Dong Yun An has changed. The first person to realise that was the girl standing on the opposite side.

Like possessed, Yun An walked into her opponent's field without reserves.

No one knew the reason for her confidence except her own master. It was a recent discovery after witnessing Yun An meeting her opponent’s palms with her fists. The elder himself was in the middle of self-loathing, regret mixing with shame. When these emotions washed over, it became clear to him what he would need to do after today, no, after this fight.

Going back to the stage, Yun An’s aggressiveness was not much of a threat to Yin Yu. It gave the younger girl the slightest of chill but nothing serious. Even if her opponent has become relentless, the qi-less girl didn’t have the power to pose as a threat. However, her quick wit knew to be extra careful. While four out of Yin Yu's ten blows met their mark, she actively distanced herself from Yun An. 

Meanwhile, Yun An kept homing at Yin Yu. The closer she got, the fiercer the resistance. The barrages of palms suppressed her momentarily, but like a dead set predator, she threw herself back into the barrage, ignoring the pain signals from all over the body.

Judging the hands wouldn’t make it, Yin Yu kicked Yun An on the cheek. That was the second time this match. Unlike the first time when Yun An attempted to move with the blow and made it barely connected, this time it was solid.

“Weird.” Yin Yu blurted out.

She didn’t say it to distract her opponent, but because she was in the zone herself. Her brain was cracking itself trying to explain the unnatural approach of Yun An and forgot to not think out loud. Besides, Yin Yu knew Yun An didn’t have a care to notice the stray word.

Yin Yu has found a strange pattern in her opponent’s behaviours. Whenever the older girl accumulated a sizable amount of damage, be it from a big move or from short-delay consecutive attacks, she would pause as if to adjust herself to the injuries.

“Senior Fang Yun. Please stop the fight!”

Tian Zhong’s voice brought Yun An to a halt.

As her attacker ceased her assault, Yin Yu took the opportunity to recover.

All gazes converged.

“She had sustained heavy injuries. Please st-”

“Senior. Please ignore senior Tian Zhong.”

“Yun An!”

“Tian Zhong. Sit down.”

“Master.”

“Being considerate to your junior is a good trait, but you must be mindful of her will.”

“But master if you don’t stop her, it may be dangerous for her body.”

“Yun An. You said you joined the tournament not to win. Is it still the same?”

“Indeed, master.”

“Tian Zhong. I know why you came to your conclusion, but can you look at her reply and say she is nothing more than being calm and collective?”

“This…”

“She knows what she is doing. Just sit down and observe.”

“Master.”

“Hua Cheng. If Tian Zhong interrupts again, remove him from here.”

Being directly addressed by his senior master, Hua Cheng could only reluctantly replied. “Yes, senior master.”

Tian Zhong fell into silence.

His master, who was satisfied with Hua Cheng’s answer, returned to his seat.

As the combat resumed, Yin Yu switched gear and went into offense. She hasn’t caught on to what Yun An was planning, but she decided not to drag it out.

Tian Zhong’s interference was perfected to reset the mood. With Yun An's fighting mode temporarily disrupted, it wouldn’t be possible for her to restart immediately, or so Yin Yu assumed.

Yin Yu blanketed Yun An with her palm strikes. Capitalising on the strange reaction she witnessed, the bratty devil unleashed her strongest Invisible Sword. This attack has better penetration than Soundless Palm but costs more qi and takes longer time to use. Thus, she didn’t use it as often. However, with Yun An staying stationary like this, it was the perfect opportunity.

Yin Yu didn’t really care if it would put Yun An into danger. If there would be danger, her master, Fang Yun, would neutralise the attack. In that case, she would win. She might have to listen to a few scoldings but that’s not a big deal. She could always play her young and innocent card. After all, that was how the meatheads in the sect treated her. The sect master and other masters knew her genius. They wouldn’t let anything too much happen to her because of an inferior like Yun An.

So far, everything occurred as she predicted. Yun An had stopped, and the qi of Invisible Sword was approaching. Sadly, one thing Yin Yu didn’t realise. She was mentally fatigued. She skipped doing the detailed analysis of Yun An’s strange action. She jumped into the most likely explanation which she normally doesn’t do. Hence, she had no idea that the reason for Yun An’s pause was to grapple with the intruding qi in order to ascend to greater cultivation. Yun An was well aware of everything around her.

An uncommon sound rang out which only a few attentive onlookers immediately detected. It was the sound of Yun An dispelling Yin Yu’s attack.

Yun An’s master broke a small smile, congratulating his disciple’s achievement.

Yin Yu froze in disbelief, and so did Fang Yun.

Hua Cheng shared half the reaction with his first senior master. The other half was the same as Tian Zhong, a highly concerning emotion to the bloody pinky of Yun An.

To stop Yin Yu’s attack, Yun An imbued qi into her hand. The empowered handknife clashed with the qi attack by the edge. She undid her opponent attack, but being the weaker cultivator, her qi couldn’t  protect her entirely. The consequence was a pinky that was cut on one side exposing down to the white bone. No flesh was stripped off the finger, so treatment and recuperation would heal it nicely.

Yun An’s qi frizzled out quickly. She could manipulate qi, but she wasn’t skilled enough to keep it stable.

More, some more to truly reach Lower qi manipulation.

When the determination of Yun An fell into Yin Yu's vision, the younger girl snapped out of her shock. She knew how bad the situation had become.

Yin Yu dashed into Yun An’s personal space. She didn’t have a lot of qi left. Range attack was easier to evade or handle than melee. Her only shot was a decisive ultimate at point blank. Two palms as one, every qi she could mobilise was discharged for this move.

Like a dam being opened, her qi rushed out.

Yin Yu was the faster, but Yun An was the more composed and perceptive. Her left foot stepped back to make room. Meeting Yin Yu’s twin palms was Yun An’s left fist.

Then...

...there was nothing.

No winner, no loser.

Fang Yun had blocked their attack with his hands. The huge amount of qi between the two disciples was like a hill, absorbing the destructiveness of the girls' power. The physical-dominant fist and the explosive twin palms stayed dead in his hands.

“Master!” Despite her shocked expression and concerning voice, Yin Yu wasn’t surprised at all. She had expected him to interfere for a while already.

Yun An assumed a similar occurrence too.

Both retracted their hands in perfect composure. The question at the moment would be "what is the verdict?"

“Yin Yu. Give up.”

“Eh? Me?” This was not in her calculation.

“You are a smart girl. You can see the result from here. Yun An wouldn’t get out unscathed but so would you. I want to avoid what can be avoided.”

“Ok, master, but that’s because you asked me.” Yin Yu pouted.

“If you said so."

"Let's fight again in the future.”

“Then you better watch out, junior master. Yin Yu would be terrifyingly strong by that time.”

“Yin Yu has given up. This fight, Dong Yun An won!”

If their attacks went through, Yun An’s arm bones and Yin Yu’s hand bones would fracture. Yin Yu would still be stronger than Yun An. However, Yun An would improve over the fight and topple Yin Yu. Moreover, Fang Yun was worried the injuries would get into the way of Yin Yu's cultivation. He was praiseworthy for not allowing that future to happen. Huai Jia concluded.

When Dong Yun An walked out from the ring that day, the eyes of her peers couldn’t be more different. A mighty being from a foreign world has intruded the domain of cultivators by the tip of her nail.

CheertheDead

Yun An’s journey in the tournament so far.