Chapter 15: On the Life and Death Platform, Part 3
"Owww..."
Jiang Huai arrived in front of Han Man, with no intention of letting him off. He punched Han Man again, the sound of shattering bones mixing with screams of agony.
"This guy is so shameless and despicable. He already planned to ambush him before stepping onto the life and death platform." The crowd below gathered thicker and thicker, and someone whispered.
"On the life and death platform, it's a true life-and-death battle. Any means are permissible." Someone retorted.
However, Lin Feng seemed oblivious to these discussions, staring coldly at Jing Hao in front of him. "Move aside."
"With your eighth layer of Qi Martial Realm cultivation, you dare to act recklessly in front of me? You had a hand in Jing Feng's death too, didn't you?" Jing Hao sneered, completely unconcerned with Lin Feng.
"Your younger brother was killed by me, a single sword strike to the throat. Have him stop now, and I'll take Han Man's place on the life and death platform. Otherwise, if I don't step onto the platform, you'll never get your revenge." Jing Hao ranked sixth among the outer sect disciples, naturally not easy to deal with. Hearing Han Man's howl again, Lin Feng spoke.
"Oh?" Jing Hao's gaze sharpened, then a cold light shot from his eyes. He shouted, "Jiang Huai, stop."
Jiang Huai heard Jing Hao's words and ceased his attack on Han Man, standing up and looking at Jing Hao.
"You can go up and replace Han Man now." Jing Hao still stared at Lin Feng, killing intent radiating from his body.
Without needing him to say it, Lin Feng's figure flickered and he arrived on the life and death platform. At this moment, Han Man's face was covered in blood, his chest bones broken. He wiped his eyes with his hands and barely managed to open them.
"Han Man, can you hold on?" Lin Feng crouched down and asked Han Man.
"It's nothing, I won't die yet. Get revenge for me." Han Man grinned, enduring the pain throughout his body.
"Don't worry." Seeing Han Man's smile, Lin Feng felt a pang in his heart. This guy was really stubborn.
Lifting Han Man's body, Lin Feng walked toward the edge of the life and death platform, but heard Jing Hao say coldly, "Jiang Huai, you know what to do, right."
"Understood. Kill them both." Jiang Huai replied with a sinister smile. Jing Hao nodded in satisfaction.
"Once you step onto the life and death platform, your lives are no longer your own. You want to take his place? Is that possible? You'll be buried together." Jing Hao said lightly as Lin Feng looked at him.
"Is that so?" A cold smile curled at the corner of Lin Feng's exposed mouth as he placed Han Man at the edge of the life and death platform.
At that moment, Jiang Huai charged toward him with explosive force.
"Flame Explosion, die together!" Jiang Huai roared, and a violent ball of fire appeared in his hand, scorching the air with crackling sounds.
"Get back!" The long sword left its sheath, sword light flashed, and thunder exploded in the space, directly swallowing the flames. The residual power of the sword strike landed on Jiang Huai, leaving a gash on his chest, blood pouring out.
"Drip." A drop of blood fell from the tip of Lin Feng's sword onto the life and death platform. Lin Feng looked at Jiang Huai with undisguised killing intent in his eyes.
"I'm the one dying?" Lin Feng sneered and swung his sword again, the sound like rolling thunder. Jiang Huai retreated hastily but was still hit by the sword energy, his body flying backward and crashing heavily onto the life and death platform.
Jiang Huai couldn't even block a single sword strike.
"Thunderclap Sword Art—sword out, thunder roars. Who is this person? He's using the Thunderclap Sword Art so masterfully." The crowd murmured, unable to see the face beneath Lin Feng's mask.
Jing Hao was also stunned, his expression ugly. Jiang Huai was no match for Lin Feng. This was a rare chance to kill, and if Jiang Huai couldn't do it, the most Jing Hao could do off the platform was severely injure Lin Feng, not kill him outright.
Seeing Lin Feng approaching step by step with his long sword, Jiang Huai crawled backward on the ground, fear finally appearing on his face.
"I'm not fighting anymore. I surrender."
"Surrender?" Lin Feng seemed to hear the funniest joke in the world. Jiang Huai had nearly killed Han Man, and if he had the strength, he would have definitely killed both Lin Feng and Han Man. But now that he was defeated, a simple "I surrender" would suffice? Was that possible?
"Die!" Jiang Huai suddenly roared, throwing white powder at Lin Feng while frantically rushing off the platform.
"Jing Hao, save me!" Jiang Huai lunged toward Jing Hao's direction, with Lin Feng close behind.
With a thud, Jiang Huai's body collapsed below the life and death platform, but he smiled because Jing Hao had already blocked in front of him.
Jing Hao couldn't intervene in the duel on the life and death platform, but once off it, there weren't so many rules.
"Too bad you couldn't kill him on the platform." Jing Hao glanced contemptuously at Lin Feng at the edge of the life and death platform. Once on the platform, it was a life-and-death battle. Even if Jiang Huai ran off the platform, as long as he was still in Wind Cloud Gorge, Lin Feng could pursue him. But now, with Jing Hao here, Lin Feng couldn't kill Jiang Huai.
"Is that so? The moment I stepped onto the life and death platform, his fate was in my hands, not heaven's."
As the words fell, the Ninefold Wave roared out, surging toward Jing Hao.
Jing Hao sneered and met the Ninefold Wave with his bare palm.
"Thunderclap Sword."
Lin Feng's figure lunged forward, sword energy scattering, thunder exploding again.
Jing Hao drew his long sword, swinging it in sword techniques—the same Thunderclap Sword Art.
"Ninefold Wave, get out of my way!" After the thunderclap, Lin Feng's body lunged forward like a tiger descending a mountain, the Ninefold Wave erupting wildly. The thunder hadn't faded yet, and the waves surged again.
Jing Hao's brows furrowed. He hadn't expected Lin Feng's martial skills to be so formidable. The Thunderclap Sword Art was inescapable, each strike aimed at his weaknesses, and as he countered and blocked, the fierce waves followed relentlessly, overwhelming him. His feet involuntarily retreated several steps.
By the time Jing Hao neutralized Lin Feng's attack, he found himself behind Jiang Huai, with Lin Feng's long sword pointing directly at Jiang Huai.
"Who is this person? With eighth layer of Qi Martial Realm cultivation, he actually forced Jing Hao back using the Ninefold Wave and Thunderclap Sword Art. Even if it was just a few steps, that's something to be proud of."
"Jing Hao ranks sixth among the outer sect disciples, with outstanding strength. His Thunderclap Sword Art is practiced to perfection. Unexpectedly, this person's mastery of the Thunderclap Sword Art is no less than Jing Hao's, and he can even force Jing Hao back."
The onlookers murmured. Lin Feng was only at the eighth layer of Qi Martial Realm, while Jing Hao was a top existence among the outer sect disciples. Even several ninth-layer Qi Martial Realm cultivators working together couldn't defeat him. Yet under these circumstances, Lin Feng had forcefully pushed Jing Hao back, putting Jiang Huai's life in his hands.
Hearing the surrounding discussions, Jing Hao's expression turned extremely ugly. His reputation among the outer sect disciples was very high, and now he had been publicly slapped in the face by Lin Feng.
"Try killing him, and I'll make your life worse than death." Jing Hao's gaze was sinister, fixed on the sword in Lin Feng's hand.
"Spare me." Jiang Huai's body trembled as he begged.
"Spare you? In your next life, even as a dog, keep your eyes open." The sword light flashed, a stream of blood shot out, and Jiang Huai died instantly.
"What nerve!" The crowd silently praised, but then a bang sounded as Jing Hao's aura exploded, sharp and bone-chilling. Lin Feng had completely ignored his words and killed Jiang Huai. At this moment, Jing Hao seemed to forget that whether Lin Feng killed Jiang Huai or not, he wouldn't let Lin Feng off. So why would Lin Feng listen to him?
"You've successfully angered me. Even if I can't kill you, I'll make you wish you were dead." Vicious words spat from Jing Hao's mouth. The crowd thought Lin Feng was in for it now—having thoroughly provoked Jing Hao, he would either die or be crippled. It was a pity for Lin Feng's considerable strength, but facing Jing Hao, who ranked in the top ten of the outer sect disciples, no one believed Lin Feng could escape.
Jing Yun was so nervous she could barely breathe. Unfortunately, her strength was too weak to help. Jing Hao could probably finish her with a single sword strike.
Under everyone's gaze, Lin Feng was silent. He slowly turned around, then stepped back onto that platform that determined life and death—the life and death platform.
"What is he doing?" The crowd was stunned to see Lin Feng stepping onto the life and death platform.
Lin Feng reached the center of the platform, then turned around, looking down at Jing Hao below. He said indifferently, "Come up."
At that moment, the space fell silent. Lin Feng, on the life and death platform, challenged Jing Hao, who ranked sixth among the outer sect disciples.