131. Feigning Weakness

The lightning-fast clash between the two men had actually ended in a superficial tie, leaving the surrounding onlookers thoroughly astonished. Hearing Ma Lianliang mention how Qi Fei had once swept across several Xiantian masters single-handedly years ago, and seeing him re-emerge today, Ma had claimed during their initial exchange that Qi Fei had made no progress whatsoever. Yet, the surging and unbridled true energy of that second strike was clearly perceptible even to those standing several zhang away. It wasn't just Ma Lianliang whose spirits lifted upon seeing Qi Fei in such a state; the mental states of the spectators watching the battle also shifted to varying degrees. Just moments earlier, they had all believed that as long as Qi Fei unleashed an attack with the same formidable power as his broken-blade technique, while it might not immediately defeat Ma Lianliang, securing victory in a prolonged battle would be effortless. Yet, during this latest exchange, Qi Fei's offensive not only dropped by several tiers, but he was also clearly placed at a disadvantage.

Such a bizarre turn of events inevitably gave rise to doubt: Could it be that the young man's powerful technique was limited to just that single move, and he had now exhausted his talents? If so, then precisely as Ma Lianliang had asserted, not only would he fail to defeat Ma within ten moves, but Ma would likely turn the tables and finish him off.

Realizing this, the crowd could not help but sigh inwardly: After all, he was merely a first-stage Xiantian martial artist. Even if he could temporarily gain the upper hand through some peculiar methods, true strength ultimately fell short. While the onlookers pondered thus, the group of Xiantian masters behind Ma Lianliang simultaneously breathed sighs of relief. They were in an extremely awkward position; stepping in now would be inappropriate, yet remaining completely idle was equally awkward.

After all, this was a public duel in broad daylight. If they were to assist Ma Lianliang, they would inevitably earn the reputation of ganging up on an opponent and bullying the weak, inviting criticism and scorn that none of them wished to shoulder. Besides, Ma Lianliang might not have the pride to stomach such assistance.

Conversely, if they maintained a carefree attitude, given how Ma Lianliang had been thrown into a fluster by a single move earlier, any mishap befalling this high-ranking member of the Ma family would bring consequences. Setting aside whether the Ma family would hold them accountable later, losing face to a youth in his twenties right now would sound dreadful if word got out. If people outside Cloud Mountain City were to learn of it, it would damage the prestige of the city lord of Cloud Mountain City.

After all, they had come to offer birthday congratulations to Ma Lianliang, and if they ended up merely acting as cleaners for him... It was abundantly clear that just a moment ago, they had all felt rather trapped in a dilemma. But when Ma Lianliang displayed his might once more and forced Qi Fei back, concluding that the young man had exhausted all his tricks, this group of dozens of Xiantian masters could not help but let out a long breath of relief. Some even wiped the cold sweat beading on their foreheads and roared out, "What an ignorant and audacious brat! A fledgling kid dares to challenge City Lord Ma? Get lost!"

Naturally, such remarks quickly found echoes among those who relied on the Ma family for survival or enjoyed favorable relations with Ma Lianliang.

"A first-stage Xiantian brat, while I acknowledge your talent, since you dare to come here and run amok, prepare yourself to die without a burial place!"

The quiet atmosphere from a moment ago vanished, replaced instantly by a rising tide of discussions. It was evident that Qi Fei's earlier feat of throwing Ma Lianliang into disarray had thoroughly infuriated the congratulatory guests.

Squire Ma seized the opportune moment to kick a man while he was down, sneering, "Hmph! Even if City Lord Ma lets you off later, I'll still skin you alive!"

"In short, prepare yourself to lose your life here!"

Had Qi Fei maintained that overwhelming momentum from earlier, these people might not have had the opportunity to voice such threats. But since Qi Fei had made their hearts skip a beat only to reveal a disadvantage now, they naturally vented all the anxiety they had previously suppressed. Witnessing that Qi Fei's methods were nothing special after all, some even grew eager to step forward and dispose of the young man on behalf of the host family, few remembering that just a short while ago, Qi Fei had subdued an equal peer with a single strike.

Although this behavior lacked Ma Lianliang's consent, it was obvious that Qi Fei remained at a disadvantage after this exchange of blows, and these Xiantian masters immediately harbored the desire to beat a drowning dog. Yet, Qi Fei cared not the slightest about this. Even when the insults reached their peak, he merely stood quietly without uttering a single word in rebuttal.

Qi Fei was long accustomed to such scenes. Back at Danxia Mountain, he had endured bullying from that senior apprentice brother in precisely this manner, and what had been the outcome? That senior apprentice brother had been slain by his blade. Qi Fei now understood that talking and explaining things to such people was entirely unnecessary. More often than not, practical actions proved far more persuasive than empty words. Besides, up to this point, he had only unleashed a single strike of his Myriad Blades Return to Origin technique.

For Qi Fei, there was truly no need to waste energy or peace of mind on the idle gossip of strangers. Much like his childhood in Cloud Mountain City, even when subjected to countless taunts and slights, he rarely used words to retort. To be slighted or looked down upon by others and immediately use concrete actions to shut everyone's mouths at once, proving all their perceptions entirely wrong—that was the proper course of action.

Qi Fei curled his lip indifferently, narrowing his eyes as he said with a stern air, "You had better brace yourself for the second strike!" The moment his words fell, he launched himself forward to attack Ma Lianliang just as before.

Yet it was evident that Ma Lianliang held Qi Fei's assault in low regard. Seeing that Qi Fei still refrained from using the blade-drawing technique for this second strike, Ma Lianliang swept his spear outward and laughed heartily, "Brat, are you challenging me? Do you hope to lower my guard with this feeble level of attack, and then, once I completely despise you, unleash that somewhat lethal trick of yours?"

As Ma Lianliang's voice trailed off, not only did a look of genuine disdain cross his face, but the people behind him also burst into raucous laughter. "How utterly naive! City Lord Ma is a veteran martial artist tempered through countless battles; how could he commit such a foolish mistake in combat? Boy, are you treating us all like fools, or is something wrong with your brain?"

"Squire Ma speaks wisely! As Xiantian masters, how could we possibly not know to bring our full strength to a fight?"

"Is this foolish kid trying to make an example of himself, using such tactics to teach us what it means to exhaust one's tricks?" Just as before, all sorts of contemptuous remarks poured from the crowd behind Ma Lianliang.

Especially when they saw the two figures exchange a third blow—where Ma Lianliang merely retreated four tiny steps while Qi Fei stumbled backward by the distance of a zhang—their suspicions were thoroughly confirmed. Roars of laughter, contempt, and all manner of foul language spewed from their mouths. Clearly, this third move had also passed, and Qi Fei remained at a disadvantage in the overall situation.

If anyone had still harbored a sliver of hope during the first strike that Qi Fei might suddenly burst forth with hidden power, then after this second strike failed to turn the tide, virtually everyone had given up on him. Perhaps the truth was exactly as Ma Lianliang claimed: the youth was merely acting clever by feigning weakness, only to have his methods instantly seen through by everyone.

Everyone in the audience eagerly anticipated what other tricks this young fellow might still have up his sleeve.