Chapter 1518 - 1515: Private Duel Before the Tide

"You brat... If you're so confident, then prove it to me..."

The guard's face was pale, pointing a trembling right hand at Ye Qiu. Ye Qiu's mind quickly filled with what was about to happen next. He didn't even need to think about what it was.

"Come, let's duel!"

Ye Qiu glanced slightly at Fang Wushang next to him; she should have already understood the situation. Initially, he thought she would certainly stop him, but surprisingly, Fang Wushang nodded slightly with a stiff expression.

"...Is it alright? Won't it cause problems within your family...?"

Ye Qiu asked softly, and Fang Wushang replied in a similarly subtle but firm tone:

"It's fine. I'll report and explain to the clan leader anyway. That guy started the trouble, and he was the one who proposed the duel."

Ye Qiu nodded, showing agreement.

The rules for dueling in the Lantian Clan are quite simple; the rule is to strike the opponent with a powerful attack first. Both parties will use swords to fight until victory is determined.

It's unclear how the guard feels about Fang Wushang agreeing to let Ye Qiu duel. He suppressed his excitement and shouted:

"Lord Wushang, please watch closely! I'll prove that no one but me can be your guard!"

Then, with a theatrical gesture, he drew his massive two-handed sword from his waist, making a "clang" sound as he posed for battle.

After confirming that Fang Wushang had retreated a few steps, Ye Qiu also drew out the Profound Celestial Ice Sword from his back. As expected from the member of a prominent family, the guy's weapon was more ornate than Ye Qiu's in appearance.

Aside from the original size difference between the two-handed and one-handed swords, Ye Qiu's Profound Celestial Ice Sword was a simple design devoted to practicality, while the other's sword looked lavishly decorated as if crafted by a master artisan.

Though there were a lot of onlookers, it seemed they didn't recognize Ye Qiu's Profound Celestial Ice Sword. If this was the Profound Celestial Ice Sword, that guard should have fled long ago.

Ye Qiu and the guard stood about five meters apart, facing each other. During the countdown, the crowd gathered around them grew larger. Since this was in the city center's teleportation gate plaza, and both Ye Qiu and the guy were somewhat famous, it was natural that so many people would come to watch.

Before starting, Ye Qiu spoke to the blade, which is Dong, "Don't go too hard, remember to just give a tap."

"The solo swordsman Ye Qiu is dueling someone from the Lantian Clan!"

Someone from the crowd suddenly shouted, provoking a huge cheer. Typically, duels are between friends as a test of sword skills, and these spectators didn't know the backstory of Ye Qiu and his adversary's enmity, so they whistled and shouted loudly, causing a commotion.

Gradually, as the countdown continued, Ye Qiu couldn't hear the noisy sounds anymore. Just like the feeling when dueling a monster, it was as if a sharp and icy line pierced through his body. Ye Qiu focused all his attention, watching that guard's entire body because he was anxious about the shouts and glanced nervously around. Ye Qiu aimed to predict his "intent" from his sword position and foot stance.

Ye Qiu is such a person; even if the opponent's strength is far less than his, once he accepts a fight, he won't slack off at all. Ye Qiu knew the fragility of life better than anyone else; if something happened to him, he wouldn't be able to protect those around him.

In battles between humans, they habitually expose their intentions to use certain sword skills. Whether they aim to use assault series, defense series, attack from a high or low angle, if the opponent learns this information, it can be a fatal flaw in human-on-human fights.

Ye Qiu noticed the guard, holding the sword as if carrying it, placed it in mid-air, and his body leaned forward with a lowered center of gravity. It was clear he was preparing for an overhand attack. Of course, this could just be a bluff. Actually, Ye Qiu now stood in a relaxed posture with his sword low, making it appear that he was ready for a small downward attack from the beginning.

How to read each other's fake and real moves depends on intuition and experience.

As the crowd's countdown entered the single digits, Ye Qiu focused even more, now completely tuning out the surrounding noise.

Until the last moment, the guard's gaze kept switching between Ye Qiu and finally stopped, his body tensing up from nerves. Then the signal to start rang out and bounced between Ye Qiu and the guard. At the same time, Ye Qiu suddenly kicked the ground and dashed forward. Sparks flew from his boots, and the air torn by Ye Qiu's rush roared loudly.

The guard moved later than Ye Qiu, but he started acting with a surprised expression still on his face. Ye Qiu thought it was because he unexpectedly advanced with the lower defense posture.

Just as Ye Qiu anticipated, the guard's first move was an overhand charge with a two-handed great sword, the "Avalanche Slash." Against this attack, if one uses regular defense, even if blocked, it would be impossible to prioritize a counterattack due to the impactful force.

If opting to evade, the user would have ample time to reorganize their offensive due to the distance gained by the sprint's momentum. It can be said this is a fairly advanced move in the Lantian Clan, much like the name suggests, leading to avalanche-like slashes. But this is only true when the opponent is a monster.

Having guessed the opponent's move, Ye Qiu opted for the same upper single-handed sword thrust move, "Sound Speed Impact." The trajectory of both sword skills would intersect in mid-air.

Considering pure sword skill power, the opponent's was somewhat stronger. Normally, in situations where both weapon attacks clash, the one delivering the heavier blow gets the favorable judgment. In the current circumstance, typically Ye Qiu's sword would be knocked away, and while the opponent's sword skill's power would be reduced, it would still be enough to inflict damage on Ye Qiu.

However, Ye Qiu's attack wasn't aimed at the guard himself.

The distance between the two quickly shrank due to their astonishing speeds. Yet Ye Qiu's senses also accelerated, gradually feeling that time was moving slowly. Ye Qiu wasn't sure if this was a result of his long-term high-speed combat or an ability he inherently possessed. Nevertheless, Ye Qiu could clearly perceive the guy's entire body movements.

Ye Qiu had to achieve impeccable precision in his attack to avoid killing the guard because if he accidentally unleashed the Profound Celestial Ice Sword's aura, it would devour his opponent.