Chapter 307: Chapter 146: Fighting Elder Mu, Besieged by Fiends

Their swords collided with a series of sharp CLANGS.

At this moment, the flashy special effects of Sword Qi were gone. Instead, every move was incredibly dangerous, each one suffused with the tension of a life-or-death struggle.

To the crowd, this pure, close-quarters combat possessed a kind of violent beauty.

Every member present stared with wide eyes, their gazes intensely focused, as if trying to commit every single move to memory.

Even though they all followed different Cultivation Dharma Sects, they watched with extreme care. For a duel between masters of this caliber, even grasping the slightest insight would be of immense benefit to them.

Just then, a killing intent began to surface in their Swordsmanship.

As the killing intent billowed out, countless streams of Sword Qi reverberated through the area, completely obscuring the scene.

This was just the aftershock of their power, but it was enough to prevent the members present from seeing what was happening on the dueling ring.

At some point, Liu Wufeng had appeared on the balcony of a nearby two-story building. He rested his hands on the railing, his eyes fixed on the ring below.

’Shen Bai will win,’ Liu Wufeng thought.

While the Sword Qi obstructed the view of the many Observatory members, a master of Liu Wufeng’s caliber could still see everything clearly.

Peering through the swirling maelstrom, Liu Wufeng could see that Elder Mu’s Swordsmanship was beginning to show signs of faltering.

Shen Bai, on the other hand, was not only skilled in Swordsmanship but also possessed all sorts of miraculous abilities. Moreover, his entire presence was only growing more powerful.

Liu Wufeng knew then that Elder Mu had lost this fight.

A thought even surfaced in his mind.

’Even if I were the one fighting, I would probably lose.’

As this thought occurred to him, Liu Wufeng’s gaze grew distant.

He was running a simulation of a fight with Shen Bai in his mind, pitting his own moves against him and trying to figure out a counter.

After a moment, Liu Wufeng lowered his right hand and clasped it behind his back.

"I would lose."

The three simple words came from Liu Wufeng’s mouth.

Liu Wufeng was certain that the current Shen Bai had already surpassed the peak of combat power in Fenglin State.

In other words, the combat standards of a State-level City were no longer a match for Shen Bai.

’After this internal assessment, Shen Bai probably won’t remain in Fenglin State for long,’ Liu Wufeng mused.

Then, he quickly shook his head.

’Shen Bai now possesses a level of strength that even I cannot match. A brighter future awaits him. I shouldn’t feel regretful; I should be gratified.’

Liu Wufeng descended from the two-story building and made his way to the side of the ring.

Upon seeing Liu Wufeng, many of the Observatory members immediately parted to make a path for him.

Liu Wufeng nodded. "Just keep watching. Don’t mind me."

Despite his words, the crowd maintained an attitude of reverence.

Without further pleasantries, Liu Wufeng walked to the front of the ring and began to wait patiently.

A few moments later, the Sword Qi shrouding the ring began to dissipate.

There was a lot at first, then less and less, until it finally vanished without a trace.

The Observatory members immediately fixed their gazes on the ring, eager to see the result, regardless of Liu Wufeng’s presence beside them.

The result, however, left them all silent.

Elder Mu sheathed his longsword. He gazed at Cold Moon, hovering just inches from his neck, and a hint of gratified satisfaction appeared in his eyes.

"You are stronger than me now. I have lost."

At that moment, the Sword King of Fenglin State—a man who had dominated the region and never known defeat—seemed to finally relax.

There was no dejection about Elder Mu, nor any sense of powerlessness. Instead, he was filled with a feeling of deep satisfaction.

The way he looked at Shen Bai was like a senior watching a junior who has surpassed his master, with an emotion that no one in the crowd could quite comprehend.

Only Elder Mu himself knew the full story. He had personally witnessed Shen Bai’s journey, step by step, from his arrival on the Fenglin Continent to the position he held today.

From a complete novice to the peak fighting power of a State-level City.

And it hadn’t taken him long at all. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Elder Mu had also witnessed the many thrilling, life-and-death battles Shen Bai had fought along the way.

Now that Shen Bai had finally matured into a true master, Elder Mu was, of course, overjoyed.

He felt no sense of discouragement whatsoever.

At his age, seeing a junior surpass him brought him more joy than his own advancement ever had.

Shen Bai retracted Cold Moon. With a soft CLANG, he cupped his fists and gave Elder Mu a deep bow. "Thank you, Elder Mu. I was only able to reach my current level of strength thanks to your care back then."

Elder Mu waved his hand dismissively. "Don’t give me that, kid. I know your character. You achieved your current strength through your own hard work. It has nothing to do with me. I merely lent a hand once when you needed it."

But Shen Bai shook his head and insisted, "A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. I will never forget it. If Elder Mu ever needs anything in the future, I would go through fire and water for you without hesitation."

The Sword King of Fenglin State before him was one of the few people in the state who had treated him with genuine sincerity.

For that, Shen Bai held him in the highest respect.

The look of satisfaction in Elder Mu’s eyes deepened.

"Even after reaching such a level of strength, you still maintain a calm and steady heart. It’s just as Lord Liu said—you will likely be one who reaches the very summit one day. I consider it a stroke of fate to have met you. In the future, it’s something I can even boast about."

The surrounding members of the Observatory all fell silent.

They had known the outcome was within the realm of possibility, but it had also defied their expectations.

They had expected Shen Bai to win by a narrow margin. They never thought that even after the fight was over, he would still be glowing with vigor, looking as if he hadn’t expended any energy at all.