Ye Tian rapidly circulated the Dragon Spiritual Power within his body. Facing Qin Lin, he had to be completely focused. 'Perhaps he'll make a good sparring partner.'
Taking the initiative often led to unexpected results, and Ye Tian liked to seize such opportunities. It would also be a chance to test Qin Lin's reaction speed.
The Black Glaze Sword in his hand suddenly flashed with a dazzling light—the result of Ye Tian channeling his Dragon Spiritual Power into it. The phenomenon gave him quite a shock.
As he channeled his Dragon Spiritual Power, he felt as if the Black Glaze Sword were alive. It was continuously devouring the Dragon Spiritual Power from his body, and the entire blade trembled faintly.
However, Ye Tian had no time to dwell on it. He swiftly executed the Third Form of the Flowing Cloud Step in concert with the Fourth Form of the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique, leaving an afterimage as he lunged toward Qin Lin.
This time, Ye Tian only used seventy percent of his strength. His main goal was to probe his opponent and see how great the disparity was between his own power and Qin Lin's.
Ye Tian attacked, but Qin Lin was no slouch. The instant Ye Tian moved, so did he, unleashing an immensely powerful Martial Skill with his longsword.
Instantly, the air filled with sword shadows and Sword Qi. The continuous sound of them tearing through the air left the surrounding spectators utterly astonished.
In that moment, only two people in the crowd were truly worried, their feelings a complicated mess. One was Ye Feifei, and the other was Qin Xiaowan.
Ye Feifei was worried for Ye Tian's safety. Although he was formidable, his Power Level was ultimately lower than Qin Lin's. He couldn't just manifest the phantom of the Divine Dragon again; if he did, all his secrets would be exposed.
She believed Ye Tian wouldn't be so foolish. While Lisha City had no top-tier experts, there were still quite a few who had opened their Second Vein or Three Veins.
In her heart, Ye Feifei didn't want Ye Tian to defeat Qin Lin. A draw, or even suffering a minor injury, would be acceptable. She understood the saying "a tall tree catches the wind" all too well.
As for Qin Xiaowan, she was worried for both Qin Lin and Ye Tian. She had no idea why she felt this way about Ye Tian.
Deep down, she just didn't want to see Ye Tian get hurt. This feeling had emerged the very first time they met. It was strange and frustrating, and she couldn't find any reason for it.
She worried about Ye Tian, but also about Qin Lin, fearing he might be injured. After all, he was her elder brother and a symbol of the Qin Family's honor. These conflicting emotions cast a melancholic shadow over her beautiful face.
BOOM! With a deafening crash, Ye Tian's and Qin Lin's attacks collided.
Powerful Sword Qi blasted outward, causing the surrounding space to tremble. A fierce gale erupted from the point of impact.
Neither was injured in the exchange, but the powerful recoil sent them both flying back several dozen steps before they could steady themselves.
Both wore expressions of surprise, but their inner thoughts were vastly different.
Ye Tian thought, 'Qin Lin's Attack Power is incredible. Even though I didn't use my full strength, the Black Glaze Sword's power means that was still about ninety percent of my force.'
'If that was just a probe from him, his real strength must be far greater. I'll have to go all out next time, or I'll be the one getting hurt.'
Qin Lin, on the other hand, was furious. 'I used eighty percent of my strength and still couldn't kill him? We were evenly matched! This kid is far stronger than he looks, probably at the Early Seventh Layer.'
At that moment, Qin Lin was convinced. 'He must have used some special technique to hide his true strength. Otherwise, a mere One Vein Fourth Layer cultivator could never have blocked my attack.'
The exchange was a disgrace to Qin Lin. He was the acknowledged genius of Lisha City, yet he had just fought to a draw with some nobody. The reality of it was almost too much for him to bear.
Qin Lin's eyes, now fixed on Ye Tian, burned with boundless hatred. He decided then and there that his next attack would be a fatal one.
Ye Weitian was also stunned to see Ye Tian withstand Qin Lin's attack. As an expert of his Realm, he knew exactly how powerful that blow had been.
Ye Tian was a new genius of the Ye Family, and a genius like that had to be protected. Besides, his own daughter seemed to have feelings for him. If anything were to happen to the boy, he dreaded to think what foolish thing she might do.
Ye Feifei's heart had been pounding with anxiety from the moment the fight began. Seeing the result of their first clash, however, made her ecstatic. At least Ye Tian wouldn't be defeated so quickly.
A flicker of anger crossed Qin Wushuang's face. It wasn't because his son had failed to kill his opponent, but because the Ye Family had produced yet another genius—one who might even surpass his own son. He would not allow that to happen.
Qin Xiaowan was thrilled to see that neither was hurt, though she still couldn't understand why she felt so worried for Ye Tian.
Everyone watching the duel between Qin Lin and Ye Tian wore expressions of disbelief. Ye Tian had emerged as a dark horse, forcing them all to see him in a new light.
The murmurs of the crowd were incessant. Ye Tian's Perception Power was far greater than Qin Lin's, so he heard everything clearly. A slight pang of regret hit him.
'I've inadvertently attracted unwanted attention. The three great families have been in a state of balance, but my appearance is bound to shatter it. It's very likely the other two families will make a move against me.'
"Ye Tian, you actually have some skill!" Qin Lin said suddenly. "A moment ago, this young master was merely testing you. I wasn't using my full power at all. This time, I won't be holding back. Let's hope you're lucky enough to survive."
It was obvious he was just trying to save face.
"I won't disappoint you," Ye Tian said coolly, his eyes filled with confidence. "Bring whatever you've got!"
"You overestimate yourself!" Qin Lin roared. In a flash, he was charging at Ye Tian again.
This time, Qin Lin used his full strength. His longsword danced in a series of flourishes, striking toward Ye Tian with the speed and power of a thunderbolt.
But Ye Tian was prepared. 'If I go all out,' he thought, 'we'll probably just end up in another stalemate. Since he's so desperate to win, I might as well let him.'
'It doesn't matter if I get injured. With my powerful healing ability, it's no big deal. This way, all the attention will stay focused on Qin Lin.'
His mind made up, Ye Tian once again executed the Fourth Form of the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique, using only eighty percent of his strength. As for the result... even he wasn't sure what would happen.