“Shhh.”
Everyone let out a gasp of cold air after seeing the development.
Hua Yunfeng had dominated Zhong Hai and exerted his influence all over China for decades due to his incredible power. As soon as he entered the Immortal State, he should be able to hold out against any other veteran Immortal State Warriors. On top of that, the Art of Burning Clouds was passed down to him from his ancestor. Its belligerent attack could melt steel in an instant. However, he couldn’t defend himself from Lin Shuming’s finger jab.
“Come again!”
Hua Yunfeng shouted and took a step forward. The wind came up around him, puffing up his long sleeve. His white hair stood on ends like a thousand needles. Waves of white-hot energy rippled about him, forcing the crowd to back away.
“He is going to use his coup de grace.”
Yu Wenjin’s face changed a little.
The development unnerved all the leaders of North Qiong Sect. Hua Yunfeng was the second most powerful fighter in North Qiong Sect, right next to Chen Fan.
“You might be able to block my attack in another sixty years. ”
Lin Shuming looked down and turned his mind inward for a moment before he suddenly jabbed a finger forward.
The Blade Qi burst out from the tip of his finger, forming a streak of incandescent light and illuminating half of Mount Bajin. Many guests of the North Qiong Corp poked their heads out of the windows to find out what was happening.
Hu!
A current of energy pooled under Hua Yunfeng’s feet as he reached out both arms slowly and steadily as if exercising Tai Chi moves.
The powerful Burning Cloud Qi Energy spread across the land. Looking from afar, the energy looked like a blooming red flower.
The area within ten meters away from Hua Yunfeng was filled with Four Righteousness Protective Qi. Not even a bullet could pass through this barrier, much less a mortal.
Bang, bang, bang!
However, Lin Shuming’s Blade Qi didn’t seem to be affected by the Burning Cloud Qi Energy as they landed squarely on the protective energy. Hua Yunfeng’s body shivered a little after each impact with the Blade Qi. In the end, the seventeen rays of Blade Qi merged together and formed a single ray of white glow.
As soon as the transformation was completed, a shockwave swept through space.
Shu!
The white glow lanced up toward the sun and then swooped down at Hua Yunfeng. It pierced through the red energy that surrounded Hua Yunfeng and landed a blow on Hua Yunfeng’s shoulder.
“Humph!” Hua Yunfeng winced and stumbled back. He finally steadied himself after he had taken a few dozen steps back. The audience found out that the blow had left a sizable puncture wound on his shoulder.
Hua Yunfeng had failed to defend the second jab of a finger.
A deadly silence fell over the North Qiong Pavilion.
The development had uneased Fang Qiong and An Ya and outrightly terrified the guests.
“Who is that guy? How could he defeat Mr. Hua?”
“Mr. Hua is the most powerful fighter of North Qiong Sect and was also listed on the Heaven Roll. ”
“He said his last name is Lin. Is he from the Lin Family?” some people exclaimed.
“Teacher, are you alright?”
Cheng Danqin rushed to Hua Yunfeng and steadied him.
Yukishiro Sa and the others pulled a taut face when they realized that the North Qiong Sect had arrived at a moment of life and death. The fact that Lin Shuming had defeated Hua Yunfeng with two jabs of fingers meant that Hua Yunfeng had become much more powerful and deadlier than he had been sixty years ago.
“Lin Shuming, you are revered as the most powerful swordsman in China, why don’t you pick on someone of your own size, such as our sect master?” Yukishiro Sa unsheathed her blade and asked coldly.
“Are you Yukishiro Sa, the one who killed my grandson Puojun?”
Lin Shuming landed his gaze on Yukishiro Sa, and a strange light flickered in his eyes. With a gentle flicker of a finger, Lin Shuming sent out a powerful force at Yukishiro Sa.
This force was much weaker than what attacked Hua Yunfeng. However, it should be enough to kill due to Lin Shuming’s outrageous power.
Clank!
Yukishiro Sa readied the sword and charged up her True Essence.
The Green Flower Blade Aura glistened on the body of the sword as Yukishiro Sa pointed the tip of the sword at the incoming force. However, she was overcome by the impact and lose grip on the sword. The force carried on after knocking the sword away and crashed into Yukishiro Sa.
“Puuth!” Yukishiro Sa spat out a mouthful of blood as she stumbled back and rammed into a stone pillar.
“You survived my attack?”
Lin Shuming was taken aback by the outcome.
Yukishiro Sa’s defense had told Lin Shuming that the girl was powerful enough to be listed on the Dark Roll. However, Lin Shuming didn’t give Yukishiro Sa a chance to catch her breath as he lashed out again at her.
“Stop!”
Yu Wenjin, Zhou Jin Yi, and A’Xiu all rushed to protect Yukishiro Sa, but they were all too slow.
Suddenly, a hulking giant appeared in the sky. He landed right in front of Lin Shuming and punched.
The giant stood three meters tall, and his skin was the color of bronze. Molten iron seemed to pump throughout his ripped body, making him look like a primordial giant. His punch carried the weight of a mountain and made a series of explosions in the air as it inched closer to its target.
“So you are that mysterious Physique Refinement Master. Very well, try to block this!”
A light came up in Lin Shuming’s eyes as he waved a hand.
Shu!
Yukishiro Sa’s sword flew right into her hand. With a blade in one hand, Lin Shuming suddenly transformed his appearance from a scholar into a Sword Immortal. The Blade Qi surged along with the sword and lanced up into the sky.
Kacha!
Lin Shuming hacked.
A silver flash of lightning appeared in the sky and temporarily blinded all audiences.
In everyone’s eyes, the world seemed to have been reduced to only the silvery Blade Aura. From within the otherworldly light, another world was born.
Kabom!
The attack landed squarely on Tong Shan’s body and sent the giant flying back.
Tong Shan lost control of his body as he rammed into the North Qiong Pavilion and couldn’t regain balance until he was through half a dozen walls. The attack had left a large gush on his body, extending from his shoulder to his chest.
No one dared to speak a word before such terrifying power.
No one had thought that Lin Shuming could overcome Tong Shan in just one attack. Tong Shan had reached Immortal State by cultivating the External Force, which meant that he was much stronger than other Immortal State Warriors. However, he was no match against Lin Shuming and his potent sword art.
“Such power! He had defeated two Immortal State Warriors in a blink. What level of attainment is he at right now? Is he an Earth Level Deity?”
Everyone was terrified by Lin Shuming’s display of strength.
“Lin Shuming! This is not over! My Sect Master will slaughter you and your family when he finds out what you had done!”
Hua Yunfeng shouted at the top of his lungs. His face flushed red, and he was ready to attack with abandon again.
Many perfected cultivators and grandmasters of North Qiong Sect also charged up their energy. Tong Shan also gathered himself and walked out of a pile of rubbles, ready to join the foray.
Lin Shuming was unfazed by the threat. Instead, he seemed much more confident than the retinue of deadly warriors.
Unsure of what kind of destruction was going to come, the onlookers were shaken to their cores.
“That’s it for today. Tell Chen Beixuan to meet me at the shore of the East Sea. If he fails to show up, I will kill every single one of you!” Lin Shuming waved a dismissive hand and said.
Clank!
He hurled the sword out like a spear and nailed it on the plaque that read: North Qiong Pavilion.
Then he disappeared into thin air, leaving the members of the North Qiong Sect looking at each other in fear.
November 3rd, 2011…
Lin Shuming came out from his seclusion and went to Mount Bajin. He defeated Hua Yunfeng and Tong Shan and challenged Chen Beixuan to a duel at the shore of the East Sea.
The news spread quickly and shocked everyone.
“Lin Shuming is finally out of his seclusion?”
“He had defeated a Physique Refinement Immortal State Warrior, the toughest level of enemies one could ever find.”
“How powerful exactly is Lin Shuming? He reached the peak of Immortal State sixty years ago. Is he an Earth Level Deity now? Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to defeat Hua Yunfeng so easily.”
Everyone deliberated with each other about the development.
The news spread outside of China, and it turned out that it was equally sensational in Japan, Europe, and North America as it was in China.
Lin Shuming was at the top three of the Divine Roll, and his resurgence had naturally attracted much attention.
“Lin Shuming should be the most powerful Immortal State Warrior in the world. His last performance displayed the same degree of strength and skills as Chen Beixuan. Did Chen Beixuan finally meet his equal?”
Someone posted a question on the CIA’s website.
However, no one knew enough about Lin Shuming to answer this question.
“North Qiong Sect is in danger!”
Many people gloated at the North Qiong Sect for the challenge ahead of them.
The North Qiong Sect had risen to power and fame over the short period of the last two years. It had quickly become the most powerful sect in China and the main benefactor of all forces in Jiang Nan Province.
Chen Fan had many enemies, and they all took pleasure in the North Qiong Sect’s impending downfall.
“If Chen Beixuan keeps on hiding, Lin Shuming is going to kill all of his little birds.”
“Hehe, I say he is afraid. He must be turtling inside the Valley of No Return right now. ”
“Lin Shuming had defeated Hua Yunfeng without even using his powerful divine sword. If I were Chen Beixuan, I would hide from him as well.”
People who had a taste of Chen Fan’s medicine openly gloated at him on the Internet.
Meanwhile, the spirit was low inside the North Qiong Sect.
Lin Shuming’s display of power had taken the wind out of everyone’s sails. He had defeated Hua Yunfeng and Tong Shan without even using his renowned sword art, which was Lin Shuming’s life achievement and was what he was well known for.
“I wonder when will the teacher show up,” Yu Wenjin murmured.
No one answered her question. A’Xiu sat beside Yukishiro Sa, tending to her wounds.
Chen Huaian, Chen Ning, and Wang Xiaoyun rushed to Mount Bajin from Jiang Nan Province to help out. However, they quickly realized that their only option was to ask help from Ye Qincang.
However, Ye Qincang rarely involved in other people’s personal matters. He only cared about the event that could threaten Chinese society.
Hope and spirit slowly ebbed away from everyone’s face, and the empty space in their heart was quickly filled up by despair.
“Is Lin Shuming going to bring the end to the mighty North Qiong Sect?”
Yukishiro Sa thought to herself indignantly.
November 3, 2011…
News about Chen Beixuan finally reached China, and everyone was stunned! Chen Beixuan had left the Valley of No Return and killed three Immortal State Warriors in Singapore.