Chapter 356: The Bare-Commander

The “Wind Blade Technique” floated in midair.

He closed his eyes and began to reflect on the scene from yesterday’s Starfall Trial Grounds.

【“Compress all the wind into one point…”】

【“The tighter the compression, the sharper it becomes…”】

As he meditated on the “Wind Blade Technique.”

The wind elements in the night breeze began converging around it at an incredible speed.

This time, no violent tornado formed.

All the wind elements were compressed relentlessly under Xiao Feng’s strict control.

A faint, faintly glowing green light coalesced in midair into a single wind blade.

【“Not enough…”】

【“If this is the power, it’s nowhere near Second Brother’s.”】

The “Wind Blade Technique”’s voice carried a stubborn determination.

It closed its eyes, frantically replaying the vision it had grasped last night while understanding the “Rending Storm.”

【“Storm…”】

【“Clockwise, counterclockwise, converging opposites…”】

【“Try it!”】

The “Wind Blade Technique” suddenly opened its eyes.

The green light around it instantly contracted.

The turbulent wind elements were violently ripped away and surged furiously toward the tiny green speck before it.

Compress furiously!

Compress again!

At the same time.

The “Wind Blade Technique” forcibly split the compressing wind elements into two streams.

One spun clockwise at blinding speed, the other counterclockwise at blinding speed!

The two violent forces were forcibly twisted together and crushed into the shape of a blade.

As the “Wind Blade Technique” pushed harder.

The wind elements that had been swirling around it gradually vanished.

Finally.

A small wind blade hovered in midair.

【“Phew…”】

The “Wind Blade Technique” exhaled deeply, its green glow brightening once more.

It bounced up and down excitedly.

【“Second Brother! Second Brother! I did it!”】

【“Xiao Feng mastered it!”】

Hearing the commotion, the “Earth Submersion Technique” immediately turned its head.

It hurried over, eager to take a look.

Then it froze.

【“Uh…”】

The “Earth Submersion Technique” circled the palm-sized wind blade twice, its tone brimming with doubt.

【“Little Five, are you sure you got it right?”】

【“How come it’s so tiny?”】

【“This isn’t even close to the wind blade that old man unleashed yesterday!”】

【“That was a real wind blade. Yours? More like a toy knife.”】

Facing Second Brother’s skepticism.

The “Wind Blade Technique” nodded firmly, utterly confident.

【“Mm!”】

【“Second Brother, Xiao Feng is certain!”】

The “Earth Submersion Technique” still wasn’t convinced.

It extended a hand, pointing to a hundred-meter-tall stone mountain a kilometer away.

【“Put it to the test. Let’s see if it’s a horse or a donkey.”】

【“Use this technique to cut off that mountaintop.”】

【“If you can’t cut it, you’re sleeping here tonight!”】

【“Yes, Second Brother!”】

【“Watch closely!”】

The “Wind Blade Technique” locked onto the stone mountain a kilometer away.

【“Go!”】

“Shhh—!”

The palm-sized green wind blade shot forward instantly!

The next moment.

The small wind blade underwent a sudden transformation.

The wind elements, previously compressed to an extreme, exploded outward the instant they escaped control.

Like a black hole, it devoured every scrap of air and wind element along its flight path!

One meter, ten meters, fifty meters…

The once palm-sized wind blade swelled violently with every passing distance.

The farther it flew, the more wind elements it consumed—and the larger it grew.

Until, having crossed the kilometer, it neared the hundred-meter stone mountain.

It had become a colossal blade, a hundred meters long!

“Boom—!!!”

No resistance.

The hundred-meter storm blade swept clean across the mountain’s midsection!

The next second.

The upper half of the hundred-meter stone mountain slid down with a smooth, mirror-like cut!

“Boom—rooooon—!!!”

Countless boulders crashed to the ground, kicking up a storm of dust!

The earth trembled violently!

The hundred-meter mountain had been cleanly severed at its waist!

【“…”】

【“Holy… shit?!”】

The “Earth Submersion Technique” stared blankly at the mountain, half its height gone, a kilometer away.

It was stunned.

You could do this?

The farther it flew, the bigger the blade got?

The damage was terrifying!

【“Second Brother! Second Brother!”】

The “Wind Blade Technique” rushed over, thrilled.

【“How’s that, Second Brother? Is Xiao Feng’s technique awesome?”】

【“Now the Master won’t scold us anymore!”】

The “Earth Submersion Technique” swallowed hard.

It forcibly suppressed its shock, cleared its throat twice, trying to maintain its Second Brother’s dignity.

【“Cough! Cough!”】

【“Hmm… not bad.”】

【“Though it’s only this level, it should meet the Master’s passing standard.”】

Hearing Second Brother’s approval,

The “Wind Blade Technique” instantly brightened.

【“Yay, Second Brother!”】

Then,

The “Earth Submersion Technique” shifted tone, its voice turning grave.

【“But…”】

【“Little Five, don’t forget what our mission is.”】

The “Wind Blade Technique” didn’t hesitate, shouting out immediately.

【“Protect the Master!”】

『Wind Slash Technique』 nodded in approval.

【“Yes! Protect the Master!”】

【“So!”】

【“To prevent disaster, we must practice another skill for survival and escape!”】

【“But! The Master clearly doesn’t want escape or survival skills right now, so we must think of a way to merge escape and damage-dealing together.”】

【“That way, we make the Master happy while giving him another survival skill—perfect for both!”】

Hearing these words,

『Wind Slash Technique』 was utterly bewildered.

【“Escape while killing enemies?”】

【“How is that even possible?”】

【“Idiot!”】

『Earth Submersion Technique』 scolded him in exasperation.

【“Is there a possibility of sucking out all the air to create a ‘vacuum tunnel’ with zero resistance?”】

【“With no resistance, wouldn’t the Master’s speed just skyrocket?”】

【“But that’s not all!”】

『Earth Submersion Technique』 excitedly guided him.

【“Where do the sucked-out air molecules go? We can’t waste them!”】

【“Compress all the extracted air into wind blades!”】

【“Then…”】

【“You can instantly slaughter any enemy chasing the Master inside the tunnel!”】

【“Merge escape and killing into one!”】

【“Pave the safest retreat with the cruelest slaughter!”】

【“Got it?!”】

After hearing 『Earth Submersion Technique’』s instructions,

『Wind Slash Technique』 was stunned.

【“Big Brother!!!”】

【“You’re literally a genius!!!”】

【“I’ve got an idea!”】

Watching Little Wind enter a state of sudden enlightenment,

『Earth Submersion Technique』 gazed upward at the night sky at a forty-five-degree angle, satisfied.

【“Sigh, I’m truly such a devoted older brother, exhausting myself for the Master’s sake.”】

…

Meanwhile,

In another part of the wilds outside Zhuxing Town,

Shar and Baho met beneath a dead tree.

Baho gasped for breath, his chest heaving.

“Big Brother…”

“Did you find anything on your side?”

Shar shook his head.

“No.”

“This is strange—aren’t there usually plenty of wild monsters outside Zhuxing Town?”

Hearing this,

Baho also looked puzzled.

“What’s going on here?”

“I’ve run through every leveling zone to the west and north.”

“Not even a single hair in sight.”

Shar’s eyes were filled with confusion.

“Could it be that all the major guilds in Zhuxing Town have swept the entire thirty-kilometer radius clean?”

“Is today some kind of Zhuxing Town tradition?”

Baho shook his head.

“I’ve never heard of a ‘sweeping festival’…”

Shar fell silent.

After a moment, he sighed.

“The wild boss, if nothing goes wrong, will spawn tomorrow.”

“With the monsters cleared so thoroughly, it’ll take at least a week before they repopulate densely.”

“By then, the wild boss might be a lone soldier with no followers…”

“Ah…”

Baho stood frozen, mouth slightly open.

“Big Brother, what do we do?”

“What can we do?”

“Nothing!”

Shar spread his hands helplessly.