Cool wind blew, bringing faint rustling sound of trees, which resembled soft murmuring of a crowd.
In He family’s backyard, at this moment, no other sound could be heard other than the rustling of wind.
In He family estate, He Yitian was an illustrious figure. Especially in the third generation, he’d been naturally approved as the individual with the best future prospects.
Even in the clan’s evening banquets, his seat was the best among the third generation.
This was not merely because he was the eldest grandson of the eldest son. He’d obtained the approval of the everybody based on his own outstanding talent in cultivation.
Attaining the sixth layer at the age of fourteen, attaining the seventh layer at the age of nineteen, He Yitian, who was currently twenty-two years old, was well-reputed in the entire Tai Cang county. Even while taking all the three influential families into consideration, he was a top-notch expert.
This was because the third generation of the other two families didn’t have a single seventh layer cultivator.
He Yiming had also attained the sixth layer at the age of thirteen, but if he couldn’t attain the seventh layer before the age of twenty, in everybody’s eyes, he and He Yitian couldn’t even be compared.
As for He Yiming attaining the seventh layer before the age of twenty, that was an ambiguous matter. No one could say anything with certainty.
After all, the difficulty of attaining the seventh layer indeed far surpassed the previous ones. Even He Yitian couldn’t explain how exactly did he manage to pass through this obstacle.
Therefore, when He Yitian stood up on his own accord and posed a challenge to He Yiming, the spectators felt it inconceivable.
After quite a while, He Wude suddenly laughed and said:
“Yiming, your eldest brother has requested you for a duel; why don’t you fight for a bit.”
He Yiming deeply glanced at his grandfather and the eldest brother before faintly bowing his head and saying:
“Yes.”
He Yihai discontentedly walked off the stage before exchanging a glance with He Yixuan, both thinking what was their eldest brother up to.
In the past, every time, they would act together against their eldest brother only to be defeated ultimately.
Thus, they were extremely clear on their eldest brother’s strength, and also in deep reverence. These days, although their sixth brother had emerged as a new force, if one were to say that he could compete against their eldest brother, they absolutely wouldn’t dare believe it. Thus, they also couldn’t understand why would their eldest brother take the initiative to fight.
He Quanyi was extremely proud as he watched these two outstanding nephews of his. A time period of merely ten years since the establishment of the family in the Tai Cang county was undoubtedly the shortest history among the three influential families. However, He family’s third generation was undoubtedly the most determined among the three. He Quanyi had no doubt that once their third generation grew up, the position of the number one family in the Tai Cang county would undoubtedly belong to the He family.
Retreating a few steps, He Quanyi commanded the commencement of the most outstanding battle among the youngest generation.
With one hand on his chest, He Yitian made a gesture of invitation. He Yiming was also not polite. Crisscrossing his two fists, he advanced forward in huge strides like a rumbling boulder.
Just after a short while since the start of the fight, everybody could see why He Yitian was reputed to be the number figure in the third generation. Unwittingly, he’d already gained an upper hand.
He Yitian primarily cultivated earth type techniques. His figure was standing at the centre of the stage, with his legs separated like the character ‘八’, resembling a deeply-rooted tree. Regardless of how He Yiming attacked, he stood like a mountain. He was softly waving both of his hands around his body, easily splitting apart He Yiming’s relentless Rolling Boulder Fists.
This was the strength of the seventh layer. In front of absolute strength, even after grasping the true essence of a battle skill, there was no possibility of victory.
After fighting for some time more, He Yiming surprisingly felt as if his arms and legs had stuck. As if tied together with heavy stones, he found it difficult to use them.
If his Internal Energy truly had been at the sixth layer, he feared that he would not have been able to continue. However, he could continue because his Internal Energy was even one level above He Yitian.
He Wude’s eyes began to shine. He Yiming’s performance had far surpassed his expectations.
Currently, He Yitian was twenty-two years old. He’d already cultivated earth-type techniques for seventeen years. The true essence of earth-type techniques, attack through defense and steadily press forward, had thoroughly been comprehended by him long ago. It seemed as though he hadn’t taken the initiative to attack, however, every time both sides exchanged blows, an extremely minute Internal Energy was left coiled around He Yiming’s body.
Furthermore, He Yitian’s earth-type technique seemed a deep pit, gradually pulling He Yiming deep inside it. Even ceasing the assault and pull away was extremely hard for He Yiming.
Under such circumstances, He Yiming continued to forcibly hold on. Although his movements seemed to have become quite sluggish, he never stopped. This kind of situation caused spectators to be at a loss. How could he actually preserve for so long?
After a bit of thought, a Xiantian scripture appeared in He Wude’s mind, ‘Could it be…He Yiming has already cultivated and obtained some accomplishment….”
As his thoughts reached this point, he abruptly shouted:
“Yiming, no need to keep concealing, show a bit of your true skill.”
This moment He Yiming’s mood, just like Yihai’s a moment ago, was quite gloomy. Upon hearing the Lord Father’s shout, his expression suddenly sharpened a little.
He had no idea that the old man had been referring to the Splitting Mountain Thirty Six Forms, instead, he thought that the latter had seen through his cultivation.
‘Since it’s already out, there is no need to conceal anymore. But this, after all, is not a life-and-death battle. In any case, I should leave some face for eldest brother…”
Thereupon, with a light shout, the Internal Energy in He Yiming’s body abruptly accelerated and instantly upgraded to the seventh layer. Practically at the same time, the Rolling Boulder Fist also upgraded corresponding to the peak of the seventh layer.
In between his relentless fists, one could actually hear a faint tinkling sound like that of a metal. With every strike, the fist wind, as if a sharp blade scraping through, could cause one’s skin to ache.
Seventh layer Primordial Energy conformed to the seventh layer Rolling Boulder Fist. As if the mixing of water and milk, the two complemented each other and their might rose to the peak.
He Yitian’s expression transformed. In his eyes, his sixth brother’s figure had suddenly started to seem lofty, causing him to actually feel as if he would not be able to resist. Even more inconceivable was that the two arms of his brother seemed no longer made of flesh, but had instead transformed into two big choppers, which were blustering about in front of him while producing rustling sounds.
The earth type techniques were famous for fearsome defense, however, He Yitian felt that his defense would not be able to hold out against such an extremely sharp offense of his brother.
He Yitian’s expression had already turned extremely serious. His fist energy1 completely converged within a square unit around his body. At this moment, he seemed like an immovable gigantic rock.
However, Yiming’s assault was getting increasingly fierce. His Rolling Boulder Fist seemed like countless meteors cascading down the sky, attacking the immovable gigantic rock. First, second….countless….every strike would cause the rock to faintly shake, meanwhile, the amount and frequency of strikes incessantly increased. Gradually, it actually felt as if the gigantic rock would be submerged.
After another short while of fight, He Yitian’s face had an unusual complexion, and his mind had a single thought…resist, resist…and resist more.
He was certain that his sixth brother had definitely attained the seventh layer, but not long ago. Although the metal-type techniques were extremely formidable in terms of might, at the same time, they were also the most lacking in terms of endurance. Thus, as long as he could survive this chain assault, he could certainly achieve the victory in the end.
However, even though he encouraged himself as such, in his perception, his sixth brother’s Rolling Boulder Fist just simply didn’t resemble a metal-type technique, but seemed endurant like a water-type a technique. The ferocious assault, with each strike stronger than the last, seemed everlasting.
Resist…Resist….
Cannot resist anymore!
He Yitian’s two legs, ultimately, incapable of holding the ground, slowly took a step backwards.
However, this one-step retreat was already enough to transform the expressions of He Wude and the rest.
The majority of the spectators could not unravel the mysteries behind it, but the few of them were aware that He Yitian was going to lose this battle.
“Halt….”
A loud shout came out of He Wude’s mouth, jolting He Yiming out of his intoxicated assault. He immediately restrained himself and stood at his position. He Yitian naturally stood straight as well while facing him, though his eyes were full of astonishment.
He Wude turned his vision towards the spectators, who were at a complete loss, and said: “Your fist techniques has improved a lot since last year. This old man is very glad. Let’s end today’s skill competition here. Quanyi, double the silver that is to be rewarded.”
Immediately, countless cheers erupted down below. Although the Old Master had abruptly halted the fight, in front of the double rewards, the servants naturally overlooked a small spectacle.
He Quanyi immediately sounded his agreement in a loud voice and personally moved to take care of this matter.
He Yitian was about to speak, but after receiving a glare from He Wude, he obediently closed his mouth.
Waving his big sleeves, He Wude said:
“You all leave, He Quanxin and you two, along with He Yitian and He Yiming, come with me.”
I’m not sure what ‘fist energy’ here represents. As I remember this term was used by author once before, but at that time, it was used in context of throwing punches.