424 Ch 424 - They're Just Playing!
Actually, even before the duel began, Yino had already sensed something strange.
Normally, whether the Liu mansion or He mansion, any top-tier family would specifically build a cultivation and sparring area in the back courtyard of their main hall.
But...
When Lin Ze proposed going to the back courtyard to duel tonight, the Liu mansion elder coughed somewhat awkwardly twice, then waved to indicate that the two juniors Lin Ze and Yino should fight in the front courtyard instead.
Though this was barely a line of eye contact detail, it contained quite a bit of information in Yino's view.
From Yino's experience, the Liu mansion elder not allowing the back courtyard's open space for dueling was mostly because there were certain noble and secretive important figures in the back courtyard...
After all, at the Grand Tutor mansion level, the pinnacle of human hierarchy, even if an empress and national advisor were sitting in the back courtyard, Yino wouldn't find it strange.
However... Tonight, Yino was here to provoke them at their door. If certain extremely noble figures were stationed in the back, Yino would have to restrain himself somewhat during the fight.
Otherwise, offending Lin mansion elder Lin Guo would be a small matter, but if top-level bigshots discovered the secrets within his body, that would be troublesome.
All these concerns occupied nearly all of Yino's thoughts.
Because of this, when Ruoning came over to earnestly remind him, Yino was only somewhat absent-minded in his perfunctory response.
His attitude successfully angered Ruoning.
However even if Ruoning hadn't reminded him, Yino would definitely be extra careful tonight.
He had originally planned to extract some cultivation from Lin Ze, but now it seemed with bigshots overseeing, he should behave himself.
"Kid! I'll let you have three moves? Come at me!"
Lin Ze stood with one hand behind his back on the distant open ground, using his other hand to gesture mockingly with full confidence.
For a moment, he looked imposing, quite like those martial arts young masters in people's impressions...
This brat's got a real performative personality disorder, doesn't he?
Yino's lips twitched slightly as he inexplicably felt his fists clench.
"You're sure you'll give me three moves?"
"Of course, come... pft?!"
Lin Ze's cold laughter hadn't finished falling when the white-robed young man at the other end suddenly transformed into a blur racing across the ground in the night.
From a physics perspective, Lin Ze knew Yino was charging in a straight line.
But from human observation, Lin Ze couldn't see clearly what was happening with Yino. Anyway, in the blink of an eye, the latter had teleported from point A to point B and even assumed a punching stance.
Boom boom boom boom!
Yino's speed was extremely fast. His raised fist even created sonic booms beside Lin Ze's ear.
But this already extremely terrifying speed, combined with Lin Ze's previously supremely confident hands-behind-back posture, meant Lin Ze couldn't defend in time when the fist reached his face.
Crack!
In just an instant, the fist and knuckles crashed into Lin Ze's cheek and skull like meteors.
In those few milliseconds of slow motion, Lin Ze felt no pain. He only heard a crisp bone-cracking sound, then the scene before his eyes began to blur and spin.
Immediately after, Lin Ze briefly lost consciousness.
When Lin Ze woke up again, he seemed to be lying rigidly flat on the Liu mansion front courtyard's grass.
Beside Lin Ze, everyone had gathered around. Lin Ze could see his brother and sister-in-law, and even the Lin family elder all looking at him with extremely shocked and worried expressions.
"Are you... are you alright?"
Seeing Lin Ze finally open his eyes, elder Guo finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Just now, when everyone was expectantly waiting to see Yino make a fool of himself, the battle had only lasted one second before Lin Ze was punched flying like a cannonball, then lay flat on the grass with his hands and feet rigid like a zombie, eyes tightly closed.
Lin Guo saw something was wrong and quickly took out a Soul-Stabilizing Dragon Phoenix Pill and stuffed it in Lin Ze's mouth.
Regardless of life-threatening danger, this was the Lin mansion's rare Azure Dragon mixed blood. As a Lin family elder, Lin Guo couldn't bear to see his family descendants come to any harm!
"Ugh, what is this... so bitter..."
"Cough! aggh!"
After Lin Ze regained consciousness, he was immediately disgusted by the bitter taste and instinctively wanted to vomit.
But just then, Lin Guo quickly stepped forward to cover Lin Ze's mouth:
"This is a Soul-Stabilizing Dragon Phoenix Pill! Very expensive! It can save your life at crucial moments!"
"Mmph! I don't need it!"
Hearing the keyword about saving his life, Lin Ze immediately became furiously embarrassed and began struggling.
In his perception, he had only dueled with Yino for a few seconds.
If not for Yino's unprovoked sneak attack, how could Lin Ze have lost so much face in public!
Moreover, Lin Ze had only fainted briefly. He was a heaven's favored son with one-seventh Azure Dragon bloodline. How could he possibly die from such a minor injury?
Now, with Lin Guo making him take life-saving medicine, wasn't this forcing Lin Ze to admit he had almost died just now?
"Let me go! I won't take it!"
"No no no, young master, listen to this old man. This Soul-Stabilizing Dragon Phoenix Pill is refined from ancient dragon phoenix essence. Besides saving you from death's door, it can temporarily help you improve your cultivation!"
Seeing Lin Ze getting stubborn in his anger, Lin Guo quickly covered his mouth while coaxing and deceiving him.
Hearing it could improve cultivation, Lin Ze's originally resistant expression paused for a moment.
His cold eyes passed through the spectating crowd, locking directly onto the white-robed young man standing in the distance like nothing happened, even enjoying being personally served water and having his hands wiped by the Liu family young lady... Immediately, unprecedented jealousy and humiliated rage brewed in Lin Ze's chest.
"Stop fussing! I'll take it myself!"
Lin Ze grew angrier thinking about it, forcefully swatting away Lin Guo's covering hand while also chewing the bitter medicine in his mouth.
While angry, he also tried to stand up, but just as Lin Ze got up, his legs went weak uncontrollably the moment he met Yino's gaze, and he fell backward.
At the crucial moment, Lin Ze's brother stepped forward to support him, helping Lin Ze steady himself.
However...
Perhaps because the medicine was taking effect in his body, as the bitter taste faded, Lin Ze gradually felt an unprecedentedly powerful true energy circulating and sublimating in his abdomen with the support of many relatives.
Gradually, Lin Ze also recovered from his original weak-legged state to normal.
He glared at Yino, raising his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Damn..."
"I was careless. Didn't expect this kid actually had something!"
Lin Ze cursed while placing the blood he'd wiped from his fingertips into his mouth, gently licking it.
As the blood merged with his tongue tip, several blue patterns appeared in Lin Ze's eyes and neck. With a crack sound, as his Azure Dragon bloodline activated, Lin Ze's half-face cheekbone that had been dislocated and fractured from one punch also rapidly healed naturally.
"Well, now that you've taken drugs to recover full health, I still have two moves left from earlier. Do you want to continue?"
Yino stood on the other side of the open ground, finally draining his hot tea in one gulp, then handing the empty teacup to Ruoning beside him, continuing to observe the now battle-ready Lin Ze with playful eyes as his Azure Dragon genes activated.
Beside Yino, Ruoning took the drained empty cup and couldn't help but pout with more resentment.
She was serving Yino tea...
But this guy was still staring at Lin Ze even while drinking, not even saying thank you to her!
Anyone who knew the real story would understand that Yino was dueling his rival for Ruoning's sake, but anyone who didn't might think Ruoning was just some random little maid serving her master tea.
"Just a sneak attack, and you think you are so great?!"
On the other side, Lin Ze watched Ruoning serving Yino tea and water, his eyes blazing with fury.
If not for Yino, Lin Ze wouldn't have embarrassed himself in public tonight!
If not for Yino, Ruoning's tea service should have belonged to Lin Ze to enjoy!
[Young Master, this person's skills are extraordinary. Perhaps let this old man take action to...]
At some point, the ring on Lin Ze's hand glowed, and an aged, sharp voice sounded in Lin Ze's mind.
But before the elder finished speaking, Lin Ze gritted his teeth and refused in his spiritual sea.
[I was just careless and didn't dodge. I haven't even used my full strength to face him head-on yet. Why are you all so certain I can't beat that trash?]
The caring words from his clan elder now only made Lin Ze angrier.
All these years, on martial stages, it was almost always Lin Ze beating others until their elders couldn't stand it and protected them. Being knocked unconscious by some wild kid single-handedly like today was truly the greatest humiliation of Lin Ze's life!
Back when that Wuji Sect white sword lady had defeated Lin Ze with one strike, he hadn't been so unwilling as today!
[Young Master, it's better to be cautious. This old man will be on standby awaiting your orders.]
In his spiritual sea, the aged voice gave one final warning before quietly withdrawing.
But even so, Lin Ze still clenched his fists:
"Stubborn dead old man, I already said I don't need help. Why can't you understand!"
He cursed again with murderous intent.
Immediately after, Lin Ze couldn't wait any longer and summoned the Azure Dragon spear his father had gifted him on his sixteenth birthday.
With the Azure Dragon spear in hand, Lin Ze's expression finally gained some peace of mind and confidence.
"Hey, He Yino!"
"I won't go easy on you anymore!"
Lin Ze wielded the spear with one hand, sneering coldly, then leaped into the air, swinging the long spear to manifest a massive Azure Dragon phantom:
"Take my spear!"
Boom boom boom boom!
As Lin Ze in the front courtyard erupted with Azure Dragon bloodline, the massive Azure Dragon phantom leaped into the night sky, and the entire Liu mansion became lively again for the second time.
In the back courtyard pavilion, the two dragon ladies still sat at the stone table, watching the distant night sky projection while leisurely sipping tea.
At some point, the dragon-patterned cheongsam-wearing woman with heroic eyebrows finally couldn't stand it and was about to get up.
But just then, the silver dragon beauty sitting at the stone table sneered coldly, leaning forward as if she'd anticipated this and firmly grasping the former's wrist, pressing her down.
"Don't be hasty~"
"As they say, you don't really know someone until you fight them."
"They're still just children who don't know better, just playing around."
"Yune, we're both so old. Wouldn't it be inappropriate to interfere in children's games?"
At this point, the silver-haired beauty casually lifted her teacup with her other hand, taking a light sip, her elegant and gentle expression now appearing completely scheming in Yune's eyes.