Chapter Sixty-Four: The Forbidden Art

Under the immense weight of Ge Qian's "Thousand Pound Drop," the giant mountain crashed to the ground in an instant. Nearby, Ye Feng appeared, his eyes filled with apprehension; he had clearly been startled. If not for his earth elemental root and the bloodline of the Earth Armored Dragon, which ensured invincibility as long as he stood upon the earth, he would have been gravely injured this time.

Ye Feng clapped his hands in astonishment and said, "Ge Qian, you've truly made me see you in a new light. Not only are you qualified to be my rival, you even have a chance to defeat me. You're strong; I am certain you’ll make it into the top three at the sect tournament. That worries me. With your strength, you already threaten Sister Bai. For her sake, I’ll be forced to use forbidden arts, and you might perish. Considering your talent, if you swear not to trouble Sister Bai again, we could be friends."

Ye Feng's face showed resignation, as if he too did not wish to continue their conflict.

Ge Qian sighed and said, "Senior Brother, I think you misunderstand. Yingxue sought me out purely for alchemy. What must I say for you to believe me?"

"Junior Brother, perhaps you think you're already capable of withstanding my third move, and so you fear nothing. Very well, it's time you learned a hard lesson. You’ll regret facing my third move—'Earth Spirit Blood Armor'!" Ye Feng's gaze grew resolute.

He formed different hand seals with each hand, bit his tongue, and spat a mouthful of essence blood, which turned into a strange symbol and flashed into the incantation.

Suddenly, the earth trembled. Two streams of soil spiraled up from beneath Ye Feng and enveloped him, radiating a dazzling yellow light.

"Aaah!" Ye Feng cried out in pain, his whole body wrapped in thick yellow armor, crisscrossed with blood-red lines, exposing only his eyes, which shone with fierce brilliance.

At this moment, Ye Feng's aura was powerful and imposing, as solid and heavy as a mountain. It seemed his cultivation had surpassed the peak of the Qi Absorption stage, with one foot stepping into Foundation Establishment. An extremely dangerous pressure enveloped Ge Qian, filling him with a sense of mortal peril.

Yet Ge Qian’s fighting spirit soared, unafraid. After all, Ye Feng had not yet reached Foundation Establishment, and Ge Qian had the courage to face him. His battle intent surged, muscles bulged, and power erupted.

Ye Feng's eyes blazed with light. He too felt the pressure; this was the first time he felt it after using forbidden arts. With a bang, he vanished from sight.

In the next instant, he appeared before Ge Qian and struck with a punch as swift as a meteor and as forceful as an avalanche.

Ge Qian’s expression was resolute. Thinking, What a punch, he gathered his strength and combined the four techniques—"Fishing for the Moon in the Sea," "Upstream Against the Current," "Going with the Flow," "Waves Crashing Against the Shore"—into a single move and launched it.

Their fists collided with a thunderous boom. Ge Qian felt his arms go numb from the force, his palms aching fiercely.

He was knocked six meters back, his legs braced against the ground. He thought, "Earth Spirit Blood Armor truly is remarkable, doubling his strength, making him an opponent I cannot match. My power feels as though it’s striking the earth itself, unable to harm Ye Feng in the slightest."

Ye Feng moved, giving Ge Qian no chance to catch his breath. The consumption of this technique was tremendous; prolonging it would exhaust him. His wariness toward Ge Qian became fear, and he lamented inwardly. Even Bai Ruyu might not fare well against him, so he had to seriously injure Ge Qian.

They clashed again, and Ge Qian was clearly at a disadvantage. While fighting, Ye Feng continued his psychological attack: "Admit defeat. You cannot break my third move. Your attacks are absorbed by the earth, while mine you cannot withstand. Surrender now while you can; if you get hurt, regret will come too late!"

Blood seeped from Ge Qian’s arms, his organs churned, and he could barely defend himself. Then he realized Ye Feng’s earth elemental root granted him invincibility as long as he touched the ground. If Ye Feng could do it, why couldn’t he?

He formed the seal for "Stealthy Substitution," using Ye Feng’s punch as the beam and his own as the pillar, striking Ye Feng’s shoulder.

Returning Ye Feng’s own force to him, Ye Feng staggered back two steps, puzzled—How could his strength increase so much at the brink of exhaustion?

Ge Qian shouted, "Break!"

He performed "Turning the Corner," then punched downward.

Ye Feng instinctively defended, but his once-impenetrable armor failed him, as if it were nothing.

The blow landed solidly on his abdomen. Although Ge Qian restrained his strength, Ye Feng, lacking physical training, could not withstand it.

With a bang, Ye Feng was lifted three meters high. Unable to endure the pain, his "Earth Spirit Blood Armor" shattered into dust.

A flash of yellow light enveloped Ye Feng as he gently landed. He was filled with disbelief and deep fear, thinking, "So strong—how can he be so strong? No wonder Yingxue sought him out! Luckily, he meant no harm and didn’t use his full strength. Otherwise, even with the patriarch's talisman, I’d have perished!"

Standing firm, Ye Feng brushed the dust from his body and said carelessly, "Ge Qian, you are indeed formidable, but you’re still far from Sister Bai. I advise you not to pursue her. Sacrificing your life for a woman is not worth it. You’re a smart man; weigh your options."

Ge Qian smiled and said, "Senior Brother Ye, you’re joking. Yingxue and I are not as you imagine. Besides, I’m not arrogant enough to trouble Sister Bai. That would be asking for trouble."

"That’s for the best," Ye Feng said, half skeptical. He waved his hand, and the "Earth Spirit Pearl" shot toward Ge Qian.

Ge Qian caught it, feeling the surging spiritual energy within.

He placed it in his storage pouch and said, "Senior Brother Ye truly keeps his word and upholds justice. Then I’ll accept it unreservedly."

Ye Feng’s face showed pride as he said, "I hope so. I detest those who speak sweetly but act maliciously. I am open and aboveboard; three moves are three moves. The fourth is my killing technique, reserved only for mortal enemies. You now qualify as my friend. I have other matters to attend to, so I take my leave."

With that, he stepped onto his sword and soared skyward.

Ge Qian thought to himself, This man is not a villain. With this "Earth Spirit Pearl," once refined, I can conceal my cultivation and bewilder enemies in minor arenas, gaining another safeguard. With that, he wasted no time, leapt onto his sword, circled once, and sped away in the chosen direction.

Ye Feng flew for some distance, swept his senses to ensure he was alone, then spat blood and landed on a hillside. He took out healing and blood-replenishing pills, swallowed them quickly, sat cross-legged to refine them, and muttered, "Ge Qian is too strong; his arts are strange. Even with forbidden techniques, I am no match for him. What secrets does he hide? Even against Sister Bai, the outcome is uncertain. I hope my bluff can intimidate him."

"Brother, you used forbidden arts again. Do you wish to die? Before reaching Foundation Establishment, using that technique is extremely dangerous—it could cause your body to explode. Is it worth it for a woman?" The words were full of concern, though the voice was as cold as ice.

Ye Feng lifted his head abruptly, his eyes full of fighting spirit. "You’re just a butcher who only knows how to kill. What do you understand of love? You’ll never comprehend my path."