Chapter 600: Section 387: Zong Ge vs Yue Qian
Zi Di hurriedly looked for the Snowbird Port City Lord in the banquet hall.
Soon, she found her target and briskly approached the Snowbird Port City Lord, “City Lord, what exactly is going on? Why are they engaging in a duel all of a sudden?”
The City Lord of Snowbird Port glanced at Zi Di and immediately returned his gaze to the center of the dance floor, grumbling unhappily, “The squad leader of Long Fu audaciously sought military information, annoying Commander Yue Qian.”
“Commander Yue Qian then proposed to duel with the squad leader of Long Fu through a wager. One of the stakes is the detailed military information about their engagement with the Divine Wind Pirate Group.”
Zi Di was momentarily at a loss for words.
Before attending this banquet, she had indeed discussed some matters with Zong Ge.
One of their objectives was to find out the exact details of the battle from the Navy to confirm the situation of the Dragon-man youth.
Although Zi Di was not present, she could guess that it must have been Zong Ge’s blunt tone that irritated Yue Qian.
Zong Ge was not one for tactful speech, had a strong personality, and would not back down easily, so when Yue Qian challenged him, he agreed.
Zi Di was full of concern, “The squad leader is only Silver Level, while Commander Yue Qian is Gold Level, one of the top commanders of your Kingdom’s second Navy, far surpassing Teng Donglang in combat strength. There’s no need for this match to take place, the outcome is already clear. What do you think, City Lord?”
Zi Di wanted to use this excuse to prevent the duel.
The City Lord did not look at her, and responded without looking, “Before the battle begins, Commander Yue Qian has promised to suppress his fighting energy to Silver Level to ensure the fairness of the duel! And I have been invited to serve as the judge to ensure impartiality.”
Zi Di clenched her teeth, “Commander Yue Qian voluntarily suppressing his cultivation shows he has confidence that he can handle the squad leader even at such a level. Ah, what should we do now?”
The City Lord of Snowbird Port did not offer her help, simply responding indifferently, “We shall wait and see.”
He now had his complaints against Zong Ge.
Without provocation, why would one expose another’s raw nerve?
Didn’t he know the Navy was defeated? Didn’t he know about Yue Qian’s Resurrection?
When it was time to back down, he remained stubborn. Could it be that killing Teng Donglang led Long Fu to think they could handle any Gold Level fighter?
One must realize, there are differences between Gold Level fighters. Sometimes, the gap between them is vast as heaven and earth.
The City Lord of Snowbird Port did not want to oversee this fight.
His original intention was only to throw a party to connect with the Navy Commanders. The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps was just incidental.
He had built a bridge for the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, allowing them to meet the high ranks of the Lijian family, which was his way of helping Long Fu.
However, Long Fu, with his blunt tone and ignorance of propriety, created conflict with Yue Qian. Ignoring his hints, he openly challenged him at the banquet.
What kind of behavior was this from Long Fu?
It was nothing short of biting the hand that fed him.
The City Lord of Snowbird Port was highly observant, and he could see: although Yue Qian kept up appearances after being offended by Zong Ge, in reality, he just wanted to teach Long Fu a lesson.
Therefore, the City Lord of Snowbird Port had no choice but to go with the flow and oversee the duel.
“Come on, let’s see how skillful the slayer of a Gold Level with his Short Spears really is!” Yue Qian taunted Zong Ge.
Zong Ge held a Short Spear in each hand.
The Short Spears were of Silver Level quality and came from the armory of Snowbird Port’s City Lord.
Naturally, the pair of Gold Level Short Spears belonging to the Dragon-man youth had left Snowbird Port aboard the Deep Sea Monster Fish, along with their true owner.
Worth mentioning, the weapon used by Yue Qian was not a thin sword, but a Long Stick.
The Long Stick was also only Silver Level.
Zong Ge’s eyes intently fixed on Yue Qian. He suddenly lunged forward, his spears stabbing out left and right.
Yue Qian took a light hop, stepping back to create distance between himself and Zong Ge, at the same time shifting his grip, thrusting one end of his Long Stick straight at Zong Ge’s chest.
Yue Qian’s weapon was much longer than Zong Ge’s. Before Zong Ge could land a hit, he would be struck by the stick.
Had it been the Dragon-man youth here, he might have chosen to dive low and break through.
His Combustive Combat Skill could change direction instantly and was highly effective in actual combat.
But Zong Ge did not possess it.
He could only maintain his charge, suddenly retracting his arms as the Long Stick approached, and used the Short Spear in his left hand to block it.
Sparks flew from the severe friction between the Short Spear and the stick.
Zong Ge nearly shouldered the stick, continuing his charge directly at Yue Qian.
Yue Qian raised his eyebrows, somewhat taken aback.
He had seen the Magic Image of the Dragon-man youth’s duel with Teng Donglang.
The time was before his most recent military campaign.
The slaying of a Gold Level by a Silver Level was the biggest news in the Ice Sculpture Kingdom during that period. Related Magic Images were selling like hotcakes.
Yue Qian had gotten his hands on it early on.
So, he was not completely ignorant about the Dragon-man youth; on the contrary, he was quite familiar with some aspects of him.
Yue Qian’s direct thrust at Zong Ge was actually a feint, designed to lure the opponent into a low dive. With this strategy, Yue Qian had prepared a combo to continuously strike the Dragon-man youth, ensuring he would be at a disadvantage without the ability to counterattack.
However, the “Dragon-man youth” in front of him was not real, but an impersonation by Zong Ge.
Zong Ge’s combat style was very militaristic, straightforward and aggressive, using the most efficient methods to kill enemies.
Yue Qian’s plan failed. Seeing Zong Ge closing in, he hesitated briefly and ultimately did not use his signature Combat Skill to evade.
The reason was simple.
Yue Qian was Gold Level. Even though he had suppressed his strength, his prowess and status were much higher than that of Long Fu.
To start using his signature Combat Skill to dodge at the beginning of the duel would be a disgrace to his reputation.
Bang, bang, bang.
The Long Stick and Short Spears continuously clashed, hitting each other repeatedly.
The audience exclaimed in surprise.
To attend this banquet and catch the battle between Long Fu and Yue Qian was an unexpected delight for all.
And after the exchange began, it was “Long Fu” who overwhelmingly dominated, forcing Yue Qian onto the back foot, which surprised the onlookers even more.
Yue Qian felt extremely stifled.
He was reduced to only parrying, unable to mount any counterattacks!
Each time he tried to counter, Zong Ge’s dual spears would stab or slash, dissolving all his attempts.
Zi Di looked somewhat stunned.
She hadn’t expected Zong Ge’s advantage to be so significant!
The City Lord of Snowbird Port, proficient in dual cultivation of magic and martial arts, had an even deeper understanding than Zi Di.
“Yue Qian suppressed his combat power, only showing that of the Silver Level. His long stick already attacked less frequently than the short spear, and being forced into close quarters by his opponent, even I would be at a disadvantage,” he thought.
“But he’s more in a state of disarray because he doesn’t want to sustain even a small injury; he’s too concerned about public image, and that concern has ironically cost him his dignity.”
Zong Ge’s fighting style was typical of the military: accepting light injuries in exchange for inflicting severe ones, and trading injuries for kills was very common.
If Yue Qian had chosen to exchange blow for blow, the situation may actually have been evenly matched, and Zong Ge wouldn’t have had such an easy time.
But Yue Qian thought: how could I, a noble of the Golden Level and second-in-command of the Navy, the future banner of the Lijian family, suffer any harm in a duel against a Silver Level opponent?
It was this thought that forced him on the defensive.
Zong Ge pressed Yue Qian hard, stepping forward aggressively while Yue Qian could only retreat while fighting.
The two soon charged out of the dance area.
Retreating, Yue Qian collided with a dining table.
He let out a fierce growl, fighting energy burst forth, and he broke his long stick in his hands.
Holding half the stick in each hand, Yue Qian’s attack frequency suddenly increased, and he managed to parry the pair of short spears wielded by Zong Ge.
He finally stabilized his position!
A plate fell from the table, seemingly destined to crash to the floor, but Yue Qian, as if with eyes on the back of his head, kicked back with his foot, flicking the plate back onto the table.
This delicate maneuver immediately drew gasps and admiration from the crowd.
But the City Lord of Snowbird Port couldn’t help but roll his eyes internally.
Yue Qian was still too focused on his image!
He had been pressured all this way; he could have used a combat skill to break out of this disadvantageous situation.
But from beginning to end, Yue Qian didn’t resort to any combat skills.
The reason was simple; facing an opponent who hadn’t used “Long Fu,” how could he have the face to use his first?
So, Yue Qian simply used his fighting energy to break his long stick.
In doing so, he increased his frequency of attacks and resolved the disadvantage.
With an opportunity presented, he didn’t counterattack Zong Ge but chose to save a plate from hitting the ground instead. It was as if to say: Look, even in battle, I didn’t damage the host’s belongings, everything is under my control.
Indeed, this small gesture did alter the audience’s view of Yue Qian.
And after that, Yue Qian gradually started to mount a counter-attack.
With neither side using combat skills and both having ample physical strength, whoever had stronger basic fighting skills naturally took the advantage.
Although Zong Ge was a weapon master, he wasn’t particularly skilled with dual spears.
Yue Qian wasn’t adept with dual sticks either, but his moves were indeed more exquisite than those of Zong Ge.
Zong Ge, born to a distinguished background, had faced discrimination from a young age and hadn’t been taught the family’s martial arts; instead, he was trained by soldiers.
Military moves certainly weren’t as sophisticated as those passed down through family lines; simplicity and practicality for cooperation were their main features.
Although Yue Qian was a Navy Commander, he had been nurtured by the Lijian family since childhood, and therefore his martial skills were naturally more refined than those of Zong Ge.
Yue Qian gradually turned the tide.
Zong Ge was steadily pushed back.
The two moved from the exterior back into the dance area.
Onlookers gradually began to cheer for Yue Qian.
Zong Ge fought with a straightforward brutality, while Yue Qian’s techniques were refined and splendid, making him more beloved.
Zi Di felt extremely anxious. Amidst the buzzing atmosphere, she deliberately shouted to Zong Ge, “Commander, use your Throwing Spear Skill to fight back!”
Zong Ge’s desire for battle surged. He originally wanted to utilize a combat skill but was reminded by Zi Di’s comment.
Suddenly, he leaped into the air, creating distance, and threw his dual spears to the ground.
Yue Qian’s pupils shrank as he silently thought, “Wants to switch to fistfighting?”
He hesitated, somewhat unwilling.
He had been the one to suggest using weapons; wrestling with a Dragon-man at close range was rather undignified.
A careless blow to the face, causing swelling, would ruin his image, would it not?
But if “Long Fu” insisted on hand-to-hand combat, he would have no choice but to discard his weapons and honor the challenge.
He, a proud Gold Level fighter, could not possibly refuse to fight.
The next moment, however, he heard “Long Fu” say, “Let’s stop!”
The crowd around them was surprised and disappointed.
“I’ve just warmed up, why are we stopping?” asked Yue Qian.
Zong Ge shook his head: “Being so restrained, it’s just not satisfying.”
Zi Di had intentionally reminded Zong Ge to use a spear-related combat skill, as an indirect hint—be aware of the setting and our original goal!
“Indeed, it’s unsatisfactory,” Yue Qian also relaxed, “but it’s quite interesting, Commander of Long Fu, you’re not quite what I had expected.”
After fighting for a while, Yue Qian’s indignation had dissipated.
Zi Di quickly stepped between the two: “Since we initiated the stop, we’ve lost this bet. I will personally deliver the stakes to the warship.”
Zi Di had intended to visit Kong Pan anyway.
The City Lord of Snowbird Port smiled, finding Zi Di very aware of the occasion.
But Zong Ge shook his head with a serious look, “I said it wasn’t satisfying, I didn’t say I admitted defeat, Mage Yao Ma.”
“How about a private duel between the two of us?”
Zi Di immediately turned around, staring at Zong Ge incredulously.
Zong Ge was brimming with battle spirit, fixating his gaze on Yue Qian.
Yue Qian was surprised, then burst into laughter.
At that moment, he felt a newfound liking for Zong Ge.