He could only barely achieve it, struggling through immense hardship to do so.
But it was impossible for him to do it as easily as Lin Xuan.
After hundreds, even thousands of rounds of combat, he would finally win by exhausting his opponent's spiritual power, which was entirely different from Lin Xuan's instant victory.
Lin Yang was acutely aware of this gap.
Even with some trump cards, his confidence in facing Lin Xuan was less than ten percent.
The hope was slim.
Extremely slim.
He didn't want to gamble on that ten percent chance.
Therefore, he wouldn't engage in combat.
Instead, he chose to compare backing.
Lin Yang believed this was a very wise choice.
He figured that even if Lin Xuan, that good-for-nothing, dared to defy Young Master Lin Yao, he wouldn't dare to defy the Second Elder, who was a powerful figure among the Dao Foundation realm cultivators.
Young Master Lin Yao was a genius of the Lin family; among peers, Lin Xuan might harbor some rebellious thoughts.
But the Second Elder was an elder, a Dao Foundation realm cultivator, a person of immense power within the family!
The difference between the Meridian Condensation realm and the Dao Foundation realm was like the difference between heaven and earth!
In Lin Yang's mind, Lin Xuan would at most dare to defy Young Master Lin Yao, but he would absolutely not dare to defy the Second Elder!
After all, his father, a Dao Foundation realm cultivator, had already perished!
Lin Xuan had no backing anymore!
In front of the Second Elder, Lin Xuan, without backing, would have no choice but to surrender obediently, right?
This was the choice a normal person would make!
Then, after he chose to surrender, I would cripple his cultivation, turn him back into a good-for-nothing, and then witness his endless regret…
While scolding Fang Ming, Lin Yang was still daydreaming in his heart.
But clearly, Fang Ming wouldn't accompany him in this daydream.
Fang Ming simply sneered, "You are Lin Yang."
"You are not Lin Yao."
"And certainly not the Second Elder."
"You are merely a lackey of Lin Yao."
"This is your standing in Lin Yao's eyes."
"As for your standing in the Second Elder's eyes?"
"I estimate he doesn't even know there's someone like you acting as a lackey for his son."
"Do you really think you are that important?"
"That your backing is that powerful?"
"This method of tracing one's backing infinitely upwards, even an ordinary outer disciple of a sect in the cultivation world could claim the sect leader as their backing!"
Fang Ming concluded with finality, "What backing do you have? You only have the backing of being Lin Yao's lackey. Do you think I'll take that seriously?"
"Today, you can't escape! Talking more is useless!"
"In the past ten years, you've consumed quite a few of my elixirs, haven't you? How many Spirit Yuan Pills… how many other types of elixirs? Today, I will personally reclaim what is mine."
"And avenge the debt of you withholding my Spirit Yuan Pills!"
Fang Ming's spiritual acupoints surged, forming a spiritual acupoint martial art – the Blazing Blade was unleashed.
Blade light slashed towards Lin Yang.
Fiery red blade light.
Blade light of flames.
A blade of spirit and matter.
Facing this strike.
Lin Yang hurriedly drew the short sword at his waist.
He intended to unleash his proficient profound art.
His most proficient profound art was a mid-grade Mortal-tier profound art, the Raging Sea Sword Art!
The Raging Sea Sword Art was a profound art bestowed upon him by Young Master Lin Yao after he reached the fourth level of Meridian Condensation. This profound art was considered top-tier within the clan.
It wasn't just any mid-grade Mortal-tier profound art, but one infinitely close to a high-grade Mortal-tier profound art!
It was renowned for its relentless wave-like attacks, capable of defeating even cultivators of higher cultivation!
Lin Yang had studied this sword art for five to six years, mastering it to perfection. At this moment, he continuously infused his internal spiritual power, unleashing an infinite killing intent!
Powerful spiritual power poured into the short sword. Combined with his physical cultivation speed, his execution of this move far surpassed that of an ordinary fifth-level Meridian Condensation cultivator!
The surrounding collateral disciples seemed to hear the sound of waves!
A massive rock, facing a relentless onslaught of waves, might withstand it for a time, but it would eventually be breached!
This was the profound intent contained within a profound art infinitely close to high-grade Mortal-tier!
"This, this is the Second Elder's lineage's profound art, the Raging Sea Sword Art?"
"Lin Yang seems to be highly valued by Young Master Lin Yao, to have been bestowed the Raging Sea Sword Art!"
"This is a renowned sword art within the clan!"
"It's over, Lin Xuan definitely can't block a fifth-level Meridian Condensation expert who cultivates both spirit and body, unleashing the Raging Sea Sword Art!"
As the saying goes, the eyes of the masses are discerning.
But these collateral disciples, limited by their own insufficient insight and personal biases, were not so.
One moment they would see the might of Fang Ming's Blazing Blade and declare it powerful.
The next, they would see the power of Lin Yang's Raging Sea Sword Art and proclaim it even more formidable.
They couldn't truly discern who was more powerful; they merely continued to express their awe and astonishment!
Their eyes were certainly not discerning; they were completely blind!
"Lin Xuan, you're dead! With the Raging Sea Sword Art unleashed, there's no escape for you!" Lin Yang roared.
Although he lacked confidence, he needed to bolster his own morale!
Because if he himself lacked confidence, he wouldn't be able to seize even a ten percent chance of victory!
In combat, raw strength was one thing, but confidence was another.
Lin Yang understood his probability of winning was less than ten percent, but he couldn't admit defeat. He had to firmly believe in his inevitable victory, because only then could he possibly grasp the opportunity to win!
If he lacked confidence in himself, there would be no point in fighting; he might as well concede defeat.
As his spiritual power surged, in an instant, waves of spiritual power condensed into sea waves were about to cleave Fang Ming down with the sword!
"Your heart is in turmoil, even if you forcefully unleash the sword art, it will be nothing."
Fang Ming saw through Lin Yang's trace of fear towards him at a glance.
Sometimes, those who constantly convince themselves of victory do not truly accept that outcome in their hearts.
Lin Yang believed he could exert two hundred, even three hundred percent of his strength despite the gap in raw power.
But some things cannot be achieved simply by wishing.
For seasoned veterans like Fang Ming, Lin Yang's burst of power was merely a fleeting moment of enthusiasm.
He was just a young man, in a fit of pique, as if he had grasped some profound truth, and then burst forth, thinking himself superior for having "understood" something.
But in reality, he hadn't understood.
This was not true enlightenment.
True enlightenment was the unity of knowledge and action, a result achieved through practice.
Not the so-called "hot-blooded surge."
This kind of enlightenment was not genuine enlightenment.
It was merely a false awakening.
The sword path is one of unwavering progress; if the heart is filled with doubt, apprehension, and fear, defeat is inevitable!
A truly enlightened person, achieving unity of knowledge and action, would naturally be able to act without reservation, forging ahead.
However, this Lin Yang could not achieve it!
Fang Ming saw through the true nature of Lin Yang's burst of power and so-called enlightenment at a glance.
Therefore, he let out a cold laugh, his spiritual acupoints and heart surging, boundless flames appeared, the divine blade's might shook the surroundings, and a terrifying pressure emanated outwards!