Zheng!
Lin Xue's sword resounded, marking the start of the final act!
The sword technique Lin Xue practiced was also the Combat Technique of wielding the sword. In fact, the Lin family had been dedicated to researching sword-wielding techniques for generations. Although it wasn't considered first-class in the entire Glory Territory, in the Chenfeng District, the 'Lin Family Sword' was a banner renowned in the area.
Le Yu had just engaged in combat when he fully sensed the insidious and subtle danger hidden in Lin Xue's sword moves. If Gao Jin's sword-wielding combat technique was official, rigid, and grand like the King's Sword, then Lin Xue's was the cunning and strategic sword of a voracious hero!
Beneath the sword light, there was yet another sword light; the sword scabbard seemed to be faintly visible!
Lin Xue's right hand rushed with rapid sword strikes, while her left hand gripping the sword scabbard remained concealed and unmoving, yet it gave Le Yu a tremendous sense of crisis. Six parts of his strength were used for defense, while four were for vigilance! Compared to Gao Jin's unrestrained scabbard sword light, Lin Xue's scabbard was like a gun with the safety off and finger on the trigger, making every cell in one's body tremble with a warning. Yet, this lethal shot was always targeted but never fired!
When is a sword-wielding martial artist most dangerous? It's always when her sword scabbard is powering up!
This was the Lin Family Sword, open and aboveboard yet insidiously unpredictable. Le Yu only knew a little from the memories of Qian Yu flow. Although Qian Yu flow never officially fought with Lin Jinyao, occasional sparring made Qian Yu flow deeply recognize the unique essence of the Lin Family Sword.
Since combat techniques were publicly available national knowledge, schools like sects, which focus on 'technology', naturally could not appear. There were at most martial arts schools or clans, similar to 'traditional cultural protection associations', acting as exchange clubs. After all, everyone knew the best way to learn combat techniques was to test into the military academy, where one could receive the best education for the least cost, rather than randomly find a mentor.
Although traditional mentoring was rare, bloodline inheritance was common. When parents achieved something in combat techniques, they naturally passed it to their children, who then innovated and upgraded, and generation by generation optimized it. Who knows, one day the Royal Academy in Yanjing might take notice, and their family's insights could become the new universally learned technique?
In this world, few martial artists hid their insights. Instead, they endeavored to showcase their achievements at the combat technique exchange conferences held every few years, hoping for the Royal Academy's recognition of their optimized techniques. If selected, they wouldn't only bring glory, being recorded in the combat technique hall of Yanjing forever, but even have the chance to teach at the Royal Academy, which was tangible profit, worth a fierce competition.
As for hiding their insights to let their family shine, that was wishful thinking—if you don't upload your thesis, will others not? Even if none do, the Royal Academy constantly gathered a bunch of martial arts enthusiasts from the populace, who fought daily and studied nightly, always advancing and optimizing their techniques.
If today you hide your insights to make your family's technique slightly stronger by 0.5, by tomorrow the Royal Academy updates and the average level rises by 1.5, turning your insights into worthless paper.
Centuries of policy advancement had engraved the idea of 'daring to innovate and willingly contributing to the nation' into every martial artist's heart, ensuring each family had their own modified combat technique under study. Among these, very few were overall better than the official technique by a little, while more sacrificed weaknesses in one aspect to enhance strengths in another.
This was the case with the Lin Family Sword: the Lin family disciples had to sleep and train with a sword from childhood, using the spiritual growth during youth to nurture both sword and scabbard, devoting most of their attention to the skill of 'Condensing Light Within the Scabbard', and finally master this modified combat technique with immensely powerful scabbard sword light.
Its benefits went unsaid, but the downsides were obvious too, not only increasing the learning threshold and time but most importantly, if the sword and scabbard nurtured from childhood were damaged or broken, all past effort in nurturing the sword would be in vain.
In a sense, this was just a tricky method relying on external objects, thus the Lin Family Sword was limited to the Star Engraving County of Chenfeng District, unable to make it onto the historical stage.
However, though the Lin Family Sword was filled with shortcomings, it would truly be intimidating if Le Yu had to face it — he dared not face its sharpness lightly!
That's right, if Lin Xue didn't have the sword she had nurtured since childhood, Le Yu could slap her senseless with a palm. But the problem was she did—it's like how, although her level was one or two below Le Yu, she had an one-shot burst item as extra gear!
For Le Yu, Lin Xue's scabbard sword light was comparable to a deathly strike. If he were struck, as long as it wasn't a vital part, he wouldn't die, but he certainly couldn't avoid severe injury, hence he fought so cautiously.
Sword-Wielding Technique·Heaven and Earth!
Lin Xue's sword light suddenly split in two, simultaneously attacking Le Yu's upper and lower body. The true sword was hidden within the sword light, making it impossible for Le Yu to instantly discern which side Lin Xue's true sword was targeting.
But it didn't matter!
Biting Combat Technique·Desolate Bite Cosmic Chant!
Le Yu's hands struck the sword light in the form of a Desolate Bite, drawing a large circle. Regardless of which direction Lin Xue's true sword moved, it was bound to be caught within his Cosmic Chant light explosion!
Then—
Hong Tu!
Le Yu suddenly stepped forward, both palms pushing horizontally, as the light burst, seemingly to pursue and decide victory on the spot!
However, at this moment, Le Yu suddenly retreated significantly. The Hong Tu remained, but not for pursuit; instead, it was for defense. Instantly, a blanket of white appeared before him, drastically distorting the surrounding light, causing the onlookers to feel a dimming of the world.
Zheng!
Lin Xue's long sword tore through the light curtain, calmly pointing at Le Yu. The mouth of her sword scabbard emitted a faint golden glow, indicating that the scabbard light was fully charged, ready to be unleashed at any moment!
It didn't fall for it... Le Yu felt a slight sinking in his heart.
All the power of the Lin Family Sword was in the first scabbard sword light. Before it's unleashed, everyone fears it; when it's out, the game ends—if it couldn't win, it surely lost.
As long as Lin Xue expended her sword intent slot to unleash the first scabbard sword light, she would no longer be a threat to Le Yu. However Le Yu wanted her to pose, she would be made to pose—like being pounded.
Thus, Le Yu's recent forward onslaught was meant to make Lin Xue sense significant danger, tricking out her scabbard sword light. It was unexpected that Lin Xue was that composed. If he had truly continued the attack, Lin Xue might have been knocked from one end of the street to the other.
Yin Yinyin believed Le Yu could defeat the Lin Family Avenger, and this judgment was fairly reliable. Not to mention Gao Jin, who was pure cannon fodder; Xia Lingguo was a hidden Qian Yu flow fervent illegitimate fan for many years, one couldn't blame Yin Yinyin. As for Lin Xue, the strongest Avenger on the surface, she posed only one threat to Le Yu.
Even though Le Yu was wounded with severely drained stamina, as long as he remained cautious and steadily played, defeating Lin Xue wasn't difficult. Le Yu was merely testing; if he could truly draw out the scabbard sword light, it would have prematurely ended the feud.
But, was Lin Xue truly a traitor? If not, was Yin Yinyin's traitor hypothesis wrong? And if she was, did she have any backups?
Many thoughts flashed through Le Yu's mind, but ultimately only one remained: to defeat her!
To extinguish Lin Jinyao's disciples' and children's chances of joining White Night!
Lin Jinyao was already dead; there was no need for his disciples and children to follow his path and sacrifice for that worthless White Night—even a mere Qian Yu flow couldn't be defeated, so give up on the ideals of saving the nation. Go home, refine your training more, and stay ready for when you can be of use!
Zheng! Zheng! Zheng!
The Claw Sword clashed, sparking bursts of light that hurt the eyes of those around. Many martial artists observing realized that the Qian Yu flow, previously pushed back by Lin Xue's sword net, suddenly surged, pressing Lin Xue back step by step!
"Has even the Lin Family Sword become a stepping stone for Qian Yu flow…"
"Isn't he afraid of the scabbard sword light?"
"Earlier, when the Thousand Feather Flow failed to deceive the sword light, it is now Lin Xue's turn to avoid using a killing move!"
As long as she doesn't use the sword light, Lin Xue is no match for Le Yu. Just in the purely real explosions, Le Yu's Desolate Bite could easily tear through Lin Xue's sword light. After just a few moves, Lin Xue's situation was already precarious. If not for Le Yu occasionally using feints to dodge, Lin Xue would have been defeated long ago!
'Still not using it? Still doubting my feint? ...Then let's make it real!'
Le Yu brushed aside Lin Xue's approaching sword light, suddenly shuffled sideways, and pushed with both palms, seemingly about to perform the Desolate Bite. Just when everyone thought it was another feint, he firmly imprinted his palm on Lin Xue's chest, force exploding!
Lin Xue was shaken strongly and retreated, her five organs instantly boiling and blood surging. Before she could spit out a mouthful of blood, Le Yu's killing move was already in front of her!
Biting Battle Technique · Desolate Bite!
Le Yu reached for Lin Xue's neck, the light exploded in the air, sound-breaking force following. This grasp could crack stone, split iron, shatter bones, and gold!
If Lin Xue continued to retreat, then Le Yu's long-accumulated left-hand force would push her into the crowd, announcing the victory of this feud ending!
No matter who the traitor is, this will all end!
However—
Lin Xue didn't retreat!
She bit her lip to awaken her mind through pain, steadied herself, and handed the sword sheath to Le Yu!
When Le Yu's hand grabbed Lin Xue's neck, Lin Xue's sword sheath had already reached Le Yu's chest!
A tremor that almost penetrated stimulated Le Yu's scalp to go numb; Lin Xue's sword sheath light was poised to launch, Le Yu couldn't avoid, couldn't block!
However, Lin Xue, your neck is also in my hand!
Yet when Le Yu saw Lin Xue's calm eyes, he realized he had misunderstood from the beginning.
Lin Xue was not the traitor.
Lin Xue was also not relying on promises, confident in defeating the Thousand Feather Flow.
From the outset, she came to find Thousand Feather Flow for mutual destruction.
So when facing Le Yu's probing feints, she neither dodged nor used the sword sheath light.
Until Le Yu went all out, Lin Xue could create a perfect opportunity, leaving Le Yu no escape—though this opportunity required her death as the price.
So, what to do next?
Kill Lin Xue?
Le Yu heavily injured?
Or Le Yu spares Lin Xue, waiting until he's dead to possess Lin Xue, and start a new life as a successful avenging maiden?
In Le Yu's mind, all words converged into a curse:
Lin Jinyao, Thousand Feather Flow, you two should have gone to hell a long time ago and stop letting me clean up your messes!
In a whirlwind move, Le Yu dissipated all the force in his right hand, left hand's Desolate Bite light exploded like a tide, heavily imprinting on Lin Xue's abdomen!
At the same time, Lin Xue's hand holding the sheath suddenly trembled slightly, the light overflowing from the sheath suddenly dissipated. Hit by Le Yu's palm, she dropped her weapon directly and collapsed to the ground with a shout.
It's over.
Lin Xue didn't launch the sword sheath light, Le Yu didn't kill Lin Xue, this feud-ended with the most perfect resolution.
Le Yu exhaled heavily, relaxing his entire body, thinking he should take leave to go for a massage at the Medical Bureau today. He glanced at Lin Xue, who was pale-faced lying on the ground, intending to help her up.
Suddenly, a piercing sword chant exploded, followed by a heart-wrenching roar: "Thousand Feather Flow, don't think of killing my niece!"
Le Yu slapped away the sword light, cursed: "Lin Xue En, get lost!"
Rushing towards Le Yu was Lin Jinyao's brother Lin Xue En, his sword light danced towards Le Yu, with grief he said: "You've won the feud, and the Lin family ancestral home is yours too, why do you want to annihilate!"
"I didn't!"
Lin Xue En's combat level was not even as high as Lin Xue's; trading blows with Le Yu, he quickly grew impatient and directly repelled his long sword, then heavily imprinted with Desolate Bite, intending to force him back!
Yet Lin Xue En did not retreat or dodge at this time, he flicked his long sword into a flower and reversed it towards Le Yu!
Damn it, does your Lin family all love mutual destruction?
But you, with your skills, how dare you make demands?
Le Yu was sure this imprint of his Desolate Bite could knock Lin Xue En several meters away before his long sword could cut it down, thinking since you insist on being shameless, I'll be polite!
At this moment, a heavy chill shot through Le Yu's body.
Intense fear, intense premonition, intense threat polluted every corner inside his body through Le Yu's spirit senses! Every cell protested, demanding he dodge immediately, leave immediately, quick, swift, hurry!
Instantly, Le Yu realized the reason for his fear—
Someone from afar was aiming at him with a sniper rifle!