As Yu Cheng felt the fist coming at his head he crouched down and dodged the attack. Then he tumbled back and felt a cold chill creeping through his back once more. This time, however, he failed to avoid the strike and a fist landed on his right shoulder. He grunted, rolling on the ground.
Li Yan grinned, looking down on him with a proud look on his face. "Not bad," he said. "You dodged my first attack."
Yu Cheng eyed Li Yan and gritted his teeth, feeling humiliated. He stumbled on his feet, still grabbing his shoulder with his left hand.
"Oh, you still want to continue?" asked Li Yan as Yu Cheng was a stubborn child who didn't want to listen to his parents. "Why don't you just give up, Yu Cheng? It would be less painful and less humiliating."
"Dream on!" growled Yu Cheng. Though he knew that he had no chance of winning against Li Yan—first exchange had taught him that much—but he was a man, he didn't want to go down without a fight. No, he would not admit defeat until he was standing on his feet.
"Hey, you need help?" asked a voice from not far away. The duo turned around and found a beautiful silhouette walking towards them.
"Yan Zhilan?" Li Yan muttered as he narrowed his eyes. Then he smiled confidently. "You also want number one position?"
"Why not?" said a beautiful girl with long hair, round face, dark eyes, and white dress. "Everyone has a right to compete." Then she ignored Li Yan and turned towards Yu Cheng. "Let's kick him out first. Then we can decide who will hold number one position. Deal?"
Yu Cheng looked at Li Yan and then at Yan Zhilan, nodding. "Deal."
Li Yan watched them amusedly, as if there was some kind of circus was going on. He clapped when they decided. "Alright," he said. "Come at me together—fighting a single person was too easy anyway."
"You won't be able to maintain that smirk for too long," said Yan Zhilan coldly.
Li Yan, however, no longer argued with them. He extended his hand and gestured for them to attack him. Yu Cheng shouted and punched. Yan Zhilan followed closely from behind him. Her Martial Spirit was a plant with long vines.
Li Yan eyed Yu Cheng's coming fist towards him and dodged the attack with ease. His speed was his greatest advantage. No matter how strong the duo was, it wouldn't help them if they could not land their attacks on him. Li Yan was basically toying with them.
"Damn it!" Yu Cheng cursed. Yan Zhilan was also becoming frustrated as the fight progressed.
After a long time, there was no result. Li Yan was dancing between Yu Cheng and Yan Zhilan, smiling. "I think it's enough fun for today," said Li Yan. "Let's end this."
Then he vanished. The face of Yu Cheng and Yan Zhilan changed and before they could do anything, two thumps sounded, and their expressions froze on their faces before they collapsed.
Li Yan stretched before turning towards the east—a figure was walking towards him with relaxed look on his face. Li Yan frowned and narrowed his eyes. "Qin Meng?" he muttered.
"Yo," said Qin Meng. "I want to be number one, it's better for you to admit defeat."
Li Yan chuckled when he heard such boasting coming from the man who was a trash not too long ago. "What if I don't?" he said with an amused look.
Qin Meng grinned and said, "Then it's going to hurt you, though I can't guarantee where."
"Aren't you too arrogant, boy?"
"Yes, I am," nodded Qin Meng as if he was stating a matter of fact. "Come bite me, if you can."
Li Yan's eyes turned cold and he sprinted towards Qin Meng. Qin Meng didn't move from his position. Li Yan arrived in front of in the blink of an eye, and attacked Qin Meng. However, when Li Yan's fist was about to punch through his guts, Qin Meng side stepped and avoided the attack.
Li Yan's eyes widened in shock, but then he shook his head, thinking it a fluke. He again attacked, arriving behind Qin Meng, but similar to the last time, when his attack was about to land on his back, Qin Meng side-stepped, avoiding his attack by an inch.
This time, Li Yan, no longer thought it a co-incident. His face turned grave as he regarded Qin Meng in new light once more. "Never thought you were hiding so much."
Qin Meng smiled at his comment. "The less you show off the longer you will live," he said. "That's what I have learned from the life."
Though he lived this long not because he hid his strength, but because he had no strength to show off. Qin Meng had already realized that, if he was talented from young, he might not have lived to this day.
"Well, said," nodded Li Yan and then smiled. "But now you have shown what you are capable of, do you think you could live long enough?"
'He knows something.' Qin Meng narrowed his eyes at him and then chuckled as if he didn't hear the threat hidden in Li Yan's voice. "Actually, I'm bored of my life. I just want some entertainment. Wonder if someone is capable enough to do that."
Li Yan laughed in anger, hearing his arrogant words. Then he turned around and started to leave.
"Hey, where do you think you are going?" asked Qin Meng, looking at Li Yan amusedly.
Li Yan turned and sneered. "I admit that I'm incapable of hurting you, but can you catch me?"
"Oh, can't I?" Qin Meng blinked and then vanished. When he appeared he was standing in front of Li Yan, he didn't even release his Martial Spirit yet. How could he show such strength? Li Yan's mind and body both froze on the spot. "You—you—" Because he realized the truth—the truth of disparity in their strengths.