Chapter Twenty-One: Unassailable

Both Xiayan and Tang Yun could see the burning fighting spirit in each other’s eyes—a determination that would never allow themselves to retreat in defeat. Both held fast to their own beliefs, refusing to yield, and with no possibility of compromise, the friction between them erupted in their first clash.

Xiayan made the first move, pulling the trigger. A bullet, shrouded in a blue shimmering veil, shot toward Tang Yun, dazzling as a radiant reflection. Yet Tang Yun sliced it apart with a single stroke of his sword.

At last, the two figures met, and in a single instant, countless afterimages crossed paths.

In terms of speed, Tang Yun was faster!

Xiayan’s short sword, bewitching and agile, collided with Tang Yun’s longsword.

But in terms of strength, Xiayan was far superior—his physical development exceeded Tang Yun’s by an unfathomable margin, placing them in entirely different leagues.

Tang Yun bore the force of Xiayan’s strike, forced back four or five steps, his arm numb and aching, nearly losing control.

Such unbelievable, unfathomable strength—strength that even gods and demons would fear—Tang Yun could feel the vast, unbridgeable gap between them. He knew well that Xiayan was not only fast, but his strength matched his speed. Simply put, his physical prowess surpassed the fifteen percent threshold.

How could such a monster exist in this world, such an insurmountable foe!

Normally, humanity’s limit for physical development was ten percent. To break this ceiling, one’s brain capacity would have to be developed to an extraordinary degree.

Though physical development was theoretically half of brain capacity, very few people could actually achieve this. Under typical circumstances, a brain capacity above thirty percent meant a physical development of twelve was already commendable. Over forty percent, and a physical development of fifteen was exceptional.

Was Tang Yun truly expected to believe that this boy before him had developed his brain to forty percent?

Impossible—utterly impossible. There was no way someone of his age could possess such power; that was the level capable of overwhelming the administrative ranks of the organization.

In the stands.

Miya Aoi watched the two below, her eyes narrowed in scrutiny. Both of them served under her command, and no one knew their backgrounds better than she did.

“Miya Aoi, who do you think will win?” asked the freckle-faced woman sitting beside her, who, despite her ordinary appearance, was also a member of the organization’s management.

“It’s hard to say,” Miya mused.

“But that Xiayan seems to have a huge advantage! From just one close-quarters exchange, the difference is clear,” said the freckled woman.

“Tang Yun’s family descends from an ancient martial sect. He’s honed his combat skills since childhood, and his swordsmanship has reached inscrutable heights. In close combat, Tang Yun should firmly suppress Xiayan.”

“Oh?” The freckled woman was puzzled.

“That last sword strike may have looked like Xiayan had the upper hand, but in reality, it was because Tang Yun hadn’t expected Xiayan’s overwhelming strength and made a mistake. Now that he knows, he won’t make such an error again,” Miya smiled. “If he can’t match strength, he must rely on technique. In close combat, Tang Yun’s skill surpasses Xiayan’s—there’s no need to meet brute force with brute force.”

“I’ve heard that Tang Yun’s high ranking isn’t due to his Gale ability, but to his martial arts mastery,” the freckled young woman nodded.

Martial skill is crucial, especially for those who haven’t awakened abilities and whose physical development is below ten percent.

Tang Yun had refined these techniques to an extraordinary level. If placed in a wuxia novel, he’d at least be considered a first-rate master.

The way experts view a battle is utterly different from how spectators see it. The audience gasped in astonishment at the incredible speed of the two fighters, seeing only fleeting afterimages, never able to track their true positions.

The clash and ring of weapons filled the arena.

“Xiayan has the upper hand, hasn’t he?”

“He’s so strong—he should win soon, right?”

“I saw it just now—Xiayan sent his opponent flying several meters with a single blow.”

“Yes, Xiayan will win. After all, he defeated the twelfth and thirteenth seeds; there’s no way Tang Yun could beat him.”

But in reality, the situation was the opposite—this was the toughest match Xiayan had faced so far.

After the initial close-quarters exchange, Xiayan was forced onto the defensive, relying solely on his physical strength to hold out. His opponent’s mastery of ancient martial arts was terrifyingly profound; every sword strike was cunning and precise, exploiting every opening and leaving him no room to defend.

Tang Yun showed no mercy, his sword flashing like light itself.

Xiayan’s expression changed drastically as he quickly retreated, but that sword followed him like a venomous serpent, thrusting relentlessly for his abdomen.

“Excellent, I can win!” Tang Yun exulted as his blade struck Xiayan’s body.

But in that instant, a twist of fate dashed Tang Yun’s hopes.

There was no sensation of flesh—the blow was blocked by Xiayan!

Xiayan’s trump card was his fire element ability, perfect for both attack and defense. With just a flicker, his fire element appeared and vanished in a heartbeat—so quickly that even Tang Yun couldn’t discern what the ability truly was.

But it was enough; the attack was blocked.

Despair gripped Tang Yun. His speed-boosting Gale ability could not last much longer. If this battle dragged on and his Gale ability faded, he would be helpless before Xiayan’s overwhelming strength, left with no option but to wait for defeat.

How terrifying it was—to come so close to victory, only to find the final summit unreachable. He had climbed only to a low ridge, far below the peak.

At this moment, Xiayan drew his simulated handgun and fired at Tang Yun.

Tang Yun retreated swiftly, his sword moving in a blur, slicing each bullet into fading motes of light before they touched the ground.

“Your ability is a speed-boosting type—it can’t last long,” Xiayan said coolly. “If this drags on, I win. If you want to win, you’ll have to decide the outcome quickly.”

Tang Yun stepped back, his face filled with despair. “Xiayan, what exactly is your ability? Is it some kind of red matter defense?”

If his sword couldn’t pierce his opponent’s defense, there was no way to win. Tang Yun had thought Xiayan’s ability countered Dongfang Hui, but he had never expected it to counter himself even more thoroughly.

“I’d hoped not to use it until the final, at least,” Xiayan said indifferently. “Unless you can force me to use my full power, there’s no point in asking.”

“A battle of attrition is unwinnable,” Tang Yun said grimly. “Once my speed boost fails, you’ll defeat me with sheer speed.”

His skill was indeed formidable, but both body and technique mattered. Yet Xiayan’s physical prowess was so overwhelming that it nullified much of the advantage technique could bring.

Tang Yun was certain: once his Gale boost was gone, even in close combat, he could not match Xiayan.

“Fight!” Tang Yun gritted his teeth and charged, sword raised.

Xiayan, undaunted, met him with his own bewitching blade.

Their figures wove and clashed, merging and parting, three or four minutes passing in a blur without pause. The spectators watched with wide eyes, unable to follow the rapid movements—only afterimages flickered, with no way to tell who held the advantage.

During this time, Tang Yun managed to strike Xiayan four times. Yet each blow was easily blocked, until at last, Tang Yun’s Gale power faded.

“I yield.” Tang Yun sheathed his sword with a bitter smile.

This was a battle he had no hope of winning. He hadn’t even been able to force Xiayan to use his full power. The gulf between them was too vast to bridge, and Tang Yun couldn’t help but laugh wryly at his own helplessness.

Perfect defense, movement as swift as the wind, overwhelming strength, and extreme reflexes and perception—he was not only a sharpshooter but a formidable warrior.

Unassailable—that was the only evaluation Tang Yun could give. His weapon couldn’t even scratch Xiayan’s armor.

The arena erupted in noise, the crowd cheering Xiayan’s victory—he was the undisputed champion.

Who else in past years had ever come from obscurity to defeat all three favorites, and without suffering the slightest injury? He was a miracle, so dazzling it was hard to look upon him.

In the stands.

The freckled young woman shot a dissatisfied glance at Miya Aoi. “Hmph, you said their strength was close, that you couldn’t say who’d win. I say that’s nonsense—Xiayan is much stronger than Tang Yun. By the way, what’s his ability?”

“I’m not telling you,” Miya Aoi smiled. “I meant that if Xiayan fought Tang Yun without using his ability, the outcome would be uncertain. But once he unleashes his power, Tang Yun is sure to lose.”

“True enough. Poor Tang Yun—he’s a master of ancient martial arts, but how could he possibly win against someone with such high physical development and impenetrable defense?” The freckled girl rolled her eyes.

“Tang Yun did quite well. Up till now, no one else has even forced Xiayan to reveal his ability, but Tang Yun managed it,” Miya said, clearly impressed. “I think this year he has a good chance of moving up to rank thirteen, maybe even twelve.”

The freckled girl just pursed her lips.

But to the spectators, Xiayan’s victory was never in doubt.

“I doubt there’s any need to come tomorrow—Xiayan’s sure to win.”

“That demonkin who made it to the final is just going through the motions. He’s no match for Xiayan.”

“Exactly. Xiayan has crushed all three favorites to win the championship. Every website predicted one of those three would take the crown, but all of them lost to him.”

“Xiayan definitely has the strength of a member of the organization’s upper ranks.”

“No need to fight—the winner is obvious.”

“Still, I’ll come tomorrow. It’s exhilarating to witness such a powerful fighter in action.”

“Why bother? The match will be over in ten seconds. I might as well watch the video.”

“I bet it ends in five seconds.”

“I think the demonkin will just forfeit.”

Speculation buzzed—most believed the final was a foregone conclusion; Xiayan was the certain champion. Who could possibly be stronger?

As Xiayan’s fame grew, the crowd stopped calling him by his number, instead using his name.

At last, the ultimate showdown between Xiayan and Daren approached. This, too, was part of the plan—Gu Yue’er would witness Xiayan die before her eyes, thereby unlocking her second ability.

She would finally complete her great experiment!