CHAPTER 116: CHAPTER 0116: MASTER TIAN IS DEFEATED_1

"Kill! Kill!"

Almost simultaneously, Yagyu Ichiken and Tian Guangjin shouted and lunged forward, their swords thrusting out in a blur of motion.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Three successive, loud clangs rang out, like a blacksmith hammering iron. It was their swords crashing against each other. Clearly, their speeds were nearly identical, forcing them to use their blades to intercept one another to avoid being skewered.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

After exchanging three strikes, they retreated as fast as lightning, once again facing each other in a standoff. Their breathing had grown heavy; it was clear those three strikes had consumed a vast amount of their physical strength and True Qi. That exchange had been a true clash of life and death, where a single careless move would have resulted in a fatal blow. They had to concentrate completely and unleash their greatest potential.

The watching students and coaches grew tense. The Japanese swordsman’s strength far exceeded their estimates; Tian Guangjin couldn’t defeat him right away.

At that moment, a bitter wave of regret washed over Tian Bingbing. If Zhang Bin were still the head coach of the hall, what would this Japanese man even matter?

"Kill! Kill!"

The two shouted again, lunging at each other and clashing their swords in a flurry of blows.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Their swords hammered against one another, flashing with a blinding, cold light. The sound was thunderous. In this exchange, their movements were a blur. For the span of several breaths, they traded dozens of strikes. To the onlookers, this round felt impossibly long—long enough to decide a person’s life or death.

Tian Guangjin was beginning to falter. He started a rapid retreat, but Yagyu Ichiken pursued him relentlessly, his sword stabbing forward like bolts of lightning.

SHING! SHING! SHING!

The cold light was blinding, letting out a piercing shriek as it tore through the air. Tian Guangjin rapidly swung his own sword to intercept the thrusts.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Sparks flew as their blades met.

"Ah!"

A shrill cry tore through the air as blood splattered. It came from Tian Guangjin. His wrist had been pierced, and his sword fell to the ground with a clatter.

He had lost, defeated by Yagyu Ichiken’s sword.

Tian Guangjin’s face was ashen, his eyes devoid of light. If a martial arts hall couldn’t defeat its challengers, it truly couldn’t stay in business. And today, the Longyin Martial Arts Hall had reached that very point.

All the coaches and students were aghast. Tian Bingbing rushed forward to support her father. "Dad..."

Yagyu Ichiken showed no pity. He pressed the bloody tip of his sword against Tian Guangjin’s throat and sneered, "Master Tian, with sword techniques like yours, what right do you have to run a martial arts hall? I suggest you close up shop."

"You..." Tian Guangjin’s face was flushed with fury.

Tian Bingbing burned with rage, as did the students and coaches. But beneath their fury was only sorrow. They had been utterly defeated. What right did they have to argue?

"Our hall still has an expert. Do you dare to face him? If you do, then please wait a moment," Tian Bingbing said, gritting her teeth.

"Another expert? I’m looking forward to it. Please, have him come over. I’ll wait for half an hour." Yagyu Ichiken gave a contemptuous smile, sheathed his sword, and sat down cross-legged, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing.

A few coaches scrambled to help Tian Guangjin to the side, applying pressure to his acupoints to stop the bleeding and bandaging the wound.

Meanwhile, Tian Bingbing immediately called Zhang Bin. The call connected quickly.

"Zhang Bin, it’s Tian Bingbing. There’s trouble at the Longyin Martial Arts Hall. A very skilled Japanese expert is challenging us. His swordsmanship is terrifying, perhaps only a sliver weaker than Turen Xiong. Coach Wang and my dad are both injured. Can you help us? I’ll agree to any conditions you have," Tian Bingbing said, her expression pained. The implication was clear: even if Zhang Bin asked her to be his lover, she would agree. She couldn’t just stand by and watch the martial arts hall collapse.

"Are you sure he’s a sliver weaker than Turen Xiong?" Zhang Bin’s voice came from the other end.

"Yes, I’m sure. He’s definitely not your match," Tian Bingbing said, her spirits lifting.

But Zhang Bin’s next words plunged her into an abyss.

"I’m sorry, but I am no longer the head coach of the Longyin Martial Arts Hall. I cannot represent the hall in a fight," Zhang Bin stated coldly.

"Zhang Bin, I’m begging you, just help me this one time! I’ll really agree to any condition," Tian Bingbing pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

"I’m not part of the Longyin Martial Arts Hall anymore. I don’t have the standing. Even if I defeated him, it wouldn’t restore the hall’s reputation. Its downfall would still be unavoidable," Zhang Bin said ruthlessly. "Only by defeating him yourself can you save it."

"But I’m no match for him," Tian Bingbing said, her face a mask of sorrow.

"Defeat isn’t frightening," Zhang Bin said coldly. "What’s truly frightening is lacking the courage to even fight."

"Zhang Bin, just because I rejected you once, you hold this much of a grudge? You want me to go to my death?" Tian Bingbing demanded furiously.

"You run a martial arts hall, yet you don’t even have the courage to fight a challenger, always depending on others. I think you should just close the hall, get married, and have children," Zhang Bin said mockingly.

"You..." Tian Bingbing was incandescent with rage. "Zhang Bin, I hate you! You’re a cold, heartless beast!"

With that, she hung up. Wiping the tears from her face, an aura of grim resolve—a willingness to face death—rose around her. She walked forward step by step, picked up the blood-stained treasured sword, and fixed an ice-cold glare on Yagyu Ichiken.

She roared, "Yagyu Ichiken! Come! Let us fight to the death!"

The coaches and students were horrified. Tian Guangjin’s face went deathly pale as he shouted, "Bingbing, come back!"

They knew she had been calling Zhang Bin, hoping he would come to their aid. After all, he had been the head coach. If he could defeat the Japanese man, they might be able to salvage some of the hall’s reputation and avoid having to shut down. But this outcome meant Zhang Bin had refused to help.

Therefore, Tian Bingbing had no choice but to step up herself.

This was clearly a hopeless match, like an egg being smashed against a stone. After all, Yagyu Ichiken was a Rushing Pulse Realm Master who had opened multiple meridians, while Tian Bingbing had only reached the Late Qi Refining Stage. The gap between them was immense. Besides, she hadn’t practiced her swordsmanship in a long time. How could she possibly be a match for an expert like Yagyu Ichiken, who had dedicated his entire life to the sword?

"Dad, I have to fight. Even if I lose, even if I die, I’ll have no regrets. If I don’t even have the courage to raise my sword, I’ll just be a laughingstock," Tian Bingbing declared.

Tian Guangjin fell silent, his face etched with sorrow. The faces of all the coaches and students filled with grief and indignation.

They all gnashed their teeth, their hearts filled with hatred for Zhang Bin. He had refused to help! He was letting Bingbing go to her death! Was he even Chinese?