Volume Three: Rising Fame Chapter Fifty-Three: Fierce Battle

It was Ying Yongge!

Amid the stunned gazes of the crowd below, the figure hurtling backward became strikingly clear—it was none other than the Ninth Prince they had been following.

“How is this possible? The prince is actually losing to Li Yu?”

Even under the watchful eyes of the white fox, a tense atmosphere permeated the air.

If the Ninth Prince was truly being overwhelmed like this, what would happen to them after his defeat? What would they do?

“What are you all waiting for? Hurry up and drive off these beasts to aid the prince!” Shan Zhi barked sharply, rallying the spirits of those around him.

High above, Ying Yongge held a meteor hammer in hand, his eyes burning with fierce intensity as he looked at the young man before him.

He stood on empty air, flames bursting forth from within him, driving out the invading lightning energy.

“If this is all you’ve got, then just let me leave quietly,” Li Yu said softly, his expression dark as he gazed at the snow fox spirit vine cradled in his arms. With a flick of his hand, he tossed out a scorched, charred vine.

Although he had the upper hand in their last clash, when the flames surged, he still couldn’t fully protect the spiritual plant he held. If he went all out, it would likely end in a deadly battle to the death, which was not his intention.

That was why he had been holding back against the man before him.

“You’re so protective of the snow fox spirit vine—that must mean that chain poison is truly troublesome!” Ying Yongge smiled faintly, a dazzling blaze erupting beneath his feet as he shot toward Li Yu. “Beg me to let you go!”

Flames spread from within him, enveloping his entire body. At that moment, the Ninth Prince transformed into a being of fire.

“Flame Body? The Ninth Prince has already mastered this?”

“He’s sure to win!”

The brilliant flames streaking across the sky stirred incredulous whispers among those below, even in their precarious positions.

The Flame Body was both a body-refining technique and an attack secret. It could only be cultivated by those who could emit sixth-tier spiritual power, and most practitioners barely grasped its foundations after decades of study.

Despite the long time required for mastery, many within the Ming royal family eagerly pursued this art because it was their signature technique—one of the clan’s treasured legacies.

Li Yu took a deep breath.

Indeed, anyone who rose to such heights was extraordinary. Those who stood out and became princes were never easy to deal with.

“Let me see what’s so formidable about this specially noted technique,” he murmured.

His spiritual power shifted, simulating the surging flow of qi and blood—a method he had learned from an opponent during a Qing clan martial contest.

Though not as effective as true qi and blood circulation, it still achieved about seventy to eighty percent of the effect.

“Bang!”

This time, the two did not separate after a single strike but instead clashed repeatedly in midair.

Each collision burst forth with blinding flames, and sharp gusts of wind spread out. Even from a distance, many below felt their scalps tingle.

“Howl!”

The weaker white fox emitted a low, mournful cry—not a challenge but a sound of deep fear.

Their duel was lightning fast. In mere moments, they had exchanged dozens of intense rounds. During this fierce battle, Li Yu pushed his lightning spiritual power to its limit; brilliant arcs of electricity shimmered across his body, accompanied faintly by deep rumbles of thunder.

It had to be said—the lightning bloodline he had acquired through system check-ins had saved him the time usually spent refining his body. His perfectly developed lightning bloodline was overwhelmingly powerful.

The Ming royal family's Flame Body was renowned for its balance of offense and defense, making it nearly invincible in one-on-one combat. Yet Li Yu, relying solely on his physique and the simulated martial circulation, held his ground without faltering.

“Lady Buddha Sword!”

Figures crossed in the sky as Li Yu suddenly shifted his sword technique. Lightning on his longsword burst into a piercing white light. His previously forceful strikes suddenly softened, graceful like a lady’s touch, yet the blade was razor-sharp, thrusting straight toward Ying Yongge’s throat.

‘Can the prince evade this move?’

Whispers erupted among the crowd below as they watched Li Yu’s attack.

“Impressive move!” Even Ying Yongge’s eyes darkened with seriousness. He immediately retreated two steps, the meteor hammer in his hand engulfed by flames as his spiritual power surged to its peak. Then, with a fierce cry, he brought the hammer crashing down.

“Pfft!”

Their weapons collided silently but fiercely. The sword slipped past the meteor hammer, stabbing deeply into Ying Yongge’s left shoulder.

Li Yu struck successfully but did not press his advantage. His body moved nimbly aside, evading Ying Yongge’s vengeful attempt to trade injuries.

This time, the flames surrounding Ying Yongge burned even more intensely in his eyes.

He instantly withdrew several dozen feet, and as he moved, the flames exploded outward, forming a ring-shaped shockwave that expanded to seven or eight meters in an instant.

“Bang!”

The powerful shockwave forced Li Yu to stagger backward repeatedly. Lightning flared around him as he stabilized his stance, channeling his spiritual power to quell the turbulent flow of qi and blood within.

“No wonder he’s a royal prince!”

A fiery gleam flashed in Li Yu’s eyes. This was the most intense fight he had ever engaged in. Even so, he hadn’t gained much of an advantage.

After much scheming, he had finally delivered a sword technique from his familiar Lady Buddha Sword style—a seemingly decisive strike that was immediately met with Ying Yongge’s ring-shaped counterattack.

Now Li Yu reflected bitterly: if he had pressured himself from the start—instead of beginning serious training only after Qing Anqi was poisoned—would he have to fight such an evenly matched battle?

Wouldn’t it have been better to train hard from the beginning and crush his opponent outright?

After all, though the Qing clan pressured him somewhat, it wasn’t overwhelming, so he had always maintained just a ‘passing grade’ rather than pushing himself for ‘perfection.’

“Hmm…”

Li Yu suddenly sensed something amiss. He looked at the youth before him, whose red hair danced wildly, his expression shifting. Li Yu plunged a hand into his chest.

The next moment, his lightning power surged dramatically. When he withdrew his hand, all that remained was a handful of ashes.

“You’re finished!” Li Yu spoke each word with deliberate weight, advancing step by step through the void toward Ying Yongge. With each step, lightning overflowed more brilliantly, intensifying the oppressive aura against the youth who had just smiled.

Unnoticed by them, a claw emerged from the snow, followed by the head of the white fox.

Seeing the snow fox spirit vine reduced to ash, it let out a suppressed roar of fury.