Chapter 632: The Opponent
Chapter 632: The Opponent
Olive was surprised as he observed the thin young man. He had noticed him earlier, standing out among the disciples of Dawnlight Pavilion, not only due to his frail physique but also his seemingly impaired mental state. Despite this, he seemed to be well-cared for by the other disciples.
Olive had several speculations about his identity, but he never expected it to be Yajian Hong himself.
However, something else crossed his mind, causing a shiver of apprehension.
With a hint of trepidation, Olive glanced at Yajian Hong and said, "Mr. Yajian, and everyone from Dawnlight Pavilion, please follow me up the mountain. Taru is waiting for you there."
Shiyuan Ba bowed and said, "In that case, please lead the way, sir."
Olive bowed again and led the group up the mountain path. The disciples of Dawnlight Pavilion remained silent throughout the journey, while the Solitary Stream Pavilion disciples who accompanied Olive, unaccustomed to interacting with outsiders, felt the cold and solemn atmosphere. Their palms grew sweaty as they gripped their staffs tightly.
When they reached the platform halfway up the mountain, Taru was already waiting in front of the largest stone building. She wore a black and white martial robe, a traditional attire of Solitary Stream Pavilion, and in accordance with the custom of welcoming guests, she had adorned her temple with two crimson plumes.
Taru's tall stature, bronzed skin, thick black eyebrows, and expressive eyes left a deep impression. Especially her mental state—facing over a dozen disciples from Dawnlight Pavilion, she showed no fear, instead exuding a calm and fearless demeanor.
Olive introduced her, "This is Taru."
Shiyuan Ba took a good look at Taru and silently praised her. This Taru was no less impressive than the heroes he had encountered on the high seas.
As they approached, Shiyuan Ba raised his hand, signaling his disciples to halt. Only the thin young man, still oblivious, continued forward, but was quickly stopped by those around him.
Shiyuan Ba took a few steps forward, bowed, and said, "I am Shiyuan Ba. It's an honor to meet you, Taru. Before we set out, my teacher asked me to convey his greetings to you."
All the disciples from Dawnlight Pavilion bowed to Taru.
Although they had come here with a hidden agenda, they still had to show respect to Taru, the current head of Solitary Stream Pavilion, who held the same status as their own headmaster.
Taru returned the Solitary Stream Pavilion's salute and said, "Greetings. Thank you for your kind words." Olive stepped forward and whispered something to her.
Taru turned to Yajian Hong and said sincerely, "This is Mr. Yajian? Hello."
Yajian Hong raised his head in a daze, and someone whispered in his ear. He responded woodenly, "You... hello." Then he looked in a certain direction as if he wanted to go there but was quickly stopped.
Shiyuan Ba stepped forward, blocking the view of Yajian Hong from the others. He surveyed the training ground and said with a hint of regret, "My teacher once said that Solitary Stream Pavilion and Dawnlight Pavilion share the same origin. It was once a martial hall with the Fist Ancestor. I never imagined it would fall into such disrepair. It's truly regrettable."
He turned to Taru and said earnestly, "We at Dawnlight Pavilion cannot bear to see our kin decline. We are willing to help Solitary Stream Pavilion regain its former glory."
"My teacher once told me that nothing in this world remains forever," Taru replied. "It is the way of things, and of people. The decline of Solitary Stream Pavilion is an inevitable part of the natural order, and there's no need to force it. Besides, you're not truly concerned about this, so there's no need to discuss it."
She spoke with remarkable candor, seemingly unafraid to address the conflict between them, which surprised Shiyuan Ba. However, this was exactly what he had hoped for.
Shiyuan Ba took a few more steps forward and said, "Taru, we are like family. You must know why we had to come here."
Taru nodded and said, "I know what you want, but whether you can get it depends on your strength."
Shiyuan Ba's eyes narrowed as he rested his hand on the hilt of the long knife at his waist. His voice deepened as he said, "I'd like to learn from you!"
The disciples of Dawnlight Pavilion behind him also placed their hands on the hilts of their knives, and the atmosphere became tense.
A total of fifteen disciples had come with them, including Yajian Hong, the senior disciple, and four Third Limit Combat fighters. It could be said that all the skilled fighters of the hall were present, and their strength was overwhelmingly superior to the weakened Solitary Stream Pavilion.
In Shiyuan Ba's opinion, the moment the decision was made in the hall, they had already won half the battle. There was no way Taru, alone, could be their match.
Taru shook her head and said, "I won't fight you."
Shiyuan Ba was taken aback and frowned, "What do you mean, Taru?"
He didn't believe she could be that naive. Even if they didn't fight, he knew they wouldn't just give up. Since they had come here, they were determined to achieve their goal.
Taru looked at Olive and said, "Your opponent is not me."
"Is that so?" Shiyuan Ba's gaze shifted to Olive. Although he was a teacher, it was clear he had neglected his training. Moreover, his age suggested a decline in his abilities, as external appearance often reflected one's current state, unless one was actively fighting on the front lines.
Is there any other strong reinforcement?
Is there anyone else on the Outer Sea who can help Solitary Stream Pavilion?
Could it be...
He frowned, thinking of a result they least wanted to see—handing over the possible Rift to the government and corporations. But did Solitary Stream Pavilion need to do this? It was precisely because they feared pushing Solitary Stream Pavilion too hard that they had always left room for them.
At this moment, Taru turned and walked away, saying, "Follow me."
Shiyuan Ba glanced at her and, after a moment's thought, followed her, with the rest of the group immediately following suit. They only stopped when they reached the sea cliff.
Taru stood at the edge of the cliff, pointing down, "The thing you're looking for is below here. If you want to occupy it, go and get it yourself."
Shiyuan Ba was first surprised, then showed a hint of joy. He asked in disbelief, "Are you saying..."
Taru said, "You should have gotten that thing, right? That can prove my words."
Shiyuan Ba's eyes flickered, and he took out a delicate stone whistle from his waist pouch. He put it in his mouth and blew hard, his face turning red from the effort.
After only a moment, a slight tremor rose from the ground, and the ocean water in front of the cliff began to visibly ripple.
Shiyuan Ba couldn't help but feel excited, saying with joy, "Yes, it's here! Right here!"
Without paying attention to Taru and Olive anymore, he turned back and quickly walked to the skinny young man, saying excitedly, "Senior Brother, it's below! We..."
In the 1619 version, there's not a single mistake!
"I heard."
The skinny young man raised his head, and at this moment, his eyes were no longer dazed but extremely sharp.
Upon hearing his voice, the surrounding disciples all widened their eyes, showing a look of fear and awe. This was...
Shiyuan Ba was also startled and involuntarily took a step back. That voice was very similar to the voice of their teacher from Howling Moon Pavilion.
The skinny young man stared ahead, saying to Shiyuan Ba, "Keep blowing!"
"Yes, yes!"
Shiyuan Ba blew the jade whistle with all his might once more, and the seawater began to tremble again. As the whistling continued, the ripples at one location became particularly intense, although it was hard to notice in the surging tides. However, the combatants present, with their keen observational skills, immediately noticed the difference.
The skinny young man slowly walked to the edge of the cliff, staring intently ahead. Then, he spread his arms and let his body fall downward.
"Senior Brother?"
Everyone was surprised.
Shiyuan Ba took a few steps forward and watched as the figure below glided through the space of several meters and plunged into the seawater. He didn't hesitate and jumped down as well.
The other disciples, seeing this, also jumped down, not a single one remaining on the cliff. It was as if they didn't care about the people from Solitary Stream Pavilion at all.
Olive's feelings were complicated. He knew that Dawnlight Pavilion held Solitary Stream Pavilion in disdain and was only targeting their Rift, which was undoubtedly a good thing for them. However, this disregard still left a bitter taste in his mouth.
After the skinny young man entered the sea, he quickly swam towards the direction of the ripples he had observed earlier. Soon, he reached the Rift, and as he did, his body felt lighter. The seawater surrounding him dissipated, and he appeared in a space filled with green glowing lights.
He looked ahead and saw a person standing at the front, a long blade stuck in the ground beside them, and behind them was a dazzling light.
Chen Chuan had been waiting for the people from Dawnlight Pavilion to arrive after hearing of their intention to come. The reason he chose this place for the fight was that it was hard to damage and wouldn't involve any bystanders during the battle.
Looking at the newcomer, he saw a very skinny person at first glance, with seemingly no muscles on their body. However, he didn't underestimate them because of this.
Those were just appearances; this skinny body contained a powerful force, and the moment he entered this place, it began to gradually revive.
The skinny young man slowly walked forward, and as he moved, the sound of his bones and tendons moving could be heard from within his body. His figure also gradually straightened, and the originally loose and sagging clothes tightened. His hair broke free from its restraints.
He extended his already swollen, muscular arm and tore off his upper garment, revealing his knotted muscles and smooth lines of his upper body, leaving only a black lower garment. Then, he took a torn piece of cloth and tied up his now-free hair.
By the time he reached close behind Chen Chuan, he had transformed into a young man with a wild and unrestrained demeanor. He was almost unrecognizable from his original self. He grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, "I am the senior disciple of Dawnlight Pavilion, Yajian Hong!"
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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