Endless Sword Prison

Zhao Feng's sword was like a maggot clinging to the bone, tightly locking onto Lin Feng.

That Sky-Splitting Sword Intent was not only peerlessly sharp, but also carried a powerful force of spiritual confinement. Even Lin Feng's Wind and Thunder Flash movement technique was greatly restricted; every dodge was fraught with danger, as though he were dancing on a blade's edge.

"I can't stay on the defensive forever!"

A fierce glint flashed through Lin Feng's eyes. After narrowly evading another sword thrust aimed straight at his throat, he stomped both feet against the ground. Instead of retreating, he advanced, actually taking the initiative to close the distance with Zhao Feng!

At the same time, purple-black Wind and Thunder True Qi surged wildly around his fists. No longer seeking long-range attacks, he compressed the power to the utmost at his fists, forming two incomparably condensed thunder gauntlets.

"Close combat? You're courting death!"

Zhao Feng's gaze turned icy. His sword momentum shifted, changing from a thrust to a slash. Sword light poured down like mercury spilling across the ground, shrouding Lin Feng's vital points.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Fist and sword collided, erupting in crisp, dense bursts of sound like rain striking banana leaves!

Lin Feng fused the essence of Wind and Thunder Flash into close-quarters combat. His fists were like two venomous dragons emerging from their caves, matching speed with speed and using offense in place of defense. He constantly searched for gaps within the sword light, attempting to break through Zhao Feng's defense.

His fist technique combined the agility of wind with the violent fury of thunder. At times, it was like a gentle breeze brushing willow branches, dissolving the sword momentum; at others, it was like thunder crashing down, forcibly meeting it head-on.

Whenever his fists swept past, the corrosive power of Wind Fiend contained within them made even Zhao Feng's protective Sword Qi ripple slightly.

However, Zhao Feng's sword was simply too fast, too dense!

His sword-wielding will was incomparably firm, his mind free of distractions. He wielded a basic sword technique to the point of divine mastery, defending without a single drop slipping through. Time and again, he caught the openings exposed by Lin Feng's fierce attacks and launched sharp counterattacks.

Sshk!

Sword light flashed past, adding another bloody gash to Lin Feng's shoulder.

Bang!

Thunder Fist knocked the sword edge aside, while Zhao Feng's arm was also slightly numbed by the electricity.

The two fought speed with speed, their figures flickering and colliding at high speed across the arena, leaving the spectators dazzled.

Blood occasionally sprayed from their bodies, splattering across the dark-gold arena floor in a sight too dreadful to behold.

This was no longer merely a contest of strength and technique, but a clash of will and endurance!

The audience held their breath, their hearts pounding violently with every perilous exchange.

They had never seen a duel so intense, so dangerous, yet so spectacular!

"These two... are too strong!"

"This is completely a fight to the death!"

"Who will win in the end?"

Even powerhouses like the Star River Martial King on the high platform nodded slightly, showing their appreciation.

The potential and tenacity displayed by these two youngsters truly far surpassed those of their peers.

Amid the fierce battle, Zhao Feng's eyes grew brighter and brighter. His aura and Sword Intent seemed to be continuously purified and sublimated through combat.

He felt his Sword Heart becoming clearer and more transparent, while the barrier that had troubled him for so long seemed to show signs of loosening.

"That's it! Pressure! I need greater pressure!"

Zhao Feng roared inwardly, and his sword momentum grew ever sharper, faintly showing signs of completely suppressing Lin Feng.

Lin Feng also felt immense pressure. Zhao Feng's sword seemed to have no limits, growing stronger the longer he fought!

He knew he could not keep wearing each other down like this. He had to break the deadlock!

He abruptly sent the incoming sword light flying with a punch, then borrowed the force to drift back several steps, temporarily opening the distance.

His chest rose and fell slightly, and several sword wounds had appeared on his body, but his gaze only grew sharper.

"Zhao Feng, your sword truly is formidable." Lin Feng spoke slowly, his voice carrying a hint of breathlessness but remaining steady. "But it should end here."

Zhao Feng stood with his sword in hand, its tip angled toward the ground, his aura still razor-sharp. "Whatever other methods you have, bring them out!"

Lin Feng said no more. He slowly closed his eyes.

The lightning in his left eye and the starlight in his right no longer tried to merge. Instead, each accelerated along its own unique trajectory!

At the same time, the purple-black Wind and Thunder True Qi around him no longer burst forth violently. Instead, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, it crazily gathered and compressed toward his dantian!

An aura of destruction far more terrifying and restrained than before, as though it could devour all light and sound, began spreading outward from Lin Feng!

Even the light above the arena seemed to distort and dim!

Zhao Feng's pupils abruptly contracted, alarm bells ringing wildly in his heart!

He felt a lethal threat! He could not be allowed to keep building momentum!

"Endless Sword Prison!"

With a wild roar, he poured his Sword Intent, which had risen to its peak, and all his True Qi into the ancient sword in his hand without holding anything back!

The sword body gave off an overloaded hum, then suddenly erupted with an unprecedented dazzling radiance!

Man and sword became one, transforming into a death storm seemingly formed from countless fine strands of Sword Qi. It covered the entire arena as it swept toward Lin Feng!

This was his ultimate sword move. He turned himself into a prison, its sword light endless, sealing off every path of evasion and intending to grind every existence within its range into dust!

Facing this unavoidable killing blow, Lin Feng's tightly shut eyes suddenly flew open!

Within his left eye, a world of lightning exploded with a roar!

Within his right eye, a vortex of stars collapsed madly!

The Wind and Thunder energy compressed to the limit within his dantian finally reached its critical point!

He did not throw a punch, nor did he use any specific martial technique. He merely opened his mouth toward the approaching Endless Sword Prison and released a low roar that seemed to come from primordial antiquity:

"Wind! Thunder! Annihilation!"

"Hummm—!!!"

An invisible, intangible yet bizarre fluctuation that seemed capable of twisting the laws of reality and sending all things back to ruin burst outward from Lin Feng in a sphere!

Wherever that fluctuation passed, the countless fine strands of Sword Qi forming the Endless Sword Prison seemed to encounter their nemesis. Their speed plummeted, their structure collapsed, and before they could even approach Lin Feng, they melted, disintegrated, and vanished like ice and snow beneath the sun.

The core of the sword prison formed from Zhao Feng's body collided head-on with that annihilating fluctuation!

"Pfft—!"

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a muffled sound, as though space itself had been torn apart.

Zhao Feng's figure fell out of the sword light. His face was pale as paper as he spewed out a mouthful of blood, and the ancient sword in his hand fell to the ground with a clang.

He dropped to one knee, barely supporting himself with a trembling arm. He stared in disbelief at Lin Feng, who was still standing ahead of him, though his face had also turned somewhat pale and his aura rose and fell violently.

His ultimate sword move... had been broken!

It had been forcibly annihilated at the very source of its energy by a method he could not understand at all!

The entire venue fell deathly silent!

Everyone was so shocked by the scene beyond the bounds of their understanding that they lost the power of speech.

Lin Feng slowly calmed his surging blood and Qi. Looking at Zhao Feng kneeling on the ground, he said in a deep voice, "You lost."

Zhao Feng raised his head and looked at Lin Feng. His eyes were filled with complicated emotions—shock, unwillingness, but ultimately, a trace of relief and... respect.

He struggled to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, picked up the ancient sword from the ground, and solemnly cupped his fist toward Lin Feng in salute.

"I am utterly convinced."

After saying that, he turned around and staggered off the arena.

"First half bracket, Lin Feng wins!"

The referee announced loudly, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.

After a brief silence came cheers and shouts like a volcanic eruption!

"Lin Feng! Lin Feng! Lin Feng!"

The waves of sound shot straight into the sky!

Lin Feng stood at the center of the arena, bathed in countless gazes and cheers, and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

The semifinals were secured!

His gaze shifted toward the other arena.

There, Qin Wushuang still stood in robes as white as snow, his hands behind his back, as though the match that had just ended had been nothing more than an insignificant game.

Meanwhile, his opponent, Lie Fentian of Lieyang Martial High, had already collapsed unconscious on the ground.

Sensing Lin Feng's gaze, Qin Wushuang turned his head and gave him a meaningful smile. His lips moved as he silently formed three words:

"See you in the finals."