Chen Xiaotian shook his head, thinking to himself, "It's a disgrace that I was defeated by such a scoundrel back then."
After exchanging blows for a while, Jiang Long sheathed his sword, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you, Officer Deng. Let's call it a day."
Deng Qing also accepted the Desolate Iron Sword, saying, "Brother Jiang, you're too kind."
Jiang Long stepped forward and showed his bracelet.
The two bracelets touched lightly, and the jade pieces lit up. Deng Qing focused his mind on them and saw that a new record of completing a mission had been added.
"Gentlemen, I have other matters to attend to, so I must take my leave."
Jiang Long bowed and left first.
Deng Qing sheathed his sword behind his back, Chen Xiaotian said coldly, "You, surnamed Deng, have truly disappointed me."
Two years have passed, and Chen thought you had learned some new tricks, but he never expected that you would still be using the Swordsmanship of the Skin Tempering Realm to show off.
"That's all you've got. My Desolate Iron Sword has suffered terribly following you."
Deng Qing said coldly, "Brother Chen, what's the point of all this nonsense you've been spouting?"
"If you're so capable, then win this sword back. Or are you just all talk?"
Chen Xiaotian gripped the sword hilt, veins bulging on his hand. "Good lad, you don't need to provoke me."
We'll have to fight sooner or later. Perfect timing, let's use this momentum to break through the Bone Tempering Fourth Layer and master the Bandit-Sweeping Form.
I'll make this clear today: within a month, I, Chen, will settle all scores with you, old and new!
Deng Qing yawned, "If you want to break through, then hurry up and go back to break through. What are you trying to motivate me for?"
Chen Xiaotian's facial muscles twitched slightly.
Deng Qing waved his hand, "I'll say it again, I don't fight for nothing. If Brother Chen wants to win back the Desolate Iron Sword, he should prepare the True Condensation Pill. Next time, if you come empty-handed, there's no need to say anything."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Chen Xiaotian stared at Deng Qing's retreating figure, his eyes practically spitting fire.
True Condensation Pill! This guy still has the same face, hasn't changed a bit!
That's fine.
Lao Tzu then used this momentum to break through the barrier in one fell swoop!
Deng Qing had just left the Martial Arts Ground and was preparing to return to his cave when the bracelet on his wrist started buzzing again.
He focused his mind on it, and upon seeing it, he couldn't help but chuckle. It was another sparring invitation, and two at once.
At this point, Deng Qing was certain that Shao Yong and Feng Lin were the ones stirring up trouble behind the scenes.
He knew that Shao and Feng were the culprits, but he had no choice but to go, as it was his job as Sword Examiner.
Unless, of course, he completes the basic workload of ten times a month.
After reading the two invitations, Deng Qing went to find Huang Yu and asked him to pass on a message to the two research groups he was currently working on, asking for leave for the day. He then headed to the next Martial Arts Ground.
The next two matches were similar to Jiang Long's match.
The two students were quite polite, bowing, reciting their Swordsmanship, and then asking him to spar with them.
Deng Qing responded as usual, using his Movement Technique and strength to compensate for his shortcomings in Swordsmanship.
After the two games were completed normally, it was already dark.
In reality, the actual time spent fighting was not long; the problem lay in the excessively long intervals between the three invitations.
As a result, after accepting the three invitations, he had no time left to participate in other research projects.
Deng Qing looked at the azure sky, exhaled a breath of stale air, and thought to himself, "These two guys really know how to use the words 'reasonable and compliant' properly."
As dusk fell, Deng Qing returned to his residence, where Shao Yong and Feng Lin were waiting on the stone platform in front of the cave entrance.
Deng Qing thought to himself, "The real show is about to begin."
At that moment, he straightened his cuffs, brushed the jade buttons on his cuffs, and quietly sent a wisp of Qi-Blood into them.
Before the two could speak, he said, "You two have come at the right time. I've thought that matter through; I'll keep the quota for purchasing True Condensation Pill for myself."
Shao Yong frowned slightly. "Brother Deng, we've visited twice hoping to resolve things amicably. Why don't you reconsider? There's no need to be so definitive."
Deng Qing said, "I've thought it through clearly. You two don't need to bother me with this matter anymore."
Feng Lin shook his head and sneered, "No, you haven't thought it through. How did Brother Deng feel about today's three sword matches?"
Deng Qing said coldly, "Brother Feng is certainly well-informed."
"I won't be afraid to tell you the truth, we arranged all three events. Brother Deng, you had no one to invite you, right? We found someone for you."
Feng Lin said casually, "Of course, our original intention was just to teach Brother Deng a small lesson and make him understand some principles. Now it seems that Brother Deng doesn't quite get it."
Deng Qing said, "If I, Deng, still don't understand, then what are you waiting for, Brother Feng?"
Feng Lin smiled and said, "Brother Deng, don't be in a hurry, let me explain slowly."
Today, Brother Deng may feel that after three games, it's not a big deal, and playing seven more games wouldn't be a problem either.
But Brother Deng, have you considered the possibility that it's just that Feng was being polite and didn't want to cause trouble, which is why none of the fighters you encountered today were at the Furnace Realm?"
At this point, he chuckled, "But even if Brother Deng is skilled, and can fight three matches a day, can he fight seven? You can withstand seven Bone-Forging Realm, but can you withstand seven Furnace Realm?"
Deng Qing's smile remained unchanged. "Brother Feng, are you threatening me?"
He knew that Feng Lin wasn't just saying it out of anger.
Normally, those in the Furnace Realm would never challenge those in the Bone-Forging Realm to Sword Examiner Selection, but that doesn't mean students in the Furnace Realm don't have that right.
Feng Lin shook his head with a smile, "Brother Deng is mistaken. This is not a threat, it's an ultimatum."
Deng Qing said in a deep voice, "Brother Feng, don't push your luck."
"I'm just bullying you, what can you do about it?"
Feng Lin raised his eyebrows. "I think you're the kind of person who's all talk and no action. I've said all the nice things I could and even increased your Merit Voucher, but you still don't appreciate it."
Who do you think you are? Who do you think I am?
Deng Qing frowned and said, "Judging from Brother Feng's tone, it seems there's some old grudge between us?"
In fact, after the two men visited him for the first time, he had already asked Huang Yu to find out where they came from, and he understood many things.
Asking again now is simply to get Feng Lin to say it himself.
Shao Yong sensed something was amiss and interjected, "Brother Deng, please don't misunderstand. Brother Feng is impatient; he was just joking."
How you interpret these words is up to you, Brother Deng. If you always think the worst, even a small matter can easily lead to misunderstandings.
As he spoke, his gaze swept over Deng Qing's hand and settled on Deng Qing's cuff, and he whispered to Feng Lin, "Brother Feng, loose lips sink ships."
Brother Shao, please don't worry.
Feng Lin snorted, "What misunderstanding? I, Feng, and that man surnamed Deng already have a score to settle."
As he spoke, he pointed at Deng Qing, "Back in the Desolate Soil Liangshan wilderness, you knew perfectly well whose power you relied on. You dared to disregard the dignified Front Line commander, Lord Feng? Weren't you courting death?"
Lord Feng is very magnanimous; as his nephew, I can't help but take it to heart.
Furthermore, things are different now. Your backer has run away. If you still dare to be as arrogant as you were back in Liangshan, I, Feng, would truly admire your courage."
A night breeze blew, causing Deng Qing's sleeves to flutter slightly, but her hands began to itch.
Thinking he had the upper hand, Feng Lin continued loudly, "My uncle has been promoted to a fourth-rank general for his meritorious service in leading the Liangshan Desolate Soil Wasteland Veins campaign."
I've come today to settle our accounts with you.
If you are sensible enough to give me what I want, I am willing to let bygones be bygones for all the unpleasantness of the past.
But if you still insist on putting on airs and refuse to budge... then we'll settle all the old and new scores together.
Deng Qing frowned. "So, Brother Feng is using his position to settle personal scores and bully others?"
Brother Deng!
Shao Yong quickly spoke up, trying to cut the conversation off.
Feng Lin retorted, "Think what you want. I'm telling you straight today, I'm going to bully you, and what can you do about it?"
"Brother Feng, shut up!"
Shao Yong gave a low shout and winked at Deng Qing's sleeve.
Feng Lin was taken aback.
Deng Qing turned his cuffs over. "Brother Shao, there's no need for you to wink. I have a Shadow Sound Button here; it recorded everything Brother Feng said just now."
Shao Yong's face turned pale, while Feng Lin's anger flared. "So what if I recorded it? Go ahead and sue me? I'm not afraid of a war of words with you!"
You're overthinking it.
Deng Qing lowered his sleeves. "I'm not the type to litigate. I'm only recording this because I'm afraid you might sue me."
Before Feng Lin could understand, Deng Qing continued, "What I'm best at is actually... hitting people."
Before he could finish speaking, he had already lunged forward.
Shao Yong could hardly believe his eyes. Had this kid misunderstood the situation? With Shao Yong, Furnace Realm, right here, how dare he make a move?
Feng Lin laughed angrily, "Fighting? Who's afraid of who?"
Although Deng Qing came quickly, Feng Lin reacted just as fast. He stepped forward to meet him, his fists seemingly sealed, and launched a Deflecting and Blocking Hand strike at Deng Qing.
Unexpectedly, just as he was about to unleash his punch, Deng Qing had already vanished. Then, a hand lashed out from the left.
He's impossible to defend against!
With a sharp "smack," Feng Lin received a solid blow, his head snapping to one side. Blood mixed with two teeth flew out, and he was thrown off the ground.
Before he could even cry out in pain, Deng Qing caught up and kicked him squarely in the stomach.
Bang!
Feng Lin was sent flying backwards, his stomach acid splattering in mid-air. The next instant, with a muffled thud, he crashed heavily into the Mountain Wall.
With a crash, rocks tumbled down, a section of the rock face caved in, and half of his body was embedded in it. His feet dangled in mid-air, his mouth gaped open, his face contorted in pain, yet he couldn't utter a sound.
Shao Yong's eyes widened, his astonishment overwhelming him. Both were at the Bone Tempering Fourth Layer, yet Feng Lin couldn't even withstand a single blow from Deng Qing!
" Deng Qing, stop!"
He roared and raised his hand to strike, releasing his True Qi, which caused the air to vibrate violently.
Deng Qing turned around, and the force of the palm strike had already hit his shoulder.
Deng Qing remained calm and composed, advancing instead of retreating, and met Shao Yong with a move called "Phoenix Swaps the Nest".
This punch, aimed directly at Shao Yong's chest, was both fast and slow, both light and heavy, filled with a mysterious and unpredictable quality.
Shao Yong's heart skipped a beat, and he raised his palm to meet the attack. Instantly, fist and palm collided, and ripples reverberated in the air.
Deng Qing stood still, his feet sinking half an inch into the ground.
Shao Yong's expression changed drastically as he felt a tremendous force slam into his palm, making his entire arm go numb.
He stumbled back three or four steps, sending pebbles flying with each step, before finally managing to steady himself.
"That's impossible!"
Shao Yong blurted it out.
I am already at the Furnace Realm with True Qi within me; my muscles, bones, skin, and flesh should be far superior to those at the Bone-Forging Realm.
Why did I end up retreating the moment I clashed with him?
He naturally had no idea how many buffs Deng Qing had stacked up.
He looked at his trembling hands, and when he looked up again, Deng Qing had already caught up with him.
Without a second thought, Shao Yong unleashed a flurry of palm strikes, his True Qi surging forth. The wind from his palms crackled like popping beans, causing Deng Qing's robes to flutter wildly.
Shao Yong's palm strikes were as dense as rain; even with Deng Qing's Collapse Step technique, he couldn't avoid all the attacks within this narrow space.
In an instant, he was struck in the chest, followed by another blow to the ribs. His body swayed violently from the impact, and he felt a dull ache in his chest and abdomen, but his speed increased instead of decreasing.
Shao Yong unleashed a series of palm strikes, consuming a great deal of his True Qi. Only then did he stop to catch his breath, and Deng Qing, who had been about ten feet away just moments before, was now right in front of him.
"You..."
Shao Yong was shocked and furious. He gathered his True Qi and struck down with a palm strike accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, aiming for Deng Qing's chest.
Deng Qing still didn't dodge. As Shao Yong's palm struck Deng Qing's chest, Deng Qing kicked out with his foot, hitting Shao Yong squarely in the abdomen.
Shao Yong felt an overwhelming force penetrate his abdomen, causing him to curl up in a ball and his internal True Qi to become chaotic. Then, his feet left the ground, and he flew backward over the stone platform, crashing onto the stone steps below, and tumbling down the steps.
Deng Qing exhaled a breath of stale air; his chest still ached faintly.
The release of True Qi from the Furnace Realm was indeed not just for show; even with the Mystic Wasteland Baleful Blood protecting him, he was still hurt.
With a crash, the sound of gravel sliding down came from behind Deng Qing.
It turned out that only then did the stone that was wedging Feng Lin's shoulder loosen, and he slid down the Mountain Wall, falling to the ground with a thud.
Ignoring the excruciating pain in his body, Feng Lin stared blankly at Deng Qing, feeling a chill run down his spine. Shao Yong was at the Furnace Realm! He was at the Furnace Realm!
What's wrong with this world?
The Bone Tempering -Forging Great Furnace —how could it happen right before my eyes!
Feng Lin's mind was buzzing.
Just then, Deng Qing strode towards him.
Feng Lin shuddered suddenly and used the ground as leverage to move backward.
But behind him was Mountain Wall. He stepped back a couple of times and then hit the Mountain Wall.
Feng Lin panicked and waved his hands repeatedly, "You... you stay away!"
He had barely finished speaking when he spat out another mouthful of blood.
Deng Qing didn't stop walking, while Feng Lin kicked his legs wildly on the ground, his hands gripping tightly in front of him. " Deng Qing, don't do anything rash! My uncle... my uncle is..."
Deng Qing walked up to him and suddenly began to unbutton her clothes.
Feng Lin's terrified scream abruptly stopped, his eyes widening, "No! Don't..."
He imagined some unbearable scene, but then heard Deng Qing say, "Don't worry, I'm just afraid of getting splattered with blood."
Inside Shao Yong's cave, the lights were on.
He changed his clothes and was sitting at the table talking to the two men.
He kept his right hand pressed against his abdomen, and after saying a few words, he would stop to catch his breath.
The two people sitting opposite him were, one a stout man named Dai Xiaolou, and the other a thin man Huang Xie.
The two were also among the Military Selection Aide of this batch, and they had been in close contact with Shao Yong and Feng Lin for some time, forming a close-knit group.
At this moment, after hearing Shao Yong recount what had just happened, Dai Xiaolou frowned, while Huang Xie kept gasping for breath.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
Shao Yong got up and opened the door. Upon seeing who was outside, his face lit up with joy. "Brother Feng! You're back!"
He quickly stepped aside and welcomed the person into the cave.
Dai Xiaolou and Huang Xie also stood up and asked about the situation, but Feng Lin remained silent.
Half of his face was swollen, the blood at the corner of his mouth had dried, and his hair hung messily over his forehead.
From the moment he entered, he stood there, his eyes fixed on Shao Yong.
Shao Yong felt uneasy under his gaze. "Brother Feng, listen to me. This guy kicked me so hard I lost my breath and rolled down the cliff. I almost lost my life there."
After much difficulty, I took a long detour from the foot of the mountain to get back here, and immediately invited Brother Dai and Brother Huang over to discuss the matter.
We're preparing to go with them to rescue you; we're definitely not going to abandon you."
Dai Xiaolou replied, "That's true. Brother Shao was in a great hurry when he sent the message, and I rushed over before I even finished practicing my skills."
Huang Xie nodded, "We had just sat down, and Brother Shao had just explained things clearly when you returned."
Feng Lin remained silent.
His face was terribly cold, yet so swollen it was unrecognizable; the more he tried to maintain his composure, the more comical he appeared.
Suddenly, Dai Xiaolou slammed his hand on the table. "That Deng Qing is utterly lawless! We work in the same compound, yet he dared to beat someone up like this! Let's go find him now!"
"Don't rush."
Huang Xie waved his hand and said, "Since he's already made a move, I'm afraid he won't let Brother Feng go back easily. Brother Feng, does he have some kind of leverage over you? I heard he even used Shadow Sound Button."
Instantly, all three looked at Feng Lin Feng Lin, who said coldly, "It's nothing more than forcing me to write an IOU, record some videos, and then make me say a few treasonous things."
Those are all underhanded tactics, why would I care!
The three men, Shao Yong and his companion, exchanged glances, none of them believing that Feng Lin had told the whole truth.
If it were merely a matter of writing an IOU and recording some treasonous words, it could be explained away. Why would Feng Lin go to such lengths?
Especially looking at Feng Lin's expression, it seemed as if he had suffered a great injustice, but he refused to say it out loud.
Shao Yong didn't press further, only saying, "So, Brother Feng, what do you plan to do? Just say the word, and we might as well charge over now."
Feng Lin glanced at Shao Yong, "What are we going to do if we go and kill them?"
Shao Yong paused.
Feng Lin sneered, "Among us, who has reached the Furnace Second Layer? We couldn't capture him at the Furnace First Layer; we already tried just now."
"Go back there, are you going to let him beat me up again? Hasn't he had enough of being beaten?"
Shao Yong was somewhat embarrassed, but he couldn't refute those words.
He still can't understand how someone at the Bone Tempering Fourth Layer could withstand his Air-Splitting Palm and even knock him off the cliff.
Huang Xie said in a deep voice, "Are we just going to put up with this?"
"Tolerate?"
Feng Lin forced a cold laugh through gritted teeth, "Remember this, everyone: I and Deng Qing are sworn enemies!"
Dai Xiaolou nodded, "Brother Feng, rest assured, we will certainly not stand idly by."
"Brother Feng's matter is also our matter."
Huang Xie then expressed his opinion.
Shao Yong pulled out a chair. "Sit down first, let's sit down and discuss this slowly."
"I'm not sitting here anymore."
Feng Lin said coldly, "For now, let's all calm down and not rush to settle scores with Deng Qing. It won't be too late to destroy this scoundrel after we've improved our cultivation!"
He had barely finished speaking when there was another knock on the door.
Shao Yong frowned and went to open the door.
When the door opened, Shao Yong was dumbfounded.
Standing outside the door was a lean, strong-looking young man, dressed in a blue robe and brocade, who was smiling and nodding at him.
If it's not Deng Qing, then who is it!
Shao Yong subconsciously took a step back, and the spot on his abdomen where he had been kicked seemed to hurt even more.
"You..."
He had only uttered one word when a thud came from behind him; Feng Lin had fallen to the ground with a thud.
His cold, resentful expression vanished in an instant.
With one hand gripping the wall and the other frantically grabbing at the chair beside him, he couldn't stand up immediately.
Dai Xiaolou and Huang Xie were taken aback and looked towards the doorway in unison. "Who are you?"
Deng Qing stepped over the threshold, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "My name is Deng Qing."
Dai Xiaolou's expression changed drastically, and he shouted, "Fine! We haven't even come looking for you yet, and you dare to deliver yourself to our doorstep!"