Chapter 187: Burning Battle Intent
"Brother Lin, I sought you out for a sparring match, and you haven't even agreed yet. How can you go and spar with someone else? At the very least, you should defeat me first before seeking out Brother Meng for a match."
That Feng Xiao's gaze gradually turned cold as he let out a faint, sarcastic remark. Meng Chong nodded upon hearing this and said, "Exactly. Lin Feng, if you're avoiding the fight out of fear, that's one thing, but don't change the subject. If you can defeat Brother Feng Xiao, then come spar with me."
Just moments ago, Meng Chong had been rendered speechless by Lin Feng's sarcastic remarks, unable to find a rebuttal. Now that he had a way out, he naturally took it immediately.
"You mean, if I defeat him, you'll agree to spar with me?" Lin Feng looked at Meng Chong with a teasing expression, causing Meng Chong's gaze to waver uncertainly. After a moment of deliberation, he nodded and said, "Exactly that."
Feng Xiao's strength was not weak—he was at the peak of the Sixth Layer of Spirit Martial Realm. Meng Chong had never seen Lin Feng's battle with Black Demon; he had only heard a few vague rumors and knew very little. Moreover, back at the auction house that day, Lin Feng was only at the Fifth Layer of Spirit Martial Realm. He refused to believe that in such a short time, Lin Feng could defeat a peak Sixth Layer Spirit Martial Realm expert.
Lin Feng's strength must have been exaggerated by the Second Imperial Prince. Feng Xiao would surely defeat him.
The crowd's eyes also fell on Lin Feng. The fact that the Second Imperial Prince treated him with such courtesy made them feel a bit displeased. If Lin Feng could be made a fool, they would naturally enjoy watching.
Was this legendary Lin Feng truly as strong as the rumors claimed he was when he fought Black Demon?
Lin Feng took a sip of the wine in his cup, utterly composed. Then, he lifted his gaze slightly, swept his eyes over the crowd, and finally fixed his gaze on Feng Xiao.
Since this man was so eager to use Lin Feng to establish his authority and show off, then Lin Feng would grant his wish.
"Where do we fight?"
A faint voice escaped Lin Feng's lips, causing the crowd's eyes to tremble and their gazes to flicker. Lin Feng had accepted the challenge.
Feng Xiao's eyes also narrowed slightly, and a hint of a smile curled at the corners of his mouth. "Enjoying wine in the pavilion while watching a battle on the lake—what a beautiful scene. You and I will take a bamboo raft and fight in the center of the lake. What do you say?"
"Fine." Lin Feng replied calmly. The crowd secretly sneered. Everyone knew that Feng Xiao possessed a Hurricane Martial Soul, making his lightness skill and movement techniques extremely formidable. Choosing to fight on the lake gave him an enormous advantage, yet Lin Feng had agreed.
"Then I'll go ahead." Feng Xiao's body trembled slightly, and his graceful figure landed on a bamboo raft outside the pavilion. In an instant, the crowd saw the raft shoot toward the center of the lake with incredible speed.
"Excellent movement." The crowd silently praised, then turned their gazes to Lin Feng to see if they could read anything from his expression. However, they saw no change in his face; he simply stood up calmly.
Walking slowly to the edge of the pavilion, Lin Feng leaped down onto the lake, landing on a bamboo raft. Then, using his Qi to propel the raft, he drifted slowly toward the center of the lake. These were all ordinary actions that anyone could perform, with nothing remarkable about them. This only made the crowd even less optimistic about Lin Feng.
It seemed that Lin Feng was doomed to lose this battle. Many even felt a slight regret that Feng Xiao had seized the opportunity first. Why hadn't they been the ones to challenge Lin Feng? This chance to show off should have been theirs.
After reaching the center of the lake, Feng Xiao turned around, standing on the bamboo raft as he looked at Lin Feng with a cold smile on his lips.
"Brother Lin, I've heard that your strength is extraordinary, but from what I see today, it doesn't match the rumors. Tell me, how should I deal with you?"
Feng Xiao's gaze carried a hint of mockery. All pretense of politeness was gone, and his true nature was revealed.
"Deal with me however you wish." Lin Feng's voice remained calm and indifferent, utterly composed, making the crowd think that Lin Feng was quite deep.
"Heh, Brother Lin and I hit it off right away, so naturally, I won't make things too difficult for you. I'll just cripple your cultivation, and that will be enough." A sinister smile curled at the corner of Feng Xiao's mouth. His heart was vicious. On the lake, Lin Feng had dared to accept his challenge—truly reckless.
If he, Feng Xiao, didn't put on a good show, how could he live up to such a rare opportunity?
"Didn't you say earlier that this was just a sparring match? Why do you now want to cripple my cultivation?" Lin Feng asked coldly, a chill running through his heart. These children of noble families were all incredibly arrogant, treating others' lives like weeds, their minds full of malice. He and Feng Xiao had met for the first time, with no enmity between them, yet the other wanted to cripple his cultivation and said it so casually.
Hearing Lin Feng's words, Feng Xiao burst into laughter, the sound drifting across the lake. The crowd in the pavilion also wore mocking expressions. This Lin Feng was truly amusing.
"Is it that funny?" Lin Feng said indifferently, causing Feng Xiao's laughter to stop as he looked at Lin Feng. "Not killing you is already my mercy."
With that, Feng Xiao waved his hand, and several fierce wind blades shot out, descending upon Lin Feng's bamboo raft.
"Boom!" A soft sound rang out, and the bamboo raft beneath Lin Feng's feet shattered into pieces. The lake water splashed up, enveloping Lin Feng's body.
However, the crowd saw that Lin Feng's figure seemed to remain suspended in the splashing water, not moving an inch.
When the water droplets fell, they saw that the bamboo raft beneath Lin Feng's feet had completely exploded, and Lin Feng stood on the water.
"Without a foothold, how will you fight me?" Feng Xiao looked at Lin Feng with a mocking gaze. Fighting him in the center of the lake—Lin Feng was courting death.
"Do I need a foothold to deal with you?"
Lin Feng said indifferently. Suddenly, a vast battle intent blazed forth from his body, spreading wildly.
Lin Feng took a step forward, causing a tiny splash of water. He walked across the waves with effortless grace.
The crowd felt this battle intent and their gazes tightened. Lin Feng had been as calm as water just moments ago, but now he was like a sharp sword, his battle intent surging without end.
Moreover, with every step Lin Feng took, this battle intent grew wildly, shaking the hearts of all.
"Hmm?"
Feng Xiao's brow furrowed slightly as he watched Lin Feng tread the waves, elegant and free, his battle intent fierce.
"Slash!"
Feng Xiao's palm trembled, and two domineering wind blades cut through the air, speeding toward Lin Feng.
But Lin Feng stamped on the lake surface, and a violent wave surged forth wildly. The waves themselves seemed to transform into sharp blades, blocking the wind blades.
"Boom!"
Lin Feng took another step, and another fierce wave erupted, directly shattering the bamboo raft beneath Feng Xiao's feet with overwhelming force.
The crowd watched in shock as Lin Feng walked on the waves. Around him, raging waves howled and roared like the fury of the sea. The burning battle intent enveloped the entire lake, utterly domineering.
At this moment, although Lin Feng still walked calmly, he felt like a war god, invincible and unparalleled.
Feng Xiao's expression finally changed, becoming extremely ugly and gloomy. In that instant, he seemed to realize the terror of Lin Feng's strength.
At that moment, Lin Feng's gaze locked onto him, his lips slightly parting as he spoke coldly: "I conceded and refused to fight you, not out of fear, but out of disdain. Since you force my hand, I'll grant your wish."
As he spoke, Lin Feng took another step. This step seemed to freeze time itself, and his figure vanished.
"Annihilate!"
An icy word trembled through the air. The crowd could no longer track Lin Feng's figure, but Feng Xiao's expression turned horrified. Before his eyes, Lin Feng was like a war god, his body illusory and ethereal, carrying an unparalleled battle intent as he charged toward him. Feng Xiao couldn't even clearly see where Lin Feng was.
"Retreat!"
A hurricane raged, and a violent wind swept Feng Xiao's body backward. But in the next moment, Feng Xiao's body trembled violently, and he let out a muffled groan. An incredibly powerful sword Qi rampaged through his body, destroying his meridians and crippling his cultivation.
"Not fighting is not fear, but disdain. That's all."
The crowd looked at the two figures before them. Lin Feng's form became clear again, his finger pressed against Feng Xiao's body, the intent of destruction spreading.
Lin Feng had simply disdained to fight Feng Xiao. Defeating him was effortless.
Feng Xiao had provoked Lin Feng, and after Lin Feng agreed to spar, he had even spoken arrogantly, declaring he would cripple Lin Feng's cultivation. His words had undoubtedly pushed him onto a path of no return.