Ink-Sunken Saber

No more than half a day after returning to the cave, the token vibrated again.

Lu Feng stepped out of the cave, Qin Shuang was already standing outside the door, dressed in a snow-white robe.

"We have news about the Heavy Blade. Come with me."

Lu Feng followed behind Qin Shuang, passing through most of the Demon-Slaying Bureau, and arrived at the gate of Commandant Xiao's residence.

Before they even got close, a middle-aged man dressed in a light blue suit came out to greet them with a broad smile.

"Shuangmei! You've finally arrived! Please come in! Tea is ready!"

Qin Shuang paused, then turned to the side to create some distance between them.

"Enough nonsense. Xiao Zhengqing, bring out your heavy sword."

Xiao Zhengqing then noticed Lu Feng behind Qin Shuang, his gaze sweeping over him with a hint of suspicion:

"So you were looking for Heavy Blade because of this kid? Look at his delicate skin, he probably can't even lift my Ink-Sunken Saber."

"Greetings, Commandant Xiao." Lu Feng bowed respectfully.

"No need for tea. He can just stand here, take out the knife and let him try it out. We'll know if he can swing it or not after a test!"

Qin Shuang, not wanting to waste time with pleasantries, spoke directly.

Xiao Zhengqing had no choice but to take out his heavy sword.

All that could be seen was a long, dark-colored sword, about two feet wide and seven feet long!

Xiao Zhengqing then introduced the knife:

This knife is called the Ink-Sunken Saber. It is seven feet seven inches long and two feet two inches wide.

Weighing 1,200 jin, it was forged by me from the Ink Meteorite Black Iron.

Don't let its unattractive appearance fool you; it's a genuine Tier 4 weapon.

"Clang!"

Xiao Zhengqing threw the Ink-Sunken Saber directly at Lu Feng.

Seeing this, Lu Feng stretched out his right hand and steadily caught the Ink-Sunken Saber.

"Hmm? Interesting!"

Xiao Zhengqing was surprised to see Lu Feng take the Ink-Sunken Saber so easily.

Qin Shuang, who was standing to the side, was also somewhat surprised. As a Grandmaster cultivator, she knew she couldn't catch the Ink-Sunken Saber like Lu Feng had.

"Great knife! It would be even better if it were a bit heavier!"

Lu Feng swung the sword a few times, setting the Ink-Sunken Saber upright on the ground, which immediately kicked up a cloud of dust.

"You!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhengqing's face turned furious. Just as he was about to say something, Qin Shuang spoke up.

"How is it? Is it easy to use?"

"Very good! I am very satisfied. How much is this Ink-Sunken Saber?" Lu Feng asked.

"Since you're satisfied, take it and go back to wait for me!"

"This..."

Lu Feng was somewhat at a loss upon hearing this. Should he just grab the knife and leave?

"What are you doing! Hurry up and leave, are you waiting to spend the night here?"

Xiao Zhengqing said irritably.

"Thank you, sir. Thank you, Commandant Xiao. I'll take my leave now!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Feng no longer declined, put the Ink-Sunken Saber into his storage bag, and then turned to leave.

Although it's unclear why Qin Shuang asked him to leave, judging from their behavior, Qin Shuang probably wouldn't suffer any losses.

Lu Feng did not return to his cave dwelling, but went directly to the council hall of Commandant Su's residence to wait for Qin Shuang.

He did not return directly to his cave dwelling, but instead went to the council hall of Commandant Su's residence.

Qin Shuang returned in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

"Grown ups!"

Lu Feng quickly stood up and called out.

"Fifty thousand merit points! Give me the token!" Qin Shuang said.

Only 50,000 merit points?

Lu Feng was somewhat surprised upon hearing this. Ordinary fourth-tier weapons were worth around 50,000 merit points, and this Ink-Sunken Saber was clearly much better than the fourth-tier weapons in the armory.

"If you think it's too little, give me 100,000 merit points, I won't mind!" Qin Shuang said.

"Not at all! Not at all! Thank you so much, sir!"

Lu Feng chuckled and handed the token to Qin Shuang.

With a wave of her hand, Qin Shuang reduced the merit points in the token by 50,000.

"I see your strength has improved considerably recently! Come, fight me with the Ink-Sunken Saber!"

Before Qin Shuang could finish speaking, her gaze was already locked on Lu Feng, giving him no room to back down.

Seeing how easily Lu Feng caught the Ink-Sunken Saber, Qin Shuang had the idea of testing Lu Feng herself.

"This..."

Lu Feng frowned slightly, unsure how to respond.

"What, you think you can hurt me?"

Qin Shuang raised the corner of her mouth, her tone teasing.

"Of course not."

"Then make your move."

As soon as Qin Shuang finished speaking, her True Essence energy surged, and she appeared in front of Lu Feng in the blink of an eye. A pale white halo formed in her palm, and she slapped it out with a whoosh of wind.

This palm strike looked casual, but if it landed squarely, Lu Feng would definitely suffer.

Seeing this, Lu Feng also activated the force in his hands.

He gripped the Ink-Sunken Saber in his right hand. The only sword technique he knew was the Nine Extremes Heaven-Breaking Slash, but that Saber Force was too powerful, and he probably couldn't control it once it was unleashed, so he dared not use it.

He took a breath, raised his Ink-Sunken Saber, and slashed it horizontally towards Qin Shuang.

This strike was unpretentious; the blade passed through with a muffled hum that, though quiet, was so heavy it made one's eardrums throb.

When Qin Shuang saw his sword coming at her, a hint of disdain flashed in her eyes.

That's how a heavy sword works; no matter how powerful it is, once it's unleashed, it's a straight line, impossible to retract or bend.

She activated her protective aura, a layer of pale golden light enveloping her body, intending to take the blow head-on. At the same time, she turned to the side to gather her strength, waiting for the moment when the Ink-Sunken Saber was blocked by the aura to strike Lu Feng from an opening.

She knew in her heart that, given the weight of the knife, once Lu Feng unleashed a slash, he wouldn't be able to retract his stance for at least a breath.

She wanted him to understand that while a heavy sword might look intimidating, it also has many openings in a real fight.

But the moment the Ink-Sunken Saber touched the protective aura, Qin Shuang sensed something was wrong.

A heavy force pressed down on the blade, not a brutal impact, but a downward, sluggish heaviness, as if the entire piece of iron was grinding down on her True Essence.

The protective aura that had been solidified cracked within an instant under this pressure.

Qin Shuang's expression changed. Forgetting about retaliating, she pushed off with her feet and slid backward, only regaining her balance three zhang away.

"It's only been a few days?"

She stared at Lu Feng, her voice filled with barely suppressed surprise.

"Your strength has increased so much?"

She hadn't used her full strength just now, but she could tell that Lu Feng had held back with his strike.

Even so, the force of this strike far exceeded her expectations.

Lu Feng sheathed his sword and lowered his hands, saying, "Senior Sister Qin is joking; it was just luck."

"Lucky?"

Qin Shuang chuckled, but her eyes turned serious.

"If you manage to break through my protective barrier by sheer luck, then my barrier is far too easy to break."

She paused, then softened her tone:

"The Ink-Sunken Saber is a heavy weapon, powerful but slow to change moves. The fact that you were able to break through my protective aura with a single strike today shows that your understanding of the Saber Force's techniques has reached a high level."

"However, you also need to be aware that a heavy sword can easily disrupt the rhythm of an opponent who is fast."

Lu Feng nodded, keeping her words in mind.

"But..."

Qin Shuang changed the subject, her gaze sweeping over the blade of the Ink-Sunken Saber.

"That move you made just now was quite something."

"This is all thanks to the Ink-Sunken Saber!" Lu Feng said.

"Don't worry, the stronger you are, the happier I am! I hope you can get a better ranking in this Five Cities Competition!" Qin Shuang said.

"Alright, go back and practice with the Ink-Sunken Saber so that it can unleash even greater power!"

"Yes!" Lu Feng replied, cupping his hands in greeting, before turning and leaving.

Watching Lu Feng's retreating figure, Qin Shuang murmured, "So, it's quite possible that Zhao Long really did die at his hands!"

Meanwhile, Lu Feng returned to the secret chamber and couldn't wait to take out the Ink-Sunken Saber and begin cultivating.

This seclusion lasted for several days.

Lu Feng stopped cultivating only when the token vibrated again.