Chapter Seventy-Four: A Worthy Adversary

“Good, that's truly forthright. I, Chen Yiyan, admire men like you—straightforward and bold. Not like those others who step onto the stage and then try to flee, ending up just like them. If you don't believe me, look for yourself.” Chen Yiyan pointed at the corpses below the training arena with his axe.

Ye Zihan glanced again at the bodies littering the ground beneath the arena. The meal he had just eaten threatened to come back up, but he managed to suppress it. Organs lay scattered everywhere, and the crowd had withdrawn to the outer edges, watching from afar. Only the bravest dared to approach for a closer look.

“My name is Ye Zihan. There's no need for restraint. If I die at your hands, it's because I lack the skill—it is not your fault, but my own shortcoming.” Ye Zihan kept his composure; he dared not relax, for he knew he was no match for his opponent. A master of the Five Elements facing a Four Symbols cultivator—there was no need to imagine the outcome.

“My name is Chen Yiyan, from the Black Flame Continent. Rest assured, I won't take your life. If it had been at the start, perhaps I might have killed you. But now, I respect you. You're the first to stand before me without trembling or begging for mercy. I truly admire you.” Chen Yiyan looked at Ye Zihan differently now. All those who had faced him before had died, begging for their lives at the end—a path that led only to death.

Most importantly, Ye Zihan, though only at the Four Symbols realm, showed no sign of fear. His confidence remained unshaken, and though his strength was less than Chen Yiyan's, he still upheld the dignity befitting a true man.

“From the Black Flame Continent? Did you fight your way here all the way to Xuanwu Marsh? Aren't you a little too wild?” Yan Chen was astonished, for he knew the Black Flame Continent well—its people were fierce, and to produce someone like Chen Yiyan was not surprising.

“Who are you, to know so much about the Beast Domain? Are you one of the youths from the great families of the Human Realm?” Chen Yiyan was equally surprised by Yan Chen's words. There was no tremor in his voice, only the steady strength of a fearless man—rare indeed, for Chen Yiyan had seen too many cowards.

“Haha, that's right. I'm a disciple of the Yan family from the Human Realm. A pleasure to meet you. I've long heard of the greatness of the Black Flame Continent. Seeing is believing—what a land of extraordinary people.” Yan Chen had grown accustomed to the ways of the world, so polite words came naturally.

“Very well, since you both are so sincere, today I, Chen Yiyan, will grant you a chance at life. Both of you, come at me together!” Chen Yiyan paid little heed to Ye Zihan and Yan Chen. Yan Chen, too, was only at the Four Symbols realm. As a Five Elements master, he was confident he could handle them both.

Yan Chen smiled and said, “We can't break the rules of the duel. Let Zihan go first—if he loses, I'll step up. How about that?” Yan Chen found Chen Yiyan agreeable; though his temper was fiery, he was honest.

Chen Yiyan looked at Ye Zihan, then at Yan Chen. He admired these two true men. This was what men of the Phantom God Continent should be—neither humble nor arrogant, worthy friends.

Chen Yiyan had made up his mind. After defeating Yan Chen and Ye Zihan, he would befriend them, for such straightforward people were ideal companions. Though they were younger than he, he was only a single realm above them—a remarkable thing.

Both Yan Chen and Ye Zihan were excellent duelists, so Chen Yiyan appreciated them, especially their temperament, which set them apart from the arrogant youths he had faced before. This was what he admired most.

“Brother Chen, please make your move. I am ready.” Ye Zihan had not expected to be calling Chen Yiyan “brother” so soon. Just moments ago, Chen Yiyan had been shouting threats. Now, they addressed each other as brothers—a dramatic shift.

“Very well, then I shall attack. Prepare yourself.” Chen Yiyan no longer underestimated Ye Zihan. For Ye Zihan to be so calm, he must have something to rely on; otherwise, he would not dare to challenge a master a whole realm above him.

Ye Zihan nodded, “Go ahead, I won't retreat. Let's fight to our heart's content.” Ignoring the shouting spectators, Ye Zihan focused all his attention on Chen Yiyan.

“Take this—Blazing Flames Devour Heaven!” Chen Yiyan roared, launching his attack. Fierce flames erupted from his axe, shooting toward Ye Zihan, crackling through the air as if burning everything in their path.

Ye Zihan was startled by the overwhelming fire; he hadn't expected his opponent's martial arts to be fire-based. But it didn't matter, for he himself was a prodigy who had mastered all Five Elements. He was confident.

Relying on the principle of mutual generation and restraint among the Five Elements, Ye Zihan resorted to ancient techniques.

“Wave-Cutting Slash!” Ye Zihan shouted, unleashing his water-based martial arts—the best defense against Chen Yiyan's fire attack.

With a rush of water, Ye Zihan's move countered Chen Yiyan's ferocious assault.

Thunderous booms rang out as their full-strength attacks collided, shaking the earth. Even the spectators below had to retreat a few steps, for the power unleashed was tremendous.

“So, you're a water-element cultivator. Good! Today, I've finally met my nemesis.” Chen Yiyan no longer underestimated Ye Zihan's strength. Though Ye Zihan was not quite his equal in the Five Elements realm, the gap was not large, and most importantly, Ye Zihan possessed a countering attribute to his fire.

Ye Zihan nodded, “That's right. I'm using the techniques of a Shikigami, but I'm still a Shadow Warrior. If you don't believe me, try again. I'd like to see how you defeat me.” Ye Zihan was full of confidence. As a cultivator who had mastered all Five Elements, he was not someone Chen Yiyan could easily defeat. Though their abilities differed, Ye Zihan could use his countering attributes to offset the gap.

“You're a dual-element cultivator?” Chen Yiyan was surprised. Before him stood not an ordinary cultivator, but a powerful dual-element master.

“I know far more than you think. If you don't believe me, keep testing me.” Ye Zihan showed no fear toward Chen Yiyan. There were those who could make him wary, but Chen Yiyan wasn't one of them.

For a newly advanced Five Elements cultivator like Chen Yiyan to kill a mid-stage Four Symbols master like Ye Zihan was not easy, though possible with some effort. But Chen Yiyan had changed his mind, realizing he had underestimated Ye Zihan, who turned out to be a dual-element master.

A dual-element Four Symbols master could indeed neutralize the attacks of a Five Elements expert. So Chen Yiyan dared not attack recklessly, instead waiting for an opening, a moment when his opponent made a mistake.

“I am also a Shadow Warrior. Let's duel with fire attributes.” Chen Yiyan's words were cold, as if coming from a distant place, sending a chill through those who heard.

“Very well, let's battle as Shadow Warriors!” Ye Zihan knew Chen Yiyan was a Five Elements fire Shadow Warrior, so he readily accepted the challenge.

“I didn't expect your axe to be a Night-grade weapon.” Yan Chen observed Chen Yiyan's attack, immediately recognizing the quality of his axe—not an ordinary weapon, but a fine blade.

Though Chen Yiyan's axe wasn't of the highest grade, it was not something ordinary people could possess.

“That's right—you have a keen eye. I like both of you. After this fight, let's go have a drink together.” Chen Yiyan had decided to befriend Yan Chen and Ye Zihan, for they gave him a unique feeling—a first in his life.

Chen Yiyan had wandered through the Beast Domain and Human Realm for a long time. As a rebellious youth, he had escaped his family's constraints early and begun his legendary journey on the Phantom God Continent. Though he had been bullied at first, now no one dared bully him. Only he, Chen Yiyan, bullied others.

“Heh, all right. After this fight, let's find a place to drink together.” Ye Zihan was delighted, but he still needed to defeat his opponent, for only then would Chen Yiyan truly accept him. Especially with someone as unruly and arrogant as Chen Yiyan, force was the only way to win his respect.

“Hmph, you think I'd want to associate with you?” Moyou, nestled in Ye Zihan's arms, extended its dragon head with a disdainful snort at Chen Yiyan. For now, Chen Yiyan had the nerve to call Ye Zihan “brother,” though he had been shouting threats only moments ago. Truly, people are skilled at changing. Moyou, the Thousand Phantom Blood Dragon, could not help but show its contempt.