It seemed his earlier attacks were mere probes, “Chasing Clouds, Pursuing Shadows” was the true killing move, one Ling Xiao couldn’t possibly dodge.
This technique, against most sixth-tier martial artists, would almost certainly be a death sentence.
There was no chance of survival.
Yet Ling Xiao remained calm.
Even in that fleeting moment, his eyes stayed locked on Fei Mu, staring so intently it made Fei Mu uneasy.
Ling Xiao wasn’t, of course, admiring Fei Mu’s combat skills.
He was using the analytical power of his Mountain River Martial Soul to pinpoint Fei Mu’s weaknesses.
No martial artist was flawless.
Especially in the act of attacking, those weaknesses became glaringly obvious.
The stronger the attack, the bigger the flaw.
Suddenly, Ling Xiao struck.
Instead of dodging, he leisurely extended a single finger.
“Terrifying Finger!”
As this move unfolded, it was as if the entire space froze for an instant.
Though it lasted only a moment, Fei Mu’s attack was disrupted.
Not only that, in that split second, Fei Mu’s gaze went blank, as if his soul had abandoned him.
Indeed, this was the “Terrifying Finger” Ling Xiao had learned from the blue-robed woman.
Though he hadn’t fully mastered her technique, the “Terrifying Finger” he’d distilled from it struck both body and soul simultaneously.
Human martial artists, having largely abandoned soul cultivation after losing their martial souls, had weaker spiritual strength compared to Ling Xiao.
Even a seventh-tier martial master’s soul was far inferior to his.
Caught off guard by this finger strike, Fei Mu’s soul took a hit, and he instantly lost control of his technique.
“Chasing Clouds, Pursuing Shadows” veered off course, grazing Ling Xiao’s sleeve and flying into the distance.
“Boom!”
Far off, a small hilltop shattered under its terrifying force.
At that same moment.
A shocking scene unfolded before the crowd.
Fei Mu, who should’ve had his head pierced by Ling Xiao’s “Terrifying Finger,” didn’t die.
Behind him appeared a tree.
A large tree resembling a cherry blossom.
The image was vivid, no mere illusion.
This cherry tree had blocked Ling Xiao’s lethal strike.
“Pity, my chance to kill him was just that one shot, thwarted by his ninja spirit.”
Ling Xiao sighed helplessly.
The “Terrifying Finger” worked because Fei Mu didn’t see it coming, leaving him defenseless.
If he’d been prepared, Ling Xiao’s current strength wouldn’t have scratched him.
That’s why he felt the regret.
That moment had been his closest shot at killing Fei Mu.
“Fei Mu, watch out!”
Just as Fei Mu rejoiced at surviving and prepared a furious counterattack, a cry of alarm came from behind.
He instinctively turned to look.
A white figure.
Clad in snow-white robes.
Bai Ru Xue.
Stunningly beautiful!
And utterly terrifying!
With just that glance, he felt a sharp, searing pain in his throat, and his ninja spirit let out a mournful wail.
“What the hell?”
Ling Xiao was about to figure out what was happening when his Mountain River Martial Soul unleashed a terrifying pulling force, yanking Fei Mu’s ninja spirit right out of his body and absorbing it into the Mountain River World.
“Doesn’t seem to feel off?”
“Oh no, Senior Sister Yi Xue’s in danger!”
He looked up.
Though Ling Yi Xue had spectacularly killed Fei Mu, Fei Yun lunged at her.
“Hahaha, want to kill them? You’ll have to get past me first!”
At the critical moment, Ling Xiao Tian intervened.
He blocked Fei Yun, leaving the furious man glaring helplessly.
“Kill! Slaughter them! Wipe out the Ling Clan!”
Fei Yun was livid.
He issued the attack order!
“Swish, swish, swish…”
A deafening barrage of arrow whistles filled the air.
Thousands of feathered arrows, like a swarm of locusts, blotted out the sky, raining down on the Ling Clan’s remaining five hundred.
Like venomous snakes, the arrows tore at hearts and ripped through Ling Clan bodies.
Yet in that moment.
Facing this horrifying deluge of arrows.
No one in the Ling Clan flinched.
They knew huddling together meant death, fleeing meant death, so why not fight to the bitter end?
Kill one, break even.
Kill two, profit.
Plus, once they mixed with the enemy, the arrow storm would lose its bite.
“Charge—!”
Ling Wu Hen raised his longsword, sweeping it through the air, shattering countless arrows in an instant.
These were just arrows from third-tier martial artists, not overly powerful, and he, a peak sixth-tier martial artist, handled them with ease.
“Kill, kill, kill!”
Though few in number, their earth-shaking war cries roared loud.
Ling Yi Hang, Ling Zhan, Ling Shuang, and the five hundred brave souls of the Ling Clan, even in their darkest hour, never considered surrender.
They’d live or die with the Ling Clan!
Traitors, after all, feared death!
Those who’d betrayed the Ling Clan, facing these five hundred red-eyed warriors, lost their nerve.
In the first clash, the turncoats didn’t stand a chance.
Ling Chong was slain!
Ling Tie Shou was cut down!
Ling Yu perished under a flurry of blades!
Ling Feng narrowly escaped once, only to fall to Ling Yi Hang’s longsword.
Ling Yun met his end at the hands of Ling Shuang and Ling Zhan combined!
This former second-ranked genius of the Ling Clan’s talent hall, the first to grasp sword intent, died worse than a dog.
Bearing the stain of betrayal, his death was both laughable and loathsome.
But the enemies were too many.
The traitors faltered, yet the Shi and Li Clan warriors weren’t pushovers, especially with their abundance of skilled fighters.
Once they joined the fray.
The Ling Clan’s five hundred warriors suffered heavy losses.
On the battlefield, Ling Xiao Tian stood against Fei Yun.
But with just his peripheral vision, he could see the Ling Clan’s fine sons and daughters falling, one by one, into pools of blood.
Against this slaughter.
His power was too limited.
Though he was arguably the strongest there, it didn’t matter.
Fei Yun, with his ninja spirit, could easily tie him up, leaving him unable to aid anyone else.
The Ling Clan’s three grand elders each faced their own foes.
The martial masters from the Li and Shi Clans alone kept them busy.
Even the mightiest, Ling Yin, could only hold off two masters at once, meaning the three together could manage just four.
But the Li and Shi Clans, including Li Yun Sheng and Shi Long, boasted eight martial masters.
The remaining four, including Li Yun Sheng and Shi Long, all charged at Ling Xiao and Ling Yi Xue.
Even so, the Li and Shi Clans had too many experts, swarming in to encircle the Ling Clan’s remnants in a one-sided massacre.
This scene drove the three grand elders to the brink of madness.
But they were powerless.
Ling Xiao Tian was equally helpless.
Ling Xiao and Ling Yi Xue holding off four masters was already miraculous, let alone doing more.
In mere moments, the Ling Clan’s grounds ran red with blood.
Ling Yi Hang, Ling Zhan, Ling Shuang were drenched in gore.
The few untraitorous Ling Clan heirs were battered and bleeding.
This battle was destined for tragedy!
Victory was impossible.
But having chosen to stay, there was no turning back, even if they fought to their last drop of blood, they’d press on!
In the Ling Clan’s library, fourth floor.
Something trembled relentlessly, as if struggling to break free and burst forth.
