Chapter 77: The Duel

"Ye Sansi? Uncle Master, are you saying that Ye Sansi is the weakest of the four?"

Fang Jian replied with a smile, "Not so. As for the true extent of Ye Sansi's strength, I cannot say, but the aura about him is exceedingly complex..."

Fang Yuan answered softly, "I too have sensed it before. I thought it was a mere illusion. Could it be... could Ye Sansi be a demon? If so, we cannot keep him on Immortal Island. If a demon were to destroy the Fangcun Array, wouldn't that be..."

"Yuan'er, do not worry. I know what I'm doing. Ye Sansi is the descendant of an old friend. I observed him in secret yesterday—his conduct is truly above reproach, his brow filled with righteousness. He is worthy of trust."

"Since you say so, Uncle Master, I will ask no more."

As Fang Jian and the others conversed before the hall, the elder in charge of discipline, Fang Lang, stood at the center of the Qiankun Training Grounds, ready to announce the final trial to the forty exceptional candidates.

Fang Lang proclaimed, "Since you have reached the Qiankun Training Grounds, it means you have already set foot into the Immortal Island's sect. Should you pass today's trial, you will earn the right to choose your master."

Song Han, puzzled by Fang Lang's words and unfamiliar with the rules for taking disciples, asked loudly, "Great Elder Fang, does this mean we are all accepted into the sect, and there is no need for further competition?"

"Not so, not so." Fang Lang shook his head and spoke slowly, "The times have changed. We originally planned to take on the thirteenth generation of disciples, but a few days ago, an external enemy invaded. The inhabitants on the perimeter were placed in mortal danger, and our senior disciples could not even overcome mere underlings..."

"Therefore, I have decided that of you forty, only twenty will be chosen to enter the tutelage of my chief disciple, Fang Yuan, to become the twelfth generation disciples of Fangcun Immortal Island, dedicated to meeting formidable foes from beyond."

The crowd murmured in surprise, "Only twenty? Then half of us will be eliminated?"

"Precisely." Fang Lang nodded. "This concerns the safety of the Immortal Island. Every disciple will be personally instructed in the arts by Fang Yuan, and with so much to cover, we cannot take on any more."

Song Han asked, "What is the nature of this trial by which we will be chosen?"

Fang Lang gestured to Fang Yuan, who quickly stepped forward, bowed, and saluted Fang Lang.

Fang Lang patted Fang Yuan on the back and helped him to his feet, announcing, "This is my chief disciple—Fang Yuan."

"What? So young?"

"Surely not! Is Immortal Island truly assigning someone our age as our master? Can he teach us anything?"

"If this child is to be my master, I’d rather not join Fangcun Immortal Island at all..."

The assembly was abuzz with doubts about Fang Yuan's youth, questioning his ability to be their master. Ye Sansi and the others wished to speak on his behalf but could not get a word in.

Fang Lang coughed to quiet the crowd, then raised his voice, "Let me say this: among the eleventh generation disciples, none can match my chief disciple. Six years ago, he took on two of his own disciples, who are now among the best of their peers..."

The audience was again in an uproar—some amazed at Fang Yuan’s remarkable talent, some skeptical, and others dismissive.

In front of the Qiankun Hall, the Island Lord, Fang Jian, gave a snort of laughter. "Yuan'er's talent and diligence have been known to us since his childhood. It is only our senior brother who likes to boast about him now and then..."

"Hahaha, junior brother, are you perhaps jealous?"

Fang Jian waved his hand. "How could I be? If anyone ought to be jealous, it should be you all. I have yet to take a single disciple, so if Yuan’er excels, I am delighted. As for you, with hundreds or thousands of disciples, none can compare to Yuan’er alone."

"Junior brother, you are clever with words. We are left speechless."

Back at the Qiankun Training Grounds...

Fang Lang said to Fang Yuan, "Yuan’er, today you are to take disciples. Let the final trial be conducted by you personally—what say you?"

"I shall obey, Master."

Fang Lang ordered the group to rise, waved his hand, and the wooden chairs disappeared. He spoke slowly, "All forty of you will attack Fang Yuan at once. He will assess your strengths and weaknesses and choose the best twenty. Additionally, I will make my own list of those I deem worthy. If there are discrepancies, we will make further arrangements."

With that, Fang Lang clasped his hands behind his back, soared into the air, and returned to his seat before the hall.

Fang Yuan cupped his fists. "Please."

After returning the salute, the crowd surged toward Fang Yuan. A few bold souls rushed to the front, thinking Fang Yuan would be easy to defeat. If they could best him, even if not accepted to Fangcun Immortal Island, they would gain a fine reputation elsewhere.

Such thoughts showed their ignorance of their own limits. The five in the lead each wielded sharp weapons. Fang Yuan, with a disdainful smile, sensed already that their strength was far inferior to his.

As they drew near, Fang Yuan did not even draw his sword. He believed he could handle them with the sheath still on. As the five attacked at once, Fang Yuan lightly waved his hand and conjured a shield. Their blows landed harmlessly, unable to threaten him in the least.

Fang Yuan was wholly unprepared for Ye Sansi, who followed close behind the first five. To face so powerful an opponent was a rare opportunity for Ye Sansi, one he did not wish to waste, certain he could learn much from the exchange.

The five were sent flying by the wave of force from the shield, leaving no one to block Ye Sansi's path. This gave him ample space to launch his attack.

When only ten paces from Fang Yuan, Ye Sansi sprang into the air, weapon raised high. Fearing he might injure Fang Yuan, he restrained his strength to half and brought his blade down.

Though Fang Yuan knew Ye Sansi was formidable, he had no idea he was already surpassing him. He made no effort to reinforce the shield, believing it would suffice.

To his astonishment, the blade cleaved open the shield at once. Fang Yuan hurried to mend it with a spell, but it was too late—the shield fractured along the crack.

His responses were quick; he drew his sword from his waist, turning to parry Ye Sansi's blow, even leaving the scabbard on. Ye Sansi, seeing Fang Yuan could meet his attack, did not pull back, the sword striking squarely.

Ye Sansi’s strength was immense. Fang Yuan’s parry was a reflex, and though uninjured, he was forced to retreat several steps to dissipate the remaining force.

From afar, Fang Lang was so startled he leapt to his feet. "How can this be? How could Yuan'er be bested by his junior?"

Fang Jian burst out laughing. "Brother, there is a saying: 'There is always someone better.' Fang Yuan is talented, but he must not underestimate others. At first glance, I could see that Ye Sansi is no ordinary man. Fang Yuan has not yet used his full strength against such an opponent—how could he lose otherwise?"

Fang Yuan was shaken by Ye Sansi's blow and took a long while to recover. The other thirty-nine contestants were frozen in shock. They had seen the strength of the first five, and Fang Yuan had dispatched them with ease, showing the immense gap between them. None had expected Ye Sansi to possess such might.

Ye Sansi himself had intended only to break the shield, but his strength carried further, sending Fang Yuan reeling and cracking the tiles of the training ground with the force of his strike.

Though battered by such a fierce attack, Fang Yuan did not retreat in fear. He knew his own strength—he had been caught off guard because he had underestimated Ye Sansi and not fought with full effort.

In an instant, Fang Yuan adjusted his stance and surged at Ye Sansi again, now resolved to give his all.

Seeing Fang Yuan grow serious, Ye Sansi was elated. Gifted in comprehension, he could always learn from battle, especially against stronger foes. Fang Yuan’s mastery of the island's arts was profound; facing him would surely yield many insights.

In the realm of immortal arts, Ye Sansi would not be Fang Yuan's match. Thus, their contest was purely martial. Fang Yuan drew his sword and swept it horizontally at Ye Sansi’s throat, careful to hold back. Ye Sansi dodged nimbly.

Though Fangcun Immortal Island was renowned for immortal cultivation, it also prized martial prowess. Fang Yuan was adept at the "Qiankun Ten Thousand Miles" sword technique, which, while not the island’s highest art, was executed with such skill by him that he had never neglected its practice.

He swept and slashed, but Ye Sansi evaded each stroke using the "Blazing Step and Feather Capture," then, as Fang Yuan thrust forward, Ye Sansi seized the opening and unleashed the "Blazing Thirteen Swords," a domineering technique Fang Yuan had never before encountered, finding it difficult to counter.

Judged by martial skill alone, the two were evenly matched for a time, but Fang Yuan soon realized his defeat was assured. Each of Ye Sansi’s strikes could carry extra force, which Fang Yuan could not withstand for long.

Ye Sansi, for his part, found Fang Yuan’s attacks wonderfully precise and swift, and though he could defend, a single opening might let Fang Yuan break through. In terms of martial skill, Fang Yuan was not the equal of those beyond the island.

After a dozen exchanges, the balance was clear—the outcome would surprise anyone.

Ye Sansi had gained the upper hand. Fang Yuan had exhausted his repertoire, while Ye Sansi wielded the "Liu Style Seventy-Two Swords," with endless variations. However skilled Fang Yuan was, he could not fathom their depths.

By now, Ye Sansi could anticipate every one of Fang Yuan’s moves, while Fang Yuan could not read Ye Sansi’s swordplay. Clearly, in matters of martial arts, Qi Fei's mastery was of the highest order.

With Fang Yuan faltering, Ye Sansi pressed his advantage. Though he could have defeated Fang Yuan outright, he did not wish to disgrace him. Instead, he chose the "Five Fiends Palm," a fearsome technique whose toxic force could be lethal in moments, but without poison, it merely struck the opponent back without causing true harm.

Catching Fang Yuan between sword strokes, Ye Sansi struck him square in the chest. As expected, Fang Yuan’s sword fell from his grasp, and he staggered back several steps.

Fang Yuan realized Ye Sansi had held back, giving him a way out. He straightened, cupped his fists, and laughed, "Hahaha, Young Master Sansi, you are truly formidable. I concede, utterly convinced of your superiority. You have bested me."

What was meant to be a trial of forty against one had unexpectedly become a contest between Ye Sansi and Fang Yuan alone.