Chapter 4: The Three-Day Duel—No Choice but to Comply

Chapter 4: The Three-Day Duel—No Choice but to Comply

Beneath a towering tree over a dozen meters tall, the wind howled, sending withered leaves swirling through the air.

"The Wind Shadow Sword Technique draws upon the mysteries of the thrust and slash principles from basic swordsmanship, emphasizing speed. Also known as the Wind Shadow Nine Swords, it excels at targeting an enemy’s weak points. Channeled through Tendon and Bone Force, the sword strikes like the wind chasing shadows—a single flicker of the blade can split a falling leaf in the blink of an eye..."

"The Wind Shadow Sword Technique has unique methods for generating force, directing momentum, and controlling breath. It demands nine parts exertion with one part reserve—swift, precise, and ruthless..."

Standing beneath the tree, Chen Feng repeatedly recalled the secrets of the Wind Shadow Sword Technique that Li Xinyue had imparted to him.

"Withered leaves are brittle and fragile. To cleanly split one midair in an instant requires an extraordinary level of control over one’s strength..."

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, their shadows dancing in the fading light.

Chen Feng listened to the whispers of the wind, watching the dry leaves pirouette in the air before slowly closing his eyes.

A flash of insight illuminated his mind like a burst of stars. With each breath, the black radiance of the Divine Talisman Of Creation seemed to surge from his consciousness, spreading throughout his body.

His eyes snapped open, a sharp glint of cold light flashing within them, reflecting a single drifting leaf. His tendons and bones trembled in unison as a razor-sharp, resilient force erupted from within. His sword left its sheath, piercing forward with unstoppable momentum.

A leaf hovering in midair paused for the briefest moment before splitting neatly into two halves, fluttering down in perfect symmetry.

Staring at the two falling leaves, Chen Feng couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction.

The first stance of the Wind Shadow Nine Swords—mastered.

"That sword..." Li Xinyue, who had been idly observing from a distance, froze in shock, her indifferent expression crumbling into disbelief.

It took her a long moment to regain her composure.

"He... mastered it?"

"How long did it take?"

"Less than... an hour, it seems..."

"How long did it take me back then...? A month, I think..." Her mind buzzed with disbelief.

At this moment, her pride lay shattered. As a renowned sword prodigy of the Huntian Dao Academy’s Body Forging Realm, she had repeatedly defeated opponents at the Ninth Level of the Body Forging Realm despite being at a disadvantage. Swordsmanship had always been her greatest source of pride.

Now, she had been thoroughly humbled.

Unaware of Li Xinyue’s existential crisis, Chen Feng sheathed his sword and stretched his limbs, feeling the strain Graded Martial Arts placed on his tendons and bones.

After a short rest, he resumed his training, focusing on the second stance of the Wind Shadow Sword Technique.

Time flowed swiftly, and evening soon arrived.

Beneath the tree, two sword shadows overlapped, tearing through the crimson glow of the setting sun.

A single leaf seemed to freeze midair before splitting into four perfectly even pieces, each drifting along a separate trajectory.

"The second stance of the Wind Shadow Sword Technique... I’ve finally mastered it..."

Chen Feng’s face, pale and drenched in sweat, was alight with joy.

Li Xinyue, meanwhile, stared blankly into the distance, as if her soul had fled her body in shock.

A loud growl erupted from Chen Feng’s stomach, reminding him of his gnawing hunger.

"It seems I can only manage two stances for now," he muttered to himself, rubbing his empty belly.

Graded Martial Arts placed significant strain on the body—the more advanced the technique, the greater the burden. Chen Feng understood this well.

Though mastering the second stance hadn’t yet pushed his tendons and bones to their limit, the pressure was undeniable. He estimated that mastering the third stance would likely be his current threshold.

"Chen Feng, with the Wind Shadow Two Swords, your current strength is enough to sweep through all Fourth Level Body Forging cultivators in the Dao Academy. Even Fifth Level Body Forging practitioners might not evade your blade." Li Xinyue snapped back to reality, her emotions incredibly complex as she spoke. After all, it had taken her a full three months to master the Wind Shadow Two Swords herself.

After exchanging a few words with Li Xinyue, Chen Feng, utterly famished, excused himself to leave.

"Stop right there!"

A cold, furious shout suddenly rang out.

"Ye Fei..." Chen Feng narrowed his eyes at the two figures blocking his path. One had his right arm wrapped in white bandages, the pungent scent of medicinal herbs thick in the air.

The other bore some resemblance to Ye Fei but appeared more mature.

"What, looking for another fistfight?" Chen Feng said with deliberate calm, staring at Ye Fei’s hate-filled expression.

"You—!" Ye Fei’s face turned livid, his right arm throbbing with pain.

"Indeed. Another fistfight with you," the young man beside Ye Fei said coldly, stepping forward. A powerful aura surged from him, pressing down on Chen Feng like a crushing weight.

"Who are you?" Chen Feng countered, his voice firm despite the pressure, his sharp gaze piercing through the other man.

"He is my elder brother, Ye Zheng," Ye Fei sneered.

"I believe in fairness—what’s done is done. You broke my younger brother Ye Fei’s arm with a punch, so I’ll break yours the same way," Ye Zheng declared, his eyes glinting with icy malice. "Additionally, my Ye family is the foremost clan in the Great Xia Kingdom. Ye Fei is one of us, while you’re nothing but an ant from some backwater town. For injuring him, you must kneel and kowtow three times in public. Only then will this matter be settled."

"And what cultivation level are you?" Chen Feng scoffed.

"Sixth Level Body Forging!" Ye Zheng replied, unhurried, as if everything was already under his control.

"So your idea of fairness is a Sixth Level Body Forging cultivator punching a Fourth Level?" Chen Feng mocked.

"Hah! Just because you’re poor, talentless, and weak, should my brother stoop to your level?" Ye Fei jeered.

Chen Feng was momentarily speechless, almost finding the logic in those words absurdly convincing.

"Enough talk," Ye Zheng cut in, his eyes turning dangerous. His terrifying aura surged as he raised his right arm, fingers clenching into a fist.

Boom!

A devastating punch tore through the air, the force of it howling as it ruthlessly aimed for Chen Feng’s arm.

Chen Feng’s expression twisted in alarm.

This strike wouldn’t just break his arm—it would shatter it.

His eyes sharpened to a razor’s edge as his hand gripped the hilt of his sword, forcibly summoning every ounce of his Tendon and Bone Force.

"Stop!" A sharp cry rang out, accompanied by a gust of wind. A dull impact followed.

Before Chen Feng stood a tall, agile figure—Li Xinyue. Ye Zheng staggered back several steps.

"Li Xinyue, what do you think you’re doing?" Ye Zheng steadied himself, his arm slightly retracted, his expression first stunned before turning murderous.

"Ye Zheng, I should be asking you that!" Li Xinyue’s voice was sharp as a blade’s edge. "A Sixth Level Body Forging cultivator bullying a Fourth Level—aren’t you ashamed?"

"Li Xinyue, this has nothing to do with you. I advise you not to interfere, lest you bring trouble upon yourself," Ye Zheng warned coldly, flexing his wrist to ease the pain while glaring at her with undisguised hostility.

"Chen Feng is my responsibility as his instructor, so this concerns me." Li Xinyue responded without the slightest hesitation.

Ye Zheng's face turned ashen, his expression grim to the extreme.

Chen Feng, on the other hand, secretly let out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, the instructor had arrived in time. Otherwise, he would have either been crippled by Ye Zheng or forced to unleash the Second Form of the Wind Shadow Sword Technique, severely injuring or even killing Ye Zheng.

Neither outcome would have been favorable.

Even with the Divine Talisman Of Creation, Chen Feng remained vigilant rather than overconfident.

After six years of confusion and a sudden awakening, he understood better than anyone what he truly needed.

"Li Xinyue, are you certain you wish to oppose my Ye family?" Ye Zheng narrowed his eyes, his voice icy.

"You're merely a collateral member. You don’t represent the Ye family," Li Xinyue retorted sharply, her words cutting like a blade.

After glaring at Li Xinyue for a long moment, Ye Zheng could do nothing. She was right—he was just a collateral descendant and held no authority to speak for the entire clan.

"Chen Feng, Li Xinyue can protect you for now, but can she shield you forever?" Ye Zheng stared at Chen Feng, suppressing the raging fury in his chest before speaking through gritted teeth. Then, as if struck by a thought, a sinister smile crept onto his face. "Besides... your Chen family resides in Lingshan City..."

Chen Feng’s expression darkened instantly. He stepped out from behind Li Xinyue, his voice cold and sharp. "Ye Zheng, fifteen days from now, we’ll settle this in the Combat Hall of the Dao Academy."

"Who do you think you are? Why should I wait fifteen days to fight you?" Ye Zheng sneered, unmoved by the challenge.

"Ye Zheng, from now until fifteen days later, I will protect Chen Feng," Li Xinyue declared, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Three days. I’ll only give you three days," Ye Zheng growled, his cold gaze shifting between Li Xinyue and Chen Feng before he finally spoke in a low voice. "Three days from now, in the Combat Hall of the Dao Academy. If you dare not show up, I will use every means at my disposal to exterminate your entire Chen family."

Under Li Xinyue’s protection, he could do nothing to Chen Feng now.

Watching Ye Zheng’s retreating figure, Chen Feng’s eyes turned icy, his killing intent as unyielding as steel.

Exhaling deeply, Chen Feng turned to Li Xinyue. "Thank you for stepping in, Instructor."

"It was nothing," Li Xinyue replied with a sense of righteousness, though her brows furrowed. "However, Chen Feng, the Ye family is the foremost clan of the Great Xia Kingdom, with deep roots and formidable power. Even though Ye Zheng is merely a collateral member, opposing him is unwise."

"Instructor, sometimes we have no choice," Chen Feng responded solemnly.

Just like this time—Ye Fei, accustomed to arrogance, had sought to deal with him but ended up with a broken arm. And now, his elder brother Ye Zheng had come for revenge.

Had he provoked Ye Fei? Had he provoked Ye Zheng?

"Ye Zheng is at the Sixth Level of the Body Forging Realm. The Graded Martial Art he cultivates is the Wave-Splitting Saber Technique, and he has mastered the Second Form of the Wave-Splitting Saber Technique. His blade is fierce enough to cleave through waves and shatter defenses. Even if you break through to the Fifth Level of the Body Forging Realm in three days, you’ll struggle to face him," Li Xinyue warned gravely.

"Instructor, do you believe in miracles?" Chen Feng countered with a smile.

Li Xinyue blinked in surprise.

Miracles?

"I’ll take my leave now. After I defeat him in three days, you can treat me to a feast to celebrate," Chen Feng said with a wave, his retreating figure exuding ease.

"Why should I be the one treating you to a feast?" Li Xinyue mused, her thoughts swirling before the question finally escaped her lips.