Simply Trading

And perhaps, a chance for their morale to pick up a little? Having lost two in a row, it could be said that they were more than a little worried. As could be seen from the look on their faces.

However, Lin Liushui was quick to stop Du Yan"s father from saying a word, and turned to take over the arrangements on his Brother"s behalf. Despite his pallor and a slight weakness in his voice, he still managed to convey the impression of a lofty Grandmaster, with his handsome visage and his slightly insulting, though utterly polite, manners:

"Ah! Unfortunately, we do not have any more representatives that can go up and play right now. So I will have to trouble this good friend from our protective troop to step out. You are aware that our Brother Qin Feng still needs a bit of time to recover from ... that over-loud shout, so you are our only choice at the moment. Brother Li?"
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Qin Feng frowned as Lin Liushui made the excuses. Why did he have to be the one to play the injured party this time. That was a little too arbitrary, wasn"t it?

But Du Chenyong only grunted, when he saw the look on Qin Feng"s face. And probably mistook the sour twist of his lips for something else. "Oh, do not worry about it, Young Master Qin. Our Strategist Lin is only spreading it on thick so as to cover the Second Ducal Prince"s ident.i.ty. But I have a feeling that the Ducal Prince will surprise us all, when he gets up on the stage and starts fighting. I sense an aura in him that is similar to his father."

The fact that Du Yan"s father was using formal t.i.tles and speaking in such a glum tone was all the warning that Qin Feng got that this was another of Lin Liushui"s elaborate plans. Why these two handsome fellows had to keep coming up with these little tricks was beyond him though. Did Li Changhai really need something like that to beat this next fellow?

Still, it was rather a good match, for the arrogant-looking man in a pale blue shirt and a beautiful floral overcoat that Qin Feng thought was more suited for someone going courting, than a fight. And while the wearer was handsome in his own way, he was no match for Lin Liushui"s heavenly l.u.s.ter, or Du Yan"s down-to-earth solidity.

In other words, he was lacking compared to those two exceptional men. In fact, Qin Feng would even go so far as to rate him under Li Changhai. Although the Second Ducal Prince was a little wishy-washy at times, he did have a good heart. So long as he did not try to pretend to be something other than what he was - because his acting skills were terrible! Well, so long as he didn"t try to act a scholar, he was perfectly acceptable.

Even so, his rough and tough soldierly image was more than sufficient to make the difference between the two combatants clear. The one sent by the Tearless Iron Spear Troop gave the impression of a n.o.bleman trying to play soldier, while Li Changhai wore the image of one who really knew the ins and outs of war.

Which was even more apparent when the Second Ducal Prince offered up a military-styled salute, rather than a mincingly polite one that was more accepted in jianghu. Which was a bit of surprise for his opponent.

"Li Changhai. Yanyun City."

Qin Feng felt his eyebrows shoot up. It seems the Second Ducal Prince had taken his advice, and used a mode of address that was fitting with the way that he was dressed. And it was certainly enough to confuse the enemy. Most of the senior members of the Martial Arts Schools seated on the other side of the Arena looked a little perplexed too. Probably because they had the feeling as though they should recognize the name? But they just could not place it. Not with the way that Li Changhai was behaving.

The Elder from Snow Swallow Mountain Palace, on the other hand, gave the Ducal Prince a sharp glance as soon as those words left his lips. So it was clear that she had recognized him.

Which did not surprise Qin Feng at all. The fact that the Palace had sent people to watch the Barbarians, to the South, meant that they had the Marquis and the Duke within their sights. So how could something like this escape their eyes?

The well-dressed dandy in the brocade robe merely sniffed at the Second Ducal Prince, as though the armor-clad soldier was beneath him.

"Wearing armor in a duel? That only shows how much of a coward you are! I shall break your glaive and throw you off the stage in ten moves!"

Li Changhai didn"t say a word, and simply launched an attack at once, causing his opponent to hurriedly raise his own spear, to block the powerful downward blow. That was followed by a smooth flick upwards, using the pommel end of the polearm, that threw the man in the brocade robe back about seven to ten steps.

The Second Ducal Prince seemed to be going through a simple drill, with the dull, unbothered look on his face, and his ceaseless spinning and striking with his long weapon. It was clear from the greatly saddened expressions on the faces of the opposing side that they had little hope of a victory, despite the fact that the fight was still on-going.

Even the leader of the Iron Spear Troop, Zhang Weilong, had an ugly look on his face. One that darkened further, when his partic.i.p.ant took a cut to his upper chest, that revealed that he was wearing a hidden breastplate, under his rich clothes.

Something that Li Changhai was quick to make fun of:

"Oh? So it seems you believe in wearing armor secretly, rather than wearing it openly. How interesting! For someone who is working hard to become a soldier, you seem to be well suited for the role of an a.s.sa.s.sin instead," Li Changhai smirked, as he pointed at the tear in the man"s brocade robe, and the glinting metal scales that could be seen under the same.

Grunts and murmurs of derision echoed about the spectators" stands, and the man who had refused to offer his name earlier blushed a deep red from the humiliation. From failing his earlier claim to beat this worthless soldier within ten breaths, to the fact that he had humiliated the same earlier for wearing armor, it was obvious that he had slapped himself in face twice!

Well, three times, if one considered how Li Changhai had managed to completely, and smoothly, neutralize every one of his attacks. And didn"t his opponent say something about thrashing him in ten moves earlier?

His words, however, seemed to push the n.o.bleman in the silk brocade to make a desperate lunge at the Second Ducal Prince, his spear flashing up to stab at his heart! Yet, Li Changhai was greatly surprised, when the man suddenly released his grasp on the pommel end of his weapon and reached out to grasp the shaft of Li Changhai"s glaive!

He roared with laughter too, as he yanked aside the Second Ducal Prince"s weapon, setting Li Changhai up for a quick strike with his spear, which he was now wielding with one hand! He had even begun to pull in back, so that he could execute that attack with his full strength, to repay Li Changhai for his earlier insult.

But the Second Ducal Prince simply dropped his hold on his weapon altogether, letting his glaive drop away, so that he could punch out with both his fists instead!

There was a loud crackling sound as his forearms became covered with sparkling azure-colored lightning, moments before they crashed into the armored chest of the proud n.o.bleman who had refused to give his name before the fight.

Then a bright explosion seemed to occur right in front of his face, blinding everyone who had been watching the fight carefully. Including Qin Feng, who cursed under his breath again.

First Du Yan throws something like that shout of his, to affect his hearing. Then Li Changhai does the same. To trouble his eyes! What sort of Brothers were these? Was he going to deaf and blind and mute, if he continued to hang around these three troublesome people?

That was when he heard the shouting, and realized that someone had identified the martial art that had just been used. And in doing so, the wielder as well!

"Blue Lightning Fist! That is Duke Li"s Blue Lightning Fist!"

"Blue Lightning Fist? Li Changhai? He is the Second Ducal Prince, Li Changhai?"

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