Eagle Claw Skill

"Upgrade!"

Lin Feng roared inwardly.

In an instant, a vast, pure current of heat exploded from deep within his dantian. Like a breached flood, it surged wildly through his nearly depleted meridians and injured internal organs!

"Urgh!"

Lin Feng could not help letting out a low growl.

The sensation was like a desert long parched by drought suddenly receiving sweet rain; every cell in his body greedily absorbed this power.

In his mind, all the principles of the Eagle Claw Skill, its methods of exerting force, and its grappling techniques—

Concepts that had once been vague fragments in the original owner's memories now became clear as brands etched into his mind, as though he had devoted years to this martial art!

Consumed 0.05 Slaughter Points. Eagle Claw Skill upgraded to Beginner (Progress: 1%).

Host's martial realm has advanced to: Early Ninth-Rank Martial Artist.

Current status: Light injuries / residual poison not yet cleared.

The system prompt remained as cold as ever, yet it brought Lin Feng blazing hope!

Though he was only at the early Ninth Rank, merely at the bottom of the Great Qian Dynasty's martial hierarchy—

Compared to his previous state of being gravely wounded, on the verge of death, and too weak to truss a chicken, it was the difference between heaven and earth!

Just then, Leader Zhao's saber came chopping down at his head, carrying a vicious gale!

"You little bastard, die!"

A moment ago, this slash would have been enough to cleave Lin Feng in two.

But now, a sharp glint flashed through Lin Feng's eyes.

Rather than retreating, he advanced. He stomped the ground, sliding sideways as the fingers of his right hand curled into hooks.

A faintly fierce aura seeped from his fingertips. Without dodging or evading, he reached straight for the gleaming blade!

"You're courting death!" The sneer on Leader Zhao's face grew even more savage, as though he could already see Lin Feng's fingers being sliced off at the roots.

His saber was no divine weapon, but it was exceptionally sharp. How could mere flesh and blood possibly block it?

"Clang—!"

A piercing clash of metal rang out!

The expected sight of flying flesh and blood never appeared. Lin Feng's five fingers were like forged steel, forcibly clamping down on the descending blade!

Though the tremendous force numbed his arm and forced him half a step back, the blade was locked tight, unable to press down another inch!

"What?!"

The savage grin on Leader Zhao's face froze instantly, turning into utter disbelief.

His full-force strike had been caught barehanded by a kid who had been poisoned and gravely injured, who had just been sprawled on the ground like a dead dog?

How was that possible?!

"Y-you weren't poisoned?!"

Feeling the recoil traveling through his fingertips, Lin Feng's heart settled completely.

The Beginner-level Eagle Claw Skill truly already possessed its fangs!

He abruptly raised his head, his gaze as cold as a blade as he stared directly at Leader Zhao. "Is this all the strength a Wang Family dog has?"

Leader Zhao shuddered beneath Lin Feng's gaze, then flew into a rage.

"Stop playing tricks! Even if you've temporarily suppressed the poison, you'll still die today!"

He tried with all his might to yank back his saber, only to discover that the blade did not budge between Lin Feng's fingers, as though caught in iron pincers.

Kill Leader Zhao to obtain 0.1 Slaughter Points.

The system prompt sounded at just the right moment, like a death-knell curse.

A cruel curve rose at Lin Feng's lips. "Looks like your life is worth a little more than that trash fish from earlier."

Before his words had faded, Lin Feng fiercely twisted and pulled with the hand clamped around the blade!

Leader Zhao felt a vicious, tricky force travel up the saber. Pain exploded in his wrist, and he nearly lost his grip as his entire body staggered forward.

"Let go!"

Lin Feng barked low, his left Eagle Claw flashing out like lightning toward the pulse point on Leader Zhao's saber-wielding wrist!

This claw was more than twice as fast as before. His fingertips tore through the air with a faint hiss.

Leader Zhao's soul nearly fled his body. He instinctively released the saber and retreated in panic.

But how could Lin Feng give him the chance?

His feet stepped forward in rapid succession, sticking to him like a shadow. He tossed aside the seized saber with his right hand, then sent both claws out together, each strike aimed at vital points such as Leader Zhao's throat and heart!

"Rip!"

Unable to evade in time, Leader Zhao had several gashes torn across the front of his robe by the fierce claw wind. Flesh split open, and blood poured forth.

He was horrified beyond measure. Where was there even the slightest trace of poisoning or weakness in Lin Feng now?

He was clearly a genuine Ninth-Rank Martial Artist!

And this Eagle Claw Skill was vicious and tricky, far sharper than ordinary beginner-level martial arts!

"Stop! Stop!"

Leader Zhao clutched the wound on his chest and staggered backward. All his earlier arrogance had vanished, leaving only fear behind.

"Lin Feng! Lieutenant Lin! We can talk this out! I am the trusted confidant of Wang Teng, the Wang Family's eldest young master!

"If you kill me, you will utterly offend the Wang Family! Young Master Wang will never let you go! You and your sister will both die without a burial ground!"

He blustered fiercely while his heart quailed, his eyes darting about as he searched for a chance to escape.

"Today's matter was a misunderstanding! Let me go, and I'll put in a good word for you before Young Master Wang when I return. Perhaps he may even spare you siblings! Otherwise... Aah!"

Lin Feng did not listen to a word of his nonsense. One claw shot out, leaving five more bloody holes in his shoulder. He sneered.

"Wang Teng's confidant?

"Perfect. I'll collect a little interest from you first. As for Wang Teng... I'll go find him myself."

Feeling Lin Feng's undisguised killing intent, Leader Zhao finally panicked completely. With a thud, he dropped to his knees and began kowtowing like a pounding pestle.

"Master Lin! Grandfather Lin! Spare me! This lowly one failed to recognize greatness! You are magnanimous—just let me go like a fart! If you spare me, I'll serve you like an ox or horse! I..."

As he kowtowed, he secretly reached one hand toward his waist, his voice miserable. "As long as you are willing to spare me, I... I'll kowtow and beg your forgiveness!"

As he spoke, he truly slammed his head heavily against the ground.

Yet at the instant his forehead touched the earth, a sudden change erupted!

"Go to hell!" Leader Zhao jerked his head up, his face twisted with savagery. His right hand flicked out a cold spark from behind his waist, swift as lightning, shooting straight at Lin Feng's face!

The cold spark carried a sickly sweet stench. It had clearly been steeped in deadly poison!

It was one of the most vile and despicable hidden weapons in the martial world—the Bone-Piercing Nail!

This hidden weapon was as fine as an ox hair and specialized in piercing protective true qi. Once it struck, its poison would instantly invade the heart meridian; even an expert could not escape death!

Leader Zhao regarded it as his life-saving trump card and had never used it lightly. Now, to survive, he used it without hesitation!

At such close range, with such a sudden attack, he was certain Lin Feng had no chance of evading it!

The Bone-Piercing Nail shrieked through the air and arrived in an instant! Its bluish gleam foretold its lethal toxicity.

The former Lin Feng would have certainly died.

But now that Lin Feng had entered the early Ninth-Rank Martial Artist realm, both his reaction speed and dynamic vision far surpassed those of ordinary people!

The instant Leader Zhao's shoulder twitched and his gaze shifted, Lin Feng had already become wary!

In that hair's-breadth instant, Lin Feng suddenly bent backward, executing a move almost like an iron bridge.

The poisoned Bone-Piercing Nail grazed past the tip of his nose and embedded itself into the earthen wall behind him with a "thunk," kicking up a few specks of dust!

He had dodged it!

Lin Feng exerted force through his waist and abdomen, springing upright in an instant, the killing intent in his eyes boiling to its peak!

Leader Zhao had not only aided evil and threatened his sister, but had now even tried to ambush him with such a vicious method. He absolutely could not be spared!

"Die!"

Lin Feng roared.

The newly formed Ninth-Rank Internal Energy within him poured into his right palm without reservation. His five fingers curled like hooks, tendons and muscles taut, carrying an incomparable ferocity. Seizing the stunned opening exposed when Leader Zhao's hidden weapon missed, he viciously clawed at the crown of his head!

Like an eagle striking the heavens, the claw fell and seized the soul!