Chapter 961: Swordplay

On the temporary dueling stage, a burly man wielding a massive tiger-headed saber was locked in a fierce battle with Mu Liufeng. Neither could gain the upper hand.

Several months had passed since the Five Courts' Sword Team Grand Competition. During that time, Mu Liufeng had clearly trained hard. His control over the Demonic Heart Flame had become far more fluid and precise.

However, his opponent was no less formidable. Even after Mu Liufeng had summoned his abnormal flame, he still failed to seize the advantage. The man before him was clearly a ruthless foe.

"Liufeng! Don't give that bastard a chance to fight back. Damn it, he had the nerve to call our sword team trash? Kill him!"

Lu Qingshan roared from the crowd. They were members of the Central Court's Sword Team from Tianwei Academy. Although they were no longer within the academy's walls, they still carried the pride of its name.

Beside him, Li Yunting looked on with a grim expression. Mu Liufeng had improved tremendously, but his opponent, a saber-wielder from Zhenlong Academy, was an elusive and dangerous sword user. Even Li Yunting had lost to that man. Only then had Mu Liufeng stepped forward.

"Things don't look good," Ling Feng said softly as he walked into the crowd and glanced up at the duel. He gave a slight shake of his head.

"You mother—"

Lu Qingshan had just heard those words and was about to explode in fury, eager to see which idiot dared curse their team so openly. But when he turned and saw who had spoken, the curses caught in his throat.

It was Ling Feng.

The one who had just insulted them was Ling Feng himself!

Not only him, but Li Bufan, Jiang Xiaofan, Mu Qianxue, and two elegant young women had arrived as well. All of them were members of the Tianfeng Sword Team.

That lineup...

"

Ahem

..."

Lu Qingshan nearly choked on his own breath. Even if he had three lives, he wouldn't dare yell at Ling Feng.

This was the man who had slapped a royal prince in the face!

"Brother Ling, Brother Li, Brother Xiaofan...

Haha,

what brings all of you here?"

Li Yunting was genuinely surprised to see them appear at Tianmang Fortress. Everyone knew the Gu family army was one of the Northwestern Army's main forces. More importantly, Ascendant Eagle General Deng, who had long looked after Ling Feng, also came from the Northwestern Army.

Logically, if Ling Feng were to join the military, he should have joined the Northwestern Army.

"If you can join the Southern Army, why can't I?" Ling Feng chuckled, brushing the topic aside. He turned back to the fight and gave another small shake of his head. "Ten moves. Brother Mu is going to lose."

"

Uh...

" Li Yunting didn't doubt Ling Feng's judgment. He let out a quiet sigh.

They had been top figures at Tianwei Academy, yet now that they had joined the army, they realized just how vast the world truly was.

"Who is that man?" Li Bufan motioned toward the stage, sounding intrigued. The saber-wielder's strength had stirred his fighting spirit.

"His name is Shen Yidao, a student from Zhenlong Academy. He's even stronger than Mo Wufeng, the captain of their sword team," Li Yunting replied, his voice grave.

"He favors the saber[1], so perhaps he never bothered joining the sword team," Li Bufan said as he pressed his sheathed sword to his chest and stepped forward. His meaning was obvious: Shen Yidao was his prey now!

Ten moves passed in a flash.

Shen Yidao suddenly unleashed a blade strike head-on. Mu Liufeng's Demonic Heart Flame was instantly dispersed. A surge of violent saber energy crashed down, sending Mu Liufeng flying back over a hundred steps.

Just as Ling Feng had said, he had not lasted ten moves!

"

Hehe...

What a worthless sword team! This is the best Tianwei Academy has to offer? You're not even fit to carry my boots!" Shen Yidao let out a wild laugh. He scanned the crowd with a smug gaze. "Who else wants some?"

"Care for a few exchanges with me?"

The next moment, Li Bufan soared through the air and landed ten steps away from Shen Yidao. His eyes glinted coldly. "Seems your intel is outdated. The strongest sword team at Tianwei Academy is the Tianfeng Sword Team."

"Another 'strongest sword team?' You clowns really love slapping fancy names on yourselves. Too bad none of you can actually fight." Shen Yidao sneered as he brushed his hand along his blade. "Fine, if you're itching for a beating, I'll gladly break a few of your bones."

"Brother Li, be careful. This guy

—urk!

"

Mu Liufeng clutched his chest and coughed up blood. Shen Yidao's saber energy was too fierce. Once he closed in, his strikes could come from any angle and were nearly impossible to guard against.

Ling Feng stepped forward and pressed his hand on Mu Liufeng's shoulder. His fingers tapped swiftly along his back, guiding his inner breath into order.

"Don't worry," he said calmly.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Thank you," Mu Liufeng replied, turning back to look at Ling Feng. Gratitude filled his eyes, and a sense of peace settled in his heart.

Even if Li Bufan lost, Ling Feng was still here, and that was enough.

"Die! Gale Edge—Slash!"

Shen Yidao let out a furious roar and charged forward like a wild bull, bringing an overwhelming wave of aura down upon Li Bufan.

Clang!

A single note of sword-song echoed.

Everyone saw a flash of cold light.

Draw!

Strike!

Sheathe!

Three motions, flawless, fluid, and instantaneous.

Then came a dull thud.

Shen Yidao's body collapsed heavily onto the stage. If one looked closely, they would see a small red stain slowly spreading across his chest where the tip of Li Bufan's sword had sliced through. The wound was thin as a willow leaf, barely visible.

That strike had been clean, sharp, and beautiful!

Everyone stared, wide-eyed.

Just moments ago, Shen Yidao had been strutting arrogantly. Now he lay defeated by a single draw of the sword!

Even Ling Feng looked mildly surprised.

It seemed that in the past few months, Li Bufan's progress had been nothing short of terrifying. Compared to when he had fought the Royal Sword Team, his strength had at least tripled.

Mu Liufeng, Li Yunting, and the others all felt a bitter twinge in their hearts. They had already lost to the Tianfeng Sword Team once. Now the gap between them had only grown wider, so wide it was hard to even see the other side.

"Not even worth a strike."

Li Bufan shook his head and walked off the stage.

On the platform, Shen Yidao writhed for a long while before finally managing to rise. He stared at Li Bufan's back, his entire body trembling. His eyes were filled with anger and unwillingness, but in the end, it all gave way to despair.

The difference was too great!

Even if he had prepared thoroughly, guarded every angle, and fought with all his might, that one sword strike would still have ended him. If it had pierced just a few inches deeper, his life would already be over.

"Interesting!"

In the ranks of Zhenlong Academy, a young man in green robes gently rolled a few black and white chess pieces between his fingers. A faint smile played on his lips.

He leapt up onto the stage and called out toward Li Bufan's retreating figure.

"Sir, please wait. Would you be willing to exchange a few moves with me?"

1. Saber (刀 dāo) = Single-edged, curved or straight blade. One sharp side. Often heavier, used with force. Fighting style: wide arcs, slashes, brute strength

Sword (剑 jiàn) = Double-edged, straight blade. Often used with finesse and speed. Fighting style: thrusts, ripostes, smooth movements ☜