Chapter 465 Wylie VS James
Wylie challenged James, and James accepted.
This was exciting news for the entire Smith family, instantly sparking the interest of many.
After quickly finishing dinner, everyone was waiting for the big showdown between Wylie and James.
More than seventy percent of the people assumed Wylie would win.
In the five years James had been away, Wylie's strength had improved rapidly, his strength advancing by leaps and bounds. Without James's presence overshadowing him, Wylie had become a different person. In the industry of New York City, Wylie's status was also significant.
Indeed, five years ago, James was known as the top young talent in New York City, a title far more impressive than Wylie's.
However, five years had passed, and the situation was vastly different from what it was back then; one could say the differences were monumental. Now, the City of Mysteries was teeming with prodigies. Not to mention the Ward family and the Stewart family, even families like the Percy family and the Savoy family have produced numerous top-tier talents. It was rumored that the Ward family and the Stewart family each had a genius who had reached the pinnacle of the third stage of martial artist and was merely a step away from breaking through to the fourth stage.
Five years ago, when James dominated New York City, he had just stepped into the second stage of martial arts. Compared to the geniuses of the Ward family and the Stewart family, the difference was like night and day.
So, even if James returned now, he definitely wouldn't be ranked first, and he might not even make it into the top ten.
Moreover, the most crucial point was that they didn't see the same unstoppable presence in James as before; overall, he seemed to have declined. It is said that when he returned yesterday, he appeared disheveled and downcast, suggesting that his five years away have not been kind to him; more likely than not, his strength has waned rather than increased.
With all this in mind, seventy percent of the members assumed Wylie had a higher chance of winning.
Only the remaining thirty percent thought James had a better chance.
The Smith family had a dedicated training courtyard with a large arena in the center, specifically for sparring among family members.
The so-called arena was actually a 1,300-square-foot flat area. Over the decades, the ground had been trampled into a huge depression, with the soil hardened to the point of being tougher than steel.
Wylie had already changed into a lightweight training outfit, allowing for free movement, while James hadn't changed his clothes and was still wearing his casual home attire.
Alistair asked, "Aren't you going to change your clothes?"
James shook his head and said, "No need."
James's attitude was practically an insult to Wylie.
Wylie was even more furious and decided that he would teach James a lesson.
"Mr. James Smith, Mr. Wylie Smith, are you both ready?" A strong martial artist walked to the center of the arena and looked at James and Wylie.
They both nodded, indicating they were ready.
The martial artist said, "Today's match is not to injure vital points or use lethal force. The winner will gain control of the Serenity Haven Hotel."
James and Wylie nodded again.
As the martial artist called for the match to begin and left the arena, Wylie didn't immediately attack. He stared intently at James, trying to find a flaw to exploit and decisively defeat him.
In contrast to his earnest demeanor, James appeared far too casual. He didn't even assume a stance; his hands hung loosely at his sides, his entire body relaxed, and he looked at Wylie with a smile on his face.
His confident demeanor made Wylie even more cautious because he couldn't gauge James's strength. In his perception, James had no true energy fluctuations, making it seem like James's strength was inferior to his, at most at the second stage of martial arts.
James yawned, looking impatient.
At that moment, Wylie's eyes suddenly narrowed, bursting with intense light. His aura erupted like a sleeping lion awakening, shocking everyone present. Especially those who hadn't broken through the martial artist realm, their minds went blank, and their hearts pounded.
Most of them had never seen Wylie in action. They knew he was highly skilled, but they didn't expect him to be this strong. Even without touching them, just his presence was overwhelming.
Many who supported Wylie smiled. Their interests were tied to Wylie's success. If Wylie could defeat James and gain Alistair's official recognition, it would be a significant gain for them.
Conversely, if Wylie lost, their future wouldn't be as bright.
With a bang, Wylie stomped the ground, his body slightly bent forward, and he shot towards James like a cannonball. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of James, delivering a palm strike. Though he didn't hit anything, the air seemed to collapse under his force, making a terrifying sound.
Alistair's expression changed slightly, showing some emotion. He hadn't seen Wylie in action for a long time and didn't expect him to have reached this level.
Could James withstand this strike?
Alistair focused on James, realizing that even he, the head of the family, couldn't gauge James's strength.
James, facing Wylie's strike, praised him internally. No wonder Wylie was so confident in challenging him; he did have some skill.
If it were five years ago, with his smaller energy center, he would have struggled against Wylie's strike.
But now, his energy center was twice as large as Wylie's, his inner energy three to four times greater, and his martial arts level had reached the fourth stage. Wylie's powerful strike seemed ordinary to him.
James didn't take it head-on but retreated, using technique to deflect Wylie's force.
"Are you trying to deflect my force? You've fallen into my trap!" Wylie smirked, then launched a series of palm strikes, each heavier and faster than the last. To the onlookers, James seemed enveloped in Wylie's palm shadows, with no way out.
James kept defending and retreating. To the crowd, he had lost control, and defeat seemed inevitable.
Everyone was amazed. They hadn't expected the invincible James to lose to Wylie today.
However, at that moment, a lazy voice echoed in everyone's ears, "Not bad, but still lacking. Let's end this."
As the words fell, James, who had been retreating and struggling, suddenly changed his style. He stopped retreating, his eyes changed, and to everyone, it seemed like the sun had risen in the middle of the night, blinding them instantly.
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