Chapter 374: Condense Qi into a Sword, Overbearing Slash!
Xing Zirong’s face grew stern, and he said in a deep voice, "You are truly worthy of being the number one young Grandmaster in all of history. You haven’t disappointed me!"
"But you will die all the same!"
With a roar, Xing Zirong began to walk on the water, aiming to kill Lin Wudi.
Instantly, the calm surface of Hongfeng Lake erupted into towering waves, tossing and shattering the boats as if they were caught in a raging sea.
Lin Mu took a single step, instantly landing on the surface of Hongfeng Lake. In that moment, the furiously churning lake eerily calmed down.
The Heavenly Emperor Nine Steps could throw the heavens into chaos, but they could also pacify a raging sea.
Lin Mu stood on the serene surface of the lake, slowly advancing toward Xing Zirong. As he moved forward, a white wake stretched for hundreds of meters behind him. It was like a ship breaking through ice, creating waves even more magnificent than before. This long, white trail extended from beneath his feet all the way to Xing Zirong, resembling a Jiaolong riding the wind and cleaving the waves.
Lin Mu covered the hundred-meter distance in the blink of an eye. His speed was astonishing, like a bolt of lightning.
Approaching the pillar of water beneath Xing Zirong’s feet, Lin Mu threw a punch.
BOOM!
With a tremendous explosion, the water pillar beneath Xing Zirong shattered, transforming into countless droplets that shot out in every direction.
"Look out, get back!"
"AHHHH!"
The faces of the Xing Family members changed dramatically as they scrambled to get away. However, some were far too slow. They were struck by the water droplets as if by bullets, which pierced straight through them.
One by one, the members of the Xing Family collapsed. Some were gravely wounded, while others were killed outright.
Witnessing this, Xing Zirong’s demeanor grew even more somber.
"Lin Wudi, you’re courting death!"
The water pillar where Xing Zirong had stood was gone. Like a great roc, he somersaulted several times in the air, landing on the water’s surface tens of meters away from Lin Mu.
Lin Mu stood on the lake, slowly retracting his fist. He turned, the green light in his eyes flaring as it shot out rays of dazzling, divine brilliance. "Xing Zirong, was that punch to your satisfaction?"
"Hahaha, Lin Wudi, you’re not so impressive after all!" Xing Zirong laughed uproariously. "At our level of cultivation, status and position are meaningless—nothing but skeletons in the end. Only by breaking through to the Divine Communion Realm can we achieve our ultimate goal!"
Xing Zirong stood on the lake’s surface with his hands behind his back, speaking with confidence.
"Positions like the Miao King or rankings on the Heavenly List are merely shackles! Other martial artists reach the Grandmaster Realm and spend their lives achieving nothing, stuck at the Internal Energy Peak, unable to progress. Even the likes of Yun Xu and Ouyang Ming are among the weakest of Grandmasters!"
A sharp glint in his eyes, Xing Zirong continued with an air of solitary pride, "I broke through to Martial Arts Grandmaster at thirty-eight and defeated the previously undefeated masters on the Heavenly List within two years. Now, I stand at the pinnacle of the Martial Way. In this world, only you can compare to me."
"If I kill you first, then use the essence blood of the Li Clan’s Saintess to break my family’s curse and step into the Divine Communion Realm, what a joyous occasion that would be!"
Killing intent surged in Xing Zirong’s eyes as he shouted, "Therefore, killing you, Lin Wudi, will be my final battle in the Grandmaster Realm!"
As his voice fell, Xing Zirong flung his hand open. The lake water surged, forming two massive waves that rushed toward Lin Mu.
RUMBLE!
The two waves, like a great roc spreading its wings, encircled Lin Mu. The violent True Qi seemed intent on tearing him to shreds.
"Kill!" Xing Zirong roared. The two waves instantly coalesced into two massive hands that clapped together, aiming to crush Lin Mu between them.
"Break!"
Lin Mu formed a sword with his fingers and slashed horizontally through the air. A streak of green Sword Qi flashed, bisecting the massive water hands. The hands, fortified by True Qi to be as hard as steel, could not withstand the attack. Without the support of True Qi, they instantly reverted to water and dispersed into the lake.
At the same time, Xing Zirong’s second attack arrived. He was nothing like Yun Xu, who fought one move at a time. He was swift as the wind and fierce as thunder.
Xing Zirong clenched his hand into a fist and threw a punch from afar. Through the curtain of rain, a semi-transparent fist shot forward. This fist was also condensed from True Qi; Xing Zirong’s reserves were vast and surging, seemingly inexhaustible. The semi-transparent fist, hidden within the rain, left a long trail in its wake, striking with the stunning force of a cannonball.
In response, Lin Mu once again condensed his True Qi into a sword. A three-foot, green-hued sword appeared in his hands, and he gently slashed forward.
SHRRIIIP!
The sound was ear-piercing, as if the very air was being torn apart. The transparent fist held for less than a second before the Sword Qi sliced it in two.
"Hmm?"
Xing Zirong was somewhat surprised that Lin Mu had broken two of his attacks in a row. What shocked him most, however, was the purity and concentration of Lin Mu’s True Qi. The True Qi cultivated by ordinary martial artists was crude and unrefined. Even if they could condense it into a sword, it would be like a wooden blade against a steel one.
But Lin Mu was different. Not only could he form a sword, but he could also sever his attacks. Xing Zirong’s fist was incredibly focused, almost tangible—an application of Inner Strength that could shatter stone and pierce mountains. Yet before Lin Mu, it was as fragile as tofu.
This boy is a peerless talent, a true monster! Xing Zirong’s eyes filled with an even greater killing intent. If I don’t kill him today, given time, he will surely ascend to the Divine Communion Realm!
Taking a deep breath, Xing Zirong said gravely, "Lin Wudi, you have truly surprised me. An ordinary Martial Arts Grandmaster can withstand three of my moves at most. You’ve already taken two. This third one will be your last!"
Lin Mu stood with his hands behind his back, his expression completely calm. "Xing Zirong, I hope you won’t disappoint me."
"Good!"
Xing Zirong’s aura suddenly vanished, as if drawn completely into his body. He stood motionless on the lake, like a wooden mannequin.
Suddenly, Lin Mu’s eyes narrowed slightly.
HISS! HISS! HISS!
Streaks of seemingly solid Internal Energy erupted from Xing Zirong’s body, converging in his raised hands.
"Combine!"
Xing Zirong brought his hands together high above his head, as if grasping something. His eyes shone with a brilliant light, his gaze utterly serene as his voice boomed across the landscape.
"Overbearing Slash!"
Abruptly, a hundred-meter-long saber light appeared between Xing Zirong’s hands and slashed down toward Lin Mu. A wild wind howled, and the entire Hongfeng Lake erupted into chaos. The dazzling saber light seemed to stretch for countless miles.
All across Southern Sky, people looked toward Hongfeng Lake in shock. Li Lingqing and the members of the Xing Family all squeezed their eyes shut, afraid the blinding light would injure them. Even so, they felt a sharp, unbearable pain, as if their skin were being cut by blades. The lake itself seemed to recoil in fear, its waters parting violently to either side, splitting Hongfeng Lake as if it were cleaved in two.
"What an Overbearing Slash!" Lin Mu laughed heartily. "Xing Zirong, that move is worthy of your rank as tenth on the Heavenly List."
"However, it is useless against me."
Lin Mu stood ramrod straight, his eyes narrowed to slits. Just as the saber light was about to strike, he raised his hands and grasped.
Everyone’s expression changed dramatically. Was Lin Mu really planning to catch the attack with his bare hands?
Is he trying to get himself killed?
"Lin Wudi, you are far too arrogant!" Xing Zirong said, his voice laced with disappointment. "I thought you would give me a satisfying fight, but it seems you won’t even last three moves."
"Is that so?"
A light laugh was heard, followed by a series of sharp cracks. Everyone felt their hearts clench as they stared, their mouths falling open in terror.
The massive saber light, caught in Lin Mu’s hands, was shattering inch by inch. Finally, it completely dissipated into nothingness.