Star Martial Era: From Mortal to Emperor

Chapter 105 Squad Clash: Technique Battle

Qin Hao finally made a move.

Suddenly, his azure true energy surged, unleashing his late-stage Meridian Opening Realm cultivation without reservation. He activated the "Azure Wind Soaring to the Sky Technique" passed down by his family, his figure transforming into a blur as he personally plunged into the battle. His speed was astonishing, leaving only a blurry azure trail in the air.

The long sword in his hand, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, pierced straight towards Lin Chen's vital heart.

"Lin Chen, today I'll show you the true power of aristocratic family martial arts!"

The sword light was swift and cunning, carrying a powerful suppression of cultivation level. This wasn't the kind of tentative probing attack held back on a sparring platform; it was a full-force strike, aimed at killing. The surrounding air currents were stirred and distorted by the sword energy, and fallen leaves on the ground were swirled up and pulverized in mid-air.

He practiced this sword technique for three years.

Lin Chen's expression was solemn.

He dared not underestimate his opponent's full-force attack. Qin Hao's strength was indeed above those lackeys; the power, speed, and angle of this sword strike were impeccable. He quickly made a judgment in his mind—if he took it head-on, he would be injured; if he dodged, Su Muyue behind him would be exposed to the sword's edge.

You can't hide.

All the power of the stars converged on the sword, and the Star Martial Core within his dantian spun at high speed, with silvery-white star power surging into the sword like a flood bursting its banks. He abandoned complicated moves and met the attack head-on with the simplest and purest sword techniques.

clang--!

The deafening clang of metal against metal echoed through the forest.

A violent shockwave spread wildly from the point of their clash, causing ancient trees and branches to fall in disarray. Cracks appeared in the ground beneath their feet, sending rubble and dirt flying in all directions.

Qin Hao's arm trembled violently, and his tiger's mouth felt faintly numb.

He took a half-step back—only half a step, but that half-step made his face completely darken. He was filled with shock. His cultivation level was much higher, and his technique was of a similar grade, yet his full-force attack had failed to suppress Lin Chen, who was in the mid-stage of the Meridian Opening Realm.

Not only did it not suppress him, he even vaguely felt that the silvery-white power on Lin Chen's sword penetrated into his meridians at the moment of collision, causing a brief stagnation in the circulation of his true energy.

What kind of technique is this?

"What is the origin of your Star Martial Arts technique?" he couldn't help but ask sharply.

Lin Chen stood firm, not retreating an inch. He glanced at his sword; there was a shallow mark on the blade, left by the attack just now. He turned the sword halfway around, presenting the unmarked side to Qin Hao.

"The path of martial arts depends on fate. There's no need to explain it to you." He raised his eyes, his gaze as calm as a stagnant pool. "Within the secret realm, resources are fought for based on strength. Those who rely on numbers to bully others will ultimately find it difficult to achieve greatness."

"Stubborn!"

Qin Hao's anger surged.

He no longer held back, unleashing the advanced techniques of his cultivation method. His swordplay suddenly shifted, no longer a straightforward thrust, but rather layers upon layers of sword energy, surging forth like waves. Each sword energy was stronger than the last, and by the seventh, its power had more than doubled.

The Seven Forms of Overlapping Waves – the core killing move of the "Azure Wind Soaring to the Sky Technique".

Qin Cang taught him personally, and Qin Hao practiced for three whole years before mastering it. Every move embodies his sweat and dedication over those three years, and every sword strike carries his absolute confidence in his talent.

The sword energy surged like waves, one higher than the next.

Su Muyue immediately adjusted the array patterns.

She set up three defensive array patterns in front of Lin Chen—not to block the sword energy, but to buffer it. The three patterns were like three nets, reducing the impact of the sword energy layer by layer. At the same time, she set up restraining patterns under Qin Hao's feet, not to trap him, but simply to slow down his movements by half a beat.

"Qin Hao's technique focuses on speed and surprise attacks, but lacks staying power. You can counterattack by seizing the opening." She reminded him, her voice clear and calm.

Taking advantage of the situation, Chu Fan manipulated the illusionary array, disrupting the airflow around Qin Hao. This wasn't aimed at Qin Hao himself, but at his senses—to shift his gaze by an inch and slow his hearing by a fraction of an inch. In a duel between masters, an inch or a fraction of an inch can mean the difference between life and death.

After Leng Feng dealt with the short-haired youth in front of him, he immediately turned to the side to prepare for attack. He didn't join the encirclement, but simply stood three zhang to Lin Chen's left rear, his battle blade held horizontally in front of him like an iron stake driven into the ground. If Qin Hao's men wanted to launch a flanking attack, they would have to get past him first.

Su Ling'er gripped the high-grade Blazing Flame Pill tightly, her eyes fixed on the battle. Her palms were already sweating, but she didn't let go, nor did she intend to. Her eyes were fixed on Qin Hao's every move, searching for the right moment to throw it.

The five worked together, complementing each other's weaknesses. Their cultivation techniques, formations, elixirs, and close combat were perfectly coordinated, like a finely tuned machine, where every part played its maximum role in the most needed position.

Qin Hao unleashed wave after wave of sword energy, but Lin Chen intercepted each and every one. Not by brute force, but by deflecting, neutralizing, and using the opponent's force against them. Lin Chen's swordsmanship improved with each battle, progressing from barely managing at the beginning to composure and now complete mastery.

Qin Hao grew increasingly anxious as he fought.

After finishing the Seven Forms of Overlapping Waves, Lin Chen was still standing there. His true energy had been depleted by 30%, while his star power seemed to be plentiful. He glanced at his teammates out of the corner of his eye—of the seven of them, not a single one was still fighting. The short-haired boy had been forced against a tree root by Leng Feng, his clothes now torn in two places; any further retreat would mean he was out of the fight. The two female disciples were still circling in the maze, their true energy being consumed almost twice as fast as in a normal formation. The tall youth's shoulder was bleeding, and the others were also injured.

Of Lin Chen's five men, only Su Ling'er had her sleeve slightly torn by a tree branch; the others didn't even get a scratch.

gap.

This word was like a needle, piercing Qin Hao's heart.

He recalled the battle on the sparring platform, how Lin Chen caught his sword between two fingers, and the feeling of helplessness when that punch sent him flying. At that time, he told himself that he had been careless and underestimated his opponent, and that if they fought again, he would definitely win.

But now?

Seven against five. All seven of his men were direct descendants of powerful families, while Lin Chen's side only had Leng Feng, a military background, who could fight. Su Muyue was injured, and Chu Fan and Su Ling'er were a bookworm and an alchemist, respectively—none of them seemed like capable fighters. Yet, this very team utterly defeated his seven men.

He had to admit a fact—it wasn't that his teammates weren't strong enough, it was that Lin Chen's five people were too strong. Not in terms of individual strength, but in terms of teamwork and trust. Each of them knew what they were supposed to do and what the others would do; this tacit understanding wasn't something that could be put together temporarily, but something that had been honed in countless real battles.

The people he brought with him were nothing more than a motley crew gathered around him out of fear of the Qin family's power.

He began to consider retiring.

He knew this was only the outer edge of the secret realm; the real opportunities and formidable enemies lay deeper within. There was no need to expend too much energy and true qi here, much less risk his life fighting Lin Chen. The Star Marrow Liquid was in the core area; that was the ultimate goal.

Sheathed his sword, took three steps back, and created distance.

"Let's go!"

He gritted his teeth and gave the order in a deep voice, glaring fiercely at Lin Chen.

"I'll spare you for now. But when it comes to the battle for the Star Essence Liquid in the core area, I'll settle everything myself. What belongs to me, no one can take away!"

After saying that, Qin Hao led his team members to quickly retreat, disappearing into the shadows deep in the dense forest. His departure was swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation—in this respect, he was far superior to his followers.

Su Ling'er watched their fleeing figures, pursed her lips, and carefully stuffed the Blazing Flame Pill in her hand back into her waist pouch.

"Running away when you can't win is just spineless."

"This is just the first test." Lin Chen sheathed his sword and slowly regulated the surging star power within his body. Qin Hao's sword strikes were not light; his hands were numb from the impact, though he didn't let anyone notice. "Qin Hao has a very deep-seated obsession, and with Qin Cang backing him up, he definitely has some trump cards up his sleeve. The road ahead will only be more difficult."

Chu Fan checked the topographic map and marked the direction Qin Hao's team had left on the map with a pen.

"They went to the resource point by the stream to the north, where a large number of third-tier spiritual herbs grow, and it's also the only way to the middle level of the secret realm." He pushed up his glasses, his tone calm. "We'll change our route, detour around the western valley, avoid a direct confrontation, and accumulate strength first."

Su Muyue looked up into the depths of the secret realm. The distant mountains were shrouded in mist, obscuring their view, but she could sense something waiting for them deep within those mists. The aura of evil power grew stronger, like a wild beast lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce at any moment.

"The aura of evil is growing stronger. The evil race's hidden forces have probably already begun to lay their groundwork," she said softly. "While we gather resources to break through, we must also remain vigilant against sneak attacks from the shadows."

After a brief rest, the five adjusted their state, changed their direction of travel, and steadily moved towards the deep valley to the west. Lin Chen walked in the lead, with Leng Feng bringing up the rear. The formation was the same as when they came, but their steps were lighter, more steady, and more coordinated than before.

The initial clash has come to an end.

There was no life-or-death struggle, but both sides gained a clear understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses. Lin Chen knew that Qin Hao still had trump cards up his sleeve, and Qin Hao also knew that Lin Chen's five-man team was far more troublesome than he had imagined.

Within the secret realm, resource competition, power struggles, and evil clan conspiracies pile up, and the true test for Lin Chen and his group has only just begun.

Meanwhile, in the distant core area, the only remaining Star Essence Liquid has become the ultimate goal that everyone is vying to pursue.

As dusk deepened, the light deep in the forest shifted from dark green to a dull gray; soon it would be dark.

Their journey is still long.