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Finally, I’ve regained the feeling from before...

Lin Feng looked at the sword in his hand, his eyes showing a mesmerized expression.

Long ago he wondered why, since birth, he seemed indifferent to everything around him. He was the only male in the family, and to support himself, his parents first sold his sister and then his four-year-old younger sister.

Back then, watching his sisters cry and scream, he felt nothing inside.

Despite his parents being so kind to him, such as secretly cutting off their own thigh meat to cook for him during times of famine, his heart still remained unmoved.

As time went on, he couldn’t understand why he was so indifferent, seemingly uninterested in everything, including women!

When it came time for him to marry, his mother arranged a marriage for him. Because he was handsome and strong, a man clearly capable of hard work, many families in the village had a good impression of him. However, he still felt nothing, even feeling annoyed.

The year he was to marry, his mother caught a cold and died due to untimely medical care.

With no family left, he hesitated not and left the village, heading to the northern borders.

There, amidst an invasion by the Northern Barbarian Tribes and soldiers slaughtering each other, his blood boiled for the first time.

It was the first thing since he became aware of the world that made his heart surge with excitement!

Before, whether it was his sisters being sold, or his father dying from excessive blood loss, he felt no turmoil.

In the village, there were young women who wanted to marry him, daring to undress in front of him while he bathed, yet he felt nothing, no fluctuations at all.

Sometimes he even doubted if he was dead.

But this time... his heart raced.

That feeling of boiling blood, rapid breathing, and the excitement to do something he had never felt before in his life.

So... this was where his interests lay!

After that, he chose to join the army. Due to his strong physique and the ability to learn techniques quickly, he got promoted exceptionally within a few years, becoming an instructor.

He originally thought that in these years, by finding his direction, he would live a meaningful life, but it turned out not to be the case. Throughout these years, he grew more and more miserable....

In this battlefield, the control of victory is never in the hands of ordinary people like them, no matter how hard they try, they can never match those with powerful lineage, even if those people slack off every day. He couldn’t even reach their heels.

No matter how hard he tried, he saw no hope, and these days were even more unbearable than before when he didn’t know the meaning of his life.

Until he was summoned by this Buddha Light.

It was then that he realized... he was born with a purpose....

This is what he was meant to be!

With a long howl, his Sword Qi surged like a rainbow.

Whether it was the regaining of many lifetimes’ wisdom at this moment or reaching a higher pinnacle than ever before, with Heavenly Sword Qi carrying boundless Sword Intent, even the hand of the mightiest Dragon Maiden across from him holding the sword started sweating coldly.

"Trouble is brewing..."

Inside the thatched cottage, Chen Qing watched the scene with a grave expression, feeling it more troublesome than encountering the Buddhist mother previously.

Although he did not expect things to turn out this way with the Buddhist mother, he could still entice her with benefits.

He also believed that she had no intent to kill him but rather saw many areas for collaboration, so even though she posed a great threat, he wasn’t thrown off his feet at that time.

But now, he was truly panicked.

Ao Zhen... it couldn’t be wrong; this Ao Zhen wasn’t from a dream, was the real Ao Zhen!

But the issue is... why is she here?

When Ziyue came to rescue Ao Zhen, the intelligence she received was that Ao Zhen had been captured by the Nanhai Dragon King. Why then, is she here?

Wait...

The Nanhai Dragon King is actually a spy placed by Old Liu, and one of his grandsons at that. If he captured Ao Zhen, it’s indeed possible he could turn her over to any Buddha, but appearing here... was all this premeditated?

Chen Qing thought for a moment then shook his head, no, no matter how clever the planning, it’s impossible to predict one’s own death in advance. Ao Zhen’s appearance here is most likely an accident, yet even an accident is problematic because Chen Qing could tell that Ao Zhen was being controlled.

Among those below the King Level, Ao Zhen is almost the strongest. Right now his Spiritual Power is depleted, and his body is severely eroded by side effects. He could still manipulate average contenders like Li Yankong, but with this guy... he might not even get the chance to plot!

Moreover... at this moment, Ao Zhen coming into contact with that Sword Spirit intensified Chen Qing’s unease. He had a feeling that if things continued to develop this way, there would be no chance for him at all!

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"You... won’t draw your sword?" Lin Feng’s eyes were filled with fervor!

Ao Zhen, the Western Sea War God—during his era, the Dragon Palace was the strongest force under heaven, and among the Dragon Palace, aside from the Dragon King, Ao Zhen was almost the strongest!

Moreover, the general populace holds Ao Zhen in high esteem, especially the Sword Masters who master exquisite swordsmanship.

Many have crossed swords with Ao Zhen and highly praised her swordsmanship talent.

She is a noble member of the Dragon Clan who holds tremendous power yet respects mortal swordsmen.

If this Dragon Maiden were to become the Dragon King, she could potentially be the strongest Dragon King in history!

Hearing such discussions, it, born from Sword Intent, actively sought out Ao Zhen.

He, like Ao Zhen, enjoys honing his swordsmanship, only he prefers Life and Death duels even more; he never goes all out against those swordsmen, using only sword skills.

Plus, he is even more pure, never using his Spiritual Power to crush mortals in any crisis, even if it means his death at their hands.

Many say he is cruel, but he doesn’t see it that way. He risks his own life; if he is less skilled, he too will die by the opponent’s hand. He is fighting for his life; where is the cruelty in that?

Only between life and death does the purity of swordsmanship burst forth, entirely different from superficial exchanges. He heard that Ao Zhen always stops at the first touch, so he doesn’t believe Ao Zhen could beat him.

How could such playful exchanges of swordsmanship compare to his own?

Since becoming conscious, he has fought in 1,462 duels, every one a wager of life. His swordsmanship, honed through countless life and death battles, how could it lose to someone playing house?

But the fact remains—he lost.

That time... he was defeated without the opponent using Spiritual Power to overwhelm; it was a clash of swordsmanship, and yet... he was still defeated!

Before his death, he never could fathom why he lost.

But now, he slightly understands.

"You once said that my sword is too focused on Technique, hence it couldn’t form the Dao; a cold sword can’t make it to the end. I didn’t understand then, nor did I believe it, so I lost."

Lin Feng’s three-foot sword blade slightly lifted, and though the blade seemed still, it gave an impression of a roaring dragon, a presence vastly different from the one in Ao Zhen’s memory as if they were heaven and earth apart.

"Now, does my sword have the Dao?"

Ao Zhen, looking at him, felt incredibly complex.

A being purely dedicated to swordsmanship, initially without Dao or emotion, had lost to her.

At the time, she immensely regretted because she felt if he had been a being with emotions, relying on his pure swordsmanship, he was definitely a presence of another peak.

If she encountered such a being, regardless of winning or losing, she might have progressed.

But this time... she has met him again, yet her own Dao Heart... is no longer pure...