ye Tian, eager for a real challenge, scoffed at the idea of reconciliation:

"Misunderstanding? When your disciple told me to kneel and apologize, why didn't you mention a misunderstanding then?"