Lin Han is actually Ouyang Chengfeng's cousin?
This came as some surprise to Xu Nian, but of course, he was not afraid.
If Lin Han wanted to seek revenge, he, Xu Nian, was ready for it.
Thus, Xu Nian met Lin Han's sharp gaze without any hint of avoidance, with not a trace of fear in his eyes.
Such a provocative action was naturally noticed by Lin Han, causing anger to surge within him.
"You've got guts, Xu Nian, but sometimes, guts alone are not enough. Junior Brother Xu Nian, although the relationship between Cheng Feng and me isn't that close, after all, he is my cousin. If you are willing to cripple your own Dantian and dissipate all your Cultivation, I could let bygones be bygones," Lin Han said with a cold laugh, looking down upon Xu Nian with disdain.
Cripple my own Dantian?
That's a bit too harsh, isn't it?
The crowd around them suddenly displayed expressions of shock, and Yun Lan and others frowned deeply, obviously feeling that Lin Han's demand was excessive.
"Cripple my own Dantian? That line again. I originally thought that the person ranked second on the Azure Dragon List would have some standards, but I didn't expect you to be exactly like Ouyang Cheng Feng," retorted Xu Nian coldly, his gaze steady and fearless as he looked at Lin Han as if he were not intimidated at all.
At this, the crowd around them was taken aback.
They hadn't expected Xu Nian to be so bold as to confront Lin Han.
Lin Han's face also turned furious. He had not expected Xu Nian to dare to openly defy him.
"Hmph, Xu Nian, right? I'll remember you. On the upcoming trip to Jade Cave Heaven, I will make you understand the consequences of offending me," Lin Han huffed coldly, then turned and walked away.
Xie Feng also sneered at Xu Nian and gave him a mocking look, then followed Lin Han.
Xu Nian responded with a cold smile, unconcerned by the threats from Lin Han and Xie Feng.
"However, you need to be careful with this Lin Han. Now that you've offended him, he will definitely cause trouble for you," warned Yun Lan from the side.
"Yes, Lin Han is known to hold grudges. You've humiliated him today; he will surely find a chance to embarrass you. Plus, he's somewhat cunning, so you better be careful. And there's Xie Feng, that man is a petty person, but if they bully you, come to me," Yuu Fei said, patting Xu Nian on the shoulder.
Xu Nian smiled and nodded, feeling a bit more fond of Yuu Fei.
However, if Lin Han really came after him, Xu Nian wouldn't actually seek Yuu Fei's help, since their relationship hadn't reached the point of sharing trials and tribulations together.
"Who is that person?" Xu Nian pointed to a young man in white, standing alone in a corner in the distance.
The young man appeared to be about twenty-two years old but had a pair of sharp and unusually composed eyes. His whole being seemed to merge with the universe around him, giving an impression of being invincible.
Moreover, the people around him consciously or unconsciously maintained a certain distance from him, their gazes filled with respect.
"You mean him? He's the prodigy ranked first on the Azure Dragon List, Dugu Jingcheng!" Chen Xifeng glanced at the white-clothed young man Xu Nian was pointing at and said with a wry smile.
"He's Dugu Jingcheng?" Xu Nian couldn't help but take another look at the white-clothed youth.
He had heard about the top-ranked individual on the Azure Dragon List, an absolute prodigy the likes of which Qinglin Academy had never seen before.
His talent, though not considered high and merely ordinary King-level, hid an unparalleled discernment within the Academy's history in the field of swordplay.
Of course, that was before Xu Nian came onto the scene, now known as the second to Dugu Jingcheng.
"Yes, his mastery of swordplay is truly beyond our comparison, it's said he has reached the realm of 'Man and Sword as One' in swordsmanship," Chen Xifeng exclaimed once again.
"Man and Sword as One?" Xu Nian was momentarily stunned, then showed a look of astonishment.
Be it swordsmanship, spear techniques, or the mastery of other weapons, there exists a ranking system based on the understanding of Sword Intent.
There are four levels in this ranking system: Man and Sword as One, Sword Intent Transformation, Unity of Heaven and Man, and Seeking Truth with Sword.
The so-called Man and Sword as One is the unity of the individual and the blade, using the sword to express one's will, like how Gudu Jingcheng, solitary and aloof, wields his sword with a lone fierceness and incredible power.
The realm of Sword Intent does not conflict with the mastery of combat skills. One pertains to control over the sword techniques, while the other is about the sublimation of the Sword Heart.
One focuses on form, the other on spirit—both are mutually reinforcing!
Xu Nian had not expected that Gudu Jingcheng's comprehension of Sword Intent had already reached the realm of Heavenly Human Unity. Reaching such a state at a young age was exceedingly rare.
You see, many practice the art of the sword, but those capable of reaching Man and Sword as One are extremely scarce, hardly one in a thousand; as for Sword Intent Transformation, even rarer still.
"How terrifying exactly is Gudu Jingcheng's sword?" Xu Nian turned and asked Chen Xifeng once again.
Upon hearing this, Chen Xifeng smiled, exchanged glances with Yuu Fei and Yun Lan beside him, and then looked back at Xu Nian replying, "You saw Lin Han just now, didn't you? You should be able to sense his strength."
Xu Nian nodded. Lin Han was indeed strong. Although he did not care about Lin Han's retaliation, Xu Nian was not so arrogant as to disregard him. He could affirm that, even with all his might, he might not necessarily be Lin Han's match.
However, what Chen Xifeng said next left Xu Nian at a loss for words.
"A year ago, after Lin Han defeated me, he thought he was invincible under the heavens and then challenged Gudu Jingcheng," Chen Xifeng paused.
"And what happened?" Xu Nian eagerly asked.
Yun Lan, standing aside, shook her head and added, "As a result, Gudu Jingcheng only needed three swords to leave Lin Han severely injured, with the first two merely probing shots. Essentially, it could be said he did it with a single strike."
"A single strike?" Xu Nian's eyes widened as he looked at the white-clothed young man, his eyes revealing an indescribable astonishment.
At that moment, the white-clothed young man seemed to feel Xu Nian's gaze, turned his head towards Xu Nian, and the perpetually icy face remained cold, but his eyes shone with a hint of combativeness.
"Eh, is he challenging me?" Xu Nian internally exclaimed with shock.
Gudu Jingcheng had actually revealed a fighting intent to him—should others hear of this, it would surely be considered a shocking and outrageous event.
However, Gudu Jingcheng quickly turned his gaze away, missing this scene entirely.
Xu Nian also turned his attention in another direction and saw Leng Yanran leading a group of Academy Elders slowly walking their way.
All ten students, witnessing this, felt a surge of excitement, and couldn't help feeling nervous as well.
They knew that Jade Cave Heaven was about to open!