Chapter 192: Graceful Fingers Defeat the Enemy; A Contest to Test Strengths

One who rides a white horse is not necessarily a prince; one with wings is not necessarily an angel. What we accept as truth is not always true. So many “not necessarilys” make us feel unreal.
A gust of wind disrupted her long hair, and the star-like glow accentuated her beauty. Everything around was changing, as if it were a dream—but it was real, for everyone was fully awake.
Qiyue asked Afey beside her, “What is this?”
Afey scratched his head and replied vaguely, “I’m not sure either. It might be a combination of Dao and magic, or perhaps the power of a divine beast transferred to a human. Hehe, I’ve never seen it before. But no magic can turn a man into a woman, so this guy must be disguising himself as a woman.”
Qiyue nodded and glanced toward the arena, worried about Liu Yi. The woman seemed very powerful.
Liu Yi didn’t show any change, but in that dark world, he clearly saw the yellow dot turn into a red one. Though surprised, he remained calm and said, “It’s a girl? Then why participate in this marriage selection?”
Yu Chenxing looked at Liu Yi in surprise and asked, “Can you see it?”
Liu Yi shook his head and replied, “I can’t see it, but I don’t need eyes.”
Yu Chenxing suddenly sneered coldly, “I don’t care if you can see it. Even if you don’t participate in this marriage selection today, I’ll still tear you apart.” Her words were vicious and harsh, in stark contrast to her beauty.
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Do you think you have the ability?”
Yu Chenxing replied coldly, “Whether I have the ability or not, you’ll find out if you try.”
Liu Yi didn’t say much, only replying, “Please.” That single word said it all.
Yu Chenxing stared at Liu Yi standing before her. Without saying a word, she moved her hands—her arms flipped, and two three-foot-long swords appeared in her hands. These were the swords she had always used. But now, not only were they longer, but their blades also had no defined shape, as if they were made of light—a black light sword and a white light sword. These intangible swords gave off a ethereal feeling, and those with experience could immediately tell they were ancient divine swords.
Liu Yi remained motionless, observing the red dot in that dark world and carefully listening for any sounds. He couldn’t be careless—one mistake could mean defeat. So he was more vigilant than usual. The wind still blew gently over their bodies, but it brought Liu Yi news: the opponent had moved…
With a “clang,” it was just a sensation, followed by the sound of weapons clashing. The speed was incredible, and Yu Chenxing’s strength seemed to surge dramatically. In just one exchange, Liu Yi was forced to retreat rapidly under the immense force, while Yu Chenxing continued her attacks, moving as if flickering in the air. The speed of her two light swords was unimaginable, and their power grew stronger, far surpassing what it was at the beginning. It was clear that Yu Chenxing now possessed the power of a dragon beast, as if she had become a different person.

Although Liu Yi was retreating quickly, he did not fight back; he merely defended himself. The reason was simple—this Netherworld was far too mysterious to him. The way people practiced here was completely different from that in the human world, so he needed time to get used to it. Yet gradually, Liu Yi noticed that his opponent’s speed was increasing, his strength growing, and each strike became more vicious.

With the rapid clashing of weapons, everyone could only vaguely see the two figures on the arena: a blue-clad woman with wings and a black-clad man with white hair. Their distorted shadows indicated that they were fighting, while the ringing sound showed just how fast they were moving.

After several quick attacks, Yu Chenxing seemed to realize how effective this against the blind man was. She was not only amazed by his cultivation level but also, with the final clash of swords, used the momentum to fly backward swiftly. Once at a safe distance, she suddenly swung her right hand, and the black light sword shot toward Liu Yi in a swirling motion. At that moment, Yu Chenxing’s second move began.

Her right hand seemed to be gathering something, but it was definitely not true energy—it was fire, red flames that emitted intense heat, filling the surrounding space. This not only made the people below the arena feel uncomfortable but also quickly made them realize that this was not Yu Chenxing’s cultivation power. The fire must be the “heart fire” of a dragon beast. It was only because Yu Chenxing now possessed the abilities and strength of a dragon beast that she could use this move.

As the flames coalesced, Yu Chenxing extended her right hand. The gathered flames had taken on a new form—twisting like a glowing fire serpent—as the swirling light sword also shot toward Liu Yi.

It was just an instant, but for a master like him, it was enough. A razor-sharp, ultra-fast light sword and a red, scorching fire serpent—these two moves made the people below the arena worry greatly for Liu Yi. If he couldn’t block them, he might be sliced in half or dried up by the fire serpent.

It happened in an instant. By the time their eyes turned back to the black-clad man, the sharp light sword had already swirled toward him. Liu Yi tied the black sword scabbard to his waist with his left hand, gripped the hilt firmly with both hands, and held the sword blade at an angle to the ground. The moment the black light sword made contact, he swung the long sword from bottom to top in a perfect reversal. With a loud “clang,” the black light sword flew away swiftly. As Liu Yi turned around, the long sword swung down again from top to bottom. With another “clang,” the sword returned to its scabbard. Along with the sword’s movement, a blue light emerged…

The blue light was slender and twisting, clear and transparent, like a glowing dragon charging straight at the fiery serpent. With that silent collision, the red flames seemed to meet water in an instant. As the blue dragon pierced through quickly, the fiery serpent disappeared without a trace. The blue dragon shadow did not stop but continued toward Yu Chenxing, showing just how extraordinary the power of this strike was.

Yu Chenxing seemed to be prepared in advance. The moment the light dragon made contact, his four black wings flipped around to tightly enclose his body, leaving no gaps. The blue dragon shadow seemed to hit a wall the instant it touched those black wings, but silently. Yu Chenxing’s body only swayed slightly before returning to stillness—clearly, that strike posed no threat to him at all.

At that moment, Liu Yi also did not stop. It seemed he had already anticipated that strike wouldn’t cause any serious harm to Yu Chenxing. So, he continued his attack without pause. The instant the dragon shadow disappeared, Liu Yi spun lightly, twisting his right wrist 180 degrees. With that twist, a series of afterimages appeared, as if three palms were rotating simultaneously. The moment the rotation was complete, Liu Yi quickly extended the three fingers of his right hand.

Three palms, nine fingers—using the “Jade Flower Fingers” technique taught by the Wolf King ten years ago. Having always focused on sword training, Liu Yi suddenly realized in that instant that a sword was not the only option. His true energy was powerful enough, and any ordinary martial art used by him would surely yield remarkable results. Moreover, the “Jade Flower Fingers” were learned from the Wolf King, featuring strong finger strength and concentrated force. With his ultimate true energy driving it, breaking through such defense shouldn’t be a problem. Most importantly, finger strength was more concentrated than sword energy yet required less effort.

Even at its highest level, the “Jade Flower Fingers” could only emit three streams of finger force at once. But now, driven by his powerful true energy, Liu Yi’s speed determined everything. Nine streams of blue finger energy seemed to be emitted simultaneously, their speed truly astonishing.

The blue light seemed to pierce through everything, carrying the scent of various flowers and filling the entire arena. As the fragrance spread, the people in the arena began to feel dizzy. They couldn’t tell whether this was a life-or-death struggle or just a performance.

As Liu Yi had predicted, the concentrated nine streams of finger force greatly weakened the defense of those four wings. The force kept hitting the same spot, causing Yu Chenxing to drift backward due to the overwhelming pressure. Thanks to the concentrated force, gaps gradually appeared in those four wings.

Liu Yi carefully observed the cracks in the wings in the wind. With each strike of his finger force, he seized this opportunity—the chance to defeat Yu Chenxing. Holding the black hilt of his sword in his left hand and locking eyes on that spot, he lightly stepped forward. With several afterimages appearing, Liu Yi arrived in front of Yu Chenxing. At the moment of Yu Chenxing’s surprise, Liu Yi leaped up, stretched out his right hand, and grabbed Yu Chenxing’s neck. The moment he landed, the outcome of the battle was immediately decided.

Yu Chenxing’s throat was already grasped by Liu Yi’s right hand, which, clad in a black glove, lifted him high. Liu Yi knew this was a weak point in humans—by using strong force to disrupt throat function, even if Yu Chenxing had great strength, he would be unable to use it. All he could do was struggle. This must be some experience gained from their long battle.

At this moment, the two elders and eight youths below the arena also became active. Seeing their master restrained, they glared angrily, ready to step forward at any moment. But since Yu Chenxing was in Liu Yi’s hands and in mortal danger, they feared angering this blind man and having their master’s neck crushed.

Liu Yi didn’t look up at Yu Chenxing, as he was blind. He simply asked softly, “Have you given up?”

Yu Chenxing had difficulty speaking and struggled, saying, “I refuse.”

Liu Yi shook his head and continued, “I heard that those who are defeated by a girl or fall into her hands must leave something behind. So, I’ll follow her example. Tell me, what do you want to leave? Your eyes, your nose, or something else?” His tone was calm, but anyone could understand his meaning. Many sighed—such a beautiful woman losing an eye or a nose would be a great loss.

July also shouted from below the arena, “Since she keeps calling scholars blind, then gouge out her eyes!”

Hearing July’s words, Yu Chenxing seemed genuinely frightened. She asked hesitantly, “What… do you want to do?”

Liu Yi tilted his head slightly, as if searching for something. When the wind made a sound against the blade of a sword, Liu Yi raised his left hand, and with tremendous force, he drew the black light sword embedded in the ground into his hand. Twirling the sword casually, he said, “You must have used these two swords to hurt many people. Otherwise, the blades wouldn’t carry such a strong killing aura.”

Yu Chenxing spoke with difficulty but in a cold tone, “So what? I… believe the people I hurt… deserve it… I… just gave them… a small punishment.”

Liu Yi shook his head and continued, “No matter how great a person’s faults may be, no one else needs to judge them. Now, I give you two choices. First, pick up this sword and leave this arena, vowing from today onward to never harm others recklessly. Second, die at my hands.”

Yu Chenxing merely laughed coldly, “Kill me then.” Her tone was resolute, as if life and death meant nothing to her.

After hearing this, Liu Yi paused briefly, then sighed. His right-hand black light sword spun rapidly, and with a “clang,” it was precisely inserted into Yu Chenxing’s blue armor.

Then, Liu Yi relaxed his right hand slightly, and Yu Chenxing’s body plummeted toward the arena. With a burst of blue light, her body returned to its original state—only now, the handsome boy in blue had turned into a beautiful girl in blue. The “Four-Winged Dragon Beast” beside her also seemed afraid of Liu Yi, stepping back two steps and hiding behind Yu Chenxing.

Yu Chenxing stood up, her disheveled hair fluttering in the wind. Her face was pale, her eyes filled with anger as she stared at the blind man before her, unable to say anything. If possible, she even wanted to kill Liu Yi with her gaze—she had never endured such humiliation before.

Liu Yi remained calm and said, “You may go now.”

Yu Chenxing said coldly, “I refuse to accept this. We can still compete in a literary contest.” Hearing her words, Liu Yi suddenly remembered that this competition first involved martial arts and then a literary contest. Earlier, those people had either died or been injured, so no literary contest was held, and they left the arena immediately. Now, it seemed Yu Chenxing truly wanted to compete with him in a literary contest. Liu Yi shook his head and replied, “Even if you win, what does it matter? I won in martial arts. You’re a woman—nothing will change.” Yu Chenxing wouldn’t listen. She simply turned around and said, “I want to compete with this blind man in drawing. The Ye Luo family hasn’t said women can’t participate. Now I want to hold a second contest, in front of everyone. I just want to ask if the Ye Luo family keeps its word.” With those words, she left no choice for the Ye Luo family, showing how sharp-witted she was. Ye Luojianmu felt troubled. It wasn’t that a second contest couldn’t be held, nor that women couldn’t participate, but… if it was drawing, he doubted the blind man could do it. No matter how good his drawings used to be, he was now blind—how could he draw? He turned to look at Ye Luobaihua. Ye Luobaihua glanced at the calm Liu Yi and nodded in agreement with Ye Luojianmu, who also nodded and said, “Brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.” As soon as he spoke, four people came forward, each carrying the necessary items. Once everything was ready on the arena, the crowd below became lively. Some people shook their heads, thinking it was pointless to ask a blind man to draw, as difficult as asking a pig to climb a tree. Following the noise, Liu Yi walked over to his table. The two tables were less than ten feet apart. Liu Yi smiled helplessly and said, “Are you deliberately making things difficult for me?” Yu Chenxing seemed relieved now. She wanted to see how this blind man would embarrass himself. She replied, “So what if I am? I really want to see what kind of thing a blind man can draw.” Liu Yi said nothing. Listening to Yu Chenxing’s words, he reflected on his fate. He could no longer go back in time. The scholar he used to be was gone. Having not held a pen in ten years, what could he draw now? As he wandered in thought, a figure appeared in his mind, along with that voice: “Faced with the helplessness of the world, I still have three thousand worries. In this war that desecrates true love, you are my longing. I am willing to sacrifice everything for this life, to perish for it. I am willing to break free from my shell and fly with you. But—faced with the world, even gods fall, and I am helpless too.” It was the voice of a celestial maiden. Her face was so clear, the marks of a thousand years seeming even more distinct at this moment. The sufferings of three lifetimes seemed to end in this instant. Looking at her, there was only joy, only happiness. She was so real, yet so elusive…

It was unclear whether his heart or his hands were trembling as black ink slowly appeared on the silk, stroke by stroke, line by line. Without color, his painting was in black and white—clear yet blurred. Everything seemed so real. Perhaps he was painting those distant memories, or perhaps those eternal vows. All of it came to life through that pen, all expressed on that black-and-white canvas.

He could not see; the world was dark. But he still had a heart, filled with longing and faith. In this darkness, there would be that figure, that smiling face, and her voice.

Gently setting down his pen, Liu Yi felt pain once again—the pain of longing, the pain of separation, the pain of love. Yet no one could see his pain, and no one was left to tell his story.

At that moment, Yu Chenxing also put down her pen—but she put down the seventh one, for her painting was colorful, full of sunshine, vibrant and beautiful. Yu Chenxing glanced at Liu Yi’s painting, finding it so unclear, so blurred, and she couldn’t help but laugh coldly. But after laughing, that blurred painting seemed to be etched in her heart, as if telling of someone’s sorrow. For a moment, she didn’t understand why she suddenly felt so melancholic.

Then, a white figure descended from behind the arena, as if a fairy from the heavens had fallen to the mortal world. It was Ye Luo Baihua. He, along with the four judges, was there to determine who would win, so he flew down with light steps, graceful and unconventional, joining the four elders of the Ye Luo family in front of Yu Chenxing’s painting.