Chapter 110: The Old Man in the Cyan Gown

“The old man is coming out.”

“He looks incredibly formidable!”

“Could that old man be the master with the long hair?”

“Ah, I wish I could record this! Too bad I locked my phone in the locker when I changed into my training clothes.”

The spectators murmured among themselves.

…

The old man in the blue robe stepped into the arena and smiled at Ye Fei. “Young man, you have quite a skillful hand! You showed mercy just now, too. Let me thank you on behalf of that ignorant boy.”

Ye Fei smiled and replied vaguely with a few polite words, all the while raising his guard to the highest level. This old man was formidable indeed. He had seen that Ye Fei had not yet used his full strength.

Still, although Ye Fei was wary, he was not afraid. His abilities were already enough to place him among the strongest in the world. With humanity so vast, how likely was it that he would encounter someone even stronger than himself?

After exchanging a few courtesies, the old man got straight to the point. He arranged his hands and feet into a stance filled with an ancient elegance.

“Be careful,” the old man warned before suddenly moving.

His attack was not fierce. Instead, it carried a sense of balance and moderation. But Ye Fei knew his opponent could not be that simple. He did not dare underestimate him and immediately readied himself.

From the old man’s movements, it was clear that traces of traditional Chinese martial arts remained in his attacks. He was evidently one of those people who had gone overseas during the years of war.

Perhaps he had been only a child back then. Decades had passed, and he had grown old. Yet although those people had left for foreign lands, their roots had always remained in their homeland. Precisely because they were far from home, they cherished its traditions all the more. Some of them had preserved the oldest customs and practices in their entirety, whether in skill or tradition.

Ye Fei had also studied Chinese martial arts, but he had never practiced them in depth. The combat techniques he had learned were practical methods designed to kill enemies and secure victory. Every move was among the most violent possible, without the slightest trace of ornament. That was dictated by the nature of his profession: the skills he had been taught emphasized practicality above all else.

Bang!

Ye Fei struck with a punch, and the old man caught it in his palm. Ye Fei felt no fear. Just as he thought the old man would firmly control his arm and he began to wrench it free, the old man turned and pushed with the motion. Ye Fei had exerted too much force and nearly twisted his own arm.

“That has the flavor of Tai Chi,” Ye Fei thought.

The old man’s move had nearly caught him off guard, yet he remained neither hurried nor pleased. He merely smiled faintly at Ye Fei.

“He knows his own weakness. With age and declining strength, he can’t possibly match me, a young man, in physical condition or power. He wants to borrow my strength to strike back and wear me down. Fine. Let’s see whether you can truly withstand all of my strength.”

Ye Fei instantly understood the old man’s strategy. But this was not his own preferred style. His methods were wild, fierce, violent, and explosive.

So Ye Fei devised a countermeasure. Since his opponent intended to rely on what he did best, Ye Fei would do the same. His body was in its prime, his vitality abundant, and his strength far more powerful than the old man’s. He decided to use pure force to break through the old man’s slippery technique.

Whoosh, whoosh!

His fists and feet spun like wheels. Ye Fei’s assault erupted in an instant, as violent as raging waves.

“Heh heh. Using strength to overcome skill. Good boy—so you think you can bully an old man because my strength is inferior to yours? Let’s see whether you can truly accomplish the tyrannical feat of overcoming every technique with sheer force,” the old man thought with a secret laugh.

Bang!

The two clashed again. Ye Fei’s attack was heavy and powerful, but when it struck the old man’s palm, it was stopped after only one blow.

Yet the old man was likewise unable to borrow Ye Fei’s strength and twist his arm against him.

“They canceled each other out!” Ye Fei and the old man thought at the same time.

Their strength had neutralized one another. Even after exhausting all his power, Ye Fei could not break through the old man’s defense. But the old man could not use Ye Fei’s force against him either. Ye Fei’s strength was simply too great, beyond the old man’s ability to control, leaving him unable to redirect it.

“Hahaha…” Ye Fei laughed inwardly. Although he could not break through the old man’s defenses, he still held the advantage. His body was robust and his vitality abundant. In a battle of endurance, the one destined to lose in the end would certainly be the old man.

The old man’s brow furrowed. Clearly, he had reached the same conclusion.

Suddenly, the shape of his palm changed. It came at Ye Fei like the beak of a long-billed crane, striking toward the vital points on his body.

Ye Fei hurriedly raised his hand to shield them.

The old man changed his palm technique again, curling his fingers into claws and raking them across the back of Ye Fei’s hand, leaving several marks.

“Tiger-and-Crane Twin Forms,” Ye Fei said.

“You have some knowledge. Not many young people today understand these ancient arts passed down from their ancestors,” the old man said with a smile.

“It is a pity that both tiger and crane have grown old and lost their former majesty,” Ye Fei replied in a deep voice.

The old man smiled and looked at him. “Ye Fei, your skill is impressive. You are an excellent prospect. Would you be willing to inherit this ancestral art?”

The implication was obvious: the old man had taken a liking to Ye Fei and wanted to make him his disciple, passing down the Tiger-and-Crane Twin Forms to him.

At the edge of the arena, the long-haired man listened with envy. His own Uncle Qing had not even taught him the Tiger-and-Crane Twin Forms, yet now he intended to pass them on to Ye Fei.

Ye Fei said solemnly, “Thank you for the offer. If you can persuade them to let go, I can introduce you to a suitable disciple.”

The old man shook his head with a sigh. It seemed this art would have to accompany him into the grave.

“What a pity. Come, Ye Fei! Though the crane is old, it can still fly; though the tiger has departed, its lingering might remains,” the old man said.

Ye Fei knew that negotiations had broken down.

The people surrounding them found the exchange baffling. One of them looked around, searching for something.

“Their dialogue is so strange! Could they really be filming a movie? But why can’t I see any cameras?”

“It isn’t a movie. Maybe that’s just the jargon used when martial artists from the old world spar with one another.”

“Their fight is amazing! Does anyone know what kind of martial arts they’re using?”

“The old man is using the Tiger-and-Crane Twin Forms. Didn’t you hear them say it? I have no idea what style the young man is using.”

“Where did they learn those skills? They look so cool! I want to sign up too.”

…

The Tiger-and-Crane Twin Forms had continued to circulate in China. Some martial-arts performance shows even included rehearsed versions of it, but those were merely empty flourishes. What the old man in the blue robe displayed was genuine martial skill. His technique was highly polished, his transitions ingenious, and the crane form targeted the vital points throughout the human body. It was extraordinarily powerful.

Ye Fei’s techniques, however, were all practical as well, and his reactions were exceptionally quick. As a result, neither man could gain the upper hand for the time being. Their battle was even more精彩 than Ye Fei’s earlier clash with the long-haired man.

Fwoom!

Ye Fei threw another punch. The old man once again tried to neutralize it with deft technique. Unfortunately, after fighting for so long, the disadvantage of his age finally revealed itself. He caught Ye Fei’s fist but could not completely dispel its force. The punch drove him backward, forcing him to retreat three steps.

After knocking his opponent back with one punch, Ye Fei did not pursue him. Instead, he withdrew his fist and stood still.

Ye Fei knew he had already won. The old man’s stamina was failing. If they continued, he could do no more than force himself through a few additional moves.

“Ah… one really cannot refuse to admit that one has grown old,” the old man said helplessly. Since Ye Fei had not pursued him, he did not attack again either.

“Ye Fei, you win,” the old man announced, then waved toward one side.

Everyone followed his gesture and saw Li Guozhong being brought back by two men.

“Captain!”

“Captain!”

“Captain!”

The four team members rushed over in delight.

“Heh heh, I’ve really disgraced myself this time,” Li Guozhong said with a smile.

“It was all thanks to Ye Fei rescuing you,” the others said.

“Yes. Come on, let’s go take a look,” Li Guozhong replied with a nod. He already knew that the old man had used him to test Ye Fei’s abilities.

In the arena, Ye Fei said to the old man, “Thank you for keeping your word.”

“A man of our generation values his promises above gold. Once I give my word, I naturally must honor it. But after today, we will be opponents,” the old man replied.

“Heh heh. I won’t hold back either,” Ye Fei said with a smile.

“Good.” The old man looked at Ye Fei and nodded. Then he turned to the long-haired man. “Xiaozhen, let’s go.”

After the long-haired man left, he cast one last glance at Ye Fei. Ye Fei paid no attention. He led the five members of the secret team out of the gymnasium.

If they stayed any longer, the surrounding spectators would have swallowed them alive.

The spectators, all eager to become disciples and learn martial arts, were truly fanatical. If they swarmed forward together, Ye Fei would never have been able to leave easily. Those people were practically more terrifying than a hundred old men in blue robes.