Chapter 288: When Getting Strong As You Please, The Victorious Yan Liu Meets The “hardworking” Shangshan Che
“I’m going to challenge TOP8, that guy… forgot who, whatever, anyway, I’m challenging the one above!”
Yan Liu’s indifferent words had not yet fallen.
A beam of light enveloped him and Higashiyama Kei, whose expression had turned serious, teleporting them to the Central Arena where nothing had happened before.
Clap, clap.
Under Shangshan Che’s gaze, accompanied by two snaps from the boy Higashiyama Kei, one white and one red figure appeared beside him.
A skeletal frame nearly two meters tall, pale white and thick, was entirely wrapped in dense bone armor, with a sharp curved blade and shield on its right and left, standing in front of its master.
Two clusters of eerie green soul flames appeared in the hollow eye sockets, and a murderous aura instantly spread to the outside of the arena.
On the other side, a massive blood-red flame floated in mid-air, yet it emitted not the slightest bit of heat.
Compared to ordinary “Cong Yuan Huo,” this Prairie Fire not only lacked the agonized screaming heads inside, but even seemed to possess its own consciousness, instantly locking onto the opponent standing not far away.
【Bone General（Three-and-a-half Star）】
【Prairie Fire（Three-and-a-half Star）】
Two lines of yellow prompts popped up above their heads, indicating a certain level of threat.
Sure enough.
Higashiyama Kei possessed two variant shikigami, ones Shangshan Che had never seen before.
—They could pose even a slight threat to him now, so combined, these two shikigami must have at least the strength of an Ootama Hoshi.
And they were shikigami with a certain degree of immortality…
Shangshan Che found it a bit strange—such great combat power, yet he’d never heard of him before, nor seen him accomplish anything major.
Higashiyama Kei was clearly an agent of the Tokyo Special Affairs Office, just from the Nerima district.
“Bone General and fire, one close and one ranged, not to mention Higashiyama Kei himself should be proficient in quite a few onmyōdō techniques.”
With such a combination, theoretically, his upper limit should be very high.
Shangshan Che’s contemplation was interrupted by the unusually thunderous cheers from the audience seats.
Hmm?
He listened carefully and found that the vast majority were cheering for Higashiyama Kei, with only a few scattered voices saying Yan Liu was so handsome or the like.
Higashiyama Kei seemed surprisingly popular with ordinary people.
On the specially made arena, Yan Liu stretched his arms and grinned at Higashiyama Kei directly across: “Your shikigami look great.”
Yan Liu glanced around: “Lots of people cheering for you too.”
“Ah… um, thanks for the compliment.”
Higashiyama Kei didn’t quite understand why Yan Liu was saying this now, assuming it was praise, so he thanked him instinctively.
Then, the still high-school boy slightly bowed his waist and said sincerely,
“I’m participating in the Seed Battle to exchange with everyone, become stronger, and better protect my classmates and everyone!
So next, Your Excellency Yan Liu, please instruct me!”
“—Just don’t know if you and your shikigami are all looks and no substance, little friend.”
Hearing Yan Liu say this in an almost teasing tone, even Higashiyama Kei reacted.
The boy straightened up, frowning, making the two shikigami at his side instantly glare fixedly at Yan Liu: “No matter the strength, please respect others, Your Excellency Yan Liu…”
The Ghost God Judge finally lowered his hand at this moment and shouted to begin.
At the same time, Higashiyama Kei began forming hand seals, summoning a translucent shield in front of him while bringing the Bone General and Prairie Fire tightly together.
The two Three-and-a-half Star shikigami already showed faint signs of fusion at this moment!
—Since Yan Liu showed such disrespect, treating it like child’s play, he couldn’t blame him for using this move right from the start!
—As long as Little Bone and the other fused, even those renowned Great Demons wouldn’t be opponents!
Higashiyama Kei was thinking this when he realized Yan Liu’s figure had already vanished from his sight.
How could…
He disappear?!
“Respect?”
In the instant Higashiyama Kei was stunned, that voice with a hint of rhetorical question had already crossed the surging heat waves several meters ahead, passing the two Three-and-a-half Star shikigami guards that would fuse completely in half a second.
Arriving right in front of him.
Amid black hair blown up by the rushing air current, Yan Liu’s dōgi fluttered loudly.
He raised his brow and looked up, meeting Higashiyama Kei’s eyes that showed emerging panic: “Why should I respect a weakling?”
Before the words finished falling, the high whip kick rising from the arena surface effortlessly shattered several layers of shields, solidly striking Higashiyama Kei’s chin.
Crack!
Amid the sound of bones cracking, the spiritual power surging on the arena suddenly dissipated, separating the two shikigami that were just about to fuse.
Higashiyama Kei, this onmyoji from the Nerima district Special Affairs Office, had clearly fainted on the ground, his life unknown.
The battle had started less than a second ago and ended under Yan Liu’s whip kick.
The cheers that had just unified abruptly stopped.
“Whew~”
Yan Liu brushed dust off his dōgi with the back of his hand, casually glancing at Higashiyama Kei, who had been lifted by the Ghost God level at the edge of the arena and healed back to consciousness, and smiled,
“All looks and no substance, right, little friend?”
It’s… over?
When?
Clearly, if he’d just waited for Little Bone and the other to fuse in one go, he could’ve won, but how…
Amid the spinning world, Higashiyama Kei blankly wiped blood from his mouth corner and heard the standing youth shrug indifferently,
“Holding such noble ideals to grow stronger, yet getting casually defeated by someone like me—sorry about that.”
“Someone like you…”
First thanking the Ghost God level treating him, Higashiyama Kei stood up with some difficulty, clenching his fists and asking,
“Yan Liu, to cultivate to your level must have required unimaginable effort and sweat…”
“Effort? What effort?”
Under Higashiyama Kei’s silent gaze, Yan Liu laughed: “Sorry, you didn’t think I’d drone on about cultivation like those mortals every day, did you?”
“If so, I might disappoint you.”
Yan Liu waved his hand, his body enveloped by a beam of light, leaving only his words echoing in the ears of Higashiyama Kei, whose rank had dropped to ninth,
“People with talent just need to go through the motions.”
In his seat.
Shangshan Che, having witnessed it all, recalled that instant from start to finish.
It shouldn’t be… Even if Higashiyama Kei’s two shikigami couldn’t match Yan Liu, they should have fought for a long time.
Shangshan Che was confident in his own judgment and insight.
Thinking this, he turned his head and glimpsed Higashiyama Kei’s somewhat youthful face.
Unless it was because…
“That Higashiyama kid, has he never faced a strong enemy alone?”
In the stands, Nanjo Emi puzzledly asked the person beside her.
“Indeed.”
The Nerima district Onmyo Major Official helplessly said: “Kei has always handled minor troubles for us, and when facing powerful demons, he’s been protected at the rear…”
“Though Kei saved many people, he lacked the corresponding experience and fell behind in key cultivation.”
The Nerima district Great Officer sighed: “It shouldn’t have ended like this.”
“What a shame.” Nanjo Emi said.
“No experience… that’s just a minor issue.”
Kujō Rōgetsu, called the Sword of Death, glanced at Yan Liu, who was full of confidence and already challenging Raikō, and scoffed disdainfully,
“This kid is the one who’s truly gone down the wrong path.”
The Sword of Death indifferently declared,
“Talent, aptitude… heh, cultivating for frivolous pleasures will never reach higher realms.”
Pausing, Kujō Rōgetsu looked at Nanjo Emi with arms crossed, lifting his chin,
“That said, this Yan Liu kid’s strength is barely passable for now… Nanjo, how does he compare to that kid from your place who beat little Chihaya?”
“Compare? No need.” Nanjo Emi scoffed disdainfully, “This fire dragon giving his all couldn’t even scratch that kid’s clothes.”
“That strong?”
Kujō Rōgetsu straightened up, puzzled: “I know Chihaya’s strength… Didn’t that Shangshan Che just barely win against her in the True Sword Match recently?”
“Being a hundred times more talented than that fire dragon and a hundred times more diligent gets it done.”
“And easily.”
Nanjo Emi replied matter-of-factly.
Kujō Rōgetsu said no more, staring at Shangshan Che with rare interest in his eyes.
……
“This body is spectacular… Hey, big guy, you must train really hard, huh?”
Yan Liu took a deep breath, black qi barrier blooming over his body surface.
He could feel that dealing with this sumo wrestler over two meters tall would take some effort.
In other words, barely qualifying as a strong opponent.
If so, chatting a bit more was fine.
Yan Liu loved exchanging words and blows with opponents he acknowledged.
“I’m Raikō, not a big guy, just in my early twenties.”
Raikō lifted his leg into the sumo starting stance of shiko.
The gusts and qi burst sounds made Yan Liu squint, a look of interest on his face.
Raikō slapped his arms heavily with his palms, saying deeply: “This body is the crystallization and result of my daily, yearly cultivation!”
“That’s why I’ve achieved so many victories.”
The sumo wrestler spread his arms, staring at his tiny opponent not far away: “If you want to defeat me, come on!”
Thus, Yan Liu became a phantom invisible to the naked eye, striking Raikō’s right arm with a high whip kick at tremendous force.
Boom!
Before the shockwave could reverberate, Yan Liu’s next punch sent it back,
“Raikō, this life of yours is too boring.”
Gazing into the sumo wrestler’s calm-as-water eyes that seemed to have abandoned all worldly desires, Yan Liu’s tone grew more regretful,
“I’m different from you—I got strong just to live more easily and freely.”
Boom boom boom!
Rings of qi waves bloomed where Yan Liu’s fists collided with Raikō’s body, emitting deafening roars.
“—You’re so pitiful, Raikō.”
“You’re the pitiful one!”
The nearly unscathed sumo wrestler clapped his palms, like thunder exploding.
—The audience at the edge couldn’t clearly hear the arena talk, but Shangshan Che heard every word.
Of course, someone else too…
He still watched the intense clash of the two figures on the arena, only hearing Kaga Kiyomitsu’s terrified mutter in his mind,
“M-Master… how did the Great Demon King suddenly get so terrifying…”
“Probably someone kept yapping like a dog and annoyed her.”
Shangshan Che comforted: “Don’t worry, I’ll kick that dog away later.”
“Oh, oh… then hurry, Master, I’m scared the Great Demon King will chew me up next second.”
Lili Zi wasn’t some Cybertronian who eats metal.
Shangshan Che thought helplessly, only to see the main arena nearing its conclusion after minutes of fierce confrontation.
Raikō’s body was strong, his power great, but Yan Liu was too agile, and finishing moves couldn’t hit him.
Conversely, Yan Liu, though unable to drop Raikō in one hit, accumulated strikes slowing Raikō’s speed bit by bit.
Moreover… he seemed to be toying around even now, using only leg techniques without throwing a single punch.
Bad compatibility?
Or rather, Raikō’s attacks were too one-dimensional.
No matter how strong Raikō’s power, it meant nothing without landing.
Plus, this specially made arena couldn’t be destroyed, foiling Raikō’s idea of terrain disruption to slow the opponent.
Under Shangshan Che’s silent gaze, this one-sided battle ended fully thirty minutes later.
Raikō’s body was so tough that even Yan Liu’s nonstop barrage took this long to bring him down.
Even Shangshan Che suspected Raikō had achieved the “Palace of Flesh” among the Four Great Ultimate Forms.
“A nice warm-up!”
Yan Liu shook sweat from his forehead, his dōgi pristine as ever.
He looked up, grinning at Shangshan Che and the others,
“You six, wait for me slowly!”
“Tch.”
Takizawa Kai, ranked sixth, clicked his tongue in annoyance, about to berate the arrogant fool when Shangshan Che’s voice sounded in his ear.
“Takizawa Jun, let’s make a deal.”
This was… qi into a line?
Takizawa Kai’s eyes narrowed slightly.
This advanced sound transmission was one Miss Gen often used.
But crucially, Shangshan Che used qi barrier transmission here without any other competitors noticing.
Takizawa Kai’s heart shook.
This Shangshan Che… terrifying!
As Miss Gen said, not to be underestimated!
“You challenge me and I forfeit directly, then leave this Yan Liu guy to me—saves you some energy, how about it?”
After hearing Shangshan Che’s oddly inexplicable proposal, Takizawa Kai was full of doubts but didn’t refuse the opportunity.
Saito bro taught him to seize every chance to boost win probability.
Plus, he could peek at Shangshan Che’s methods this way.
Thinking this, Takizawa Kai didn’t hesitate: “I challenge, rank five, Shangshan Che.”
The referee waved to start, but Shangshan Che raised his hand faster than Saito Ryuichi ever had.
“I forfeit.”
Beneath the mask, Shangshan Che smiled.
Amid countless puzzled gazes, Shangshan Che’s rank dropped.
“So eager? Don’t tell me Shangshan Jun, you’re one of those hard-training types I accidentally hit the mark on?”
Yan Liu laughed instead, staring at the fierce Red Hannya Mask facing him and said,
“I challenge, rank six, Shangshan Che!”
