Chapter 230: Cross of Light
At the foot of Purple Gold Mountain, the sound of horse hooves rolled endlessly. A line of iron cavalry galloped wildly at incredible speed, the ground trembling continuously.
There were about thirty people in this group. Most wore bronze masks covering their faces, but the occasional gaze that shot out was sharp and fierce, filled with the aura of blood and iron.
Moreover, the iron steeds beneath this group were all crimson in color—Snow Moon warhorses, the Crimson Blood Iron Cavalry.
At the very front, atop a crimson warhorse, unlike the iron-blooded men on the other horses, sat a woman. Her figure was graceful, dressed in white robes. Though a light veil covered her face, she still appeared holy.
Just her aura alone was ethereal, like an immortal, giving one the feeling that she could only be admired from afar.
This leading woman was none other than Meng Qing. Her white clothes were whiter than snow, and she seemed to drift like a celestial being.
Behind Meng Qing followed the members of the Crimson Blood Legion, the Heavenly Sword Battalion—the Crimson Blood Heavenly Swords.
That day, Lin Feng had pursued the enemy for a thousand miles on the battlefield, leaving alone without any news afterward. When the war ended, the Crimson Blood Heavenly Swords followed Meng Qing to search for him. After several days, they finally received news by chance at Purple Micro Villa: Lin Feng had ascended to the Purple Mansion atop Purple Gold Mountain.
Thus, Meng Qing and the others traveled a thousand miles, galloping without a moment's rest.
At the same time, at the peak of Purple Mansion Mountain, before the forbidden area's palace, after Lin Feng had forced back the Purple Mansion Ancestor, his body moved again without a single moment's pause. This time, he pulled Duan Xinye beside him and moved together. With a single step, he led her to stand before Zi Ying.
"Roar..."
Zi Ying let out a furious roar. Lin Feng was treating him like a soft target. He, the dignified master of the Purple Mansion, was being treated as a weakling who couldn't withstand a single blow. While fighting the Ancestor, Lin Feng dared to drag someone along and attack him, as if he could kill Zi Ying in an instant. This made Zi Ying feel an immense humiliation.
On ordinary days, he, the Purple Mansion Master, held an exalted status. With strength at the peak of the Spirit Martial Realm, he dominated one region. For ten thousand miles around, who didn't treat him with utmost respect?
But today, Lin Feng—a youth, alone with his sword—had climbed the Purple Mansion, killed his people, and treated him, Zi Ying, like trash, attacking him in the gaps of battle.
A terrifying purple phantom shot into the sky once more. Purple light filled the heavens. Zi Ying's entire body was wrapped in purple qi as his fierce fist blasted out violently again.
"Sword of the Setting Sun!"
Lin Feng said indifferently. The long sword in his hand swept through the void. This sword strike was not dazzling, but it carried an artistic conception of desolation and decline.
A hero in his twilight years, a warrior cutting off his own arm.
No matter how vibrant a genius or how dazzling a strong man, they would all eventually face their twilight years, their moments of decline.
The Sword of the Rising Sun was full of vitality, with endless energy and surging life.
The Sword of Light was violent and powerful, like the radiance of the scorching sun, capable of illuminating everything, destroying everything, and burning everything.
The Sword of the Setting Sun was the sword of twilight. When it fell, it seemed that all the splendor of life would come to an end, no matter how dazzling you once were.
Zi Ying truly felt this sense of decline from the depths of his heart. Once a ruler of a region, now humiliated by Lin Feng—didn't this match his current situation?
His heart trembled. The countless fist shadows seemed to dim. When the sword fell, all the splendor was exhausted, and the curtain fell.
As the Sword of the Setting Sun landed, Zi Ying's body slowly collapsed, and the hearts of the crowd trembled violently.
The Purple Mansion Master, Zi Ying, was dead—killed with a single sword strike!
"Strong!" The crowd felt numb. Dead. Zi Ying was dead too, killed by Lin Feng. This aura was truly powerful.
"Boom!"
Purple light spiraled like a tornado, wrapping around the Purple Mansion Ancestor's body as it shot into the sky.
Lin Feng had forced him back, then in an instant, killed Zi Ying with a single sword strike. Right before his eyes—a Mysterious Martial Realm expert, the Purple Mansion Ancestor—Lin Feng had slain the Purple Mansion Master, Zi Ying.
This was not only killing his descendant but also a naked humiliation for him. The Purple Mansion Ancestor was useless.
"I'll tear you into a thousand pieces!"
The Purple Mansion Ancestor's face twisted with cold ferocity. His body stepped onto the long corridor. With one step, the entire corridor trembled violently, as if it might collapse at any moment.
"Tear me into a thousand pieces?" Lin Feng's gaze was cold. "You said that as long as you were here, I'd never have a chance to kill him. But now, how about that? He's already a dead man."
"You'll be buried with him!"
The Purple Mansion Ancestor took another step. The trembling of the ground made Lin Feng's heart shake as well. He was enraged. The Mysterious Martial Realm Purple Mansion Ancestor was completely furious.
"We'll have to see about that."
Lin Feng placed Duan Xinye behind him and stepped forward. His battle intent soared into the sky.
Everyone present could clearly feel Lin Feng's fighting spirit. Even when facing a powerful Mysterious Martial Realm existence, he did not retreat, showing no fear or dread. Only a burning heart of battle and surging passion remained.
This was a true martial cultivator. With such willpower, how could he not be strong? Lin Feng's current strength was not merely due to his talent but also his unyielding heart.
"Good!"
Feeling Lin Feng's battle intent, the Purple Mansion Ancestor roared in anger. He stepped forward, surging power rushing through his body. Purple true essence energy roared fiercely toward Lin Feng.
"Sword of Death!"
Lin Feng swung his sword. At the Unity of Heaven and Man realm, using the Sword of Death, its power was many times greater than before. This sword strike merged with heaven and earth, containing the artistic conception of death.
"Rumble!"
The purple true essence energy collided with the sword. An immensely powerful force came from the blade. Lin Feng felt as if a great mountain was pressing down on his arm—heavy and oppressive.
A Mysterious Martial Realm cultivator condensed true essence. True essence was formed from endless heaven and earth energy. Its power was many times stronger than attacks made from ordinary heaven and earth energy.
In his fury, the Purple Mansion Ancestor used the full force of his true essence. Even though it was just a casual strike, Lin Feng couldn't withstand it. His sword-wielding arm was injured, and his body was forced back.
"Overestimating yourself!"
The Purple Mansion Ancestor said coldly, stepping forward again. The ground boomed.
Another fierce and domineering fist shot toward Lin Feng. Purple true essence spiraled, spewing out along his arm.
"Boom!"
Another violent explosion. Lin Feng grunted, pulling Duan Xinye back again. The enraged Purple Mansion Ancestor was like a demon god.
"This is the gap between the Spirit Martial Realm and the Mysterious Martial Realm. Unlike cross-level challenges, there is a fundamental change between the Spirit Martial and Mysterious Martial Realms."
Lin Feng thought to himself. Fighting was for experience—to experience the Mysterious Martial Realm, to test himself, and to stimulate his own power.
He would eventually step into the Mysterious Martial Realm. The deeper his understanding, the more it would help him when he did.
"Even if I can't win, I should at least leave something behind."
Lin Feng's battle intent did not diminish. His gaze was fixed tightly on the Purple Mansion Ancestor.
"Don't bother staring at me. Facing a Mysterious Martial Realm cultivator, you have no chance. Don't think you can touch me. You can only wait for death."
The Purple Mansion Ancestor said coldly. The roaring purple true essence grew fiercer.
"Is that so?"
Lin Feng said softly. His body suddenly vanished—Shadow Kill, transforming into a shadow.
"Does that help?"
The Purple Mansion Ancestor sneered. A Mysterious Martial Realm cultivator's vision and perception were incredibly strong. Although Lin Feng's martial technique was powerful, his cultivation was still at the Spirit Martial Realm, unable to unleash its full power.
Purple light roared, annihilating everything. But at that moment, a sword stabbed directly into the purple light—the sword of the Shadow Strike.
"Abandon the sword!"
The Purple Mansion Ancestor sneered. His palm trembled violently. The sword was immediately wrapped in purple light, stopping just before his throat, unable to advance another half step.
Lin Feng's figure appeared, standing before the Purple Mansion Ancestor. He said coldly, "Who says a Spirit Martial Realm cultivator can't injure a Mysterious Martial Realm expert?"
"Cross Shadow Kill!"
As the words left his mouth, Lin Feng's entire body transformed into a sword—sharp, piercing, and capable of destroying everything.
His hands swept through the void. A cross of light blazed brilliantly, fast—unimaginably fast. So fast that the crowd only saw a cross-shaped light shadow condense in the void, as if it had always been there. But they understood that this cross of light had appeared in that instant.
When Lin Feng's words fell, the Purple Mansion Ancestor sensed danger. He immediately used purple true essence to defend himself and retreated, but it was too late. The purple qi on his chest was instantly annihilated by the Cross Shadow Kill. His robes tore open. On his chest was a huge, clear cross—the same as the light in the void—terrifying, with flesh and blood visible.
So close. Just a little more. If his strength had been slightly weaker, that cross would have ripped him open and killed him.