Chapter 176: Black Lotus
Lin Feng looked at Duan Wuya. As the Second Imperial Prince, he was gentle and generous, without the slightest air of superiority, giving people an approachable feeling. With just a few words, he dispelled the tense atmosphere entirely.
Duan Wuya was somewhat similar to what Duan Feng had described, the complete opposite of the Great Prince, Duan Wudao. Lin Feng simply didn't know how domineering and lawless that Great Prince truly was.
"This person is very formidable."
Lin Feng thought to himself. As one in a position of authority, being domineering was a form of power, but being approachable was also a kind of strength. Such a person, when not displaying his might, was fine, but once he did, he would surely take a life.
Duan Wuya's gaze fell upon the battle platform, and he said with a smile, "Alright, you two can begin your battle. I will bear witness for you."
Lin Feng nodded slightly to Duan Wuya. No matter how formidable this man was, the Second Prince had helped him before, and the last time, it was also Duan Wuya who had acted as his witness.
Turning his gaze, Lin Feng's eyes landed on Black Demon. Earlier, Black Demon's eyes had been closed, conserving his strength, unconcerned with the outside world. His only goal today was to kill Lin Feng, to assert his authority, and to let others know that Black Demon was not someone anyone could offend or challenge.
At this moment, Black Demon opened his eyes, a cold, sinister glint flashing within them. Lin Feng once again saw that pitch-black flame burning in his pupils.
A surging and fierce sword momentum was released once more. As one of the top ten experts of Heavenly One Academy, Black Demon was not someone Lin Feng dared to underestimate.
"Fifth Layer of Spirit Martial Realm cultivation, with strong sword momentum. No wonder you could kill someone at the Sixth Layer of Spirit Martial Realm. But if this is all you have, you're not even qualified to fight me. Zu Ning, Gong Lun, and the others—though they are also at the Sixth Layer of Spirit Martial Realm—they aren't even fit to carry my shoes."
Looking at Lin Feng, Black Demon spoke coldly, his voice filled with immense arrogance.
"I hope your strength matches your words."
Lin Feng replied coldly, taking a step forward. His sword momentum grew stronger.
"Fine, then let me first test whether you're worthy of forcing out my true strength." As Black Demon's words fell, he stepped forward, instantly arriving before Lin Feng, his iron fist roaring forth.
"Ice, Sword!"
Lin Feng's palm trembled as he struck out, his palm containing a fierce chill and a sharp sword intent.
"Boom!"
With a soft sound, the air current surged. Lin Feng's gaze fixed, and his body was knocked back dozens of steps, nearly to the edge of the battle platform.
A trace of surprise flickered in his eyes. Lin Feng spread his palm and saw a faint mass of black destructive energy there, causing him pain.
"Such a sinister fire aura." Lin Feng's heart trembled. When the other's fist landed on his palm, he had clearly felt a destructive fire aura—cold and fierce, without any violent intent, but rather a sinister flame. This kind of flame was extremely terrifying.
"As expected, Black Demon is stronger. Lin Feng was repelled in a single move."
The crowd saw this and thought to themselves. Black Demon truly lived up to his reputation as one of the top ten disciples of Heavenly One Academy. Although Lin Feng could easily kill others at the Sixth Layer of Spirit Martial Realm, he was immediately at a disadvantage when facing Black Demon.
"It seems you're still not good enough. You can't even withstand a single move. Today, you will die without a doubt."
Black Demon said arrogantly, looking down on everything.
"You are at the Sixth Layer of Spirit Martial Realm, and I am at the Fifth Layer. In a contest of pure fist strength, of course I am inferior to you. What you excel at is fire; what I excel at is the sword."
Lin Feng, however, paid no attention to that exchange. He reached behind him and drew the long sword strapped to his back. Instantly, the killing intent grew even stronger.
"That's right, Lin Feng's forte is the sword. His realm is lower, so of course he would suffer in a direct clash." The crowd felt a glimmer of anticipation again. Although they believed Black Demon was stronger, Lin Feng couldn't be too weak, or else what would be the point of this battle?
"Come on." Black Demon looked at Lin Feng and said indifferently.
Lin Feng stepped forward, and the sword's howl in the space materialized, cutting into Black Demon's body, causing him to frown. His body actually felt pain, sliced by the sword energy.
Lin Feng did not charge out instantly but advanced step by step. Each step made his sword momentum stronger and his sword intent fiercer.
"Hmph." Black Demon let out a cold laugh, taking the initiative to step forward. His domineering fist struck out once more.
"Sword of Life-Seizing."
Lin Feng swung his long sword. The tearing sword howl was incredibly domineering, and a dazzling sword light shot from the tip of the sword toward Black Demon.
"Annihilate." Black Demon shouted. On his fists, black essence burst forth, swallowing the sword light while colliding with Lin Feng's long sword. A mass of flame actually began to burn upward along Lin Feng's sword—the Black Flame, inextinguishable.
Lin Feng's expression did not change. He swung his sword, and another dazzling flash of light flickered out. At the same time, a chill spread from his body. When the Black Flame reached his palm, it clashed with the chill, producing faint sizzling sounds, unable to affect Lin Feng in the slightest.
"Flame Strike."
Black Demon's palms trembled as he struck out simultaneously toward Lin Feng. Two masses of black flame spread, merging with his palm force.
"Sword of Death."
The sword in Lin Feng's hand spun in reverse, its sword energy growing stronger, carrying a hint of destructive aura.
Oblivion and black flame danced wildly, the intent of destruction spreading through the space. Black Demon took a step back, while Lin Feng stood with his sword, like a descending god.
In this exchange, Lin Feng had the upper hand.
Black Demon looked at Lin Feng, silent for a moment, then said, "You are qualified to fight me. But that's all it is—just barely having the strength for a battle. That was only the beginning."
As he spoke, Black Demon raised both palms. A mass of black flame rose and burned, coiling around his hands. That flame was cold, desolate.
"Boom!"
Black Demon guided the flame with his hands, and it transformed into lotus flowers of flame, nine in total. Each step was black, filled with a sinister and desolate aura.
"Desolate Black Lotus."
The crowd's eyes fixed. Black Demon was actually going to use the Desolate Black Lotus. It seemed he was getting serious.
"How coincidental. I was just warming up as well."
Lin Feng said indifferently. Instantly, his pupils turned gray—cold, emotionless. Everything around him was clearly imprinted in his mind. At this moment, Lin Feng could even clearly sense the terrifying destructive intent emanating from those nine black lotuses.
At the same time, from the long sword in Lin Feng's hand, wisps of gray energy drifted out, just like the black lotuses, also containing destructive intent.
Although the crowd stood below the battle platform, they could still feel the intensity of these two destructive intents, sending chills down their spines. But in their eyes, there was only excitement.
"You haven't disappointed me too much. You can barely fight me. Otherwise, this challenge would have been far too boring."
"Don't you think you talk too much?" Lin Feng said coldly. This Black Demon kept saying he was qualified to fight him, as if Black Demon were so formidable, and only then was he barely qualified.
"Since you're in such a hurry to die, I'll grant your wish." Black Demon's voice turned icy as he uttered, "Black Flame, Transform into Lotus."
As Black Demon's words fell, the black flame transformed into lotus flowers, shooting toward Lin Feng at incredible speed. The destructive intent was so intense that the space around the black lotuses turned gray.
"So terrifying." The crowd watched those desolate lotuses, their hearts trembling. These lotuses were like hellish demon lotuses, sinister and terrifying.
The long sword in Lin Feng's hand remained steady, the gray energy on it growing stronger. When those black lotuses, like chains, arrived before him, Lin Feng finally swung his sword.
"Sword of Desolate Stillness."
Accompanying Lin Feng's words, the space fell into stillness, all laws desolate. Those black lotuses dissolved into nothingness under the desolate sword, vanishing. Moreover, this Sword of Desolate Stillness continued forward, slashing toward Black Demon.
Black Demon's eyes fixed. Behind him, fierce Desolate Black Flame howled wildly, surging forth. At the same time, countless black desolate lotuses coiled around Black Demon's body. Any space around him was set ablaze, emitting sizzling sounds.
The very space burned and was destroyed under this Black Flame.
When the Sword of Desolate Stillness descended, that endless Black Flame transformed into a massive black lotus, rising into the air, blocking Lin Feng's Sword of Desolate Stillness.
"My Black Lotus possesses not only destructive power but also formidable defensive strength. You simply cannot break through it." Black Demon looked at Lin Feng and said with a cold laugh, "I told you, today, you will die."