Martial Arts Overlord

Upon hearing the voice, Luo Feng turned around to see a young man with sharply arched eyebrows striding towards him. It was Hu Yitian.

"Long time no see. I heard your Floating Snow School arrived early."

"Our school is only a half-day journey away from Yunlan Peak, so we arrived quickly." Hu Yitian stopped by his side.

Luo Feng nodded and cast his eyes on Hu Yitian, his eyebrow raised. "Peak of the Seventh Layer of the Essence Storage Realm. You've truly broken through; congratulations."

"What's there to congratulate? Compared to you, it's nothing. Two months ago, my cultivation was superior to yours; now, I'm barely keeping up with you thanks to medicinal pills." Hu Yitian shook his head.

Luo Feng merely smiled faintly, looking out at the vast ocean of clouds. "Yunlan Peak truly is a good place to cultivate. The Yuan Qi is pure, and the scenery is nothing short of extraordinary."

Hu Yitian sneered, "What's so great about this? Compared to our Snow Valley, where Floating Snow School is located, it's nothing."

At this point, a suggestive smile crossed Hu Yitian's face. "Luo Feng, if you get the chance, you must visit Snow Valley. There are many beautiful female students in our school who admire powerful men like you."

Luo Feng laughed. "How could I possibly compare with a wealthy man like you from one of the six major families? Enough about that, why have you come looking for me?"

Upon hearing this, Hu Yitian's eyes twinkled sharply. He patted the treasured blade at his waist and chuckled, "Luo Feng, do you remember our agreement in Wind Howl City?"

"You want to fight me now?"

Luo Feng recalled that he had agreed to a contest with Hu Yitian when they parted ways at Wind Howl City.

Hu Yitian nodded. "The New Talent Competition is tomorrow. You also practice Saber Techniques, so maybe I can learn something from our duel."

Up until now, Luo Feng had yet to encounter a true Saber Technique master, so he was curious about Floating Snow School's Saber Techniques.

"Alright. We'll just compare notes!" Nodding, Luo Feng drew his Tiger Soul Saber and prepared himself.

Hu Yitian drew out his own blade, shouting, "Here I come!"

SWISH!

Hu Yitian didn't dare underestimate Luo Feng; he unleashed his Yuan Qi, brandishing his treasured blade, which radiated sharp Saber Gang. He slashed out, his blade cutting a rift in the air. The attack was so fast it didn't even make a sound.

Luo Feng remained stationary, countering the assault with a slash of his own.

BOOM!

When the two blades collided, sparks flew, and a deafening noise arose. The intense shockwave swept the surrounding clouds clean.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

Hu Yitian retreated several steps to stabilize himself, while Luo Feng, holding his Tiger Soul Saber, stood his ground, immovable as a mountain.

"Impressive! Watch out! I'm going all out now!"

With an admiring look at Luo Feng, Hu Yitian's eyes shone radiantly, his Refined Iron Treasured Saber humming in his hand.

The air several meters around him started to vibrate violently, the gravel on the ground bouncing up and down; the airflow around Hu Yitian shrieked shrilly, as if countless blades were cutting against each other.

Feeling the change in Hu Yitian's aura, Luo Feng's eyes gradually hardened.

"Ruthless Blizzard!"

With a cold shout, Hu Yitian stepped forward, brandishing his Refined Iron Treasured Saber. With each stride, a sharp saber gleam cut through the air, then a second, a third, a fourth...

Amidst the whistling sound, a flurry of icy saber gleams whizzed out, filling all the space up front, much like a harsh winter blizzard, surging towards Luo Feng's position.

CHH! CHH! CHH! CHH!

The hard rock surface was instantly transformed, scraped down a layer.

Luo Feng's face was solemn; he recognized it as the Ruthless Blizzard Saber Technique of Floating Snow School!

This Saber Technique was known for its speed and viciousness. Once deployed, the flurry of blade attacks resembled a storm, cutting down enemies like mowing grass, hence its nickname—the 'Killer Saber Technique'!

Faced with the fierce onslaught of saber gleams, Luo Feng held his Tiger Soul Saber horizontally before him, standing as firm as a mountain, unflinchingly enduring the aggressive assault.

Seeing Luo Feng remain still, Hu Yitian's expression didn't relax in the slightest. His gaze became even more cautious as he pushed his body's Yuan Qi to its limit, intensifying his Saber Intent by another notch.

As the saber gleams were about to hit him, a flash of brilliance filled Luo Feng's eyes, and his body's Yuan Qi abruptly surged forth. The Tiger Soul Saber slashed out against the incoming attacks.

At that instant, he himself seemed like an unsheathed treasured blade, his sharp edge fully revealed!

HUM!

The Tiger Soul Saber cut through the airflow, and its three-meter-long black Saber Gang sucked the air in front of it completely dry.

CRACK! CRACK!

The incoming fierce saber gleams, akin to a ruthless blizzard, instantly crumbled before this saber gleam—like snow and ice dissolving.

BOOM!

The black Saber Gang, as if slicing through tofu, effortlessly shattered the barrage of saber lights. Still possessing residual power, it ripped a terrifying chasm in the ground, the force of the attack grazing past Hu Yitian.

The next moment, the entire cliff quaked slightly. With a creak, the cliff behind Hu Yitian cracked, broke off, and plummeted into the sea of clouds below.

Hu Yitian stood there motionless, stunned, clutching his Refined Iron Treasured Saber.

That split second earlier, he had even felt the breath of death. If Luo Feng hadn't adjusted the blade's path by three inches at the last moment, his fate would have been the same as the cliff behind him!

"Impossible, you're too freakish! Although your cultivation is just slightly higher than mine, your Yuan Qi is ridiculously powerful!"

After a moment, Hu Yitian spat forcefully, looking at Luo Feng helplessly.

He had thought that after stepping into the peak of the Seventh Layer of the Essence Storage Realm, his strength, while maybe not equal to Luo Feng's, wouldn't be far off.

But he hadn't expected the gap to be so vast! His opponent had defeated him with a single move.

Luo Feng sheathed the Tiger Soul Saber and laughed. "You're not bad either. Your Ruthless Blizzard Saber Technique should have already achieved Small Success. I actually felt a bit of pressure just now."

Hu Yitian shook his head and sighed. "There's no comparison at all. I was going all out just now, yet you still seemed to be holding back."

Luo Feng touched his nose, offering neither denial nor confirmation.

Indeed, he hadn't used his full strength earlier.

Hu Yitian let out a breath, returned his saber to its sheath, and laughed. "Regardless, sparring with you was the right choice. Immovable as a mountain, yet swift as a fierce tiger—your understanding of Saber Techniques is far beyond my reach. I learned a lot from our brief exchange. My abilities might improve significantly!"

Luo Feng nodded and laughed. "Me too."

The Killer Saber Technique of Floating Snow School is famous in the rtiad, and it certainly has its unique aspects.

That lightning-fast Saber Technique, so strikingly different from the Sky Slayer Saber Technique, had indeed given him a new appreciation for the art of the saber.

"Enough talk. I need to get back to training immediately! I have to strive for a good rank in the New Talent Competition tomorrow."

Worried that the insights he had just gained would vanish, Hu Yitian waved his hand and briskly departed.

Luo Feng watched Hu Yitian's retreating figure, sheathed the Tiger Soul Saber, and headed towards Residence in the Clouds.

After taking a few steps, Luo Feng suddenly stopped, his gaze flickering towards the nearby bamboo grove. "I didn't expect two uninvited guests," he muttered. Luo Feng shook his head and turned to leave.

「...」

Within the lush bamboo grove stood two figures.

The figure on the left was graceful, with eyebrows like ink and lips like cherries. Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her ethereal, elegant presence seemed to make hearts flutter. She was the most beautiful woman of Tianlan School, He Qin, the 'Heavenly Fragrant Woman.'

"I didn't expect him to notice us from such a distance. He's truly not simple..." He Qin watched the departing, saber-carrying young man, her delicate eyebrows subtly lifted, a hint of interest in her star-like eyes.

Next to her stood a handsome and strapping young man. He frowned upon seeing He Qin's expression and said, "It must have been a coincidence. With his strength, he couldn't possibly have detected us."

Hearing the young man's arrogant tone, He Qin frowned slightly. Sensing the faint killing intent emanating from him, she asked, "Xiao Yu, do you know him?"

If Luo Feng were here, he would certainly recognize the handsome young man as Xiao Yu, the Tianlan School student who had tried to seize the Black Dark Palm Secret Book in the Misty Swamp!

Xiao Yu's eyes grew cold.

In the Misty Swamp that day, he had tried to snatch the Black Dark Palm Secret Book. Not only had he failed, but he had also been toyed with by Luo Feng, utterly losing face. Of course, he could never forget it.

"Indeed, I do know him. His name is Luo Feng, a student from Purple Sun School. Last time, several Junior Brothers and I went to the Misty Swamp for a mission. He tried to monopolize our mission items. I fought him, but he managed to escape in the end." Xiao Yu said this with a straight face, completely twisting the facts of what happened in the Misty Swamp.

He Qin looked at the intersecting saber marks on the cliff, a peculiar glint in her beautiful eyes, and stated directly, "Based on his Saber Technique cultivation, you shouldn't be a match for him."

Hearing this, Xiao Yu's face darkened abruptly.

He Qin was the foremost beauty of Tianlan School, possessing extraordinary talent. At less than sixteen years old, she had already stepped into the Eighth Layer of the Hell Realm. She was the dream girl for many male students in the school, and Xiao Yu was no exception. He Qin usually treated others with a polite but cool indifference, always maintaining a certain distance. However, her current appreciative gaze towards Luo Feng made Xiao Yu nearly choke with anger.

Despite the rage boiling within him, Xiao Yu forced a laugh. "Senior Sister He, Luo Feng's Saber Technique might look formidable, but it's just for show. It could handle a third-rate opponent like Hu Yitian, perhaps. But if he meets me in the New Talent Competition tomorrow, I'll crush him in three moves!"

The last time Xiao Yu faced Luo Feng in the Misty Swamp, he believed he had the upper hand. Only two months had passed since then; he certainly wouldn't take Luo Feng seriously now.

He Qin nodded expressionlessly. "I hope so. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll leave first."

After speaking, she turned and walked away.

Xiao Yu gnashed his teeth, then threw a heavy punch, shattering a nearby cluster of bamboo into fragments.

Although He Qin hadn't said it explicitly, her meaning was crystal clear: she didn't believe his words. The thought that she believed Luo Feng but not him filled Xiao Yu with jealousy and rage.

"Hmph! Luo Feng, I hope you don't run into me at the New Talent Competition tomorrow! Otherwise, I'll make sure you spend the rest of your days in bed!"

Xiao Yu let out a cold snort and stormed off.

「...」

Night fell, and the stars twinkled brightly.

A full moon hung high in the night sky, its bright, pure radiance illuminating the clouds around Yunlan Peak, creating a dreamy and fantastical scene.

「Inside a room in Residence in the Clouds.」

Luo Feng sat cross-legged on the bed, the Tiger Soul Saber lying flat on his knees. He replayed the fight with Hu Yitian in his mind, contemplating the essence of his opponent's Saber Technique, hoping to improve his own.

The Sky Slayer Saber Technique is a steady technique that controls dynamism with stillness. In stark contrast, the Ruthless Blizzard Saber Technique is incredibly severe and swift as the wind. Once launched, its momentum is like a tsunami, relentlessly seeking to engulf the enemy until it succeeds!

As Luo Feng immersed himself in contemplating the two Saber Techniques, he gradually lost track of time.

Suddenly...