The Legend of the Netherworld

Chapter 221 Countless battles will only make me, Lin Xiao, more invincible

A flicker of resentment flashed across Zhang Ming's eyes, but he no longer had the strength to struggle. His sword momentum was broken by Lin Xiao's single blow, and his entire body flew backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily to the ground. The air was filled with the aftermath of the sword's shattering energy. Zhang Ming's breath gradually weakened, and his eyes gradually lost focus.

"Zhang Ming." Lin Xiao stood before him, coldly gazing at the now-immobilized enemy. The tip of his sword pointed at Zhang Ming's chest, his voice carrying a hint of irresistible authority. "You lose."

Zhang Ming raised his eyes, a final flicker of regret and unwillingness in them. "You... can kill me, but you can't kill my hatred. Zhang Ming, I will never die in obscurity."

Lin Xiao didn't respond, his eyes cold. Killing Zhang Ming was just an inevitable battle for him, nothing to celebrate.

He found some valuable items on Zhang Ming's body - a crystal-clear pill, several talismans, and a densely packed map. Obviously, this powerful man who had once been his enemy carried not only weapons and strength, but also many mysterious items.

Lin Xiao didn't linger for long. He knew Zhang Ming wasn't fighting alone; there must be a larger force operating behind the scenes. He took his spoils and left the devastated valley. Zhang Ming's death didn't bring him complete safety; instead, it marked the beginning of a new round of danger.

He decided to go to a safe place to heal his wounds and gather his thoughts. This battle had drained a lot of his strength and energy, and this barren mountain was obviously not an ideal place to live.

Lin Xiao wandered through the mountains for a while before finally finding a suitable place to rest in a secluded cave. He lit a fire, took out the herbs he had brought with him, and began to heal his wounds. The pill he had found on Zhang Ming's body would help him recover faster. He swallowed it silently, and the medicinal power immediately surged through his body. The intense pain made him frown slightly, but he immediately closed his eyes, forcibly suppressing the pain and entering a meditative state.

While he was healing, a powerful aura quietly approached. Lin Xiao opened his eyes and sensed the approach of the aura, and a trace of alertness flashed in his eyes.

"It seems that even this barren mountain can't give me peace for a moment." Lin Xiao smiled faintly, stood up, and rearranged his weapons.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard at the cave entrance, followed by a figure walking into the cave. The figure, dressed in a black robe, had a stern face and a deep aura, clearly a powerful individual. Lin Xiao remained calm and composed, not moving.

The man approached and stopped, glancing at Lin Xiao calmly: "It's you."

Lin Xiao frowned slightly. The person before him had a powerful aura, clearly a master. Judging by his appearance, he was no stranger to him—it was none other than Chen Qiang from the Tianci Sect, one of the members of the Nine Gates who had participated in the hunt for him in Tianyuan City.

"You don't seem surprised." Chen Qiang sneered and approached. "I didn't expect Zhang Ming to be defeated by you."

"Chen Qiang of the Nine Gates?" Lin Xiao continued to look at him coldly, already beginning to plot his next move. Although Chen Qiang wasn't the strongest, the power behind him forced Lin Xiao to be cautious.

Chen Qiang said calmly, "You killed Li Zhenguo and Zhang Ming. Do you really think you can get away with this? The people from Tianci Sect have already started to act. The entire Tianyuan City is looking for you. You have nowhere to escape."

Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes and said slowly: "You, Tiancimen, actually followed us all the way here."

Chen Qiang nodded, his eyes stern. "Our target isn't just you, but everything behind you. The situation in Tianyuan City has already changed dramatically because of your actions. Today, I will make you disappear from this world."

"Do you really think you can kill me?" Lin Xiao sneered, his gaze becoming sharper. He knew that the battle ahead might be a decisive one, and whether he chose to flee or fight would affect his future.

"Killing you won't be easy." Chen Qiang changed his tone, the sword in his hand suddenly flashing with a dazzling light, and the murderous intent in his eyes became even stronger. "But I want to see how much you can withstand."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Qiang pounced on Lin Xiao like a tiger. The long sword in his hand carried an astonishing sword energy. Sharp sword energy instantly formed in the air and rushed straight towards Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao's mind raced, and his inner strength suddenly erupted. He gripped his sword and instantly charged towards Chen Qiang's blade. The two sword beams intertwined, sparks flying, and the air in the valley seemed to freeze instantly.

Sword energy surged, the air trembled, and Lin Xiao's body stretched like a bowstring. His blade clashed with Chen Qiang's longsword, sparking a fierce burst of sparks that shook the valley. The two men faced each other, their eyes filled with intense fighting intent. Lin Xiao's arms trembled slightly, but his gaze grew more resolute.

Chen Qiang sneered, exerting force with his feet. His figure flashed like a ghost, and a sharp sword energy rushed towards him, slicing through the air and heading straight for Lin Xiao's heart. A cold light flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes. He stepped aside, avoiding Chen Qiang's attack and counterattacked in an instant. His sword danced like the wind, and the sword energy was like a tide, slashing towards Chen Qiang's throat.

Chen Qiang's face paled slightly. He hadn't expected Lin Xiao's swordsmanship to be so swift, barely giving him a moment to breathe. He hurriedly raised his sword to block. The powerful sword energy collided, causing Chen Qiang's body to tremble slightly, nearly losing his balance. Lin Xiao seized the opportunity to exert force, his steps swift as the wind. In a flash, he thrust the tip of his sword straight into Chen Qiang's chest.

"Hmph!" Chen Qiang snorted coldly, and the strength in his body burst out instantly. He crossed his hands and swung them out, and powerful energy swept out, forcing Lin Xiao to take a few steps back.

The distance between the two suddenly widened, and each felt the pressure from the other's sword energy and aura. Lin Xiao's heart sank slightly. Chen Qiang's strength should not be underestimated. Although he had broken through to the fourth level of Jiachen, Chen Qiang was obviously not weak. His aura was strong and his swordsmanship was sharp.

"Your swordsmanship is indeed good." Chen Qiang retracted his sword, a glint of admiration in his eyes. "However, your strength is not as good as mine. You are still far behind."

Lin Xiao smiled coldly: "You are really too confident."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Xiao kicked his feet hard and rushed towards Chen Qiang with lightning speed. A trace of vigilance flashed in Chen Qiang's eyes. He swung his sword and a tsunami-like sword energy erupted, rushing towards Lin Xiao with devastating force.

Lin Xiao's expression turned cold, and he pointed his sword toward the sky. His internal energy circulated rapidly, instantly unleashing the "Sword Dance of Splendor." Sword energy surged like a whirlwind, churning endlessly. The entire valley seemed caught in the collision of two powerful energies. Lin Xiao's swordsmanship became even more intense, and the tip of his sword pierced Chen Qiang's chest like lightning.

"Die!" Chen Qiang shouted, and his long sword met Lin Xiao's blade, trying to counterattack.

However, Lin Xiao's sword intent seemed to transform into the wind, instantly changing its trajectory. The sharp sword blade bypassed Chen Qiang's sword tip like lightning and pierced directly into his abdomen.

"You...!" Chen Qiang's eyes were filled with shock and anger. A trace of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes gradually dimmed. "How is it possible..."

Lin Xiao's swordsmanship was so fast that even Chen Qiang had no time to react. His swordsmanship hit the target in an instant. Chen Qiang had reached his limit and could no longer fight back.

Lin Xiao looked coldly at Chen Qiang before him. With a slight twist of his sword, he slashed across Chen Qiang's neck, instantly decapitating him. The entire process took place with almost no delay. Chen Qiang's head fell to the ground, and blood gushed out, staining the ground red.

"This time... you are finally dead." Lin Xiao whispered to himself with a cold look.

He took a deep breath, straightened his clothes slightly, and then put away his sword. Although Chen Qiang's death brought him temporary peace, Lin Xiao still knew in his heart that he was not truly safe and that Tiancimen would definitely not give up.

Lin Xiao turned and left the cave, looking into the distance, but he had already made up his mind in his heart - no matter how many powerful people were behind the Tianci Sect, he would defeat them one by one until the truth behind it all was completely revealed.

He did not stop for a moment, but walked towards the distant mountains, wanting to improve his strength through continuous practice and prepare to face more severe challenges.

Under the night sky, the stars were like water, and Lin Xiao's figure gradually disappeared into the depths of the darkness, leaving behind endless echoes and the whistling of the wind.

Lin Xiao walked along the path through the desolate mountains, feeling a sense of peace in his heart. He knew that even though Chen Qiang was dead, it didn't mean he was free from all danger. The sheer power of the Tianci Sect, and the unknown forces behind it, gave Lin Xiao a chill. To him, this battle seemed far from over.

He knew that if he wanted to completely free himself, he had to continuously improve his strength and break through the current predicament. However, his current cultivation level, despite having advanced to the fourth level of Jiachen, was still insufficient in the face of those more powerful enemies. Lin Xiao did not look back, with only one thought in his mind: practice, practice, until the moment that could truly determine his own fate arrived.

Over the past few days, he didn't immediately head elsewhere. Instead, he found a secluded cave in the mountains and began practicing in seclusion. He needed to restore the energy he had just gained from killing Chen Qiang to its optimal state, and he also needed more time to digest the various conflicts he had experienced recently.

However, during his training, Lin Xiao often felt a vague sense of threat looming over him. Whenever he closed his eyes, the sound of the wind around him seemed to become particularly sharp, as if some danger was quietly approaching.

That night, Lin Xiao was meditating in the cave when suddenly, a burst of violent footsteps broke the silence of the cave. He suddenly opened his eyes, and his tense nerves immediately sensed a presence outside.

"Someone is coming." Lin Xiao stood up calmly, gently grasping the hilt of the sword in his hand, ready to meet the enemy at any time.

A gust of wind blew, and the stone wall at the entrance of the cave was pushed open, and several figures appeared. One of them was wearing a black robe, and his aura was calm and powerful. It was the long-lost enemy - Shan Linchuang.

"It seems that you are more resilient than I thought." Shan Linchuang's voice was full of coldness, with a sneer on the corner of his mouth. "I didn't expect you to be able to stay in this desolate mountain for so long."

Lin Xiao stared at Shan Linchuang with sharp eyes. He said nothing, but his eyes revealed murderous intent. "How did you find me?"

Shan Linchuang smiled faintly. "Do you think the Tianci Sect's influence is limited to the world you see? We can monitor your every move at any time. This time, I am following the Sect Master's orders to eliminate you, a restless fellow."

"You are quite confident." Lin Xiao clenched the sword in his hand, a cold light flashing in his eyes, "Are you sure you can leave here alive?"

Shan Linchuang's expression changed, a flash of anger in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He waved his hand, "No need to waste your words. I know you have some tricks up your sleeve, but you're still going to die today."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shan Linchuang's aura suddenly burst out, and his energy overflowed. His figure rushed towards Lin Xiao as fast as the wind. At the same time, the long sword in his hand released an astonishing sword energy and pounced on Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao quickly drew his sword, meeting Shan Linchuang's attack with the swiftness and precision of a falcon swooping down upon its prey. The two powerful energies collided, emitting a deafening roar that shook the entire cave wall.

However, Shan Linchuang was obviously well prepared. There was an unfathomable aura in his swordsmanship. The sword energy penetrated through and hit Lin Xiao's chest.

Lin Xiao's face changed slightly, and he instantly used the "Illusionary Body Skill: Imitative Phantom Move". His body split into multiple figures as if teleporting, and he drew his sword to counterattack at the same time.

Shan Linchuang glared and swung his sword at one of the phantoms, but it was only Lin Xiao's shadow. At the same time, Lin Xiao's other figure had broken through his defenses, and the sword energy was like lightning, piercing Shan Linchuang's chest.

Shan Linchuang's face changed, and he quickly retreated, holding his long sword across his chest, quickly forming a defensive shield. Lin Xiao's sword blade collided with the shield, making a thunderous roar.

"You do have some skills." Shan Linchuang sneered, a hint of cruelty in his eyes, "However, you still can't escape death today!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Shan Linchuang's sword suddenly changed, his figure flashed like a ghost, and his sword skills became more fierce. Every time the sword flashed, it was like lightning piercing the sky. Lin Xiao only felt the pressure of the air around him become heavier and heavier.

But there was still no trace of fear in Lin Xiao's eyes. Instead, his fighting spirit was even stronger. He once again unleashed the "Sword Dance Spin" technique, gathering all his strength. The sword energy was like the wind, sweeping in all directions like a vortex.

The two sword energies collided, and space seemed to be torn apart, rocks scattering and dust flying. Lin Xiao's figure was like a sword blade, quickly approaching Shan Lincang.

Seeing the fierce sword energy of Lin Xiao, Shan Linchuang immediately used the "Tian Gang Qi" to try to block Lin Xiao's attack, but he was still forced back by Lin Xiao's sword energy.

"You're nothing special." A cold light flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes, and the sword pierced Shan Linchuang's heart.

Shan Linchuang gritted his teeth and wanted to fight back again, but Lin Xiao's speed was too fast. Finally, with a dull crash, Shan Linchuang's sword was knocked away by Lin Xiao's sword energy, and his chest was pierced accurately. Blood gushed out and he fell to the ground.

Lin Xiao stood before Shan Linchuang's corpse, his breathing steady. A flicker of reluctance, yet also relief, flashed in his eyes. He whispered, "I don't want to kill these people. But if I don't defeat them, they will ruthlessly destroy me."

After he finished speaking, he turned and left the cave, continuing on his way forward.