127: Mo Mei Chufeng

The next morning, Qin Feng went to the main building of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion branch as usual.

As soon as he stepped into the study, he sensed an unusual atmosphere. Su Yuetang sat in the main seat, her expression carrying a trace of subtle helplessness. Below her sat a handsome young man in fine silk robes, his brow naturally exuding a sense of superiority. He appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, yet his stature was already quite tall, and his Aura was condensed and powerful—he was actually at the Half-Step Martial King realm! Behind the youth stood a grey-robed old man whose Aura was as obscure as an abyss, clearly a Mid-stage Martial King expert; though his eyes seemed cloudy, they were locked onto Qin Feng like a hawk's.

"Qin Feng, you’re here," Su Yuetang spoke, her voice slightly deeper than usual. "This is my son, Bai Kong. Kong'er, this is Deacon Qin, Qin Feng."

Upon hearing this, Bai Kong looked up to size up Qin Feng with a sharp gaze, filled with undisguised scrutiny and a hint of condescension. "So you’re Qin Feng? I’ve heard you’ve made quite a name for yourself in Star South City and West Lake City, and my mother has praised you many times."

His tone shifted, becoming pointedly provocative. "I also heard that you and my mother seem to be quite close?"

"Kong'er! Do not speak such nonsense!" Su Yuetang’s face darkened as she scolded him.

Qin Feng’s brow twitched slightly. Facing this rude questioning, his expression remained calm as he replied indifferently, "Young Master Bai, I share only the relationship of superior and subordinate with Lord Su; it is entirely honorable. You are still young, Young Master; do not believe the rumors of the streets, for they tarnish the Lord’s reputation and make you appear shallow."

"What did you say?" Bai Kong stood up abruptly, his Half-Step Martial King Aura pressing down on Qin Feng like a tide, anger flashing in his eyes. "What a sharp tongue! I wonder if your skills are as impressive as your words? Do you dare to exchange a few Moves with me?"

He held up three fingers and said arrogantly, "Ten Moves! If I win within ten Moves, you will leave West Lake City immediately, never to return, and you are not allowed to see my mother again! If you win, this ten thousand gold Crystal Card is yours!" He casually tossed a Crystal Card onto the table.

"Enough of this nonsense!" Su Yuetang stopped him sharply again, a thin veil of anger on her face.

Qin Feng, however, raised his hand to signal Su Yuetang to be at ease. Looking at the overbearing clan Genius before him, he felt no fear; instead, a thought arose to test the newly acquired ink plum sword and his strength after his recent promotion.

"Since Young Master Bai wishes to spar, I shall naturally accompany him," Qin Feng said, a faint curve appearing at the corner of his mouth. "As for the wager, there is no need. My actions do not require the interference of others. Please."

On the martial arts field, the two stood facing each other.

Su Yuetang stood by the side, her brow furrowed and her heart conflicted. She was annoyed by her son's willful behavior, yet she was also vaguely worried about Qin Feng, and even felt a strange sense of anticipation, wanting to see what level this young man who had repeatedly created miracles had reached. The grey-robed old man remained silently by her side, his Aura locked onto the entire field.

"Watch out!" Bai Kong shouted and was the first to strike. His body moved like a flash of lightning as he pointed his fingers like a sword, sending a searing and sharp Sword Qi straight toward Qin Feng's Jianjing acupoint. This was the Shao Yang Sword Qi, one of the Bai Family's ultimate techniques; it was fast and powerful, clearly showing he had mastered the true inheritance.

However, with the support of his Advanced Sword Heart, Qin Feng's dynamic vision and reaction speed far surpassed those of the same rank. His feet moved slightly with the Wind Spirit Illusion Steps, his body like a breeze brushing against a willow; though it looked dangerous, he avoided the strike with composure. The ink plum sword remained in its sheath, unused.

"First Move," Qin Feng counted calmly.

A flash of surprise crossed Bai Kong's eyes, and his attacks grew more urgent. Palm techniques, finger techniques, and leg techniques followed in rapid succession, his Moves exquisite and his Internal Energy surging like a violent storm, enveloping Qin Feng. He was confident that with his Half-Step Martial King cultivation and Earth Rank Cultivation Technique, taking down a Peak Grand Martial Master should be easy.

Yet, Qin Feng was like a small boat in a storm; though he seemed to sway unsteadily, he always found the gaps in the dense attacks, dodging by a hair's breadth. The Wind Spirit Illusion Steps had already reached the stage of Minor Achievement in his hands, and combined with the extraordinary body control brought by his Advanced Sword Bone, he appeared to handle it with ease. On the rare occasions he was forced to clash, he only used the unsheathed ink plum sword to block; the scabbard collided with the opponent's palms and fingers, producing dull thuds, yet he did not fall into a disadvantage at all.

In the blink of an eye, seven Moves had passed, and Bai Kong had not even managed to touch the corner of Qin Feng's clothes!

By the side of the field, a brilliant light flickered in Su Yuetang's beautiful eyes; she hadn't expected Qin Feng's movement technique to have reached such a level of refinement. A trace of alarm and doubt also flashed in the half-closed eyes of the grey-robed old man.

Bai Kong's face was becoming hard to maintain as his anger rose. Unable to land a hit for so long, he felt he had lost a great deal of face.

"Eighth Move! Let's see how you dodge this! Great Sun Burning Heaven Palm!" he roared, the True Yuan within his body surging frantically. His palms instantly turned crimson, and a searing, overbearing palm force erupted like a small volcanic eruption, carrying an Aura that could incinerate the eight directions as it blasted toward Qin Feng! This was one of his killing Moves, its power already infinitely close to a strike from a Martial King!

Facing this violent strike, Qin Feng's gaze narrowed, knowing he could no longer simply dodge.

"Clang—!"

A clear and resonant sword ring suddenly sounded, like a Dragon's cry reaching the Nine Heavens!

The ink plum sword was finally unsheathed!

The black blade seemed to swallow the surrounding light, with only the dark silver ink plum patterns flowing with a cold luster under the sunlight. A deep, aloof, and incomparably sharp Sword Intent instantly filled the entire martial arts field!

There was no dazzling sword light or complex Moves. Qin Feng simply made a straightforward thrust!

This single thrust, however, contained the understanding of the Dao of the sword from the Advanced Sword Heart, the momentum accumulated from the Wind Spirit Illusion Steps, and the inherent sharpness of the ink plum sword itself!

"Puff—!"

A soft sound followed, like a hot knife cutting through butter.

The violent and searing force of the Great Sun Burning Heaven Palm was actually sliced clean through the middle by this seemingly ordinary sword strike! The condensed palm energy instantly dissipated, and the searing air currents billowed to both sides, blowing dust from the ground into the air.

The tip of the sword precisely struck the Laogong acupoint in the center of Bai Kong's palm, and a bone-chilling Sword Intent pierced through his body, instantly disrupting the flow of his Internal Energy!

Bai Kong let out a muffled groan, feeling his entire arm go numb instantly. The searing palm force recoiled upon him, causing his blood and qi to churn. He stumbled back seven or eight steps before barely managing to steady himself, his face turning from red to white as he looked at the pitch-black longsword in Qin Feng's hand in shock and terror.

The entire field was silent.

On the ninth Move, Qin Feng had used only one sword strike to break his strongest palm technique and force him back!

"A good match," Qin Feng said with a flick of his wrist. He performed a sword flower with the ink plum sword and returned it precisely to its sheath with a crisp click. The entire process was smooth and natural, as if he had just done something insignificant.

Bai Kong stood frozen in place, his face filled with disbelief, shame, and a hint of bewilderment. He... he had actually lost? Lost to someone of a similar age whose cultivation was half a stage lower than his? And he had lost so decisively?

"Impossible!" A strong sense of humiliation made him almost lose his reason. He snapped his head up, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes as the True Yuan in his body became restless again, appearing as if he wanted to fight once more.

"Enough!"

A cold shout rang out like a clap of thunder. Su Yuetang's figure flashed, and she appeared in the middle of the field, blocking the path between Qin Feng and Bai Kong. Her face was covered in frost, and her Mid-stage Martial King Aura was released without reservation. She looked coldly at Bai Kong and the restless grey-robed old man behind him.

"Kong'er! Have you not embarrassed yourself enough?" Su Yuetang's voice carried an unquestionable authority. "A loss is a loss. Do the disciples of the Bai Family not even have the courage to admit defeat? Uncle Fu, take the Young Master back to rest!"

The grey-robed old man known as Uncle Fu felt Su Yuetang's undisguised anger and powerful presence. He hesitated for a moment before finally bowing slightly, stepping forward to support the still-defiant Bai Kong, and whispered, "Young Master, let's go."

Bai Kong stared fixedly at Qin Feng, especially at that ink plum sword, his chest heaving violently. Finally, under Uncle Fu's semi-forceful guidance, he turned and left in a rage.

Only Su Yuetang and Qin Feng remained on the martial arts field.

Su Yuetang turned to look at Qin Feng, who appeared calm as if he had just swatted away a fly. Her gaze was incredibly complex, filled with amazement, relief, and a hint of an indescribable emotion. She said softly, "Are you... alright? I didn't expect you to improve so rapidly. Kong'er, he... sigh."

Qin Feng smiled slightly, stroking the cold scabbard of the ink plum sword. "The Lord overpraises me. It was just luck. I should also thank Young Master Bai for... sparring with me."

Looking at his nonchalant manner, Su Yuetang couldn't help but smile bitterly in her heart. She knew that after this incident, her arrogant son would truly remember the name Qin Feng. And the vague feelings in her own heart seemed to have become clearer because of the startling strength and charisma Qin Feng had displayed.