Chapter 27: Sword Spirit

"Your struggle is futile. You cannot escape death in the end!"

The man in black regained his composure and sneered, "Unless you can kill me right now, but the question is, where is your sword?"

Hearing this, Lin Fei’s gaze slowly shifted four meters away to the long sword silently thrust into the ground. It had remained there undisturbed from the very beginning, as if waiting for something.

The man in black followed his gaze, his voice laced with fury: "Are you joking!"

...

The rain gradually softened, tapping against the rocks and trickling into the crevices of the cliffside terrace. As time passed, Lin Fei’s body grew increasingly weak, and the light from the four small swords dimmed. Conversely, the presence of the man in black surged, heavy as a gathering storm, as if he were ready to unleash devastating power at any moment.

Lin Fei looked toward the ancient sword with the red hilt and said in a slightly raspy voice, "Your temper is just like the Wood God's. Back then, even when I was nearly beaten to death, it wouldn't pay me any mind, which is why I like you even more."

"But I still don't understand. It’s damp and gloomy here, and the scenery is nothing to boast about—why do you stay?"

The youth continued, "I’ve heard the world outside is fascinating. Would you like to go out and see it with me?"

The drizzle continued, silently nourishing the earth. The atmosphere in the arena grew suffocatingly dense, as if the very air had frozen.

Lin Fei remained silent, his gaze steadfast and deep. The man in black kept his eyes locked on the long sword, his expression betraying an undisguised nervousness. Fortunately, the sword that would decide the outcome remained motionless in the earth.

Silence reigned. Then, a sharp, mocking laugh erupted from the man in black near the stone wall.

Lin Fei let out a soft sigh and, using his final reserve of strength, slowly stood up. He prepared to use his last trump card—the Ancient Heaven-Earth Sword—to kill the man in black. It was his only remaining option.

Boom!

Suddenly, a violent vortex of spiritual energy swept over, knocking Lin Fei to the ground once more. It turned out that the man in black had successfully broken free from his restraints, tearing himself away from the cliff wall and landing back on the ground.

The long sword in his hand transformed into a streak of cold light, its tip pointed directly at the center of Lin Fei’s forehead. This time, he held nothing back; the strike was sharp, fierce, and unstoppable.

Lin Fei had reached the brink of life and death.

Lin Fei was covered in blood, yet his eyes remained clear and bright. Faced with the incoming flying sword, his expression did not flicker. By his own calculations, the time it would take for his opponent to break free should have been slightly longer.

However, having not fought anyone for many years, his assessment of his opponent’s strength had been slightly off. It was this tiny error that pushed him to the edge of mortality.

"To face the Void-Crossing realm with the strength of a Mortal realm cultivator... it was always going to be a stretch." Lin Fei took a deep breath, then spread his arms, his fists turning into palms. He did not give up; he intended to catch the flying sword with his bare hands!

Seeing this, the man in black sneered, "Seeking your own death!"

As he willed it, the aura of the hurtling sword grew even sharper.

...

There was no sign of resignation on Lin Fei’s face; in fact, he appeared somewhat distracted. At this critical moment of life and death, he had actually stopped looking at the incoming blade.

"I have seen countless swords in my life, but none have given me such a headache as you."

Lin Fei turned his head to look at the stubborn black ancient sword still thrust into the ground. Moonlight bathed the blade, casting a gray luster that complemented the red hilt, exuding a strange, bewitching beauty.

The youth rolled his eyes with a rare, childlike defiance and muttered, "So what if you look a bit good? What’s there to be so proud of?"

"Bang!"

Suddenly, Lin Fei’s hands slammed shut. Like a monk in a temple bowing in prayer, a long sword appeared between his palms. The sword that had been charging in for the kill was easily caught by him!

A powerful gust of wind rushed toward him, blowing the youth's long hair back, while a sharp, jarring screech echoed across the cliffside. The blade vibrated with a low hum, like a dragon trapped on land. Then, blood began to drip slowly from the blade—it was the blood from Lin Fei’s palm, falling onto the ground, drop by drop.

Yes, he had successfully caught a strike from someone at the peak of the Void-Crossing realm. And he had done it with his bare hands.

...

A moment later, a breeze drifted by. The man in black flashed to within two meters of the youth. The refined combat skills and cold-blooded nature of a Void-Crossing expert were fully exposed in that instant. He had witnessed the youth’s nearly impossible maneuver, but beyond his shock, an instinctive fear drove him to end the fight immediately.

He threw a punch, the force of it like a thunderclap. The blow contained all of his spiritual energy; if it landed, his opponent would have no chance of survival.

"Die!" The man in black let out a savage roar like never before, but amidst his furious shouting, a sudden, intense sense of unease surged into his heart.

He seemed to have overlooked a crucial detail.

...

The red glow vanished, and a cold light flashed. The situation had reversed once again!

Both Lin Fei and the man in black caught sight of that sharp gleam. A crisp, piercing sound shattered the tranquility of the cliff terrace. Then... there was nothing left to say.

The fist of the man in black stopped an inch from the bridge of the youth's nose. The long sword in Lin Fei’s hand ceased its struggle, as if it had exhausted its last breath.

The youth gazed quietly at the scene.

The black ancient sword, which had remained silent all along, had finally revealed its edge at the critical moment. It had pierced through the left side of the man in black’s head and emerged from his right temple, bringing with it sprays of blood as brilliant and magnificent as fireworks.

The man in black could no longer speak. His knees hit the ground with a heavy thud. Until the final moment of his life, his eyes remained filled with disbelief.

The night grew deeper, and the moon flickered behind the clouds. On the cliff terrace, there remained only a youth, a corpse, and a flying sword.

The ancient sword circled the air three times, using the rainwater to wash the blood from its blade, before slowly flying back to land in front of the youth. Lin Fei sat cross-legged, tending to his wounds while watching the sword that was usually unremarkable but earth-shaking when unsheathed; his affection for it grew all the more intense.

Lin Fei took the initiative: "Come out. Shall we talk?"

He seemed far more enthusiastic about swords than he was about people.

As soon as he spoke, a faint black light emanated from the blade, and a hazy, ethereal silhouette of a human appeared in the air, its features blurred.

"Jingyun."

The sword spirit gazed at him, her voice ethereal and lonely; she was, unexpectedly, a woman.

Lin Fei was not surprised and replied calmly, "Lin Fei."

"Lin Fei, can you really take me to see the world outside?" the female sword spirit asked earnestly. "I mean the real outside, the entire continent."

Lin Fei looked toward the distant horizon and said softly, "I have traveled the whole world before, but I’ve almost forgotten it by now. So, we can explore it all over again together."

The sword spirit watched him silently for a moment before saying, "I have no objection to acknowledging you as my master, but I have three conditions."

Lin Fei smiled slightly: "Tell me."