Zhang Yang was right. Everything Bai Yunfei had shown earlier was intentional! Not using a weapon… letting Li Shi catch up… deliberately revealing his defensive soul artifact… fighting Li Shi to a stalemate…
All of it was calculated to prevent Zhang Yang from fleeing!
His soul power level was indeed comparable to Li Shi's. But that was only the raw level! Bai Yunfei possessed soul skills… he had his soul armor… he had the Fiery Spear… he had the Frost Spike Dagger! Had he unleashed his full strength from the outset against Li Shi, the guard would have been dead long ago.
Yet, he hadn't. Why? Because revealing overwhelming power, while potentially allowing him to finish Li Shi quickly, wouldn't guarantee an instant kill. If he were delayed even briefly, and Zhang Yang grasped his terrifying strength, the Young Master wouldn't hesitate to bolt.
A chase would put Bai Yunfei at a severe disadvantage. Therefore, he couldn't frighten Zhang Yang off. He needed to lure him into the fight!
That's why, after the surprise killing of Du Xin, he deliberately engaged Li Shi, carefully maintaining the illusion of an even match. He purposely let his soul armor be glimpsed. His experience at Blackwood Mountain had taught him the immense value of soul artifacts. This treasure was the bait to draw Zhang Yang into the fray.
Much of the exhaustion he displayed after the prolonged fight against Li Shi was feigned. His actual consumption of stamina and soul force was far less than his opponents believed. His golden soft armor wasn't just a soul artifact; it was a +10 Golden Silk Soul Armor!
(Golden Silk Soul Armor Properties) Equipment Grade: Lower Rare. Reinforcement Level: +10. Defense: 267. Additional Defense: 139. +10 Additional Effect: When attacked, 5% chance to increase Defense by 50%. Duration: 3 seconds. Reinforcement Condition: 64 Soul Points.
This very armor had once belonged to Han Xiao, the Blackwood Village Chief. Killing him had naturally granted Bai Yunfei this prize. Relying on its massively boosted defense and the occasional triggering of its additional effect, the actual force Bai Yunfei absorbed from Li Shi's blows was minimal.
This, of course, had to remain hidden. His carefully crafted performance made Zhang Yang believe that joining the fight alongside Li Shi would guarantee an easy victory and the acquisition of that coveted soul armor!
The moment Zhang Yang finally succumbed to greed and entered the battle, Bai Yunfei immediately launched the second phase of his plan.
Facing two opponents simultaneously risked becoming a true quagmire if prolonged. Therefore, the first priority was to eliminate Li Shi – the guard who had fought him for so long and grown accustomed to his "rhythm". And it had to be done swiftly, ruthlessly, unexpectedly. A single strike must kill!
So, he seized the opportunity and unleashed the soul skill he'd been priming all along: the Triple Wave Fist, blasting Li Shi back.
But the coup de grâce was the follow-up! The power of the Fiery Spear was undeniable, but without striking a vital point, a single thrust might not kill. Unless… its additional effect triggered. Then, no matter where it struck, the result was fatal!
However, the explosion effect of the Fiery Spear had only a 10% chance – frustratingly low. That's why Bai Yunfei employed his newly perfected killing technique: the Triple Thrust!
He adapted the layered attack principle of the Surfing Waves Art to his spear technique. He extended the Triple Wave Fist power through the spearpoint itself, hence the name 'Triple Thrust'.
One execution of the Triple Wave Fist delivered three layered strikes almost simultaneously. Therefore, one Triple Thrust was equivalent to three near-instantaneous spear thrusts, significantly increasing the chance to trigger the Fiery Spear's devastating effect!
Of course, Bai Yunfei hadn't pinned all his hopes on this. If it failed, he was prepared to expose his final trump card, the Frost Spike Dagger, to ensure Li Shi's death.
To his immense satisfaction, the Triple Thrust struck true… and successfully triggered the Fiery Spear's explosion effect. Piercing the gut before detonating internally… it obliterated the guard instantly.
After killing Li Shi, Bai Yunfei didn't immediately attack the stunned Zhang Yang. The recoil from executing the Triple Thrust was severe – easily several times heavier than that of the Triple Wave Fist. For several breaths afterward, his entire right arm was almost completely numb. That brief paralysis gave Zhang Yang the opening to scramble back.
Just as Zhang Yang shrieked his terrified realization, Bai Yunfei regained control of his arm. Without a word, he gripped his spear and charged.
Zhang Yang opened his mouth, perhaps to shout something else, but seeing the attack commence, he dared not divert his focus. His face twisted with frantic urgency as he desperately tried to parry the whistling spear points.
Zhang Yang's dagger looked ornate, even luxurious, with small diamonds embedded in the hilt. The blade itself seemed well-made, likely forged from high-quality materials. However, it was not a soul artifact.
As a disciple of the Frost Sect and the Young Master of the Zhang family, Zhang Yang, while often neglecting diligent training, possessed considerable strength ingrained by his father's tutelage. His attacks and defenses were well-timed and precise. For a time, he actually managed to hold his own against Bai Yunfei.
Bai Yunfei was indeed depleted. He'd fought dozens of rounds with Li Shi and then explosively expended soul force for the Triple Wave Fist and the Triple Thrust. His condition was significantly diminished. Yet, no trace of panic showed on his face. His spear danced, expertly keeping Zhang Yang at bay whenever the Young Master tried to close in for a dagger strike.
After several exchanges, Zhang Yang narrowly twisted away from a thrust. Simultaneously, his right arm lashed out, the dagger slicing towards Bai Yunfei's throat.
The distance seemed misjudged. A slight backward tilt of Bai Yunfei's head should make the blade miss entirely. Just as Bai Yunfei thought he'd evaded the strike and prepared to counterattack with his spear, the situation changed abruptly!
Zhang Yang's seemingly fully extended arm suddenly lengthened by another inch! The dagger tip shot straight for Bai Yunfei's exposed throat!
Soul Skill: Long Arm Fist!
A mundane name for the most basic tier of soul skills. It was the only one Zhang Yang had truly mastered. It held no devastating power; it simply allowed the arm to briefly extend a short distance.
Sometimes, however, simplicity yielded unexpected results. Like now!
Zhang Yang had bided his time, holding this minor skill in reserve precisely for this moment – an unexpected lunge to achieve maximum effect.
Though startled by the dagger suddenly appearing at his neck, Bai Yunfei didn't panic. He instantly abandoned his own attack, throwing his upper body violently backward. The blade whistled past, scraping his chin and drawing a thin line of blood. But while he avoided the lethal throat strike, his momentum sent him tumbling off balance, falling backward.
A vicious gleam flashed in Zhang Yang's eyes. He twisted his wrist, flipping the dagger from a standard grip to a reverse grip in an instant. Without hesitation, he plunged it straight down towards Bai Yunfei's vulnerable throat!
As he fell, Bai Yunfei's right hand snapped back. The spear vanished into thin air. Simultaneously with Zhang Yang's grip change, Bai Yunfei's right hand flicked outward. A dagger streaked towards Zhang Yang's face!
Zhang Yang's face was already contorting with savage triumph, the tip of his own dagger mere inches from its target. Then, he saw Bai Yunfei's hand blur. A streak of cold light materialized, hurtling towards his eyes. Terror, pure and primal, seized him. Attacking Bai Yunfei became an afterthought. He desperately jerked his head sideways, the thrown dagger whistling past his temple.
In the blink of an eye, a second dagger followed!