"I couldn't escape it after all!" I took a deep breath, holding my saber across my chest; the worst-case scenario had finally caught up with us. Seeing us halt, the two half-beast warriors also paused their advance, calmly observing us. Of course, I used that moment of stillness to scrutinize the experts among the half-beasts before me. These half-beast warriors, equivalent to the High Warriors in the human world, looked physically no different from common half-beasts! However, they were clad head-to-toe in armor forged from refined iron, appearing thick, solid, and steady. They gripped massive battle axes—a style somewhat reminiscent of the Hellfire Axe, but significantly larger. As the two half-beast warriors simply stood there, they exuded a suffocating dread and palpable terror. Their figures were grand as mountains, yet the terrifying killing intent washed over our minds like a raging tempest.

Is this what true masters are! Is this the real power of a High Warrior! Merely by radiating their innate killing aura, they nearly caused our spirits to falter.

Stomp! Stomp! The half-beast warrior on the left slowly stepped forward, slightly lifting his massive axe, pointing it mockingly at me with an expression of utter contempt and challenge.

"What's the meaning of this!" I was momentarily bewildered: "Does he want to fight me one-on-one!"

"It seems you were right!" Long Zhan said, his voice trembling: "The half-beasts are a nation that venerates strength and martial prowess! So, if it comes to a large brawl, they usually resolve disputes through single combat!"

"I think he's very interested in your swordsmanship!" Long Qi guessed: "Or maybe they feel the situation is entirely under their control, so they don't mind indulging in a little entertainment!"

"This is actually a good opportunity!" Long Xin said darkly: "While he's fighting you, we can ambush him. If we take one down, our pressure will ease considerably!"

"The plan is good!" Long Qi whispered: "But do you think it's possible! Their strength will only be greater than that of a High Warrior! Do you think your Lightning Spell or my Fire Talisman can even hit them?"

"Then what do we do!" Long Xin replied unwillingly: "Are we just going to let Xingchen go to his death?"

"Don't worry about me!" I inwardly resolved. A one-on-one duel suits me perfectly. I knew that with my attack speed, even Chen Feng couldn't survive my first volley of strikes, provided I used my fencing rapier. Originally, I hadn't planned to reveal the existence of my fencing style so early, but now it seemed holding back would surely lead to disaster! Although my Hundred Battles Saber is also fast, its shape dictates that it’s better suited for chopping and grinding experience against monsters; it cannot maximize my speed advantage. Therefore, against true masters, the fencing style is far more practical. Moreover, I have now cultivated the Killing Sword Qi. If I infuse my internal Killing Sword Qi into the rapier, I believe I can pierce any part of the half-beast warrior’s body, even if he’s completely enveloped in Battle Qi. I should have sufficient penetrating power. For safety, I targeted the half-beast warrior’s throat. I figured that no matter how powerful a half-beast warrior is, a pierced throat means certain death. If I successfully pierced his throat, I would win, and I was absolutely confident I could achieve this. Before I started practicing the Killing Sword Arts, my speed already left Chen Feng struggling to cope. Now, even though I haven't used the rapier for a while, I am certain my speed is only faster and my power greater than before. Coupled with the fact that the half-beast warrior has certainly never encountered such extreme fast swordplay, he is bound to be caught off guard.

After calculating this internally, I kept my expression unchanged, sheathing my Hundred Battles Saber on my back and drawing the medium-sized fencing rapier! Thinking about it, this was the first time I’d used this particular sword. I had three rapiers in total: the large one I gave to Chen Feng, the small one I left at home, and this medium one that I carried alongside the Hundred Battles Saber. Now the time had finally come to use it. I felt a touch of emotion and excitement; without this rapier, I wouldn't have dared to venture into the Woma Forest. The fencing style is my last trump card at this stage.

Seeing me put away the Hundred Battles Saber and draw out this comparatively tiny sidearm, the opposing half-beast warrior froze in astonishment. It wasn't just them; Long Xin and the other two, as well as the siblings Ziyue, all wore expressions of shocked incomprehension.

"Xingchen, what are you doing!" Long Zhan exclaimed in horror: "Are you planning to fight him with that stick-like strange weapon?"

"Indeed!" With the rapier in hand, my confidence soared: "Just watch!"

I walked slowly toward my opponent, the Killing Sword Qi within me already set to seven-tenths capacity. At this intensity, I could execute the Killing Sword Qi six consecutive times, equating to 90 seconds of sustained power. In past tests, I learned this was the upper limit of the Killing Sword Qi I could channel. Exceeding this level would cause the killing intent in my mind to seize control of my body, sending me into a berserk state—something I absolutely wished to avoid. I didn't believe a rampaging, unsentimental version of myself could defeat this powerful foe. If I were in the Skeleton Cave, I might risk trying the feeling of going berserk occasionally, but now was not the time for madness!

Seeing that I had switched to a small sword to fight him, the opposing half-beast warrior seemed to feel disrespected.

Clang! A burst of dazzling golden Battle Qi suddenly erupted from his body, and the half-beast warrior shot toward me like a gale, his massive axe sweeping toward my waist with lightning speed. A perfect opportunity! I secretly rejoiced. When it comes to speed, I have absolute confidence. Clearly, my act of changing swords had enraged the half-beast warrior, causing him to lose his composure and launch an aggressive attack prematurely—an unexpected gain!

Meeting the lightning-fast sweep of the massive axe, I did not retreat; instead, I advanced. With a supporting lunge, I ghosted into the half-beast warrior's close range. Whoosh! The medium rapier instantly thrust out, aimed directly at the half-beast warrior's throat. I didn't use my "One Sword, Three Lines" technique on this thrust, believing it unnecessary.

I was absolutely confident this strike would hit his throat, and I was certain I could withdraw before his axe landed on me.

So fast! This single thrust far exceeded my own expectations. Yes, after this period of training, my speed, power, and endurance had all improved astonishingly. But what delighted me even more was that my instantaneous burst power had reached a level that terrified me. The moment I struck, I knew I had already won. I couldn't adequately describe the speed of this attack; even the speed of lightning seemed insufficient to capture how swift and agile it was.

Thwack! After a slight resistance, I felt my rapier successfully pierce through my opponent's throat, and the Killing Sword Qi clinging to the blade instantly injected itself along the tip into the opponent’s body. Simultaneously, I rapidly drew my sword back and retreated until that moment, the massive battle axe swept past my chest, missing.

Silence! The entire area fell silent. Everyone stared, stunned, at the two figures standing motionless in the center of the field.

"What just happened!" Long Zhan murmured.

"I don't know!" Long Qi stammered: "It was too fast; I didn't see a thing!"

".........." Long Xin wondered why neither of them moved.

The half-beast warrior on the field looked confused and bewildered, then instinctively touched his throat. All he felt was hot, flowing blood, mixed with an expression of terror and unwillingness. Perhaps he never understood, even in death, what had happened—how such a swift sword could exist in the world.

Crash! The half-beast warrior collapsed, his eyes blankly staring at the sky, seemingly pondering something, yet he could never rise again. At his throat, a thumb-sized hole continuously oozed blood, eventually staining his entire body a small pool of crimson—a scene indescribably bizarre and horrifying.

"He... he fell!" Long Zhan could hardly believe his eyes: "Xingchen actually killed him!"

"Impossible!" Long Qi muttered: "Did Xingchen really pierce the half-beast warrior's throat in that instant?"

"No mistake!" Long Xin exclaimed, aghast: "Is this Xingchen's true strength?"

"How can this be!" Long Zhan became extremely excited, almost frantic: "He killed the half-beast warrior with just one strike!"

On the other side! The remaining half-beast warrior also stared at me with profound shock! Clearly, he hadn't grasped what had just transpired either. When he met my piercing gaze, a flicker of fear showed in his eyes. It was evident that he had never anticipated such a strange and extreme killing move. In the Fama world, especially among the beastmen, greater strength always symbolized superior combat ability. For thousands of years, the traditional offensive moves in the Fama world were mostly centered on using overwhelmingly powerful force to break through an opponent's defense and completely crush them! This had become an ingrained habit, a mental inertia where strength equaled ability. Only a very small minority had figured out another way to fight: using exquisite skill to maneuver against a stronger opponent. These people were usually those born with comparatively weaker strength, but their guiding philosophy was still reverence for power. Only a rare few recognized the role speed played in actual combat—the Ling Feng Swordsman, introduced by Chen Feng, was an outstanding representative of this group. However, even a genius like the Ling Feng Swordsman only managed to enhance his control over speed, and his weapon choice, the light and quick Ling Feng Sword, still utilized the continent's traditional attack moves. It was only by combining the sword's agility and his own extraordinary speed that he achieved great success. But the Ling Feng Swordsman’s achievements stopped there; he couldn't advance further down this path. Consequently, while his Ling Feng Sword Style was incredibly fast, it hadn't reached a terrifying degree. In contrast, the "one-hit kill" pursuit of modern fencing seemed too extreme, but it was from this extremity that the fast swordplay evolved, capable of achieving maximum lethality in mere moments. Fencing is ultimately decided by points, but the acquisition of each point is often determined in the blink of an eye, sometimes resulting in victory or defeat decided by electronic equipment because the margin of error is as fine as one-tenth of a second, or even less. How could the martial artists of the Fama continent possibly conceive of such an aggressive style thatpursued speed to this extent? Therefore, even a mediocre modern fencer, transported to this world, would possess an attack speed that leaves them completely helpless. Yes, in the face of absolute speed, even the strongest power loses its scope for execution, because I would never give them the opportunity to utilize that strength. Long before they could unleash their full attack, my thrust would pierce their vital point, and I would calmly withdraw.

Leveraging the prestige gained from killing one opponent with a single sword stroke, I slowly approached the other half-beast warrior.

Roar! The other half-beast warrior held his axe in both hands, covering his throat area, and a flash of golden Battle Qi erupted around his body.

Protective Battle Qi? Interesting enough. Honestly, I didn't think his use of Defensive Battle Qi would cause me much trouble. However, the massive axe blocking his throat did make it very difficult for me to aim for his throat. Perhaps he had already realized that his own abilities couldn't harm me, especially since I had launched a lethal strike the moment he attacked—striking later but landing first. Against an opponent whose speed vastly exceeded mine, any rash attack would be a fatal flaw. In this regard, the current opponent displayed a seasoned caution. I began walking slowly in circles around the half-beast warrior, my rapier making irregular movements both forward and back, like a coiled, venomous snake ready to strike.

However, after circling once, I realized his defense was formidable. Every vital spot was tightly guarded by his thick iron armor, particularly the dark, palm-sized breastplate protecting his heart, which made me feel like I had no way in. Furthermore, he had activated his Protective Battle Qi. His large eyes, hidden behind the axe, stared intently at the sword in my hand. If I showed the slightest change in posture, he was ready to react accordingly. Trying to bait him into attacking seemed almost impossible; judging by his stance, he intended to maintain his defense to the very end.

Outside the ring, Long Xin and the siblings Ziyue looked on in disbelief. They hadn't expected Xingchen to corner a half-beast warrior to this degree, forcing him into a purely defensive stance without even daring to attack.

"Who is this guy!" Long Zhan murmured to himself: "A Mid-tier Warrior kills a High Warrior with one sword, and now he's forced the other High Warrior into a state where he doesn't even dare to strike!"

"He’s incredible!" At this moment, Ziyue and Ziyun stared at Xingchen in the arena with profound adoration. Ziyun, especially, clenched her fists excitedly: "Go, Xingchen! Kill him!"

"You can win!"

Sigh. Did these people think this was an arena competition? A dark line appeared on my forehead, breaking out in a cold sweat. Nevertheless, I felt secretly pleased.

To outsiders, I appeared to be circling the half-beast warrior with relaxed steps, while he used his massive axe like a shield, watching me cautiously. The scene reminded me of a classic sequence I once saw in a nature documentary: a wolf pack hunting a wild bull. I remembered how the targeted bull used a strategy of immobility to counter the pack's advances. Thinking of this, I couldn't help a self-deprecating laugh. Damn it, it's quite a fitting image—I am the vicious wolf now! Although my brute force might not match this large fellow, I was confident that the instant he exposed a weakness, I could kill him in less than a tenth of a second. I recalled that confrontation between the wolf and the bull in the documentary lasted a full two days and nights until the bull finally collapsed from exhaustion. Under normal circumstances, I would have enough interest to play this protracted game, as I was curious how my fencing technique would fare in such a prolonged attrition. Unfortunately, the current situation didn't allow for it; we were fleeing for our lives. Although I was sure I could inflict damage on his other parts, eventually causing him to bleed out and die, I simply didn't have that much time.

What should I do! Just as I was lost in these thoughts!

Boom! A massive bolt of lightning descended from the sky! It struck the half-beast warrior squarely on the head.

"Roooar!" The half-beast warrior let out a pained bellow! The hands holding the axe involuntarily jerked.

Ah, an opportunity! In that flash of lightning, the massive battle axe shifted merely a few centimeters, but it exposed his throat to my eyes!

Whoosh! A lightning-fast sword strike!

Thwack!

Followed by a swift withdrawal!

Ah! Crash! The half-beast warrior's axe slammed onto the ground with a thud as he clutched his neck in pain.

He let out a piercing scream!

And I had no interest in watching any further!

"Leader! Nice one!" I instinctively gave Long Xin a thumbs-up. Honestly, I was genuinely running out of ideas; I couldn't find an opening. I hadn't expected that girl Long Xin would smash the half-beast warrior on the head with lightning, causing his defense to briefly lapse, allowing me to strike his throat.

"How is this possible! I actually hit him!" Long Xin stared at her own outstretched magical hand in disbelief: "I actually hit him, why didn't he dodge?"

"Heh heh! We can discuss that later! Escaping is what matters now!" Long Qi remained relatively calm.

"Go!" I didn't hesitate. If we didn't leave now, when would we?

Perhaps the deaths of the two half-beast warriors had completely shattered the courage of the remaining half-beasts. They didn't dare pursue us, only watching us leave with expressions of vicious resentment.