Chapter Forty-Four: Mastery of Swordsmanship

Liu Yantao’s words were clearly pointed, a reminder to Chu Feng as well as an indication that he knew about the previous battle.

Chu Feng’s eyes lit up at this, staring at Liu Yantao and demanding, “How did you know? Were you following me?”

“Come on, who’d follow you? I’ve just been waiting nearby for you to show yourself. It’s not often I meet someone whose temperament matches mine. I treat you as a brother, and such a great occasion deserves a proper celebration,” Liu Yantao replied.

Chu Feng rolled his eyes and cursed, “Who shares your lecherous temperament?”

“I just didn’t expect Mo Xuan to come looking for you so quickly. He does have a bit of gentlemanly bearing,” Liu Yantao said, paying no mind to Chu Feng’s eye roll, taking a sip of wine and gazing at him. “But even if he wanted to deal with you, I wouldn’t let him succeed. That kid is strong, but if I wanted to rescue someone from his hands and escape, it wouldn’t be too difficult.”

Though Liu Yantao had left him in the lurch before Murong Qiu Xue, his words now moved Chu Feng a little. He could sense Liu Yantao’s sincerity, and that night of drinking had been utterly exhilarating.

Chu Feng wouldn’t admit it aloud, but inwardly he recognized that he and Liu Yantao were somewhat alike in temperament—neither liked to be restrained, though Liu Yantao’s lascivious nature was a clear exception.

“Who’s that person next to Mo Xuan?” Chu Feng suddenly asked.

“So you’ve noticed him,” Liu Yantao said.

Chu Feng declared, “Mo Xuan has some gentlemanly air, but that one is a complete villain.”

Liu Yantao nodded. “Let’s talk about Mo Xuan first. He’s always been arrogant, but he has the strength to back it up. Among Dragon Moon’s many admirers, he’s undoubtedly the strongest. In his mind, if Dragon Moon is to choose a companion, it should be the strongest. If Dragon Moon isn’t interested in anyone, he has nothing to say. But if she chooses someone weaker than him, he’s deeply dissatisfied, viewing it as an insult.”

At this, Liu Yantao shook his head, sighing like some tragic romantic. “Ah, he doesn’t realize that love is about mutual affection. Mo Xuan’s logic is too domineering—he’s far too self-absorbed. Aside from that, he’s actually upright, even a bit naïve. It seems he believes all problems can be solved by strength.”

Chu Feng nodded in wholehearted agreement. Liu Yantao was right: Mo Xuan was too conceited, believing himself the best and that others should naturally choose him.

Such thinking was certainly domineering, and somewhat simplistic, as if in Mo Xuan’s mind, strength determined everything.

Chu Feng didn’t agree with that, but he didn’t dislike people like Mo Xuan—at least he was a man of action, not a schemer stabbing others in the back.

Liu Yantao continued, “As for that youth, his name is Mo Chen, Mo Xuan’s cousin. The Mo family is powerful, once producing three Saint Spirit warriors, and is one of the ten great families of the human race. Mo Xuan and Mo Chen are both direct descendants of the family, and currently the two most gifted disciples. One of them will inherit the position of the next patriarch.”

Chu Feng’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “So they’re competitors?”

He was genuinely shocked—Mo Chen seemed timid and always sided with Mo Xuan, their relationship apparently harmonious. It was hard to imagine such a rivalry.

Liu Yantao nodded. “Compared to Mo Xuan, Mo Chen is even more dangerous, with a depth of scheming and city-mindedness you must beware.”

Then Liu Yantao revealed some astonishing truths: whether in talent or cultivation, Mo Xuan surpassed Mo Chen, and Mo Chen outwardly showed utmost respect and admiration for Mo Xuan, but behind the scenes, he wore a cold, sinister face, harboring a desire to see Mo Xuan suffer.

Liu Yantao liked to drink alone, hidden within barriers, and had witnessed such situations many times.

“Such a person is truly terrifying,” Chu Feng sighed, marking Mo Chen in his heart.

Liu Yantao looked at Chu Feng, smiling. “If you want to walk with the greatest genius of the Sky Camp, you’re bound to feel the pressure. Mo Xuan is just one of them. The so-called Four Talents—though I don’t acknowledge that title—are all extraordinary. The other three are no less troublesome than Mo Xuan. These alone are enough to keep you busy, not to mention the others. Are you afraid?”

“What’s there to be afraid of? Whatever schemes they have, I’ll face them head-on,” Chu Feng said resolutely, raising his cup. “But I won’t drink with you tonight—there’s important business I must attend to.”

Chu Feng departed, his mind restless along the way. He hadn’t expected so much would happen in such a short time since entering the Sky Camp.

Thinking of Dragon Moon, Chu Feng looked up at the sky, a strange and wonderful feeling stirring within him. He muttered to himself, “Is this what they call the feelings between man and woman?”

Outside the Sky Camp, Chu Feng had just ridden out from the gates when he was startled to see Xu Yan standing quietly on the main road, gazing at him with a face full of grievance.

“What are you doing here?” Chu Feng reined in his horse, looking at Xu Yan in surprise.

“Hmph!” Xu Yan glared at him, clearly unhappy, but said nothing.

Chu Feng was at a loss, dismounted, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xu Yan hesitated, staring at him for a long time before finally saying, “You met your Dragon Moon?”

Chu Feng nodded, smiling. “I was just about to tell you.”

“Is that so? Congratulations,” Xu Yan said, but her face showed no joy, only disappointment.

“What’s the matter?” Chu Feng asked, puzzled.

Xu Yan’s eyes brightened, glaring at him. “And what about me? I want to know—how did you get into the Sky Camp? Tell me honestly!”

Chu Feng was startled, realizing Xu Yan’s presence wasn’t by chance—she must have followed him. He asked, “You didn’t wait here all night, did you?”

“That’s none of your business,” Xu Yan retorted, rolling her eyes. “I just want to know what method you used.”

Chu Feng sighed inwardly, his feelings complicated. Seeing no one else around, he took out the Saint Spirit Order and showed it to her, whispering, “This is the Saint Spirit Order, something I acquired through fortune. With it, I can go anywhere in the Spirit Battle Pavilion. But don’t spread this around—it could bring trouble.”

Xu Yan was truly shocked, staring at Chu Feng for a long while before calming down. She nodded. “So that’s it. Your luck is really something. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Let’s head back, then.” Chu Feng mounted his horse and extended a hand to Xu Yan.

“What for?” Xu Yan said, her cheeks reddening slightly.

“Do you want to run all the way back?” Chu Feng asked.

“I’m not letting you take advantage of me,” Xu Yan said, brushing his hand aside, then tapped her foot on the ground and leapt up to sit behind him. As she grasped his waist, her face blushed even deeper.

“So you wanted to take advantage of me,” Chu Feng teased.

“I’ll squeeze you to death,” Xu Yan gritted her teeth, twisting his waist so hard that Chu Feng grimaced in pain.

He let out a strange cry and spurred the horse forward.

Since the night when the sword energy appeared, Chu Feng had seen hope, and in the days that followed, he immersed himself even more in sword practice.

Over the course of more than twenty days, another figure often appeared in Chu Feng’s training room—a stunningly beautiful figure: Dragon Moon.

The Sky Camp was different from the others; its students weren’t required to wear uniforms, nor did their clothes bear any special markings.

Though few knew Dragon Moon’s origins, her presence—like a goddess—caused a stir wherever she went.

This pushed Chu Feng once more into the spotlight, drawing the attention of all twenty camps.

Yet Chu Feng paid no mind, focusing every day on physical training and sword practice.

Dragon Moon’s swordsmanship was decent, but compared to Zhou Xing and Luo Peng, she was a bit lacking, so she didn’t spar with Chu Feng.

When Chu Feng practiced swordplay, Dragon Moon would quietly watch from the side. She wanted to spend these days with him before her next assignment.

Since that parting with Xu Yan, she hadn’t appeared for twenty days, and Chu Feng felt inexplicably strange about it, though he didn’t dwell on it.

During these days, when Dragon Moon was absent, Zhou Xing and Luo Peng often came to seek Chu Feng’s guidance in swordplay, gaining much from him.

With their company, Chu Feng’s understanding of swordsmanship deepened and quickened.

He also spent time in the library, mastering several advanced sword techniques he hadn’t studied before.

After more than twenty days, Chu Feng’s physique grew even stronger—carrying thirteen hundred pounds posed no problem.

In swordsmanship, he no longer felt any confusion or hesitation; each move and stance seemed etched into his being, fused with his soul. In the later days, his progress in swordplay had nearly stagnated.

At that moment, Chu Feng realized he had fully mastered the Sword God realm.

Yet he didn’t stop practicing. He knew the Sword God realm might not be the ultimate in swordsmanship; the path ahead remained uncertain. Despite his hard training, he hadn’t recaptured that wondrous sensation from before.

That feeling when the sword energy erupted was mysterious and elusive, difficult to describe—even having experienced it, Chu Feng couldn’t clearly recall it.

Yu Yang’s guidance was simple in words—just physical training—but incredibly difficult in practice. Still, Chu Feng relished it, finding no boredom with swordsmanship as his companion.

He was so absorbed in training that he even forgot his one-month promise with Xiao Yue.

On this evening, as Chu Feng practiced, Xiao Yue suddenly appeared, and only then did Chu Feng remember—the appointed month had arrived.

At that moment, curiosity blazed within him like a volcano. He set aside the three-hundred-pound training sword, smiling brightly. “I wonder what treasure you’ve brought—how does it compare to the Domain Sword?”

Chu Feng was full of anticipation. Last time, the Domain Sword had boosted his strength greatly, making him equal to a second-tier Earth Spirit warrior. Now, he felt that if he faced Qin Zhang again, he might well win. So, he eagerly awaited the treasure Xiao Yue had promised; it might propel his power to new heights.

Xiao Yue seemed to be deliberately evasive, not answering Chu Feng’s question, instead asking, “It’s been a month. How is your strength now?”

“I feel I’ve fully mastered the Sword God realm. If I were to face Qin Zhang again, even if I couldn’t subdue him, I could certainly suppress him,” Chu Feng replied.

“You’ve mastered swordsmanship? Excellent, excellent,” Xiao Yue said, hands clasped behind his back, nodding with satisfaction. He looked at Chu Feng and said, “Well, then, come with me.”