129. Past Entanglements

Qi Fei’s thoughts raced with astonishment. With no other choice, he released his aura—previously restrained—without reservation. Although he had never studied why this aura had such an effect, he could roughly deduce that Ma Lianliang’s intent was simply to sever his opponent’s connection with the natural energy of heaven and earth, thereby suppressing their true strength.

This technique was extremely sinister and cruel. As everyone knew, cultivation relied not only on one’s own potential and talent but, to a great extent, on borrowing the energy of heaven and earth. Only by drawing this ambient energy into one’s body and refining it could one possess a continuous flow of true energy to use in battle. That Ma Lianliang possessed such a technique to cut off a warrior’s lifeline was nothing short of vicious.

As expected, once Qi Fei fully connected with the natural energy, the pressure exerted by Ma Lianliang’s aura, though still increasing, could no longer affect him in the slightest.

Qi Fei withdrew the Cold Soul Blade from his Spirit-Gathering Jade. He feinted a move, pointing the blade toward Ma Lianliang from a distance. "Not bad. You are indeed worthy of being called someone who surpasses the ordinary Xiantian level. Your aura before even striking has reached such a level. Haha, it seems you are worth me taking seriously."

"You have quite the mouth on you, young man. I advise you to waste less breath. A few moves... Hmph, I will show you how you handle these few moves!"

When Qi Fei’s aura—distinctively that of a Xiantian master—surged, Ma Lianliang’s expression changed strangely. However, upon noticing that Qi Fei’s aura was merely at the level of someone who had just entered the Xiantian realm, he immediately relaxed. "What an ignorant boy. Even if your techniques are strange, today I will ensure you never leave." As he finished speaking, he brandished his blade, creating a sea of light, as if intending to launch a direct assault.

Yet, strangely, just as Qi Fei stood ready with his sword, Ma Lianliang suddenly let out a gasp of shock. His face turned deathly pale, and he stumbled back several steps. He raised his long blade, pointing it shakily at Qi Fei. "That blade in your hand... is it the Cold Soul Blade that belonged to my Ma family? The one taken away by the Marquis, the one that person swore would be retrieved? It was you! I should have realized it sooner. In this world, you are likely the only one who possesses that technique which can make a man collapse without a sound."

"What, you only recognize it now? You’re quite slow. I thought you would have known who I was much earlier." Qi Fei’s lips curled into a faint smirk as he heard Ma Lianliang. "It seems that even after ten years, the Ma family hasn't relaxed their pursuit of me."

The onlookers were bewildered. "What on earth is going on?" The exchange between the two left the observers stunned. It was clear from their words that Ma Lianliang knew exactly who his opponent was. Only one person in the world possessed such an attack style—a characteristic too obvious to ignore. Logically, Ma Lianliang should have recognized him at first sight, yet he had only just realized it. It felt bizarre. Could it be that Ma Lianliang knew of the person’s existence but had never actually met him?

As the well-informed among the crowd began to piece the clues together, the identity of the young man became clear. Even though the dialogue provided little information, once a thread was pulled, the truth could not be hidden from those who were keen. Soon, someone shouted in shock: "I know! This youth is Qi Fei! That miraculous boy who, while still young, swept aside several Xiantian masters with a single sword at the Ma estate!"

Qi Fei! This name might not be familiar to many across the Divine Continent or the Cloud Wasteland, but here in Yunshan City, so close to the Ma family, the name was still whispered or told as a legend, even after ten years of silence. The incident at the Ma family had been too astonishing, shaking all of Yunshan City at the time. Soon, even those who didn't know him were informed by others.

As the crowd realized who he was, they looked at Qi Fei with disbelief. "This boy, who was still a child thirteen years ago, could already sweep aside Xiantian masters. Now that he has returned after thirteen years of secret cultivation, his strength is truly unfathomable." For those who had heard the name, they felt lucky to witness the first battle of this legendary genius upon his return—and against the number one master of Yunshan City, no less. For ordinary people, and even many Xiantian experts, such a duel was a rare spectacle.

However, compared to the excitement of the crowd, Ma Lianliang, the helmsman of the Ma family, felt a deep, uncontrollable bitterness now that he had linked this youth to the protagonist of the past incident. For Ma Lianliang, this boy was an eternal thorn in his heart. The youth was naturally gifted and should have been raised as the family’s most promising heir.

Qi Fei had originally been a member of a distant, obscure branch of the family. If not for a family summons, he would have barely qualified to enter the Ma estate. In reality, he had entered the family’s martial arts hall, but because his talent for sensing true energy was negligible, he was treated as a disposable pawn. During his childhood in the Ma family, his treatment was arguably worse than that of the family servants.

Yet, that was not the root cause of his rebellion. The family had later summarized a few reasons for his actions. First, during a training session, every youth was granted access to the martial arts archives except for him. For someone striving to succeed through hard work, this denial of the right to study was a crushing blow, severing his hope of becoming a master. When a person loses all hope, any action they take becomes understandable.

Secondly, there was a girl close to him named Ma Xiaoyun. She was exceptionally gifted, the most promising of the third generation to reach the Xiantian level before age thirty. Despite her status, she and Qi Fei, whom everyone viewed as a "trash," were inseparable. They treated each other as the most precious person in the world, willing to die for one another without a second thought.

The family had later realized that an elder, viewing the boy as an eyesore because his grandson had taken an interest in Ma Xiaoyun, had sent the then-powerless Qi Fei into the dangerous Monster Mountain Range. Although Qi Fei completed the task, the seeds of resentment were sown. He was eventually rescued by someone from Danxia Mountain, became a medicine-gathering boy, and embarked on a series of mysterious and unfathomable encounters.