Tian Boguang's saber swept like a raging storm and wild waves, his moves flowing without pause, each slash faster and more powerful than the last.
As he saw it, he could easily cut down a junior like this in fewer than ten moves!
Even among the Martial Arts Masters of the great orthodox sects, few could rival his saber skills.
But after a dozen exchanges, Tian Boguang's expression changed.
This junior's swordplay was astonishingly fast, and his strength seemed to surpass Tian Boguang's as well.
How was that possible?
Could this youngster already be a Martial Arts Master?
Lin Lang had never experienced such an exhilarating battle. None of his previous opponents had been able to match his speed with speed.
His understanding of the Evil-Warding Sword Technique was improving at a tremendous pace, too.
He felt that if they kept fighting like this, his Evil-Warding Sword Technique would break through within two hours, taking his strength to another level.
Seeing that he still hadn't killed Lin Lang after so long, and especially sensing that Lin Lang's swordplay seemed to be growing faster, Tian Boguang knew he had to rely on experience.
He suddenly darted backward, then lunged at Yilin. "You want to save her, don't you? Then I'll kill her first!"
Sure enough, he saw Lin Lang immediately chase after him, leaving his center wide open.
Youngsters just didn't have enough experience in the martial world. No matter how gifted you are, you'll still die beneath my saber!
He spun around in an instant and slashed at Lin Lang's neck. Lin Lang could neither dodge nor block this strike.
The prospect of cutting down a gifted swordsman filled Tian Boguang with delight.
As Tian Boguang's saber came down, Lin Lang reached out with his left hand to seize the blade while thrusting the sword in his right hand forward like lightning.
Tian Boguang sneered. Trying to scare me with a move that stakes your life?
Once my saber cuts through your hand and your neck, I'll still have time to dodge your sword.
Huh?
How was that possible?!
To his shock, he discovered that Lin Lang had caught his blade with his bare hand!
Damn it, this brat had such formidable Iron Body Training, too!
Although Tian Boguang instantly released his saber and tried to retreat, Lin Lang's sword was faster.
Squelch!
Tian Boguang felt his strength rapidly draining away. His eyes widened, and he fell to his knees before Lin Lang.
"You deliberately left an opening to lure me in?"
He had thought Lin Lang had fallen for his trick, only to discover that he himself had been fooled.
Lin Lang pulled out his sword. "Isn't your nickname Tian Paopao? If I didn't use a trick, what would I do if you ran away?"
Tian Boguang wanted badly to say that he was called the Wanderer of Ten Thousand Miles, not Tian Paopao, but he could no longer speak.
He had never imagined that, after living so many years and evading pursuit by so many experts from the great orthodox sects, he would die at a junior's hands.
With practiced ease, Lin Lang searched Tian Boguang's body, found some banknotes, and tucked them into his robe.
From this day onward, the Wanderer of Ten Thousand Miles' Lightness Skill and Raging Wind Swift Blade would be lost forever.
"Young hero, you killed Tian Boguang?!" Yilin's face was full of shock. Even her master, Dingyi, the leader of the Hengshan School, couldn't confidently claim she could kill Tian Boguang.
This young hero was so young, yet his martial skills were so formidable!
Lin Lang sheathed his sword with a swish. "A mere Tian Boguang-what was so hard about killing him?"
Mostly, Tian Boguang had been obliging enough not to flee. Otherwise, Lin Lang couldn't have caught him. He still knew only basic movement techniques, far inferior to Tian Boguang's.
Yilin admired Lin Lang even more. "Young hero, you've rid the people of a scourge. The martial world will surely remember you."
"How should I address you, young hero? I'm Yilin, a disciple of the Hengshan School."
Lin Lang. I don't need the martial world to remember me. As long as you remember me, that's enough.
"My name is Lin Lang. I'll call you little sister Yilin."
Yilin nodded. "Brother Lin, please release my sealed acupoints first."
Lin Lang said, "I've never learned how. Shall I just give it a try?"
Rubbing his hands, Lin Lang walked over. There were so many acupoints on the human body-which one should he press first?
Was he supposed to use his fingers or his palm to release sealed acupoints?
Yilin's eyes widened. "Brother Lin, don't joke. How can you just try at random? In another two hours, I'll be able to break through the seals myself."
The thought of Lin Lang's hands pressing here and there on her body made her blush.
Lin Lang looked disappointed. "Then I'll help you sit down first."
He was reaching for Yilin's hand when an angry roar suddenly came from the distance. "Tian Boguang, let go of our junior sister from Mount Heng!"
Lin Lang: "???"
Why did that sound so familiar?
Linghu Chong had heard that a junior sister from the Hengshan School had been abducted by Tian Boguang and immediately rushed over to rescue her, only to see someone reaching for a young nun.
He immediately drew his sword, intending to save her.
But when Lin Lang turned around, he suddenly felt that something was wrong. Was Tian Boguang this young?
And this man used a sword, while Tian Boguang used a saber.
Wait, could that corpse lying beside them be Tian Boguang?
"You're not Tian Boguang? I'm Linghu Chong of the Huashan Sect. May I ask who you are, friend?"
Yilin said, "Oh, you're Senior Brother Linghu of the Huashan Sect. Brother Lin just killed Tian Boguang and saved me."
The corners of Linghu Chong's eyes twitched violently. This man looked even younger than he was, yet he had actually killed Tian Boguang!
Good thing I didn't act rashly just now, or I'd be lying there too.
Linghu Chong cupped his fist toward Lin Lang. "Thank you, Young Hero Lin, for saving Junior Sister Yilin. The Five Mountains Sword Sects are branches of the same tree. If you ever need anything, just say the word. I, Linghu Chong, will not refuse."
Lin Lang's eyes lit up. "Since you put it that way, I actually do need your help with something. Here, take Tian Boguang's body and saber to the Hundred-household Office in Bailing County, Pingyang Prefecture. That won't be too much trouble, will it?"
He had been wondering how to deal with Tian Boguang's corpse when Linghu Chong delivered himself right to his door. Free labor-why let it go to waste?
"You work for the authorities?" Linghu Chong's expression changed. "All right, leave this to me. Junior Sister Yilin, come with me."
The way Yilin looked at Lin Lang changed too, and she immediately said, "Senior Brother Linghu, please release my sealed acupoints first. I'll go with you. I'll repay Brother Lin for saving my life another day."
Their martial sects never associated with the imperial court's hawks and hounds. After all, so many of their fellow disciples had died at those lackeys' hands.
A quarter of an hour later, Lin Lang watched the two figures receding into the distance. "A miscalculation. These martial sect people are so deeply prejudiced against the imperial court."
"The Hengshan School's moral education is really lacking. I saved her life, and she just left? Shouldn't she repay a drop of kindness with a gushing spring of gratitude?"
"It won't be long before we meet again."
His gains this time were quite good. Tian Boguang had carried several thousand taels in banknotes, fattening his purse. Tian Boguang's head would also earn him several thousand taels in bounty money and a merit credit, as well as make his name soar within the Jinyiwei.
Above all, his Evil-Warding Sword Technique had improved considerably during his fight with Tian Boguang.
Although he had yet to reach great mastery, he wasn't far off.
"I should meet plenty of martial experts on this trip to Hengshan City. They'll probably all find me an eyesore, too. Looks like I'll have to prepare properly."
Hengshan City, the Liu Mansion.
Reading a newly acquired musical score, Liu Zhengfeng played his beloved end-blown bamboo flute. The melody wound and flowed so gracefully that he was nearly intoxicated by it himself.
Suddenly, a piercing blast from a suona horn reached the room, and Liu Zhengfeng immediately frowned.
Everyone in Hengshan City should have known that he practiced his flute at this hour every day. Even people passing the Liu Mansion were expected to speak softly. Who dared play a suona so loudly outside his residence?
Worse still, the suona sounded as though it were playing for a funeral, stoking his anger even further!
Sword in hand, Liu Zhengfeng vaulted over the courtyard wall.
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