Li Yunhao's face turned cold. He hadn't expected Luo Feng to be so arrogant. "It seems you're one of those who won't shed tears until you see the coffin!" he sneered. "I'm aware of your extraordinary talent and unusual strength. But I, Li Yunhao, don't care for such petty tricks!"
WHOOSH!
As his laughter lingered, Li Yunhao's figure flashed and suddenly disappeared. Then, out of thin air, four Li Yunhaos appeared, identical in appearance and attire!
"Mystical Tracing Step!" The two Golden Sun class students lying on the ground exclaimed, their eyes showing excitement as they saw the four Li Yunhaos suddenly appear.
The Mystical Tracing Step was a middle-ranked Yellow-level Martial Art. When practiced to Great Accomplishment, one could move swiftly, producing three illusions that were difficult to distinguish from the real person. Truly bizarre!
"Luo Feng, let's see if your fist is harder or if my sword is sharper!" the four Li Yunhaos taunted, swords in hand, sneering incessantly.
BUZZ!
The longsword in his hand trembled slightly, unleashing a chilling sword light that assaulted Luo Feng from four directions.
SSHK!
The sword light sliced through the air, trapping Luo Feng in the center with an unpredictable and dangerous aura, determined to pierce several bloody holes in him!
Luo Feng stood motionless, eyes narrowed, appearing as if he'd been scared stiff by the four approaching Li Yunhaos.
Seeing this, the smile in Li Yunhao's eyes widened. But just then, a cunning smile touched the corners of Luo Feng's lips.
"The Mystical Tracing Step, not bad at all! No wonder you managed to rank tenth in last year's Challenge King Competition! Today, I'll see just how good your Mystical Tracing Step is!"
Luo Feng let out a loud laugh. As he stomped on the ground, four transparent Qi Dragons rose from beneath his feet!
WHOOSH! Luo Feng stepped onto a Qi Dragon, instantly crossing several meters, and threw a punch at the nearest Li Yunhao.
BANG!
His fist passed effortlessly through Li Yunhao's body, and the figure vanished. Luo Feng turned, shaking his head. "It seems this one wasn't your true body."
"Then what about this one…"
BANG! BANG!
After two more impacts, only a single Li Yunhao remained in the forest. He stood there dazed, staring at Luo Feng with utter shock, as if he'd seen a ghost.
Luo Feng stopped, his gaze sweeping over the sole remaining Li Yunhao. He smiled faintly. "It seems this one is the real deal."
"Impossible! How can your speed be greater than mine? What kind of Qinggong is that?!" Li Yunhao exclaimed, snapping back to his senses. He gripped his longsword tightly, his body trembling as he stared at Luo Feng with a dreadful expression.
Luo Feng regarded Li Yunhao coolly. "Kneel and admit defeat, and I'll spare you today."
Li Yunhao's face twisted, a crazed light erupting in his eyes. "How arrogant! You think a piece of trash from the Silver Moon class like you can make me admit defeat? Dream on!"
With a cold shout, Li Yunhao once again executed the Mystical Tracing Step, his longsword flashing. "Flowing Cloud Crosses the River!"
SWOOSH!
The tip of his sword trembled, and four sword images, like flowing clouds over mountains—trackless and carrying an unpredictable power—assaulted Luo Feng!
This Flowing Cloud Swordsmanship, though a basic Martial Art, was remarkably effective when combined with the Mystical Tracing Step. The chilling sword light, like flowing clouds, enveloped a ten-meter radius around Luo Feng, its power considerable!
Luo Feng frowned, his eyes turning icy. "Utterly incorrigible!"
WHOOSH!
A cold gust of wind suddenly swept through the forest. Luo Feng's figure vanished from everyone's sight. The countless sword lights pulverized the ground where Luo Feng had just stood, leaving it riddled with sword marks!
"Where did he go?!" Li Yunhao stopped, his hate-filled eyes darting around, but he couldn't find Luo Feng anywhere.
"Ah! He's... he's in the sky!"
The two Golden Sun class students suddenly widened their eyes, staring at the sky above Li Yunhao's head.
Li Yunhao's heart clenched. He looked up, and instantly froze, his eyes filled with terror.
Twenty to thirty meters up in the air, Luo Feng stood atop a Qi Dragon. He shot downwards, murderously, like an enraged tiger, carrying a fierce wind, pouncing towards Li Yunhao on the ground with the momentum of a dragon and a tiger!
Gazing at Luo Feng, Li Yunhao's expression was grim. "I never expected your Qinggong to have reached such a level. I underestimated you! However, you forget you're merely flesh and blood! Today, you will undoubtedly be defeated!"
"Flowing Cloud Crosses the River!" With a savage laugh, Li Yunhao swung his longsword and leaped up. The refined steel longsword in his hand shimmered with sword light as it thrust towards Luo Feng.
This time, Li Yunhao held nothing back, exerting his full strength. The sharp sword intent drew a white trajectory, like a long rainbow piercing the sun, as it stabbed towards Luo Feng!
Luo Feng clenched his right fist, sneering inwardly. My current cultivation is close to the mid-stage of the fourth level Meridian Wheel, the Rigid-Soft Realm. My strength is probably close to fifteen thousand pounds! Today, I'll let you taste its power!
CRACK!
Luo Feng, still in mid-air, stomped hard on the Qi Dragon as if it were solid ground. His body shot forward. In a lunge, he instantly executed 'Angry Tiger Coming Out of the Cave,' his fist tearing through the air, hurtling towards the sword tip!
BAM!
As fist and sword collided, the refined steel longsword in Li Yunhao's hand instantly bent to its limit!
KACHA...
The refined steel longsword couldn't withstand Luo Feng's immense force and began to crack inch by inch.
"No!" Amid Li Yunhao's roar of shock and fury, the refined steel longsword, pushed to its breaking point, shattered into countless fragments with a loud CRASH.
PFFT!
Li Yunhao violently spurted a mouthful of blood, and both figures plummeted to the ground like meteorites.
CRASH! The two slammed into the ground, the impact shaking the very peak.
Luo Feng stood tall and imposing. Li Yunhao was before him, arms crossed above his head, already forced to one knee but still struggling to resist.
"Kneel!" Luo Feng's eyebrows shot up. He barked, applying more force with his hand.
THWACK!
Li Yunhao grunted, all strength to resist gone. He spat another mouthful of blood and was forced to both knees, his eyes filled with utter humiliation.
"Li Yunhao, I won't kill you today. However, if you dare provoke me again, the consequences won't be as simple as just kneeling." Luo Feng said coldly, withdrawing his hand. He actually felt a sliver of admiration for Li Yunhao's unyielding pride.
Li Yunhao bit his lip tightly, saying nothing.
Luo Feng retracted his gaze from Li Yunhao and looked towards the two Golden Sun class students nearby.
As Luo Feng's gaze swept over them, the two Golden Sun class students turned deathly pale, so frightened they nearly wet themselves again.
THUD!
Without the slightest hesitation, the two youths dropped to their knees, kowtowing repeatedly. "Luo Feng, Ancestor! We were blind! Please, be magnanimous and spare us!"
It was no joke. Li Yunhao, ranked in the top twenty of the Golden Sun class, had been utterly defeated by Luo Feng. These two were merely mid-tier students in the Golden Sun class; ten of them combined wouldn't be a match for Luo Feng.
Luo Feng looked at the two kneeling, sniveling figures, a derisive smile on his face. "Golden Sun class… geniuses… So, you're the elite students of the Golden Sun class… Hahahaha…"
Suddenly losing all interest, Luo Feng clasped his hands behind his back and strode down the mountain, laughing heartily.
The mountain wind sighed, and an eerie silence descended.
Only long after Luo Feng had departed did Li Yunhao finally struggle to his feet.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Li Yunhao glanced at his two companions, a look of contempt in his eyes. He said in a low, dangerous voice, "If anyone dares to speak of what happened today, I, Li Yunhao, will personally cripple them!"
The two Golden Sun class students, having regained some composure, shook their heads frantically. "Senior Brother Li, rest assured, we'll die before we say a word about what happened today!"
As elite students of the Golden Sun class, they had been forced to kneel to a Silver Moon class student! If word of such a humiliating incident got out, they'd have no face left in the academy.
「…」
After descending Purple Spirit Peak and walking back towards his courtyard, Luo Feng examined his right fist, a slight frown on his face.
There was a thin cut on his right fist, about an inch and a third long.
Normally, fighting a sword bare-handed would be impossible. However, Luo Feng had now entered the fourth level of the Meridian Wheel, the Rigid-Soft Realm. His physique had greatly improved due to the Under-skin Forming Membrane, allowing him to shatter Li Yunhao's attack with his immense strength of over ten thousand pounds.
However, a fist was still made of flesh and blood, so Luo Feng had sustained a minor injury.
Looks like I need to buy a weapon. Luo Feng decided. He would go home, change his clothes, and then head to Qingfeng Town to see if he could find a suitable weapon.
Back at his small courtyard.
Just as he was about to enter, Luo Feng noticed a series of small footprints on the ground nearby.
The footprints, sunk an inch into the earth, were rather delicate and likely belonged to a girl.
Whose prank is this, I wonder?
Luo Feng frowned slightly but didn't dwell on it. He entered his courtyard, washed up, changed into clean clothes, and prepared to head to Qingfeng Town.
Just as he opened the door and stepped out, a melodious and gentle voice called out from the side.
"Luo Feng, good morning."
Luo Feng looked up, surprised. "Huh? Class Rep, what are you doing here?"
Standing nearby was a beautiful young woman—his class representative, Bing Ruolan.
Her neat, short blue hair fluttered gently in the morning breeze. Her snug academy uniform perfectly outlined her already developing bust. And her slender, jade-like legs were so flawless they would make other girls envious. Her sapphire-like eyes, glinting with light, were as captivating as a deep, clear lake. However, her face was a little pale, showing signs of fatigue.
Bing Ruolan looked at Luo Feng, the tips of her ears turning a shy crimson. She was naturally quiet and, being diligent in her cultivation, usually kept to herself. This was the first time she had ever sought out a male student alone.
"Oh, Luo Feng, your aura! Have you broken through to the fourth level of the Meridian Wheel, the Rigid-Soft Realm?" Bing Ruolan's gaze fixed on Luo Feng, her eyes widening in astonishment as if she had discovered a new continent.
"Mm, I was training on Purple Spirit Peak these past few days, and well, I just sort of broke through while I was at it," Luo Feng said with a sheepish smile, scratching his head.
He just sort of broke through while he was at it… Bing Ruolan stared at Luo Feng, lost in thought. No wonder he hasn't been around lately. But to break through from the mid-stage Cultivation Power Realm to the Rigid-Soft Realm in just a little over ten days… isn't that cultivation speed a bit too fast?
Is this what a genius is like…? If he's willing to help me, then I might be able to…
At this thought, a resolute look appeared in Bing Ruolan's eyes. She looked up at Luo Feng and asked softly, "Luo Feng, could you… could you accompany me in practicing the Tiger Roar Fist today?"
"Practice the Tiger Roar Fist?" Luo Feng was slightly taken aback, then shook his head. "I have something to do in Qingfeng Town."
He's going out again… A wave of disappointment washed over Bing Ruolan's face. She anxiously wrung her hands together in front of her.
Lately, she had been diligently practicing the Tiger Roar Fist, hoping to reach the fourth stage before the Challenge King Competition. That way, she could break into the top ten and obtain the reward.
However, as the days ticked by, her progress was agonizingly slow. Even now, her Tiger Roar Fist had yet to reach perfection at the third stage, let alone break through to the fourth.
Bing Ruolan had already been in the academy for three full years.
For these three years, she had trained relentlessly, striving to enter the Inner Court. Step by step, her strength had climbed to the top position in the Silver Moon class. Yet, even so, she had no confidence she could actually enter the Inner Court.
This year was Bing Ruolan's final opportunity to enter the Inner Court. If she failed, she would have no choice but to leave the academy and return to her clan, to accept the destiny her family had arranged for her.
At this thought, Bing Ruolan's delicate frame trembled slightly. Tears welled in her eyes and, like pearls from a broken string, pattered onto the ground.
This was a fate she could not accept.