Chapter 1277: Chapter 1327: Battle with the Ninja
Li Yifei’s comrcial negotiations with the Aoki Group appeared to be proceeding systematically, but Li Yifei was well aware that Aoki Ryota was stalling. Even if so agreents had been reached, there was no real intent to sign anything.
Even though Li Yifei denied it, Aoki Ryota still harbored doubts about him. Furthermore, he held a pessimistic view regarding Li Yifei’s upcoming conflict with Inoue Aoga. If sothing were to happen to Li Yifei, their collaboration would likely be scrapped entirely, and Aoki Ryota was unwilling to waste efforts without assurance of benefits.
Li Yifei was equally unhurried, as this matter did not require urgency. Aoki Ryota’s reaction was precisely the decision an adept leader of a powerful group ought to make. Hastily signing an agreent at this ti would clearly be reckless. As the head of a major corporation, behaving in such a hasty manner would be utterly unbefitting.
On the fifth day, Li Yifei finally received Inoue Aoga’s challenge letter, inviting him to a duel that very evening at a nearby hill. He sought a decisive life-and-death confrontation with Li Yifei, explicitly stating that the matter was purely a martial artist’s personal feud and unrelated to political affiliations. Should Li Yifei prefer otherwise, Inoue Aoga was willing to adjust the ti and location.
This challenge was far from a simple duel—it carried an unmistakable air of life-or-death combat. Inoue Aoga’s magnanimous tone was carefully calculated, knowing full well that Li Yifei would not refuse.
Indeed, Li Yifei had no intention of rejecting the challenge. With his current strength, dealing with one Inoue Aoga—or even five—would pose no problem. Eliminating one of Japan’s most celebrated "super ninja" on their own soil would not only boost his nation’s morale but also deliver a devastating blow to Japan’s arrogance. This was sothing he greatly desired to accomplish.
Thus, Li Yifei readily accepted the challenge. He even promised that, should he perish in this battle, the outco would not implicate their respective nations in any way.
Inoue Aoga burst into laughter upon receiving this reply from Li Yifei. This was precisely the response he had been waiting for.
"Golden Eagle, this ti, I’ll ensure your death!" Inoue Aoga growled through clenched teeth. During the last Special Forces Competition, he had believed that his participation would bring glory to Japan, but to his humiliation, he returned utterly defeated. It remained a humiliation he regarded as a grave insult, and the one who caused this disgrace was none other than Li Yifei. Until he avenged this humiliation, he would find no peace.
Inoue Aoga wasn’t alone in his room at that mont. There were two other n present, both in their fifties or sixties, with slender builds. Yet their sharp gazes gleaming as their eyes briefly opened betrayed their exceptional prowess. These were no ordinary individuals; they were clearly elite fighters.
Among the trio, few in Japan could recognize them, but anyone who did would be absolutely astonished. Akagi Kiyoshi, Miyagi Tōi, and Inoue Aoga—these three constituted so of Japan’s most formidable ninja alive today.
Akagi Kiyoshi, with his slanted, triangular eyes, spoke in a subdued tone, "Inoue, don’t be reckless. Golden Eagle’s strength is undeniably formidable."
Miyagi Tōi snorted dismissively, "Even if he’s strong, once you engage him head-on and we intervene unexpectedly, does he stand any chance of victory?"
Akagi Kiyoshi shook his head slightly and said, "I’m not worried about losing. I’m worried that he might have companions. If we fail to kill him, it will be difficult to explain afterward."
Inoue Aoga imdiately replied, "There’s no need to worry about that. I’ve thoroughly investigated. The people Golden Eagle brought on this trip are rely ordinary employees from his company; none of them are skilled fighters. Besides, I specifically invited him alone to participate. If anyone else attempts to join, we have every justification to refuse. And if soone were to show up covertly, do you think the three of us wouldn’t detect them?"
Miyagi Tōi added, "Exactly. As ninja, is there anyone on this earth who understands stealth tactics better than us? Anyone better at concealing their presence?"
Akagi Kiyoshi found their reasoning convincing, and the slight worry in his heart evaporated entirely. He nodded, saying, "Perhaps I was overthinking."
Inoue Aoga sneered, "Golden Eagle, this ti, I’ll ensure you et your death right here!"
The three were brimming with confidence, though they had misjudged one crucial detail—they had based their assessnt of Li Yifei’s skill on the level they had encountered during his previous clash with Inoue Aoga. If they knew how drastically Li Yifei’s abilities had advanced since then, they probably wouldn’t harbor the sa confidence, nor would they make such a foolish decision.
True to his word, Li Yifei arrived alone. Aoki Reiko had escorted him to the foot of the hill but did not accompany him further.
Akagi Kiyoshi and Miyagi Tōi remained hidden in the shadows, closely monitoring Li Yifei. Their assumption was that Li Yifei would secretly bring reinforcents, yet after ticulous observation, they found no trace of an outsider accompanying him.
As master-level ninja, their confidence in their abilities—especially their knack for stealth and detecting hidden adversaries—was unshakable. If they couldn’t find anyone else nearby, it could only an one of two things: either Li Yifei had truly co alone, or he had brought an exceptionally powerful ally—so strong that even their expertise rendered them incapable of detection.
Akagi Kiyoshi and Miyagi Tōi instinctively dismissed the second scenario. While they didn’t claim to be unbeatable, the idea of soone so powerful they couldn’t detect them seed utterly implausible.
As they continued their surveillance, they kept their own movents concealed, planning to ambush Li Yifei with a decisive strike, killing him instantly. They intended to report afterward that the kill had solely been executed by Inoue Aoga.
Li Yifei climbed the hill at an unhurried pace, hands clasped behind his back, taking half an hour to reach the summit, where Inoue Aoga awaited him.
Inoue Aoga stood at the peak, clad in a tightly-fitted ninja outfit, complete with a ninja hood that subrged him into the surrounding darkness.
"Golden Eagle, you truly had the guts to co!" Inoue Aoga sneered coldly.
Li Yifei stood five ters away, hands behind his back, calmly smiling. "Why wouldn’t I co when a frog at the bottom of a well invites ?"
Inoue Aoga responded arrogantly, "I admire your ability to bark pointless words at this mont, but rest assured, after tonight, you won’t have such an opportunity ever again."
Li Yifei nodded slightly. "This is your country. Naturally, you must believe I’ll be defeated, right?"
"Of course. Do you think you’ll get another chance to ambush
like last ti?" Inoue Aoga scoffed disdainfully.
"Indeed, I ambushed you. But isn’t ambushing supposed to be the thod most celebrated among ninja?"
"Since you understand this, let’s begin. I’ll show you what true ultimate ninja combat is." As soon as his words fell, Inoue Aoga’s figure vanished into thin air, as if he had never been there.
Li Yifei remained motionless, radiating a serene composure. This wasn’t an act but genuine relaxation. Though Inoue Aoga had vanished from sight, his battle intent was impossible to completely conceal. Li Yifei, now cultivated with Innate Vital Energy, possessed strength rivaling even top-tier masters like Murong Yuanqing. Inoue Aoga wasn’t even close to being on his level. Li Yifei knew exactly where Inoue Aoga was.
Inoue Aoga hadn’t truly disappeared—his movents were simply too swift, and his clothing blended seamlessly with the darkness around him. Moreover, his mastery of utilizing environntal elents to disguise his presence created the illusion that he had vanished.
Had this occurred in the past, Li Yifei would have been on high alert, ready at all tis to respond to Inoue Aoga’s ambush. But now, he felt no such need. Inoue Aoga’s every move lay entirely within his grasp. Whenever Li Yifei wished to make a move, he could. Whatever Inoue Aoga intended, Li Yifei could predict effortlessly.
This disparity in skill brought Li Yifei a sense of satisfaction. He wasn’t in a hurry to deal with Inoue Aoga—after all, there were still two others hiding in the shadows. Waiting until all three revealed themselves before acting would save him the trouble of chasing them down should they attempt to escape.
Inoue Aoga observed Li Yifei’s seemingly vulnerable stance on the summit, appearing riddled with openings. One strike should suffice to kill him instantly. Yet, he hesitated, unsure where to comnce his attack. A seed of doubt nestled in his mind. Given their comparable skills, why would Li Yifei dare to act so arrogantly and bait him without concern? This slled of a trap.
The more Inoue Aoga reflected on this, the more certain he grew. This was Japan, after all. Li Yifei must have brought sothing to rely on. In an ordinary duel, the two might battle endlessly without a clear winner. Li Yifei couldn’t possibly afford such drawn-out combat in Japan. Thus, Inoue Aoga concluded that Li Yifei was seeking an opening to execute him in one swift strike. He wasn’t about to grant Li Yifei such a chance. Ninja were known for their patience, and Inoue Aoga had plenty of it. Let’s see how long Li Yifei could endure this standoff.
The atmosphere atop the hill grew increasingly peculiar. Li Yifei stood silently, unmoving, while a shadow flitted intermittently around him, vanishing as quickly as it appeared—almost as if afraid to even graze him.
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