Chapter 555: Chapter 554: Slaying Lingyun with a Single Sword

The mountain breeze gently wafted.

The river water flowed slowly eastward.

Occasionally, fallen leaves would swirl with the wind, landing either on the river or beneath the trees.

Lin Xiaosu strolled leisurely, as if also sensing the stark contrast between this place and the other side of the world, separated only by a wall.

Ahead was a mountain pass; as he turned it, the view suddenly opened up.

The towering mountains stood before him.

A distant city was hidden amidst the clouds and mist.

The river on the left became wide, slowly spreading with the terrain.

He suddenly planted his foot, standing on the mountain path.

His head slowly lifted.

With a whoosh, the mountain wind howled past.

A person appeared out of nowhere in front of him.

Almost simultaneously, a person also appeared out of nowhere behind him.

He was very familiar with the clothes the two wore; cloud patterns descended from the shoulders, elegantly reaching the bottom. Not to mention, the ordinary blue robes were made more graceful by a single cloud pattern.

Tianyan Palace!

This was the attire of Tianyan Palace.

The cloud pattern on the shoulder, reserved for elders.

Cloud pattern on the left shoulder, for top elders; cloud pattern on the right shoulder, for regular elders.

And these two, both had the cloud pattern on the left shoulder.

“Lin Xiaosu!” The elder in front uttered three words, clear and soft amidst the howling wind.

“Top elder of Tianyan Palace!” Lin Xiaosu responded, “May I ask what guidance you have?”

Zheng Lingyun in front said, “I want to tell you two things!”

“Please speak!”

“The first thing!” Zheng Lingyun said, “Your blockade of Kun Cang, our sect does not like it.”

Lin Xiaosu gave a faint smile, “And the second thing?”

“The second thing!” The fourth elder Zheng Tuo behind him said, “I actually quite like your entry into Kun Cang this time!”

Lin Xiaosu slightly turned his body, “Why?”

“Because Kun Cang intended to breach this blockade, but couldn’t find a suitable entry point for a while. But you, you are the entry point delivered to us.”

“The entry point delivered to you…” Lin Xiaosu frowned, “I wonder how the two elders plan to enter?”

“You will act as our insider, exit Kun Cang, and destroy the array platform. Once you complete your mission!” Zheng Lingyun said, “Next, there will naturally be experts to occupy Wuxiang Temple and once and for all resolve Kun Cang’s turmoil.”

Lin Xiaosu laughed, “Locking Kun Cang was the most awe-inspiring thing I’ve ever done in my life, and now you want me to act as a shameless traitor and destroy it with my own hands. Tell me, elder, are you crazy, or do you think I’m crazy?”

“Neither!” Zheng Lingyun took a step forward, “Just because you have no choice!”

Zheng Tuo behind him also stepped forward, “In fact, saying you have no choice at all is not accurate, you actually do have a choice: either willingly implant our palace’s ‘Loyalty Lock’ or have us break your hands and forcibly implant the ‘Loyalty Lock’!”

In his hand, was a peculiar little lock.

The lock was tiny, only as big as a mung bean, with a jade green sheen.

It looked rather cute.

However, it was the most terrifying control tool of Tianyan Palace. The lock could be implanted into the human body by mystical means. Once activated, it would split and instantly shred a person’s internal organs to pieces.

Lin Xiaosu stared at the little lock, “I’ve heard that Tianyan Palace has trained a large group of beautiful women and handsome men, infiltrating various major powers. Is this lock how you control them, making them obedient to you?”

“Are you looking down on this lock?” Zheng Lingyun’s voice was eerie, sending chills down one’s spine.

Lin Xiaosu said, “To be honest, I really do look down on it a bit. In terms of controlling people, you are a hundred and eighty thousand miles behind the Nine Headed Snake that was wiped out by me. So, I say, you’re just a bunch of ignorant idiots, yet you act all high and mighty!”

Zheng Lingyun’s face suddenly darkened!

The howling mountain wind seemed to suddenly recede from this world.

With a swish, a claw struck towards him.

This move enveloped Lin Xiaosu completely.

All his escape routes were completely sealed off.

As a top elder of Tianyan Palace, with vast Jianghu experience, well-prepared, there was no reason for a frontal strike to miss.

However…

A longsword suddenly appeared in Lin Xiaosu’s hand.

The sword’s light flashed, incomparably sharp.

With a swoosh, it swept across the sky, like a hornless antelope with no trail to follow.

Already within inches of Zheng Lingyun, his face changed drastically!

The speed of this sword was beyond imagination.

He felt an extreme crisis, wanting to draw a weapon, but there was no time.

All he could do was shift his feet to avoid the edge…

His reaction speed was unparalleled, intention turned to movement, with a swoosh, he retreated five yards…

With True Qi circulating, it densely covered the claws, exuding a metallic sheen.

This was the battle power of a top Observing Heaven expert.

Their True Qi had evolved to its peak, half a step further, it would transform from True Qi to True Yuan.

At this level, no matter where the True Qi was applied, it was invincible.

Therefore, these claws were equivalent to refined steel claws.

However, on Lin Xiaosu’s longsword, a misty and strange Sword Qi was suddenly unleashed!

Swoosh…

Zheng Lingyun’s face underwent a tumultuous change, and his eyes were filled with disbelief…

Thud!

Three fingers fell to the ground.

The next moment, his head deviated from his neck.

Plop!

The head hit the ground!

His headless body slowly collapsed.

Zheng Tuo’s eyes widened suddenly, staring in shock at the back of Lin Xiaosu…

Is this possible?

Zheng Lingyun, the Second Elder of Tianyan Palace, had almost reached the pinnacle right below the Enlightenment Realm.

Theoretically, as long as one hasn’t broken through to the Enlightenment Realm, they would be a deceased soul under his claws. How could he be slain with a single sword strike?

Moreover, the person who killed him, a year ago at best, only managed to defeat a disciple from Chunshui Palace, far from challenging an elder.

But regardless…

The fact remains that Zheng Lingyun’s head hit the ground.

And as long as Zheng Lingyun’s head was severed, then the fall of Zheng Tuo’s head was just a wave away.

The old man reacted swiftly, and as fear surged through his heart, he reached the edge of the cliff in a single stride and pulled out a peculiar token.

This token was the most urgent token to summon the Sect Master.

As long as it was crushed, the Sect Master would sense it.

An Enlightenment Realm Power could arrive on the scene in an instant…

Theoretically, no one would expect that this top elder would summon the Sect Master without even exchanging a move, so his emergency retreat and summons theoretically could succeed.

However, there’s no theory in reality, only facts!

The reality was, in the instant he retreated, Lin Xiaosu suddenly turned around, his gaze instantly locking on the token in his hand, and in the next moment, the sword’s brilliance flashed!

Yet, someone was faster than him!

A stream of light in the shape of a Phoenix rose from beneath the cliff…

Puff!

Zheng Tuo’s entire body turned into a mist of blood, and that peculiar token passed through the mist of blood, falling off the cliff.

Below the cliff, a figure soared into the air, snagged the token in midair, and elegantly stood atop the cliff.

Lin Xiaosu’s eyes shone brightly…

Dressed in green, with a Ghost Mask, their eyes held a third of surprise, but more so seven parts of enthusiasm…

“Senior Sister!”

The “Senior Sister” he referred to could only be one person, Feng Ji of Shenghua Valley.

Feng Ji blinked gently with her charming eyes: “During this time, I’ve been staying in Li City, I personally saw you go with the elders of Chunshui Palace to Chunshui Palace, I really didn’t expect you to dare roam the Jianghu alone.”

Lin Xiaosu said: “Perhaps it’s a telepathic connection, I know Senior Sister would be waiting for me on this path. With you here, what do I have to fear?”

Meeting right after caused a burst of laughter, you can’t change your mischievous nature, can you, brat!

Feng Ji rolled her eyes at him: “Actually, there’s something I never would have expected either.”

“What?”

“I never expected you to have… mastered Sword Intent!” Feng Ji spoke the last two words very softly.

There wasn’t anyone around, but she still lowered her voice.

Indicating that these two words held some peculiar significance for her too.

“What’s the big deal about Sword Intent?” Lin Xiaosu said.

Although the Saintess Qian Ling had once praised his Sword Intent highly, using lofty terms, for Lin Xiaosu himself, Sword Intent wasn’t something he was overly proud of, because for him, its greatest utility was freeing the ultimate strike ‘Li Ren Tears’ from the constraints of water, making it a move that could be used freely.

The power was limited, and it was impossible to use it against giants of the Enlightenment Realm.

And below the Enlightenment Realm, he was already capable of handling them.

Therefore, for him, Sword Intent was just the icing on the cake.

He didn’t consider it of great importance.

Feng Ji exhaled softly: “Sword Intent is only the first step of the ‘Four Steps of Sword’, yet it’s the step that most displays one’s talent. The fact that you’ve crossed this step at the Observing Earth Realm, I can almost foresee how dazzling the next three steps will be.”

Four Steps of Sword?

The next three steps?

Lin Xiaosu’s heart was stirred: “Senior Sister, tell me what the Four Steps of Sword are…”

“Hasn’t anyone told you?” Feng Ji was somewhat surprised.

“No! It’s a world of lacking magic outside, no one practices swordsmanship, and I can’t just run into a wise, kindred spirit of a Senior Sister, who would I hear it from?”

Feng Ji was coaxed by his flattery.

With a tinge of emotion, she started explaining…

Sword Intent, the Will of Sword Tao.

It’s actually a very mysterious thing.

Without Sword Intent, a sword is just a tool, merely an instrument to kill or injure; but with Sword Intent, a sword becomes the way.

It sounds a bit sophisticated, seeming slightly idealistic.

Yet it has practical effects.

Where are these effects reflected?

Those with Sword Intent, even grass and trees become sharp weapons.

For those with Sword Intent, ordinary moves become extraordinary.

For example, Comrade Xiao Lin’s Three Swords of Separation, the first move ‘Separation’, before integrating Sword Intent, the sword was fast but not powerful; faced with the robust-bodied Genetic People, the sword couldn’t even scratch their scales, however, after integrating Sword Intent, even against a super-defensive Fierce Beast like the Earthfall Beast, it would still cut them in two with one strike.

Not to mention, with Sword Intent linked, the ultimate move ‘Li Ren Tears’ could unfold without needing water.

Therefore, you may call the principle of Sword Intent mysterious, but the result… well, the result is even more mysterious!

The Four Steps of Sword: the first step is acquiring Sword Intent, the second step is Sword Intent Green Flower, the third step, Refined Sword Fruit, the fourth step, Sword World.

It’s heard that there’s still a Great Transcendence beyond, but that’s legend, and we won’t talk about legends…

Why was Feng Ji so shocked Lin Xiaosu comprehended Sword Intent?

Simply because she knew exactly when Lin Xiaosu started engaging with the sword.

It was just a year ago!

Right after Entering Kun Cang!

Before Entering Kun Cang, he was in the modern metropolis, a society where Feng Ji had also gathered information through various channels. She knew it was a society where you couldn’t easily carry a sword; you couldn’t even carry a sword onto a vehicle, so where would you practice swordsmanship?

Thus, it can be seen he truly started engaging with the sword just a year ago.

A year ago, he began practicing swordsmanship, and in just one short year, he had comprehended Sword Intent!

How should Lu Sanqian take this?

How should all the disciples under Lu Sanqian take this?

It’s essential to know, besides Lu Sanqian, throughout the entire Li Palace, no one has yet comprehended Sword Intent.