Chapter Ninety-Nine: Sparring (Part Two)

"Second Brother, do you want to go up and spar? I reckon if he rests a bit now, he’ll be almost recovered. You should give it a try too. Don’t feel any psychological burden and think it’s taking advantage of him while he’s down. Let me tell you, chances to spar with true experts are rare, and when they come, you must seize them. You go first, and Xiao Yun, be ready—once Second Brother is done, it’s your turn."

At this moment, Yang Zaixing had already walked over to Zhang Xuan and the others, just in time to hear Zhang Xuan urging Yuwen Chengdu to step into the ring. "Second Brother, if you want to go, just go. Opportunities like this don’t come often, just like Xiao Xuan said. When they do, you have to grab them. Miss it now, and you might regret it for a lifetime," he said.

Yuwen Chengdu nodded, selected a long spear that suited his hand from the weapon rack, and strode to the center of the courtyard.

Yang Zaixing turned his head to Zhang Xuan and asked, "Xiao Xuan, why don’t you go up and spar yourself? Why do you keep sending Second Brother and Xiao Yun up instead?"

"Me? I’m saving the grand finale for myself, of course! After you’ve all finished your bouts, that’s when I’ll make a grand entrance. Just wait a bit; I’ll definitely go up. I’ll ‘avenge’ you, I promise—I’ll knock him down, just watch. But Big Brother, you’ll need to train harder too. I’ll introduce you to my ankle weights later. Also, as you watch Second Brother spar, think carefully about why you got led around earlier and couldn’t even react to his moves."

Yang Zaixing had to suppress his urge to smack Zhang Xuan as he listened to the first part—wasn’t he just trying to catch someone while they were tired? How could he spin it so elegantly? But as he listened to the rest, he turned his gaze back to the center of the yard, his mind replaying the scenes from his earlier match.

Grandpa Tong watched this scene with a satisfied nod, though he was terribly curious where his elder brother had found such an extraordinary talent for martial arts.

Seeing another challenger step forward, the martial artist narrowed his eyes. "You wish to spar as well?"

Yuwen Chengdu nodded. "But before we begin, please rest a while. I have no wish to take advantage of your fatigue. I’ll wait."

The opponent looked Yuwen Chengdu up and down, sensing that he too was a practitioner. He’d expended some energy earlier, so he didn’t act arrogant and stood there to rest a moment. Not long after, he raised his halberd. "Alright, let’s begin! I only hope you won’t disappoint me, as the last one didn’t." The clash was imminent, and with that, the two collided with force.

"Brother Yang, who do you think will win?" Zhao Yun asked, watching the fierce exchange in the ring. Having sparred with both men himself, Yang Zaixing ought to have a good sense of their strengths.

"Although he’s used up a fair bit of energy sparring with me, to be honest, I still can’t gauge the depth of his skill. When he was fighting me, I felt like he was only using seventy percent of his strength, while I was giving it my all. Now, after a good rest, he should be mostly recovered. I don’t want to discourage our side, but I doubt Second Brother can win. It’s just a question of how many moves he can withstand," Yang Zaixing analyzed, his mind replaying their bout and pondering what would happen if they fought again. The outcome, he knew, would likely be the same—only in actual combat could one improve so swiftly.

Zhang Xuan watched the duel, feeling more and more certain that this martial artist was indeed the one he had surmised.

The fight between the martial artist and Yuwen Chengdu was intense and thrilling. At last, the martial artist feigned an opening; Yuwen Chengdu, thinking it a mistake and an opportunity, thrust his spear forward, only to be lured into a trap. With a deft roll, the martial artist dodged the attack and pointed his halberd straight at Yuwen Chengdu’s throat. The onlookers erupted in cheers.

Yuwen Chengdu withdrew his spear and bowed. "Impressive. Even after exhausting my big brother, I still am not your match. But I will keep striving, so you’d best not stand still—otherwise, next time, the outcome may be very different. I’ll work for that day." He brushed the dust from his clothes and continued, "By the way, do you still have the strength? There’s another challenger waiting. You’d best rest up while you can."

The martial artist smiled, feeling this trip with his master had not been in vain. Facing these two young opponents, both younger than himself yet already so skilled, he realized if he wasn’t careful, he might well be the one to fall here. It had been a long time since he’d sparred like this, especially with peers of his own age—it was exhilarating. "Another challenger? If his skills are like yours, I am more than happy to oblige."

"You won’t be disappointed. Rest up; he’ll be here soon. Just don’t lose to him," Yuwen Chengdu replied, then returned to Zhang Xuan and the others.

As Yuwen Chengdu rejoined the group, the martial artist finally took notice of them, observing each member besides Yang Zaixing and Yuwen Chengdu. Clearly, the next challenger would come from among them. The thought that another, perhaps more, with skills equal to the last two would soon step up made his blood surge with excitement—he hadn’t felt this way in years.

"Xiao Yun, are you ready? Don’t be nervous—just treat it like sparring with us," Yuwen Chengdu reassured Zhao Yun, seeing his anxious demeanor.

Zhang Xuan also saw Zhao Yun’s legs trembling slightly, and gently patted his head. "Don’t worry, it’s just a match. Think about it—you aspire to ride onto the battlefield, to achieve glory like the Champion Marquis himself. How can a simple spar make you so nervous? Take a deep breath. Don’t fear failure; treat it just like a normal session. Trust in the progress you’ve made—just show what you’ve practiced and learned. Treat this as a chance to learn."

Zhao Yun took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, nodding to Zhang Xuan and the others before heading to the weapon rack to pick a suitable weapon. The martial artist watched him approach, noting that Zhao Yun looked even younger than the previous challengers, and frowned slightly.