The Ten-Day Pact Draws Near

Their palms and claws clashed head-on!

There was no earth-shaking boom as expected, only a dull, strange sound like a blow against hide!

The savage, triumphant smile on Nalan Qing's face instantly froze, replaced by boundless terror and disbelief!

He felt as though his full-powered Gale Claw had struck an iron mountain that had stood since time immemorial!

No—even harder than an iron mountain, even more immovable!

The force rebounding toward him was mighty, tyrannical, and overwhelming, carrying a crushing sensation from a level of life he had never experienced before!

"Crack!"

The crisp sound of bones breaking, enough to set one's teeth on edge, rang clearly in every person's ears.

"Ah—!"

Nalan Qing let out an utterly shrill scream. His entire right arm, from wrist to shoulder blade, had its bones shattered inch by inch under the force of that palm!

It bent grotesquely, while white bone splinters even pierced through flesh and skin, exposed to the air amid gushing blood!

And that was not all!

The overwhelming force had not dissipated. Like furious waves in a raging sea, it continued surging into Nalan Qing's body!

The true essence protecting his body was as fragile as paper before that force, collapsing in an instant!

"Pfft!"

Nalan Qing vomited a fountain of blood. His body flew backward like a kite with its string cut, slamming hard into the sturdy wall of the assembly hall with a heavy thud before sliding limply to the floor.

His entire body curled into a ball. He had only breath going out, none coming in; it was clear he would not survive.

Ding! Successfully killed the Nalan Family Head. Obtained 2,000 Slaughter Points!

The cold notification rang on schedule.

The entire hall fell deathly silent!

One could hear a pin drop!

The mockery and delight on Wang Xiong and Li Wanshan's faces froze completely. Their pupils widened to the limit as they stared fixedly at the barely breathing Nalan Qing.

Then they abruptly turned toward the young man in the center of the hall, who was slowly withdrawing his palm, his expression still terrifyingly calm.

A chill shot uncontrollably from the soles of their feet straight to the crowns of their heads!

How was this possible?!

Nalan Qing, a sixth-grade Martial Master, was one of Black Rock City's top experts.

He had actually... been killed by a single palm from Lin Feng?!

It had not been luck or trickery. It had been a genuine, crushing kill!

Could Lin Feng's earlier appearance of struggling desperately and being in peril at every turn have all been an act?!

Shen Mo sat upright on his seat. A trace of the faintest surprise swept through his deep eyes, but it was soon replaced by understanding and appreciation.

He really had not misjudged Lin Feng.

Lin Feng did not even spare the dying Nalan Qing a glance, as though he had merely slapped a bothersome fly to death.

He turned to Shen Mo, cupped his hands slightly, and broke the silence with his voice.

"Sir, the spar is over.

"Family Head Nalan... was inferior in skill and suffered a regrettable defeat. According to our agreement, the Nalan Family must present one Earth-grade martial art."

His tone was calm, yet carried unquestionable force.

Wang Xiong and Li Wanshan's throats went dry. Their lips moved, but they could not utter a single word.

The looks they gave Lin Feng were filled with fear and a trace of deeply hidden venom.

Nalan Qing's death was not only a tremendous loss for the Nalan Family, but also a heavy blow to the alliance of their three great families!

This boy had already become a thorn in their side!

Shen Mo gave Lin Feng a deep look and nodded. "I and everyone present are witnesses. The wager is valid.

"As for the Nalan Family's Earth-grade martial art, the Garrison Command will send people to collect it shortly."

He paused, then swept his gaze over Lin Feng with a hint of scrutiny. "Lin Feng, although you killed Nalan Qing, your realm is ultimately only seventh-grade... You need suitable martial arts to support you.

"Besides the Nalan Family's Earth-grade martial art, I will grant you one more privilege: you may apply to the Northern Garrison Command for one Earth-grade movement technique and one Earth-grade saber technique.

"Do you need them?"

At these words, Wang Xiong and Li Wanshan felt their hearts jolt violently.

Shen Mo intended to cultivate Lin Feng with all his might!

An Earth-grade movement technique! An Earth-grade saber technique! Added to the one compensated by the Nalan Family...

Lin Feng would instantly possess three Earth-grade martial arts!

Such treatment was exceedingly rare even throughout the entire Northern Garrison Command!

Lin Feng's heart stirred. This was exactly what he needed at present.

For offense, he had the Ocean Overturning Mountain Splitting Palm and the saber technique he was about to receive. For defense and foundations, he had the Azure Dragon Transformation Art. Only movement was his weakness.

He immediately said, "Thank you, sir!

"This subordinate does need a movement technique and a saber technique!"

"Good!" Shen Mo acted without the slightest hesitation and immediately gave an order. "Men! Take my token. One team will go to the Garrison Command treasury and retrieve the Soaring Dragon Astonishing Swan Step movement manual and the Heavenly Gang Blood Burning Saber manual.

"Another team will head to the Nalan Family treasury at once and search for their clan-guarding Earth-grade martial art, the Golden Metal Wind Splitting Art!

"Go and return swiftly!"

"Yes!" A sonorous response came from outside the hall, followed by footsteps rapidly receding into the distance.

Wang Xiong and Li Wanshan watched helplessly as Shen Mo's orders were carried out. Their hearts were a tangled mixture of emotions—shock and fury, yet no power to stop it.

They knew that from this moment on, the structure of Black Rock City was truly about to change.

And everything stemmed from that far-too-young figure in the center of the hall.

The wait was not long, but to Wang Xiong and Li Wanshan, it was especially agonizing.

Before long, the two teams returned one after the other.

"Reporting to you, sir, the Soaring Dragon Astonishing Swan Step and Heavenly Gang Blood Burning Saber manuals have been retrieved!"

"Reporting to you, sir, the Nalan Family's Golden Metal Wind Splitting Art has been obtained!"

Three manuals radiating an ancient aura and faint energy fluctuations were placed on trays and presented before Lin Feng.

The Soaring Dragon Astonishing Swan Step was an Earth-grade low-tier movement technique. Once mastered, one's body moved like a soaring dragon, one's movements like an astonished swan; speed increased dramatically, while one's shifts and transformations became unfathomable.

The Heavenly Gang Blood Burning Saber was an Earth-grade low-tier saber technique. Its moves were vicious and fierce, its killing intent surging. It had been born solely for slaughter and was said to originate from the military. After being improved by the Northern Garrison Command, its power was even greater.

The Golden Metal Wind Splitting Art was an Earth-grade low-tier cultivation method and the Nalan Family's clan-guarding treasure. It contained the sharp energy of metal, and the true essence cultivated through it was peerlessly keen. Combined with the Gale Claw, it could cut through anything.

Lin Feng's gaze swept over the three manuals, and his heart settled.

With these, his strength would undergo another leap in a short time!

He reached out, firmly picked up the three manuals, and tucked them into his robes.

The sight made the corner of Wang Xiong's eye twitch violently.

At last, he could no longer restrain himself. He drew a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fear in his heart, and spoke sinisterly, trying to salvage a shred of dignity.

"Lin Feng! Don't get cocky!

"Our three great families will never forget Brother Nalan's death!

"Don't forget—the Ten-Day Pact is almost here! My son Wang Teng has already arrived in Black Rock City!

"When the appointed day comes, it will be the moment of your death! We'll see whether you can still be this arrogant then!"

When he mentioned the name "Wang Teng," confidence and pride unconsciously entered his tone.

Wang Teng was the Wang Family's direct heir and also Wang Xiong's greatest reliance. At only twenty years old, he was already the strongest expert on the Yellow Ranking.

He had once crossed two major realms to kill a fifth-grade Martial Practitioner, making him the strongest living figure among the lower-three-grade Martial Practitioners of the Great Qian Dynasty!

He had even become a disciple of the great sect in the commandery city, the Mysterious Cloud Sect. His background was unfathomably deep!

In his view, even if Lin Feng had encountered some fortuitous opportunity, he could never be Wang Teng's match. Wang Teng had cultivated within a sect!

Li Wanshan also seemed to have seized a lifeline and chimed in.

"That's right! Nephew Wang Teng is a heaven-gifted genius, a dragon among men! Lin Feng, you won't be arrogant for much longer!"

They tried to use Wang Teng's reputation to suppress the powerful presence Lin Feng had just established and salvage some of their dignity.

Upon hearing this, Lin Feng slowly turned his head toward the bravado-cloaked Wang Xiong. The corner of his mouth suddenly curled into a cold, mocking arc.

"Wang Teng?"

He lightly uttered those two words. His tone was calm, yet carried the utmost contempt.

"Why wait ten days?"

Lin Feng stepped forward, his gaze like two tangible ice spikes piercing straight into Wang Xiong.

"You can have him crawl over here and meet his death right now."

"I, Lin Feng, will wait for him here."

As his voice fell, the entire assembly hall once again sank into dead silence.

Wang Xiong and Li Wanshan were utterly stunned where they stood, mouths hanging open like ducks with their throats clamped shut.

He wanted to hold the Ten-Day Pact ahead of time?

How... how dare he?!

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