CH-17: Breaking The Mold

THE NEXT DAY IN THE ARENA

-"Today is the semi-finals of the martial examination. Before we proceed with the matches let me explain the rewards. Every participant who made it to the top 8 will receive a bottle of Qi Condensation Pills, and the top 4 will additionally receive another bottle. On top of that, the top 2 will receive a spot at Essence Lake Shores for a day. First place gets a day in addition to that. Now onto our matches for today; in the first match, the record breaker! Axel Lin! Opposing him, the dark horse! The anomaly! Ye Tian!"

'They brought an announcer? Do they also have a commentator to go with it?'

"I'm your host today, Herman Huang with The Crimson Blade of Huoshan, Ronan Huo, a Golden Core True Person to comment on the matches today. First of all, what do you think about today's matches?"

"I think everyone agrees with me when I say that the first match is the only real match left of the tournament. Iyana Jiang seems to be undisputed in her realm. With her special physique and being adept in combat, she is the favourite for the first place. This does not mean others are untalented, every person who made it here is a genius in their own right. Take Axel Lin for an example. I heard he improved the scripture that the Institute used as an exam, being the first to achieve such a feat. Even in combat, he made it here without using any weapons or battle arts. His opponent, Ye Tian is very much the same. Although his movement art seems of high rank, I don't doubt a Prominent Clan direct line would be lacking in that department."

"That's right, but I will have to disagree on the last part. We have seen Lin Clan send their juniors with only what they earned for generations, I don't think he has an arsenal of battle arts. Now we are done with the introductions, let us proceed with the match. Fighters, ready! Start!"

'...'

Not minding the clowns I dashed towards Ye Tian. Starting with a palm strike, I aimed for his chest, he swiftly parried my attack. I didn't want to give him a chance to counterattack, so I kept on the offensive. Although I had a plan in my mind, I wasn't sure if it would work.

Keep pressing with my palm attacks we scoured the entire arena, eventually ending up in our starting point.

'Done with the appetiser, let's crank it up a notch.' This time I started using Descending Starry Palm in my attacks, forcing him to use his movement art.' Bait, and hook!' A whip suddenly appeared in my hands. I coiled his ankle with my whip, pulling it with great force. I could hear his flesh tearing.

"Young Master Axel gains advantage, he had a battle art and weapon artefact after all!"

"His battle art is not so simple, it is at least a 4th Rank Technique looking at its momentum. I also suspect that he has a weapon art matching his whip. And the whip itself seems to be a 3rd Rank Supreme Grade artefact. As expected of the Prominent Lin Clan, their workmanship in refining is on another level. With these hidden cards, unless Ye Tian pulls something out of a hat, his defeat is certain."

After pulling Ye Tian I cracked my whip, spinning him in the air. As he was spinning it was as if my whip came alive, striking his left leg like thunderbolts all the while keeping his ankle coiled. 

"Such a profound weapon art! How will Ye Tian pull himself from this situation?"

'Everything is going according to the plan, now I just have to move to coil to his arm and do the same and then I will wi-'

-SLASH!

'Damn it here comes the plot armour!'

"UNBELIEVABLE! Ye Tian cuts Young Master Lin's weapon artefact, saving himself from the bind!

"It's an at least 4th Rank Treasure Sword! What is the background of this person?" 

"Ah, I really didn't want to use this... You are a formidable foe, Brother Axel, but it ends here!" Said Ye Tian.

 'Who is your brother?!'

'Thankfully it's only the tip that got cut, it can repair itself if I can get the rest after the match.' I moved my gaze to his sword. 'It looks ordinary, but it cut my 3rd Rank Supreme Grade whip, for a weapon such as mine even 4th-grade materials must have been used in its refining, then it is at least a 4th Rank Middle-Grade Sword. And I doubt it is the only one. The hilt of the sword is blue, which may mean it is water-attuned. With the pattern of his inheritance and roots, he may have a 5 elemental Sword Array* ready.' I frowned. Although he wouldn't use the array, he was willing to show the sword. That meant there were more precious things on him other than the array.

"We won't know who is victorious until the end!" I stole a protagonist phrase to give myself a plot armour buff, but it didn't seem to work. 

Ye Tian was swift with his sword, every swing of his was smooth and connected with each other. I had trouble defending against a 4th-ranked artefact. I could barely gain space to dodge his swings, let alone attack. I had to think of a way to break his momentum. With desperation, I cracked my whip and it coiled around his arm that was holding the sword and pulled. As I pulled he swung his arm back, pulling me. 'Wait, that's it! I was so focused on how to pull the opponent I forgot that I was supposed to be pulled too!' With the sudden spark of enlightenment, I released my whip. As Ye Tian was still trying to pull me he lost his balance momentarily after my whip came loose.

'What is the gravitational force, it is a force that pulls at least two bodies of mass together. What if I substituted it with another force that pulled two masses together, would the technique still work? Worth a try.' With that I tied myself with my whip's tip, making sure it was tight. I had only one chance, if it didn't work I would be stabbed with that damn sword the next moment. After making up my mind I ran with all my might to Ye Tian, who had gained his balance again. He too dashed towards me. 

'Now!'

 I cracked my whip from where I had tied it to my body, coiling it around Ye Tian. He wouldn't let me do as I please, but that was part of the plan. Before he could cut it, I grabbed the whip's handle and pulled it with all my strength. With that, we both were suddenly pulled, as I had tied both of us into a knot. As we were getting scarily closer, I used Descending Starry Palm. I could feel my Blood Qi faintly moving in my meridians, signalling that the trick I had done worked.

 'Tch, it doesn't need a Law for nothing.'

 Although the trick worked, the efficiency was lower than I expected, not even reaching 30% strength of the move. 'But it is enough.' I hit his chest with every ounce of Blood Qi I had, simultaneously untying the whip. As a result, he was sent flying. With both of our momentums, my force behind the strike and the effect of the technique made a greater force than parts combined, sending him out of the arena.

-WOOAAAAAH!

"Incredible! Such finesse with the whip, and what a powerful palm! Ye Tian was sent flying, out of bounds. It is Young Master Axel's win!"

With my victory announced I collapsed to the ground. Pulling both of us didn't come without its problems. I had to first tie myself and then finish the knot on me again, causing the barbs to rip all my torso. 'Damn, it hurts. Descending Starry Palm took all of my Blood Qi for it too so I won't have fast healing for a while. Should I faint so they give me some healing pills?' Deciding not to do so, I slowly got up and headed to my seat. I was in for a surprise when I came down from the arena, as Iyana was waiting there. 'Did she come here to help me? How thoughtful of her.' But to my dismay, she had a teasing grin while doing so. We were slowly but surely walking to our seats, but as we were walking she even had to stifle her occasional laughs.

"Kuh-, kuhaha." I was afraid to ask what was so funny but did so anyway.

"What's there to laugh about?"

"Nothing, it is just that I did not expect the esteemed young master to come forward with your fetishes in public. Thankfully no one seems to have caught on, I will keep your secret till my deathbed!"

"Cough cough!" This time I really fainted after coughing up blood.