Chapter 109: This Sword is Called Unyielding! (Chapter 3—Please Subscribe and Vote!)

Qin Jianyi extended the branch, waiting for Tang Fei's response.

Seeing that Tang Fei did not take it, Qin Jianyi grinned and asked, "What? Are you afraid?"

"I am just contemplating the significance of this duel," Tang Fei said, looking at Qin Jianyi with a chuckle. He reached out, took the branch from his hand, and added, "And the purpose behind why you are doing this."

"What purpose could we possibly have?" Qin Jianyi raised his sword-like eyebrows, looking spirited and full of life.

"You have never lived in the Old Lands, nor have you hunted there. In the Old Lands, the most dangerous things are never the seemingly ferocious lions, tigers, or bears, but the most inconspicuous ones—the faceless bees, the finger-snakes, the man-eating ants."

"If it’s a big beast that looks formidable, you stay on your guard and they actually have no chance to strike. But what you fear most are those small creatures you overlook, yet which are highly toxic. They suddenly dart out and bite you, and you can lose your life in an instant."

"I never underestimate anyone's intelligence, nor do I belittle the potential danger of any individual. You noble scions always act with various interests and agendas in mind. I am currently trying to guess what you want to get out of me, and how I should avoid the risks."

"Hahaha, you think too much," Qin Jianyi laughed aloud. "Noble scions are mostly wastrels, and fools are endless; didn't you just see one earlier?"

"We have no designs on you. I just want to pick up the face of the Qin family that has been dropped on the ground. We cannot end up like the Shen family."

The crowd let out another gasp.

"Is Qin Jianyi crazy? Humiliating the Shen family in public?"

"Whether Qin Jianyi is crazy or not is unclear, but the Shen family will surely go mad when they hear this."

"How can anyone dare to mention this in front of the Shen family? The Shen family will likely fight the Qin family to the death, right?"

"This kid is quite the master of inciting hatred. The Shen family might not be able to do much to Qin Jianyi, but won't they hate Tang Fei?"

"This move is truly vicious. Not only is he dealing with Tang Fei himself, but he's also dragging the Shen family into the water."

"Has Shen Xinglan arrived? It's the Princess's coming-of-age ceremony; there's no reason for Shen Xinglan not to return. If Shen Xinglan and Qin Jianyi were to clash, that would be a show worth watching."

—

Tang Fei squinted and smiled; this guy was a mad dog.

His words seemed to have offended the Shen family to the core, but when the Shen family wanted revenge, wouldn't they naturally choose the soft, easy-to-bully, and accessible target that was himself?

If the two great families, the Qin and the Shen, were to engage in a full-scale conflict, the consequences would be too severe and not in their interests.

However, if there were one thing that could make both families vent their anger simultaneously, wouldn't it be the head resting on his own shoulders?

Tang Fei examined the supple branch in his hand and asked, "So, I have no choice but to accept this sword?"

"No choice," Qin Jianyi replied firmly.

"Big Brother..." Little Fatty called out, worried.

He wanted to help his brother test the depth of the opponent, just like before. That way, when his brother made his move, he would be more confident—more confident in either taking down the opponent or escaping.

Tang Fei waved his hand, comforting him, "It's alright."

Seeing Qin Jianyi challenge Tang Fei, the surrounding guests naturally retreated to the sides.

The royal guards responsible for security inside the palace approached, but after someone shook their head at them, they quickly vanished back into the shadows. Apparently, someone was willing to add some "amusement" to this party.

Holding the branch, Qin Jianyi said, "I don't like flashy things; I prefer to win with a single strike. That's why some gave me the nickname 'Qin One-Sword'."

"I also happened to learn a sword technique recently," Tang Fei said.

He had practiced the first sword of the *Nether Scroll* countless times. Today, he would use Qin Jianyi as a sparring partner to test exactly how powerful this strike was.

"That is excellent."

Qin Jianyi's body moved instantly. He moved like an agile ape, then like a hunting leopard, darting left and right before flashing high into the air. With murderous intent, he slashed down toward where Tang Fei stood.

One sword!

A simple, straightforward sword!

The air hissed as Yin and Yang energy surged through the branch. The branch was no longer soft, no longer fragile enough to snap at a touch. It transformed into a great river-like sword, white radiance pouring forth, blinding those surrounding onlookers who did not practice cultivation.

"Sunlight Slash! This is the secret technique of the Qin family... This sword is meant to take a life!"

—

"Qin Jianyi is also known as 'Qin One-Sword' because this strike leaves one with nowhere to hide and nowhere to escape, instilling a sense of hopelessness."

"The longsword is like the great sun; such sword energy is truly not something an ordinary person can withstand."

"To be able to unleash such majestic sword energy with just a twig—Qin Jianyi's cultivation has progressed again. Among the younger generation, who can rival him?"

—

Tang Fei felt immense pressure; his body tensed, and the hairs on his arms stood on end.

He knew he had been locked on—his body, his consciousness.

He could not flee, nor could he evade.

Within this narrow space, no matter which way you turned or where you dodged, even if you merely harbored the intention to escape, Qin Jianyi could perceive it. And then, what awaited you was being cut in two by the longsword in his hand.

Qin One-Sword, a single strike to fell the enemy. To have earned such a reputation, his cultivation was indeed extraordinary.

Tang Fei did not dodge or avoid; he stood perfectly still. As the great sword was about to descend upon his head, he even "fearfully" closed his eyes.

Yes, Tang Fei closed his eyes.

He was now immersed in the darkness, in that practice room without lights, illuminated only by the green night-pearl. Before his eyes appeared a small, green character. That small green character transformed into a small green figure, which then began to dance nimbly before Tang Fei.

Tang Fei moved.

His movements were exactly the same as the small green figure's.

He struck with his sword.

Silent and soundless, just like its name.

Invisible to the eye, silent to the ear—this was the Nether.

Then, everything returned to calm.

Tang Fei opened his eyes. Qin Jianyi had fallen from high above.

Qin Jianyi looked at the branch in his hand, now broken into two pieces, feeling a sense of incredible absurdity.

"Defeated?"

"I was defeated?"

"How could I fail? Defeated by a refugee from the Old Lands?"

—

Qin Jianyi could not believe what had happened to him.

Yet, this was the fact; this was the truth. No one knew better than he did what kind of sensation that was.

When he was leaping in mid-air, about to slash Tang Fei with his overwhelming, fierce sword energy, he suddenly felt his body enveloped by an ethereal chill. It was a strange, awkward feeling that made his whole body feel wretched. It was as if a web of spider silk had wrapped around him, leaving him unable to struggle or escape.

His body's Yin and Yang energy had also been affected, fluctuating between hot and cold, and his movements were not as crisp or swift as before.

Even worse, the opponent's sword energy was so peculiar—silent, with no leakage of power. By the time he sensed it, it had already reached his chest.

He was absolutely certain that if he had insisted on following through with that strike, his own chest would have been cleaved in two by Tang Fei's "Nether" strike.

Therefore, at the critical moment, he used that intended killing blow to block Tang Fei's "Nether" strike.

The branch in Tang Fei's hand was unscathed, while his own was broken in two.

He had lost!

He lost this sword fight, and he lost more than just this fight.

—

The onlookers were stunned, unable to believe what their eyes had just witnessed.

Before the duel, everyone had overwhelmingly believed that Qin Jianyi would win. Because Qin Jianyi's reputation was so illustrious—one of the "Seven Stars of March," having entered the "Tongyou" realm at a young age, and now a core backbone of the military with countless achievements to his name. Everyone could see that the Qin family was grooming Qin Jianyi as their "successor."

Yet, such a favored child of heaven had been defeated by a young refugee from the Old Lands in an "unintentional" challenge... Who could explain this?

"Qin Jianyi lost? It was Qin Jianyi who lost, right?"

"What is going on? Did that kid even strike? I didn't even see him move..."

"He struck. I couldn't feel the sword energy, and I didn't see the technique clearly. This sword strike is a bit strange."

—

Qin Jianyi looked up at Tang Fei, his face defeated, his voice husky as he smiled bitterly, "I lost."

Tang Fei nodded, "I didn't exactly win either."

He knew that Qin Jianyi had the opportunity to force a mutual destruction, but he hadn't done so. He had saved himself, and he had saved Tang Fei.

He had a choice; Tang Fei did not. Therefore, every time was a fight for his life. It had been the same when he fought Shen Qingping, and it was the same now with Qin Jianyi.

Qin Jianyi looked at Tang Fei with profound eyes and asked earnestly, "What is the name of this strike?"

He had never seen such a sword technique before, nor had he ever faced one. He knew that with this strike, Tang Fei was capable of establishing a foothold on New Star.

Assuming.

Assuming those people did not strangle him in the cradle.

"This strike..."

This question was actually difficult for Tang Fei to answer. Because this strike came from the *Nether Scroll*, and it was the first strike within that scroll. Whether the creator was too lazy or lacked the cultural depth, after giving the manual a general title, they hadn't named each individual strike.

So, when Qin Jianyi asked for the name of the strike, he didn't know how to respond.

However, Tang Fei wanted to name it. He wanted to name every one of the nine strikes.

He thought of all the encounters he had faced since arriving on New Star: framed by the Yan family, threatened by the Mandola Chamber of Commerce, plotted against by Shen Qingping, the murderous intent of the mechanical snakes—pushed to the forefront of the storm time and time again.

Yet, had he ever taken a step back?

My fate is determined by me, not by heaven—whether it be the Old Lands or New Star.

"This strike..." Tang Fei looked at Qin Jianyi and said in a deep voice, "is called Unyielding."

"Unyielding."

Qin Jianyi chewed on the name. After a long while, he nodded and said, "This is a good strike, and the name is good too."

He nodded at Tang Fei and said, "You are also very good."

Having said that, he turned and left.