White Tiger Fierce Soul Talisman!!
Without a doubt, the object in Li Ziqing's hand was the White Tiger Fierce Soul Talisman fragment acquired at yesterday's auction! And just as Lin Feng had guessed: the Li family did possess the correct method to control this artifact! Otherwise, relying solely on Li Ziqing's late Foundation Establishment cultivation base, it would have been absolutely impossible to forcibly activate it.
The tiger phantom that materialized in the air, appearing to hold up the heavens and radiating a terrifying pressure that made one tremble, was precisely the legendary wisp of the White Tiger's remnant soul sealed within the spirit artifact!
"But... was this really 'just' a 'wisp' of a remnant soul?! And one that, after the artifact was severely damaged, possessed only a fraction of its original power?!"
As Lin Feng saw the tiger phantom in the sky, this thought flashed through his mind. Even though he had been prepared, the sheer power of the White Tiger Spirit far exceeded his expectations.
At the auction, Shi Lan had said the current power of the White Tiger Fierce Soul Talisman was only equivalent to an early Golden Core cultivator. But the immense pressure Lin Feng felt now was definitely not merely early Golden Core—it was at least mid-Golden Core!!
Presumably, this was because it was being activated using the correct method, making it stronger than what Shi Lan had described for a forced activation!
...
Though the thoughts felt long, the shock in Lin Feng's heart lasted only an instant. He knew there was no room for panic. Seeing the colossal tiger phantom pounce down upon him, a fierce glint exploded in his eyes. The true essence within his body surged to an unprecedented peak.
"Flying Sword!!!"
In this life-or-death moment, driven by intense emotion, Lin Feng involuntarily roared aloud. Simultaneously, his right hand shot forward like lightning, fingers pointed like a sword, then snapped back towards himself!!
"Zheng!!"
As if truly answering Lin Feng's call, the flying sword—thirty meters ahead, which had just been repelled after failing to strike Li Ziqing—suddenly erupted with dazzling silver light! A clear, resonant sword cry rang out! It seemed to have gained immense power in an instant. The entire sword transformed like a dragon emerging from the sea, soaring skyward!!
"Swoosh!!!"
The flash of sword light was so intense the sword's body became invisible. The silver sword radiance coalesced into a massive light-sword, nearly ten meters long and a meter wide! It shot upwards diagonally—its speed actually faster than the descending tiger phantom! Though launching later, it arrived first! Just as the tiger phantom was mere meters from Lin Feng, the colossal silver sword struck it squarely across its midsection!!
Though the tiger phantom seemed as solid as reality, it was ultimately only an illusion—without physical substance. Ordinary magic treasures, or even spells without sufficient power, might pass through it harmlessly. Yet, the moment the flying sword struck...
The White Tiger phantom was cleanly severed in two!!
Yes!! It was truly severed in two!
"ROOOOAR!!!"
The tiger phantom, whose aura had previously blotted the heavens, froze impossibly above Lin Feng's head. A roar of agony shook the surrounding forest. Then, the tiger claws that had been almost upon him... dissipated like smoke before his eyes...
"..." Lin Feng stood rigidly in place, his pupils contracted to pinpoints. A bead of cold sweat traced a path down his temple and into his collar, unnoticed...
—It worked... it succeeded!!
In the next instant, wild joy surged into Lin Feng's eyes. His heart, which had been lodged in his throat, finally sank back into place...
In stark contrast to Lin Feng's relief, Li Ziqing and Li Ziyao were utterly paralyzed with shock.
"N-no... impossible!!!"
The flicker of triumph that had just appeared on Li Ziqing's face upon successfully activating the tiger spirit vanished instantly, replaced by boundless terror and horror. All color drained from his face as he let out a shrill, hysterical scream.
"Hmph!!"
That scream snapped Lin Feng back to the reality that the battle wasn't over. A cold glint flashed in his eyes. His right hand formed a sword finger, thrusting decisively towards Li Ziqing ahead!
"Swoosh!!"
The silver sword radiance that had just bisected the White Tiger spirit instantly pivoted mid-air! It descended like a bolt of lightning! The immense, dazzling silver light completely engulfed Li Ziqing!
"NO!!!"
On the other side, Li Ziyao finally snapped out of his stunned horror upon witnessing this. His eyes bulged wildly as he shrieked. Like a madman, he pulled another talisman from his storage ring, desperately trying to activate it.
But Lin Feng would grant him no such chance. With a flick of his right hand, the flying sword—fresh from cleaving Li Ziqing—didn't hesitate. It arced sharply again, streaking like a silver bolt of lightning! Li Ziyao's right arm, just raised to activate the talisman, was severed cleanly at the elbow!
Having already activated two Mid-Grade Tier 3 talismans and one Supreme-Grade Tier 3 talisman consecutively, Li Ziyao's true essence was nearly depleted. He was spent, utterly incapable of evading the flying sword's attack.
"Agh!!"
Li Ziyao's expression froze mid-scream. The silver light coiled around his neck...
The scream cut off abruptly. His features locked into a final rictus of terror. His head tilted slowly... then slid off his shoulders. A fountain of blood gushed forth, looking unnaturally eerie under the silver glow of the hovering sword.
......
The flying sword hovered in the air for two seconds. Then, as if its power source had abruptly vanished, its light extinguished. It plummeted straight down, embedding itself into the ground with a soft thunk.
Simultaneously, Lin Feng felt a sharp stab of pain in his head. The world seemed to spin violently before his eyes. He staggered, nearly collapsing.
The tension that had held him taut finally snapped. Overwhelming exhaustion flooded his mind like a tidal wave. Lin Feng felt completely hollowed out, not an ounce of strength left in his limbs.
"Big Brother!!"
Zhang Fangzhou, behind him, paled. Reacting swiftly, he lunged forward to support Lin Feng. Yao Wangtian and Xu Rong also tensed, rushing over immediately.
"I'm... I'm fine..." Lin Feng gasped, drenched in sweat as if pulled from a river, his face frighteningly pale. "Let me regulate my breathing... don't disturb me... you three... clean up the battlefield..."
His voice was weak. With trembling hands, he pulled out two Recovery Pills and swallowed them. He sank into a cross-legged position, forming a meditation seal, and began circulating his cultivation technique to recover his strength.
"Whew..."
Seeing that Lin Feng truly was just drained of true essence, Zhang Fangzhou and the others heaved a collective sigh of immense relief. They exchanged glances, seeing profound shock and lingering terror mirrored in each other's eyes.
The battle had lasted less than three minutes. They had merely watched from behind Lin Feng, yet they had been scared out of their wits multiple times. Though they had done nothing, they now felt a deep exhaustion, their palms and backs soaked with cold sweat. They were even slightly amazed they hadn't simply fainted from fright...
The ferocity of the fight just witnessed was unprecedented. In their twenty-plus years of life, they had never experienced such an intense conflict. It was a stark lesson in their own weakness, and a breathtaking display of Lin Feng's terrifying power.
"Huff..." Zhang Fangzhou took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart. He turned to Yao Wangtian and Xu Rong. "Third Brother, you guard Big Brother. Second Brother, come with me. We clean up the battlefield... dispose of the evidence!"
...
Ten minutes later.
Zhang Fangzhou and Yao Wangtian had reduced all the surrounding corpses to ash. They gathered every scrap of loot—storage rings, weapons, talismans—before returning to Lin Feng's side. Seeing he was still deep in meditation, they positioned themselves protectively around him, scanning the dark forest for any lurking soul beasts that might disturb him.
Another five minutes passed. Lin Feng still hadn't finished his recovery. However, Xiaoqiu—perched vigilantly on his right shoulder—suddenly trembled violently! Its fur stood completely on end. A look of sheer terror filled its eyes. It hunched low, staring fixedly towards the west, and emitted a series of sharp, frantic cries.
"Chiuu!!"
"Huh?!"
Zhang Fangzhou and the others immediately tensed, their faces tightening with renewed fear as they followed Xiaoqiu's gaze westward. Even Lin Feng was jolted from his meditation, his eyes snapping open.
The brief period of rest had restored perhaps half of his true essence. His expression was grave as he looked at the trembling creature on his shoulder. "Xiaoqiu? What is it?"
"Chiu! Chiu-chiu!!"
Xiaoqiu stood rigid, its tiny claws frantically pointing deeper into the western forest. Its eyes radiated pure panic and urgency.
Lin Feng asked, "Something very dangerous... is approaching?"
"Chiu!!" Xiaoqiu nodded its head rapidly, like a woodpecker hammering a tree.
"A powerful demonic beast?"
Lin Feng's brow furrowed deeply. He deliberated for only two seconds before turning decisively to Zhang Fangzhou and the others. His voice was low and urgent. "We leave. Now."