Chapter 345: The Turn
At that moment, Lin Feng's attack closed in. His fist shot straight for the man's heart—he was going for a one-hit kill!
But just as his fist was about to connect with the man's chest, the man twisted his body in a bizarre motion and dodged the fatal blow.
The man's movements faltered for an instant. Seizing the opening, Lin Feng surged forward, arms extended. His left hand, open-palmed, shot toward the man's head while his right fist slammed into his abdomen.
'This kid's fast!'
Faced with Lin Feng's assault, the man didn't dare let his guard down. He quickly raised a leg and kicked at Lin Feng's ribs, but Lin Feng was prepared. He ducked low, easily evading the deadly kick.
Then, like a phantom, Lin Feng circled to the man's flank and aimed a knee strike at his Dantian.
But the man was also a veteran of countless battles. He retreated rapidly, instantly putting distance between himself and Lin Feng.
BAM!
His knee slammed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. The blow was immensely powerful, but it had missed its mark.
SWOOSH!
The man was already charging forward again. His aura flared to its peak, and he bore down on Lin Feng like a moving mountain.
A slight smile touched Lin Feng's lips. With a simple sway, he easily dodged the charge. He followed up immediately with a whip kick, sweeping it toward the man's head.
The man's gaze hardened. He knew Lin Feng was a powerful opponent and met the attack with his full strength. He reached behind his back, and a long saber appeared in his hand, which he immediately slashed forward!
The arc of the blade's light shot straight for Lin Feng's neck, its sharp, cold glint flashing in the darkness.
Lin Feng was fearless. With a flick of his wrist, his sharp fingertips pierced through the arc of blade energy and tapped the man squarely on the chest, sending him staggering back.
The man slid back three meters before regaining his footing. He felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his chest, and his expression slowly twisted into a snarl.
"You've got guts, kid!" the man said coldly, his eyes locked on Lin Feng.
"Takes one to know one," Lin Feng retorted. "It seems I underestimated you. But even so, you still have to die. The world is full of monstrously talented people; you just had the bad luck of running into me."
Lin Feng sneered. So far in their fight, neither had gained an advantage, but he wasn't the least bit flustered. He had already anticipated this outcome.
"How arrogant!"
The man roared in fury at his words. By now, he truly hated Lin Feng to the bone.
'I was supposed to be taking his head to complete my mission today,' he thought. 'I never expected to end up in such a sorry state. This is utterly humiliating!'
"Today, I'm going to skin you alive!"
With a flick of his wrist, the man switched to a reverse grip on his dagger. He lowered his center of gravity and charged straight at Lin Feng!
SWISH!
A cold light flashed in the darkness. A ghostly blue glow emanated from the Short Blade, reflecting the moonlight with a terrifying, icy sheen.
"Die!"
The man's slash was incredibly fast, appearing before Lin Feng in the blink of an eye. It was a simple, brutal downward chop—a direct confrontation with no frills.
CLANG!
But just as the dagger was about to strike him, Lin Feng hastily retreated. At the same time, his hand went to his waist, and a somewhat fragmented, low-grade Yellow Rank short sword appeared in his hand.
CRACK!
Lin Feng's short sword clashed with the man's cold blade, sending a shower of sparks into the air. Lin Feng used the force of the impact to gracefully drift backward.
The man frowned. He was shocked that the kid had managed to block his strike. He hadn't held anything back in that attack, yet Lin Feng had only been forced back five steps.
Lin Feng watched the man, a hint of surprise in his own heart. 'That last strike was no simple matter,' he thought. 'The power behind it was immense, yet I managed to block it with a single move.'
"Good. I like this!"
Seeing that the man wasn't pressing his advantage, Lin Feng didn't attack either. After all, their cultivation realms weren't that far apart.
Continuing to trade blows like this would be pointless. It was better to focus on ending the fight decisively.
Seeing the playful look in Lin Feng's eyes, the man's face flushed with shame and fury. Lin Feng's taunting gaze only served to ignite the viciousness deep within him.
He snorted coldly, tightened his grip on the Short Blade with both hands, and lunged at Lin Feng. The blade traced a perfect semicircle as it swept toward him.
'The angle of the man's attack was perfect,' he thought. 'Even though I only used seventy percent of my strength last time, someone at his level should have been at a disadvantage. So this time, I'll use eighty percent!'
TING!
A crisp ring echoed as the incredibly sharp Short Blade was stopped dead in its tracks, parried by Lin Feng. The man was absolutely stunned.
He never, ever imagined Lin Feng could block his Short Blade with nothing but his bare hands. Although Lin Feng's palms were now covered in fine cuts, he had actually caught the blade.
'How is that possible?'
A look of sheer disbelief filled the man's eyes. He knew the power of his attacks; never mind a person's arms, any part of a body should have been instantly shredded by his blade. But this time, it had failed.
SWOOSH!
The man's figure blurred. He unleashed a flurry of mad stabs with his Short Blade. Lin Feng's hands were a whirlwind of motion as his sharp short sword met the man's Short Blade again and again, each collision showering the night with sparks.
The man attacked, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and bewilderment. He stared at Lin Feng, wondering what kind of martial arts technique he was using to be able to fend off his Short Blade.
But Lin Feng refused to be outdone. Though he had a lean build, his explosive power was terrifying. He was managing to hold the man off through sheer force.
'What is with this Lin Feng?'
The longer the man fought, the more unnerved he became. His Short Blade couldn't get anywhere near Lin Feng. With his phantom-like movements, Lin Feng left him with no choice but to defend, giving him no opportunity to counterattack.
"Let's see you block this!"
The man's sharp Short Blade flew like raindrops, enveloping Lin Feng in a dense net of attacks. The fierce wind it generated whipped Lin Feng's clothes about, and beads of sweat covered his cheeks.
Lin Feng's breathing grew heavy. His eyes were locked on the advancing man. He was in a very dangerous situation.