Leng Yifeng

"Leng Yifeng, you have some nerve, daring to lay a hand on Miss Huang!"

Yu Qingqing arrived at the scene to see the unarmed guard locked in a skirmish with Leng Yifeng.

She could tell that Leng Yifeng also possessed the strength of Bright Force, but he had mastered an impressive blade technique.

The long blade in his hand followed a treacherous and fierce path; his strikes were cunning, each one grazing the guard's vital points.

Even a martial artist of Dark Force is made of flesh and blood; once closed in upon by such a swift blade, a moment of carelessness would lead to bloodshed.

It was precisely for this reason that the guard was being suppressed by him.

After weighing the strength of both sides, Yu Qingqing hesitated no longer. With a loud shout, she leaped into the fray to join the battle.

Attacking from the left while the guard took the right, they managed to halt the decline and stabilize the situation.

Yu Qingqing's arrival caused the expressions of both the guard and Leng Yifeng to shift.

The guard's originally solemn expression eased slightly, his footing became much steadier, and he began to find openings for counterattacks within his movements.

Leng Yifeng, however, furrowed his brows sharply, his blade momentum faltering for a split second as he thought to himself:

Where is the other person?

He knew they always traveled in pairs.

Since Yu Qingqing was here, where was the other helper?

Furthermore, that kid named Li Yun was a skilled hunter invited by Yu Qingqing.

His archery must be formidable!

If he were to find an opening to loose a cold arrow, Leng Yifeng would be caught in a pincer attack, and the situation would become completely passive.

Thinking of this, Leng Yifeng stopped fighting head-on. His blade style suddenly shifted to defense, his footwork changed, and he retreated while fighting, deliberately moving his back behind a thick tree branch.

As he retreated, he kept his left hand behind his back, continuously scattering some kind of powder.

Yu Qingqing and the guard remained completely unaware.

Not far away, behind a small slope.

Li Yun, having nocked an arrow, drawn the string, and taken aim, prepared to lend them a hand.

Unexpectedly, Leng Yifeng seemed to know someone was about to ambush him.

He maneuvered and shifted, hiding in a blind spot.

He left only his front exposed to Li Yun.

Moreover, he kept his body low, frequently hiding behind Yu Qingqing and the guard.

Tricky.

That was Li Yun's first thought.

It was clear that this Leng Yifeng was no ordinary brute.

The moment he saw Yu Qingqing, he had devised the optimal combat strategy.

He had rendered Li Yun, the support, useless.

What worried Li Yun even more was that the two people on the ground had clearly been affected by some unknown drug.

This meant Leng Yifeng was also skilled in the use of toxins.

Yu Qingqing and the guard had no protective measures at all and were still standing foolishly downwind.

They were doomed sooner or later.

Li Yun did not hold much hope for his two pig-headed teammates.

The situation was not looking good.

Charging forward for a head-on melee would be like throwing an egg against a rock; it was not a viable option.

The only way to break the deadlock now was to maintain distance and rely on his archery to find that fleeting window of opportunity.

As for a strategic retreat, that was unnecessary; there was a flat slope in front of him with an open field of vision.

If Leng Yifeng dared to pursue, Li Yun wouldn't mind letting him taste the power of max-level archery.

Time ticked away, second by second.

Unable to secure a victory after a long engagement, Yu Qingqing and the guard grew anxious.

To the side, Huang Shengnan and Lin Biling were flushed a deep, purplish red; they were clearly reaching their limit.

If this dragged on any longer, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Leng Yifeng, what exactly did you do to them?"

Narrowly dodging a blade strike, Yu Qingqing asked, her heart pounding with trepidation.

She was used to fighting opponents with fist techniques, and facing a blade user for the first time left her feeling stretched thin and struggling to cope.

Leng Yifeng danced his long blade into a wall of impenetrable steel, holding his ground firmly even while being flanked by Yu Qingqing and her guard, standing his own against two opponents.

He revealed not a single opening.

Facing Yu Qingqing's question, Leng Yifeng's lips curled into a wicked, charming smile.

He licked his thin lips, his voice laced with mockery:

"Heh, they're just little trinkets to liven things up.

Look at them now; I'm afraid they can't hold it in much longer.

Their blood is surging in reverse, with no way to release it.

When that time comes, heh..."

In a life-or-death struggle, victory never depends solely on cultivation levels or martial prowess.

Psychological warfare is also a key to winning, a vital lesson from Leng Yifeng's sect.

He was highly experienced in dealing with wealthy young women like Yu Qingqing, who appeared capable of standing on their own but were actually naive and unacquainted with underhanded tactics.

Sure enough, upon hearing these words, fury ignited in Yu Qingqing's eyes, and her attacks became several times more vicious than before.

However, the rhythm of her strikes had fallen into disarray.

Leng Yifeng was in no rush to finish it; all he had to do now was wait.

Wait for the drug to take effect.

Moreover, that archer in the shadows had yet to show his face.

Very cautious.

A hidden arrow, drawn but not released, is what causes the most anxiety.

Unfortunately, even when the drug took effect and both Yu Qingqing and the guard collapsed to the ground, Li Yun remained motionless in the dark.

Leng Yifeng did not lower his guard, his right hand gripping the hilt of his blade tightly.

He walked slowly toward Yu Qingqing.

Just as he bent down to reach out.

Whoosh~

A sharp sound suddenly tore through the silence of the forest, an arrow wrapped in the force of a gale.

Like a streak of black light, it flew straight for him!

Leng Yifeng had been prepared; with a cold snort, he twisted his wrist sharply and exerted force to parry upward with his right hand, his long blade meeting the incoming arrow with a whistling gust!

Clang~

The crisp sound of metal striking metal rang out.

The blade edge struck the arrowhead with precision, knocking the arrow away until it embedded itself into a nearby tree trunk, the shaft still vibrating with a hum.

Yet, the immense force transmitted through the hilt left his entire right arm numb and his blood churning.

Leng Yifeng's brows knitted together as he looked toward the direction from which the arrow had come.

The power behind this shot was far heavier than he had anticipated.

The arrow had missed.

Li Yun was not discouraged.

Humans are different from animals.

Especially martial artists, who possess keen senses and know how to block or evade danger.

Since the advantage of a surprise attack was lost, there was no point in remaining hidden.

Li Yun pulled out a cloth mask to cover his nose and mouth, gripped the Bull Bow, nocked an arrow, and walked out slowly, standing upon a small slope.

Their eyes met.

Leng Yifeng's gaze was like a blade, tempered with coldness.

Li Yun's eyes were calm and rippleless, resting on his opponent without dodging or flinching.

Leng Yifeng was the first to speak loudly, using his blood energy to carry his voice with a hint of enticement:

"The wealth is yours, the woman is mine. How about it?"

Inwardly, however, he was calculating:

They were so far apart, yet Li Yun could still land a shot from this distance; it seemed his archery was no simple matter.

The area between them was open ground, with nothing but a few short trees for cover.

It was no different from being a living target.

If he could close the distance, he might have a chance...

Hearing Leng Yifeng's words, Li Yun smiled, revealing a set of bright white teeth.

He shouted back in the same manner:

"You fool, if I kill you, your wealth and your women will all be mine."

"Hahaha~"

Leng Yifeng was stunned for a moment, then burst into uncontrollable laughter:

"Good lad, I've roamed the pugilistic world for so many years, and I've sent at least eighty souls to the afterlife, but this is the first time I've heard someone say something like that!"

Once he finished laughing, he fell silent, smacked his lips, and looked at Li Yun with a hint of amusement in his eyes:

"Tsk tsk, your disposition actually suits our sect's tastes.

How about it, are you interested in joining us?"

"What sect? If I join, what are the benefits?"

Standing upwind, Li Yun wasn't afraid of the other party using poison; taking the opportunity to probe for information was a good idea.

It would prevent him from making an enemy today only to have them show up for revenge later, leaving him completely clueless about their background.