"Do you dare?"
Duan Tianlang roared angrily, his steps poised to move forward, exuding a surging intent to kill. How could Duan Tianlang, in any way, consent to Lin Feng's intention to kill Duan Han? The thought of killing, how could Duan Tianlang ever agree to it?
"Stay."
A soft command echoed forth, the oppressive aura of the frozen world intensifying. Meng Qing took a step, swiftly arriving before Duan Tianlang.
As a powerhouse in the Xuanwu realm, how could Duan Tianlang allow Lin Feng's attempt to kill Duan Han to go unchallenged? Meng Qing would naturally intervene, without needing Lin Feng to speak, as if it were an unspoken understanding.
*Crack!*
The chill once again froze the heavens and earth. Duan Tianlang's expression stiffened, contorting into an ugly grimace. A profound sword intent emanated from him.
Duan Tianlang possessed the power of bloodline, a bloodline martial soul. However, the power of his bloodline was thin and insufficiently potent. Hence, he had cultivated a second martial soul, the sword martial soul. His son, Duan Han, similarly possessed the sword martial soul.
Twin martial souls!
A longsword pointed towards the sky, and Duan Tianlang roared angrily. The sword martial soul seemed to merge with the sword in his hand, slashing down simultaneously.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng stepped slowly towards Duan Han. His gait was light, yet each step made Duan Han's heart pound, causing him to continuously step back.
"Once, when you led the Yunhai Sect, you were full of spirit and vigor. But now, why do you cower like a bereaved dog, afraid to fight?"
Lin Feng sneered, not rushing to kill Duan Han. He trusted in Meng Qing's strength. He aimed to etch an indelible memory into Duan Tianlang's mind, making him watch helplessly as Duan Han died before his eyes.
Lin Feng intended to make Duan Tianlang understand that one should not underestimate the youth. While in the past, Duan Tianlang might have been domineering and ruthless, capable of indiscriminate slaughter, today, Lin Feng could also make him watch his son die helplessly, witnessing how Lin Feng dealt with his son in a domineering manner.
As Lin Feng's steps advanced slowly, the hearts of the onlookers in the distance throbbed nervously.
Lin Feng, aiming to kill Duan Han, the son of the Skywolf King, a descendant of the Duan family. Yet, the Second Prince, Duan Wuya, did not intervene; he tacitly approved of Lin Feng's actions.
"Slash!"
Seeing Lin Feng's body drawing closer, Duan Tianlang roared angrily, his longsword slashing through the air, endless sword qi tearing through the frozen world, accompanied by continuous cracking sounds.
"Ice Lances!"
Meng Qing uttered a low cry, her palm trembling. A massive diamond-shaped ice crystal instantly appeared, sealing Duan Tianlang's sword within it, even freezing his hand.
As Lin Feng approached closer to Duan Han, a vast and chilling murderous intent shrouded him. Under this murderous intent, Duan Han lacked even the courage to resist. The killing aura emanating from Lin Feng alone was enough to make him tremble in fear.
"Do you now feel fear? When you stood atop the mountain, watching the disciples of my Yunhai Sect being slaughtered, did you feel a sense of satisfaction? When you and your father slaughtered tens of thousands of soldiers, did you feel accomplished?"
Lin Feng's voice carried a hint of wickedness, chilling Duan Han's heart.
"Roar..."
Duan Tianlang roared, abandoning his longsword, stepping towards Duan Han.
"Iceheart!"
Meng Qing uttered a low cry. Duan Tianlang's body trembled violently, feeling his heart freeze. Blood seeped from his mouth, ignored as his eyes remained fixed on Duan Han, his son, who must not die.
"Here it comes!"
A cold smile played at the corners of Lin Feng's mouth. With a tremor, his figure suddenly disappeared, vanishing into thin air.
"Kill!"
A light command issued from the void, and in the sight of the crowd, a dazzling cross-shaped beam of light bloomed in the emptiness, appearing out of nowhere, radiant and dazzling.
*Sizzle...*
Blood transformed into a blood sword, spraying from Duan Han's neck, vaguely forming a cross, lines of blood intersecting.
Duan Tianlang's footsteps halted, his mouth agape, feeling an endless chill permeating his body, as if he had plunged into an icy abyss. Staring blankly ahead, he saw his son, Duan Han, his head slightly raised, with a cross-shaped mark on his neck, where blood gushed profusely.
"Duan Han!"
A hoarse voice cried out from Duan Tianlang's mouth, his body trembling as he embraced Duan Han. However, all he saw was Duan Han's lips moving, attempting to speak, but his severed throat prevented him from uttering a word.
In just a moment, he collapsed in his embrace.
*Cough!*
Duan Tianlang coughed up a splash of crimson blood, his face deathly pale. His son was dead, killed by Lin Feng, right before his eyes, within arm's reach. Lin Feng had acted swiftly.
Like a phantom, invisible and intangible, the Cross Shadow Strike!
"It hurts, Duan Tianlang. When you massacred the Yunhai Sect, slaughtering them all, and massacred tens of thousands of soldiers, did you ever think that their loved ones would feel this pain?"
Lin Feng spoke softly, his back turned to Duan Tianlang.
"Lin Feng!"
Duan Tianlang roared angrily, a frenzy of murderous intent emanating from him.
"No need to roar, I understand your hatred. You wish to shred me to pieces with a thousand blades, because I hate you just as much, if not more."
Lin Feng's voice remained calm, saying lightly, "Today, is our personal vendetta. In the future, if you have the chance, feel free to kill me. And if one day I can kill you, I will not show mercy."
As Lin Feng spoke, he turned around, his body trembling slightly, returning to his original position. Then, he addressed Duan Wuya, "Your Highness, I take my leave."
Duan Tianlang nodded slightly, saying, "Lin Feng, I'll be waiting for you at the Lakeside of Longing in the Memory Forest."
Lin Feng pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Very well."
With that, Lin Feng waved his hand, and although the members of the Crimson Blood Sky Sword Sect wore bronze masks, their eyes now gleamed with an invigorated spirit.
Many of them were once disciples of the Yunhai Sect. Duan Tianlang and Duan Han had slaughtered the Yunhai Sect, leaving the mark of servitude on their faces. This grudge was irreconcilable.
Seeing Lin Feng kill Duan Han enraged Duan Tianlang, and how could they not be excited?
Giving Duan Tianlang a cold glance, the group turned away, following Lin Feng and mounting their warhorses, galloping away.
Duan Tianlang did not lose his reason to anger. He had already been injured by Meng Qing. With Meng Qing present, it was impossible for him to kill Lin Feng. Forcefully taking Lin Feng's life would only result in further injury inflicted by Meng Qing.
At some point, a veiled woman appeared by Lin Feng's side, powerful and mysterious.
"Lin Feng, I, Duan Tianlang, vow not to spare you."
Holding the increasingly cold body of Duan Han, Duan Tianlang let out a long, venomous howl.
A cold wind swept over the crowd, sending shivers down their spines. As they watched the gradually disappearing figure, they all knew that in the Snowmoon Kingdom, a brilliant genius was rising.
Burning cities, killing enemies by the tens of thousands; riding solo for thousands of miles, rescuing princesses and returning triumphantly; killing commanders, storming the imperial city, General Divine Arrow saved by the Skywolf King, ennobled as a marquis, extinguishing Duan Han with a cold glare; the name Lin Feng would surely shake the Snowmoon Kingdom.
Outside the imperial city, a legion gathered, the gates wide open. A column of iron riders burst forth, drawing the attention of the crowd.
Lin Feng looked at the army, his gaze involuntarily sharpening, and he rode ahead.
At the same time, three figures approached. They were none other than the commanders of the central, left, and right armies: Ren Qingkuang, Feng Yuhai, and Lei Qingtian.
"Uncle Liu, where are the other armies?"
Lin Feng asked as he approached the trio. The army stationed outside the imperial city were all clad in red armor, riding crimson blood iron steeds. They were all members of the Crimson Blood Legion, while the other commanders' armies were no longer present.
No one spoke. All eyes were on Lin Feng. Then, in unison, the members of the Crimson Blood Legion dismounted and knelt down.
"Crimson Blood Legion, pay respects to the commander!"
Their resounding voices shook the heavens and earth, drawing the attention of both the crowd atop the city walls and those in the distance. Lin Feng was momentarily stunned.
"Get up, what are you doing?"
Lin Feng hurriedly spoke.
"Lin Feng!"
Ren Qingkuang rode up to Lin Feng's side and said, "Lin Feng, General, the army has been disbanded."
"Disbanded?"
Lin Feng's body trembled slightly. What was Liu Canglan planning?
"But except for a few, everyone doesn't want to leave. They still want to follow the General. However, the General only brought the rest of the crowd back to Bladebreak City, leaving us behind to wait for you."
"Wait for me?"
"Yes, wait for you." Ren Qingkuang's gaze was solemn as he spoke slowly, "Lin Feng, the General said that we, these troops, will guard Bladebreak City. If the Moyue army invades, we will be slaughtered, with no power to resist. Therefore, the General left all the elite forces, the Crimson Blood Legion, and the three of us behind."
"Lin Feng, now that you have been appointed as the Crimson Blood Marquis and given the city of Yangzhou as your fief, you can have your own private army. The General has instructed us to follow you from now on, no longer loyal to Snowmoon, but to become your private army. We will go to your fief, Yangzhou City, in the future, and the Crimson Blood Legion, including the three of us, will obey your orders."
Ren Qingkuang's words sent a shiver down Lin Feng's spine. Liu Canglan had left behind the elite troops of the Crimson Blood Legion and the three commanders to serve as his private army.
Anyway, now that he was a local lord, Yangzhou City could accommodate a private army.
Liu Canglan had lost hope in Snowmoon, but he himself still wanted to protect the land he had guarded for over a decade.
The eyes of the crowd behind Lin Feng, beneath their bronze masks, gleamed with determination. This elite force, the Crimson Blood Legion, would now follow Lin Feng as his private army.
As for the Yunhai Sect...
"Phew..." Lin Feng looked up at the sky, then took a deep breath and looked at Ren Qingkuang and the others, a glint of sharpness flashing in his eyes. "I agree!"