C13 Heart Eye Connection

"It's getting late; I should head over to register for the inner sect assessment!"

Lin Feng put aside the issue of the golden soul bead for now. Since he couldn't determine the bead's true nature at the moment, it made no sense to dwell on it.

A blessing or a curse, it was unavoidable either way!

After limbering up his stiff limbs, Lin Feng stepped out of his room.

The early autumn season graced the land with a high-hanging warm sun and refreshing cool breezes that instantly lifted Lin Feng's spirits.

"You worthless piece of trash, you've finally decided to show your face!"

A chilling voice shattered Lin Feng's good mood in an instant.

Turning towards the source, he saw a young man leaning against the wall, arms folded, with a malevolent sneer on his face.

Lin Feng's brow furrowed as he quickly recognized the man.

It was Lin Hai, Lin Shan's older brother! This man had always targeted Lin Feng within the sect. Lin Feng had heard that Lin Hai was in seclusion, attempting to advance to the ninth level of the Astral Sea Realm, which explained his absence and the respite from bullying Lin Feng had enjoyed for a while.

Clearly, Lin Hai must have received a letter from Lin Shan and his father, prompting him to come looking for revenge.

Lin Feng's suspicions were correct; Lin Hai was indeed here to settle scores on behalf of Lin Shan.

He had achieved the ninth level of the Astral Sea realm just two days prior, but the Sunfire Order's strict rules prohibited any disciple from entering another's room, lest they disrupt someone's cultivation.

The penalty for disobedience was death!

Under this unyielding rule, Lin Hai had waited two days, his patience fueled by a mix of old grudges and fresh resentment. At this moment, Lin Hai was seething with the desire to tear Lin Feng to pieces.

"Little trash, I've heard your cultivation has been improving rapidly lately, to the point where even my brother can't hold a candle to you!" Lin Hai glared at Lin Feng, his eyes brimming with a fierce desire to kill.

Hearing this, Lin Feng let out a cold laugh, "So, you're here to avenge Lin Shan and your pathetic father, huh? Fine, let's settle this in the life and death arena!"

"What?" Lin Hai was momentarily taken aback, then quickly caught on and chuckled, "You seem pretty confident for someone so worthless. But if you're so eager to meet your end, I'll be more than happy to oblige!"

Although the Sunfire Order prohibited private duels, it was common for martial artists to harbor grudges, especially in a large sect like the Sunfire Order where disciples hailed from all corners, including some with longstanding family feuds.

The life and death arena served as a venue to settle such disputes. Once inside, participants' fates were left to destiny.

Lin Feng's proposal caught Lin Hai off guard, but he couldn't have been more eager to agree. After all, Lin Hai's father had long coveted the position of head of the Lin Family, but was thwarted by Lin Feng's father, the family's strongest member and a natural at managing family affairs.

Lin Hai might have been indifferent to the family head's title, but that didn't stop him from desiring the seat for his father. As a result, he had frequently attacked Lin Feng within the sect, nearly killing him on several occasions. Only the sect's strict rules had spared Lin Feng's life.

"This time, you're definitely going to die!" Lin Hai's smile was tinged with cruelty as he trailed behind Lin Feng.

Lin Feng responded with a cold smirk of his own. If Lin Hai was intent on killing him, he was equally determined to end Lin Hai and settle the matter once and for all.

Even though Lin Hai had reached the ninth level of the Astral Sea Realm, Lin Feng saw him as no threat whatsoever.

"Now that I've taken over your body, I'll settle the scores for you," Lin Feng mused. A sudden lightness filled his soul, leaving him feeling invigorated as if he had just stepped out of a sauna.

The life and death arena was situated before the sect's grand hall, a symbol of its commitment to fairness and justice. With the Inner Sect Assessment underway, a throng of Outer Sect disciples had gathered there.

"Pardon me, coming through," Lin Feng murmured as he made his way through the crowd, much to the annoyance of the other disciples.

"Squeeze through, why don't you? In a rush to meet your maker?" a burly Outer Sect disciple barked, shoving at Lin Feng.

"Apologies, I'm headed to the life and death arena," Lin Feng replied, his hand moving with lightning speed to deflect the push.

"What? Someone's heading to the life and death arena! Move aside, quick!" The hearing of a martial artist was exceptionally keen, especially when there was a spectacle to witness.

No sooner had Lin Feng spoken than eager volunteers began to clear a path.

In no time at all, the way to the life and death arena was wide open for Lin Feng!

Lin Feng was at a loss for words, not anticipating the Sunfire Order disciples' penchant for drama.

"Trash, there's no backing out now!" Lin Hai exclaimed with glee, ceasing to shadow Lin Feng. With a swift motion, he soared like a mighty roc, and within moments, he landed firmly on the Platform of Life and Death.

"Who is this guy? His agility is remarkable!" an Outer Sect disciple remarked in awe.

"I know him! That's Lin Hai; he lives right next to my older cousin! Rumor has it he recently advanced to the ninth level of the Astral Sea Realm. He must have made his breakthrough by now!" another Outer Sect disciple said, offering a quick rundown.

"Wow! That's Lin Feng, the so-called trash. He and Lin Hai are cousins! We're in for quite the spectacle!" A third Outer Sect disciple, with an uncanny knack for observation, pulled out a handful of sunflower seeds, ready to enjoy the show like a bystander on the street.

Unperturbed, Lin Feng strolled leisurely onto the Platform of Life and Death.

"Trash, with so many eyes on you as you meet your end, this must be the highlight of your life!" Lin Hai sneered, his face alight with anticipation.

Lin Feng remained calm and spoke with a cool detachment, "Make your move. These are the final moments of your life."

"Trash, you're still so full of yourself at death's door!" Lin Hai's face twisted in anger as he unleashed the full force of his ninth-level Astral Sea cultivation.

A lion should exert full force even when hunting a rabbit!

Despite his confidence, Lin Hai knew that in the world of martial artists, no one gambles with their life frivolously.

Without finishing his taunt, Lin Hai stepped forward, his long sword flashing from its sheath, aimed directly at Lin Feng's throat.

In his view, giving Lin Feng the honor of a full-strength attack was already more than generous!

Lin Hai's swordsmanship was formidable, surpassing even that of Ling'er from before.

As the sword thrust forward, it held the potential for three subsequent maneuvers. Regardless of Lin Feng's chosen method of evasion, Lin Hai was certain he could track him down!

Contrary to Lin Hai's expectations, Lin Feng neither dodged nor flinched, allowing the long sword to aim straight for his throat!

"Has this fool been scared witless?" Lin Hai thought, with a flicker of scorn and a tinge of regret in his eyes.

Had Lin Feng put up even a slight fight, Lin Hai could have demonstrated more of his swordsmanship, possibly catching the eye of one of the elders!

But now, it seemed he would have to conclude this brief skirmish with a single strike.

"Ugh! What a drag!" The disciples spectating from below shared a sense of letdown, finding the fight lackluster.

As Lin Feng's life hung in the balance under Lin Hai's blade, a sudden glimmer of light sparked in his previously dull eyes.

He hadn't been overconfident; rather, at the very moment Lin Hai launched his attack, the golden soul bead in his mind had stirred, transforming into an immense golden screen.

Though momentarily lost in thought, Lin Feng had mirrored every one of Lin Hai's movements in his mind.

"Heart Eye Connection!"

Lin Feng was overjoyed, amazed that the Emperor Heaven's Soul Mantra had instinctively forged the Heart Eye Connection!

The Heart Eye Connection was a storied legend in martial arts. It was believed that those who possessed it could defy any principle and shatter all delusions with a mere glance.

In contrast, the Heavenly Eye Connection involved comprehending the profound Dao of Heaven and Earth to harness its power. The Heart Eye Connection, however, relied on one's innate strength to defy the cosmos.

Even as a revered Immortal Emperor in his past life, Lin Feng had only grasped the Heavenly Eye Connection, never the Heart Eye Connection.

To confront the Dao with the Dao's own power was a sure path to defeat, a truth Lin Feng had realized upon his demise. But to exploit one's personal might to uncover the Dao's vulnerabilities could turn the tide of battle.

Naturally, the Heart Eye Connection Lin Feng had just awakened was nascent, nowhere near ready to challenge the forces of Heaven and Earth.

Despite the lack of his past life's combat skills, Lin Feng was confident that with his Heart Eye Connection alone, no warrior below the third level of the Spiritual Martial Realm could pose any threat to him.

"Man is destined to conquer nature! Hahaha, man is destined to conquer nature! I may have been defeated in my last life, but watch how I defy fate in this one!" Lin Feng's laughter boomed. Under the enhancement of the Heart Eye Connection, Lin Hai moved as slowly as a turtle.

"Out of my way!"

With a low roar, Lin Feng struck the weakest point of Lin Hai's defense with his palm.

Bang!

The long sword wailed as Lin Feng's palm strike diverted its path.

"Impossible!" Lin Hai exclaimed in shock. Even a Spiritual Martial Realm warrior wouldn't dare to block a weapon with their bare body!

"You're like a frog in a well, oblivious to the vast sky," Lin Feng declared, his spirit soaring as he unleashed punch after punch.

The low-grade Earthly martial technique, Eight Extremes Collapsing Fist, thundered forth.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A relentless barrage of domineering punches swarmed out, quickly engulfing Lin Hai.

It was at this moment that Lin Feng's true power was fully revealed.

"A ninth-level Qi Sea martial artist! Lin Feng, you're a big fraud!" Lin Hai bellowed, his eyes wide with disbelief.

With no other choice, Lin Hai could only clumsily fend off the relentless assault with his sword.

"This can't be right! This isn't how it's supposed to go! Lin Feng is supposed to be a nobody, how can his cultivation be stronger than mine?" Lin Hai's face twisted with sorrow and rage as he stared at Lin Feng, his gaze filled with confusion and resentment.

"Poor kid, if your father's a nobody, how could you be a prodigy?" Lin Feng looked down at Lin Hai with the air of a superior, yet he didn't let up his relentless attacks.

In that moment, Lin Hai was consumed with regret for not having killed Lin Feng when he had the chance.

Bang!

Lin Feng unleashed the fourth wave of his fist force, its terrifying power crashing down like a tidal wave, instantly shattering Lin Hai's long sword.

Puff! The residual force of the punch surged into Lin Hai's body. Despite desperately channeling his spiritual energy to counteract it, he still coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The Eight Extremes Collapsing Fist's power was simply too much for someone at the Astral Sea Realm to handle! And this was merely the fourth punch. Should it escalate to the eighth, it could even shake a warrior of the Spiritual Martial Force to death!

"I admit defeat!" Lin Hai half-knelt on the platform, the flash of hatred in his eyes fleeting.

"In defeat, death is the consequence!" Lin Feng glanced at him without a hint of mercy despite Lin Hai's surrender.

"Lin Feng, must you be so merciless? I'm your older cousin, after all. We share the closest blood as cousins!" Lin Hai's face was a picture of despair, his eyes softening as he looked at Lin Feng, as though someone else had threatened to kill Lin Feng just moments before.

"Yes, we are cousins!" Lin Feng said, his face reflecting a hint of reminiscence as he recalled the times Lin Hai had brutally beaten him.

"Yes..." Hope seemed to spark in Lin Hai's eyes as he was about to speak, but suddenly, Lin Feng's figure soared, and he delivered a swift kick to Lin Hai's abdomen.