“By the way, Sister Bai is back,” Qian Yu said to Zhen Yue and Sun Hong the next morning as they were heading to meet up with Bai Jia and Zhao Xieren. 

“Ah? Sister Bai?” Zhen Yue was a little surprised by her return. By her side, Sun Hong’s brow raised, but she didn’t seem too affected by it. She knew about her but very little.

“She’s over there,” Qian Yu waved at the two girls by the inn entrance. 

“Qian Yu!” the two girls hurried over, away from the other Ice Arts Sect disciples. 

“Hello, sister Bai,” Zhen Yue greeted Bai Jia. 

“Ah, it’s been a while sister Zhen,” Bai Jia smiled. Her eyes were soft, completely pure and filled with gratitude.

Qian Yu felt something was off by the way the two were acting, “Do you guys know each other or something?” 

“Ahem… we have talked previously before she left,” Zhen Yue said. 

“Huh?” Qian Yu was taken by surprise. 

“It was a secret between us girls!” Zhen Yue explained.

*Bonk!* Qian Yu light tapped on Zhen Yue’s head. “You should have told me,” Qian Yu said in a joking manner. It didn’t really matter to him and it seemed like they were on good terms. 

“Ow!” Zhen Yue cutely pouted.

“Alright alright, I’m just kidding, it’s good that you two can get along,” Qian Yu said.

“You must be Sun Hong,” Bai Jia turned her attention to the red-haired Sun Hong. 

“Hello,” Sun Hong gave a short reply as she looked at Bai Jia. 

The atmosphere turned tense as they stared at each other, and Qian Yu felt a feeling of chaos approaching. 

“Ahem, shall we go somewhere more private?” Qian Yu said, breaking the tension.

“Sure,” Bai Jia smiled at Qian Yu. 

“I’ve heard a lot about you when you were in the soul foundation stage,” Bai Jia turned back to Sun Hong. “I haven’t fought in a long time and I’m curious about your strength. Do you want to spar?” Bai Jia continued. 

“Hahaha, of course!” Sun Hong instantly replied without a shred of hesitation. She always looked forward to a fight. 

Additionally, they were both prideful Martial Fighters and were the strongest ones here. Naturally, they had the urge to see who was stronger. 

“Ah?” The other three were speechless. 

The sun stood high in the sky as they found themselves outside the capital. It was a small clearing with no trees and away from the roads. 

Sun Hong stood on one side in her black robes with her large greatsword. A few dozen meters away, Bai Jia was in the white Ice Arts Sect robes while holding onto her saber. 

“Alright start!” Qian Yu acted as the referee. Initially surprised and a little anxious, he had become excited as he realized he had never seen Sun Hong fight with her full strength since she became a Martial Fighter. Additionally, Bai Jia had never showcased her strength either. 

The two women didn’t say anything as they instantly dashed against each other. 

*Slash!* Sun Hong swung widely at Bai Jia. 

*Clang!* Bai Jia raised her blade, blocking the attack. Yet, her eyebrows raised as she felt the strength of Sun Hong’s attack. 

*Clang… clang…* Sun Hong continued her advance, raining attacks on Bai Jia. It was easily clear that Sun Hong was in the advantage as the more aggressive one while Bai Jia was just passively defending or dodging.

“Not bad. As expected, I am no match for you in terms of pure strength,” Bai Jia backed off. 

“But… my martial technique doesn’t excel in close combat,” she continued. As she said that, two water serpents formed by her side. They were long, coiling around her body, and also large, with its body size being thicker than a tree trunk. 

“Go!” Bai Jia yelled as the water serpents shot forward rapidly, moving at a speed faster than what Bai Jia had shown previously. 

“What!” Sun Hong’s eyes widened as the large serpents had instantly appeared in front of her. 

*Bam!* White smoke from the collision erupted as a silhouette was sent flying into the woods, stirring up a pile of snow. 

“Wow…” the three spectators were shocked, especially Qian Yu. 

He only knew Bai Jia had been in the Martial Fighter realm for a while. Little was known about where she was with her saber cultivation technique. Without a doubt though, her progress with this water technique was not low.

‘She probably has mastered the first five layers by now, so she should have six martial skills,’ Qian Yu guessed, unsure of Bai Jia’s progress in this water attributed cultivation technique.

‘As a newly ascended Martial Fighter, Sun Hong has only mastered the first four layers so she has one less martial skill,’ he then turned towards where Sun Hong had been flying to. 

“HAHAHA!” a loud laugh rang out as Sun Hong helped herself back up. Her black robes were a little tattered and there were a few scratches on her body. 

“Amazing!” Yet she was excited and livelier than ever as she ran towards Bai Jia. 

*Whoosh!* The water serpents launched themselves forward once more. 

“Blade Counter!” Sun Hong took up a stance as the serpents came flying at her. 

*Bam!* The serpents crashed into Sun Hong yet she dispelled them unlike being sent back before.

“Asura Swift Steps!” Sun Hong activated her movement skill, instantly closing the distance between herself and Bai Jia. 

“Asura’s Destroying Slash!” She swung her greatsword as a violent aura and red qi surged from it. 

“Water Orb!” A floating sphere of water formed in front of Bai Jia, acting as a barrier.

*Bop!* Sun Hong’s slast met the sphere of water yet she suddenly found herself repelled as if she was hitting a piece of rubber. The sphere was simply too big, absorbing all of her strength. 

“Condensed Water Blast!” A large droplet of water, the size of a pea, formed at Bai Jia fingertips. Yet it had abnormal energy within it.

*Flick!* With a flick of her fingers, the droplet was sent flying, and unlike before where she could control her serpents, the droplet of water flew in a straight line. Despite that though, it’s small size allowed it to move faster than the serpents.

“Asura Swift Steps!” Still, Sun Hong was prepared this time as she instantly dodged past it. 

“Water Ignition,” Bai Jia said and the moment the ball of water flew past her, it exploded. 

*BOOM!* Sun Hong was instantly sent flying further back than before. 

“You really are strong,” Sun Hong muttered as she got back up. Her robes were completely torned now with bloody bruises seen on her body.

“Asura’s Fury,” Sun Hong muttered. Her red qi became more noticeable as it engulfed her body, creating a potent aura.

“YAHH!” Her scarlet eyes grew brighter as she returned to the fight. Her speed skyrocketed and she became faster than ever. 

“What!” Bai Jia yelled seeing that Sun Hong was at least twice as fast now. 

“Asura’s Destroying Slash!” “Water Orb!” It was a repeat of the previous confrontation. 

*Sssizzz…* Bai Jia bit her lips as she saw what was happening. Sun Hong’s greatsword was like a hot knife running through the butter that was her barrier. 

*Clang!* Bai Jia held up her saber, blocking the attack before she was sent flying away. 

“Impressive strength and speed,” Bai Jia said. Not only was her speed twice as fast in this state, her raw strength was much more powerful. 

“I didn’t think I would use this but…” Bai Jia said as she took a deep breath. Suddenly, the serpents by her side changed color. It was in the afternoon and the sun was out so the water was naturally transparent and lighter. However, it changed, turning darker as if it was polluted water.

‘Her martial technique isn’t just water… the black thing… is it yin attributed as well?’ Qian Yu thought as he felt the profound laws of yin appearing from Bai Jia.

“Let’s see if you can deal with this!” Bai Jia waved her hands and the two serpents shot at Sun Hong. 

Raising up her greatsword, Sun Hong prepared to counter again. 

*Clang* It was a successful block as she invalidated the attack.

“What!?” Yet as the serpents dispersed, she felt something was amiss.

“M-my qi?” Sun Hong realized the problem as she suddenly felt her qi was dropping. 

In a matter of seconds, the red glow surrounding her quickly disappeared.

“Yin Water Conversion,” Bai Jia said, her breathing slightly irregular. “It will give my attacks the ability to corrode a person’s qi when they are in contact with it,” Bai Jia explained. 

“Ah…I lost then,” Sun Hong realized what happened as she looked down onto her body. It was soaking from the water serpents that she had countered just now. 

“It’s very strong for those who engage in very close combat fighting like you and Zhao Xieren,” Bai Jia smiled. 

“I see, anyways, it was a good fight,” Sun Hong said, full of respect. She didn’t get to fight against any hard opponents recently and the battle just now had been very refreshing. 

“You too,” Similarly, Bai Jia was bewildered by Sun Hong’s strength as well for just having entered the Martial Fighter realm recently.