Chapter Eleven: It Seems There’s No One Left

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A sneer curled at the corner of Fang Zhenghua’s mouth. He tilted his head slightly and, with an effortless grace, dodged the flying brick.
“I told you, this is too boring,” he said with a hint of disdain in his voice.
His fingers jabbed forward like swords, sharply pointing at Lin Fei as he commanded, “Go!”
The wooden sword hovering in the air seemed to respond to the command, shooting straight toward Lin Fei like an arrow released from a bow.
He did not recklessly close the distance; even though Lin Fei had already thrown a brick, Fang Zhenghua remained vigilant.
After all, who could be certain that this unpredictable opponent wouldn’t suddenly pull out another brick from his sleeve?
...
The wooden sword sped closer and closer to Lin Fei.
Yet Lin Fei never took a single step back. After a brief pause, he suddenly spoke, “Look behind you.”
“What other tricks do you have?” Fang Zhenghua roared in frustration. His mind raced, ready to command the wooden sword to continue its assault, when suddenly—
With a muffled “thud,” the third sound echoed across the arena.
The wooden sword stopped abruptly half an inch from Lin Fei’s forehead, then fell weakly to the ground.
Pain, confusion, and disbelief washed across Fang Zhenghua’s face in a tangled expression.
He slowly turned his head and saw a brick leisurely spinning in the air as if mocking his ignorance.
“How… how could this be?” Fang Zhenghua whispered in disbelief, his eyes rolling back as he lost consciousness and collapsed.
Lin Fei flicked his finger gently, and the brick, as if endowed with a soul, arced through the air and returned precisely to his palm.
“Next,” Lin Fei announced casually, then glanced around. Seeing the shock and hesitation on everyone’s faces, he added, “Looks like there’s no one else.”
...
On the tenth tier of Beiyou Mountain, thirteen pairs of eyes pierced through the mist, watching the contest below.
Representatives from the thirteen peaks had gathered here: gaunt-faced elders, elegant middle-aged women, and sages with ethereal auras.
“Controlling a sword with qi isn’t uncommon, but to control a brick with qi—that’s a first,” Elder Su Yueke of Nanmi Mountain remarked with a faint smile.
Elder Guan Shao of Xiling Mountain snorted coldly and said sternly, “Hmph, this kid obviously has mastered the art of controlling a sword with qi, yet he refuses to walk the orthodox path. He’s just showing off, utterly foolish!”
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Su Yueke’s beautiful eyes flicked toward Guan Shao, retorting with a sly smile, “Sounds like Elder Guan is quite displeased with Fang Zhenghua’s defeat. As we all know, he is your prized disciple of Xiling Mountain. Elder Guan’s words seem a bit biased.”
Guan Shao remained stoic as he calmly responded, “To my knowledge, Nanmi Mountain only recruits female disciples. I wonder why Elder Su is paying special attention to this boy today. Planning to change the rules?”
Su Yueke snorted coolly, her tone firm, “At Nanmi Mountain, we always keep our doors open to any disciple with potential.”
“Alright, alright,” Great Elder Gu Chuanqiong of Beiyou Mountain stepped forward from the crowd. His voice was calm but carried an undeniable authority as he sought to smooth things over. “These young disciples each have their strengths. I believe it’s time to arrange a trip to the Sword Tomb ahead of schedule. What do you all think?”
Gu Chuanqiong’s eyebrows were long and slender like distant mountains, his skin unnaturally fair and smooth as a baby’s—an extraordinary sign of profound cultivation.
The elders remained silent for a moment, then turned their gazes back to the disciples in the square.
The opening of the Sword Tomb was always a major decision jointly made by the four main peaks.
Guan Shao nodded slightly, “No objections.”
Su Yueke also voiced agreement, “No objections.”
Once the three reached consensus, they simultaneously turned their attention aside.
There, a rotund elder resembling the Maitreya Buddha squinted his eyes, gazing into the distance.
The three main peaks could make recommendations, but the final decision rested with the last peak, directly under the sect leader’s command.
The elder of Dongming Mountain, who had remained silent until now, smiled warmly and said, “Agreed.”
...
Lin Fei stepped down from the arena with calm composure, indifferent to the gazes around him that were as if they had seen a monster.
He suddenly stopped and looked up at the towering pavilion that pierced the clouds, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
Just moments ago, a nearly imperceptible murderous aura had surged from the direction of the pavilion, only to vanish without a trace in an instant.
Although the killing intent was deeply concealed, Lin Fei’s keen perception of the subtle shifts in the world allowed him to clearly sense the coldness.
He knew that high-ranking figures from the thirteen peaks must be inside the pavilion, but he did not understand why they bore such deadly intent toward him.
If it was merely because he easily defeated several novice disciples, that reason seemed far-fetched.
Could there be deeper motives hidden behind it all?
Lin Fei withdrew his gaze and looked toward the scorching sun in the sky, his tone tinged with indifference: “Truly boring.”
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...
“You really just used a single brick to knock them all out?” Summer Yi’s clear voice floated in from outside as Lin Fei entered the room.
The young man lounged lazily on a bamboo chair, his tone unconcerned. “Knocked them out, but not killed.”
The little girl’s eyes brimmed with curiosity as she pressed, “The key is that brick! Why did you carry a brick in your arms?”
Lin Fei answered matter-of-factly, “For self-defense.”
Summer Yi tilted her head, her face full of doubt. “Using a brick for self-defense?”
Lin Fei’s expression turned serious. “Exactly. Besides a sword, the most effective self-defense tool in this world is a brick.”
Lin Fei spoke from experience. Many years ago, when his swordsmanship was still in its infancy, he was thoroughly humbled by an unassuming old man wielding a brick.
“Though swordsmanship is exquisite and unparalleled, for self-defense, nothing beats knocking out your opponent with a brick before they can draw their sword!”
That experience left an indelible mark on him. Even as time passed, the memory remained vivid.
Therefore, on his way back from the Sword Sea, he casually picked up a brick from the ground, just in case.
Summer Yi’s eyes rolled around, full of puzzlement. She couldn’t understand why Lin Fei, despite his formidable strength, chose to keep such things hidden.
She had her own reasons to conceal things, but what about Lin Fei?
Seeming to see through her thoughts, Lin Fei said lightly, “Because I want to avoid trouble.”
In a sacred place like the Sword Sect, any outstanding performance would attract countless eyes—and with them, endless trouble. His current situation was especially delicate; he feared nothing more than being entangled in complications.
Suddenly, Summer Yi leapt into his arms, beginning to poke and tug at his clothes.
Lin Fei looked bewildered and asked, “What are you doing?”
Summer Yi’s face was earnest. “I’m afraid of trouble too, so I want to find a brick for self-defense.”