"Senior Yang's movement technique has indeed broadened my horizons. I've also gained some insights and hope to have Senior Yang's appraisal."
Yan Qingshan looked at Yang Sheng with a smile. Suddenly, the light in his hand, resembling a light bulb, emitted a burst of intense light, causing everyone to instinctively shield their eyes.
Yang Sheng subconsciously closed his eyes and retreated. Suddenly, his ears twitched as he sensed two gusts of wind approaching. He quickly activated his movement technique and retreated to a safe distance. Only then did he turn around. He heard gasps of amazement, and his own eyes widened.
In the arena, two Yan Qingshans appeared out of nowhere. Their expressions and stances were almost identical, making it nearly impossible to distinguish any differences.
"Senior Yang, how's my move?"
One of the Yan Qingshans smiled triumphantly. His voice echoed throughout the arena as he opened and closed his mouth, as if he were carried away with pride. The other Yan Qingshan's expression was slightly stiff, as if he weren't a real person.
Yang Sheng secretly noted the position of this Yan Qingshan and then smiled, "It doesn't look like much. Junior Yan, you sure can boast."
"You'll know if I'm boasting later. I'd like to see if Senior will still be so stubborn then."
Yan Qingshan's voice echoed throughout the arena again. Then, both Yan Qingshans simultaneously activated their movement techniques and rushed towards Yang Sheng.
Yang Sheng also activated his movement technique to counter. In an instant, the arena was filled with their afterimages, making it impossible to tell where their real bodies were.
"This method is quite unique. He's using his light source to affect the entire arena, making my illusory movements impossible to hide. And he's using it in reverse to create a clone. Even my Yang family's ancestors couldn't achieve this. But he's still too young."
Yang Sheng stopped again, looking at the two Yan Qingshans diagonally to his left and right. The three figures formed an isosceles triangle, with the two Yan Qingshans equidistant from Yang Sheng.
Yang Sheng had discovered that when he activated his movement technique again, the deceptive illusions his family's technique could create were almost gone. It wasn't that his technique had malfunctioned, but that the strong light source had moved from above to below.
The ball of light that Yan Qingshan had brought down earlier was in the arena, directly affecting the arena's light curvature. And since it was a light source controlled by Yan Qingshan, he could freely adjust it to target Yang Sheng, naturally breaking the illusions in Yang Sheng's movement technique.
With the illusions that deceived vision gone, Yang Sheng's footwork, though still excellent, was no longer in a state where the enemy's real body was almost impossible to catch.
"Here they come!"
Yang Sheng suddenly held his breath as the two Yan Qingshans moved towards him simultaneously, one from right to left, and the other from left to right. The one he had marked was on the right. According to the straight-line trajectory, he should appear on the left.
Everyone held their breath, including Yang Sheng. The two Yan Qingshans crossed paths in mid-air. Yang Sheng's pupils suddenly dilated. Without hesitation, he activated his Dou Technique and stabbed the Yan Qingshan on his right with his knife.
Boom…
Amidst an extremely strange muffled sound, a burst of intense light erupted. Then, the entire Yan Qingshan seemed to disintegrate like a shattered flower. Energy attacks, resembling petals, rained down on Yang Sheng, severely injuring him and sending him flying.
"Senior Yang Sheng, it seems I've won this round."
The Yan Qingshan on Yang Sheng's left, whose facial expression seemed slightly stiff, suddenly smiled. He walked to the fallen Yang Sheng and pulled out a radiant flower containing wood energy from the still-emitting light source. The petals glowed, still dazzling under the suppression of Dou Qi.
Yang Sheng's eyes showed a look of contemplation. "When did you... no, that's not right. The one who spoke first was a decoy. But how did you do it... that voice..."
"Senior, are you looking for me?"
Yan Qingshan's voice echoed throughout the arena again. Strangely, he didn't open his mouth this time. Then, he said calmly, "There's a strange technique in the world called ventriloquism, which uses abdominal movements to produce sound. It's difficult for ordinary people, but I, who have mastered sonic Dou Techniques, learned it effortlessly.
As for the clone technique just now, I have to thank Senior Yang. If you hadn't enlightened me with your movement technique, I wouldn't have thought to use illusions this way. I inherited some illusion-related knowledge from my ancestors' legacies, but it was too scattered and didn't yield any results.
Until just now, I have to thank Senior Yang. One insight led to many, allowing me to connect these scattered pieces of knowledge and create a decent illusion technique."
"Creating an illusion technique on the spot in the arena, and quickly coming up with a way to perfect it and trick me. Yan Qingshan, you're indeed a genius."
Yang Sheng lay on the ground, murmuring, "My Yang family of the Jade Gate has been developing this movement technique for four hundred years. Through generations of refinement, we still couldn't achieve the separation of light and shadow to create clones.
But you, after seeing the core essence of my movement technique, achieved it in such a short time. With your talent, Yang Sheng admits defeat. I lost fair and square."
Yang Sheng struggled to his feet and cupped his fists at Yan Qingshan, saying formally, "In the arena duel, my Little Sword Gang lost. From now on, in any major events, my Little Sword Gang will yield to the Qingshan Faction."
"Senior Yang is too considerate. I have no intention of being aggressive. I only hope that everyone can coexist harmoniously and develop peacefully."
Yan Qingshan smiled and returned the gesture. These words were not only for Yang Sheng but also for the high-ranking members of the surrounding Inner Academy forces. Although the Qingshan Faction had risen strongly and had considerable strength, it was still no match for the top Inner Academy forces, at least for now.
It was better to lie low for now. In a year or two, when the strongest students of this batch graduated, Yan Qingshan's strength would have increased, and Xiao Yi Xian, Lin Yan, Han Yue, and others would have become Dou Spirit.
That would be the time for the Qingshan Faction to rise and dominate the Inner Academy. But if everything went according to his plan, it might not take that long.
As Yan Qingshan and Yang Sheng were about to leave, he suddenly spoke, "Senior Yang, are you interested in my separation of light and shadow technique?"
Yang Sheng's body stiffened. He turned back in disbelief and said in a trembling voice, "You're willing to exchange this separation of light and shadow technique?"
Yang Sheng couldn't help but be excited. This was a method his family had been searching for for hundreds of years. Once integrated into the current Thunderbolt Step, it would further enhance the foundation of their Yang family's movement technique. Even if it didn't evolve into an Di-rank movement technique, its power would definitely increase significantly.
And if this happened, he, Yang Sheng, would inevitably become a great contributor to the Yang family. The position of the next family head, which had been somewhat distant due to his disfigurement, would no longer be a fantasy for him.
Yan Qingshan smiled slightly, "That depends on what price Senior Yang is willing to pay."