Xiao Pingtian slammed heavily onto the ground. The impact knocked him completely silly, and he almost passed out right then and there. His mind was a storm of curses. Where did this boy get so many bizarre and unpredictable techniques?
Even the Chongqing Bird had to applaud Lin Yun's latest move. He had perfectly leveraged his own advantages, slowly but surely drawing his enemy into his own combat rhythm. Once that happened, it wouldn't take long for his opponents to expose their own fatal flaws. Just like Xiao Pingtian was doing right now.
"The Flowing Cloud Sect is really getting worse and worse. To think they treat a young man like this as a treasure," the Chongqing Bird remarked with a hint of disdain, watching Xiao Pingtian's performance.
"Was the Flowing Cloud Sect very strong a long time ago?" Lin Yun asked, swallowing hard. Even he found the current situation a bit strange.
"Of course. How else do you think they reached their position at the head of the Four Great Sects?" the bird sneered.
The Flowing Cloud Sect of the past was indeed powerful. But about a hundred years ago, they seemed to have undergone some kind of major change. No one in the outside world knew what happened, but while the sect was still strong afterward, it was clearly different from before. It was as if they had hidden away their true strength.
A disciple like Xiao Pingtian would have had trouble even getting into the inner sect a hundred years ago, let alone being revered as the Sword-Bearer. Wasn't that a disgrace?
Lin Yun rubbed his nose. "I didn't expect it either. Being so sensitive to killing intent makes things this easy."
The feeling was miraculous, like having his entire body covered in eyes. As long as he projected his aura of slaughter, he could 'see' every single movement around him. Whatever his opponent intended to do, he would always be the first to perceive it.
Xiao Pingtian, of course, had realized this as well, but he was helpless. Lin Yun wouldn't give him an opening.
Although the last blow had injured Xiao Pingtian, it wasn't enough to kill him. Lin Yun's Coldflame Sword pressed the attack once more. At the same time, the fully evolved Azure Origin Sword Style was unleashed.
Xiao Pingtian, having just scrambled to his feet, felt a chill run from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. He watched with a grave expression as Lin Yun's sword descended. He raised his Clear Song Sword to meet it.
BOOM—
Xiao Pingtian was driven directly to his knees, his entire calves sinking into the earth. The terrifying force of the impact radiated outwards, creating a web of clear cracks in the ground in a twenty-foot radius.
He gritted his teeth. This was infuriating. This kid had far too many treasures. Even he, a personal disciple, wasn't as well-equipped as Lin Yun. No wonder the boy had refused to become Gu Xiande's disciple. With so many treasures, who needed it?
The thought of retreat began to sprout in Xiao Pingtian's mind. Just as the Chongqing Bird had said, his combat experience was lacking. He was just an embroidered pillow—all show and no substance. He could handle average opponents without a problem, but having been beaten to this state by Lin Yun, his confidence had long since shattered. To continue this fight would be fatal.
Seeing Lin Yun advancing relentlessly, he hurriedly said, "Lin Yun, this is the Spirit Realm, after all! Why must you be so persistent? Let's just call it even for today." He didn't seem to feel the slightest bit of shame for saying this.
Lin Yun roared with laughter. "When you think you can win, you want to fight to the death. When you know you can't, you try to find a way to make me give up. You really know how to dream!"
He finished speaking through clenched teeth and lashed out with a kick.
Xiao Pingtian scrambled to evade it, his eyes wide. "Do you really intend to hunt me to the last and show no mercy?"
Lin Yun gave a savage grin, his body seething with killing intent. "If I don't kill you here today, how can I face Pei Miaojin?"
That was right. Everyone who had died here today, it was all for Pei Miaojin.
He pushed his Ghostly Void Steps to the absolute limit. Xiao Pingtian could only see Lin Yun instantly dissolve into countless afterimages, all of which attacked simultaneously. At first, Xiao Pingtian paid them no mind, but he soon realized with a shock that every single one of them was a real body.
At such a close distance, Xiao Pingtian couldn't unleash his larger, area-of-effect techniques. He could only rely on his physical body to fight Lin Yun. But this was a battle on a completely different level. No matter what he did, he was only wasting time.
Watching Xiao Pingtian retreat step by step, Lin Yun finally released the foul, pent-up anger in his heart. So what if it was the Flowing Cloud Sect? This debt would be settled, one score at a time.
BANG—!
Catching Xiao Pingtian off guard for a moment, Lin Yun sent him flying with a kick. He followed with a sword thrust. Though Xiao Pingtian managed a desperate dodge, the blade still sliced through his robes. His waist and abdomen were instantly dripping with blood. He clutched his side, gasping for breath.
The Chongqing Bird's mocking voice echoed in his ear: "In all the years the Flowing Cloud Sect has been the head of the Four Sects, they must have forgotten how to raise a true expert. All they teach are these embroidered pillows."
For someone like Lin Yun, who had fought his way through the line between life and death, dealing with Xiao Pingtian wasn't easy, but as long as he seized his chance, he could win.
Perhaps even Xiao Pingtian himself hadn't realized it, but even if the killing intent had only a small effect on him, the fear it induced had planted a seed in the depths of his heart. And at this moment, that small seed was beginning to sprout.
Seeing Lin Yun walk towards him, Xiao Pingtian panicked. "Lin Yun, I… I am your Senior Brother! At least we were fellow disciples! We fought shoulder-to-shoulder at Weiyang Mountain! You can't be so heartless!" Xiao Pingtian forced a dry laugh.
Lin Yun's expression was calm. He didn't answer.
"You… you can't kill me! If I die, Master will not let you go!"
Still, Lin Yun did not reply.
Xiao Pingtian grew desperate and ripped a sachet from his waist. This was his last chance. Though obtaining this item had cost him a great deal of time and effort, he had no choice now. Staying alive was what mattered!
"Lin Yun, you just wait!" Xiao Pingtian roared, then tore the sachet open.
A circle of blue light enveloped him, and like a flying shuttle, he shot into the distance.
But all of this, Lin Yun had already seen through.
The moment he had put on the Mystic Heaven Silkworm Armor and summoned the Chongqing Bird, Xiao Pingtian's fate panel had already shown that he was doomed to die without a doubt. Letting him run now was also part of Lin Yun's plan.
He bent the bow and nocked an arrow.
The first arrow of the God-Slaying Bow was finally coming.
Lin Yun looked in the direction of Xiao Pingtian's escape, his face a mask of cold indifference. The enmity between them was, at this moment, finally about to come to an end.
"Farewell, Xiao Pingtian!" Lin Yun shouted. The Yuan Qi in the surrounding air instantly vanished, all of it sucked into the God-Slaying Bow. Even the Yuan Qi within Lin Yun's own body was being continuously drained.