Golden Radiance Shock-Kill Sword

Inside Mimicry Training Ground No. 36, Feng Piaoling darted from place to place, flashing like lightning. With every step, he swung the Green Lotus Sword, but no sword light burst forth. Its true power was held in check, yet the aura of the blade tearing through the air was utterly breathtaking.

It was a restrained eruption, like the sharpest slash in the world, enough to stir the soul.

"Golden Radiance Shock-Kill Sword—nothing can withstand its cut."

Golden Radiance Shock-Kill Sword was the name Feng Piaoling had given the new sword technique he created based on Dark Gold Terrorclaw.

Clang, clang...

Scorching sparks exploded outward, and the specially reinforced iron pillar, hard as stone, was torn open with a huge gash.

One had to know that only someone with the strength of a Soul Saint could completely destroy this pillar.

Yet Feng Piaoling had damaged it through one unrelenting attack after another.

Though its power still fell short of Dark Gold Terrorclaw, it was drawing ever closer.

Most importantly, unlike Dark Gold Terrorclaw's fixed, rigid method of attack, Golden Radiance Shock-Kill Sword could be freely controlled by Feng Piaoling. Each strike drew on his swordsmanship, delivering attacks that were impossible to guard against.

It was hard to imagine how powerful this move would become once Feng Piaoling added nine Spirit Rings each over a hundred thousand years old to the Green Lotus Sword. Of course, by then, he might already have created even more powerful battle techniques—or even divine skills!

"Golden Radiance Shock-Kill Sword can tear through an iron pillar at close range, but I doubt it'll work from much farther away."

Feng Piaoling knew very well that only a solid, direct attack was truly powerful. Two evenly matched opponents wouldn't attack from a distance. Without overwhelming strength, the power of an attack would be mostly spent by the time it traveled so far.

Distance was a law no world could ignore.

Clang, clang, clang...

One sword stroke tore a gash into the iron pillar. Feng Piaoling swung faster and faster, unleashing dozens, then hundreds of strikes in the blink of an eye.

The already battered iron pillar could no longer hold up under the barrage. With a boom, it burst apart, shattering into hundreds of pieces.

At the same time, the Soul Power inside Feng Piaoling's body flowed faster and faster, completing one small cycle after another before finally returning to his dantian.

Then it flowed out again, continuing the cycle.

Hum!

His dantian pulsed faintly. Feng Piaoling lowered his sword and stood still, delight showing on his face. "My Soul Power's reached level thirty-five. A few days earlier than I expected."

With his Soul Power breaking through to level thirty-five and Golden Radiance Shock-Kill Sword beginning to take shape, Feng Piaoling had used up nearly all the Soul Power in his body.

He sat cross-legged on the Soul Tool platform and circulated Green Lotus Sword Art to recover.

About half an hour later, Feng Piaoling opened his eyes, his Soul Power fully restored. Just then, someone knocked on the door of the Mimicry Training Ground, and Jiang Nannan's voice came from outside. "Benefactor."

Feng Piaoling stored the broken pieces of the iron pillar in a separate Storage Soul Tool, then put the iron pillar provided by Shrek Academy back in its place. Only then did he go to open the door.

"Level thirty-eight. Looks like you've made good progress."

Feng Piaoling gave Jiang Nannan a once-over and nodded.

"I have you to thank for that, Benefactor. I wouldn't have broken through so quickly without the Soul Ascension Pill you gave me."

Jiang Nannan had just turned fourteen, making her about three years older than Feng Piaoling.

To reach level thirty-eight at her age, she was undoubtedly a rare genius.

"Then keep working hard at your cultivation from now on. That'll be your way of repaying me." Feng Piaoling smiled.

"Mm. Nannan will always remember your teachings, Benefactor. I'll make sure to train diligently and won't let you down."

Jiang Nannan nodded firmly, then changed the subject. "Benefactor, should I still accompany you in your training today?"

"No need. It's already getting late. Maybe tomorrow." Feng Piaoling walked out of Training Room No. 36 and glanced through the corridor window at the darkening sky, shaking his head.

Jiang Nannan's eyes lit up. Gathering her courage, she said, "In that case, why don't we take a walk by Sea God Lake and relax?"

"Uh..." Feng Piaoling's mouth twitched. So that was what this girl had been waiting for.

Still, he had just broken through to level thirty-five, and his Soul Power wouldn't increase any further in the next little while. Besides, he really should familiarize himself with Shrek Academy's layout.

"Let's go," Feng Piaoling agreed casually.

Delighted, Jiang Nannan took Feng Piaoling by the hand and led him out of the building that housed the Mimicry Training Ground.

They went around the first-year teaching building, then headed south and east along Shrek Square.

After passing through the woods beside a path, the shimmering Sea God Lake came into view.

Soft moisture mingled with the fresh air and washed over them. The sunset, the trees, their reflections on the water.

Everything seemed so beautiful.

But whenever Feng Piaoling thought of the scene of his beloved parents' deaths, he was overcome with hatred for everything connected to Shrek.

Evil Soul Masters.

They were a hatred Feng Piaoling could never erase from his heart.

And the root of it all was Tang San.

"How beautiful." Jiang Nannan had no idea what Feng Piaoling was thinking. She gazed at the scenery, drew a deep breath, and stretched her body.

Whether intentional or not, her top inevitably rode up as she stretched, revealing her rounded, pert buttocks.

That drew Feng Piaoling's attention away from his thoughts. After a glance, his mind settled back into its previous calm.

Just then, Electrolux's elderly voice sounded in his mind. "Your heart seemed troubled just now."

"Isn't it normal to be troubled when a girl's charms are on display?"

Feng Piaoling replied calmly.

"That's not what I meant. Your heart... there seems to be hatred in it," Electrolux said.

"What, senior, are you going to tell me to let go of my hatred?"

Feng Piaoling's expression turned cold.

"No. I just wanted to remind you not to let hatred blind you." Not a trace of emotion could be heard in Electrolux's voice.

"Senior needn't worry. I won't do anything foolish before I'm truly strong. I only have one life, after all. Once it's gone, I'll have nothing left."

Feng Piaoling's words were both an answer to Electrolux and a warning to himself.

Just then, Feng Piaoling suddenly felt a wave of heat rushing toward them at high speed.

He turned his gaze to the side and saw a mass of fire speeding toward them along the lakeshore. Wherever it passed, grass and trees turned yellow and withered.

At that moment, the fire was chasing a bright blue butterfly. Though calling it a butterfly wasn't quite right—in truth, it was two people.

The owner of that bright blue butterfly Martial Soul was none other than Wang Dong'er, whose identity had been exposed by the undercover agent at his direction.

She was carrying a petite girl as they fled in disarray. The wings of the Light Goddess Butterfly, hailed as the most beautiful Beast Martial Soul on the continent, curled in an instant, and the two of them plummeted toward them.

"That aura... Could it be Ma Xiaotao?"

Feng Piaoling's expression tightened. Ma Xiaotao was drawing closer by the second, and he didn't dare hesitate. He slapped the Earth Escape Talisman stuck to his chest. "Nannan, wrap your arms around my waist."