Chapter 40: Targeting

The Imperial Sky Boat sailed slowly across the horizon of West Ridge Mountain, its pace seemingly more leisurely than before, as if savoring the tranquility of the journey.

Feng Ning’s figure appeared abruptly above the Star Punishment Hall like a phantom. His gaze was profound, revealing emotions that were difficult to decipher.

Mu Qi stood to one side, his voice laced with a chill: "How utterly arrogant. Do you truly believe there is no one at West Ridge Mountain who can stop you?"

Feng Qian stood silently before the door of the Law Enforcement Hall, witnessing the scene yet remaining mute.

Fang Zhenghua stepped out from a nearby house; his face was pale, as if he were enduring some form of suffering, but he did not speak.

Although the spirit boat slowed its pace, no one stepped forward to obstruct it, and it eventually vanished into the sky. The crowd had craned their necks in anticipation of a fierce collision, but in the end, there was only disappointment.

Time slipped away quietly. Half an hour later, the small boat continued its journey, gliding over the peaks of South Mi Mountain and North You Mountain, drawing the gaze of many disciples. Finally, the spirit boat bypassed the entire Sword Sect and arrived at the secluded Green Wing Peak.

The boat descended slowly to the ground, and Lin Fei stood up to walk toward the summit. Since joining East Ming Mountain, he had rarely made an appearance.

The female disciples of Green Wing Peak felt a jolt of admiration upon seeing the young man, mistakenly assuming he was an expert from one of the four main peaks. The male disciples were struck by the cold, indifferent aura he exuded, and none dared to block his path.

Lin Fei arrived at a bamboo grove on the side of the peak. Deep within, there stood a simple shack from which the sound of violent coughing occasionally echoed.

Inside, a woman lay on the bed with a haggard expression; her face was pale, and her lips were cracked. Feeling thirsty, she tried to stand, but she was so weak that she swayed and nearly collapsed. Qin Qianqian closed her eyes in resignation, her strength spent, and let her body fall.

However, she did not feel the impact she expected. She landed in a warm embrace.

In the stillness of the bamboo shack, Qin Qianqian sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze passing through the window frame to stare at the back of the young man as he departed. A look of bewilderment remained on her face, as if her mind were still caught in the shock of that moment.

The ancient sword Linglong, once forgotten in the corner of the bed, now hovered beside her. The light emanating from the blade was more brilliant than ever, as if it had been reawakened to life. After consuming the cyan pill the boy had given her, her body felt as if withered wood had encountered spring; long-lost spiritual energy surged into her like a tide, filling every spiritual meridian, and her cultivation seemed to have ascended to a new level.

That young man—even after two years of absence, his words remained concise and potent. Only three sentences, yet they struck her heart like heavy hammers:

"This has nothing to do with you; there is no need to blame yourself."

"In the final analysis, this matter began because of me. I only know how to fight, so I will seek justice for you."

"If such a thing happens again, you may come to find me."

...

Lin Fei stood on the winding mountain path, not rushing to leave. Instead, he looked up toward the summit, his gaze deep and resolute. He stared for a long time; others could not know what he was looking for, seeing only that his eyes were as sharp as blades.

At the summit, a middle-aged man in blue robes felt this gaze. He lowered his head slightly and looked back. Although they were separated by layers of clouds and mist, their gazes seemed to pierce through everything, meeting one another.

"Ning Baitao?"

Lin Fei’s face betrayed no emotion. He spoke calmly: "Do not be impatient. Next time we meet, I will beat you from the top of the mountain to the bottom."

Though his voice was soft, it carried an unquestionable power. He knew the other could hear every word clearly.

Immediately following, a gale seemed to sweep across the cloud-covered peak. The once-serene air suddenly turned violent, and sword energy surged like a tide, filling the sky.

Lin Fei, however, acted as if he had noticed nothing. He turned and walked away with a steady, composed gait.

Since his appearance, he had maintained an otherworldly calm. Whether it was visiting the three main peaks, coming to Green Wing Peak to check on Qin Qianqian, or sensing the contempt and disdain in his opponent's sword intent, Lin Fei had said little and done little.

Because he had said he was only out to take a look, he really was only there to look. But no one knew what actions he might take after having seen.

He walked down the mountain, where the disciples of Green Wing Peak were heatedly discussing the upcoming Sword Trial Assembly—a rare and grand event within the Sword Sect. The focus of the discussion was mostly on the profound cultivation of the second-generation disciples, and the names mentioned most frequently were undoubtedly Lu Shui-li of South Mi Mountain and Feng Ning of West Ridge Mountain.

"Excuse me, do you know how many days are left until the Sword Trial Assembly?"

Lin Fei suddenly stopped and asked a young woman at the foot of the mountain who was discussing the event with her companions. The woman was initially displeased at being interrupted, but when she turned to see Lin Fei’s face, a blush spread across her cheeks for no apparent reason, and her voice became much softer.

"Reporting to Senior Brother, there are seven days left."

"Thank you," Lin Fei responded briefly before continuing on his way.

Until Lin Fei’s figure vanished completely at the foot of the mountain, the woman still stared blankly in the direction he had gone, thinking to herself: "His demeanor is truly extraordinary, and his features are so handsome. Could he be the legendary Senior Brother Feng Ning?"

The small boat rose into the air once more, drifting freely like a leaf on an endless sea. Lin Fei basked in the warm sunlight, yet in his heart, he found the entire story insipid.

From the destruction of Qin Qianqian’s ancient sword to the series of events that followed, it was nothing more than a meticulously crafted conspiracy. The masterminds behind this were, in part, those Green Wing Peak disciples who destroyed the sword, along with their peak master, Ning Baitao.

After all, no peak master would sit idly by and watch the weapon of a disciple—who had just been recognized by a sword spirit—be destroyed by their own peers. Likewise, without receiving some form of directive, those disciples would never have dared to openly destroy a sword that possessed a spirit. Unless they had received some promise or explicit instruction beforehand.

And who, besides the four main peaks, would be qualified to negotiate with the Master of Green Wing Peak? Thinking deeper, among the four main peaks, the only ones with a grudge against him were the disciples of West Ridge Mountain. Their goal was nothing more than to force him to participate in the upcoming Sword Trial Assembly to recover their so-called face.

Mu Qi’s face, that countenance always shadowed with gloom, appeared in Lin Fei’s mind. He then recalled Qin Qianqian’s pallid complexion and frail body, as well as Mu Qi’s signature green robes, and a hint of displeasure stirred within him.

"Seven days should be enough," he whispered to himself, his voice carrying a trace of resolve.

Suddenly, Lin Fei stood slowly on the spirit boat. His body stood erect like a statue, arms outstretched as if to embrace the entire world. He opened his mouth and took a deep breath.

At that very moment, the white clouds in the sky seemed to be torn apart by some invisible force. The spiritual energy within a radius of thousands of miles rushed toward him frantically, as if called upon by a commander.

It was a spectacle akin to an ocean swallowing a giant whale—breathtaking and beyond belief. In that instant, Lin Fei’s body transformed into a bottomless black hole, greedily devouring all the spiritual energy in his surroundings.