The silence was absolute—you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone watching was stunned, disbelief written all over their faces. Even Sword Master Eric Cui, the Southriver Sword Sect expert, looked shaken.
Sword Master Eric Cui’s expression kept shifting as he stared at Evan Lin, his eyes filled only with confusion and shock.
He just couldn’t figure out what had happened.
That overwhelming sword intent, sweeping up chunks of shattered stone—why had it vanished so quietly, without a trace?
Even if it was a clash of raw power, it should never have disappeared so blandly, like what just happened. Sword Master Eric Cui couldn’t believe it.
Unless...
As he considered a certain possibility, Sword Master Eric Cui’s heart was thrown into even greater turmoil.
"You! The force gathered in your earthen wall was exactly equal to the force of my sword intent!"
Sword Master Eric Cui couldn’t help but cry out in shock. The confidence on his face was gone, replaced by utter disbelief.
The aloof, masterly aura he’d had was completely gone—in its place, only bitterness and shock remained on his face after understanding what had just happened.
If not for that, there’s no way the earthen wall could have silently swallowed up the stone sword. Only when two forces reach a perfectly precise equilibrium can something like that occur.
But that doesn’t just require ultimate control over power—it also means being able to instantly gauge exactly how strong your opponent’s attack is!
What’s more, pulling off something this subtle and balanced isn’t just hard—it takes a monstrous, freakish talent!
“You’re not dumb, I’ll give you that,” Evan Lin snorted, his eyes glinting with amusement.
Sword Master Eric Cui’s face was ashen, his whole body trembling. Suddenly, a wave of helplessness washed over him.
“Sword Master Eric Cui?” Henry Lin looked at him, anxiety written all over his face, and called out in a small voice.
All Henry Lin had been relying on was Sword Master Cui, but now, after seeing the Sword Master’s two full-strength moves get casually neutralized by this teenager, Henry Lin was starting to feel a sense of despair.
Martin Mu’s gaze flickered, and there was a new weight in his eyes as he looked at Evan Lin. Beside him, Victor Moore gritted his teeth, unable to say a word for a long time. He turned his head to look at Melissa Mu.
At this moment, Melissa Mu’s pretty face was filled with nothing but reverence—utter, total reverence!
That was the look the weak give the strong!
That kind of gaze even made Victor Moore feel a strange, indescribable heaviness.
He’d never seen the usually proud and aloof Melissa Mu look at anyone like that—not even when Melissa Mu personally crippled her father’s meridians; Melissa had never shown any sign of submission!
“Just what kind of monster is he...?”
Victor Moore muttered to himself.
“He... He took two full-force moves from Sword Master Cui—two moves, and he’s completely unscathed!”
“Is there another freakish genius rising up in Jinnan?”
“Who on earth is this guy?”
All around, people didn’t even dare breathe too loudly. When they looked at the young man before them, their eyes were filled with nameless fear.
“Master... your skills... your skills are beyond mortal understanding! Truly miraculous!”
Sam Su’s face was a mess of emotions, his whole body trembling with excitement.
The Daoist beside him, though, was so terrified his face had gone pale. Remembering all his earlier mocking and sarcasm, he was now scared out of his wits—he could barely stand, his legs turning to jelly. If he hadn’t grabbed onto a nearby table and chair, he’d probably have collapsed right there.
If this teenager ever decided to settle scores with him...
The Daoist didn’t even dare imagine it. Wouldn’t he just get wiped out in an instant, not even leaving a trace behind?
“Oh my god, this is unreal, this is unreal—how can anyone be this powerful, how can anyone be this powerful...”
The Daoist kept babbling, voice trembling, still unable to recover from what had just happened.
Sword Master Cui took a deep breath, his heart in utter turmoil.
“I was too arrogant. Turns out there really are heavens beyond the heavens, people beyond people—I just didn’t get it before.”
He looked deeply at Evan Lin, a mix of admiration and emotion in his eyes. “I entered the Sword Sect at eighteen, and now it’s been more than a decade.”
“All those years, I sat in the Sword Sect, training and comprehending the sword. I always thought that when I finally left, I’d be able to shake the world with a single sword. Never imagined, the moment I left, I’d run into someone as fierce as you.”
As he spoke, the sword intent around Sword Master Cui—which had been fading—suddenly began to rise again.
The qi sword in his hand, which had started to look faint, was now slowly condensing again. Another storm was brewing.
But this time, the qi sword in Sword Master Eric Cui’s hand grew even more solid, as if condensed from pure intent.
Its edge was as sharp as a blade of light, perfectly integrated, almost impossible to distinguish at first glance.
The entire qi sword kept compressing, growing denser and denser.
The plainer the sword looked, the more it made people’s hearts pound with dread.
“Hmm?”
Evan Lin studied the sword in Sword Master Cui’s hand, and for once, a hint of approval flashed across his face. “Not bad. Instead of wasting energy on flashy displays, you’re focusing it all into the blade itself.”
“Using force to nourish the edge.”
Hearing Evan’s simple comment, Sword Master Cui’s expression grew especially solemn.
“Honestly, you’re more than ten years younger than me, and I couldn’t hurt you in two moves. That’s already a loss on my part.”
Sword Master Cui spoke in a deep, steady voice.
The crowd erupted in shock.
Martin Mu’s face was extremely serious, and Victor Moore had already clenched his fists—but he still felt powerless.
Henry Lin’s heart was pounding, and Nathan Lin couldn’t even get a single word out.
Sam “Second Brother” Su looked at Evan Lin as if he were staring at a god!
Maybe there are experts out there who can defeat a Sword Master from the Southriver Sword Sect, but it’s rare to see someone who can make a Sword Master admit defeat willingly!
Almost unheard of!
“But since you’ve insulted my Southriver Sword Sect today, I must fight you!”
“Even if I have to pour all my strength into it, I’ll defend my sect’s honor!”
“The prestige of the Southriver Sword Sect cannot be violated.”
“And the name of the Southriver Sword Sect must not be insulted!”
Sword Master Eric Cui raised his qi sword slightly, and a fierce wind howled through the air.
The sound was like a blade slicing through metal—sharp and ringing.
“Based on what you just said, I can let you off this once. Spare your life.”
Evan Lin spoke calmly.
It wasn’t that he thought Sword Master Cui was especially strong—he just appreciated the guy’s willingness to face death head-on, and his straightforward admission of being weaker.
Hearing this, Sword Master Cui’s face didn’t change at all. Sword in hand, he approached from a distance, each step tapping the ground, his whole body leaping forward.
He didn’t use any flashy moves, just charged straight at Evan Lin.
But with every half-step he took, the sword intent in the air grew even more violent and sharp.
At the same time, Sword Master Cui spat out several mouthfuls of bright red blood.