"There's no point in playing a game of cat and mouse. Dragging this match out would be disadvantageous for both of us."

Xinyi Ren had a point, the patriarch had made it clear that it was forbidden for disciples to stall matches. However, no matter from which angle Jiang She attacked, she could not seem to find an opening.

"A deal? Is that what you offered to that mortal clan before exterminating them?" Jiang She couldn't afford to take him lightly. He was different type of fighter compared to Chen Wudi, far more sly and conniving.

Xinyi Ren took no offense and even cracked a slight smile. He jumped off the log and brushed the dust from his robes.

"It seems to me that you're not open to the idea." He muttered as he pulled a tracking talisman from his sleeves.

"It's over for you. Do you see what's in my hand? It's a tracking talisman! Let's see how you can hide now!" He said, Igniting his talisman. The smoke of the burnt talisman spiraled into the sky.

"Impossible! If my talisman can't detect you, that means your concealment technique should be at the Earth Grade at least!" He sputtered, showing a rare loss in decorum.

"A Earth Grade concealment technique? What difference does it make? You want to hide in trees? I'll just blow all the trees away!" Xinyi Ren shrieked while slashing down trees with his Qi whips.

"Wait! Could this be what you wanted? To unnerve me and strike after I over exert myself?" He exclaimed.

"Why don't you stop overthinking!" Jiang She jeered, darting towards Xinyi Ren from her hiding spot.

"A head on fight is exactly what I want!" Xinyi Ren sneered, the Qi around him buzzing.

Xinyi Ren unleashed several Qi arrows at Jiang She's approaching figure.

"Looks like you've used all your Qi!" Jiang She brushed away his Qi arrows, his Qi had weakened from overexertion. She sent Xinyi Ren barreling through the forest with a Qi infused punch to the face.

"Impossible. Done in by a child? It's my loss. I'm afraid it'll only get harder from here for you. Good luck." Xinyi Ren admitted to his loss while nursing his bruised jaw. He faded from the world but not before rising to his feet and gracefully bowing.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Jiang She bowed back but he had already left the world. Not long after she also disappeared.

"A little girl like you got this far? Impressive." A tall, broody swordsman in black robes said.

"Don't underestimate me." Jiang She retorted. She assumed a ready stance and started circulating her Qi. She circled the broody cultivator cautiously. The aura he gave off reeked of death, she was sure that he was no stranger to murder.

"My name is Jiang She. Your name?"

"My name is Yi Haoran, with the epithet of Phantom Blade."

"Phantom Blade? That's an impressive title. Let's see if you live up to it!" She replied, dashing forward with palm outstretched. Yi Haoran placed his hand on his sword, he knelt on to one knee. It was an odd stance but Jiang She was determined to end the match with a single strike. She had used up too much of her Qi and could not afford to fight a long drawn out battle.

15 meters. 10 meters. 5 meters. She suddenly halted at 5 meters. She leaped back to 15 meters. She was shocked to find that the ground had a neat cut running through it, starting from Yi Haoran and ending at 5 meters. If she had taken even another step she would've been cut into two.

"It looks like I can only resort to that move" She muttered. Yi Haoran had remained emotionless throughout the fight but she knew that her "special move" would definitely put a change to his expression for sure.

She cautiously made her way to the 5 meter mark. She knew that she had no conventional way of winning, her only bet was to gamble it all on one strike. Yi Haoran sheathed his sword and took his former stance.

"Please let me win! Please! I'll do anything!" She prostrated herself on the ground and grovelled miserably, inching closer and closer to Yi Haoran.

"What? You disgrace yourself as a warrior!" Yi Haoran dropped his stance momentarily from a mixture of shock and rage.

"Dragon Erupts From Earth!" She had just managed to cross the 2 meter mark when she leaped from the ground and struck Yi Haoran with all her might. At the distance of 2 meters naturally he was blown back. He landed on his back several meters back.

"To think I, the Phantom Blade, could've been done in by such a cheap trick. It's your win." Yi Haoran sighed while staring at the artificial sky.

"Good luck on your next match." He said before disappearing.

"I'll win for sure." Jiang She was determined to win. She owed it to all the warriors had had beat to come so far.