The landscape had originally been covered in mist and rain, but all of it had long since dissipated. No trace of it remained.
The radiant, pure springtime sunlight poured onto the world below, but it couldnât disperse the chills in the peopleâs hearts.
Before the battle began, many of them thought Su Yi had come here seeking out his own demise. They thought he was doomed beyond a doubt.
After all, his opponent was Dongguo Feng, the heaven-defying figure in seventh place of the Ranking of Stars.
They suddenly realized that theyâd made a huge error in judgment!
Months ago, Su Yi was a modern legend, and his name shook the Great Xia. After just a few months of dormancy, heâd changed completely. He was nothing like the Su Yi they thought they knew!
This was a new chapter of his legend!
âI just knew it! Brother Su dared come here, so of course he had the ability to win,â muttered Wen Xinzhao. Her starry eyes blurred and rippled with emotion.
Daoist Master Coldsmoke had a complicated look on her face, and she agreed completely.
As for Qing Ya? Sheâd never once worried about Su Yi.
She was pure and innocent by nature. Right from the start, sheâd believed that since Su Yi hadnât lost before, he naturally wouldnât lose this time eitherâŠ
Hers was the confidence of one who found this outcome perfectly obvious.
Meanwhile, beneath the dome of heaven.
Su Yi placed one hand behind his back and gazed at the distant Dongguo Feng. âShall we continue?â
Dongguo Feng coughed violently and took several deep breaths in rapid succession. Then, he silently wiped the blood from his lips and straightened his spine once more.
He was bleeding all over, but it was as if he didnât even notice it.
When Dongguo Feng fixed his gaze upon Su Yi from afar, heâd already recovered his typical calm conviction. âDeath does not scare me. Fellow Daoist, please, allow me to witness your third strike. Even if I die, Iâll die without regret!â
Every word clanged like a sword, reverberating throughout the nine heavens.
The crowd was astonished.
Dongguo Feng was obviously severely wounded, yet his presence had, if anything, become even firmer, sharper, and stronger than before!
âYoung master, a prudent man doesnât place himself in danger. Why risk your life?â one of the Dongguo Family experts cried out frantically.
Dongguo Fengâs expression remained calm, but when he spoke, he emphasized each and every word. âIf any of you dare interfere, I wonât let you off!â
The entire area fell deathly silent.
Everyone couldnât help but look stunned.
The Dongguo Family experts were all struck dumb, and they felt helpless.
âLiving without fear of death. Even if you die, youâll die without regretâŠâ Su Yi muttered, his gaze rueful.
Dongguo Fengâs talent and cultivation base were, perhaps, inferior to the monsters and holy sons of the Wildsâ top orthodoxies.
However, his dauntless sword heart outshone theirs!
âSince you want to see it, Iâll do as you request.â
Su Yi no longer hesitated. His clothing fluttered around him as he thrust his finger into the air like a sword.
The gesture was simple, without any flourishes.
However, a streak of sword qi carved through the air with unstoppable momentum, headed straight toward Dongguo Feng.
His simple thrust was practically the same as ever. There was naturally anything profound or mysterious about it.
Ordinarily speaking, sword cultivators would only use a thrust like this when ambushing an opponent. Their aim was to catch their opponent off guard and kill them in a single strike! Like an assassin.
However, Su Yiâs thrust was different. Everyone could see it clearly; it naturally couldnât catch a foe off guard.
It was to the point that the onlookers couldnât help but feel confused. Donât tell me that Su Yi is showing mercy in his third strike?
Only Dongguo Feng knew that Su Yi wasnât showing any mercy at all.
Anyone could have executed this unremarkable, unassuming strike. It was only when one faced the sword force emanating from it that theyâd realize just how terrifying this attack really was.
It seemed to condense Su Yiâs cultivation base, Dao intent, and strength to the limit. Everything had fully fused into this attack, with no unnecessary dissipation of power.
It was as if his heart and mind had been locked onto. More than ever before, Dongguo Feng felt he had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
This level of swordsmanship was indeed on the level of âtransforming trash into treasureâ!
Dongguo Fengâs eyes lit up, as if theyâd been set on fire.
He wasnât afraid of death, so he naturally didnât attempt to dodge.
Hah!
His qi roared like wind and rumbled like thunder. Completely disregarding his injuries, he unleashed the full extent of his cultivation base, making his skin crack and split.
However, he didnât care about that at all.
Su Yiâs sword stirred an incomparably powerful longing in his heart. He wanted to attempt to discern its secrets, even if it meant his life!
âBreak!â Dongguo Feng bellowed, his voice shaking the nine heavens.
Clang!
His blunt sword, Heart Killer, thrust as well.
Its momentum was like a mountain in motion. It bore down on the surrounding skies, throwing them into disarray and making them collapse. His sword light was so powerful that it seemed to split the skies and burn the mountains and rivers.
The onlookers felt a stinging pain in their hearts and minds, and they couldnât bear to open their eyes.
Only the strongest among them could just barely endure that terrifying, dangerous aura and bear witness to this clash.
They watched asâ
Two perfectly straight streaks of sword qi clashed in midair. The surrounding skies exploded on impact, scattering dazzling currents of destruction.
Beneath the onlookersâ astonished gazes, Dongguo Fengâs mountainous sword qi suddenly split apart, inch by inch.
A rapid-fire series of explosions followed, like firecrackers reverberating throughout heaven and earth.
Su Yiâs streak of sword qi struck with unstoppable power, slamming into Dongguo Fengâs Heart Killer.
Clang!!!
The natal weapon that had accompanied Dongguo Feng in battle for years flew from his hands as if struck by a deity.
Its wails shook the heavens.
The fingers holding the sword shattered, and even Dongguo Fengâs wrist broke.
There was no longer anything left to defend him!
This is bad! Everyoneâs heart was on tenterhooks.
The Dongguo Family experts had already soared into the air, ready to rush to his aid.
However, Su Yiâs strike was too overpowering, like an axe through bamboo. Furthermore, it was unbelievably quick. By the time the Dongguo Family experts tried to intervene, it was already too late.
Even now, Dongguo Feng was completely fearless. He showed no sign of shrinking back or retreating.
His eyes sparkled like stars, revealing shock, fascination, and fervor.
He was like a child gazing upon his most beloved toy. That earnest happiness was pure and unadulterated.
Time seemed to slow down.
Numerous thoughts flashed through Dongguo Fengâs head.
He remembered the shock and longing he felt the first time he saw a sword cultivator flying through the sky in battle.
He remembered his eldersâ lectures. They said of all the possible paths of cultivation, none was stronger than the Dao of the Sword.
He remembered all of the trials and tribulations heâd overcome in pursuit of greater heights of swordsmanship.
In the end, these scattered thoughts disappeared in a puff of smoke. Only one scene remainedââ
The image of a child still learning to walk and talk, choosing from a wide selection of items beneath his eldersâ watchful gazes. Those tender little hands took firm hold of a tiny wooden sword.
âI, Dongguo Feng, have spent my life in pursuit of the Dao of the Sword. If I die pursuing the path of swordsmanship, Iâll die without regretâŠâ Dongguo Feng murmured.
He accepted his fate without fear or concern.
However, a moment later, he was stunned.
Su Yiâs streak of sword qi had stopped in midair, and it was hovering three inches from his throat.
The sharpness of Su Yiâs sword intent pricked at the skin of his throat, giving him goosebumps.
Then, beneath his befuddled gaze, the streak of sword qi silently dissipated into nothingness.
When the onlookers saw this, they subconsciously sighed in relief.
Especially the Dongguo Family experts. All of them were drenched in sweat; it looked as if theyâd just been dragged out of the water. Nonetheless, they rejoiced with incomparable delight.
Su Yi hadnât struck a killing blow. Their young master was still alive!
Beneath the dome of heaven.
Dongguo Feng couldnât help but feel stunned. He subconsciously looked up at the distant Su Yi and said, âWhy⊠why didnât you kill me?â
His clothes were in tatters, his hair was a mess, and he was covered in blood. He was a miserable sight, but he nonetheless stood upright, not bending in the slightest.
âI said it earlier,â said Su Yi. âIt wasn't easy for me to find an opponent worthy of my attention. Whether I kill you or not depends on my mood.â
The crowdâs hearts churned with emotion, and they were visibly conflicted.
Many of them couldnât understand the attitude Su Yiâs words conveyed.
After all, Dongguo Feng had invited him to duel with the intent to kill him to avenge his little brother, Dongguo Yun!
This was a life-or-death grudge!
Whoâd have thought that, despite these circumstances, Su Yi would show mercy simply because his opponent was âworthy of his attentionâ?
Dongguo Feng took a deep breath. âIf you donât kill me now, Iâll attempt revenge again later. Arenât you worried?â
Su Yi laughed. âIâm eager to see you grow stronger.â
Was Dongguo Feng his enemy?
He was!
But he was an enemy who wouldnât resort to threatening Wen Xinzhaoâs life or other such despicable, contemptuous behaviors.
Even rarer, he had a fearless Dao Heart. Su Yi quite admired him.
How could he bear to just kill him here?
Dongguo Fengâs expression was a bit conflicted.
Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.
A moment later, he said with staunch conviction, âFellow Daoist, your attainments in the Dao of the Sword are lofty, and theyâre indeed far beyond me. However, even if you spare my life today, I will not relent. Iâll be sure to try and avenge my little brother another day!â
Su Yi nodded. âIâll wait. I hope the day comes that you can force me to draw my sword.â
Dongguo Fengâs pupils constricted, and he nodded silently.
From beginning to end, Su Yi hadnât once used his weapon.
By now, Dongguo Feng naturally understood. It wasnât that Su Yi didnât want to draw his sword, but that his attainments in swordsmanship were far from sufficient to force Su Yi to draw itâŠ
This truth was far too cruel.
If his Dao Heart had been any less solid, this series of shocks would have covered it in dust and left a dark shadow on his heart.
When the crowd heard their conversation, they looked bewildered.
Su Yi hadnât killed Dongguo Feng, but Dongguo Feng would nonetheless come back for revenge.
What was really unbelievable was that Su Yi didnât seem at all concerned about any of that!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
It was then that they heard figures shooting through the air.
When the onlookers looked over, they saw streaks of flowing light in the distant skies. It was a group of cultivators, and they were headed right toward them.
There were seven of them in total, both men and women. All of them emanated monstrous auras, and even the weakest was in the Spiritual Incarnation Realm.
Their leader, a tall, gaunt elder in yellow robes, was terrifying to the extreme.
Before heâd even arrived, his terrifying aura blanketed heaven and earth. Almost without exception, everyone present felt their heart tremble, and their bodies tensed.
This was a peak Spiritual Incarnation Realm cultivator, someone who already had one foot over the threshold of the Spiritual Revolution Realm!
Su Yiâs eyes revealed a hint of surprise.
This yellow-robed elder was different from most peak Spiritual Incarnation Realm cultivators. All he needed was the right opportunity, and he could become a true Spiritual Revolution cultivator with ease.
âThe grand elderâs here!â
Meanwhile, the various Dongguo Family expertsâ spirits soared, and their expressions filled with mad delight.
Yu Jiuzhen and the other Cloudsky Divine Palace cultivators reacted too. They sensed that this wasnât looking good for Su Yi.
The curtains had only just barely set on his duel with Dongguo Feng. Was another wave about to start already?