The Duel

"Ye Feng, I won't go easy on you~"

After clearing the area, the two stood facing each other. Xie Yuyan was still wearing her loose pajamas and stretched lazily, as if the outcome of this duel was already decided in her eyes.

Xie Yuyan was so confident because she had already gauged Ye Feng's capabilities during their previous encounters. After all, her combat skills were honed in the most grueling conditions, so when Ye Feng agreed to the duel, she knew he had walked right into her trap.

Ye Feng's expression was serious. He also knew that Xie Yuyan was strong, perhaps even stronger than him. But to make her stay, he had no choice but to agree. It was her open scheme, after all.

Seeing Ye Feng silent and in a defensive stance, Xie Yuyan smiled faintly. "Ye Feng, don't be so serious. The outcome won't change, but smiling more might bring you some luck, you know?"

"Xie Yuyan, you..."

Just as Ye Feng was about to retort, Xie Yuyan suddenly transformed. In a flash, she closed the distance between them, clearly showing her full strength. Her earlier casual demeanor had been nothing more than a ploy to lower Ye Feng's guard.

Xie Yuyan's fist shot toward Ye Feng's wrist joint with lightning speed. Fortunately, Ye Feng's combat skills allowed him to deflect the attack. But before he could recover, Xie Yuyan grabbed his arm with one hand, planted her foot firmly on the ground, and leaped into the air, using her other leg to kick at Ye Feng's shoulder.

"Thud!"

Unable to dodge due to Xie Yuyan's grip, Ye Feng's shoulder took the full force of the kick. As Ye Feng tried to counterattack while Xie Yuyan was still in mid-air, she swiftly retreated, creating distance between them.

Seeing the faint redness on Ye Feng's neck, Xie Yuyan's furrowed brows relaxed slightly. Biting her lower lip, she seemed almost reluctant to continue. "Ye Feng, give up. If we keep going, you'll get hurt."

"There's no such thing as surrender in a duel. Either you knock me down, or I'll keep standing here."

"Fine. I'll apologize to you afterward."

Seeing Ye Feng's unwavering determination, Xie Yuyan stopped trying to persuade him. Her only goal now was to defeat him as quickly as possible, and she would hold nothing back.

From their exchanges, Ye Feng knew he was outmatched. Just a few moves from Xie Yuyan had already subdued him, and if this continued, he would surely lose.

It seems I have no choice but to use that...

With a thought, Ye Feng quickly accessed his system and allocated a skill point he had earned from a previous mission to upgrade his Combat Mastery. Instantly, a warm surge of energy flowed through his body.

[Combat Mastery (Intermediate) has been upgraded to Combat Mastery (Advanced).]

As the system's notification echoed in his mind, Ye Feng noticed Xie Yuyan closing in again. But this time, her movements seemed slow and predictable, as if he could see through every detail. Unlike before, when he could only defend and take hits, it was now his turn to counterattack.

Xie Yuyan, unaware of the drastic change Ye Feng had undergone in mere seconds, approached him confidently, ready to deliver the final blow. Seeing Ye Feng standing still like a statue, she thought he had given up. But just as her fist was about to land on his abdomen, a chilling sensation shot up her spine like an icy dagger.

Wh-what's going on? Why do I feel this way?

Before Xie Yuyan could react, Ye Feng reached out and caught her fist. Realizing the danger, Xie Yuyan kicked at Ye Feng's wrist to break free, but in the next moment, his other hand clamped down on her ankle.

What?! This... this can't be!

Xie Yuyan's pupils contracted in shock. She hadn't expected Ye Feng to block two of her attacks in a row. Against anyone else, she would have already knocked them out cold. But now, she was wide open and had to escape.

"Ha!"

With a sharp cry, Xie Yuyan kicked with her other leg, trying to throw Ye Feng off balance. At the same time, she pushed off the ground with her palm, twisting her body to maneuver behind Ye Feng and attempt to climb onto his back. But Ye Feng seemed to have anticipated her move. He wrapped his arm around her waist and slammed her down onto the soft couch.

"Ugh..."

A muffled groan escaped Xie Yuyan's lips. Before she could recover, a gust of wind brushed past her face. When she opened her eyes, Ye Feng's fist was hovering right in front of her.

Ye Feng chuckled softly, unclenching his fist and giving Xie Yuyan a light flick on the forehead.

"You lost."

"N-no! I was just careless!"

"Your enemy won't give you a second chance just because you were careless."

"Ugh..."

"Alright, a bet's a bet. You have to stay home now, got it? Let me check if you're hurt anywhere. Does anything feel sore?"

"Why?"

"Huh? Why what?"

Xie Yuyan stared straight into Ye Feng's eyes, her tone calm but probing. "Why did your movements change so drastically? Your reactions and techniques were completely different from before."

"You just don't get it, do you? I was holding back before. I had to use my real strength to deal with you this time."

"You're lying! Tell me the truth—did you take some kind of stimulant or something?"

Sorry, I cheated.

Xie Yuyan sat up on the couch, clearly frustrated by her sudden defeat. It felt like a sure victory had been snatched away from her in an instant, and she couldn't believe what had just happened.

"How is that possible? We've been in the same place the whole time, and where would I even get something like that? Are you just a sore loser~?"

"Who... who's a sore loser! Fine, I'll stay! It's not like I even wanted to help you anyway..."

Xie Yuyan's voice trailed off as she lowered her head, her mood visibly sour. Seeing this, Ye Feng had no choice but to try to comfort her.

"Hey, I just wanted to prove to you that I can protect myself. So, just stay home for now, and when things calm down, it'll be safe again. I'll even go out with you then, okay?"

"I... I... It's not about going out! I'm just worried about you..."

Hearing Xie Yuyan's soft, hesitant voice, Ye Feng felt a pang of guilt. He knew she cared about him, but the situation was different now. With Li Mucheng already in danger, he couldn't risk dragging Xie Yuyan into it as well. Whether or not he had the system, he wouldn't allow it.