Chapter 51: One Hero Against Two Young Masters

“You brat, you’re looking for death, looking for death…”

After regaining their senses, Lin Zhengde and Mu Qingyuan were furious, especially the former, who was so angry he felt smoke coming out of his seven orifices. As the only son of Jianning Commandant, he had never been cursed at like this, let alone in public. In a fit of rage, he gave an order, “Go, seize him for me, drag him back to the border army camp!”

“Yes!”

Behind Lin Zhengde, over a dozen elite cavalry soldiers raised their sharp spears in unison, spurred their horses, and charged forward with overwhelming killing intent.

These guards were all seasoned veterans, not necessarily highly cultivated, but they were ruthless and often struck to kill. Seeing their murderous aura, the onlookers cried out in alarm and hurriedly stepped back again, afraid of being caught in the fray. A few elderly stall vendors moved a bit too slowly and were instantly knocked to the ground by the fierce warhorses.

“How dare you! Who dares to take action?”

Mu Feng took a deep breath and suddenly shouted with righteous indignation, “Galloping horses wildly in a crowded market in broad daylight is a serious crime! Across the land, committing violence and causing trouble in front of Shangling Terrace on the day of the Metropolitan Examination, obstructing the exam, is a capital offense, punishable by death of the entire clan! Not even a mere commandant, even a great general couldn’t escape the blame. Let’s see who dares to act!”

Mu Feng was well-versed in the empire’s laws. At this critical moment, instead of panicking in the face of the charging cavalry, he loudly reprimanded them.

The border army commandant held a high and powerful position, but no matter how much power or authority he had, could it surpass the empire’s laws?

Today was the day when countless scholars of the Tongtian Dynasty gathered to take the Metropolitan Examination. In front of Shangling Terrace, scholars from all directions had assembled. The Tongtian Dynasty governed through literature, and literati held a far higher status in the court than martial artists. If someone reported this to the Tongtian Emperor, the seemingly mighty Jianning Commandant would be in serious trouble!

Neigh, neigh, neigh…

As soon as Mu Feng finished speaking, the dozen cavalry soldiers reined in their horses simultaneously. Looking at the growing crowd of scholars around them, they showed uneasy expressions. Young Master Lin Zhengde was used to being arrogant and unrestrained, but as ordinary soldiers, they truly didn’t dare to act recklessly at this moment. If the surrounding scholars all passed the exam and submitted petitions together, it would be no laughing matter.

“Brother Zhengde, it seems your guards aren’t all that impressive!” Seeing Lin Zhengde about to back down, Mu Qingyuan smirked coldly, adding fuel to the fire.

Mu Feng, once a weak scholar, was growing stronger and harder to deal with. If they didn’t strike while the iron was hot and use this chance to eliminate him, it would be difficult to find such an opportunity again! As a frequent companion in revelry, no one understood Lin Zhengde’s vanity better than him. A simple provocation would surely make it impossible for Lin Zhengde to back down, forcing him to teach Mu Feng a harsh lesson.

“A bunch of useless fools!”

Sure enough, hearing this, Lin Zhengde, who usually boasted about how formidable he was, cursed loudly, his anger turning into malice. Gritting his teeth, he recklessly lunged at Mu Feng, throwing a punch at the latter’s chest with his own hands. “You brat, not only did you ram into my carriage, but you also dare to act so insolently. Today, I’ll tear you apart! Let’s see who dares to arrest me!”

Thud…

Lin Zhengde’s punch was powerful and heavy, striking Mu Feng’s chest hard. Having landed the blow, he was about to laugh triumphantly when he suddenly felt something was wrong.

Although he often practiced half-heartedly and was frequently scolded by his father, he had still broken through to the Early Mortal Realm and was stronger than the average guard. With such a fierce punch, logically, even if Mu Feng didn’t die, he should at least break a few ribs. Unexpectedly, Mu Feng’s body didn’t even budge or sway!

Looking up, he saw a smirk of disdain.

“Young Master Lin Zhengde, do you feel avenged now?”

Mu Feng did not retaliate, allowing Lin Zhengde’s fist to strike his body without moving an inch.

Lin Zhengde’s punch seemed intimidating and would surely work against ordinary people, but it was far from enough to shake his body. Having reached the Mortal Realm, his punches were still light and flashy—all show and no substance. Birds of a feather flock together; he was just like that womanish Mu Qingyuan!

“Dragon-Tiger Claw!”

Lin Zhengde refused to believe it and suddenly transformed his palm into a claw, gripping Mu Feng’s chest fiercely, attempting to tear his skin and dig out his heart. But when he clawed down hard, Mu Feng remained standing motionless, while his own fingertips stung sharply, as if he had grabbed a hard stone wall.

“Useless!”

Mu Feng’s expression turned cold. His well-developed chest muscles contracted and then bulged outward, forcefully repelling Lin Zhengde’s dog-like claw.

As a Great Blood-Refining Sorcerer, his body had been strengthened repeatedly. Even the mighty Sky Splitting Tiger, renowned across the Hundred Thousand Mountains, acknowledged his superiority, let alone a wastrel like Lin Zhengde, who only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun all day! Even without using any killing techniques, his brute strength alone was enough to crush such a person easily!

“Brother Zhengde, I’ll help you! Let’s kill him right here today!” Seeing that Lin Zhengde was no match, Mu Qingyuan, who was standing nearby, couldn’t hold back. Shouting, he rushed over, trapping Mu Feng between them from the front and back. Without hesitation, he quickly drew the sharp sword at his waist, his face twisted with malice.

“Fine, let’s fight him together!”

Lin Zhengde gritted his teeth, suddenly opened his mouth, and spat out a short sword. It darted around his body like a swimming fish, swift as a cold gleam. Instantly, an overwhelming killing intent filled the air, drawing gasps of shock from the crowd.

“Heavens, a Flying Sword! That’s a weapon that can kill from a thousand miles away!”

“Impossible! With only Early Mortal Realm strength, how could he control a Flying Sword?”

“The Immortal Sword Sect—rumor has it that Young Master Lin Zhengde became an unofficial disciple of the Immortal Sword Sect. Could that be true?”

…

The crowd was astonished and buzzed with discussion. Most of the onlookers were frail scholars, but there were also some formidable experts among them. The Flying Sword whirling around Lin Zhengde moved swiftly, but upon closer inspection, one could faintly see the characters “Immortal Sword Sect” engraved in tiny script on the hilt.

A Flying Sword?

Watching the darting short sword, Mu Feng’s expression also turned serious.

The Early Mortal Realm was the foundation of cultivation, where Spiritual Power could barely complete one cycle, and the Spiritual Soul could not leave the body. Upon breaking through to the Middle Mortal Realm, the Spiritual Soul could roam at night; in the Late Mortal Realm, it could roam during the day. To manipulate objects from a distance and control a powerful Flying Sword, one needed at least the Late Mortal Realm, or even the Elite Realm!

“Hahaha, you brat, dying under this Wind-Slice Sword is an honor for you!”

Lin Zhengde laughed heartily, bit his tongue hard, and forcefully channeled the Spiritual Power within him to activate the Flying Sword beside him. With a “whoosh,” it shot straight toward Mu Feng’s brow. “Hahaha, die, you brat! You brought this upon yourself! You’re the one seeking death, and I, young master, will grant it to you today!”

Provoked and incited by Mu Qingyuan, Lin Zhengde ignored his father’s and sect’s warnings, using a secret technique to forcibly summon the formidable Flying Sword, determined to slay Mu Feng on the spot. If even the Dragon-Tiger Claw couldn’t tear his body, let’s see if his flesh and blood could withstand the Flying Sword! At the same time, Mu Qingyuan from behind also brandished his sharp sword and viciously charged forward, attacking from both sides!