Chapter 32- Figuring Out the Pattern – Transcendental Translations

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Chapter 32

In Jiang Ruohua’s eyes, the knowledge and skills noblewomen typically pursued all revolved around one goal: to become a virtuous, respectable wife who could uphold the household’s reputation. After marriage, if people spoke of how a certain family’s madam was wise and managed her estate harmoniously, it was considered a great honor for the woman. Even Jiang Ruohua wasn’t an exception to this. Born into her social class, the only way to gain respect and maintain status was through managing the household well and receiving external praise. But for Jiang Ruohua, this was merely a means to an end.

She still followed the customs and studied the necessary skills, though without much enthusiasm. She had little interest in the typical pursuits of noblewomen. The one thing she genuinely loved, however, was martial arts.

“You’re not going to fight back?” Hu Xingxing asked, her voice laced with amusement, a faint smirk playing on her lips. There was an air of growing arrogance as she increased the force behind her strikes. “I haven’t even used my full strength yet.”

Jiang Ruohua said nothing, merely increasing her speed. Dodging Hu Xingxing’s attacks was hardly difficult. She relished in the physical movement, the thrill of their sparring. Though she wasn’t retaliating, she remained completely unfazed, skillfully evading every strike, leaving Hu Xingxing with the illusion that her earlier stumble had been intentional.

Could this delicate noblewoman be hiding her true strength?

Hu Xingxing’s eyebrows furrowed in thought. The more aggressive her strikes became, the more frustrated she grew. No matter how fierce her attacks, Jiang Ruohua merely evaded them without responding. It was as though Jiang Ruohua was purposely refusing to engage, merely dodging everything Hu Xingxing threw her way. What kind of strategy was this?

“Are you afraid to hit me?” Hu Xingxing suddenly changed her tactics. The whip, which had been arching downward, abruptly reversed direction, snapping directly toward Jiang Ruohua!

But Jiang Ruohua wasn’t about to back down. If Hu Xingxing could switch tactics, why couldn’t she? Jiang Ruohua’s mastery of her footwork was unmatched. Her movements were agile, like a swift swallow in flight. Hu Xingxing’s sudden attack appeared frantic and ineffective as Jiang Ruohua slipped through the air with ease.

Hu Xingxing’s large eyes flashed with surprise, followed by a smile. “You’re pretty good. You were holding back, weren’t you? Well then, I won’t hold back anymore!”

“Please, go ahead,” Jiang Ruohua responded calmly.

This was exactly what she had been waiting for!

“Alright!” Hu Xingxing’s grin widened, clearly getting into the spirit of the battle, her competitive streak now fully engaged. She no longer restrained herself, unleashing her full strength. The whip now cut through the air with a force so intense it seemed to carry the wind itself. Her movements were swift, almost ghostly, the whip perfectly synchronized with her inner strength, making it nearly impossible to predict her next move.

Gone was the straightforward aggression from before. Now, Hu Xingxing seemed to merge with the darkness around them, striking unpredictably from all directions.

Inside the house, Old Master Gao had been pulled inside along with the little boy, both anxiously watching the fight unfold. The young mistress had been trained in the Jiang family’s spear techniques, but here she was, not using a weapon to defend herself. Despite relying on her family’s intricate footwork to evade Hu Xingxing’s attacks, she lacked the means to retaliate. Meanwhile, Hu Xingxing’s whip techniques were perfectly complemented by her inner energy, her strikes stealthy yet powerful, coupled with her ghostly footwork. Old Master Gao grew increasingly worried. This seemingly young and innocent Hu Xingxing had far more strength than his old bones could handle, and with the young mistress unable to fully unleash her abilities, he wondered how she could win…

Jiang Ruohua stood still, her breathing steady, focusing inward as she closed her eyes to sense the changes around her.

Hu Xingxing was a master of deception, using false attacks to confuse and mislead. What seemed like an attack was often a defense, and what appeared defensive was often an offensive maneuver in disguise. Hidden within these feints were real strikes, making her moves unpredictable at first glance. Using all her strength, Hu Xingxing forced Jiang Ruohua to increase the speed of her footwork, pushing her to dodge and evade her increasingly fierce assaults.

It seemed as if Jiang Ruohua was steadily losing ground.

Old Master Gao clenched his fists tightly from the sidelines, appearing ready to rush in and protect her at any moment.

“You should’ve picked a weapon, even if these aren’t exactly to your liking or as good as what you’re used to,” Hu Xingxing’s voice echoed mysteriously from all directions, as if she was everywhere at once. “But now, you have no choice but to keep dodging!”

“Miss Jiang, you’re too proud!”

Hu Xingxing was certain of her victory. So this was all the renowned Miss Jiang could do? After all, someone raised in a place where blood was never spilled would never be truly honed in battle. Even if the Jiang family’s spear techniques were formidable, it didn’t matter if she couldn’t use them effectively.

In the darkness, Jiang Ruohua suddenly opened her eyes. After sidestepping another attack, she began counting silently in her heart.

One… Two… Three…

Just as Hu Xingxing was about to land another fierce strike, Jiang Ruohua’s body moved with lightning speed. Her right hand shot out and caught Hu Xingxing’s whip mid-air. The onlookers, including Hu Xingxing, were stunned by this move. Instead of being thrown back or wounded by the whip’s force, Jiang Ruohua skillfully wrapped the whip around her wrist!

A cold smile appeared on Jiang Ruohua’s lips. True, the weapons available here weren’t suited for her, much like Hu Xingxing’s whip. A warrior’s strength could be significantly affected by their familiarity with their weapon. Using a weapon that didn’t match one’s skills could lead to poor control and even unintended harm.

With a sudden jerk, Jiang Ruohua closed the distance between herself and Hu Xingxing. The whip was now tightly coiled around Jiang Ruohua’s wrist, and Hu Xingxing found herself just a step away. She yanked the whip, but Jiang Ruohua didn’t budge an inch. When it came to raw strength, Jiang Ruohua, trained in the art of the spear, clearly had the upper hand.

In a swift motion, Jiang Ruohua struck at Hu Xingxing’s shoulder with her palm. Hu Xingxing attempted to block, but the tables had turned. She was now on the defensive, her earlier confidence rapidly fading.

While Jiang Ruohua’s mastery of palm and fist techniques wasn’t extraordinary—her moves were simple, the most basic of the basics—what set her apart was the solid foundation she had built. Each strike was precise, without any wasted motion, and carried significant force. Meanwhile, her other hand firmly controlled Hu Xingxing’s whip. From the moment the fight began, Jiang Ruohua had been studying Hu Xingxing’s techniques. Only after she had forced Hu Xingxing to reveal her full strength did Jiang Ruohua begin her counterattack. She had noticed the subtle changes in Hu Xingxing’s moves.

The whip strike she had caught had appeared powerful but was actually just a feint, intended to prepare for a stronger follow-up. Jiang Ruohua, who had been retreating and defending without attacking, gave Hu Xingxing the false impression that she was only dodging. This baited Hu Xingxing into attacking based on those habits, making it easier for Jiang Ruohua to predict which strikes were real and which were fake. With this knowledge, she had no reason to fear catching the fake strike.

Though her palm stung from the friction of the whip, Jiang Ruohua, as a martial artist, knew that a few injuries were inevitable. Using the whip to pull Hu Xingxing closer, she forced her into hand-to-hand combat. The very weapon Hu Xingxing relied on became a hindrance. Without her whip, Hu Xingxing’s confidence wavered. She bit her lip, realizing that in close combat, especially one-on-one, she stood no chance against Jiang Ruohua. With only one hand free, she couldn’t match Jiang Ruohua’s overwhelming strength.