Legend of The Young Master

Chapter 115: Spar Ends

At last, it seemed the Red Daoist had finished toying with the match. He made a move, and everyone present sensed the end was near. They had seen the initial signs of the Red Daoist getting serious a few times before. It was only when they faced an enemy that they could not handle that the young master would join them, and then the Red Daoist would be the one to end the battle.

The conclusion was always too swift for their eyes to follow. Before anyone could fully comprehend what had happened, Baijian found himself sprawled on the ground.

"You're as unpredictable as a fox!" Baijian exclaimed, picking himself up from the dirt. He attempted to embrace the Red Daoist in a show of sportsmanship, but the Red Daoist deftly sidestepped, leaving Baijian grasping at empty air.

A mix of applause and laughter erupted from the other warriors present. The Red Daoist turned and walked away, vanishing behind a nearby structure. The battle sounded long, but it had actually ended in less than seven minutes.

"He's an enigma," Baijian commented, removing his mask to catch his breath. "A complete enigma."

After the Red Daoist left, Baijian and the others understood that the fight wasn't just a simple sparring match for the Red Daoist. It was the Red Daoist's way of teaching Baijian during the whole session. The Brute Giant Baijian , who always depended on brute force to overwhelm his enemies, was overwhelmed himself today.

He had to use maneuvers and swordsman tricks that he had been learning from manuals that the young master had provided.

Wuyi could feel how pleased Boluo was, teaching his brother. Considering the cultivation levels of statues, these statues started cultivating long before Wuyi began, and they just needed energy, no cultivation method. Wuyi received like 3 to 5% of the energies that the statues took from the world, so with this, you could understand why the statues' power level was always beyond Wuyi's.

Tianxue Xia, another warrior who had previously maintained a safe distance from Baijian, approached and extended his hand. Grinning, he said, "It's like dueling with a mountain, isn't it?" The irony did not escape Wuyi; anyone who had fought Baijian felt as though they were battling a mountain, and now Baijian himself had experienced the same sensation against the Red Daoist.

Baijian shook his head, still catching his breath. "I've never—"

Tianxue Xia, a strapping and clearly well-bred man, interrupted, "I was impressed by that arm lock. Would you be willing to teach it?"

Baijian glanced around the gathering. "Perhaps, but not at this very moment," he replied, eliciting another round of laughter from the crowd.

While everyone was discussing excitedly about the spar that had recently occurred, Wuxue Pan, one of the Qi warriors of Wuyi, spurred his sluggish steed into a brief gallop, managing to reach Wuyi without delay. He was carrying important news.

The group's camp was arrayed along the road in formation—no carts, no supplies, no attendants. These remained in the encampment, safeguarded by a small detachment of warriors wielding spears.

"Young Master, Jin reports he's located a demonic Qi trail deep within the forest. He's found tracks," spoke the Qi warrior, whose nose bore the marks of a life frequently on the wrong side of the law. He was one of the Dungeon men Wuyi had saved.

To emphasize his point, the scout lifted his hunting horn, inside of which was a lump of scales imbued with dark Qi. Besides the scales, some animal droppings were also present in the lump. Wuyi grimaced at the sight, recognizing the droppings as a sign. "Jin's way of exacting retribution for my lack of piety towards the heavens, no doubt," he thought.

Sometimes, strict adherence to traditional hunting codes could serve as its own form of payback. Wuyi gave Wuxue Pan a curt nod. "I suppose I'll take Jin's word for it, then," he said. He then shouted, "Prepare for battle, everyone! Since the Qi in the scales seems poisonous, make sure to cover well."

The message spread through the ranks quicker than a sprinting hare. Warriors fastened their Qi armor and adorned their faces with various masks—headgears, or robust Qi inner guards. While it was customary for warriors to be fully armed when riding out, only a greenhorn or an overly zealous attendant would keep their Inner Qi armors on during the ride.

Most seasoned fighters would dress before battle only.

Jia approached Wuyi with his distinctively designed Qi armor cloak, lifting it high to drape over Wuyi's shoulders. Jia checked Wuyi's horse, inspected the side buckles, and fitted the saddles on the horse, all while Wuyi kept his eyes on the northern road.

When all units were ready they began moving.

After a while, Wuyi inquired of Wuxue Pan, "How much further?"

"Just a bit more. We'll cross the stream and then head west into the forest," Wuxue Pan replied.

Jia knew Wuyi never participated in battle, so he did not give Wuyi his weapon. Wuyi regally carried the special black staff that denoted he was the leader of the faction. The heft of the staff always had a psychological effect on Wuyi; that weight at his side signaled that serious matters were at hand.

Wuyi glanced rearward, slightly elevating himself on his horse, acutely aware of the added heft of his Qi cloak.

"How much further?" he inquired of Wuxue Pan again. "Less than a li. Under an hour's walk," Wuxue Pan replied, his hands visibly trembling.

"Yanxing formation. On my command—March!" Wuyi ordered, then turned to Jia."Use the flute, not the horn."

Jia nodded, reaching for the jade flute that hung from his belt. Yushen, the towering horn-blower and the group's armor specialist, understood and fell back into line.

The formation began to move at a walking pace, with the horses animated, their ears perked and heads raised. The war horses vibrated with anticipation, their enthusiasm infecting the lighter steeds ridden by the archers. Throughout the column, less experienced riders grappled to manage their spirited mounts.

They ascended a lengthy incline and then descended toward a swiftly flowing stream, swollen from two days of rain. Wuxue Pan guided them westward into the forest.