At Daggers Drawn

"No... Impossible!"

Deep in the forest, the dark-skinned youth stared in shock. The short blade in his hand was pressed against Lin Ge's skin, but he couldn't drive it even a fraction deeper.

"You're too weak."

Lin Ge shook his head helplessly, then moved slightly and easily knocked all three men unconscious. After taking their tokens, he continued on at a leisurely pace.

As he drew closer to the enormous platform atop the mountain, Lin Ge soon ran into several more people. They were about as strong as the three who had tried to stop him earlier, all at the seventh level of Body Tempering Realm.

Lin Ge showed no mercy, knocking them unconscious and snatching the tokens from them.

"By now, they should just about all have reached the stone platform."

A little while later, Lin Ge narrowed his eyes at the enormous platform in the distance and slowly drew the refined-steel sword in his hand.

Not far from the platform, he could vaguely sense several people rapidly approaching.

Lin Ge already had ten tokens, enough to qualify for the platform, but he didn't want anyone else to get up there. He had no choice but to act.

"Iron-Cleaving Stance: Mountain Breaker!"

As Yuan Power poured into it, the iron sword in Lin Ge's grasp gleamed. He swung it fiercely toward the enormous platform!

A streak of sword light, carrying an overwhelming and terrifying aura, shot out like lightning with a piercing whistle. It swept through miles of forest and hurtled toward the stone platform!

Four people were closing in on the platform: Lei Li of the Lei Clan, Xie Yingying of the Xie Clan, a member of the Mad Blade Martial Hall, and Lin Dong of the Lin Clan!

Their expressions varied. Lei Li and Xie Yingying wore dark looks, their sidelong glances at Lin Dong brimming with hatred.

Lin Dong, on the other hand, looked completely calm, as if he hadn't noticed the hostility in Lei Li and Xie Yingying's eyes.

The member of the Mad Blade Martial Hall wasn't burdened by such complicated feelings. Looking at the platform they were nearing, he let out a quiet sigh of relief and smiled faintly.

Whoosh—

A faint whistling sound reached them. The four suddenly felt a terrifying aura that made their hair stand on end, and hurriedly leaped backward!

In that very instant, a streak of sword light flashed past, cleaving apart the stretch of path that connected to the platform!

"Who was that?!"

The sudden attack sent Lei Li, already furious, over the edge. His face twisted with murderous intent as he looked around, trying to see who had dared to ambush them!

Lei Li wasn't the only one enraged. Xie Yingying and the Mad Blade Martial Hall member were just as furious. If they hadn't reacted quickly, they would have been cut down right there.

Lin Dong wasn't as angry as the other three. He simply stared at the fissure in front of him, his expression unusually grave.

As far as he knew, only one person possessed such power and wielded a long sword: Lin Ge!

Whoosh!

Just then, Lin Ge burst out of the forest, leaped into the air, and landed in front of the four.

"Who are you?"

Lei Li's face darkened. Suppressing his anger, he asked coldly.

Given Lei Li's temperament, he should have already crippled the youth in front of him. Yet, unusually, he held back.

It wasn't because he'd had a change of heart and grown kinder. The sword in Lin Ge's hand gave off wave after wave of keen, razor-sharp sword energy, making Lei Li afraid to attack rashly.

Xie Yingying and the Mad Blade Martial Hall member wore grave expressions, too. Like Lei Li, they were wary of the sword in the youth's hand.

"So it really is you, Lin Ge!"

Lin Dong took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.

"He's Lin Ge!"

Lin Dong's words shocked the other three!

They had all heard of Lin Ge's exploits. Xie Yingying especially had heard Xie Ting describe how powerful he was.

The title of Green Sun Town's number-one genius meant little to those present. But that didn't mean they would let anyone stand above them. So when they'd heard Lin Ge was entering the hunt, all three had wanted to defeat him. Yet ever since the competition began, they hadn't found the chance. They never expected that he would be the one stopping them from reaching the stone platform!

Lin Ge took in all four of their expressions, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Congratulations on making it this far. Unfortunately, your journey ends here."

"What do you mean?"

Lei Li's face darkened as Yuan Power stirred quietly within him.

"Can't you understand? I'm saying none of you will make it onto the platform!"

Lin Ge pointed his sword at Lei Li. His calm words carried an air of domineering authority.

To make such a bold declaration in front of Green Sun Town's most powerful young geniuses shocked not only Lei Li and the others, but also everyone seated on the stone seats.

"Father... What exactly is he trying to do?"

Lin Ken had seen everything happening at the platform. As he watched Lin Ge, his expression gradually turned serious, and unease stirred in his heart.

Lin Zhentian's expression grew serious as well, and his hands clenched involuntarily.

Lin Ge had made his intentions clear. He meant to take on all four at once!

It was a reckless move, one that was practically suicidal.

After all, Lin Ge was facing four young geniuses who had reached Earth Origin Realm, not practitioners of Body Tempering Realm.

No matter how strong Lin Ge was, how could he defeat four experts of Earth Origin Realm?

"That brat... He's asking for death!"

Lei Bao's face darkened as he stared coldly at Lin Ge on the stone platform, a flash of killing intent in his eyes.

"If he wants to die, then let's grant his wish."

Beside him, Xie Qian was still smiling, but anyone could hear the chill in his laugh.

"Lin Ge, don't think that being Green Sun Town's so-called number-one genius gives you the right to act so arrogantly. I'll teach you a lesson today!"

Lei Li roared and sprang forward, sending a fierce punch straight at Lin Ge.

"Arrogant? I don't think so."

Lei Li's furious strike was tremendously powerful. Even Lin Dong, who was also at Earth Origin Realm, wouldn't dare take it head-on. But Lin Ge met it with a punch of his own, utterly unfazed!

Bang!

Their fists collided, but there was no fierce back-and-forth. The fight was completely one-sided.

Lei Li was sent flying several meters, crashing through several trees before hitting the ground.

Lin Ge's display stunned everyone once more.

Now they finally understood: Lin Ge wasn't acting out of arrogance. He truly had the strength to take on all four of them at once!

"You should attack together if you want any chance of winning. Otherwise, you're bound to lose."

On the stone platform, Lin Ge looked down at the four and spoke calmly.

Below, Lin Dong and the others' expressions shifted from anger to gravity. Yuan Power began to churn within them.

Clearly, they had decided to join forces and fight Lin Ge!

In an instant, the entire arena was charged with tension.