Lin Feng's gaze swept past the gloomy Wang Xiong and Li Wanshan, stabbing toward Nalan Qing like a flash of cold lightning. His tone carried undisguised mockery:
"Family Head Nalan, are you insisting that I, Lin Feng, falsely claim credit, or are you openly questioning Lord Shen's authority and judgment?"
He raised a hand and pointed at the savage tiger's head on the ground, his voice suddenly rising.
"The head of Cao Meng, the bandit chief of Black Wind Stronghold, is right here. The demonic aura hasn't dispersed, and the proof is as solid as a mountain!"
"As for the surviving remnants in the stronghold, the Northern Garrison Command will naturally deal with them one by one according to procedure. Why make such a racket now?"
He swept his gaze across the room, then finally returned it to Nalan Qing's face, his words growing sharper.
"If we follow the esteemed opinions of the family heads, does that mean that from now on, whenever someone in the Northern Garrison Command earns a merit, we must wait until the seas are calm, the rivers are clear, and the realm is free of bandits before rewards can be discussed?
"If such absurd logic becomes customary, would it not chill the hearts and freeze the teeth of every soldier who risks life and limb on the front lines in service to the nation?
"The Northern Garrison Command's laws are solemn. When did it become an outsider's place to point fingers?"
Every word of this speech was as sharp as a blade. It not only pointed directly at Nalan Qing, but also nailed the obstruction of the three family heads to the pillar of shame for challenging the Northern Garrison Command's system and Shen Mo's absolute authority.
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly froze.
Shen Mo sat upright, his face as cold and deep as still water. At last, he spoke again. His voice was not loud, but the force of his unquestionable decision instantly suppressed every undercurrent. "Enough."
His deep gaze slowly swept over the three men, Wang Xiong and the others, whose expressions kept changing, before finally settling on Lin Feng, who stood tall and straight. His tone was decisive.
"Lin Feng killed the Black Tiger Demon, Cao Meng. This is a great achievement, beyond all doubt.
"Merit must be rewarded, and faults must be punished. This is the imperial law, and it is also the iron rule of the Northern Garrison Command!
"I will immediately send an urgent report by six-hundred-li courier, presenting this matter in full to the imperial court and requesting a reward for you."
He paused slightly, then said each word clearly: "For your achievement in killing a great demon and wiping out Black Wind Stronghold, it is not impossible that you may be promoted to Garrison Commissioner."
"Garrison Commissioner?!"
Wang Xiong, Li Wanshan, and Nalan Qing cried out almost simultaneously. Their pupils shrank to pinpoints, and the color drained from their faces, leaving them hideous.
They knew all too well how much weight a Garrison Commissioner with real authority in the Northern Garrison Command carried. This was enough to stir massive waves of power in Black Rock City and even throughout the entire province, seriously shaking the fundamental interests of their Three Great Families!
Shen Mo ignored their reactions and continued his announcement.
"As for the present matter, the one who takes the chief credit for suppressing the bandits should also receive an immediate reward.
"I shall first grant you this: you are specially permitted to enter the Northern Garrison Command's armory and choose any one Earth-grade martial art as your commendation!"
Earth-grade martial art!
At these words, not only did Lin Feng's eyes flicker, but the hall also rang with a suppressed chorus of gasps and exclamations.
The highest-grade martial art Lin Feng currently cultivated was merely the profound-grade superior Ocean Overturning Mountain Splitting Palm!
Although Earth-grade and profound-grade differed by only one rank in name, in truth, this was a qualitative leap, with a difference as vast as heaven and earth in power. Any Earth-grade martial art was enough to become the treasured foundation protecting a great family's inheritance!
Shen Mo's reward was undeniably generous.
The intense jealousy and panic over his damaged interests made Nalan Qing unable to maintain his outward composure. He suddenly strode forward, his aura surging around him as he glared fixedly at Lin Feng. His voice turned shrill from extreme sourness and hatred.
"An Earth-grade martial art? For him?! Lord Shen! It isn't that I, Nalan Qing, distrust your judgment, but this matter is far too suspicious!"
He pointed at Lin Feng and shouted, "Cao Meng's vicious reputation was renowned throughout the land. His strength was comparable to Sixth Rank Perfection. He was a true criminal who had fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood!
"He, Lin Feng, is merely a junior who has just entered the Seventh Rank, with an unstable foundation. What makes him capable of killing Cao Meng?
"In my view, there must have been some enormous stroke of luck involved, or perhaps... he used some shameful, underhanded trick!
"Or maybe he colluded with that demon and merely happened to pick up such a heaven-sent bargain!"
His tone suddenly shifted, becoming aggressive and relentless, his gaze locking onto Lin Feng like a hook.
"Lin Feng! Empty words prove nothing! If you truly killed Cao Meng openly and honorably through your own strength, then do you dare spar with me, Nalan Qing, here in front of everyone?
"If you can't even pass my test, what face do you have to claim that you can kill Cao Meng? That earth-shaking merit of yours is nothing but a complete lie—a fraud meant to deceive the world and steal a reputation!"
Almost the moment Nalan Qing issued his challenge, a cold and merciless prompt rang directly in the depths of Lin Feng's mind:
Killing Family Head Nalan will yield 2,000 Slaughter Points
A flash of coldness passed through Lin Feng's eyes, so quickly that no one could catch it.
He met Nalan Qing's provocative gaze. His tone was frighteningly calm, yet it carried a sharpness that made the heart tremble.
"Since Family Head Nalan insists on testing my strength, Lin Feng... will see it through to the end."
His tone shifted. "However, since this is a public spar, it would be dull without stakes. Why don't we add a wager and give everyone something to enjoy?"
He paused, then spoke clearly.
"If I lose, I, Lin Feng, will take none of the credit for wiping out Black Wind Stronghold. I will surrender it all to the Nalan Family willingly and without taking a single coin!"
Immediately afterward, his voice rose sharply, ringing like metal striking metal.
"But if I win... I don't want any of your Nalan Family's other treasures. I only want your Nalan Family to bring out an Earth-grade martial art and present it to me with both hands!
"What do you say, Family Head Nalan? Do you dare accept the wager?"
"Arrogant brat! You don't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth!" Nalan Qing was enraged to the point of laughing at Lin Feng's counterattack. The muscles on his face twitched faintly. "Good! Good! Good! We'll do as you say! Everyone present, hear this clearly. Lord Shen, Family Head Wang, and Family Head Li will serve as witnesses!
"I want to see how you, you wet-behind-the-ears brat, will reveal your true colors later!"
He did not believe Lin Feng had the slightest chance of victory. To him, this was merely the other party's desperate bluff, giving him the perfect chance to seize that earth-shaking merit completely—or at the very least, render it void on the spot!
Seated high above them, Shen Mo furrowed his brows almost imperceptibly. But seeing that both sides had finished speaking and the wager had been settled, he said no more and merely spoke calmly: "Since that is the case, fight here before the hall. Remember, stop at the appropriate point."
Nalan Qing had long since been unable to restrain himself. The formidable aura of a Sixth-Rank Martial Artist erupted without reservation!
His true essence surged, stirring the air around him. His robes fluttered despite the absence of wind, and a heavy pressure far surpassing that of a Seventh-Rank Martial Artist spread outward like a tide.
He had immersed himself in the Sixth Rank for many years, accumulating abundant true essence and rich combat experience. He was far beyond any ordinary Seventh-Rank Martial Artist.
"Brat, kneel and admit defeat now, confess that you falsely claimed credit, and you may still preserve your life!"
A cold, vicious smile curled at the corner of Nalan Qing's mouth, and his eyes were filled with contempt.
"Please."
Lin Feng's expression did not change. He merely slowly assumed the opening stance of the Ocean Overturning Mountain Splitting Palm, his aura settling like a mountain overlooking an abyss.
The battle erupted in an instant!
Nalan Qing clearly had no intention of dragging things out. The moment he attacked, he used the Nalan Family's renowned ultimate art—Gale Claw!
His twin claws swept out, bringing with them sharp sounds of tearing through the air. The claw winds shrieked as if they could rip the air apart, and every move targeted the vital acupoints around Lin Feng's body.
His cultivation was an entire level higher than Lin Feng's, and his true essence was more vigorous and refined. He held an obvious advantage in both speed and strength, clearly intending to crush Lin Feng with absolute power from the outset.
Lin Feng responded calmly with the Ocean Overturning Mountain Splitting Palm.
Palm winds howled with majestic force, concealing a tragic killing intent capable of splitting mountains and severing peaks.
His palm technique was exquisite, and his comprehension of palm intent far surpassed that of his peers. Yet under the absolute gap in strength and speed, he ultimately found himself lacking.
Although he could barely hold his ground through his abundant combat experience and extraordinary comprehension of palm intent, dismantling each move as it came,
under Nalan Qing's endless, violent assault like a storm of wind and rain, he was still forced backward step by step. The circle of his defense kept shrinking, his movements growing somewhat disordered. He had clearly fallen into a disadvantage.
"Hahahaha! Is this all the paltry ability you have? How dare you boast so shamelessly before me?!"
Seeing this, the last trace of doubt in Nalan Qing's heart vanished. His attacks grew even more ruthless and merciless, while his mocking words poured out without end.
"You can't even pass my test, yet you dare claim to have killed the infamous Cao Meng? As expected, you're a fraud who deceives the world and steals a reputation!
"Your merit for suppressing the bandits will belong to my Nalan Family after today! Take this claw!"
Before his voice faded, his claw wind grew three parts fiercer. Several times, it grazed past Lin Feng's clothing and skin by the narrowest margin, leaving several shallow bloody marks. The situation had become perilous.
Watching from the side, Wang Xiong and Li Wanshan exchanged a glance. Both revealed delighted, mocking smiles, as if they had already seen Lin Feng suffer a crushing defeat and lose all his merit on the spot.
Yet beneath the enormous pressure and a sky full of claw shadows, Lin Feng's gaze grew colder and more indifferent, like a frigid pool that had remained frozen for ten thousand ages.
While relying on his tenacious will and exquisite palm technique to struggle onward, he diverted a thread of his mind and rapidly scanned several items obtained from Cao Meng's storage pouch that he had not yet had time to examine carefully.
Suddenly, an ancient, simple manual flashed through his consciousness. It was made of a peculiar material, neither metal nor leather, and its cover bore the totem of an azure dragon gazing down arrogantly upon the heavens. The vast, ancient aura it carried caused his mind to tremble slightly—
"Azure Dragon Transformation Art" (fragment), Earth-grade body-tempering martial art!
That's the one!
Lin Feng's heart settled, and he no longer hesitated. With a slight movement of his will, the system prompt rang out:
Ding! Consuming 2,000 Slaughter Points, "Azure Dragon Transformation Art" has been raised to the perfected realm!
In the next instant, surging blood and qi power vast as rivers rushing through the land, along with countless profound insights into this body-tempering divine art, violently poured into his limbs, bones, sea of consciousness, and soul!
It was as though he had already devoted decades of arduous cultivation to this art. His understanding and application of it had reached a perfected realm of consummate mastery, bordering on instinct!
He was also only one final step away from the supreme realm of Unity of Man and Heaven!
All these changes and improvements occurred in the briefest flash of lightning. No one outside could detect them.
In the arena, Nalan Qing's assault grew even more violent and ferocious. Seeing that Lin Feng could only barely hold on beneath his claws, peril surrounding him on every side, the pride and viciousness on his face deepened. It was as if victory were already in his grasp.
"Fall completely for me!"
He suddenly let out a deafening roar. His true essence poured without reserve into his right claw, causing the claw wind to accelerate by another three parts and grow even sharper than before!
This claw tore through the air with a piercing whistle, stabbing straight toward Lin Feng's throat. He had clearly used lethal force, intending to decide victory in one strike—or even take Lin Feng's life!
And at this critical moment!
The vast blood and qi power originating from the perfected Azure Dragon Transformation Art within Lin Feng's body erupted with a boom!
His figure, which had grown sluggish and slow beneath the tremendous pressure, suddenly became incomparably agile and vigorous, like a swimming dragon startled into flight!
A terrifying sense of power, deep as a mountain and so abundant that nothing could withstand it, burst from his body. It was as if an ancient giant beast had awakened beneath his lean frame!
Facing Nalan Qing's razor-sharp claw that pursued his life and soul, Lin Feng did not dodge or retreat. He stood firmly in place!
His right palm suddenly drew together. Within the originally fierce and majestic intent of the Ocean Overturning Mountain Splitting Palm, there now seemed to merge a trace of a vast, ancient, infinitely dignified dragon's roar!
He used no complicated or flashy techniques. He simply pushed that hand, containing terrifying power, straight forward against the tearing claw.
"Buzz—!"
Palm and claw collided with brutal force!
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