'Impenetrable Turtle Shell'!
Chan Weifeng was encased in a black shell that was almost perfect. Only two scutes were missing on the sides of this ethereal shell made of Qi. Thanks to it, Long Jian's sword had been completely blocked. This shell was very similar to an extension of the Wei Qi of Chan Weifeng. Inside of it, he was assuming a very defensive stance and circulating his Qi according to his 'Black Tortoise Under the Rain'.
His Qi Manifestation was still weak as he only was a late 1st-grade Mortal Warrior. As such, it was completely see-through but it had enough density to make Chan Weifeng impervious to Long Jian's attacks. It didn't stop the swordsman from trying though. However, all his attempts failed. His sword was not making a single dent into this turtle shell, only some sparks on the surface.
"Brother Long, I warned you. From what I've seen in your last fight, there is no way you can penetrate my shell now. I finally formed its eleventh scute a few weeks ago. Even though it's not perfect yet, it's enough to make you powerless."
Long Jian was panting from all his failed attacks. "I have to admit that your shell is indeed extraordinary. No wonder you told me that I couldn't win. However, you've never seen me use all eight of my moons either. You're not the only one confident in his martial art. I'll show you that my Long family's art can even defy the great Wubei Sect's ancestral art!"
-
On the chief elders' platform, Chief Elder Baishen was completely absorbed by the fight and nothing could distract her. Long Jian had surpassed his father when he was his age. He had formed eight of the twelve moons from 'The Dragon Howling at the Moons'. And Chan Weifeng had formed eleven out of the thirteen scutes necessary to reach Perfection in 'Black Tortoise Under the Rain'. They were both renowned martial arts, respectively invented by the Long family's progenitor and the Wubei Sect's founder, Ancestor Wu.
The other chief elders were also extremely curious about the result. Chan Weifeng's martial art was more advanced than Long Jian's but their respective strength were very similar. And the martial arts themselves were rather similar. Both of them put a lot of emphasis on the Water element. Even though 'Black Tortoise Under the Rain' was the martial art left behind by their ancestor, the chief elders wouldn't dare claim that it was superior to 'The Dragon Howling at the Moons'. The Long family was known to be a family of great soldiers. Their art had been refined on actual battlefields. Ancestor Wu had mostly formed his through duels against other cultivators and martial artists.
Both arts were considered 5-star Heaven martial arts. But they could also be pushed to the Spirit rank. The ranks of martial arts were very lacking to correctly judge them in fact. These ranks were based on the average practitioner, but many great experts had been able to use a low-ranked martial art and make it exceptional. However, if an average cultivator practiced a high-ranked martial art, he would get more powerful faster with less effort. On the other hand, true martial artists didn't really care about the level of their martial art in theory, but they cared about the heights they could take it to.
And these two young men had reached incredible heights for their age. Long Jian had attained True Success and Chan Weifeng was close to Perfection. Perfection was often considered as the last stage of mastery. After this stage, he would have absolutely understood this martial art, but it didn't mean that he was done. He could then try to enhance it with his own technique and understanding in order push it even further. There was a chance that Chan Weifeng would create variants to the Wubei Sect's ancestral art. Even the chief elders who had never practiced this technique were excited to see this one day. The glory and name of their sect would soar even further.
-
On the platform, Long Jian had finally stopped to attempt to crack the shell. He had tried to attack the two parts of the shell without scutes. But Chan Weifeng had simply turned his body and the shell had turned with him. No matter how fast Long Jian was, Chan Weifeng had just to move a little bit to align his shell with the attacks.
Long Jian went to the other side of the platform and looked up. His eight moons were still hidden by Chan Wiefeng's oil-paper umbrella. He couldn't use their power to increase his attack. Then, he activated 'The Moon in the Eye' once more.
"Brother Long, your mind attack won't work against me as long as my shadow covers the..." Chan Weifeng didn't finish his sentence because he understood his rival's goal. He wasn't trying to paralyze him. He was trying to dissolve his 'The Shell Encompasses the World'. His eyes became as two silver moons. The light amplified again and again. The blood vessels around his eyes bulged and the silver light in his pupil became painful to watch. Even Chan Weifeng had to look away.
Chan Weifeng was hesitant to take advantage of the fact that Long Jian was focused on something else to attack him. This could also be a faint. If he let go of his defense to use this opportunity, Long Jian may be able to counter attack. He was really too fast. In his hesitation, Chan Weifeng was distracted by this painful light.
Long Jian started to roar like a beast. 'Wolf and Dragon's Howl'. Behind him, the vague image of a legendary beast appeared, howling at the sky. This was Ya Zi, the Wolf Dragon. Even though it was very vague, its distinct characteristics were visible. Its body was similar to that of a wolf but it had scales and a form that was more reptilian. There were also patches of silver fur here and there. The beast seemed particularly fierce and its roar joined Long Jian's.
Through the shadow of the umbrella, a silver hue started to grow. Chan Weifeng tried to focus his mind on the technique. It became a battle of will more so than a pure martial art fight. As such, it interested Xiao Xuefeng more than Chief Elder Baishen. The old woman was still immersed in the fight of course. But a battle of wills was more interesting for an alchemist. Some occupations, like alchemists, put a lot of emphasis on mind cultivation.
However, it didn't mean that all the other cultivators didn't care. Martial artists usually developed their will first. Their intent was also an important part of their practice. But it was usually trained through indirect means. By training their martial arts, they were inevitably developing some parts of their mind as well.
The roar from the vague silhouette of Ya Zi was assaulting Chan Weifeng's senses. The shell around him protected him from surges of Qi sent through the air but not from the sound itself. In this roar, there was a strong aura. Chan Weifeng was too much defensive and faced with this frontal assault against his will, it slowly cracked.
Long Jian knew that he wouldn't be able to crush Chan Weifeng's will, but he only needed just one instant. When he sensed the time was right, he focused all his will on the eight moons. The shadow of the umbrella was completely eroded and the oil-paper umbrella fell to the ground.
Now that the moons were freed, they descended from the sky and went behind Long Jian's back. They formed a circle slowly rotating. In the center of this circle, the vague silhouette of Ya Zi could be seen. Long Jian was not powerful enough yet to fully materialize the legendary beast. Seeing that Chan Weifeng was a bit disoriented, it was the perfect moment for his last counter-attack.
Long Jian raised his sword in the sky. The eight moons shone on the blade that became pure silver. Slowly, the blade got longer and longer, as a pillar of light rising in the heavens. The moons began to rotate around it. All of a sudden, Long Jian slashed down. 'The Dragon Bears its Fangs to the Wolf'.
The movement of the sword was akin to the moons crashing down to the earth. Chan Weifeng was now entirely focused on defense. He quickly called back the umbrella that was on the ground and opened it above his head. His posture was deeply rooted in the ground and the shell itself became even more radiant. On one of the scute, a shining character appeared, 'Fortress'.
The first moon fell down and collided with the shell. The moon literally exploded into a stream of silver light and pushed down on the shell. Chan Weifeng's defense did not bulge at all.
One by one, all the moons fell but the shell stood firm. Chan Weifeng himself did not move at all. His posture was perfect. However, the shell was now covered by a thin layer of silver light. Finally, Long Jian's sword, 'Dragon Wolf Fang', came down hard on the shell. For the first time since it had appeared, a small crack appeared on the surface of the shell.
From all directions, the silver light began to condense back into the sword. Chan Weifeng circulated his Qi as much as he could to enhance his defense. But Long Jian was doing the same thing to enhance his attack. Their martial arts were very similar but also completely opposed. 'The Dragon Howling at the Moons' emphasized fierce and rapid attacks while 'Black Tortoise Under the Rain' was focused on immovable defenses.
The cracks spread throughout the shell and 'Dragon Wolf Fang' slowly pierced through it. The blade was moving incredibly slowly. However, it was moving. Both men were pushing themselves to their limits. Their muscles were literally pulsing under their uniforms. Both their Qi and their physical strength were used to fight against each other.
Chan Weifeng felt as though his shell was going to shatter. The cracks were now everywhere and some particles of silver light were creeping through the small cracks. Taking a big inspiration, he tried one move. This was an attack but he could also use it as a defense.
The oil-paper umbrella in his hands began to rotate. The black paper forming the umbrella looked like it was made from the shell of a turtle. A small manifestation of Qi had changed its aspect but also its resistance. Chan Weifeng sent it toward the sword of Long Jian with a slight angle.
All of a sudden, the shell around Chan Weifeng disappeared. The silver light all around came crashing down. But as 'Dragon Wolf Fang' was now going straight for Long Jian's opponent, the umbrella collided with it. It was able to change its course. The blade fell just beside Chan Weifeng. However, the silver light was not blocked at all and Chan Weifeng's body had to suffer its complete attack.
Amidst this light show, Chan Weifeng stayed in a solid position. All his will was circulating in his flesh and he stood his ground against this avalanche of attacks. His body was covered in bruises and his uniform torn here and there, but he was still in his defensive position. The umbrella brutally came down after colliding with the sword of light from Long Jian.
The shell was back to where it was in the first phase of the fight, under Chan Weifeng's feet. This time, it was covered in cracks everywhere, ready to collapse. But it had not collapsed yet. Grabbing the falling umbrella, Chan Weifeng used Long Jian's fatigue to attack.
'The Snake Leaves the Shell'. He closed the umbrella and stabbed with its handle. The umbrella became just like a small staff piercing toward Long Jian. The two men were pretty far from each other. But Long Jian was wary of his opponent and quickly retracted his sword of light. He had not enough Qi to maintain it anyway.
From the ground, the shell exploded into countless shards and a long slithering form pounced from it toward Long Jian. It was a small and black snake. The beast was very ethereal as Chan Weifeng was also running out of Qi. But against a Long Jian too tired after his last attack, it was dangerous.
'Baring its Fangs to the Moon'. Long Jian tried to use his sword as a defense against the straight trajectory. At the moment where the snake was going to hit the sword, Chan Weifeng titled his wrist and his target shifted. The small snake's trajectory changed. It avoided the sword and went with an angle toward Long Jian's side.
The swordsman was unable to react in time. As the small snake collided with his body, Long Jian felt his ribs ready to rupture. They resisted but the young man let out a grunt of pain. He lost his footing and was sent flying away. Long Jian fell on the platform and his momentum sent his rolling away. At the last moment, he was able to stop his own movement before falling from the platform.
Standing up, he sized up his opponent. After an instant of hesitation, Long Jian cupped his fists.
"Brother Chen. I admit that your defense is more powerful than my attack. This is my loss today..."
Gradually, the rain disappeared and several fragments of Qi Manifestation from both men faded away. All the onlookers were speechless. Even for those who had seen both men fight before, this duel was incredible. Their martial arts had almost reached Perfection for the two of them. This almost looked like the fight from two late Mortal Warriors. The only real differences were their stamina and the materiality of their Qi Manifestation. As cultivators progressed through the Mortal Warrior realm, their Qi Manifestation would become larger and more real. They would also gain more and more stamina of course.
Chief Elder Baishen's words woke everyone up.
"Chan Weifeng is victorious! He stays the number one of our Wubei Sect!" Technically, he was only number one in the outer Wubei Sect, but she didn't want to reduce his achievement. Even in the inner sect, he would probably be number one among those of the same generation. Even Chief Elder Baishen couldn't think of someone with the same cultivation who could beat him.
The crowd burst into cheers for both fighters. Even though Long Jian had lost, this fight had been absolutely insane. They had witnessed the birth of two new heroes. Surely, they would both join the Sunmen Province's army and become great heroes of mankind against the demons.