’Still, the Zheng Family’s *Fireflies Illuminating the Night* Swordsmanship should be useful.’
’As long as it’s useful, it doesn’t matter whether it comes from the Feihong Sword Sect or the Zheng Family. Those are just minor details.’
Zheng Qiurong stood at the bow, her beautiful eyes sparkling as she watched the white-robed figure on the bank sheathe his sword. She had always thought Zhou Jin’s talent in the Martial Arts was quite good, but she hadn’t accepted him because of his background. A Direct Disciple of the Feihong Sword Sect was still a step below a core member of one of the Four Great Clans.
He had entered the Blood Exchange Realm later than Zhou Jin yet was still able to defeat him, which was more than enough to prove his talent for the Martial Arts. Furthermore, Lin Yan was highly regarded by the Lin Family’s Third Branch; even though he was from a cadet branch, he was treated no differently than a core member of the main family.
’That’s enough.’
’But for now, I have to play along with Zhou Jin for a bit.’
The result of that single exchange shocked Zhou Jin. He no longer dared to underestimate Lin Yan in the slightest.
Zhou Jin’s longsword flew from its sheath. He kicked off the ground, his body shooting forward like an arrow.
With a crisp ring, the longsword flew from Zhou Jin’s hand, tracing a parabola through the air before landing far away in the Reed Marsh.
"You’ve lost."
As the two swords met, their Sword Gangs vibrated violently.
Aboard the boat, another woman spoke, a hint of admiration in her eyes as she watched Zhou Jin.
The strike seemed simple and unadorned, yet it possessed a natural, effortless grace, like the unfurling of clouds, leaving no trace behind.
Five techniques, ten techniques, fifteen techniques...
He wasn’t confident of victory. And even if he were, he couldn’t produce another Top-grade Swordsmanship.
When Zheng Qiurong saw Lin Yan sizing her up, she smiled with her usual elegance. However, he quickly averted his gaze, and the smile froze on her lips.
On the bank, Zhao Tong and the other onlookers were stunned. Just a moment ago, they had been worried for Young Master Lin, because from their perspective, he had been struggling just to parry Zhou Jin’s relentless Sword Techniques.
Lin Yan now had a measure of Zhou Jin’s strength. ’He’s too weak!’
The Feihong Sword Sect was known for its nimbleness, and Zhou Jin’s Body Technique was indeed impressive. He crossed three zhang in an instant, his longsword tracing a silvery arc through the air as it aimed straight for Lin Yan’s left shoulder.
Half of the Sword Gang at the tip of Zhou Jin’s sword was absorbed by the Abyssal Sword. His expression changed in an instant. The moment his Sword Gang touched the other man’s longsword, most of it was absorbed. At the same time, he felt an immense Power travel up the blade, making the web of his thumb tingle with numbness.
Flashes from Zhou Jin’s sword came like bolts of white silk, each Sword Technique aiming for the vital points on Lin Yan’s upper body.
’If it were nighttime, I would have cut down a weakling like him with a single strike.’
The two swords met.
Zheng Qiurong chimed in, glancing at the woman before turning her gaze back to the shore.
"There’s no need to trouble yourself. Miss Zheng, you can simply have someone deliver it to the Lin Family."
’He may be at the Blood Exchange Second Transformation, but he’s far weaker than that Jian Sheng,’ Lin Yan thought. ’At my current level, I only need to use ten percent of my strength to defeat him.’
Lin Yan remained unhurried, his Abyssal Sword blocking and parrying. Every step he took landed in the perfect position, neutralizing Zhou Jin’s onslaught attack by attack.
"Young Master Zhou’s Blood Gang is truly immense. He can cross twenty zhang in a single leap just by circulating it."
Now, however, she was glad she hadn’t accepted Zhou Jin. Lin Yan was far more outstanding.
"Lin Yan, I’ll make you understand that you can’t get on the list of the Ten Rising Stars with family background alone."
They never expected the tables to turn in the blink of an eye.
First, he didn’t want to reveal the full extent of his Power.
Lin Yan sheathed his sword without so much as a glance at the collapsed Zhou Jin. His gaze swept toward the bow of the boat. "If anyone else feels I am unworthy, I will still take your challenge, provided you offer a stake."
Zhou Jin grew more frantic the longer he fought. His sword quickened, and his Body Technique became more erratic, yet Lin Yan was like a boulder, unmoving no matter how tempestuous the assault.
Second, there were plenty of other people on the boat. If someone was willing to offer a stake that tempted him, he wouldn’t be against another match.
CLANG!
CLANG!
Zhou Jin snorted, drew the longsword from his waist, and leaped from the pleasure boat. He crossed the twenty-zhang distance without needing any leverage, landing directly in an open clearing on the bank.
Zhou Shaoheng’s expression was grim. He stared intently at the Abyssal Sword in Lin Yan’s hand, saying nothing.
"Young Master Zhou entered the Blood Exchange Realm two years ago, and now he’s already at the Blood Exchange Second Transformation. A cultivation speed like that is astonishingly fast. He’s worthy of the title of the Feihong Sword Sect’s greatest genius in the last twenty years."
A manipulative woman wasn’t so bad; if she focused her wiles on one man, it just meant she wanted to win him over. But someone like Zheng Qiurong, who schemed and played games with several men at once, trying to wrap them all around her little finger...
The force of the blow sent him stumbling back several steps before he collapsed to the ground. The web of his thumb had split open, and blood was streaming from the wound.
"Young Master Lin, your strength is profound. Your place among the Ten Rising Stars of Qing State Prefecture is well-deserved and requires no further proof," Zheng Qiurong said with a beaming smile. "As for the *Fireflies Illuminating the Night* Cultivation Technique, I will deliver it to you personally."
Lin Yan had no intention of dragging it out. He raised his Abyssal Sword. Spurred on by his Sword Pill, the Sword Intent of the Perfection Level Flowing Cloud Thirteen Techniques poured into the Abyssal Sword Body.
Lin Yan unhooked the Abyssal Sword from his waist. Its ink-black blade glinted with a cold light in the sun as he brought it up in a horizontal block.
He used Sword Intent from his very first move!
However, everyone at the bow fell silent. This time, not even Zhou Shaoheng spoke.
Lin Yan retracted his gaze and looked back at Zhou Jin, saying flatly, "Since Miss Zheng is willing to put up a stake, then let’s begin."
’This Lin Yan... his Blood Gang is actually even stronger than mine?’
’He wanted no part of that.’
On the deck of the pleasure boat, the small group looked at each other, their eyes wide with shock.
The smile on Zheng Qiurong’s face stiffened. As she watched Lin Yan turn and walk away, her fingers, hidden beneath her sleeves, clenched so tightly that her nails nearly dug into her palms.

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