The two girls were usually fine with competing for Ling Feng's attention between themselves. But if anyone else dared to covet their junior brother, they'd be the first to oppose it.
Especially when the intruder was Hong Meiying, a notorious female villain.
She, with her beautiful appearance, had deceived countless innocent men, draining their life energy just to cultivate her dark arts.
When Hong Meiying overheard the two girls and looked at their youthful beauty, a flash of jealousy and murderous intent filled her eyes.
"Hmph, little girls like you dare to act bold in front of me?"
With that, she suddenly struck out.
Sharp red nails extended from her fingertips, glinting with a deadly cold light, aiming for the girls' throats—a lethal move!
Given her strength, nearing that of a martial master, the two girls were startled and tried to draw their swords to defend themselves. But a figure stepped in front of them.
This figure was slender, yet brought them an immense sense of security.
Ling Feng had reached out and firmly grasped Hong Meiying's wrist, showing no mercy as he clenched his fingers.
Crack!
Hong Meiying's wrist shattered under his grip!!
She screamed in agony as her lovely face twisted with pain and rage. Her free hand clawed toward Ling Feng's face with malicious intent.
If even the edge of her nails touched him, his face would be ruined.
The female warriors present gasped in horror.
That wretched Hong Meiying, how could she bear to ruin such a perfect face?
Boom!
As her claws approached within inches of Ling Feng's face, they were halted by an invisible barrier. She felt as if her fingers had struck an impenetrable wall; with another sickening crack, her fingers shattered.
"You vile woman, you got what you deserve!" Ling Feng said calmly.
Retracting his hand, he formed a sword gesture.
Realizing she was no match, Hong Meiying tried to flee. But her fate had been sealed the moment she attacked Gu Linglong and Leng Ningshuang.
With a simple sword gesture, Ling Feng released a flash of sword energy.
Swoosh!
Before Hong Meiying could run far, the energy pierced through her body, dropping her dead on the spot.
The onlookers drew in a sharp breath, staring at Ling Feng in shock.
"She was ranked ninth on the Villain List, and he killed her with a single move… Who is this young man?"
"With that level of strength, could he be a martial master?"
"How could someone so young be a martial master?"
"No, it's true!"
"Don't forget, there's been talk of a terrifying prodigy who's been defeating powerful warriors left and right lately, the Seven-Star Dragon Abyss Sword Master of White Cloud Sect... Ling Feng!"
(Baiyun sect is translated to White Cloud Sect)
"He's Ling Feng?!"
"It must be him. Who else could have such strength?"
"Seeing him in person is truly something else. With him, White Cloud Sect's rise is unstoppable."
The crowd soon recognized Ling Feng and looked at him with awe.
Several female warriors looked at him with admiration, but realizing his abilities and status, they couldn't help feeling unworthy.
"Such a young man—how could I ever deserve him?"
"Sigh, it's all about the right timing. After seeing Ling Feng, who else could ever catch my eye?"
"Heavens, meeting him yet being unable to have him—it's too much to bear!"
Ling Feng, after finishing off Hong Meiying, turned to the crowd and said, "I am Ling Feng of the White Cloud Sect. I wonder if anyone is willing to give up a guest room?"
"I'm willing to pay triple the rate."
Ling Feng spoke in a tone that exuded both wealth and youth.
But some in the crowd scoffed.
"Hmph, does he think money solves everything?"
"I won't budge—let's see what he does."
With no immediate response, Ling Feng increased his offer. "Ten times the price!"
"Twenty times?"
"Fifty times isn't out of the question."
The crowd was stunned by his boldness.
The rooms had already been marked up to a thousand silver per night. Ten times was ten thousand silver, and fifty times was fifty thousand silver!
For four rooms, that was two hundred thousand silver!!
Two hundred thousand silver just for a few nights' stay?
Good heavens…
How wealthy was this man?
Someone finally challenged him, "You say fifty times, but do you know the price? I think you're bluffing."
Ling Feng didn't argue. He simply waved his sleeve.
Suddenly—
A pile of sparkling spirit stones appeared before everyone.
A thousand high-grade spirit stones!
One high-grade spirit stone was worth ten thousand silver.
A thousand stones equaled ten million silver!
That was enough to buy the entire inn.
"If anyone is willing to give up their room, please come forward and take the spirit stones," Ling Feng said with a faint smile.
"I'll give up mine!"
"Young Master, I'm willing to give up my room, it's just been booked and is still new!"
"Young Master, take mine, I can clean it up for you."
People eagerly spoke up. After all, they'd be making a fifty-fold profit just by reselling their rooms—who wouldn't be tempted?
Very soon, several people offered up their rooms, happily leaving with their spirit stones.
Watching from the side, Gu Linglong, Leng Ningshuang, and the others were stunned.
Wasn't Misty Peak supposed to be poor to the point of barely scraping by?
Wasn't it said that all the valuable items on Misty Peak were pawned by Elder Liu for gambling and wine?
Why was their junior brother so rich?
Casually tossing out a thousand high-grade spirit stones?!
"Junior Brother, aren't you being a bit extravagant?" Gu Linglong gently reminded him.
Ling Feng smiled and said, "It's nothing, just a small sum."
The crowd's mouths twitched...
A thousand high-grade spirit stones was "just a small sum?"
Good heavens.
Just how extraordinary was this young man's wealth?
"When did the White Cloud Sect become so incredibly wealthy?" someone muttered, frowning in confusion.
Others eyed Ling Feng with hidden intentions.
Then, the system notification rang out.
[Ding! The Host has displayed the potential of a true tycoon by spending lavishly! Rewarding Host with one million high-grade spirit stones!]
Ling Feng paused.
He hadn't even spent a thousand spirit stones yet, and he was already getting a reward of a million more? Did the more he spent, the more he earned?
"System, why don't you just call yourself the Wealthy System at this point?" Ling Feng joked inwardly.
[The Wealthy System? Hardly comparable! Host, you're destined to become an invincible god-king one day!]
[A few million spirit stones is nothing; even trillions would be insignificant.]
Ling Feng nodded, "Yes, yes, you're absolutely right."
Soon, they settled into the inn.
While waiting for the Swordsmanship Tournament to begin, they explored the local culture of Ten Thousand Sword City.
That night, the group went out to enjoy the festivities.
Coincidentally, they stumbled upon a boat adorned with flowers where a group was gathered, reciting poetry and having a grand time. The theme of their poetry? Swords.
Curious, Gu Linglong asked, "Does anyone among us know how to compose poetry?"
Everyone exchanged looks.
Clearly, no one did.
Ling Feng shrugged, and thought, "I can't compose poems, but I can certainly 'borrow' one."
" I just happen to know a poem about swords."