The Opponent

Uncle Gan looked at the gaunt young man in surprise. He had noticed him earlier; among the disciples of Anyao Arena, this man had seemed utterly out of place. Not only was he physically frail, but his mind seemed impaired as well, yet the disciples around him appeared to take great care of him. He had made several guesses regarding his identity, but he had never expected this to be Hiroshi Nokane himself. Yet he immediately thought of something else, and a sudden chill gripped his heart. Casting Hiroshi Nokane a wary glance, he said, "In that case, Mr. Nokane, and everyone from Anyao Arena, please follow me up the mountain. Talu is waiting for you all there." Shiyuan Ba bowed and said, "Then we trouble you to lead the way." Uncle Gan bowed slightly once more, then led the group up the mountain trail. The disciples of Anyao Arena did not utter a single word the entire way. The few Danliu School disciples following Uncle Gan had rarely interacted with outside fighters; feeling this tense, somber atmosphere, their palms holding the long staves grew slick with sweat. When the group arrived at the platform halfway up the mountain, Talu was already waiting before the largest stone building. She wore Danliu School's traditional black-and-white martial attire, with two crimson feathers tucked into the hair at her temples according to the custom for receiving guests. She was tall, with bronzed skin, dark eyebrows, and remarkably luminous eyes, leaving a striking impression. Most of all, her state of mind stood out—facing the dozen or more Anyao Arena disciples advancing below, not only did she show no sign of vigilance or fear, but she carried herself with relaxed ease and candid poise. Uncle Gan said, "This is Talu." Shiyuan Ba looked at her and silently commended her in his heart. This Talu was by no means inferior to the prominent figures across the ocean he had encountered before. Once they drew close, he raised a hand, and the disciples behind him halted. Only the gaunt young man continued walking forward in a daze, though he was quickly pulled back by those beside him. Shiyuan Ba stepped forward a few paces, bowed, and said, "I am Shiyuan Ba. Greetings, your Excellency Talu. Before we departed, our master asked me to convey his regards to you." All the visitors from Anyao Arena bowed to Talu. Though they had come today with an ulterior motive, Talu was nevertheless the head of Danliu School now, holding a rank nominally equal to that of their own master, and she was owed due respect. Talu returned Danliu School's greeting and said, "Greetings, and thank you for your master's regards." Uncle Gan came forward at this moment and whispered something to her. Talu looked toward Hiroshi Nokane and said earnestly, "Is this Mr. Nokane? Greetings." Hiroshi Nokane looked up blankly. Someone beside him stepped forward and whispered in his ear, and he said dully, "G-greetings to you too." He then looked off in a certain direction, seeming as if he wanted to walk over there again, but he was immediately caught by the others. Shiyuan Ba took a few steps forward, blocking the view toward Hiroshi Nokane. Looking around the training grounds, he said with apparent regret: "Our master said that Danliu School and our Anyao Arena share the same origin, and that Danliu was once an arena graced by a Fist Master. We never imagined it would decline into such a state. It is truly regrettable." He looked at Talu, speaking in a seemingly sincere tone: "Your Excellency Talu, we of Anyao Arena cannot bear to watch a branch of our shared lineage wither away. We are willing to help Danliu School restore its past glory." Talu said, "My master once told me that nothing in this world flourishes forever without fading. This is true of objects, of people, and of the world itself. The decline of Danliu School is merely the natural course of things; there is no need to force it. Besides, that is not what your side truly cares about, so there is no need for such empty words." She spoke these words with complete candor, not shying away from the clash between them in the slightest. This surprised Shiyuan Ba, but it suited his intentions perfectly. He took a few more paces forward and said, "Your Excellency Talu, our two schools were originally one family. Naturally, you understand certain matters. We had reasons why we had to come." Talu nodded. "I know what you want. But whether you can take it depends on your strength." Shiyuan Ba's eyes turned sharp. Resting his hand on the long saber at his waist, he said in a low voice, "That is precisely what we came to test!" Behind him, the disciples of Anyao Arena also placed their hands on the hilts of the sabers at their waists, and the atmosphere in the courtyard instantly turned tense and murderous. A total of fifteen disciples had come this time. Excluding the eldest disciple, Hiroshi Nokane, there were four third limit fighters among them. It could be said that all the top hands of the arena had arrived. Such strength held an overwhelming advantage against the weakened Danliu School. To his mind, the moment the decision had been made in their arena, the battle had already been half won. Talu alone could never be a match for them. Talu shook her head. "I will not fight you." Shiyuan Ba froze, then frowned. "What do you mean, your Excellency Talu?" He believed she could not be so naive. Even if she refused to fight them, they would not simply stop. Since they had come here today, they were determined to achieve their goal. Talu looked at him and said, "Your opponent is not me." "Is that so?" Shiyuan Ba's gaze shifted toward Uncle Gan. Though an instructor, the man clearly lacked recent rigorous training and was advanced in years. While an older fighter was not necessarily powerless, unless one fought on the front lines every day, their degree of physical aging usually reflected their current state. This man clearly could not fight. Or was there some other powerful reinforcement? Who across the Outer Ocean would help Danliu School now? Could it be... He frowned. There was one outcome they least wished to see: handing whatever fissure might exist over to the government and the corporations. But would Danliu School really need to do that? It was precisely out of fear of backing Danliu School into a corner that they had always left them some leeway. Talu turned and walked away at that moment, saying, "Follow me." Shiyuan Ba watched her, hesitated briefly, then followed. The group behind him immediately fell in behind them. The party did not stop until they reached the edge of the sea cliff. Standing at the edge of the cliff, Talu pointed downward. "What you are looking for is right below. If you want to claim it, go down and take it yourselves." Shiyuan Ba was startled at first, but then a glimmer of pleasant surprise showed on his face. In a voice tinged with disbelief, he asked, "Your Excellency Talu, are you saying...?" Talu said, "You must have obtained that object, haven't you? It will prove my words." Shiyuan Ba's eyes flickered. He produced an exquisite stone whistle from the pouch at his waist and blew into it with all his might. The sound it produced was not loud, but blowing it seemed to require his utmost effort, flushing his face red in an instant. Only a moment later, a faint tremor traveled up from beneath their feet, and the seawater before the cliff began to ripple noticeably. Shiyuan Ba grew invigorated, shouting with ecstatic excitement, "Yes, it really is here! It's right here!" Paying no further attention to Talu and Uncle Gan, he turned and hurried before the gaunt young man, saying excitedly, "Eldest Senior Brother, it's down below! We..." "I heard it." The gaunt young man looked up. At this moment, not a trace of bewilderment remained in his eyes; instead, they had turned exceptionally sharp. Hearing his voice, the surrounding disciples opened their eyes wide, an involuntary look of awe and fear washing over them. This was... Shiyuan Ba was equally startled, stepping back half a pace instinctively. That voice sounded remarkably like their master, Xiaoyuezhai. Staring ahead, the gaunt young man said to Shiyuan Ba, "Keep blowing!" "Yes, yes!" Shiyuan Ba blew into the whistle once more with all his might. The sea trembled again, and as the whistle continued, the ripples in one specific spot grew particularly turbulent. Although not obvious amid the surging tides, everyone present was an acutely perceptive fighter, and they immediately caught the anomaly. The gaunt young man walked slowly to the edge of the cliff, fixed his gaze upon that spot, spread his arms, and let his body fall downward. "Eldest Senior Brother?" Everyone was shocked. Shiyuan Ba stepped forward a few paces. Watching the figure traverse dozens of meters of open air and plunge into the sea, he did not hesitate in the slightest and leaped down as well. Seeing him do so, the other disciples followed suit and leaped, none remaining on the cliff—acting as though they did not care about the people of Danliu School at all. Uncle Gan's feelings were complicated. He knew Anyao Arena looked down upon Danliu School and was only targeting their fissure. While that was undoubtedly fortunate for them, being treated with such utter disregard still left a bitter taste in his mouth. After entering the sea, the gaunt young man swam swiftly in the direction of the water's tremors he had observed. Before long, he reached the fissure. He then felt his body lighten as the surrounding seawater completely vanished, and he found himself standing in an open clearing flickering with green luminescence all around. He looked forward and saw a figure standing ahead, a long saber planted in the ground beside him, while a brilliant radiance shone from behind him. Ever since Chen Chuan heard that the people of Anyao Arena were coming, he had been waiting here. He had chosen this place as the battleground because it was not easily damaged, and fighting here would not involve anyone else. He looked at the newcomer. At first glance, the young man was remarkably gaunt, appearing to lack even basic muscle, yet Chen Chuan did not underestimate him in the least. Those were merely surface appearances. Hidden within this frail body was a formidable power, one that had begun to reawaken the moment he entered this place. The gaunt young man walked forward slowly. As he moved, the sounds of shifting bones and tendons resonated from within his body, and his frame began to expand upward. The loose, sagging clothes on him stretched taut, and his hair broke free from its binding. Extending arms that were already swelling with solid muscle, he ripped off his upper garment in a single motion, revealing a muscular, smoothly sculpted torso, leaving only a black lower garment. Then, tearing a cloth strip from his clothes, he tied back his lengthened hair. By the time he came before Chen Chuan, he had transformed into an arrogant, wildly feral young man, completely different from how he had looked before. Baring a grin that revealed a mouthful of gleaming white teeth, he said, "I am the eldest disciple of Anyao Arena, Hiroshi Nokane!"