Chapter 1141: Chapter 1139 Who is the hunter?_1
"Can Liu Ruofei execute a double hit with one sword?"
Someone asked the Five Hearts Divine Monarch.
The Five Hearts Divine Monarch said, "It depends on the situation. If it’s a common technique, it shouldn’t be difficult for Liu Ruofei, but if it’s a killing move, then it would be challenging. A killing move consumes too much spirit, energy, and mind; not to mention Liu Ruofei, I see no one who could achieve it."
What is a killing move? It is a move that concentrates all power to annihilate the opponent, advancing without retreat, leaving no way out. And a double hit with one sword, in principle, is counterproductive to that, of course unworkable.
"There’s still power leaking out."
The crowd didn’t realize that Shi Xiaole, who had executed the double hit with one sword, was unsatisfied with himself.
Others couldn’t sense it, but he was acutely aware that his sword strike was not perfect; some power had leaked out, albeit so minuscule it could be disregarded.
If he were to use a killing move, even more power would leak, of course. But this ’more’ is only relative to Shi Xiaole’s standards, not those of anyone else.
Any technique can only progress further on the foundation of perfection. In this regard, Shi Xiaole, who pursued the ultimate in martial arts, had already developed even greater ambition.
He wanted to break through, he longed to see what heights his skills could reach, what the view would be like from there.
"Kid, you dare ambush me!"
The Extreme Slaughter Blade Demon’s expression was ferocious, mixed with a hint of disbelief.
Completely ignoring the bleeding wound and the Sword Qi surging into his body, he had mustered all his strength to unleash the ’Destroying Saint Blood Transformation Kill’ for the third time just as the Cleansing Evil Sword had pierced him.
If you dare to spoil my plan, then die! As for his own injuries, the Extreme Slaughter Blade Demon knew well that he would only have the chance for treatment if he fled.
But the Extreme Slaughter Blade Demon clearly underestimated Shi Xiaole’s reflexes. As soon as he started to marshal his Vigorous Air, Shi Xiaole had already retreated rapidly with the Cleansing Evil Sword. Arrival was swift, departure swift; all in less than one-thousandth the blink of an eye.
By the time the explosion sounded, layers of sword light surrounded Shi Xiaole, subsequently shattering, but their potent force was instead utilized by Shi Xiaole to aid his retreat even further and faster.
"You should die..."
The Extreme Slaughter Blade Demon was so angered that his eyes bulged out, but he had no time for calculations as he once again changed direction, breaking out at high speed.
"The universe in day and night!"
"Ultimate Killing Sword!"
The palm imprint and Sword Qi blocked his path, left and right. The Extreme Slaughter Blade Demon, having used three secret techniques in succession, was immediately beaten to a bloody pulp. And it wasn’t over yet; Shi Xiaole, having returned, thrust his sword once more toward his throat.
Block!
The Extreme Slaughter Blade Demon barely blocked the sword strike, a flash of cold light, and the next sword pierced his throat.
A double hit with one sword.
Simultaneously, Liu Ruofei and Ling Fu’s attacks hit the Extreme Slaughter Blade Demon just right, breaking his body and blasting it to ashes on the spot.
A peerless master, only a step away from becoming the Forbidden Martial Emperor, had fallen.
"Who are you, sir?"
Sheathing his sword, Liu Ruofei regarded Shi Xiaole seriously.
The South Sea’s ten proud sons, unparalleled in all directions.
Given Liu Ruofei’s temperament, it was rare for him to take the initiative to inquire about someone, especially a peer. But Shi Xiaole was different; from him, Liu Ruofei felt an aura akin to his own, forcing him to take notice.
"I am Shi Xiaole."
The Cleansing Evil Sword already sheathed, Shi Xiaole landed back on the deck and answered.
"Shi Xiaole?"
This name, when contrasted with the man’s aura in front of him, was completely at odds. It caused Liu Ruofei to pause, but undeniably, it was precisely this stark contrast that left a profoundly deep impression on him.
"Your swordsmanship is excellent. If you ever enter the realm of Fate, we can have a match."
Liu Ruofei was not prepared to take action right then and there.
It wasn’t that he was afraid. Setting aside Shi Xiaole, even the ten long-standing prodigies of the South Sea had never actually crossed hands.
Everyone was accumulating an unbeatable momentum, preparing for the true contest ahead. Only by defeating an opponent at their peak, could one achieve the position of unrivaled strength.
This included the six great masters of the Fake Sky Origin Realm, who had also come this far in their respective eras.
"Anytime."
Sensing the battle intent emanating from Liu Ruofei, Shi Xiaole felt a rare surge of excitement.
How long had it been since he had experienced this kind of fervor? It wasn’t that he lacked emotion, but rather no one was worthy.
In the East Victory continent, Shi Xiaole had already stood at the pinnacle among his peers, overlooking all. Perhaps to outsiders, he appeared formidable, but to Shi Xiaole himself, there was often a sense of cold solitude at the top.
For someone as obsessed with martial arts as him, lacking an opponent was one of the most painful things in the world. On the other hand, it also significantly reduced the pressure on him.
A Shi Xiaole with an opponent and a Shi Xiaole without one; the energies they emitted were drastically different.
Liu Ruofei was the first opponent in many years to make Shi Xiaole feel threatened.
Never mind that Liu Ruofei didn’t avoid the Extreme Slaughter Blade Demon’s ’Destroying Saint Blood Transformation Kill’ while Shi Xiaole did. Everyone was clear that the Extreme Slaughter Blade Demon, when facing Shi Xiaole, was already at the end of his strength, and his killing move was far less powerful than before.
If they really fought, Shi Xiaole would at most be evenly matched with the Extreme Slaughter Blade Demon.
"Interesting."
Liu Ruofei’s lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible, dangerous smile. In Shi Xiaole’s eyes, he saw the fiery intensity of a waking tiger. Did he consider himself the prey?
Just wait. One day, I’ll show you who the hunter is and who the prey is.
With a light tap of his toes, Liu Ruofei skimmed away into the distance and soon disappeared from view.
"Younger brother, that person is Liu Ruofei, one of the Ten Pride of the South Sea. He is seventy-three this year, acclaimed as the number one swordsman genius of the Martial World of the South Sea. Be careful if you encounter him in the future."
Ling Zixin stepped out of the room, filled with pride yet tinged with nervousness and apprehension.
The standoff between the two great swordsmen just now seemed to her like a fateful collision. There can’t be two tigers on one mountain; the Martial World will always have only one top swordsman.
In the future, will Liu Ruofei step over Shi Xiaole to advance, or will Shi Xiaole trample over Liu Ruofei to make a name for himself in the South Sea?
"The South Sea is truly full of outstanding people and spirit. It was right to come here."
Shi Xiaole offered a faint smile, his indifferent demeanor making Ling Zixin feel a bit annoyed, but then she thought that perhaps it was precisely this fearless attitude that had brought her younger brother to where he was now.
The Ten Pride of the South Sea must feel the same.
"What a character, Shi Xiaole. Believe me, it won’t be long before he becomes the eleventh pride of the South Sea. Hahaha, with the Ten Pride’s momentum like a rainbow, and without even fighting each other, the addition of one more makes our South Sea even livelier."
By the seashore, the Five Hearts Divine Monarch left a trail of laughter as he strode away.
His words stayed in the minds of everyone present, and the name Shi Xiaole, through the mouths of these spectators, appeared in the Martial World of the South Sea for the first time.
"Senior, how did you know that the person just now was an Outer Heaven Demon?"
Ignoring the others, as soon as Ling Fu came over, Shi Xiaole immediately asked the question that was on his mind. The former had recognized the identity of the Extreme Slaughter Blade Demon just by sight.
Ling Fu smiled and said, "Young Master, it was the blood light on the body of the Extreme Slaughter Blade Demon! The wise predecessors of our South Sea, in order to eradicate the Outer Heaven Demons, have laid down numerous Array Systems over the past hundred thousand years, ultimately combining them into the Great Array of Bright that envelops the South Sea a hundred years ago."
"Any Outer Heaven Demon bloodline, once they exercise their powers, will emit a blood light from their body, which cannot be hidden."
Shi Xiaole was greatly shaken by this revelation.
Impressed by the grand undertaking of the Martial World of the South Sea, he also pondered the anomaly in himself. He was an outsider too, so why was there no blood light?
A flaw in the Great Array of Bright? That seemed unlikely.
So what was the reason?
The others, unaware of Shi Xiaole’s thoughts and seeing his silence, thought he was amazed by the scale of the Great Array of Bright and all showed smiling faces. They had felt the same when they first received the news.
...
The South Sea continent was not smaller than the East Victory continent; however, the number of forces in the Martial World and the number of masters was much greater. Moreover, the rulers of the South Sea continent were not imperial courts but the numerous powers of the Martial World.
They divided territories according to strength, each having its own dominion, while many small kingdoms provided governance at the surface, leading to different norms, incomplete legal systems, and frequent bloody incidents.
Compared to the East Victory continent, the people of the South Sea were fiercer, with almost everyone valuing martial arts.
The Ling Family, as one of the ten major families and a top force ranked within the top twenty in the South Sea, was entrenched in the Ling Domain in the eastern part of the South Sea continent. That’s right, this domain was named directly after the Ling Family.
Ling Domain.
Lingtian City.
This city was the center of the Ling Domain. The city walls were hundreds of meters high, shrouded with layers of Array Systems of the Sky Origin Realm that outsiders could not see through. Not to mention the Forbidden Martial Emperor, even high-level practitioners of the Fake Sky Origin Realm would find it difficult to break through with brute force.
This was because they were relics left by ancestors of ancient times, far more profound than what exists today.
Lingtian City was grand and massive, but with a population of only a few million. All the residents were direct descendants, collateral relatives, and servants of the Ling Family. The city had all kinds of facilities: shops, restaurants, and businesses were ever-present.
In the center of Lingtian City, there stood an enormous and luxurious mansion, which was the residence of the direct line of the Ling Family, the Lingtian Mansion.
Out of place with the grandeur of Lingtian Mansion was a desolate peach garden. Perhaps because it was seldom visited, the pathways of the peach garden were almost covered by weeds, and the surrounding stone walls were overgrown with moss.
A small tower with mottled walls loomed faintly in the misty, rainy depths of the peach garden.
"Cough cough..."
Violent coughing erupted from the dim candlelight on the second floor of the small tower, drowned out by the sound of the rain.
"Patriarch, why are you up again? Your injury has not healed; please lie down quickly."
A robust old man anxiously supported an elderly man who was propped up halfway from the bed, who looked haggard and withered.
The elderly man coughed incessantly, and it took him a long while to ask, gasping for breath, "What day is it? In her letter, Xinyi girl said she would return soon and that she had found Yu Ji’s son. Why hasn’t he arrived yet?"
Ling Hu wryly smiled, "Patriarch, the journey from the East Victory continent to the South Sea is not short. Miss Zixin’s letter arrived half a month ago. I believe they will be back soon."
"I wonder if her son resembles her or her husband. Zixin girl mentioned that the boy’s talents are quite exceptional. Hahaha..."
Ling Wenlong’s wrinkle-covered face reddened, and he coughed again, this time even coughing up blood.
Ling Hu hurriedly exerted his power to help Ling Wenlong suppress it. After a long while, Ling Wenlong seemed tired and fell unconscious on the bed.
"The Patriarch of those years, what a figure he was, sigh!"
Walking to the window, looking at the continuous autumn rain, and the quietly dispersing Vigorous Air in the corner, Ling Hu’s eyes turned cold, and he snorted softly.
