This turn of events completely blindsided Lin Feng. As he was sent hurtling backwards, a flicker of regret pierced his mind—if he had only used the flying sword to finish the enemy instantly...
But there were no do-overs in life. The thought vanished as quickly as it came. Self-recrimination could wait. Survival was paramount now. Still airborne, Lin Feng bit his tongue hard, the sharp pain jolting him into focus. A fierce glare locked onto Li Sha ahead. He channeled his depleted true essence, his right arm snapping forward in a desperate motion.
Li Sha, having punched Lin Feng away, surged forward to deliver the final blow. Yet, just as he moved, an icy dread stabbed his spine. Mortal danger screamed from behind him!
SWOOSH!!
A faint whistle of air confirmed it. Whirling around, his eyes widened in shock—a streak of silver sword light was arcing through the air, homing in on him!
Lin Feng had thrown the sword earlier; Li Sha had dismissed it after dodging. But seeing it now, defying gravity, curving back for a second strike from behind? Terror seized him. "Lightning Control!!"
—Lightning Control! How could he possibly possess Lightning Control?!
In that instant, Li Sha's blood ran cold. Like anyone witnessing such a feat, his first thought was of a Golden Core cultivator. Yet, he refused to believe Lin Feng could be one—he'd have been crushed like an insect moments ago.
No time for speculation. Li Sha threw himself sideways in a clumsy roll, barely evading the sword's deadly trajectory. Only his drug-enhanced, near-Golden Core reflexes saved him from being impaled.
"It's actually a flying sword!! Hahaha! MINE!!"
Then, ecstatic greed surged, drowning the shock. Why Lin Feng could control it didn't matter. The Spiritual Artifact he coveted was revealed as the rarest treasure—a flying sword!
Most early Golden Core cultivators lacked one; many waited until mid or late stage. Its value was staggering. Li Sha couldn't contain his manic joy. With a triumphant roar, he lunged not away, but towards the weapon slicing past him. His hand shot out, clamping onto the hilt of the flying sword!
ZZZZING…
The moment his fingers closed around the grip, the sword screamed in protest. It vibrated violently in his grasp, twisting and bucking like a living thing fighting for freedom.
"HAHAHA!! DIE NOW!!"
Clutching the captured sword, Li Sha bellowed with savage glee. Murderous intent flared in his eyes. He charged straight at Lin Feng, who had just crash-landed weakly a dozen meters away.
The sword was his! He saw the drained pallor on Lin Feng's face. Victory was assured. The kill was moments away.
—Sword stolen. Opponent drugged and monstrously empowered. Cornered and injured. Was this truly the end of the road for Lin Feng? Was death inevitable?
The answer was… NO!
He still held his trump card.
Not a second to spare. As Li Sha bore down on him, a fierce light ignited in Lin Feng's eyes. His lowered right hand snapped up!
Clutched within it, unnoticed until now, was a deep violet talisman. As his arm rose, the paper flashed with crackling purple light—and instantly crumbled to ash.
In the very next heartbeat, a deafening thunderclap split the air!
KRA-KA-THOOM!!
Without warning, a purple lightning bolt, thicker than a barrel, materialized directly above Li Sha. It moved with impossible speed. He had no time to blink, let alone react.
The bolt struck home.
BOOOOOOM!!!
Li Sha vanished, engulfed by the blinding, destructive radiance. The ground heaved violently. Dirt and shattered stone exploded upwards in a choking cloud of dust.
A gust of wind swept the dust away. The purple glare faded. Ten meters ahead of Lin Feng lay a smoldering crater, charred black. At its center lay a charred husk that vaguely resembled a human form. Beside it, the silver flying sword stood embedded in the scorched earth, tip angled towards the sky.
—The terrifying, drug-fueled Li Sha… had been reduced to ash by a single bolt of lightning!
Lin Feng had used the precious top-grade Grade 3 Purple Lightning Talisman obtained from He Wenyang long ago.
Its power equaled a spell unleashed by a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, far exceeding even his flying sword's strike. Li Sha, merely boosted to early Golden Core strength by the desperate pill, stood no chance. He hadn't even managed a scream before being vaporized.
"..."
Confirmation of the enemy's end finally loosened the vice around Lin Feng's chest. He swayed dangerously, nearly collapsing. A searing agony tore through his chest with each breath. He realized his true essence reserves were critically low. His back was drenched in cold sweat.
—Thank the heavens for that talisman. Without it…
Relief washed over him, followed immediately by a wave of bitter self-reproach. A wry, humorless smile touched his lips.
I brought this on myself…
If he'd simply used the flying sword at the outset, Li Sha would be dead before blinking. Instead… injury. A priceless talisman wasted. His life hanging by a thread. All consequences of his own arrogant misjudgment.
He recognized the pill now—the legendary Exploding Yuan Pill. That Li Sha possessed such a rare, desperate measure was unforeseen.
But the root cause? His own underestimation of the foe. From the start, lulled by his gear advantage, he'd felt invincible. He'd treated the fight like practice, savoring it, giving his opponent time and opportunity.
Somewhere along the way, complacency had set in. Carelessness had taken root.
"This mindset… it must never return…" Lin Feng murmured, a chill of retrospective terror running through him. "Just as I possess unimaginable tools and hidden cards… so too might others. I cannot afford to give opponents the chance to play theirs. If possible… eliminate all threats instantly. Never underestimate. Never grow lax..."
Given another chance, he'd deploy the flying sword immediately. If secrecy was a concern? Use talismans for a smokescreen first, then strike. Never allow an enemy the opening for an Exploding Yuan Pill… or worse.
True understanding often comes only after painful lessons. Lin Feng was still maturing. Thankfully, this time, the price—a wound and a spent talisman—was bearable. The experience forged him. His mind and instincts grew sharper. That growth… was the battle's true prize. The cost? Worth it.
"AHHHHH!!!"
"Boss!"
"BOSS!!"
Lin Feng's brief contemplation over Li Sha's charred remains shattered. A woman's piercing scream and two men's frantic shouts—Zhang Fangzhou, Yao Wangtian, and Xu Rong!—jolted him back to the present.
His heart lurched. He spun around, dread coiling in his gut.