Chapter 170: Understanding the Sword
Yu Jiao's eyes gazed at Lin Feng, the seductive look in them vanishing, replaced by a hint of surprise.
The aura Lin Feng had just released was merely that of the Spirit Martial Realm, Fifth Layer, yet he had comprehended and mastered Sword Momentum, its power limitless, instantly killing Ke Cheng. Although part of it was due to Ke Cheng's underestimation and disregard for Lin Feng, one could not deny that Lin Feng's own strength was formidable, enough to threaten those at the Spirit Martial Realm, Sixth Layer.
Yu Jiao's brow was slightly furrowed. She had never seen Lin Feng before either, and so had initially looked down on him. But it was precisely this disregard that had cost Ke Cheng his life.
"Hehe, Zu Ning, that Ke Cheng was truly useless, underestimating his opponent to such a degree. Even if this guy has Sword Momentum, a Spirit Martial Realm, Sixth Layer cultivator should have been enough to deal with him." Yu Jiao let out a delicate laugh, first pointing out Ke Cheng's uselessness and carelessness, then telling Zu Ning that a Sixth Layer Spirit Martial Realm cultivator was sufficient to handle Lin Feng. Her scheming was deep.
Zu Ning frowned. Although he knew Yu Jiao's words were meant to provoke him, he felt they were the truth. Could a person at the Spirit Martial Realm, Fifth Layer, even if they had mastered Sword Momentum, really be enough to deal with him?
His gaze flickered uncertainly. Zu Ning dispelled the trace of fear in his heart, and a glimmer of fighting intent once again appeared in his eyes.
"Zu Ning, you're not scared just because you saw Ke Cheng get killed, are you?" Yu Jiao's voice carried a strange tone as she spoke, causing Zu Ning's gaze to freeze. He gritted his teeth and stared at Lin Feng, saying, "How could I possibly be scared? He's only at the Spirit Martial Realm, Fifth Layer. I'll take his life right now."
A cold, mocking smile flickered in Lin Feng's eyes. He said tauntingly, "Why are you still standing there?"
Zu Ning saw the calm and confidence on Lin Feng's body, his gaze hardening, his expression ugly. With a thought, behind Zu Ning, a pair of eyes appeared—eyes suspended in the air, as sharp as a hawk's. And when these sharp eyes, carrying a hint of illusory intent, appeared, Zu Ning's own gaze became eerie as well.
"Martial Soul!" Lin Feng's gaze condensed. The eyes behind Zu Ning were definitely a type of Martial Soul, one he had never seen before.
However, Lin Feng wasn't too surprised. He couldn't know how vast the Nine Heavens Continent was. Even just a Snow Domain possessed Four Great Empires and Nine Kingdoms. He was currently only in the Snow Moon Kingdom, an ordinary nation. The Martial Souls he didn't know were countless.
"One Sword, Startling Thunder." Lin Feng's body trembled slightly. He thrust his sword, and a thunderclap exploded.
Zu Ning's eerie eyes locked onto Lin Feng's sword. He stood there motionless, only shifting his body slightly when Lin Feng reached him. Lin Feng's sword grazed past his body.
At the same time, Zu Ning raised his palm. His hand was now as eerie as his eyes, carrying streaks of sharp light, and he swiped directly at Lin Feng's eyes—a vicious move.
Lin Feng's longsword hummed, spinning sideways, but Zu Ning's body twisted along the sword, his palm still advancing, about to strike Lin Feng's head.
Tapping lightly on the ground, using Floating Light Passing Shadow, Lin Feng's body drifted backward. He swung his sword again without hesitation—a Life-Seizing Sword, brilliant and swift as thunder.
"Your sword won't even touch me."
A cold voice spat from Zu Ning's mouth. His body spun slightly, and the Life-Seizing Sword light passed right before his eyes, missing by a hair's breadth, yet causing him no harm.
"These eyes can see through my movement trajectory and dodge. They're somewhat similar to the Heavenly Radiance Martial Soul."
Lin Feng thought to himself. His aura gradually turned cold, his gaze emotionless. Those gray pupils appeared once more.
Seeing the change in Lin Feng's aura, Zu Ning frowned. Lin Feng's temperament had shifted in an instant, becoming cold and ruthless, causing even his heart to tremble slightly.
If his own eyes were eerie, then Lin Feng's eyes at this moment could no longer be described as eerie. They were cold, emotionless—not like human eyes at all.
"Can't touch me?"
A deep, cold voice came from Lin Feng's mouth. Then, a bone-chilling cold descended upon Zu Ning. The Sword Momentum became even sharper, carrying a hint of destructive aura.
"Life-Seizing Sword."
Lin Feng swung his sword, his body like a phantom, slashing at Zu Ning.
Zu Ning snorted coldly. His eerie eyes shot out a sharp aura. His body moved lightly, and the sword missed again.
"Sword of Death."
Lin Feng's expression was blank. He swung his sword once more. The gray, destructive intent bloomed, and the chill of death enveloped Zu Ning, making his body stiffen slightly. Even a Spirit Martial Realm, Sixth Layer cultivator dared not take Lin Feng's sword head-on. A swordsman with Sword Momentum had too much offensive power; one had to avoid its edge.
His body turned into a phantom. Although the Sword of Death was fast, its trajectory became exceptionally clear under his eerie gaze, unable to touch him.
But at this moment, Lin Feng's eyes were fixed tightly on Zu Ning, watching the trajectory of his movements. In Lin Feng's pupils, it slowed down, becoming exceptionally clear.
Lin Feng watched Zu Ning, just as Zu Ning watched his sword.
Gray, destructive qi flowed along the longsword. Lin Feng's movements did not stop for a moment. He swung his sword again and again, and Zu Ning kept retreating.
Silently observing the trajectory of Zu Ning's body movements, a cold smile curled at the corner of Lin Feng's mouth. He said softly, "It's over."
The voice was very calm, but it carried an incredibly strong confidence, causing Zu Ning's heart to tremble slightly. Then, he felt the fierce Sword Momentum in the air suddenly disappear, vanishing into nothingness in an instant.
There was no more coldness, no more sharpness—only one sword, an utterly ordinary sword, thrusting toward him.
Zu Ning's eerie pupils locked onto this sword, his gaze filled with confusion. He wanted to see how this sword would end things.
His body trembled, and Zu Ning dodged to the left. But then, his pupils contracted.
The sword was still in front of him, pointing at his heart.
His eerie eyes released a sharp light. Zu Ning dodged again, his gaze fixed on the unadorned sword. But what shocked Zu Ning was that this sword seemed like a clinging worm, following him like a shadow, without any deviation, still pointing at his heart. What terrified him even more was that the sword was getting closer to his heart.
"How is this possible? How can this be? My Eagle Eye Martial Soul couldn't possibly misjudge the sword's trajectory."
Zu Ning's heart began to tremble. He suddenly realized that this unadorned sword was a sword of returning to simplicity, a Sword of Death that took lives.
Watching the sword get closer and closer, Zu Ning wanted to dodge but found himself powerless.
He raised both palms. Since he couldn't dodge, he would fight. But at that moment, suddenly, an extremely sharp intent burst forth, making Zu Ning's heart twitch violently. A look of despair flashed in his eyes. Such a sharp Sword Intent, even stronger than the sword intent when the boundless Sword Momentum had been released.
This was no ordinary sword at all. It was a sword of Subtlety.
Lin Feng also looked at his own sword. Subtlety—entering Subtlety from Momentum. But it shouldn't just be the Subtlety of Momentum, enhancing attack power.
Subtlety was being fine to the extreme, subtle to the smallest detail. It was a tiny attack that contained various changes, containing Sword Momentum and Sword Intent within it. It was every insignificant sword move that possessed the sharpest attack. This was true Subtlety—entering the Subtle Realm from vast Momentum.
His eyes regained their luster, no longer cold and emotionless, but carrying a hint of understanding and a smile.
Subtlety, like Momentum, was a realm. Some comprehended more, some less. Only by fully comprehending Momentum could one step into the Subtle Realm. And even within the Subtle Realm, one's understanding could differ by thousands of miles. At this moment, Lin Feng's comprehension of the Subtle Realm had deepened by another layer.
"Chi chi!"
With a soft sound, the longsword in Lin Feng's hand pierced through Zu Ning's body without any surprise, stabbing into his heart. The Sword Intent contained in that Subtle Sword instantly destroyed Zu Ning's internal organs.
Zu Ning's eyes were wide open, the eerie light fading. He whispered, "I... so... regret..."
After saying this, Zu Ning's head tilted to the side, and his life aura vanished.
Lin Feng's expression was blank. He pulled out the longsword, and Zu Ning's body fell. Lin Feng's gaze then fell on Yu Jiao, not far away, causing her entire body to tremble.