You're Like My Senior Sister

Having resolved to assist him, Xia Ningchang naturally had no intention of revealing any flaws. She knew that only by pushing Yang Kai to his utmost would she be able to help him achieve a breakthrough.

Thus, with her first strike, Xia Ningchang delivered a decisive blow.

Yang Kai, at the ninth level of Body Tempering, faced Xia Ningchang, who wielded the power of the second or third level of the Open Yuan Stage.

At a critical moment, Yang Kai suddenly felt a warning instinct, a chilling sensation spreading across him, bringing a sense of imminent danger.

As he pondered, the sound of a swooshing palm wind reached his ears.

Someone was launching a surprise attack! Yang Kai immediately realized, his initial shock transforming into delight. He leaped from his position, whirling around to deliver a punch in retaliation.

Fueled by a fervent battle spirit, Yang Kai, who had been seeking an outlet for his pent-up energy, welcomed the chance to fight. The identity of the attacker was of no concern to him; his only desire was a vigorous battle.

With a resounding clash, their energies collided. Yang Kai staggered backward a few steps, while Xia Ningchang executed a graceful somersault, landing deftly. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes.

Although she had only utilized the power of the third level of the Open Yuan Stage, it should have been enough to outmatch him. Her expectation was to dominate rather than achieve parity.

After their initial exchange, Yang Kai, under the moonlight, discerned the attacker's silhouette as that of a woman, though her features were obscured by a black veil.

"How is it a woman?" Yang Kai frowned, muttering with displeasure.

Upon hearing this, Xia Ningchang's anger flared. Gritting her teeth, she leaped towards him with lightness, her palm energy manifesting as a flurry of striking shadows, descending upon Yang Kai with relentless force.

The comment had infuriated her.

Yang Kai growled, unleashing all his strength. The scorching energy surged around his fist as he engaged Xia Ningchang in combat. Despite her being a woman, he held nothing back, recognizing her superior strength and lethal techniques.

In the rapid exchange of blows, Yang Kai and Xia Ningchang fought fiercely, though the situation clearly favored Xia Ningchang. His attacks were powerful but lacked the finesse of her agile and varied strikes. For every two moves he made, Xia Ningchang responded with three, her nimbleness turning him into a plaything.

Yang Kai was thoroughly outmatched and increasingly frustrated. He could sense that her strength exceeded his by a margin, though he hadn't realized she was merely suppressing her true power. Facing such an opponent, landing a hit seemed like a rare accomplishment.

Beneath her black veil, Xia Ningchang's lips curled into a slight, triumphant smile. Serves you right for speaking so recklessly; you deserve the beating!

In a matter of moments, Yang Kai was battered and bruised. As the familiar pain spread, his blood surged with renewed vigor, flowing like a mighty river. The sensation of energy coursing through him signaled a significant increase in strength.

Xia Ningchang's expression grew serious as she observed the intensifying energy within Yang Kai. His energy was growing increasingly potent, approaching the Open Yuan Stage level, and showed no signs of stopping, growing steadily and resolutely.

The punches imbued with blazing energy came faster and heavier. Xia Ningchang struggled to keep up, her own energy strained, yet she grit her teeth and persevered.

"Why did you come to kill me?" Yang Kai suddenly asked with a grim expression, his voice low.

Xia Ningchang did not answer, focusing all her efforts on neutralizing Yang Kai's attacks.

At this point, Yang Kai's strength seemed to match hers, leaving her unable to gain any advantage. Any strike she received forced her to divert some of her attention to counter the pure Yang energy infiltrating her body.

Xia Ningchang was alarmed, realizing she had underestimated the purity of his True Yang energy. Such purity was beyond what ordinary martial techniques could achieve.

In another direct confrontation, their palms clashed, neither retreating.

Gazing intently at the woman opposite him, Yang Kai's eyes fell on a faint mark on her forehead. He was momentarily taken aback. "I think you resemble a senior sister of mine."

As Xia Ningchang resisted the intrusion of Yang energy, she was momentarily distracted by this revelation, wondering how she had been exposed. She had not realized that the faint mark on her forehead was what led Yang Kai to his suspicion.

Yang Kai recalled that the senior sister had a sapphire pendant in the same spot as the mark.

Xia Ningchang's eyes fluttered nervously, her long lashes trembling. Yang Kai laughed heartily, suddenly grabbing her wrist and pulling her into an embrace, his hand reaching for her veil.

It was only then that Xia Ningchang realized her reluctance to reveal her true face was due to wanting to pressure Yang Kai and also because of the embarrassment from a previous incident. She would not have willingly let him remove her veil.

In a desperate move, she abandoned her restraint, unleashing a fierce burst of energy. Yang Kai was thrown back, tumbling several times before landing.

When he got up, the woman had vanished. She had already disappeared without a trace.

"Could it be true?" Yang Kai pondered. His casual remark had elicited such a strong reaction. Moreover, the last burst of energy had revealed a significant disparity in strength. If she had truly wanted to kill him, it would have been effortless, without the need for such a prolonged fight.

Whether or not this was the case no longer mattered. Yang Kai felt the shackles on him had been shattered by the recent battle. He quickly sat cross-legged, focusing on the energies of heaven and earth.

In the next moment, the energy of heaven and earth surged violently towards Yang Kai.

Taking a deep breath, Yang Kai opened his pores, drawing the vast energy into his body, guiding this immense force through his system, cleansing his meridians and bones.

This was an opportunity every martial artist encountered when breaking through to a major realm. The benefits derived depended solely on their efforts.

A hundred meters away, Xia Ningchang, panicked and clutching her chest, had not anticipated that Yang Kai would uncover her identity. However, she was relieved that her effort had ultimately helped him achieve his breakthrough, making it all worthwhile.

In her flurry, a figure suddenly appeared beside her—an elderly man in simple attire, his white hair and beard contrasting with his kindly demeanor.

Upon recognizing him, Xia Ningchang quickly bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Master."

The elderly man smiled warmly. "You are not a disciple of the Lingxiao Pavilion; there is no need for such formalities."

Xia Ningchang replied softly, "But the Master and my teacher are friends, so you are indeed my elder."