The air over Qingyang City was heavy with tension.
Rumors had spread: Ye Chen, the Ye Family's once-useless hound master, had tamed spirit beasts and defeated inner disciples with mere comprehension.
The Black Tiger Clan had heard. They would not allow such talent to grow unchecked.
---
In the main hall of the Ye Family, a messenger arrived, breathless.
> "Young Master Ye! The Black Tiger Clan has sent their champion… demanding a duel! They claim this is for honor… and vengeance!"
Ye Chen's eyes narrowed. The rain had just stopped, leaving droplets glittering on the roof tiles.
> "Let them come," he said calmly. "Every challenge is another page to read."
---
By midday, the Black Tiger Clan arrived, their numbers fewer than the Ye Family, but their aura was dangerous, sharp as steel.
Leading them was none other than Hu Jian, the prodigy Ye Chen had humiliated during the Clan Disciples' Test. His eyes burned with fury, and his aura had grown even stronger, reaching the Sixth Stage of Body Tempering with a new layer of refinement.
> "Bookworm," Hu Jian called, voice cutting through the courtyard.
"You embarrassed me once. This time, I will crush your arrogance completely."
Ye Chen's lips curved faintly.
> "Then let's write another verse together."
---
The duel began in the courtyard, watched by the Patriarch and both clans.
Hu Jian struck first, unleashing a flurry of attacks so fast they blurred in the eyes of ordinary observers. Each strike carried the weight of his qi, sharp as tiger claws.
Ye Chen's mind opened the Book Realm, and a new tome floated forward:
> "Tactical Comprehension: Flow of Battle"
He studied Hu Jian's movements like a scholar reading calligraphy. Every punch, every step, every breath revealed intention and weakness.
> "A strike carries not just strength, but pattern," Ye Chen thought.
"Follow the rhythm, redirect the energy… and counter without force."
He whispered softly, reciting a verse:
> "Steel moves with fury, but thought shapes the storm.
Calm is the eye where chaos finds rest."
---
Hu Jian's next strike collided with an invisible barrier of qi that flowed around him like water.
The impact sent shockwaves across the courtyard, but Ye Chen remained unharmed, his movements fluid, precise, and effortless.
With a single palm, Ye Chen touched Hu Jian's chest—not forcefully, yet the prodigy stumbled back, breathless, his qi shaken.
> "Impossible…" Hu Jian gasped.
"He didn't use strength… yet I… can't stand."
The spectators stared in disbelief. Even the Patriarch's eyes widened.
---
When the fight ended, Ye Chen did not strike a final blow. He simply bowed:
> "Learn from defeat, and you will grow stronger. Rage is the weapon of fools; understanding is the path of sages."
The Black Tiger Clan withdrew, but their eyes were cold with hatred and fascination. Hu Jian's pride had been shattered, but a seed of respect—or perhaps fear—was planted.
---
That night, in the quiet of his garden, Ye Chen returned to the Book Realm.
A new shelf had appeared, glowing softly:
> "The Record of Rivals and Adversity"
A whisper echoed:
> "You have bested the tiger, but the storm gathers.
Every rival carries a page of your fate."
Ye Chen closed his eyes, a faint smile on his lips.
> "Then I shall read them all… and when the final chapter comes, the world itself will bow to understanding."