Chen Linger Battles Chen Kexin (Please Keep Reading)

"Oh! Why do you say that, Miss Chen?"

Wang Xuance froze for a moment and looked at the young woman in confusion.

"For the matches, each branch sends out three prepared disciples to compete on the stage. The winners may choose to remain on the stage, while the losers step down."

"Because I only recently broke through the Three-Knock Blood Pass, if I cannot defeat my opponent, I hope Brother Wang can defeat them in my stead. But if that happens..."

Chen Linger wore a gentle smile, though concern showed on her face.

"Brother Wang will need to defeat Chen Feng. Your life could be in danger!"

At that point, Wang Xuance finally understood.

If Chen Linger defeated her opponent, she could maneuver around matters herself and leave Chen Feng unable to do anything to her.

But if Chen Linger proved inadequate and was defeated, not only would he have to break through one opponent for her first, he would also have to ensure Chen Feng's defeat.

Fleeing and dodging with all one's might while dealing with a Martial Practitioner, and openly defeating a Martial Practitioner through force, were two entirely different matters!

"Miss Chen, since I accepted your things, I will naturally give it my all. I still have that much sincerity!"

Seeing no trace of fear in Wang Xuance, Chen Linger said no more.

"First match: Fourth Branch against Third Branch!"

"Second match: Fifth Branch against Sixth Branch!"

"Third match: First Branch against Second Branch!"

The three matchups seemed to have been deliberately arranged, with the elite disciples of each branch selected in turn.

Wang Xuance looked over them one by one. Every one was a Three-Knock Blood Pass martial man or woman, their blood and qi abundant, their bones sturdy and tendons strong, their bearing fierce and imposing.

"This Lineage's foundation truly lives up to its reputation. Just raising five Three-Knock Blood Pass martial men would cost at least ten thousand taels in resources!"

Wang Xuance sat in a corner with his eyes closed, resting his mind as he waited for the First Branch to face the Second Branch.

"Brother, why does the method of battle not follow the clan rules? If the Second Branch wishes to become the main branch, should they not defeat every branch other than the main branch before they are qualified to contend with it?"

Chen Linger's delicate brows rose sharply, her face frosty as she stared straight at the Second Branch across from them.

"Hmph! Other than the Grand Elder, our main branch has no Martial Practitioners. The Second Branch has one more Chen Feng, and they joined with the other branches to force the Grand Elder to accept this matter!"

"Little sister, a tiger fallen onto the plains is bullied by dogs. When Father was still alive, who would have dared suggest contending for the position of main branch? Hmph, a pack of jumping clowns!"

Chen Feng rebuked coldly, secretly clenching his fists until the thin calluses over his knuckles crackled.

"First match: Chen Wu versus Chen Xiong!"

"Both of you, get on the stage at once. Do not waste time!"

Immediately afterward, two young men stepped onto the earthen platform, each carrying a weapon as they stood ready.

One bore a fine-iron great spear on his back. His palms were broad as cattail cushions, his brows dark as lacquer, and his entire body radiated the sharpness of a javelin. His yellow robe fluttered without wind, and a murderous aura rushed forth to meet the eye.

The other was built like a bear, covered in black hair from head to toe, with thick hands and feet. He held a heavy nine-ring saber and wore a savage grin.

"Begin!"

Whoosh!

The yellow-robed young man's arm moved like a white ape's as he drew his spear and raised it upright, shouting loudly.

The long spear surged like a great flood dragon leaping from the water, stabbing straight for the black-haired youth's chest.

Clang!

The ring of metal crashing against metal echoed out, and a string of blinding sparks burst through the air.

The black-haired youth raised his heavy saber with force. Black qi seemed to coil around the blade's tip as it instantly broke apart that simple, brutal spear thrust brimming with murderous intent.

In an instant, the two fought with true fire in their hearts. The spearhead circled, stabbed, split, and struck in a storm of attacks, while the saber swept wide and broad, hiding finesse within its roughness as it effortlessly dissolved the killing blows.

In an instant, a wild gale rose over the earthen platform, sweeping up countless clouds of dust. The two faced each other needle to needle on the sand, neither yielding an inch.

In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged dozens of moves. Piercing clashes rang out one after another, leaving the disciples of several branches below staring dumbstruck.

"This duel is as savage as enemies meeting face-to-face?!"

In the end, the youth wielding the nine-ring saber used an exquisitely clever footwork technique to narrowly evade a spear thrust. He swept his saber sideways, then lashed out with his long leg like a whip, viciously kicking his opponent off the earthen platform!

The black-haired youth won!

Over the next several hours, the disciples of the Chen Clan's various branches fought fiercely against one another. If one did not know this was an internal competition to distribute the Lineage's resources, one would have thought they bore a blood-deep hatred.

"Third match: First Branch against Second Branch!"

"Chen Linger versus Chen Kexin!"

Chen Linger tapped the ground with her foot, her figure skimming upward like a dragonfly touching water as she landed atop the platform.

On the other side, Chen Kexin glanced at Chen Feng. The latter gave her a meaningful look.

Do not kill this woman. The Second Elder has ordered it!

Though the young woman did not understand why, she still nodded.

"The match—begin!!"

Before the words had even faded, Chen Linger's sleeves contracted and extended, and an Emei thorn appeared in each of her palms.

"First form of the Emei Thorn Technique: Phoenix Spirit Nod!"

The two thorn blades, each no more than three feet long, shifted and switched, feinting left and leaping right like two horned crocodiles snapping toward Chen Kexin's face.

Before the weapons arrived, a vicious wind had already swept toward her. Chen Kexin gritted her silver teeth and knocked the sword hilt with her thumb.

Shing!

This four-foot azure blade named Han Lin had been forged after she spent a hundred taels of pure silver to purchase Bitter-Snow Fine Iron, combined it with Dusk-Earth Heavenly Iron, and forged it over seven times seven, forty-nine days.

On the day the sword was completed, she had even slain its swordsmith and sacrificed blood to the blade. The Sha Qi contained within was so dense that it could seize a person's heart and soul!

Sure enough, the moment the four-foot sword left its sheath, waves of chilling killing intent spread through the air. Chen Kexin darted forward, her sleeve sweeping as the sword hilt blocked and slashed sideways.

Clang!!

"Not good!"

Chen Linger immediately felt a mountain-toppling, sea-overturning force crash into her. The webbing between both her thumbs and forefingers split open, blood pouring forth.

Enduring the searing pain, she sprang high with both feet, light as a swallow as she avoided the horizontal sweep of the sword.

"Thirty-Six Wind Demon Leg Forms—Sword-Thrusting Kick!"

Her legs flashed like lightning, striking again and again. Each kick followed the last, elegant and unrestrained, yet packed with ruthless force!

That day, she had only been crushed beneath absolute strength. Otherwise, she would not have been left without the power to fight back!

Wang Xuance slowly opened his eyes, which had been shut for so long. Seeing the exquisite subtleties of Chen Linger's leg technique on the earthen platform, an unusual glint appeared in his eyes.

"But her opponent is no ordinary Three-Knock Blood Pass martial artist either!"

The long sword followed Chen Linger's kicking force and shot straight toward Chen Kexin's chest. If it struck solidly, it would leave behind a bloody gash deep enough to expose bone!

Yet Chen Kexin merely curled her lips. Her slender waist twisted as she flipped into the air, lightly tapping the Han Lin with her toes before leaping above Chen Linger's head in a single step.

"Chen Clan movement technique—Startled Swan Step!"

Hum!

Chen Kexin flicked her sleeve, sending the long sword turning up. The young woman seized its hilt, and in an instant her momentum surged like a rainbow. A strand of Essence of Blood and Qi coiled around the blade like a red serpent flicking its tongue.

She slashed viciously down at Chen Linger's head!

"Azure Heavens Sword Technique—Yellow Springs Descends to Earth!"

"Die for me!"

A faint red gleam gathered over the sword, its incoming force like a surging sea of Sha Qi, layer upon layer piling up!

Chen Linger faced this killing move, its angle vicious and its target her head.

She took a deep breath and circulated her blood and qi beyond her body, hastily forming it into a scarlet shield of blood.

"Chen Clan defensive technique—Edge-Evading Blood Shield!"

This technique could be cultivated by Martial Practitioners of the Force Aura Realm and martial men of the First-Knock Blood Pass alike. It drove the blood and qi of the entire body to condense into a shield that protected one's vital points.

It was an out-and-out method of avoiding the enemy!

The red gleam on the sword burst forth, slicing through that seemingly indestructible blood shield protecting her body like a hot knife through butter!

"What?!"

Chen Linger's face filled with shock. Before she could think further, she tried to use the force of the shattered shield to slide backward and escape danger.

"Bold!"

Chen Kexin pressed her advantage without mercy, thrusting her sword forward. It moved as swiftly as a lightning serpent twisting through the air, incomparably dangerous!

"Hmph!"

Below the platform, Chen Feng saw that his little sister's life was in peril and was about to intervene to save her. Yet a black shadow even faster than him shot straight toward the earthen platform!