Chapter 16: Wind Shadow Sword Technique Breaks the Limit

Chapter 16: Wind Shadow Sword Technique Breaks the Limitn

A sharp sword cry pierced the air, its shrill resonance ear-piercing.

The gleaming blade of the Hundred Refinements Sword shot forth like a streak of fire, capable of piercing metal and shattering stone, its killing intent blazing fiercely.

"Captain, save me!"

Shi Feng's pupils contracted, every hair on his body standing on end as he cried out in alarm while frantically retreating.

"Bold words!" A thunderous roar erupted as the howl of a blade swept forth with a gust of wind, instantly blocking Chen Feng's lethal strike aimed at Shi Feng.

Figures swiftly shifted sideways, and Chen Feng realized he was surrounded.

Seven of them!

Including Shi Feng, a total of seven people had encircled him.

"Chen Feng, you betrayed your comrades for profit, killed my teammates, and even dared to oppose Young Master Ye Huai. Today will be your death!" Shi Feng glared at Chen Feng with fury, gripping his iron shield tightly.

Chen Feng offered no defense—nor did he need to.

Because this man… he was determined to kill!

"Kid, will you surrender quietly, or shall I break your limbs before tying you up?" The burly man wielding a large sword sneered at Chen Feng.

"Chen Feng, our Captain of the Dark Howl Squad is a master at the Ninth Level of the Body Forging Realm, accompanied by two at the Eighth Level and four at the Seventh Level. Even with your superior movement techniques, you won’t escape this time," Shi Feng spat with hatred. "We’ll hand you over to Young Master Huai, and he’ll personally sever your head."

Having failed to kill Chen Feng after his teammates were slain and he himself fled, Shi Feng harbored nothing but seething resentment toward Chen Feng.

Yet he never once considered that all of this stemmed from his own greed for Chen Feng’s Nine Shadows Illusory Body technique.

"Four at the Seventh Level, two at the Eighth Level, and one at the Ninth Level of the Body Forging Realm…" Chen Feng’s eyes narrowed slightly, yet an indescribable excitement surged from the depths of his heart.

Had it been before his breakthrough and obtaining the Hundred Refinements Sword, he would have undoubtedly relied on the Nine Shadows Illusory Body to escape such a situation.

"Aside from Shi Feng, I’ll give the rest of you a chance. Turn around and leave now, and I’ll let this matter go," Chen Feng’s gaze swept over them before finally settling on the face of the Dark Howl Squad’s captain—the burly man gripping the large sword—as he spoke solemnly.

"So you’ve chosen to have your limbs broken," the burly man sneered, his blade roaring like a tempest as he swung it down.

The rest of the Dark Howl Squad launched their attacks simultaneously.

Chen Feng realized that every direction was sealed—there was no escape.

"Even a First Rank Ninth Level demonic beast would meet its end trapped in our encirclement," the burly man snarled as his blade descended with murderous force.

"A pity… I’m not a demonic beast."

Chen Feng smiled faintly, activating the Nine Shadows Illusory Body. Nine illusory figures flickered into existence, their forms shifting between reality and illusion, making them impossible to distinguish. Instantly, he evaded the barrage of attacks.

Sword shadows reappeared, and in the blink of an eye, nine sword strikes shot through the air.

Each phantom was accompanied by a sword shadow, their edges lethally sharp.

The four Dark Howl Squad members at the Seventh Level of the Body Forging Realm froze in place as crimson dots bloomed on their throats, rapidly spreading.

The burly man blocked Chen Feng’s sword strike with his blade, while Shi Feng and the other Eighth Level cultivator barely managed to parry another.

The phantoms and sword shadows struck again.

Three sword shadows shot forth from different angles, swift as the wind. Shi Feng swung his iron shield in defense but could only block two. The third pierced straight through his heart.

The other member of the Dark Howl Squad, who was at the Eighth Level of the Body Forging Realm, was also pierced through by Chen Feng's sword.

The burly man with the broadsword gnashed his teeth in fury and terror, turning to flee without hesitation.

A phantom suddenly appeared, blocking his path.

"I surrender!"

Those who frequented the Ten Thousand Woods knew the art of survival: flee if you can't win, and submit if you can't escape.

The burly man shouted shamelessly.

"I'm willing to pay the price!"

But Chen Feng seemed not to hear him. Sword shadows surged, enveloping the man completely.

"I'll fight you to the death!" the burly man roared, swinging his broadsword wildly. Strikes of terrifying blade light shattered the flames, crashing down like a waterfall toward Chen Feng.

Sword and blade clashed.

With each collision, Chen Feng could feel a powerful and overwhelming force rushing at him.

That was the strength of the Ninth Level of the Body Forging Realm—clearly far superior to his own.

Chen Feng combined the Nine Shadows Illusory Body with the Wind Shadow Nine Swords, dispersing the force before striking again.

Only now did he realize that the once-unreachable and insurmountable Ninth Level of the Body Forging Realm didn't seem so formidable after all.

He could fight!

He could… kill!

The burly man bellowed incessantly, his broadsword slashing wildly in all directions as he exerted his full strength to fend off Chen Feng's relentless sword shadows.

In the distance, a crowd had already gathered to watch.

"The captain of the Dark Howl Squad…"

"Who is that guy? He actually killed all of them!"

Looking at the corpses strewn across the ground, the onlookers paled, gasping in shock.

The Dark Howl Squad was one of the top teams in this camp, having hunted First Rank Ninth Level demonic beasts more than once. They were usually awe-inspiring, yet now they had been slaughtered, leaving only their captain alive.

For a moment, everyone was intensely curious about Chen Feng.

As for intervening?

That was out of the question. Conflicts erupted frequently in the camp—over arguments, competition, and all sorts of reasons—and no one would interfere unless they had close ties to those involved.

Chen Feng continuously converted Organ Force into Tendon and Bone Force, executing the Nine Shadows Illusory Body and Wind Shadow Nine Swords repeatedly. His sword shadows seemed endless, while the burly man swung his broadsword desperately to block the onslaught.

The clear gap in cultivation made it impossible for Chen Feng to kill the burly man as easily as he had those at the Seventh or Eighth Level of the Body Forging Realm.

"Who is this kid? He can actually overpower the captain of the Dark Howl Squad!"

"He looks younger than twenty, yet he has such strength. A genius!"

Chen Feng completely ignored the surrounding voices, focusing solely on his swordplay. Insights from his enlightenment in the Ten Thousand Woods and his recent meditations surfaced bit by bit, converging into a torrent that surged forward, unstoppable.

In his mind, countless points of light gathered, forming the silhouette of a swordsman.

Chen Feng's body suddenly froze, as if he had turned into a wooden statue.

The burly man, who had initially planned to escape, noticed Chen Feng's inexplicable stillness. Seized by malice, he acted without hesitation. His arms bulged with veins as he unleashed all his strength, swinging his broadsword down like a mountain-splitting strike aimed at Chen Feng.

It seemed Chen Feng's body would be cleaved in two beneath that blade.

A glint of cold light flashed in Chen Feng's eyes. His lowered sword suddenly thrust forward, piercing through the air in a chain of sword shadows— One, two, three… eight, nine!

The nine sword shadows converged in an instant, merging into a single blazing and dazzling sword light, razor-sharp and chillingly cold.

The sword light shot through the air in less than a tenth of a moment, so fast that the burly man’s eyes trembled, unable to blink, let alone evade. Like an aurora streaking across the sky, it pierced straight through his forehead.

Sheathing his sword, Chen Feng swayed slightly, involuntarily taking a step back.

Blood gushed from the burly man’s forehead, his widened eyes filled with confusion. His large blade slipped from his grip, and his towering body collapsed to the ground.

"Dead…"

"The Captain of the Dark Howl Squad was at the Ninth Level of the Body Forging Realm, yet he was slain with a single strike."

A faint smile appeared on Chen Feng’s slightly pale face.

The Wind Shadow Nine Swords had broken through—the nine sword shadows fused into a single, refined sword light. Not only had its speed skyrocketed, but its power had also surged, capable of piercing through anything like a hot knife through butter.

However, the consumption and strain were immense. At his current cultivation level, he could only unleash it once in a short period.

"Could it kill a First Rank Ninth Level demonic beast?" Chen Feng pondered silently.

The physical disparity between human martial artists and demonic beasts of the same level was stark.

Perhaps he could find an opportunity to test it.

Chen Feng’s gaze swept around, and through the flickering bonfire, he could clearly see the eyes watching him—filled with both curiosity and wariness.

Within his body, his blood and qi flowed, gradually restoring his depleted energy.

Chen Feng quickly searched the bodies of the Dark Howl Squad members, finding only a few silver taels—less than a hundred in total.

"Truly poor," he sighed.

As he lamented, Chen Feng took the weapons of the Dark Howl Squad to a merchant house to sell.

Factoring in wear and tear, they ultimately fetched just over two hundred taels.

"Truly, crime pays," Chen Feng mused inwardly, holding the slightly more than three hundred taels.

Thinking back, after risking his life in the Ten Thousand Woods for most of the day, his earnings had only amounted to a hundred and twenty taels. Even including the three Crimson Blood Fruits he had consumed, the total barely reached two hundred taels. Yet now, in less than half an hour, he had gained three hundred taels. The sheer difference made him exhale deeply.

The three hundred taels didn’t stay in his hands for long before Chen Feng spent them, exchanging them for three Foundation Establishment Pills.

After consuming and absorbing the three pills, his blood and qi strengthened once more. His organs were tempered repeatedly, growing more resilient and vibrant, his Organ Force surging by several degrees.

"At least three more Foundation Establishment Pills… maybe even four, before I can hope to break through to the Eighth Level of the Body Forging Realm."

Chen Feng couldn’t help but shake his head.

No matter. He would throw himself into the Ten Thousand Woods in the coming days, striving to reach the Eighth or even Ninth Level of the Body Forging Realm before the Huntian Sect’s assessment began.

Calming his mind, Chen Feng sat by the bonfire, the Hundred Refinements Sword resting across his legs. His eyes gently closed as the flickering firelight cast shifting shadows across his face.

The Wind Shadow Nine Swords had shattered its limits—the nine sword shadows condensed into a single, seemingly unstoppable sword light. Chen Feng sensed there was still great potential to be further explored.

"This strike… is a Killing Strike. It deserves a name…"