Lin Hao swung his arm with a fierce shake, his palm slicing through the sky like a meteor in the night, clashing head-on with the sword aura before him.
A loud boom echoed like a thunderclap, and a fierce wind surged in all directions, like waves crashing against the shore.
At this moment, Lin Hao staggered, retreating backward, his internal energy surging, and even his breathing became uneven.
Seeing this, the hooded swordsman's lips curled into a cold smile. "Kid, how many more throwing knives do you have?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Hao quickly steadied his internal energy and replied, "Many."
"Many?" The hooded swordsman grinned. "Your throwing knives were tied to your waist, but now your waist is empty. What other skills do you have?"
Even if the Lin family disciple had no more throwing knives, the hooded swordsman was not afraid. His previous caution was merely to avoid careless injuries, which would be a laughing matter if he returned to report.
At this moment, Lin Hao frowned, speechless, indeed without any more throwing knives.
The hooded swordsman, with a mocking expression, took a step toward Lin Hao.
His martial arts aura was gradually rising, like the might of a dragon or tiger, slowly enveloping Lin Hao, making the young Lin family disciple feel fear and regret.
However, Lin Hao remained calm, his deep eyes showing no ripples, revealing no emotion.
"Boy, are you afraid?" The hooded swordsman's steps were neither fast nor slow; to him, this was merely a game, a game between a cat and a mouse.
Lin Hao did not respond, only staring at the hooded swordsman with a cold gaze.
Just as the distance between the hooded swordsman and Lin Hao was less than six feet, a clear sound rang out, and the green light sword flew out of its scabbard, landing in Lin Hao's hand.
"Let me see how your sword skills are, whether they are as excellent as your throwing knives." The hooded swordsman was not concerned; he was also a swordsman and wanted to see how skilled the young Lin family member was with the sword.
However, as soon as the hooded swordsman finished speaking, his expression became dazed, as if the world around him had suddenly flipped, with golden light flashing around.
"Rogue, kneel down!" A thunderous voice seemed to come from the heavens, like the first sound of creation.
The hooded swordsman's face was filled with shock, his eyes blank, instinctively looking at Lin Hao.
Sigh!
At that moment, the hooded swordsman drew a sharp breath. The young Lin family member had vanished, and in his place stood a supreme immortal, his body floating in the air, ethereal and dreamlike.
"Is... this... the ultimate peak of martial arts..." The hooded swordsman's brows furrowed and relaxed, his forehead veins protruding, his mind struggling, his rationality trying to reject the illusion and pull him back to reality.
...
"How is this possible?" Bai Zhanchen, hiding in the golden light array, saw the hooded swordsman suddenly become blank and dance around, unable to understand.
"A trick." Lin Hao's green light sword turned slightly, slicing directly toward the hooded swordsman, aiming to take his head.
Bai Zhanchen finally remembered the scene at the 'Immortal Food Tower' today, where Lin Hao was skilled in illusions, his abilities profound and mysterious.
Time was pressing, as the true qi on the green light sword was almost depleted, and the effect of the hallucinogenic powder was insufficient. If the hooded swordsman had not relaxed his guard, Lin Hao might not have successfully lured him into the illusion.
The green light sword was merciless, swiftly slicing through the air, its cold light capable of taking a life.
Bai Zhanchen's face was filled with anticipation. If the hooded swordsman was killed, they would leave the Tianrang Mountains unscathed, temporarily escaping this crisis.
**Chasing Wind and Sweeping the Plains!**
Immediately, Lin Hao used the first move of the *Five Chasing Wind Swords* to strike the hooded swordsman, with the force of a storm sweeping across the desert, surpassing the wind's speed.
A swift sound rang out, and the sword shadow and cold light spread through the air.
When the green light sword was less than four feet from the hooded swordsman, a roar like a beast's roar echoed, shaking the surroundings.
At this moment, the hooded swordsman broke free from the illusion, just regaining his senses, and saw the cold light of the Lin family disciple's sword approaching.
This scene made the hooded swordsman pale with shock, and without hesitation, he quickly retreated backward.
**Chasing Wind and Thousand Illusions!**
Lin Hao suddenly changed his sword technique, the sword like a ribbon, making countless strikes, the sword aura like a curtain, illuminating the night.
Under Lin Hao's pressure, the hooded swordsman's expression became flustered, and a cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
The green light sword was too close, and the young Lin family member had used some unknown means to trap him in the illusion, catching him off guard.
Now, if he wanted to counterattack, it was extremely difficult. He could only instinctively retreat, trying to avoid Lin Hao's attack before counterattacking.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Lin Hao's figure moved like a cloud, hard to see with the naked eye, only leaving a trail of afterimages and the sound of the sword slicing through the air.
With a swift movement, Lin Hao struck two more times, blocking the hooded swordsman's retreat, leaving him with no way out.
**Chasing Wind and Surprising Clouds!**
Immediately, Lin Hao quickly used the third move of the *Five Chasing Wind Swords*, a powerful and swift strike.
Swish!
A sword aura fell from the sky, accompanied by the sword's shadow and the sound of the wind.
Seeing no way to retreat, the hooded swordsman was both shocked and terrified, never expecting to be forced to such a corner by a mere fourth-level martial artist.
Lin Hao's sword techniques were not terrifying, but he had been trapped in the illusion, and when he regained his senses, the green light sword was already close. Moreover, for some reason, each time the Lin family disciple's green light sword struck, it made his mind waver.
The green light sword was coated with hallucinogenic powder, which, though insufficient to trap him in the illusion, still had a mind-altering effect.
Once the mind was affected, it was bound to reveal weaknesses. The hooded swordsman was now in such a state, with many vulnerabilities.
Soon, the green light sword fell, accompanied by a thunderous sound. The hooded swordsman tried to raise his sword to defend, but it was too late.
In a flash, the hooded swordsman's body tilted slightly to the right, avoiding the fatal blow, but the green light sword still cut a five-foot-long wound on his chest.
Lin Hao knew it was not good; one strike had not killed him, and it would be extremely difficult to take the hooded swordsman's life now.
After that, Lin Hao's sword momentum reached its limit, aiming to take the hooded swordsman's head in one go.
However, the pain from the sword wound made the hooded swordsman more alert than before. He endured the pain in his upper body and swung his sword to counterattack.
The two swords collided, producing a metallic sound, and sparks flew.
Seeing the situation was not good, Lin Hao immediately withdrew his sword and retreated backward.
At this moment, the hooded swordsman's upper body was already stained red with blood, his face pale, and he breathed heavily, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
Thinking of how he had assassinated third-level gate masters, he was now almost defeated by a fourth-level Lin family disciple, how could he not be angry?
"Good... kid, you are very good!" The hooded swordsman took a black pill from his pocket to temporarily stop the bleeding.
As a killer, such healing medicine was essential, often saving his life in critical moments.
Bai Zhanchen, in the golden light array, shook his head repeatedly. Lin Hao had missed the opportunity to kill the hooded swordsman, and now it would be extremely difficult to take his life.
However, as a fourth-level Lin family disciple, Lin Hao had already exceeded Bai Zhanchen's expectations, even surprising the hooded swordsman.
"Run quickly!" Bai Zhanchen suddenly shouted to Lin Hao.
The hooded swordsman's realm was too high, and the gap between them was too great, not something that martial arts skills could make up for. If the battle continued, Lin Hao would be killed in a few rounds in the Tianrang Mountains.
Without waiting for Bai Zhanchen to say more, Lin Hao knew the situation was not good.
Immediately, Lin Hao turned and fled deep into the Tianrang Mountains.
Seeing this, the hooded swordsman could not let Lin Hao escape. He quickly pursued, but after a few steps, he returned to the golden light array, staring at Bai Zhanchen with a cold smile. "You cunning kid, you want me to chase that Lin family kid so you can escape. No wonder even Lord Bai Zhen is wary of you. I won't let you have your way!"
Bai Zhanchen sneered, "If that's the case, then guard me here."
"You think it's that easy." The hooded swordsman's lips curled, and a small green bell suddenly formed in his palm.
This bell was a treasure he found in the second gate, a precious item that was part of his body.
Seeing this, Bai Zhanchen's face changed slightly.
"I can't break your golden light array for now, but my subordinates have already gone to inform Lord Bai Zhen. Kid, do you think hiding in the array will keep you safe?" The hooded swordsman laughed exaggeratedly, throwing the green bell at Bai Zhanchen.
The green bell sliced through the air, growing rapidly, and soon reached a height of several feet. With a loud boom, it landed, trapping Bai Zhanchen inside.
Then, the hooded swordsman's figure turned into an afterimage, instantly disappearing, chasing after Lin Hao.
By now, Lin Hao had already fled over a kilometer, entering the middle layer of the Tianrang Mountains, where the ghost-faced red lion had been killed a few days ago.
Not long after, Lin Hao's brows furrowed; the hooded swordsman had caught up, and the distance was gradually closing.
If this continued, it would not be long before he was intercepted by the hooded swordsman. With his current strength, it would be very difficult to escape from the hooded swordsman.
The *Cloud Wind Step* was used to itsๆ้, like a cloud gathering and wind that was hard to catch, Lin Hao's figure was light and ethereal, disappearing in the blink of an eye, running deeper into the Tianrang Mountains.
He suppressed his aura to the lowest level, successfully avoiding the noses and ears of some fierce beasts. If he were to be stopped by a fierce beast, it would be extremely dangerous.
...
Roar!
Suddenly, a roar echoed in all directions, shaking the giant trees and making Lin Hao's mind tremble.
Fierce beasts within a radius of several dozen miles fled in panic, including ordinary elite and king-level fierce beasts. Fortunately, there were not too many fierce beasts here, otherwise, a beast tide would have formed.
Lin Hao's body involuntarily trembled, a subconscious fear that he could not control.
Feeling his abnormal state, Lin Hao let out a cold snort, dispelling the fear.
Rumble... Rumble!
The earth rumbled, and soon, a giant spider emerged from deep within the mountains.