"What's going on?! Did I make a mistake?!"
Lin Feng stared at the empty expanse of sea before him, a flicker of panic stirring in his heart. He pulled out the jade slip left by his father and scrutinized it carefully once more. He then retraced the route he had taken in his mind. The positions of the most recent landmark islands were all correct; he hadn't mistaken the location. This was definitely the destination.
But… where was the island?!
The jade slip left by his father had explained that the small island hiding the spirit herb was originally an ordinary, spirit-energy-deficient barren island. The spirit herb itself was something his father had obtained elsewhere. While passing through this area, his father noticed the herb showing signs of withering. With no other choice, he planted it deep within this island. The specific location was deep underground, surrounded by a Spirit Gathering Formation, a Concealment Formation, and a Protective Formation, making it completely undetectable from the outside.
"Wait! Concealment Formation?!"
Lin Feng's eyes suddenly flashed as a possibility struck him: Could the island's disappearance be due to someone casting a Concealment Formation over it?! If that were the case, then… this island had been occupied by someone else! And an ordinary barren island wouldn't be occupied without reason. It was highly likely that the occupier had discovered the island's secret!!
The thought sent a jolt of greater alarm through Lin Feng. If the spirit herb his father left for him had truly been 'stolen' by someone else… what could he possibly do?!
"Calm down… calm down!!" Lin Feng abruptly realized he was losing composure and urgently reminded himself. He thought, At the very least… I need to confirm if the island is genuinely concealed first!
If the small island was truly hidden by a Concealment Formation, even if it couldn't be detected by sight or spiritual sense, the island itself still existed physically in its original location. Therefore, Lin Feng employed the most direct method—he began haphazardly flying back and forth across the area, crashing into the empty space where the island should be.
Subsequently, a figure wildly maneuvering his flying sword like a headless fly appeared above the open sea.
…
BANG!!
Lin Feng, in mid-flight, suddenly collided with an invisible barrier. Caught completely off guard, he was violently thrown backwards. After steadying himself somewhat awkwardly, a gleam of pleasant surprise lit up his eyes. Just as I thought! It's right here!
Having located the target, the next step was naturally to break the formation. Lin Feng swung his right hand, drawing a spare flying sword he had simply refined, replacing the Crimson Soul Flying Sword beneath his feet. Then, with a grim expression, he pointed his hand forward. The Crimson Soul Flying Sword trembled slightly before shooting out like a streak of light, slashing towards the empty space ahead.
SCHIIIICK!! The flying sword struck the empty air, but a sharp, cutting sound rang out. A transparent ripple abruptly appeared, revealing the outline of a small section of the formation's barrier as it spread.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!!
Lin Feng didn't pause. He relentlessly controlled the Crimson Soul Flying Sword, sending it crashing against the formation barrier again and again. The ripples in the void grew larger and larger, accompanied by faint tremors and groaning sounds, as if an invisible wall was buckling under the relentless, powerful impacts.
BANG!!
Finally, with a thunderous crash that sounded like shattering glass, a layer of the void abruptly fractured. The formation barrier was forcibly breached. A small island, roughly twenty li across, materialized before Lin Feng's eyes.
"Hmm?!" A flicker of joy had just appeared in Lin Feng's eyes when his expression suddenly changed. The instant the formation shattered, he felt an immensely powerful spiritual sense sweep out from the island. Immediately after, he saw a streak of blue light soar into the sky, reaching him in the blink of an eye.
It was an elderly man dressed in brown robes, appearing to be around fifty years old. He stood on a flying sword shimmering with blue light, halting about fifty meters in front of Lin Feng. He regarded Lin Feng with a mixture of surprise and suspicion.
"Early Nascent Soul stage!!" Sensing the overwhelming aura emanating from the old man, Lin Feng's heart clenched. Instinctively, he had already gripped the Spirit Light Jade Talisman in his hand. At the same time, he stared expressionlessly back at the other party.
…
Yue Shuo looked at the young cultivator before him, who was only at the fourth layer of Golden Core, feeling utterly bewildered. It was hard to believe this youth was the one who had shattered his Level 3 formation barrier in mere moments.
Spreading his spiritual sense far and wide, Yue Shuo confirmed there were no other cultivators within several li. He then refocused his attention squarely on Lin Feng opposite him. His gaze swept over the Crimson Soul Flying Sword hovering beside Lin Feng, and his eyes suddenly flashed with intense light. A Peak-grade Spirit Artifact flying sword!!
Numerous thoughts raced through Yue Shuo's mind in an instant. His expression turned hostile as he fixed Lin Feng with a cold stare. "Where did this brat come from, daring to recklessly destroy my island's protective formation without cause?! If you don't give me a satisfactory explanation, you won't be leaving here alive today!!"
"..." Lin Feng's mind was racing with even more thoughts than Yue Shuo's. However, within a few breaths, he had made a decision. Acting as if he didn't feel the deliberate pressure of Yue Shuo's aura at all, he stared intently at the old man, his voice icy. "The spirit herb hidden within the island… have you taken it?!"
"What spirit herb…" Yue Shuo was momentarily taken aback, then exclaimed in surprise, "You're saying what's hidden beneath the island… is a spirit herb?!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Yue Shuo's face changed dramatically. He stared at Lin Feng with shock and demanded, "Brat! Who exactly are you?! What else do you know?!"
The other party's reaction sent a surge of relief through Lin Feng. It seemed Yue Shuo didn't yet know the specifics of what was hidden beneath the island—he probably hadn't managed to break through the protective formations around the spirit herb. This eased the knot of anxiety in Lin Feng's chest slightly. His greatest fear had been that the herb was already gone. At least it was still there.
Though he knew it was likely futile, Lin Feng first cupped his hands respectfully towards Yue Shuo. "The item within the island was left for me by my father. I don't know why you, Esteemed Senior, are here, but I implore you to be magnanimous and allow me to…"
"Hahaha!! How utterly ridiculous!!" Lin Feng's words were cut off by Yue Shuo's mocking laugh. The old man looked at Lin Feng with contempt. "You say it's yours, so it's yours? A mere Golden Core ant, daring to order me to leave?! Seeking death!!"
Before the last syllable faded, Yue Shuo raised his right hand. A mass of blue light instantly coalesced in front of him. Countless water arrows, each as thick as a forearm, materialized out of thin air, blotting out the sky as they shot towards Lin Feng with terrifying speed!
Lin Feng had long anticipated that 'reasoning' was basically impossible. The moment he sensed the surge of Yue Shuo's true essence, he had already activated his Spirit Light Barrier. Almost the instant the golden barrier shimmered into existence, the barrage of water arrows engulfed him.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
A rapid series of heavy impacts sounded. Countless ripples spread across the surface of the golden Spirit Light Barrier, but it held firm, not collapsing.
"A High-grade Spirit Artifact defensive item!" Yue Shuo's eyes flashed again, registering another slight shock, but his heart surged with intense greed and delight. This suddenly appearing brat seemed to possess quite a few valuable items! And he actually knew the secret of this island! Yue Shuo resolved immediately that he absolutely could not let this young man escape. He would capture him first, interrogate him thoroughly, and then silence him permanently.
Lin Feng felt Yue Shuo's murderous intent as clearly as ice. Matters had reached this point; there was no room for hesitation left. If he wanted what was hidden on the island, he had no choice but to eliminate the enemy before him first.
Fortunately, the opponent was only at the second layer of Nascent Soul; it wasn't a hopeless fight. A battle strategy solidified in Lin Feng's mind. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes. Before Yue Shuo could launch a second attack, Lin Feng pointed forward sharply. A clear, resonant sword cry pierced the air as the Crimson Soul Flying Sword transformed into a streak of crimson light, shooting forth!
"Hmph! Thinking that just because you have a Peak-grade Spirit Artifact flying sword you can fight me? Truly delusional!"
Yue Shuo snorted disdainfully. With a flip of his right hand, a broad-bladed golden greatsword appeared in his grip. Sword light flashed as he brought it sweeping down towards the oncoming Crimson Soul Flying Sword!
CLANG!!!
An ear-splitting clang of metal striking metal reverberated. Sparks flew violently as blade met sword. Shockingly, it was the Crimson Soul Flying Sword that was sent spinning away, deflected by the powerful blow!