Chapter 50: Striking at Ying Tian

Suspended in midair.

Two figures met palm to palm, and an unimaginable storm of energy erupted, expanding outward from their clash. Both at the center of this tempest, they could not escape its devastating force. The shockwave struck them with the force of cannon fire, sending them hurtling backward at blinding speed.

The first to appear before the crowd was Ye Kai, the Little Li Flying Dagger. His body plummeted toward the ground. At the moment of impact, a surge of power exploded from him, shattering the ground beneath and sending cracks spiderwebbing in all directions. For a moment, dust and debris filled the air, obscuring all sight.

A faint cough drew everyone’s attention.

Ye Kai staggered out of the swirling dust. His face was deathly pale, a smear of blood at the corner of his lips—clear evidence of serious internal injury from the earlier collision.

“It seems Ye Kai has won after all.”

“Cloud Crane, that scourge, is finally gone from the martial world.”

“Look—!”

A sudden shout interrupted the murmurs. All eyes followed the outstretched finger. Cloud Crane’s figure was descending from the sky, a calm, confident smile on his face.

The crowd was dumbstruck.

How could this be?

Ye Kai, the direct disciple of the Little Li Flying Dagger himself, had actually lost to the notorious Cloud Crane—a man whose infamy stained the rivers and lakes. It was utterly absurd.

Just moments ago, they had declared Cloud Crane finished, and yet here he was, alive and very much present. Unwilling as they were to accept the truth, they had no choice. Cloud Crane’s victory was a resounding slap across their collective face—loud and stinging. Painfully so.

Ignoring the stunned stares below, Cloud Crane cast a reassuring glance at Zi. Tension eased from her face at last, her worries set aside.

Having done this, Cloud Crane turned to the gravely injured Ye Kai and smiled, “Care to continue?”

Ye Kai wiped the blood from his lips. “You’re the better man. There’s nothing more to prove. If fate allows, I’ll challenge you again someday.”

“Any time,” Cloud Crane replied.

As Ye Kai leapt down from the stage, Cloud Crane’s gaze swept across the crowd. His voice, amplified by inner strength, rang clear to every ear.

No one answered. Silence hung heavy over the assembly. All eyes fixed, wide and uncertain, on Cloud Crane atop the stage.

Just as Cloud Crane thought this uneasy peace might persist and prepared to declare himself the new leader of the martial world, a discordant voice rang out.

“Everyone, don’t be fooled by Cloud Crane! He may seem unruffled, but in truth he’s gravely wounded!”

The words struck the crowd like boiling oil spilled on a placid lake—instant uproar.

“That’s right! Don’t let appearances deceive you!”

“The more normal Cloud Crane seems, the more likely he’s just putting on a brave front!”

Suspicion ran rife. Many in the crowd were already considering stepping onto the stage to test Cloud Crane’s true condition for themselves.

And it made sense. Cloud Crane had only been in the martial world a few years, known more for petty theft than real skill. Whenever he crossed swords with a true master, he’d flee with his tail between his legs. Even if luck had favored him—solving the unsolvable chess puzzle and inheriting the legacy of the Carefree Sect—it was unthinkable that his skills could rise to the level of a top master in such a short time.

That guess would have been accurate—under normal circumstances. But Cloud Crane was different. He had trained atop the Cold Jade Bed in the ancient tomb, laying a solid foundation. Later, he learned the Nine Yin Manual from Ouyang Feng, breaking through all previous limits. And finally, in the Carefree Cavern, he received seventy years’ worth of power from the Master Without Limits, ascending to the ranks of the elite.

You all want to test if I’m truly injured?

Very well—I’ll give you the chance.

If any of you remain unconvinced, I’ll defeat you all, one by one, until you have no choice but to accept it.

Below the stage, seeing Cloud Crane’s utter confidence, many began to waver.

True, chances were good that Cloud Crane was badly hurt.

But what if he wasn’t?

If even Ye Kai was no match for him, what hope did they have? If Cloud Crane struck hard, they’d lose not only their reputations, but perhaps their lives as well.

Among the audience, Xiang Yingtian watched all of this with shadowed eyes. He had not planned to act so soon, but the situation left him no choice. If Cloud Crane was allowed to continue his farce, even if he were finally elected leader, Xiang Yingtian’s own reputation would suffer a heavy blow.

“Brother Cloud, I urge you to stop before it’s too late,” Xiang Yingtian called out, his voice strong and resonant. In a blur, he appeared on the stage.

“It’s Hero Xiang! At last, he’s taking the field!” someone cried below, delight clear in their voice.

“Let’s see what tricks Cloud Crane can pull now.”

Cloud Crane heard the murmurs, and met Xiang Yingtian’s gaze with a mocking smile. “At last you can’t sit still and have decided to act personally?”

Xiang Yingtian frowned, sensing that Cloud Crane’s challenge was aimed directly at him. The feeling was fleeting, so he dismissed it, and tried again to persuade him. “If you are willing to abandon your martial arts and sincerely repent, I swear no harm will come to you.”

Cloud Crane’s disdain was plain. “You urge me to put down my blade—yet why not tell everyone of your own crimes?”

Xiang Yingtian’s frown deepened, but his composure remained unshaken. Still, the uneasy feeling in his heart grew stronger.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he said coldly. “But if you persist in your folly, don’t blame me for being merciless.”

To Cloud Crane, it was clear Xiang Yingtian wanted to silence him for good.

“If you don’t understand, perhaps you’ll recognize this swordplay.”

With those words, Cloud Crane gripped his palm—drawing a sword to him as if by magic. With a powerful sweep, several blades of energy shot toward Xiang Yingtian.

Xiang Yingtian’s reactions were lightning fast. The instant Cloud Crane moved, he vanished from his spot. The sword energy struck the ground, gouging three-foot-long scars into the earth.

Having missed, Cloud Crane pressed the attack, his form flickering as he launched one strike after another.

With every exchange, Xiang Yingtian’s shock grew, and a flicker of fear flashed deep in his eyes.