Shi Cuai at first felt a flicker of panic when he saw Ye Wen’s palm strike heading for his chest, but that quickly faded as he noticed how soft and weak the blow appeared. He assumed the force must have dissipated while blocking his earlier punch, and this follow-up palm was likely just a feint to scare him.

In the swift turn of thought, his decision was made. He would ignore Ye Wen’s weak palm, confident that his own body could easily withstand the gentle tap. Instead, he planned to use the moment to close the distance and land a crippling blow on Ye Wen.

However, just as his plan solidified, Ye Wen’s left palm reached his chest. The force of the strike abruptly changed, accelerating with startling speed. Before Shi Cuai could process what was happening, the hand he had dismissed suddenly vanished from sight, immediately followed by a sharp, intense pain radiating from his chest. A surge of hot blood rushed up his throat, nearly bursting forth.

“What is this?”

Only this one thought flashed through Shi Cuai’s mind before he felt the spot where he was struck vibrate three more times. The hot blood he had managed to suppress finally erupted, spraying across his chest as his body was thrown backward, staining his outer garment a deep crimson.

It turned out that Ye Wen, after effortlessly neutralizing Shi Cuai’s punch, immediately channeled the momentum into a circular motion followed by a decisive palm strike. This blow utilized the mechanics of the Mian Zhang (Soft Palm), making it appear languid yet deceptively fast. At the moment of impact, a fierce burst of power erupted, completely imprinted upon Shi Cuai without any waste.

The sudden, heavy impact shattered Shi Cuai’s carefully laid offensive plans. Moreover, the unexpected power of the strike left his guard wide open.

Seeing this opportunity, Ye Wen certainly had no reason to hesitate. Especially since the Mian Zhang technique was meant to be continuous, a successful hit naturally demanded an immediate follow-up. He paid no mind to Shi Cuai’s shock, bringing his right hand around to follow up with a punch, while his left fist, having struck its mark, also retracted to deliver another blow. Finally, he pulled back his right fist, channeled his full inner strength, and slammed down a final palm strike that sent Shi Cuai flying and instantly knocked him unconscious.

This sequence of actions, though sounding lengthy, transpired in the span of a mere breath. From Shi Cuai’s aggressive step forward to being struck four times by Ye Wen, coughing blood and collapsing in unconscious flight, the entire process took less time than it takes to steep a cup of tea. Many onlookers hadn't even registered what had occurred, still anticipating Shi Cuai demonstrating some profound level of martial skill, when he was already casually dismissed by Ye Wen’s few moves.

By the time the crowd grasped the instantaneous events, Ye Wen had already retracted his hands, standing upright with his hands behind his back, his cold eyes sweeping over the members of the Zheng Quan Sect. His bearing was indeed worthy of a Sect Master, commanding a degree of respect.

At this point, neither the Zheng Quan Sect nor any other observers dared to accuse Ye Wen of arrogance. If they possessed such skill, they too would look down upon the weak. Regardless of Shi Cuai’s seniority in the Zheng Quan Sect or the depth of his cultivation, being struck senseless and coughing blood at the first exchange clearly marked him as far from formidable—only deserving of the descriptor "weak."

Perhaps only Zhang Gui present truly understood what had just transpired, though even he hadn't clearly seen the sequence of blows. Watching Shi Cuai lying unresponsive on the ground, he immediately instructed his terrified disciples behind him to retrieve and tend to Shi Cuai. Then, turning to Ye Wen, he clasped his hands in salute: “Mr. Ye possesses excellent skill and excellent strategy.”

Praising Ye Wen’s excellent skill was meant for defeating Shi Cuai, a peer, in the blink of an eye. Praising his excellent strategy referred to Ye Wen deliberately using provocative words and demeanor to enrage Shi Cuai, then striking him down the moment he attacked in shame and anger. Otherwise, with Shi Cuai’s cultivation, he shouldn't have been beaten so soundly in the first exchange.

Furthermore, with Shi Cuai dealt with, Zhang Gui was the only true contender left on the Zheng Quan Sect's side. Regardless of the Shushan Sect’s influence, they were now effectively isolated and vulnerable.

However, since the Zheng Quan Sect had initiated this confrontation today, retreating in disgrace meant they might as well abandon their presence on Book Mountain henceforth. This humiliation was too great to bear. Even though Zhang Gui now understood that Ye Wen’s cultivation had indeed advanced significantly—making the story of him defeating Yu Dahai with one palm likely true, and witnessing firsthand just how powerful Ye Wen was—he knew he stood no chance against this Sect Master Ye. Still, he could not simply leave.

Taking several purposeful strides forward, Zhang Gui clasped his hands and declared, “I, Zhang Gui, admit defeat in this matter today. However, Mr. Ye has injured two of my sect’s disciples in succession; this cannot simply end here. I, Zhang, must seek an explanation from Mr. Ye.”

Seeking an explanation was naturally just rhetoric; plainly put, he meant to exchange blows with Ye Wen. This was not unexpected by Ye Wen, who remained composed, showing neither elation nor dismay. He extended his right hand in a slight inviting gesture: “If that is the case, I, Ye, certainly have no reason to refuse.”

With that, Ye Wen stepped forward as well, accepting the challenge.

Seeing Ye Wen advance, Zhang Gui frowned: “Mr. Ye does not require a weapon?” He recalled that Ye Wen originally practiced the sword, and although his martial arts had vastly improved, he hadn’t expected Ye Wen to abandon his bladesmanship.

Ye Wen paused, then glanced at Zhang Gui, who was also barehanded: “Brother Zhang is not using a weapon either. Empty hands against empty hands—perfectly fine.”

These words caused Zhang Gui’s frown to deepen, bordering on irritation. He assumed Ye Wen was looking down on him by refusing to use a weapon: “All my cultivation lies in these two fists. As for the blade techniques I used when we fought half a year ago, those are not my specialty.” He interpreted this as Ye Wen recalling how he had defeated him with a saber six months prior, and now, seeing Zhang Gui unarmed, Ye Wen chose not to use a weapon either.

Therefore, he explicitly stated that he was not skilled with the saber and that using his fists now meant he was deploying his full strength, not looking down on Ye Wen. As for why he used the saber half a year ago? That was an unspoken matter everyone understood.

Ye Wen realized that Zhang Gui’s true strength lay in empty-hand combat. Thus, facing him barehanded was actually showing him respect. Zhang Gui even volunteered this information to prevent Ye Wen from gaining an unfair advantage under the guise of a fair match, revealing a commendable character, whereas Ye Wen’s earlier tactic against Shi Cuai seemed less honorable.

Seeing Zhang Gui state his intentions clearly, Ye Wen conceded: “My swordsmanship has indeed lagged in the past half-year, but my fists and feet have improved significantly. Brother Zhang, please disregard that; let us spar barehanded.”

Ye Wen held deep respect for such an upright person, so he spoke plainly, assuring Zhang Gui that being unarmed did not mean he was at a disadvantage; he welcomed the fight.

Since it had come to this, Zhang Gui said no more. Given the clean, sharp way Ye Wen had dispatched Shi Cuai, Zhang Gui absolutely did not believe this Sect Master Ye was unskilled in fist fighting. He stopped debating and immediately stepped forward, initiating the fight with a straight punch.

Zhang Gui employed the Zheng Quan Sect’s signature technique, the Da Zheng Quan (Grand Upright Fist). Unlike the Xiao Zheng Quan (Lesser Upright Fist) practiced by Shi Cuai, this style was broad and unrestrained, emphasizing directness and integrity. When mastered, it could defeat an opponent honorably, fitting Zhang Gui’s personality perfectly.

Consequently, Zhang Gui’s mastery of this technique surpassed anyone in the Zheng Quan Sect, including their Sect Master, who could only best him through sheer depth of internal power.

Ye Wen was unaware of these finer details. Seeing Zhang Gui’s punch coming, he countered with the Taizu Chang Quan (Ancestor’s Long Fist), as it was the skill he currently practiced most proficiently. The Mian Zhang was, after all, newly acquired, and its success against Shi Cuai relied on the opponent being enraged and unprepared. In this straightforward confrontation, using an unfamiliar technique would be suicidal.

In a blink, the two clashed. Both men’s fists struck with open, grand movements, appearing quite bold. Yet, in their shifts and evasions, there was no hint of hesitation. An outsider watching might mistake them for fellow disciples sparring for practice.

This was because the Taizu Chang Quan and Da Zheng Quan shared similar frameworks. When both exerted their full strength, the resulting exchange appeared remarkably consistent. However, as the fight progressed, the onlookers soon noticed the techniques becoming faster, the punches and kicks subtly whistling through the air. At this point, no one would mistake this for practice; it was clearly a fight to the death.

Ye Wen crossed his fists downward, blocking a punch aimed at his abdomen, then smoothly followed up by parrying an incoming kick. He immediately surged forward, launching a left hook toward Zhang Gui, which Zhang Gui sidestepped, returning a light blow of his own in the process.

In just a moment, they had exchanged over ten moves. Zhang Gui felt that Ye Wen’s style was quite similar to his Da Zheng Quan, but the power behind the strikes was immense, clearly indicating a superior internal cultivation. If the fight continued this way, he estimated he could hold out for thirty moves at most before his strength waned and he couldn't keep up.

He inwardly muttered, How did Ye Wen’s skills become so terrifying? Then, putting aside all other thoughts, he focused entirely on weathering the storm. Since the situation could no longer be resolved peacefully, his only course was to fight to the best of his ability. The final outcome was beyond immediate consideration.

Zhang Gui wished to drag the fight out, but Ye Wen felt that a prolonged battle would undermine his goal of establishing dominance. Therefore, he found a subtle opportunity during a brief crossing of bodies. His hand movements suddenly shifted; he abruptly transitioned into the Mian Zhang sequence.

Previously, their broad movements had meant they were usually at the end of their sequences when passing each other. Now, Ye Wen’s change in technique occurred when they were extremely close during the transition. Both Da Zheng Quan and Taizu Chang Quan are difficult to employ effectively at such close quarters, but Mian Zhang thrives there. Caught off guard, Zhang Gui saw Ye Wen spin around at point-blank range and deliver a palm strike. He wondered how Ye Wen could generate force at such proximity, and what use a blow delivered at this range would be. But as the thought crossed his mind, he felt a sensation like being struck by a massive boulder on his waist, followed by a churning turmoil in his abdomen—the internal force had been driven into his body, injuring his internal organs.

Compounding the injury, this blow landed precisely when his own technique had exhausted its force. Struck so suddenly, he almost lost his footing, stumbling back. Ye Wen seized the chance, delivering two quick, sharp slaps that forced Zhang Gui to stagger back four or five steps before he could manage to steady himself.

At that moment, the True Martial Qi Ye Wen had driven into Zhang Gui began to rage within him like a rebellion. Zhang Gui, who had barely managed to stop his backward momentum, couldn't suppress it any longer and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Seeing this, Ye Wen, certain of victory, felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He even muttered internally, More spitting blood? Can’t you switch up the routine?

P.S.: Some friends have asked about the update schedule. Ah... I can only say updates will be every evening, two chapters per day. Any missed updates will be made up later. Also, strongly requesting recommendation tickets!