The man slowly walked toward Yi Feng.
Every step he took seemed to make the atmosphere heavier.
The guards surrounding the caravan became nervous.
Luo Zheng's expression was especially ugly.
"Sixth Stage of Qi Gathering..."
Chen Hao's face went pale.
Yi Feng heard him.
"Sixth Stage?"
Chen Hao nodded.
"He's two stages above you."
Yi Feng's eyes remained fixed on the man.
Two stages.
According to what he had learned, that was a gap he shouldn't be able to overcome through cultivation alone.
The man suddenly disappeared.
BOOM!
Yi Feng's instincts reacted immediately.
He raised his sword.
CLANG!
A terrifying force struck his weapon.
His body was thrown backward.
He landed heavily on the ground and slid several meters.
His arms were numb.
So strong.
Yi Feng slowly stood up.
There was no anger on his face.
Only concentration.
The difference between the fourth and sixth stages was greater than he had expected.
The bandit smiled.
"You're still standing?"
Yi Feng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"I expected more."
The man's smile disappeared.
"You're courting death."
He charged again.
Yi Feng circulated the Life and Death Art.
His essence surged through his meridians.
Wind Chasing Sword!
Yi Feng moved forward instead of retreating.
Their swords collided.
CLANG!
The force nearly knocked Yi Feng's sword from his hand.
He immediately changed his stance.
Mountain Breaking Sword!
His sword descended with tremendous force.
The bandit blocked it.
BOOM!
The ground beneath them cracked.
But Yi Feng was the one forced backward.
I can't overpower him.
He understood it immediately.
His Life and Death Art gave him extremely dense essence.
It allowed him to fight cultivators at his own stage with a significant advantage.
But this was different.
The man's cultivation was two stages higher.
And the man's combat experience was clearly superior.
Yi Feng couldn't win by exchanging attacks.
He needed another method.
The bandit attacked again.
Yi Feng dodged.
A fist passed beside his face.
He immediately counterattacked.
Pierce!
His sword shot forward.
The bandit twisted his body.
The sword pierced his sleeve but failed to reach his flesh.
The man's eyes narrowed.
"You're quite troublesome."
Yi Feng said nothing.
He was studying him.
His movements.
His breathing.
His footwork.
Every attack.
Every opening.
Then Yi Feng noticed something.
Whenever the man attacked with his right hand, his left foot moved slightly forward.
A habit.
Yi Feng waited.
The man attacked again.
BOOM!
Yi Feng dodged to the side.
The man's right fist came toward his chest.
There!
Yi Feng stepped inside his range.
His sword turned.
Slash!
The blade cut across the man's arm.
Blood appeared.
The man immediately retreated.
For the first time, his expression changed.
"You..."
Yi Feng looked at the blood on his sword.
"I found it."
The man's eyes became cold.
But before he could attack again—
"STOP!"
A powerful voice echoed across the battlefield.
Everyone turned.
A group of cultivators appeared on the distant road.
At their front was a young man carrying a sword.
Yi Feng's eyes narrowed.
He recognized him.
Zhao Ming.
Zhao Ming looked at the battlefield.
Then at Yi Feng.
Then at the sixth-stage bandit.
His expression became serious.
"You're from Firmament Sword Sect?"
Yi Feng nodded.
Zhao Ming slowly drew his sword.
"Then I suppose we're on the same side."
The sixth-stage bandit laughed.
"Another little disciple?"
Zhao Ming's eyes became sharp.
"No."
He raised his sword.
"Another opponent."
Yi Feng's expression changed slightly.
For some reason...
He had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time he and Zhao Ming stood on the same battlefield.
To be continued...