245: Chapter 245 Battle of the Sixth Rank

Li Yun's expression turned completely grave. He put away all his previous contempt and disdain, his right hand slowly resting on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

The person before him was no ordinary provocateur; this was a genuine Rank 6 Grandmaster. Facing an opponent of the same level, any carelessness was tantamount to suicide.

Clang! The longsword left its scabbard, the blade resembling a pool of autumn water, shimmering with a cold, piercing glint under the setting sun.

Li Yun's Aura changed abruptly, and a peerlessly sharp Sword Intent soared into the sky. He did not hesitate in the slightest, immediately unleashing the Qingyun Sect's signature technique—the Qingyun Wuji Sword.

The sword light was like clouds drifting from a mountain peak, ethereal and agile, yet laden with murderous intent. With a single thrust, the air was torn apart by the blade, emitting a sharp whistle. Where the sword tip pointed, it seemed as if even the Void Realm had been pierced, leaving an invisible hole.

Lin Tian instantly utilized his Cloud Shadow Step, his figure weaving and dodging amidst the sword light, as fast as a phantom. His Perfection-level movement technique was displayed to the fullest at this moment; Li Yun's sword was fast, but he was faster.

Streaks of Sword Qi grazed his robes, slashing into the trees on both sides of the main road. The bowl-thick trunks snapped in response, branches and leaves dancing through the air, yet not a single sword strike managed to actually touch his body.

Lin Tian observed while dodging, gradually gaining confidence. The opponent's swordsmanship was indeed sharp, each strike carrying the unique Mental Energy pressure of a Rank 6 Grandmaster. If this were a 5th Grade Peak Martial Artist, this pressure alone would be enough to slow their movements and dull their reactions.

But Lin Tian was also a Rank 6, his Mental Energy not the least bit weaker than his opponent's. That pressure landed on him like a gentle breeze, stirring up not a single ripple.

More importantly, he had been testing one thing—he wanted to see if Li Yun had cultivated any Rank 6 martial arts.

After entering the Rank 6 Core Formation Realm, a Martial Artist could Cultivate brand-new martial arts related to Mental Energy; those were the true killing moves of a Rank 6 Grandmaster. Mental attacks were formless and intangible, impossible to guard against. If the opponent had mastered such techniques, Lin Tian would have to make other plans.

However, after probing for a dozen moves, although Li Yun's swordsmanship was sharp, there was never any sign of Mental Energy-based attacks. His Mental Energy pressure was merely attached to his Sword Qi, still stuck in the most basic stage of application, far from being a true Rank 6 martial art.

Lin Tian felt relieved. It seemed the opponent didn't know it either. There was nothing to worry about then.

He stopped dodging, his gaze suddenly hardening. The Wanling Seal within his Sea of Consciousness suddenly lit up, and an invisible wave of Mental Energy rippled outwards in all directions.

Deep in the forest, a rustling sound immediately arose, leaves shaking violently, and dark shadows moving about in the grass.

The next instant, countless Vicious Beasts surged out from all directions—wild wolves, black panthers, venomous pythons, and several massive savage bears. Their blood-red eyes flickered with terrifying ferocity in the twilight, and low roars rose one after another, shaking the ground slightly.

"Not good!" The faces of the several Qingyun Sect Disciples turned pale instantly. Although they were all 5th-Grade Martial Artists, the number of these Vicious Beasts was simply too great; the stench rushing towards them alone made their scalps tingle.

Li Yun's expression turned cold, but there was little fear in his eyes. He swept his longsword horizontally, and a sharp Sword Qi slashed out in a fan shape. The wild wolves charging at the front were sliced in half, blood and entrails splattering the ground.

The Junior Brothers behind him also drew their weapons, forming a defensive formation back-to-back. However, the number of Vicious Beasts was just too high; just as they cut down one batch, another surged out from the depths of the forest, seemingly endless.

Lin Tian stood behind the herd, manipulating the Wanling Seal with a blank expression. Back on the Demon Sect battlefield, he could control dozens of Vicious Beasts when he was only 4th or 5th Grade. Now that he had entered the 6th Grade, his Mental Energy was several times stronger than before, and the number of Vicious Beasts he could control had multiplied many times over. While these Vicious Beasts couldn't harm a Rank 6 Grandmaster like Li Yun, they were more than enough to pin him down and create openings.

Li Yun was surrounded by the herd, his sword light flying like a Dragon; every strike killed several Vicious Beasts. Those Vicious Beasts that charged within three feet of him were shredded into meat by the Sword Qi, their corpses piling up into a small hill at his feet.

He sneered, his sword momentum becoming increasingly sharp, and within moments, over a hundred Vicious Beasts had died under his blade.

"Is this all you've got?" Li Yun snorted coldly, flicking his longsword to send a pouncing black panther flying. He was just about to say a few more harsh words, but at that very moment—when his old strength was spent and new strength had yet to arise—Lin Tian moved.

Pushing his Perfection-level Cloud Shadow Step to the limit, Lin Tian's figure became like a black bolt of lightning, passing through layers of the beast herd and appearing instantly at Li Yun's side.

Li Yun's pupils contracted sharply. He wanted to pull his sword back to block, but his sword was still poised in mid-air, too late to retract. He could only hastily raise his left palm, concentrating all his cultivation power into his palm, attempting to take the strike head-on.

The two palms collided with a boom in mid-air. This time, there was no even match; Lin Tian had unleashed this palm strike with full momentum and his full strength.

The Perfection-level palm force of the Great Strength Vajra Palm poured out like a flash flood. Li Yun felt a force like a mountain collapsing and the sea overturning surge from his palm, and his entire arm instantly lost sensation.

He let out a muffled groan, the webbing between his thumb and index finger splitting open, and his longsword flew from his hand, spinning in the air several times before embedding itself in the ground several yards away. He was sent flying backwards like a kite with a broken string, slamming hard into a large tree. The bowl-thick trunk snapped in half from the impact, and his body rolled on the ground twice more before coming to a stop. He spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground, his face instantly turning as pale as paper.

"Senior Brother Li!" His two companions' expressions changed drastically. Ignoring the Vicious Beasts around them, they rushed desperately towards Li Yun. It was over; Senior Brother Li was injured. If a Rank 6 Grandmaster was injured, wouldn't the rest of them be at the mercy of others?

Li Yun struggled to prop himself up, clutching his chest, a trail of blood still hanging from the corner of his mouth. He stared fixedly at Lin Tian, and for the first time, fear—and even a trace of despair—appeared in his eyes.

Li Yun had entered the 6th Grade at the age of thirty and was full of ambition. He had thought this diplomatic mission to the Qixia Sect would be the beginning of his rise to fame, but he never expected that before the day of the competition even arrived, he would die anonymously in this desolate wilderness.

He gritted his teeth and roared in a hoarse voice, "You dare touch me? I am a member of the Qingyun Sect!"

Lin Tian glanced at him coldly. His goal had been achieved; Li Yun had suffered internal injuries and would not be able to recover without ten days to half a month, meaning he naturally wouldn't be able to compete in the challenge match.

He didn't want to take things too far. After all, the opponent was a direct Disciple of the Qingyun Sect. If he really killed him, the Qingyun Sect would certainly not let it go, and if they investigated, it would lead to endless trouble.

"Go." Lin Tian gave a low shout. The light of the Wanling Seal dimmed in his Sea of Consciousness, and the Vicious Beasts retreated like a receding tide, vanishing into the depths of the forest in an instant, leaving behind only corpses and wreckage scattered everywhere.

Lin Tian himself turned and left, utilizing his Cloud Shadow Step, and within a few breaths, he had disappeared into the twilight.

Li Yun slumped on the ground, panting heavily. Looking in the direction where Lin Tian had disappeared, a flash of relief crossed his eyes. The opponent had been scared off by his Qingyun Sect background.

Fortunately, he was a member of the Qingyun Sect. If this had been an unknown Loose Cultivator, his life would likely have been forfeit here today.

His two companions scrambled to help him up, one retrieving his longsword and the other supporting his arm. The three of them dared not linger and stumbled towards the direction of the Qixia Sect.

In the distance, atop the crown of a towering tree, Lin Tian stood with his hands behind his back. The night wind whipped his robes, making them snap loudly. He watched the figures of Li Yun and the other two as they stumbled and disappeared at the end of the mountain road, his eyes flickering as he calculated silently in his heart.

Li Yun had taken this palm strike, and his internal organs were shaken; it would be impossible for him to recover in less than ten days or half a month.

The challenge match was right around the corner. When the time came, he would certainly be unable to compete, and the Qingyun Sect would either have to replace him at the last minute or directly forfeit.

Regardless, the trouble of exposing his cultivation in front of the crowds in the Arena had been avoided.