Fu Xiang looked at the young man before him as well as the sword he held in his hand. He realised that he had fallen for another one of Shen Yiren's tricks but unconsciously became wary of Tang Ye as well.
The young man didn't look old but just standing there alone was enough to show off his extraordinary aura. He wore a cold expression, but his chivalry and talent were faintly visible in his eyes. His eyes revealed an aura only a highly-skilled master would possess. If Fu Xiang's eyes weren't lying to him, the young man before him might be on his level.
He initially thought he beat Tie Hanyi by a stroke of luck, but he now realised that he was the real deal.
"Tang Ye… based on my intel, you're a descendent of the northern sea's Ming Jing Palace." Fu Xiang looked at the heat energy oozing out from his body with confusion. He went on: "The northern sea's Ming Jing Palace is a large sect in the north. Their specialty is most certainly profound, but their internal style focuses mainly on cold yin energy."
Fu Xiang looked at the marks left on his hand that clashed with Tang Ye's just before
"Where did you learn you learn Yang internal arts from? Based on your execution, I assume you've been practicing for over a decade since you were a kid, right?"
Tang Ye bluntly replied: "It's called Yang Blood True Qi. It's Kun Lun's art."
"Oh? You're a disciple from Kun Lun?"
Besides Jiang Nan's martial world, Shaolin, Wu Dang and Mount Daluo are the leaders of the orthodox sects, followed by Kun Lun, Emei, Kong Dong and Dian Cang. Kun Lun is a school that teaches many other subjects outside of martial arts. However, since it is located further west, it's hard for their disciples to reach Nan Jing. Fu Xiang is a cautious man. He gathers all the information he can possibly gather. His old habit was kicking in again.
Tang Ye blandly replied: "No. Stop sticking your nose into my business. Focus!"
When Tang Ye shouted "focus", he flipped his hand and whipped it without looking, sending the long-sword in his hand flying over. It cut the ropes restraining a warrior behind with absolute precision, causing no wounds. The warrior he released happened to be from the emperor's security detail. The guy who was released immediately picked up the sword and continued releasing more people. The two members of the Black Winds Thirteen Wings overwatching them had already been incapacitated and were unable to get up.
There were only three members from the Black Winds Thirteen Wings left right now. One of them was fighting Long Zaitian while the other two immediately sprung into action to stop them. The mercenaries who weren't too shabby understood the severity of the situation so they protected the orange prince to prevent Tang Ye from coming close.
Fu Xiang was going to assist given the situation, but then he saw a purple silhouette enter. That was Tang Ye who was now locked in battle with Fu Xiang.
Tang Ye relied on a strong gust of wind to attack with his hands.
This was the first time someone dared to face Fu Xiang face-to-face after seeing his true skills. Fu Xiang blocked Tang Ye's two hands, took two steps back and then countered with one palm strike. Tang Ye couldn't compete with him in terms of internal strength so he had to flip and then retreat. However, he recovered incomparably swiftly upon landing and then smashed his palm into Fu Xiang's. If his opponent wasn't highly-skilled, he would be thrown off by Tang Ye's fighting style that utilises lots of changes. That would lead his opponent into moulding energy incorrectly, thus putting themselves in danger.
Fu Xiang struck with a simple single palm strike again. His Fu Xiang Divine Palms had reached the level of a great master so he didn't need to mould energy. Power was naturally generated onto his hands by simply extending his arms. Tang Ye's sneak attacks couldn't catch him off guard. Usually, his opponent was bound to die once he struck. This was the first time he didn't dare to put all his might into his palm strikes, leaving thirty-percent in the tank.
Fu Xiang knew that Liu Shan Men's minor lord was skilled. Though Tang Ye's internal strength was inferior to his own, the internal style he trained was indeed unique. He didn't feel like he was particular strong on their first exchange, but then Fu Xiang finally felt that his internal strength wasn't being released smoothly when they clashed the second time. His nerves in his left hand in particular throbbed with pain which gradually increasing. The pain was akin to getting burnt, causing his internal energy to be blocked.
Fu Xiang thought to himself: This kid's internal strength is profound, but far inferior to mine, so it's nothing to be concerned about. But the internal style he trains is honestly terrifying. It specifically tries to burn the opponent's meridians and injure their organs. Even if I don't come into contact with him, the qi on his body makes the air around us hot too, not to mention the qi he applies to his hands. Touching them feels like my hands are getting burnt. Just what style is that?
Fu Xiang only thought that the style he trained was one he was personally unfamiliar with. However, the qi was righteous, which was evidence it was an orthodox style.
He then thought about something else and said to himself: Even if his burning qi could be stored in his meridians for a long time before taking shape, he needs to gather it on his palms before he attacks. I don't believe that you can maintain it on your palms forever. What, it doesn't burn you and burns just me?!
Hence, the next time they engaged each other, Fu Xiang didn't take Tang Ye's strikes head on. He avoided hand contact by weaving his hands. He wanted to find out if Tang Ye could keep his True Yang Blood Qi in his hands.
His tactic worked as he expected. Tang Ye didn't use Yang Blood True Qi as he did before.
But Fu Xiang's joy didn't even last for a second as Tang Ye's abilities blew Fu Xiang's expectations out of the water again.
Ever since Fu Xiang started avoiding contact with his qi, opting to use a technical method of fighting, Tang Ye switched up his tactic as well. He fought technically instead which was just how he liked it.
Fu Xiang's style was simple and unadorned. He practiced Fu Xiang Divine Palms since he was young until now, using just one style to beat all of his opponents. His combat-style and Tang Ye's were complete polar opposites. Tang Ye's way of fighting was like participating in a martial arts knowledge lecture.
Tang Ye sneered indifferently. He changed his hands techniques non-stop in an incredible fashion.
"Wh-What is this?!!"
Tang Ye threw consecutive punches with his left and right arm, but with three different methods of execution being heavy, soft, strong and swift, which also came from three different styles. He kicked high like a mountain piercing the heavens. He grabbed a sword with his left hand and yet utilised Liu Shan Men's basic sword art. He continued to strike, unleashing skills from five different styles.
Fu Xiang started to get slightly flustered due to Tang Ye's flurry of moves from various schools. After much effort, he managed to regain his composure and cussed: "I don't care if your techniques are even more unique and miraculous! They can't hold a candle to the power of a single palm strike of mine!"
He countered Tang Ye's continuous changes by going with his original tactic, and thus struck out with a palm strike as usual.
Tang Ye however, evaded the strike and then used Kun Lun's Soft Hands. The technique consisted of encaging the force of his palm strike and reducing it significantly. He then suddenly twisted his body and moved his arms in a semi-circular shape. That was Wudang's Soft Palms Art. Using that, he erased the wind gust of wind generated by the palm strike and adjusted his posture.
Finally, Tang Ye concentrated and gathered his qi. He flicked simultaneously with his fingers. That was Spinning Flower Wheel Finger Arts Feint Strikes. He flicked three times consecutively with one hand. He reduced most of the force behind the palm strike using a combination of technique and speed.
Fu Xiang was astonished by what he saw. There was no way his tactic of sticking with his original tactic to counter Tang Ye's countless changes would work, especially considering the swift speed at which he switched moves. Some in the martial world refuse to master one style, instead choosing to train various styles. However, the end result is a style that's full of obvious openings and weaknesses. Fu Xiang himself had personally killed lots of those sorts of idiots.
Tang Ye was a completely different beast though.
He didn't combine over ten styles together. He wouldn't have the skill to do it at his age.
What he possessed was incredible fighting talent.
The amazing part about Tang Ye is his excellent judgement. He's able to use the right style at the right moment based on the changes that occur during a fight. His eyesight, body and strategies were all perfectly combined when he diffused the power of Fu Xiang's attack. The tactics he used were even more impressively creative. Using brute force to pressure Tang Ye was honestly Fu Xiang's only counter against Tang Ye. Every move Tang Ye makes is calculated. It's amazing how he can grasp a battle so well despite his young age. Fu Xiang himself who had worked as an assassin for a long time knew he couldn't beat him in that aspect.
It was a talent, or perhaps the result of his diligent training. Whatever the case, it was a fearsome weapon. Fighting him was the equivalent of fighting multiple opponents.
When he traded blows with Tang Ye, he knew that his skills weren't inferior to Shen Yiren, but he was definitely superior to Long Zaitian. In terms of battle IQ, he was most likely superior to both of them. Who said Liu Shan Men has no talent? Haven't you got yourself a treasured piece of jade here?!
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