An open stretch of flat ground.
Lin Feng weighed the wooden sword in his hand, spun it in a flashy flourish, lifted his chin slightly, and looked at Qian Renxue with a smug expression.
"Teacher, come at me. My sword has never failed me."
A few minutes later,
"Ah! Teacher, go easy! It hurts! It hurts!"
"Teacher, I'm a Support System Soul Master—your dear student. Spare me!"
Lin Feng, who had been talking tough just moments ago, was now a complete mess. Clutching his wooden sword, he gritted his teeth and desperately blocked every strike Qian Renxue sent his way, howling from the pain coursing through his body.
Although Qian Renxue was also using a wooden sword, every blow carried immense force, numbing the web between his thumb and forefinger. Beneath his clothes, his arms and back were covered in dense red welts.
Yet Qian Renxue's sword showed no mercy whatsoever. Every move was fast, precise, and ruthless.
Each strike perfectly displayed the Angel Clan's uniquely domineering and fierce swordsmanship. She did not go easy on him just because he was a Support System Soul Master.
"Xiao Linzi, your reactions are too slow."
Qian Renxue reprimanded him with dissatisfaction, but her sword never stopped. Another strike knocked the wooden sword from his hand, and her blade stopped after grazing his arm, leaving behind a faint red mark.
"Bring out the state you had when the Ghost-Faced Monkey was chasing you. Stop blocking wildly like a headless fly."
She had never expected Lin Feng to surpass her in swordsmanship, but he at least needed to develop some ability to protect himself.
The next time he encountered danger, even if she was not by his side, he could rely on the sword in his hand to hold out a little longer instead of having no chance to fight back at all.
Not far away,
Flender and Zhao Wuji watched Lin Feng get beaten until he howled. The two of them were in exceptionally good moods, with not the slightest hint of sympathy in their eyes—only gleeful schadenfreude.
"Old Zhao, this kid's teacher is truly terrifyingly gifted!"
Flender held his unfinished afternoon tea, his tone filled with unconcealed amazement.
"She's so young. Her cultivation being impressive would be one thing, but her swordsmanship has reached such a level too. With this domineering sword technique alone, few in the world could match her."
"Hahaha, I don't understand swordsmanship or anything like that."
Zhao Wuji crossed his arms and grinned.
"All I know is that someone can finally keep this brat in line. He's got plenty of suffering ahead of him. Feels great."
As the two chatted happily, Oscar and Ma Hongjun happened to return from training. Their wet hair clung to their foreheads, and they were panting so hard that they even staggered slightly as they walked.
The moment they rounded the corner, they spotted the two figures sparring on the open ground and froze on the spot.
Qian Renxue wore a golden-white long dress. Even with a thin veil covering her face, revealing only a pair of cold, golden phoenix eyes, her sacred yet distant aura could be clearly felt from dozens of meters away.
Both boys stared blankly, unconsciously murmuring,
"So beautiful..."
The next moment,
Lin Feng's miserable cries snapped them back to their senses.
The two hurriedly lowered their heads, and an unmistakable trace of inferiority flashed through their eyes.
Oscar looked up at Lin Feng, who was being beaten black and blue, then quickly glanced at the upright figure of Qian Renxue in the field. Lowering his voice, he asked,
"Dean, is this... the new teacher here to teach us swordsmanship?"
"Yes, she teaches swordsmanship."
Flender saw through the little thoughts in the two boys' eyes at a glance. He gave a faint snort and slowly took a sip from his teacup.
"But she isn't your teacher. She's the teacher Lin Feng acknowledged for himself. She has nothing to do with you two."
"That's good, that's good!"
Ma Hongjun instantly let out a huge sigh of relief. Like a survivor of a catastrophe, he patted his little chest, his chubby face filled with relief as he muttered softly.
"That scared me to death. Good thing she's only Brother Feng's teacher... Hiss! She hits way too hard."
"You still have the nerve to be relieved!"
Seeing how spineless his disciple was, Flender's temples throbbed with anger. He was so angry that he laughed, then smacked Ma Hongjun on the head.
"With your temperament, even in your next life, you wouldn't get an opportunity like this."
The Angel Clan's swordsmanship was among the finest treasures in the entire world. Countless Title Douluo could break their heads trying to obtain even a move or two.
Sigh! People really could not be compared.
Ma Hongjun rubbed his aching head, completely unconcerned. All he felt was happiness at not having to get beaten while practicing swordsmanship, and he muttered to himself,
"I'm a Power Attack System Beast Spirit master. Phoenix Evil Fire is enough for fighting. Why would I waste all that effort practicing swordsmanship and asking for trouble?"
Beside him, the light that had just appeared in Oscar's eyes gradually dimmed.
He clenched his fists and remained silent for a long while. Then he raised his head to look at Flender and spoke in a quiet but exceptionally firm voice.
"Dean, I... I want to learn swordsmanship too."
"Good lad, Xiao Ao. You've got ambition!"
Zhao Wuji laughed heartily and heavily patted Oscar on the shoulder, his face full of gratification.
"But Flender and I both came from commoner backgrounds. We don't understand high-level techniques like swordsmanship at all, so we can't teach you."
As he spoke, he gestured toward the field with his chin, pointing Oscar toward a clear path.
"If you want to learn, wait until Brother Feng finishes training and ask him. You two are brothers—would he really refuse you?"
Oscar lowered his head, forcing a strained smile onto his lips as bitterness filled his heart.
His big brother had already helped him far too much. The cultivation resources he normally received, as well as those precious herbs that could increase the age limit of Soul Rings he could absorb—he truly could not bring himself to trouble Lin Feng again over his own matters.
Three hours later,
The setting sun dyed the world a warm gold.
Qian Renxue flicked her wrist, and the wooden sword traced a crisp flourish before she steadily withdrew her stance.
She walked over to Lin Feng, who was slumped on the ground, and her third purple Soul Ring suddenly lit up as she chanted coldly,
"Angel Blessing."
A white phantom of an Angel slowly appeared beside Lin Feng. With its hands clasped together in prayer, it softly prayed as gentle, sacred light descended and enveloped his entire body.
The burning red welts beneath his clothes healed rapidly at a visible pace. Even his sore, numb, swollen muscles were instantly relieved.
Lin Feng hurried over to Qian Renxue and sincerely admitted his mistake.
"Teacher, I was wrong. I won't dare do it again."
Qian Renxue casually stored the wooden sword in her storage Soul Tool and swept her phoenix eyes over him indifferently.
"If there is a next time, remember to prepare a real sword in advance."
Little brat, daring to call me a bargain teacher behind my back. He's really gotten bold.
Lin Feng shuddered all over and shook his head like a rattle, hurriedly declaring his loyalty.
"There definitely won't be a next time. Don't worry, Teacher."
This bargain teacher really hits hard! And she walks without making a sound. I can't talk behind her back again... Fortunately, I managed to bluff my way through this time.
As the saying went, a wise man submitted to circumstances. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—lying low for now was nothing to be ashamed of.
A trace of satisfaction flashed through Qian Renxue's phoenix eyes. She took out a storage Soul Tool in the form of a silver ring engraved with intricate wing patterns and held it out to Lin Feng.
"This is a storage Soul Tool. There are one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins inside."
"What?! One hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
Golden light practically flashed in Lin Feng's eyes. He quickly accepted the ring with both hands, his hands trembling slightly with excitement as he eagerly sent in his senses to examine it.
Within the spacious storage space of over a hundred cubic meters, glittering Gold Soul Coins had been piled into a small mountain, dazzling his eyes.
He immediately gripped the ring tightly in his hand, leaned close to Qian Renxue, and said with a beaming smile,
"Thank you, my dearest, most beloved teacher. I knew it—Teacher treats me the best in the whole world."
Before you continue