Era of Mist

On the main platform, the expression of the Mu Yuan District Education Bureau Director eased up a bit. After all, the elites who remained after the great winnowing possessed a certain level of skill, so he wouldn’t lose face completely.

At the same time, others on the main platform began discussing in low voices. "Both of these semifinal matches are pretty good. By the way, is that kid over there from He the Sixth’s family?"

"That’s him. His name is He Chong, He the Sixth’s eldest son. I met him last time I had dinner with He the Sixth. In the blink of an eye, he’s gotten so big."

"I hear this He Chong is quite promising. He and the Gong Family’s third son, Yifei, have some nickname, ’Yifei Chong Tian.’ It’s a play on their names meaning ’to soar to the heavens.’ I wonder which one of them will be the one doing the soaring this time."

"We’ll find out if we keep watching. The two of them are bound to meet in the finals, one way or another."

The enthusiastic youth presiding over the exam from the main seat felt his ears twitch. He sighed inwardly.

This discussion revealed which way the winds of favor were blowing. The youth didn’t care how the examinees below were carrying on. But looking at the dignitaries on the main platform, he understood the underlying reason for their bias.

The personal cultivation and social standing of the figures on the main platform were similar to He Chong’s father’s. They were his peers, so naturally, they paid more attention to He Chong. They wouldn’t waste a single word discussing Shi Tiexin. Even if Shi Tiexin were to send He Chong flying with a kick, these people wouldn’t believe he could actually win.

Besides, given their keen eyes, experience, and martial cultivation, their predictions were more than just mindless naysaying.

"He Chong is still a bit reckless. He shouldn’t be clashing head-on with that kid."

"Right. That kid’s Strength Arts are clearly inferior to He Chong’s. He should be maneuvering and harassing from the side—oh? Heh, speak of the devil. He’s not a complete idiot, after all."

"Mm, that Body Technique is quite good. Looks like the Flying Sand Step, doesn’t it? He the Sixth must have really pulled out all the stops for his son."

"This is a guaranteed win."

The people on the main platform could not interfere with the duel in the Wenxin Secret Realm; only the head proctor could project his voice into it. The enthusiastic youth himself was impartial and would not play favorites. He simply watched the desperate struggle unfolding in the Wenxin Secret Realm and thought, ’Kid, this is a major trial for you. Only by overcoming it will you have a chance to stand with me as a peer in the future.’

「Inside the Wenxin Secret Realm.」

Shi Tiexin was trapped in a desperate battle.

CRACK! CRUNCH! The layer of light on his shoulder shattered, but Shi Tiexin didn’t react, merely holding his ground.

Taunts and provocations obviously couldn’t work every time, especially when Shi Tiexin’s Rhetoric skill was likely lower than He Chong’s. Who knows what finally clicked in He Chong’s head, but he suddenly changed his combat strategy. He stopped clashing head-on with Shi Tiexin, and instead, his body flickered as he employed a profound and nimble footwork.

This time, He Chong didn’t shout out the name of his technique. He just grit his teeth and circled Shi Tiexin relentlessly, launching attacks from all directions. Shi Tiexin’s Body Technique was no match for He Chong’s speed, and with his thigh still injured from the "misfire," he could do nothing but defend.

Amid the CRACKLING sounds, Shi Tiexin felt as if he were trapped in a raging sandstorm. He Chong’s attacks were the sharp, spinning stones within it, tearing at his body and leaving him covered in bleeding wounds.

It was obvious that the footwork He Chong was using was complementary to his earlier fist technique; in fact, the footwork seemed to be the very essence of the style. Only when the two were combined could one see the martial art in its entirety.

CRUNCH, CRUNCH. The layer of light on Shi Tiexin’s back shattered, cracks spreading through more than half its thickness. Shi Tiexin postured as if to counterattack. Having already been hit by two of Shi Tiexin’s punches and a kick, He Chong was now as jumpy as a spooked bird. He didn’t dare give Shi Tiexin another opening, so instead of pressing his attack, his feet floated, and with a SWOOSH, he shifted to another position, continuing his harassment from a safe distance.

By expending Mind Force, the shattered layer of light healed quickly. Shi Tiexin was still holding on.

But he couldn’t help thinking, ’This is a problem.’

’A prolonged defense will inevitably fail. I have no way to land a clean hit on He Chong right now, but he can attack me with impunity. This can’t go on!’

’Think, think fast...’

’—But I can’t think of anything!’

’Okay, time for a rational analysis. He Chong’s surface light layer isn’t as strong as mine, which means his foundation in the six subjects of the first-layer Mind Arts is weaker than mine; he must have perfected fewer subjects. But his light layer is thicker, and his Mind Force reserves seem plentiful, meaning his cultivation in the two subjects of the second layer is deeper. And judging by his recovery speed, he must have invested in the Qi-Vessel attribute as well.’

’In terms of Mind Force, we’re more or less evenly matched.’

’The key is the Strength Arts!’

’The key is that I can’t even hit him!’

’He Chong’s bizarre footwork and incredible speed aren’t coming from nowhere. He seems to be going all-out, no longer caring about the finals, and is burning through his Essence Energy like it’s free. Just Essence Energy isn’t enough, either. He’s also using the buff from his light layer to increase his speed. Only by combining all of these can he barely manage to execute that strange footwork. Any less, and it wouldn’t work.’

’Outside the Wenxin Secret Realm, He Chong wouldn’t be able to pull off a damn thing. Even inside, he’s just barely meeting the requirements. It looks like some expert must have calculated all this for him.’

’The key to turning this around lies in that footwork!’

’I have to break through his footwork. It’s the only way I’ll have a chance to beat He Chong!’

’A battle of attrition is one option. He Chong’s Essence Energy isn’t infinite; once he runs out, he’ll have to stop. But that’s probably not the best way, because his attacks are getting more intense. He seems to be familiarizing himself with the footwork in the heat of battle, and his movements are becoming smoother than when he started.’

SQUEAK. He Chong flashed forward, his face a ferocious snarl.

CRACK! The layer of light on Shi Tiexin’s lower back shattered again. The crack was even deeper this time.

SQUEAK. He Chong flew back, a mocking sneer on his face.

Shi Tiexin couldn’t catch him, and he was struck by the bitter truth that his run-of-the-mill martial arts were no match for the advanced techniques of these rich kids. ’I wonder if my basic fist technique is some watered-down version,’ he thought. ’It doesn’t even come with a decent Body Technique.’

Of course, there was no use thinking about that now. He had to focus on the present.

’I have to pinpoint that guy’s location, or it’s all over!’

SQUEAK, SQUEAK, SQUEAK. He Chong’s figure flickered forward and back, near and far, like a shifting sandstorm, making it impossible to track his movements. Shi Tiexin defended with all his might, his mind racing, but he couldn’t stop the layer of light from shattering again and again as fresh wounds burst open on his skin, splattering blood.

"I told you this fucker was useless! See? The moment Brother Chong gets serious, he’s totally out of moves!"

"And he fucking thinks he can compete with Brother Chong for first? With that pathetic display? He should go take a piss and look at his own reflection!"

A few troublemakers in the audience were jeering, trying to stir up the crowd. They might have been trolls paid by He Chong to reclaim the face he’d lost during the qualification test. Shi Tiexin paid them no mind. Of course, he couldn’t hear them anyway. The only thing he could hear was the piercing SQUEAK that He Chong made with every high-speed movement.

Hmm...

Hmmm—

Hmm?!

’What was I just thinking?’

’That piercing SQUEAK?’

Shi Tiexin suddenly felt a flash of insight, like an EKG line spiking across his mind. ’The squeaking sound? High-speed movement? Isn’t that squeak just the sound of high-end, anti-slip soles moving across this waxed wooden floor?!’

’And wherever that squeak is, that’s where He Chong is!’