Volume One: Entering the Path, Chapter 123: A Minor Victory

As the golden tripod, wreathed in violet arcs of electricity, collided with the black spear, which was shrouded in a chilling aura, a violent storm of spiritual energy erupted from the point of contact, sweeping outward from the two combatants.

Though this storm of spiritual power was formidable, neither of them, caught in its eye, was willing to retreat. Both exerted every ounce of their remaining strength to resist the other’s assault. They both understood that to yield now would be to invite a crushing pursuit, effectively conceding the battle.

Yet, despite their resolve, human endurance has its limits. Though their intentions were firm, the prolonged fight had left their spiritual energy nearly exhausted, with no opportunity to replenish it.

Stalemate ensued. Yun Tianhan spoke in a low voice, "Ye Junze, I can see your spiritual energy is running dry. Why not concede now? At least you’ll be able to lose with some dignity."

Ye Junze smiled and replied, "What a coincidence. I was just about to tell you the same thing."

Knowing that words were futile at this stage, they ceased their banter. Ye Junze flicked his left hand slightly, and a faint, thin streak of violet lightning vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Just as Ye Junze finished, Yun Tianhan suddenly felt something amiss. His expression shifted instantly, and he silently cursed, hurriedly channeling his spiritual energy to defend. However, in his haste, his defense was sluggish, and he became momentarily distracted.

Sensing this lapse, Ye Junze seized the opportunity, channeling all his remaining strength into a strike against his distracted opponent. Realizing the intent too late, Yun Tianhan tried to recover, but he could not block a move Ye Junze had been plotting for some time. Flustered, he found himself struggling to keep up.

As Yun Tianhan faltered, Ye Junze pressed his advantage, launching a series of even fiercer attacks. Forced into a defensive retreat with every step, Yun Tianhan began to show signs of defeat, pushed back against his will. Finally, unable to withstand the relentless onslaught, he was struck by a punch from Ye Junze. Yun Tianhan flew backward, twisting his body in mid-air to land on one knee, finally coming to a halt.

Ye Junze walked over immediately and helped him up.

Once on his feet, Yun Tianhan waved a hand and said, "I lost. You’re better than me, after all. I’ll admit that."

Ye Junze smiled. "You were just careless. If we had kept at it, it’s hard to say who would have lost."

Yun Tianhan shrugged dismissively. "A loss is a loss. But just because I lost this time doesn't mean it will always be this way. If we get the chance to fight again, I’ll make sure you regret it."

Ye Junze chuckled. "Fine, I’ll be waiting. Just don’t let me down when the time comes."

Lei Fan, who had been observing the entire encounter, saw the outcome. He nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand. At his gesture, the blue protective barrier surrounding Ye Junze and Yun Tianhan dissipated instantly.

Lei Fan walked over to them. They were still chatting and laughing, seemingly unaffected by the intensity of the fight—just as they had promised before starting, they remained friends after the match. To them, the battle was merely a friendly sparring session.

Lei Fan looked at them with an expression of approval. "You both did well."

The two greeted him politely, though they scratched their heads in a display of bashfulness at the praise.

Yun Tianhan looked at Lei Fan and argued, "It was all Ye Junze! He insisted we fight with everything we had, acting as if he’d cut ties with me if I didn't. What could I do? I had to yield to his tyranny."

Ye Junze looked stunned, clearly not expecting Yun Tianhan to say such a thing, and gave him a sharp, warning glare. "Are you really going to slander me like that, twisting the truth? If you aren't careful, I’ll show you what a real beating feels like."

Yun Tianhan immediately put on a pitiful, aggrieved face for Lei Fan. "Teacher, look! He’s threatening me right in front of you. There’s no justice left!"

Watching their bickering, Lei Fan couldn't help but laugh. He waved his hand and said, "Resolve your own squabbles; I’m just your teacher, not your mediator. But if one of you ends up missing a limb, I suppose I can summon a doctor for you."

Yun Tianhan straightened up instantly, his tone becoming serious. "Teacher, I was just joking. We get along perfectly well. If you don't believe me, ask him. Isn't that right, Ye Junze?" He cast a significant glance at Ye Junze.

Noticing the look, Ye Junze nodded with a smile. "That’s right, Teacher Lei. He’s telling the truth." As he spoke, he threw an arm around Yun Tianhan’s shoulder, squeezing hard.

Yun Tianhan winced in pain but kept a cheerful face, nodding vigorously just like Ye Junze.

"Alright, you two worked hard. Take a break. You both performed very well. Rest assured, I will mark you both as 'Excellent' in your course grades."

Hearing this, both were delighted and said in unison, "Thank you, Teacher Lei."

Ye Junze was surprised; he hadn't expected such an unexpected reward for a simple sparring match. Though he didn't yet know what this "Excellent" grade would be used for, he knew that if Teacher Lei said it was beneficial, it certainly wouldn't be a bad thing.

Yun Tianhan was even more surprised. He knew he had lost the fight, yet it seemed his performance had still impressed the teacher. For such an unexpected windfall, he was more than happy to accept.

Lei Fan watched them, unaware of their internal thoughts, though the joy on their faces was impossible to hide. Not bothering to guess their musings, he waved his hand. "Alright, that’s all for now. I need to check on the others. You two should rest. Of course, feel free to watch the other students; you might be able to spot mistakes or see if they are running into the same issues you two just encountered."

"Yes, Teacher Lei. We understand," they replied in unison.

Lei Fan nodded, waved once more, and turned to leave. Once he was gone, the two relaxed, collapsing onto the ground without a care for their appearances.

Sitting on the ground, Yun Tianhan suddenly wondered, "Hey, I wonder how those others are doing?"

Ye Junze shook his head, then had a thought. "We’re free now, and their matches are likely still ongoing. Why don't we go take a look?"

Yun Tianhan’s eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands. "That’s a great idea! Let’s do it." He rubbed his chin in thought. "Who should we watch first?" Then, remembering something, he turned to Ye Junze. "Wait, if I recall correctly, Sister Fan is paired with Lu Renjia, right?"

Ye Junze nodded. "That’s right, they’re together."

"Then that’s settled. Let’s watch them," Yun Tianhan proposed.

Ye Junze agreed, and they began scanning the various blue protective barriers scattered across the grounds. Finally, Ye Junze’s sharp eyes spotted the pair locked in combat.

"Over there," Ye Junze said, pointing. Yun Tianhan followed his finger and saw the two figures inside the barrier.

They began to watch the fight between Fan Yan and Lu Renjia with a silent, tacit understanding.

"I didn't see this coming," Yun Tianhan remarked, clicking his tongue. "I thought Lu Renjia wouldn't be able to handle Sister Fan, but looking at this, it seems that guy has been hiding his true strength all along."

Ye Junze nodded in agreement. Having just finished a fight themselves, they could see that Fan Yan and Lu Renjia were evenly matched, neither able to gain the upper hand. From their observation, Fan Yan appeared to be suffering from fatigue and was gradually being forced onto the defensive. Lu Renjia, however, showed no such signs; though he was also exerting himself, he seemed to have plenty of reserve energy, as if he were methodically draining Fan Yan’s stamina without rushing the finish.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Incredible. I never realized Lu Renjia was so cunning," Yun Tianhan said, then added pointedly, "Much like someone else I know. Heh heh heh."

Ye Junze didn't take offense, simply offering Yun Tianhan a very "kind" smile.

Yun Tianhan immediately surrendered. "No, no, no—my mistake! I was wrong!"

Ye Junze waved his hand, acting as if he didn't care, and turned his focus back to the battle between Fan Yan and Lu Renjia. Seeing this, Yun Tianhan ceased his teasing and followed suit, continuing to watch the match.