Chapter 83: The First Battle in the Truest Sense

"You're not afraid?" Chen Feng stared at Ning Xiu and asked.

In his eyes, anyone facing them should be gripped by fear, and he relished the taste of being feared.

"Why should I be afraid?" Ning Xiu retorted.

Even when cornered with no way out, Ning Xiu maintained his composure and calm. This wasn't a tactic to deceive others, nor was it a facade of false bravado—it was simply his nature.

Of course, it also stemmed from having encountered too many spirits and strange beings; after seeing so much, calmness came naturally. Back when he was weak, he wasn't afraid. Now, with his Nine Suns technique perfected, possessing several famed martial arts, and standing at the threshold of the master realm, would he suddenly become fearful?

Ning Xiu raised the divine sword in his hand, his gaze cold as he looked at Chen Feng. Yet in the next instant, the atmosphere shifted abruptly: just as Chen Feng expected Ning Xiu to charge at him, Ning Xiu turned and ran.

Seeing this, Chen Feng let out a furious growl, mouth open wide as arrows of chilling, horrifying energy shot toward Ning Xiu.

Ning Xiu unleashed his agility techniques, dodging and weaving within the cabin. The "change" in the Hundred Transformations Divine Step was pushed to its limit in this moment.

The arrows from Chen Feng's mouth were terrifying; the headless bloody corpse had already proven their deadly power. But there was a crucial premise: they had to hit their target. No matter how powerful, if they missed, they meant nothing.

Moments later, Chen Feng ceased his futile barrage. He clearly understood that this level of attack would not kill Ning Xiu, and Ning Xiu was about to exit the cabin. Chen Feng extended his right hand, his bluish-purple arm glowing with a ghostly light, and his fingernails suddenly grew explosively.

Five streaks of dark violet energy shot forth like arrows, instantly targeting Ning Xiu.

These five beams were far faster than the previous arrows, reaching Ning Xiu's back in the blink of an eye.

A sharp, stabbing pain erupted across his back, yet Ning Xiu showed no trace of panic—only steady calm.

Just as he was about to burst out of the cabin, Ning Xiu did something unexpected: he stomped heavily on the wooden door before him, his body flipping backward.

He narrowly avoided the oncoming beams.

Boom!

Ning Xiu landed on the wooden door, knees bent, and suddenly exploded forward like a lethal arrow, shooting straight at Chen Feng.

The wind howled; even as he soared through the air, the divine sword was gripped in his hand, its murderous aura filling the air.

He swung the sword!

A savage slash descended!

From the moment he realized his opponent was a strange entity, Ning Xiu knew he faced a deadly trial today. He understood his current strength was insufficient to match such a foe, but retreat never crossed his mind.

For he knew that when facing a stronger adversary, turning your back meant certain death.

So from the very start, escape was not an option.

Retreat was only to create opportunity—for a better advance.

And advance was for the kill!

All these movements unfolded in the flash of lightning; Chen Feng was still frozen in his prior stance.

In the next instant, the divine sword was upon him.

Clang!

A thunderous crash of metal rang out.

At the critical moment, Chen Feng crossed both arms above his head, blocking the fatal blow by sheer force.

The immense impact sent Ning Xiu flying backward. As he hung in midair, a fierce light flashed in his eyes, sword intent surging.

"Eighteenth Sword!"

Before the words finished, the sword's radiance erupted, weaving a dense net that swallowed Chen Feng.

Sparks flew, accompanied by a rapid succession of ringing crashes.

"It's useless. No matter how hard you try, the gap between us cannot be changed! Your fate is sealed—you will die!"

Chen Feng protected himself with crossed arms, roaring as he charged straight through the sword net, his right hand darting toward Ning Xiu like lightning!

Suspended in midair, Ning Xiu had nowhere to brace himself, forced to contort his body to avoid vital spots.

Blood sprayed.

With a heavy crash, Ning Xiu slammed to the ground. He struggled to rise, glaring fiercely at Chen Feng, his face still unafraid, both hands gripping the divine sword like a beast poised to strike.

Under Ning Xiu's torrential assault, Chen Feng's skin began to tear and shred, revealing his true form.

A pitch-black shadow emerged from Chen Feng's shell.

This was his real face: no shape, no features, just a mass of darkness—an ugly, nameless monster.

"Ah!"

"I'll kill you!"

The fiend shrieked, cold winds howled, and it blended into the shadows of the cabin.

No one could tell where he would appear next, nor what attack would come.

Ning Xiu could only rely on his master-level senses to the environment, dodging instinctively.

Gradually, wounds began to appear on his body—large and small.

Crimson blood seeped through his clothes, staining them, then dripped across his skin.

He looked like a man made of blood.

"So this is what you insects call a master?"

The fiend's voice echoed from the dark.

"Even if you avoid fatal wounds, you must know: lose enough blood and you'll die all the same."

"Let's see how long you can last."

The voice shifted from near to far, making it impossible to pinpoint his location.

At this moment, Ning Xiu calmed himself.

To him, this fiend did not seem as strong as he'd imagined—not strong enough to be unbeatable. If the opponent truly had the power, he would have attacked head-on, overwhelming him with force. Why resort to these hidden ambushes?

Ning Xiu sensed the fiend was afraid of something.

In the flurry of attacks and defenses, the fiend often resorted to defensive moves.

Scenes replayed in Ning Xiu's mind and then settled.

His eyes suddenly brightened—he thought of a possibility.

Though the judgment might not be entirely accurate, he could only gamble now.

Ning Xiu closed his eyes, becoming utterly still, focusing on activating the central point between his brows to sense the fiend's presence.

A shadow flickered rapidly in the darkness—blurry, indistinct.

Now!

Ning Xiu gripped the short divine blade in his left hand, the divine sword in his right, and his body lunged forward with all his strength, diving toward the left front!