Volume One, Chapter 16: Suppressing the Realm, A Duel With You

However, even with such a full-strength strike, Ye Chen’s blow had only left a faint scratch on the armor, failing to harm Jiang Wu in the slightest.

Realizing this, Ye Chen did not press the attack. He knew well that no matter how hard he tried at this moment, breaking through the impenetrable defense of the Mysterious Frost Secret Scale Armor was nearly impossible.

After all, this was a treasure that even those at the Skywalking Realm found difficult to shake.

So, wisely, he chose to retreat. In a flash, he evaded any possible counterattack from Jiang Wu while quickly adjusting his breathing to restore his depleted true energy.

On the other side, Jiang Wu lowered his gaze to the tear on his chest armor. Though it was only a rip in his clothing, to him, it was an unprecedented insult.

His eyes instantly turned ice-cold, as if freezing everything around him. His gaze locked onto Ye Chen not far away, filled with rage and murderous intent—like an enraged beast determined to devour its prey.

“Ye Chen!” Jiang Wu’s roar echoed across the empty arena, every word sharpened by endless hatred, piercing and powerful.

His eyes glowed red, as if ready to spew flames, completely ignoring the pain his body bore from the fight.

In his heart, there was only the humiliation of being provoked and belittled, and the firm resolve to utterly defeat Ye Chen and trample him underfoot.

With a thunderous roar, Jiang Wu unleashed the full force of his Skywalking Realm cultivation. The overwhelming aura surged like a violent storm, instantly sweeping across the entire arena.

So intense was the power that even Ye Chen, hiding nearby, felt suffocated. His clothes flapped wildly in the fierce wind, threatening to tear apart at any moment.

Ye Chen stood as if facing a dire enemy, gripping his blood-red spear tightly, his eyes flashing with solemnity and vigilance.

Just as he prepared to meet Jiang Wu’s furious strike, surprised voices suddenly rang out from all directions.

“Senior Brother Jiang, what are you doing?”

“Yeah, is he really going to kill Ye Chen?”

“It sure looks like it.”

“But sect law clearly forbids…”

These murmurs pierced Jiang Wu’s ears like needles, forcing him to suppress his anger for the moment.

He realized this was not a place where he could act recklessly. As a Sword Disciple, he had to maintain his reputation.

Thus, he sheathed the golden longsword and forced a faint, insincere smile, beginning to explain, “Fellow junior brothers and sisters, don’t misunderstand. I was only sparring with Senior Brother Ye.”

However, his words clearly lacked conviction; even he did not believe them.

The crowd exchanged doubtful glances, suspicion evident in their eyes.

At that moment, a clear voice suddenly rang out: “It really was just sparring. Everyone, don’t get the wrong idea.”

The crowd was stunned as they turned to see the speaker—none other than Ye Chen.

He smiled gently, yet his eyes held a deeper meaning.

By speaking up for Jiang Wu, Ye Chen aimed both to defuse the awkward situation and protect his own interests.

After all, if Jiang Wu truly attacked him here, Ye Chen would be placed at an extreme disadvantage.

“All right, Junior Brother Jiang, the sparring’s been enough. Let’s end it here,” Ye Chen said with an air of authority, compelling Jiang Wu to momentarily suppress his resentment.

Though unwilling, Jiang Wu knew better than to press the matter further.

Yet, just as Ye Chen prepared to turn and leave, a ruthless gleam flashed in Jiang Wu’s eyes.

He silently vowed that although he could not extract the secret from Ye Chen today, he would find an opportunity to make Ye Chen pay.

As the atmosphere grew tense, and Ye Chen was about to withdraw, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, “What? We just arrived and the sparring’s over already? How about you two Sword Disciples fight again? Let us have a look!”

This outburst was like a spark thrown into an oil fire, instantly igniting the crowd’s eagerness for spectacle.

Voices rose in agreement, one after another, the scene spiraling out of control. Those who loved trouble stirred up the crowd, their jeers growing louder and louder.

Ye Chen’s face turned ashen, while Jiang Wu’s lips curled into a sly smile of triumph.

The next moment, Jiang Wu’s voice rang out slowly, tinted with subtle provocation and taunt. He stepped toward Ye Chen, each step striking at the hearts of the onlookers.

“Senior Brother, since the junior brothers and sisters are so enthusiastic, why don’t we oblige and continue our sparring? After all, we haven’t truly settled the score yet.”

Hearing this, a flicker of confusion crossed Ye Chen’s face, as though he couldn’t fathom Jiang Wu’s motives.

He pondered silently: What did Jiang Wu intend? The best chance to extract the secret from him had passed, so why propose sparring again now?

This sudden proposal stirred ripples of unease within Ye Chen.

Yet, he was no ordinary man. Quickly, he adjusted his thoughts, running through various possibilities.

After a moment, one idea quietly surfaced: Jiang Wu wanted to defeat him in front of all these junior brothers and sisters, to prove he was the true choice for Sword Disciple.

Suddenly, Ye Chen recalled the days of the Sword Disciple Seed Competition. The battles between him and Jiang Wu were still vivid in his mind.

They had clashed twice, each match closely contested with no clear victor. Those contests tested not only their cultivation but also their wills.

But just before the decisive third match, Ye Chen fell ill, forcing the contest to be postponed. An elder fought in his place, and Jiang Wu seized the opportunity to win, becoming the new generation’s Sword Disciple.

From that moment, their fates seemed destined to intertwine again.

Though Jiang Wu had officially become the Sword Disciple, in his heart that unfinished match was a thorn, lodged deep within.

Jiang Wu surely understood clearly that only by battling Ye Chen again could he truly cement his status and prove he was the rightful Sword Disciple.

Ye Chen speculated that this was Jiang Wu’s true intention behind the proposal.

However, Ye Chen had no intention of engaging in combat now. He knew that with his current strength, a direct confrontation was unlikely to bring victory and might risk revealing the secrets he kept hidden.

Recalling his earlier move—merely casually wielding a blood-red spear—he guessed that this had already aroused Jiang Wu’s suspicion.

Fortunately, he had only shown the spear briefly, without using his full skill set. So even if Jiang Wu suspected something, it was only directed at the weapon itself.

But if the fight continued, more would inevitably be exposed.

Therefore, Ye Chen resolved to avoid conflict if possible, steering clear of unnecessary trouble.

He was about to find a suitable excuse to decline Jiang Wu’s challenge when Jiang Wu’s voice rang out again, brimming with undeniable confidence and provocation: “Senior Brother, rest assured, I will suppress my cultivation to the Tongmai Realm, so we can have a fair fight.”