Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

Chapter 348: Chapter 269: Toying with the Sword Sect 2

Ling Xiao didn’t consider himself some paragon of righteousness, but he at least had his own principles and a bottom line. "If others don’t bother me, I won’t bother them"—a principle he believed many people shared.

Xie Xiaoyan had tried to harm him. The fact that he hadn’t killed her was already the height of magnanimity!

As for Ming Yue, though Ling Xiao doted on her, he also hoped to find some time to ask her what was really going on with the Qin Family. Letting things continue in this muddled state wouldn’t be good for anyone. But right now, the most important thing was to protect her and not let her suffer the slightest harm.

Because Ming Yue was his woman!

"Not going to be polite? Fine! Fine!" Zhao Jingzhi was so angry he actually laughed. He repeated "fine" several times, then unleashed an oppressive aura as he looked at Qin Feng and said, "Young Master of the Qin Family, your father and I are contemporaries, so I’ll take the liberty of calling you nephew. Stay out of this. It has nothing to do with you! This is a personal grudge. This brat has gone too far. If I don’t teach him a harsh lesson on behalf of his elders, he’ll forget the first thing about common decency!"

Qin Feng was secretly delighted, but his face showed a troubled expression. "This... really isn’t good," he said. "We’re all from hidden families. There’s no need to ruin the peace over this. Can’t we just sit down and talk things over? Heh, what do you say, brother?"

Qin Feng said with a smile, feigning ignorance of who Ling Xiao was.

Qin Feng’s act put Zhao Jingzhi’s mind at ease. ’So Qin Feng doesn’t know this brat!’ he thought. ’Excellent! Now, even if I injure him severely, no one will be in a position to criticize me! He was the one who was cruel first, so no one can blame me for being unjust!’

Zhao Jingzhi wasn’t afraid that Qin Feng was deliberately setting a trap for him—for example, by knowing the boy had a powerful backer and not telling him. After all, many people were watching!

"Friends from the various families, please bear witness. It is not I who wishes to escalate this matter. It is simply that... when someone bullies you to your face, you are forced to act. If I accidentally injure him in a moment, it will not be my intention. It will be because... swords have no eyes!"

Zhao Jingzhi’s words were bone-chilling. Many people in the crowd couldn’t help but twitch. ’Now things are really heating up,’ they thought. ’The Patriarch of the Zhao Family is furious! He’s going to put this kid in his place!’

As he spoke, Zhao Jingzhi retrieved an ordinary Hundred-refined Steel Sword from his ring. No matter how you looked at it, dealing with a mere child wasn’t something to be proud of. Therefore, he couldn’t afford to have an advantage in weaponry. If he did, people would surely accuse him of using his strength to bully the weak.

Zhao Jingzhi didn’t plan on doing anything too drastic to the boy. He just wanted to knock him unconscious, perhaps adding a little extra force so he’d stay out for a few days, or even suffer a serious internal injury that would leave him bedridden for a year or so. That would be enough. He also wanted to use this opportunity to establish his authority: ’Don’t think the Zhao Family is useless just because we live in the Qin Family’s shadow. Those who offend my Zhao Family will not meet a good end!’

Ling Xiao watched Zhao Jingzhi dispassionately. ’The father is always much smarter than the son,’ he thought. ’He even knows how to seize the moral high ground. But it doesn’t matter. In the hidden families... doesn’t strength speak for itself?’

He activated his ring with his Spiritual Power, originally intending to draw the Demon Blood Red Lotus Sword. But as his senses swept over a corner of the storage space, he suddenly noticed the Fine Willow Soft Sword. Ling Xiao’s heart stirred slightly as he thought of Teacher Shangguan, who cared for him so much. She was also from a hidden family or sect. ’I wonder if she’ll be here this time?’

With that thought, Ling Xiao took out the sword. He held it in his hand, gave it a gentle swing, and looked at Zhao Jingzhi opposite him. "First the whelp, now the old dog," he said. "Fine. Since you’re all so shameless, I’ll let you have the first move."

"You’re courting death, kid!"

Zhao Jingzhi had already been provoked to a towering rage by Ling Xiao. Seeing him draw a common weapon that barely looked like a sword to fight him felt like yet another insult. With a flourish, his Hundred-refined Steel Sword bloomed into a spray of light. As an expert of the Sword Sect, his understanding and application of sword techniques were truly extraordinary. An ordinary thrust, when executed by a Sword Sect expert, exuded the air of a Grandmaster.

The sword stabbed toward Ling Xiao’s left arm. It looked like a feint, but if Ling Xiao’s reaction was even a fraction too slow, the feint would surely turn into a real strike. At that moment, Ling Xiao might even lose his entire arm.

When an expert of the Sword Sect attacked, every move and every stance was actually filled with profound meaning, concealing an endless killing intent!

Ling Xiao flicked the Fine Willow Soft Sword, a familiar, comfortable feeling traveling up from the hilt. He let out a soft chuckle.

"Sword-Breaking Stance!"

Ling Xiao moved like a fleeing rabbit. The crowd, who had already been watching with rapt attention, now stared with eyes wide open, not daring to blink. As the saying goes, it only takes one move for an expert to reveal their skill. Ling Xiao had appeared to be holding his sword casually, but the moment he moved, a sharp glint flashed in the eyes of several onlookers. They stared intently at his feet—that Body Technique was simply magnificent!

Just as the counter-move formed in Ling Xiao’s mind, his hand on the hilt lightly touched a switch. With a HISS, the Fine Willow Soft Sword emitted a thin but incredibly sharp sliver of Sword Qi.

"Behold the power of my Enchanted Treasure Sword!" Ling Xiao said, his expression flat. He seemed to be both showing off and warning his opponent, leaving the onlookers unsure whether to laugh or cry. Forget a Second Order Enchanted Sword; even if a Demon Sword Master appeared and unleashed a massive burst of Sword Qi, how could they possibly trouble an expert of the Sword Sect?

Zhao Jingzhi’s face turned ashen with fury. Enraged, he shook his longsword, instantly weaving a vast, dazzling curtain of light in front of him. The crowd gasped in amazement, praising him in their hearts: ’An expert of the Sword Sect is truly on another level. The gap between them and a Demon Sword Master is enormous indeed!’

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