The Legend of the Netherworld

Chapter 205 Sun Yu Appears

The battle intensified. Every move Lin Xiao and Qingran unleashed seemed to freeze the air around them. Their power was so immense that the aftermath shook the trees. Qingran's swordsmanship was like a torrential downpour, swift and deadly. Each strike carried an unfathomable pressure, as if threatening to tear everything around them apart.

However, Lin Xiao didn't flinch. He unleashed his "Illusionary Body Skill: Imitating Phantom Moves," attacking with his original form and clone. His nimble movements and sharp swordsmanship formed an impenetrable line of defense. Despite Qingran's relentless attacks, Lin Xiao was always able to neutralize them, even counterattack, at the most crucial moment.

A gloomy glint flashed in Qingran's eyes, clearly a bit surprised by Lin Xiao's strength. While the young man's aura wasn't particularly powerful, his combat skills and adaptability were impeccable. He no longer had the initial disdain he had shown, but was now completely absorbed in the battle.

He took a deep breath, a cold light flashing in his eyes: "You are good, but I will not show mercy today." After that, he suddenly shouted, and the long sword in his hand suddenly emitted a dazzling light. A sharp sword energy condensed on the sword, like a ghostly sword shadow, rushing straight to Lin Xiao's chest.

Lin Xiao's expression changed slightly. He felt the power of this sword energy and quickly mobilized his internal energy, performing the "Sword Energy Vertical and Horizontal Technique" in an attempt to counter it. However, Qingran's sword was extremely fast, and the sword energy approached instantly like a tornado, seemingly giving Lin Xiao no time to react.

At this critical moment, Lin Xiao suddenly stepped forward and instantly unleashed his "Weapon Control Technique." The sword in his hand instantly transformed into a streak of silver light, meeting Qingran's sword energy. The moment the two collided, a loud bang sounded, and the sword energy dispersed, shaking the surrounding ground and rippling the air.

"You are very strong." Lin Xiao's voice remained calm, his eyes firm, "But today, you cannot leave this forest."

Qingran's eyes darkened, but he did not relax his vigilance. Instead, he rushed forward more fiercely. His figure turned into a silver light and appeared in front of Lin Xiao in an instant. He swung the sword again, aiming directly at Lin Xiao's vital points.

"Do you think you can stop me?" Qingran's low voice was full of confidence. The long sword in his hand burst out with endless sword energy again, like a dragon that had broken free from its reins, with unstoppable momentum.

Lin Xiao remained steady as a rock, his inner energy flowing as he combined his two swords to unleash the "Sword Dance Splendor". The sword shadows spread like a whirlwind, carrying an incomparably sharp aura that collided with the clear sword energy.

This time, Lin Xiao didn't choose to defend completely, but instead integrated counterattacks into his attacks. His sword energy was as agile as flowing water, not only dissolving Qingran's sword energy, but also suddenly attacking when Qingran's sword moves were gaping.

A hint of surprise flashed across Qingran's eyes. Lin Xiao before him seemed to have transformed into an invisible sword energy, moving effortlessly amidst the sword light. Just as he tried to adjust his angle, Lin Xiao's sword was already approaching, leaving him with almost no time to react.

"Kill!" Lin Xiao shouted softly, and the sword energy pierced Qingran directly.

Qingran gritted his teeth and flung himself back violently. His expression grew increasingly serious, a hint of fighting spirit flashing in his eyes. Although he barely dodged the fatal blow, he knew that the gap between him and Lin Xiao was shrinking.

"Interesting." A ruthless look flashed in Qingran's eyes. "You're so strong that I dare not underestimate you, but this battle is not something you can decide."

He suddenly turned and retreated quickly, his steps sharp as he pointed his sword at Lin Xiao, his eyes revealing a deep determination. "Since that's the case, let's push this battle to its climax!"

Qingran swung his sword fiercely, and a surging airflow erupted from the blade, instantly forming a huge sword energy barrier in the air. Then, the sword energy rushed towards Lin Xiao like a violent storm. The aura of each sword was filled with oppressive force, as if it was about to tear the entire world apart.

Lin Xiao's eyes narrowed. Faced with such a fierce attack, he did not rush to meet it head-on. Instead, he chose the safest way. He quickly stimulated the potential in his body and used the "Illusionary Body Skills: Imitating Phantom Moves" to copy two more powerful Lin Xiaos.

Three figures quickly dispersed, distributing themselves in different directions, facing Qingran's sword energy. The sword energies intersected, darting through the air, the clashes resembling thunder. Each clash of sword energies unleashed a violent shockwave, shredding the surrounding trees to dust.

A complex light flashed in Qingran's eyes. He didn't expect Lin Xiao's reaction to be so quick and clever. Just as he was about to use a new move, a sword energy suddenly attacked and directly cut through Qingran's defense.

Lin Xiao's figure transformed into a gust of wind, rushing straight towards Qing Ran. Qing Ran's pupils shrank, and he quickly mobilized all his strength, concentrating the sword energy in his hand, ready to meet Lin Xiao's final blow.

Qingran took a deep breath, gripping the hilt tightly with both hands. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and his aura surged like a torrent. His sword energy suddenly erupted again, rushing towards Lin Xiao head-on. The air was filled with an intense sense of oppression, as if even the surrounding space was being torn apart by the sword energy.

However, Lin Xiao wasn't the least bit flustered by the clear aura. His gaze was like still water, his internal energy as solid as a mountain. He thought to himself, "Even so, this is nothing more than a life-or-death struggle." Without hesitation, he swiftly unleashed his "Weapon Control Technique," and with a single movement, he vanished from the scene.

Lin Xiao seemed to vanish from Qingran's presence. The next second, a gust of wind rustled in his ears. He turned sharply, only to see two figures appear before him simultaneously. They were phantoms of Lin Xiao, rapidly surrounding Qingran from different angles.

Qingran's expression changed, his eyes revealing a hint of resentment and anger. He quickly mobilized his internal energy, and the sword light surged, trying to break Lin Xiao's illusion. But at this moment, Lin Xiao's real body quietly appeared beside him, and the long sword cut through the air and pierced Qingran's chest.

"You..." Qingran's eyes flashed with panic as he realized he had no way out. All his sword moves, strength, and tactics were overwhelmed by Lin Xiao's agility and ingenuity. His opponent always seemed to find a flaw at the most crucial moment.

However, just as Lin Xiao's sword was about to strike him, a glint of determination flashed through Qingran's eyes. His entire body erupted in energy, and he swung his hands violently. Sword energy surged out like a torrent, forming a powerful barrier that blocked Lin Xiao's fatal blow.

"You are only in the third realm of Jiachen, how dare you look down on me?" Qingran growled, with a crazy light flashing in his eyes.

Lin Xiao's sword was forced to stop, his internal energy pounding against Qingran's sword energy, causing a low rumble and scattered air currents. Even so, Lin Xiao remained unwavering. He gripped his sword tightly, standing still, his gaze fixed on Qingran like a hawk, his lips curled slightly, "You're still not good enough."

He quickly retreated, adjusting his stance, his body tracing an elegant arc through the air before lunging at Qingran once more. This time, he not only unleashed "Sword Dance Spin," but also simultaneously unleashed "Shadow Spirit Sword Stab" and "Sword Qi Strike," sending sword shadows careening towards Qingran like a torrential downpour.

Seeing this, Qingran's expression suddenly changed, and the fighting spirit in his eyes became even more fierce. The sword energy once again condensed into a huge barrier, and he almost fully mobilized his entire body's strength to try to resist Lin Xiao's attack.

However, Lin Xiao's speed was too fast, and his attack angle was too tricky. Just as Qingran was defending with all his might, Lin Xiao's sword shadow suddenly disappeared, and then several figures appeared on all sides of Qingran like ghosts.

Qingran was stunned for a moment, and the panic in his eyes was almost instantly caught by Lin Xiao. He turned around abruptly, trying to deal with the attack from behind, but at this moment, Lin Xiao's real body finally approached, and at the moment when Qingran was unable to defend himself, the long sword slashed across his shoulder.

"Puff!" Qingran spat out a mouthful of blood, his entire body shaking violently, and he almost fell. His eyes were full of disbelief, and a hint of anger and regret flashed in them.

"You...how could you..." Qingran raised her head with force and looked at Lin Xiao, her eyes full of unwillingness.

Lin Xiao did not respond, but stood calmly in front of him, with a hint of contempt in his eyes: "You are still a little short."

Qingran tried to stand, but his movements had become slow, and the weak light in his eyes grew stronger. His breath was rapidly declining, and the wounds in his body were aching intensely. Finally, he could no longer hold on, his knees gave way, and he fell heavily to the ground.

"Since you can't go on, let's end it." Lin Xiao's voice was calm, but also carried a hint of determination.

Qingran glared at Lin Xiao, but offered no resistance. His eyes were filled with regret and resentment. He knew that today, he was doomed to be unable to leave this forest.

Lin Xiao didn't say anything else. He swung his sword lightly, and Qingran's head fell to the ground.

Everything seemed to end in an instant. Lin Xiao stood there, glancing coldly around. After confirming there were no other threats, he turned and left.

However, just as he was about to leave, the sound of light footsteps in the distance caught his attention. Lin Xiao frowned slightly, and his body instantly disappeared into the air, hiding in the shadows of the trees.

"Who is it?" Lin Xiao whispered to himself, alertly sensing the atmosphere around him.

Lin Xiao's figure moved like a shadow, blending silently among the trees and shadows, disappearing into a dense jungle. A breeze blew, rustling the leaves, and his ears closely captured every sound of the wind.

The sound of footsteps echoed again in the distance. This time, Lin Xiao could more clearly discern two people approaching. One's footsteps were light, the other's were heavier. Lin Xiao didn't rush into a move, but waited quietly, silently analyzing the other party's movements and aura.

At this moment, the two figures finally appeared in his sight. They were Wang Qi and Qian Budong.

"So it's them." Lin Xiao breathed a sigh of relief. He lowered his guard, slowly walked out from behind the tree, and called softly, "Wang Qi, don't move the money."

When Wang Qi and Qian Budong heard the call, they immediately stopped and looked around vigilantly until they saw Lin Xiao's figure walking out of the bushes. Both of them showed a look of relief.

"Lin Xiao, why are you here?" Wang Qi asked with a frown, he was obviously a little surprised.

"I was waiting for someone, and I didn't expect you two to arrive early." Lin Xiao smiled faintly, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes. "How is it going?"

Qian Budong patted the cloth bag on his waist, and a dull voice came from inside: "Apart from a few little guys, there is nothing else worth noting."

Wang Qi looked up at Lin Xiao, a complicated expression flashing in his eyes: "I didn't expect you to end the battle so quickly."

"It wasn't too fast, I was just lucky." Lin Xiao responded casually, looking away. After a moment of thought, he said, "We have to hurry. Tonight's collapse area is on the plains, and there will definitely be many contestants rushing over. We can't miss it."

Qian Budong stretched himself and said with a smile, "You are quite clear about this, and more thoughtful than we thought. However, there seems to be a group of people ahead. Should we go around them?"

Lin Xiao was slightly startled, then he also noticed a breath coming from not far away. He closed his eyes and carefully sensed it for a moment, his expression suddenly changed: "It's Sun Yu's breath."

Wang Qi and Qian Budong exchanged a glance, and Wang Qi said in a deep voice, "Sun Yu? He's a tough guy. What are you going to do?"

Lin Xiao did not answer immediately. He was silent for a moment, then smiled softly: "Since he is here, I naturally have my own way."

Qian Budong looked at Lin Xiao with suspicion. Although he knew Lin Xiao was capable of dealing with Sun Yu, Sun Yu's reputation was too terrifying. Sun Yu was an extremely powerful cultivator, close to the ninth level of the Jiayin Realm, a peerless foe. Even if Lin Xiao broke through to the eighth level, fighting alone, he would probably be unable to defeat him.

"Sun Yu's target should be the Amethyst Jade," Lin Xiao said softly, "and we happen to be in this area, so we can take advantage of this."

Wang Qi frowned: "Are you planning to use the amethyst jade as bait to lure him out?"

"That's right." Lin Xiao nodded. "As long as I let him see the Amethyst Jade, he will definitely target us, and then it will be a game of cat and mouse."

"Are you sure he won't kill us directly?" Wang Qi was a little uneasy.

"If he really wanted to kill us, he would have done it long ago," Lin Xiao responded calmly. "Sun Yu is a man of deep thoughts and very smart. He won't risk attacking us directly because the Amethyst Jade is his target, not our lives."

Qian Budong sneered: "Well, since you are so confident, I would like to see how Sun Yu got into the trap."

Lin Xiao smiled calmly, his eyes sharp: "Tonight, Sun Yu will definitely regret coming too early."

They quickly decided on a plan of action, and the three of them began to head in the designated direction. Lin Xiao had already made a plan in mind. He knew that people like Sun Yu, while powerful, also had their weaknesses. As long as he understood these weaknesses, he could force the other party to reveal their flaws to the greatest extent possible.

As time passed and night fell, Lin Xiao, Wang Qi, and Qian Budong hid in a dense forest. The plains in the distance began to show signs of unease. Many contestants were lingering around the area, waiting for the moment of catastrophe.

At this moment, Lin Xiao's perception became sharp again. He slowly turned his head and looked into the distance with a sharp gaze: "He's coming."

Sun Woo finally showed up.