True Solution of the Sword Dao
Chapter 226 - 216: Decisive Battle 2

Chapter 226: Chapter 216: Decisive Battle 2

Walking through the forest path and the school snack street, where white plastic awnings covered both sides lined with various snack shops, some chairs and tables from the shops were even placed directly in the middle of the pathway. Lin Fei also went in and bought a bottle of mineral water to prepare.

Yan Capital University was vast, like a miniature town, with everything one could need and nothing lacking.

He arrived at the long-distance running track. Many people were already slow jogging or walking on the track. Among them, there were very few young people, mostly elderly and middle-aged.

Lin Fei casually found a secluded small grove by a stone bench on the side. He set the water on the table and then took down his longsword and gently pulled out the blade.

The morning sun scattered through the gaps in the woods, splitting into countless golden fragments. Some of them shone on the blade, reflecting a bright, dazzling light.

Star Shattering Sword Art, Heavenly Net Bright Moon Sword, along with the top-level swordsmanship of the masters he continuously faced in the white Trial Space, all flowed through Lin Fei’s mind. Various sword styles, Star Shattering’s aggressiveness, and Heavenly Net’s eeriness each had its unique special style.

Threads of subtle True Force from Ruoruo, like tiny streams, continuously merged into his own torrent of True Force. Lin Fei slowly held the sword, gently following the Basic Sword Technique appendix in the Sword Dao True Solution.

Whether it was the trajectory of the sword techniques or the use of True Force, all evolved from the most basic variations. Thus, practicing Basic Sword Technique was also one of his mandatory daily tasks.

Gently swinging the sword’s edge, a light breeze caused a few fallen leaves to slowly drift by. Everything was exceptionally tranquil and peaceful.

"Big brother, answer the phone... Big brother, answer the phone..." Shuang’er’s ringtone suddenly sounded.

Lin Fei’s sword edge immediately stopped mid-air, and he slowly withdrew it. He took out his phone from his training suit. He knew, if it wasn’t important, Shuang’er wouldn’t disturb him at this time.

" Brother, I’ve found him." Shuang’er’s voice came through the phone.

"Thanks to you, Shuang’er," Lin Fei came up with a smile. "Don’t get too close to him yet, follow the previous plan. Wait until I get there."

"Oh."

After hanging up, Lin Fei was silent for a while, then resumed practicing Basic Sword Technique.

*****************

Noon.

In a small hotel on Maolin Road, Capital City.

In the dim room, a middle-aged man in black with long hair draped over his shoulders sat quietly at the bedhead, a scarlet cigarette between his lips, its ashen smoke forming a straight line as it ascended slowly.

"Cough, cough..." Unable to help himself, the middle-aged man removed the cigarette and coughed twice, quickly pulling a tissue from the bedside table to cover his mouth. Dots of fresh red gradually penetrated the tissue, a faint scent of blood slowly spreading.

"Has it gotten worse?" the middle-aged man muttered to himself.

The curtains in the small hotel room were tightly drawn, only a sliver of light piercing through the gap, providing the room’s only source of light, shining at the feet of the middle-aged man; his black leather shoes reflected a bright shine.

"The once Crimson Hand, to fall to such a state. The Crimson Hand who single-handedly slew twenty-one B-ranked fighters from the Inner World, I never thought he’d reach such a struggling extent. Even fooled by a junior from the Wu Family." A voice came from the shadows, as a slender figure suddenly appeared in the corner, the dim light revealing only a protruding black sword hilt.

"It’s you who brought me this news, which could resolve my injury?" the Crimson Hand answered unsurprisingly. "It seems you’ve done some research on me."

"I know your purpose in seeking the Divine Artifact is to extend your life. But now I have another method," the slender figure spoke softly. "To go to such lengths for life, I suppose you shouldn’t refuse me."

A thread of gold appeared suddenly at the fingertips of the figure. In the dark room, the golden thread twisted around the figure’s fingers like a small golden snake.

The Crimson Hand’s gaze immediately fell on this thread of gold. He paused for a moment.

"The Power of True Lies, right? I have it too, but it’s not enough, not nearly..." Suddenly he froze. "No! This isn’t just the Power of True Lies! I can feel a very powerful strange energy mixed within."

"Accept it, and you can not only survive but also regain all your strength. Your life span thereafter will far surpass that of ordinary people." The shadow spoke softly.

The Crimson Hand’s pupils tightened.

"What’s the price? I never believe in gains without any price."

"Price? You and I will stand on the same camp. That’s the price."

The Crimson Hand stared intently at that thread of golden light at the figure’s fingertip. For a long time.

He spoke hesitantly, "I must say, I’m actually at the end of my rope, with a month left until my life’s limit. I can’t wait any further. So..." He paused, then abruptly asked, "If I accept it, will I lose myself?"

"Of course not. It merely requires your effort when needed," the figure spoke in a relaxed tone. "For a regular person, this would be a fortuitous path to the peak of strength."

"Is that so?" The Crimson Hand fell silent.

Ten minutes later.

A vast aura burst forth from the small hotel, spreading like a tidal wave, then disappearing instantaneously.

***********************

5:15 PM

Lin Fei arrived on time at the location agreed upon with Shi Ran and the others. Near Yan Capital University, at the Lion King Hotel.

Having just gotten off the taxi, Lin Fei saw Shi Ran and Du Xiaosheng already standing by the restaurant doorway among a group of guests coming in and out.

Du Xiaosheng looked helplessly and hurriedly approached Lin Fei as he saw him coming.

"Lin Fei, you tell me, they say it’s cheap and tastes good. I see the good taste, but where is it cheap?"

Lin Fei glanced inside through the glass door, seeing the luxurious hotel lobby bathed in soft yellow lighting. In the center of the lobby floor, there was a round black carpet with a statue of a lion, seemingly made completely of bronze, quietly placed on it.

The neatly dressed waitstaff moved with uniform precision, clearly trained in etiquette.

"It really is cheap." Shi Ran adjusted his glasses and said, "A meal is just three to four hundred; the taste is very good."

"Three to four hundred!" Du Xiaosheng was even more helpless. "That’s an average of one hundred per person! Isn’t that expensive?"

"Isn’t that cheap?" Shi Ran retorted matter-of-factly. "Of course, if you compare it to those street food stalls, then it definitely is cheap. But can you imagine how clean the dishes from those places can be? Aren’t you afraid of getting hepatitis from eating there? After all, if it’s a feast, why not eat something good?"

"Suit yourself then." Du Xiaosheng realized it, understanding that this friend indeed came from a well-off family.

"No worries! This meal is on me. Do you know why I chose to eat here?" Shi Ran smiled proudly. "It’s because I have a membership card for this place, which gets me a discount!"

"Then you’re a regular here, right?" Lin Fei said with a smile as he pushed open the door and entered. The other two quickly followed him.

"Hehe," Shi Ran just chuckled.

"Are we sitting in the main hall?" asked Shi Ran.

"Sure." Du Xiaosheng steadied himself now, seeing that there were also other tables in the hall with young college students like them. He instantly felt more at ease.

The three found a table inside and sat down.

"Waiter, the menu," Shi Ran called out familiarly, his voice quite loud.

After the menu was brought over, Shi Ran quickly glanced at it, casually ordered a few dishes, and then passed it to the others to order.

"By the way, Lin Fei, is your sister still in the Capital City? Why not call her to come over and join us?" Shi Ran asked.

"Let’s not bother. She doesn’t really like mingling with strangers," Lin Fei said with a wry smile, knowing well how Shuang’er would blatantly ignore Shi Ran given her personality.

"Is that so? That’s really a pity," Shi Ran shook his head. "Lin Fei, your sister must be a beauty. Wouldn’t it be better if she came to liven up the atmosphere?"

"Liven up what atmosphere?" a girl from a nearby table turned around and asked with a light laugh.

"Class president!" Shi Ran was startled and stood up promptly, "This really is fate," he said, his face expressing warm enthusiasm as he left his seat to join her. Although his expression was one of surprise, neither Lin Fei nor Du Xiaosheng could read any astonishment on his face. Clearly, this guy had known beforehand that the class president would be here for a meal.

"No wonder Shi Ran insisted on coming to eat here," Du Xiaosheng said indifferently.

During the election process, the class president Cheng Nianwei had won a certain popularity in the class with her confident, gracious, and adorable image. Whether it was her appearance, dress, or behavior, Cheng Nianwei distinctly exhibited the independent spirit of a young woman in her demeanor, pretty and pleasant with a hint of cuteness in her confidence.

"You all are dining here too? What a coincidence!" Shi Ran said with a smile.

Cheng Nianwei’s table also had four people including her: a plump girl, a skinny tall girl wearing glasses, and another girl with short hair and bangs. Naturally, Cheng Nianwei, with her simple long hair draped over her shoulders and a fringe swept to the side, stood out the most. Unmade-up, just her large eyes, delicate yet long eyebrows, and flawless milky skin complemented by pink lips. Upon closer inspection, Cheng Nianwei wasn’t a top-level beauty; she didn’t have the kind of dazzle that overwhelms, giving off more the aura of a well-cared-for rich girl, pretty and endearing with a dash of cuteness in her independence.

"Yeah, what a coincidence," Cheng Nianwei replied with a smile, small dimples appearing on her face.

Lin Fei and the other stood up and walked over, greeting everyone.

"How about we join tables for the meal?" Shi Ran suggested naturally.

"Sure," Cheng Nianwei agreed openly. "My roommates and I were just saying there’s no atmosphere."

Buzz...

Suddenly, a vibrating sound came from Lin Fei’s phone. He quietly took it out, flipped it open, and his eyes slightly narrowed.

"Sorry, I’ve got some urgent business to attend to and need to step out immediately," Lin Fei apologized.

"What’s the matter? Do you need help? I still have some connections in the Capital City," Shi Ran offered casually.

"No need," Lin Fei smiled, "Someone’s coming to pick me up. Class president, ladies, I really am sorry."

Although not well-acquainted, the others also politely exchanged a few words.

"Then, I’ll be taking my leave," Lin Fei bowed slightly and swiftly walked towards the main door.

Outside the glass door, Yuan Yicheng was dressed in a suit, hands tucked in, his profile occasionally glancing to the side.

Lin Fei gently pushed open the glass door. At the side, a middle-aged man with long hair draped over his shoulders, dressed in a black trench coat, leaned against the wall of the hotel.

"We were just waiting for you," Lin Fei smiled.

"The plane was delayed," Yuan Yicheng adjusted his tie’s knot. (To be continued. If you like this story, feel free to visit qidian.com to cast your vote for the monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation.)