# Chapter 665: Qi Feiyu
The sword techniques Zhang Ruochen had just displayed were indeed extremely exquisite, seemingly without form yet filled with powerful might, leaving many people utterly amazed.
Lin Yue's swordsmanship was actually this formidable?
Han Qiu extended a jade-white slender finger, gently touching her crystal-clear red lips, revealing a charming smile: "Even if Lin Yue cultivated for a hundred years, he could never display such powerful sword techniques. Such heroic bearing is like a young sword immortal descending to the mortal world."
Just now, when Lin Yue was battling the three gatekeepers, Han Qiu had seen a very familiar figure, almost completely overlapping with the person in her heart.
"Shua!"
The blue treasured sword and the Gushui Sword flew back simultaneously, rushing into their sheaths.
From beginning to end, Zhang Ruochen hadn't even moved his feet, appearing extremely relaxed and graceful.
After the three gatekeepers were repelled, they immediately formed a "Three Star Sword Formation." Their bodies spun rapidly, sweeping up stones and fallen leaves from the ground, forming three pillars of sword qi, each one zhang in diameter.
Standing at the center of the qi pillars, the three gatekeepers stepped forward and attacked Zhang Ruochen once more.
"Hasn't the challenge been passed yet?"
Zhang Ruochen frowned, charging toward the three sword qi pillars, preparing to take the initiative.
To conserve true qi, Zhang Ruochen decided to end the battle quickly.
"Shua shua!"
Drawing the Gushui Sword, Zhang Ruochen shifted his stance three times. At the same time, he executed three sword techniques in succession—a slash, a sweep, and a thrust. Each move was extremely simple, appearing quite relaxed and effortless.
The next moment, he had already rushed through the three sword qi pillars, bringing his feet together and steadying himself.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
The three sword qi pillars shattered instantly.
Within the qi pillars, the three gatekeepers transformed into three wisps of white sacred qi, flying back into the stone wall and becoming three characters.
"Challenge passed."
A ethereal voice sounded from within the stone wall.
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his arm, returning the Gushui Sword to its sheath. "Challenging three characters is indeed no easy task. Fortunately, I had the Gushui Sword. Senior Brother Xu, thank you for the gift."
Then, without looking back, Zhang Ruochen strode directly onto the mountain path, heading toward the mountainside of the second mountain, leaving only a tall, straight silhouette behind.
"This guy isn't afraid of angering Xu Changsheng to death." Can Dong's cold face showed a hint of a smile.
Having witnessed Zhang Ruochen's formidable swordsmanship, Can Dong finally realized he had underestimated him before. With his strength, he might actually be able to reach the summit of the second mountain.
That the Changsheng Academy could produce such an outstanding talent naturally pleased Can Dong quite a bit.
"A newly promoted sacred tradition disciple actually succeeded in challenging three characters and reached the seventh level of Sword One. It seems that once the news spreads tonight, all the disciples of the Liangyi Sect will be shaken." An older sacred tradition disciple at the ninth transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm exclaimed in amazement.
"Lost both his wife and his soldiers." Qin Yufan glanced at Xu Changsheng, revealing a half-smile.
Anyone could see that Xu Changsheng had tried to scheme against Lin Yue but had instead been outsmarted by him. Not only had he lost face in front of Han Qiu, but he had also "given away" the Gushui Sword.
Xu Changsheng's eyes were bloodshot, his hands clenched tightly. With a cold snort, he rushed up the mountain path of the second mountain, chasing after Zhang Ruochen ahead.
Han Qiu said, "Senior Brother Xu wouldn't do something extreme, would he?"
The sacred tradition disciples present were also somewhat worried. If Xu Changsheng killed Lin Yue out of extreme anger, wouldn't the Liangyi Sect lose two geniuses?
Almost every month, sacred tradition disciples died on the Ancient God Mountain.
Apart from accidents, there were certainly deaths caused by malicious killings.
"You all continue challenging. I'll go take a look." Qi Feiyu said.
Qi Feiyu had already passed the first gate of the second mountain but had stayed behind to observe the strength of Qin Yufan and Xu Changsheng, preparing for the upcoming sword dao competition. That was why she hadn't immediately gone to the mountainside to challenge the second gate.
"Hua!"
Qi Feiyu's delicate body was extremely light, her whole body soft as if without bones. She merely lightly tapped the ground with her toes, lifting off and flying toward the mountain path of the second mountain, chasing after the two ahead.
Seeing Qi Feiyu's moving figure, all the sacred tradition disciples gazed at her as if admiring a beautiful landscape.
A sacred tradition disciple at the seventh transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm asked, "How many characters did Qi Feiyu challenge earlier?"
"Not too clear. She was the first to reach the second mountain. By the time we arrived, she had already passed the first gate."
Everyone shook their heads. No one had seen how Qi Feiyu passed the first gate of the second mountain.
Zhang Ruochen climbed the mountain extremely quickly, soon reaching two thousand meters up the second mountain. Looking down, he could no longer see the foot of the mountain.
In the air, wisps of white mist floated, not only blocking vision but also preventing spiritual power from penetrating.
Xu Changsheng caught up, leaping up, stepping on a cliff, and landing in front of Zhang Ruochen, blocking his path. He said in a deep voice, "Brat, playing the pig to eat the tiger, are you? If you don't return the Gushui Sword today, don't even think about climbing the second mountain."
Zhang Ruochen stopped and said, "What's this? Senior Brother Xu is so petty? You want back a sword you already gave away?"
The anger in Xu Changsheng's heart had swelled to the point of nearly exploding his body. True qi surged toward the meridians in his hands, gathering in his palms.
Seeing Xu Changsheng so furious, Zhang Ruochen showed not a trace of fear but instead shook his head with a smile. He felt he had overestimated Xu Changsheng earlier, never expecting this person's composure to be so poor, completely unable to control his emotions.
Not far away, Qi Feiyu's graceful figure walked slowly through the clouds and mist, stopping on a cliff twenty zhang away.
Xu Changsheng glanced in Qi Feiyu's direction, withdrew his true qi, and snorted coldly. "I have to admit, you do have some skill. But I must take back the Gushui Sword. Do you dare to make a bet with me? If you lose, return the Gushui Sword to me."
Zhang Ruochen turned his head, glanced at Qi Feiyu in the distance, and said, "Not interested."
Xu Changsheng clenched his fists tightly, a cold light flashing in his eyes. If Qi Feiyu weren't standing nearby, he would have already struck out, delivering a palm strike to Zhang Ruochen's body. Even if he didn't kill him, he would at least break his bones and tendons.
"Lin Yue, the grudge between us is settled today. When the sword dao competition comes, I'll make you regret what you've done today."
A faint killing intent flashed in Xu Changsheng's eyes. With a cold snort, he stepped forward, rushing toward the mountainside, quickly disappearing at the end of the steep mountain path.
Qi Feiyu's pleasant voice sounded behind Zhang Ruochen. "You shouldn't have provoked Xu Changsheng. If you had returned the Gushui Sword, perhaps the enmity between you could have been resolved."
Zhang Ruochen caught a faint, subtle fragrance and glanced back at Qi Feiyu. "To be honest, I don't really care about a Gushui Sword. But I know very well that after Xu Changsheng suffered such a loss in front of everyone, even if I returned the sword to him, he would never let me go."
"You're right. But behind Xu Changsheng stands the Xu Holy Clan. The Xu Holy Clan has great influence within the Liangyi Sect. Offending him will make your path in the Liangyi Sect extremely difficult from now on."
Qi Feiyu's temperament was very elegant, like a green orchid on a cliff.
She walked to within three zhang of Zhang Ruochen, her chest outlining two rounded curves, a moon-white belt tied around her slender willow waist. "Your talent in swordsmanship is quite remarkable. It's very possible that you could cultivate Sword One to the tenth level of Great Perfection in the Fish-Dragon Realm."
"Our Qi family is a medieval aristocratic clan with a long history. If you're willing to join the Qi family, I can recommend you to the family head and appoint you as a guest elder. From now on, I can guarantee that the people of the Xu Holy Clan won't dare to trouble you."
Qi Feiyu's eyes were like two black pearls soaked in water, full of captivating charm.
Just her eyes alone were enough to melt a man's heart. Who could bear to refuse her?
Zhang Ruochen noticed that Qi Feiyu's eyes contained a power to control people's minds. Fortunately, he detected it immediately and used his strong spiritual power to resist that strange force.
How strange. A woman as elegant and ethereal as Qi Feiyu would actually cultivate such an evil technique (xie fa).
Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes, not looking at her, and became secretly vigilant. He smiled and said, "So Senior Sister Qi followed me up here to recruit me into the Qi family. I thought you were worried I might be killed by Xu Changsheng and came specifically to save me."
"I truly admire your talent. With the help of our Qi family, you have a great chance of becoming a sword saint respected by countless people in the future. Without the Qi family's help, I'm afraid you'll be killed before you even grow." Qi Feiyu said calmly.
"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Sister Qi. But I only want to cultivate peacefully in the Liangyi Sect and have no intention of joining any family."
Zhang Ruochen walked unhurriedly along the mountain path upward.
"Sometimes, a person should know how to make the right choice. Since you insist on choosing a path to death, it can only make me feel quite regretful."
A flash of crimson light passed through Qi Feiyu's pupils. She lightly tapped her toes and rushed forward rapidly. With a "chi" sound, the fingernail on her right index finger grew quickly, transforming into a three-foot-long thin sword, stabbing toward Zhang Ruochen's back.
The distance between them was already extremely close, and Qi Feiyu's speed was as fast as flowing light. In an instant, the sword tip reached Zhang Ruochen.
In fact, Zhang Ruochen had long sensed an unusual aura, so he was constantly on guard against Qi Feiyu.
Therefore, the moment Qi Feiyu made her move, Zhang Ruochen also acted quickly.
Without time to draw the Gushui Sword, Zhang Ruochen directly swung the sword hilt, deflecting Qi Feiyu's thrusting sword.
"Bang!"
The sword hilt collided with the thin sword, forming circular ripples of sword qi that scattered outward in all directions.
...
(Thanks to Dark Night Demon Emperor Di Tian for becoming the sixth alliance leader (meng zhu) of "Eternal God Emperor.")