Chapter 3 - 358-364

Chapter 358

Upon hearing the innkeeper's words, Chen Fei furrowed his brows. Was the Ruan family's wipeout because of him?

In Chen Fei's mind, he recalled the three people from the Yashan Sect he had encountered outside Shang Wu City, especially Xu Yanxin, who had been wounded by his Godslayer Sword.

Mental injuries, though they might not seem significant, could have a lasting impact on one's future cultivation if not handled properly.

So, did Xu Yanxin hold a grudge and, upon discovering a connection between the Ruan family and Chen Fei, decided to eliminate the Ruan family altogether?

In the eyes of other families in Qinhai City, Chen Fei's relationship with the Ruan family was likely considered very close. Perhaps many members of the Ruan family thought the same.

However, when he encountered the soldiers from the Yashan Sect outside Shang Wu City, they should have known that he was not to be trifled with. Did they really go to such lengths just to settle a score?

It felt like there must be other reasons!

Chen Fei tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and the innkeeper stood by, not daring to breathe loudly. Now that he knew Chen Fei's identity and thought about the Yashan Sect, the innkeeper suddenly felt his luck had taken a turn for the worse.

If the soldiers from the Yashan Sect were to find out that Chen Fei was here and that he had shared information, would he also face retribution from the Yashan Sect, perhaps even dragging his family into the mess?

But when a cultivator at Chen Fei's level asked for information, he had no choice but to provide it. Even if he had recognized Chen Fei's identity from the start, the innkeeper would still have to obediently answer all of Chen Fei's questions. The Yashan Sect was terrifying, but wasn't Chen Fei, a cultivator at the Aperture tempering realm, also terrifying?

Whichever way he looked at it, the outcome seemed the same.

"Where are the members of the Ruan family now?" Chen Fei's fingers tapped lightly as he looked at the innkeeper.

Although the innkeeper tried to maintain a steady demeanor, Chen Fei noticed the fluctuations in his emotions. With a little thought, Chen Fei understood that the innkeeper had probably recognized his identity.

The Ruan family had been targeted because of Chen Fei, and even this shop, along with the family behind it, might not face complete annihilation but would likely suffer significant losses if they were implicated.

"They are being held in the barracks in the south of the city," the innkeeper replied in a hushed voice.

"Are all the members of the Ruan family there?"

"Some were killed on the spot, and the rest are there," the innkeeper shook his head.

Chen Fei's brows furrowed even tighter. When surrounded by a group of soldiers, many inhumane things could happen, and these incidents were seldom investigated. In such situations, it was almost inevitable for the people of the Ruan family to resist.

However, considering the Ruan family's strength, they were decent in Qinhai City, but when facing the Yashan Sect, it was like an ant challenging a cart. Daring to resist would undoubtedly lead to a fate of slaughter, without any surprises.

In the eyes of the Yashan Sect, the targets of their siege, as long as they dared to make a move of resistance, were to be suppressed directly. They wouldn't care about the reasons; they only needed one outcome.

The process didn't matter.

"Very well, here is the payment for the information."

Some silver coins appeared on the table as Chen Fei stood up and gave the innkeeper a glance before disappearing into the courtyard.

The innkeeper stared at the silver coins on the table, feeling as though the money was burning his hands. He remembered the warning look Chen Fei gave him before leaving, making it clear that he should keep any sensitive information to himself.

If news of Chen Fei's presence here reached the Yashan Sect, Chen Fei would place the responsibility for this matter on the innkeeper and, by extension, his family.

The innkeeper wasn't sure whether the Yashan Sect could kill Chen Fei, but in theory, they could, given the numerous cultivators in the Yashan Sect. However, if something went wrong, and Chen Fei remained unharmed, those left behind would be in trouble.

"Innkeeper, that person has left," Lang Jiushan entered the tea room and spoke cautiously.

"Pass the word down: no one is allowed to disclose what happened today to anyone. If I find out that anyone has been spreading gossip, our clan's rules will be enforced. Do you understand?" The innkeeper looked at Lang Jiushan and spoke sternly.

There shouldn't be anyone else who recognized Chen Fei's identity, but the innkeeper wanted to ensure that as few people as possible knew about this incident for their safety.

"Alright, I'll go tell them immediately," Lang Jiushan was startled by the innkeeper's tone and quickly left to deliver the message. The other guards nodded in agreement, not daring to voice any objections.

On the street, Chen Fei's figure flickered like a phantom, and ordinary people couldn't even catch a glimpse of his afterimage.

In just a moment, Chen Fei arrived in the southern part of the city. This area used to be the residence of Qinhai City's soldiers, but now the Yashan Sect had taken over, and the number of people here had naturally increased significantly.

Even before getting close, Chen Fei could sense countless auras intermingled. While it was chaotic, there was also a sense of order within it.

Chen Fei glanced at the sky, and it was getting close to nightfall. Infiltrating a place, the cover of darkness was often the best protection.

Especially in crowded areas like this, the night could disrupt the sight of many, even soldiers skilled in martial arts.

Chen Fei stood in the shadows, his presence completely concealed, as if he had vanished. If it weren't for witnessing it firsthand, it would be hard to imagine that there was still a person standing there.

Time passed, and the sky gradually darkened, and night fell completely. From the darkness, a figure emerged from Chen Fei's position, moving stealthily and disappearing into the night.

The Yashan Army was founded by the Yashan Sect, known for its strict military discipline, different from typical rebel groups. Even at night and within the city, there were soldiers on guard duty, and there was no room for laxity.

Chen Fei's doppelganger moved like a wraith, flashing through various positions within sight, easily bypassing all checkpoints. In just a short time, he reached deep within the military camp.

Here, the auras in the surroundings had become much deeper, and many of them had the cultivation of the Visceral tempering realm. At the same time, within the main camp ahead, Chen Fei sensed the auras of two individuals in the Aperture tempering realm.

One was in the middle stage, and the other in the early stage. As for the other Aperture tempering realm experts of the Yashan Army, they were inside the city lord's residence in Qinhai City.

Chen Fei's doppelganger avoided the main camp and began searching for the location where the members of the Ruan family were being held.

Chen Fei could leave behind the other members of the Ruan family, but Ruan Qiaojun, Chu Wennian, and Chu Lan were the three he must rescue.

After walking around inside the camp, Chen Fei's footsteps paused slightly as he finally sensed a different aura. Beneath Chen Fei's feet, a hollow space housed several individuals.

Inside the water prison.

Chu Wennian had a pale complexion, breathing as if on the brink of death.

In the beginning, to protect Chu Lan from being violated by the soldiers of the Yashan Army, Chu Wennian had risked his life to protect her. Chu Wennian dared not attack the Yashan Army; otherwise, he would face countless blades.

In that case, not only would he die, but Chu Lan would also meet the same fate.

So, Chu Wennian just clung to Chu Lan desperately, blocking all the attacks from the Yashan Army. Although Chu Wennian's cultivation was decent, he was already old and unable to fight back. He could only passively endure the attacks, which he couldn't withstand for long.

In the end, Chu Lan had to cut her own cheek with a knife to disfigure herself. Only then did the soldiers feel disgusted and stop.

Chu Wennian and Chu Lan both managed to save their lives, but Chu Wennian's injuries were severe, to the point where he couldn't recover on his own. In this damp and cold cell, an ordinary person would lose half their life just by entering.

With his heavily injured body, Chu Wennian had managed to hold on for these days largely because of his foundational cultivation. However, his endurance had reached its limit.

The only thing Chu Wennian was reluctant to leave behind was his granddaughter. In this environment, if he were to die, it would be a tremendous blow to Chu Lan. She would likely be unable to accept such an outcome, and in this harsh environment, she would eventually follow in his footsteps.

This was a scene that Chu Wennian absolutely did not want to see. He would rather die himself than have Chu Lan suffer.

*

*Cough, cough, cough!

Chu Wennian coughed violently, as if he were about to cough out his own lungs. Blood flecks appeared at the corners of his mouth. By the end of his coughing fit, Chu Wennian didn't even have the strength to cough forcefully; all that remained were the constant vibrations in his throat.

"Grandfather, are you okay?"

Chu Lan's teary eyes glistened. After so many days, her tears had almost dried up, but whenever she saw her grandfather like this, it felt like a sharp knife piercing her heart, continuously stirring her emotions.

This was her closest family member, but now, Chu Lan had no way to save Chu Wennian. In this water prison, many members of the Ruan family had already succumbed silently, unable to endure any longer.

Chu Wennian seemed to be next.

*

*Thump, thump, thump!

Yan Shiguang stomped forcefully on the cell floor, creating a loud noise that echoed around. The people in the cell below were disoriented by the intense vibrations.

"Old man, all you do is cough all day long. Why don't you just die from it? If I hear you cough one more time, I'll stab you to death right away!"

Yan Shiguang looked down at Chu Wennian with a malicious expression from his high vantage point. He glanced at Chu Lan, and a hint of desire flashed in his eyes. However, when he noticed the massive scar on Chu Lan's face, he couldn't help but sneer in disdain.

Chu Wennian tightly sealed his lips, his chest heaving as he suppressed all the coughs deep in his throat. He could see the murderous intent in Yan Shiguang's eyes, and he knew that this man was capable of killing.

For Chu Lan's sake, Chu Wennian was determined to endure.

Chu Wennian held one hope in his heart, and that hope was Chen Fei. Even though it had been three years since Chen Fei had last appeared, in this dire situation, Chu Wennian's only remaining hope was Chen Fei.

As long as Chen Fei showed up, he could save Chu Lan.

Chu Wennian didn't care about himself; he only wanted Chu Lan to be safe. If Chu Lan was safe, Chu Wennian wouldn't hesitate to die now.

Sensing Yan Shiguang's gaze, Chu Lan shivered and clung tightly to Chu Wennian's arm.

"Brother Chen, where are you?" Chu Lan murmured quietly, her words meant for her ears only.

Yan Shiguang, seeing Chu Wennian and Chu Lan in their vulnerable state, smiled triumphantly. Just as he was about to shout and raise the alarm, he suddenly noticed a figure appearing in front of him.

Yan Shiguang initially thought it was one of his comrades, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was a completely unfamiliar face.

His eyes widened, and he was about to shout for help when he suddenly felt a numbness in his neck. The world spun, and then he saw a familiar body.

But why was there no head attached to that body?

Chapter 359: Crushing

"Bang!"

A body slammed onto the ground, emitting a muffled sound that sent shivers through the hearts of those in the water prison. They thought Yan Shiguang was about to berate them again. However, after a brief moment, the sounds of cruelty did not resurface. Instead, a scent of blood began to fill the air.

Everyone instinctively raised their heads to see that Yan Shiguang, who had been arrogant just moments ago, had already become lifeless. Standing beside his lifeless body was a figure.

The water prison was lit by only a few torches, casting a dim light. Viewing from below, they couldn't clearly discern the exact features of this figure.

However, for some inexplicable reason, they felt that this figure seemed familiar, as if they had seen him somewhere before. But for the life of them, they couldn't recall where.

Chu Lan stared blankly at the person above, her eyes slowly filling with tears. Others might not recognize Chen Fei, but for the person she had yearned for day and night, how could she not recognize him?

"Brother Chen, you're here!" Chu Lan's voice was hoarse, barely audible. However, Chen Fei on top of the water prison heard her voice and looked down at her. The bright light in Chen Fei's eyes caused Chu Lan's tears to flow uncontrollably down her face.

Chu Wennian struggled to lift his head and also recognized Chen Fei. There was a brilliant gleam in his eyes. Were they saved? Were they finally going to be rescued?

Chu Lan didn't have to die here. She was still so young. She didn't have to die here!

"Splash!"

Chen Fei extended his right hand forward, and the iron grille was lifted open with ease. A gentle force supported Chu Lan and Chu Wennian, bringing them up to the surface of the water prison.

Chen Fei pointed his finger forward, infusing elemental energy into Chu Wennian's body, stabilizing his barely hanging-on breath. If Chen Fei had come a day or two later, no matter how strong Chu Wennian's willpower was, he wouldn't have been able to hold on any longer.

Chu Wennian's pale face gradually improved, and his rapid breathing began to calm down. Chu Lan, seeing her grandfather's condition, was filled with joy.

Her grandfather wouldn't leave her anymore, and she wouldn't have to live alone in this world.

Chu Lan looked up at Chen Fei, and their eyes met. Chu Lan was about to smile, but suddenly she remembered her own cheek, and her head drooped.

When Chu Lan had cut her own cheek with that knife, she had used real force. At that moment, there was no time to think about how severe the scar would be; it was done solely to save Chu Wennian and herself, without any other considerations.

But now, standing in front of Chen Fei, Chu Lan thought of the scar on her cheek, and her heart was filled with sadness.

"It's alright, wounds can be healed, and scars like this can also be smoothed out," Chen Fei said softly.

"Senior Chen, we are also from the Ruan family. Can you please rescue us as well?" a voice came from below the water prison.

If, a moment ago, they couldn't recognize Chen Fei's identity, upon seeing Chu Lan and Chu Wennian being pulled up first and thinking it over, they immediately guessed Chen Fei's identity.

At this moment, the only person daring to come to the water prison, apart from Chen Fei, who was in the Aperture tempering realm, seemed to be no one else. After all, the other Aperture tempering realm cultivators the Ruan family knew wouldn't have ventured here for them, risking so much.

And Chen Fei, back then, had escorted Ruan Qiaojun and the other two back to Qinhai City. Their relationship was definitely not ordinary.

"Outside is the military camp, and if you leave like this, you're very likely to die," Chen Fei whispered.

The Ruan family members, who had already shown signs of relief, turned deathly pale upon hearing this. The combination of the Yashan Army and the original Qinhai City soldiers made for a large force. While those in the Aperture tempering realm might not fear ordinary soldiers, they could be detained by other Aperture tempering realm cultivators, making it impossible to protect so many members of the Ruan family if they left. Leaving meant being prepared to be shot on the spot.

Surviving in the water prison was one thing, but if there was a prison break, there was also the question of whether the remaining prisoners would be killed in retaliation. Outside, with luck, they might escape with their lives, but with bad luck, they could be shot dead.

"Senior Chen, I want to go out, please take me with you!" someone said loudly. Faced with the choice of certain death or taking a chance, they chose the latter.

"And me, please, Senior Chen, have mercy!" Most of the Ruan family members raised their hands, while a few remained silent.

"Alright!"

Chen Fei did not refuse. With a wave of his right hand, everyone who wanted to leave was brought up to the surface of the water prison. They didn't make a fuss; instead, they waited quietly for Chen Fei's instructions.

"What about Ruan Qiaojun? Why isn't she here?" Chen Fei turned to look at Chu Wennian.

Most of the Ruan family members whom Chen Fei vaguely remembered were here, but strangely, Ruan Qiaojun, as the family head, was not among them.

"The family head was captured by a Yashan Army cultivator on the same day and was not detained with us," Chu Wennian said weakly.

Solitary confinement?

Chen Fei's brows furrowed slightly as he entertained a few thoughts. Without speaking, he looked at the Ruan family members in front of him and said, "I will temporarily place you outside the city, and what to do next will be your own decision."

After Chen Fei finished speaking, he used his elemental energy to lift the dozens of people in front of him and disappeared within the water prison.

Seeing Chen Fei and the other Ruan family members disappear, the few who remained behind suddenly became panicked. Earlier, they had hesitated and hesitated, but now that they were the only ones left, they regretted their decision.

"Senior Chen, Senior Chen, 1 also want to go, Senior Chen!" someone shouted loudly, but there was only a muffled echo resounding within the water prison.

Chen Fei had already left, and even if they regretted their decision now, it was too late.

On the ground, Chen Fei carried dozens of people and rushed toward the exit of the military camp. Along the way, he killed the patrolling soldiers one by one. However, soon the unusual situation here alerted other patrolmen.

This was different from when Chen Fei had infiltrated alone; after all, the number of people he was carrying was too large to remain concealed. It was better to quickly break out of here, as it was impossible to hide such a large group. The alarm rang out throughout the military camp, and soldiers began to converge on the scene. Meanwhile, two Aperture tempering realm cultivators from the main camp had already rushed over to intercept them.

Having someone infiltrate unnoticed was already embarrassing enough for them; if they were allowed to escape from prison like this, the face of the Yashan Army would be completely lost.

"Who are you? Stay there!" Ji Zhuowen shouted angrily, his figure flickering as he chased after Chen Fei, while soldiers around him began to form a defensive formation.

Formation is the only possible way for cultivators below the Body Refining Realm to overcome those above it. While Aperture tempering realm cultivators are much stronger than those in the Body Refining Realm, if they are trapped in a formation, they cannot escape and will ultimately be exhausted to death.

At this moment, the soldiers surrounding Chen Fei were still some distance away from him. Ji Zhuowen's goal was to temporarily stop them, allowing the formation to naturally trap Chen Fei in place. At that point, they would decide whether to execute him on the spot or capture him alive.

Behind Ji Zhuowen, Cheng Hengzhong closely followed, transmitting the situation here to the City Lord's Mansion through a spiritual device.

"I just want to take a few people with me."

Because he was carrying dozens of Ruan family members, Chen Fei's speed couldn't reach its normal level. Ji Zhuowen, a mid-level Aperture tempering realm cultivator, was catching up at an incredibly fast pace. In a moment, he would be right behind Chen Fei.

"Take people with you? Do you think this place is somewhere you can come and go as you please?"

Ji Zhuowen laughed loudly, mocking Chen Fei, and said sternly, "Now, not only them but even you should stay here obediently."

All the Ruan family members felt a chill in their hearts. Ji Zhuowen didn't bother hiding his murderous intent in his words. Once intercepted, all of them would die, and there was no other possibility.

Clutching her grandfather's arm tightly, Chu Lan looked worried. Chu Wennian remained silent as he gazed at Chen Fei. At this moment, all they could do was trust Chen Fei.

In an instant, they crossed several hundred meters, and Ji Zhuowen caught up with Chen Fei about a hundred meters away. A long bow appeared in Ji Zhuowen's hand, and he nocked an arrow, causing the surrounding elemental energy to ripple. The arrow shot towards Chen Fei's back at an astonishing speed.

Ji Zhuowen didn't expect this arrow to actually harm Chen Fei. He just wanted to disrupt Chen Fei's movements, whether through a counterattack or evasion, to slow him down. This way, he could catch up to Chen Fei more quickly.

Once the other soldiers closed in, even if Chen Fei had wings, there would be no escape from this military camp.

"Boom!"

A figure appeared in front of the arrow, shattering it in mid-air. It was Chen Fei's true self. Meanwhile, his clone continued to rush towards the outskirts of the camp with the Ruan family members.

Seeing Chen Fei suddenly appear, Ji Zhuowen furrowed his brows. He looked at the two nearly identical figures and couldn't tell which one was the real Chen Fei and which one was the clone.

"Junior Brother Cheng, I'll stop him. You go after the Ruan family!" Ji Zhuowen spoke in a deep voice. If he couldn't distinguish between the real and the clone, he decided to deal with both.

"Alright, Senior Brother, be careful!" Cheng Hengzhong responded and attempted to bypass Chen Fei to continue pursuing the Ruan family.

"Whoosh!"

The sound of breaking through the air was sharp and loud. Chen Fei suddenly appeared in front of Cheng Hengzhong, and with a slight flick of his wrist, the Qianyuan Sword was already slashing toward Cheng Hengzhong.

Cheng Hengzhong was about to draw his sword when he suddenly felt an astonishing pressure bearing down on him. It was as if he were facing a towering giant, and a sense of horror overwhelmed him. In this moment, Cheng Hengzhong lost the courage to even draw his sword and stood there helplessly, awaiting his fate.

"Ah!"

Cheng Hengzhong let out a furious roar, forcibly pulling himself out of that fearful state of mind. Engaging in a direct confrontation was entirely impossible; the opponent's strength far exceeded his own. The mere presence of the opponent's overwhelming aura had him cornered.

At this point, Cheng Hengzhong's only option was self-preservation. Faced with Chen Fei's sword, he needed to protect his own life.

His sword form took on a circular shape as Cheng Hengzhong instantly guided his elemental energy along specific pathways, making his entire body's strength form a cohesive and round defense. The sword he wielded covered every inch of his body, creating a protective shield.

This technique, known as "Mountain-Sealing Sword," was a well-known defensive move of the Yashan Sect. It allowed Cheng Hengzhong to channel his entire strength for defense rather than offense.

Cheng Hengzhong had used this technique before to withstand attacks from multiple cultivators in the Aperture tempering realm. It was nearly impenetrable at the early-stage Aperture tempering realm and could even help him retreat relatively unharmed when facing mid-stage Aperture tempering realm opponents.

"Clang!"

Chen Fei's Qianyuan Sword clashed against Cheng Hengzhong's spirit sword, and the sound of twisted metal was ear-piercing. Cheng Hengzhong's expression changed drastically as the Mountain-Sealing Sword, which had always provided him with complete protection, was now being crushed under tremendous force..

Chapter 360: Sealing the Sea with a Single Sword

"Boom!"

The sound of the explosion echoed through the military camp as Cheng Hengzhong was sent flying, crashing through several buildings before embedding himself into a courtyard wall. Blood streamed from his mouth and nose.

With a single sword strike, he was severely wounded and on the brink of death.

Feeling Cheng Hengzhong's rapidly declining aura, the nearby Visceral Tempering realm generals couldn't help but hesitate in their footsteps. What kind of power was this? It had incapacitated Cheng Hengzhong with a single move.

And judging by the speed of Cheng Hengzhong's weakening aura, without immediate treatment, he might die shortly.

Ji Zhuowen's eyes widened slowly. Chen Fei's display of combat skill had already astounded him earlier. However, before he could even alert Cheng Hengzhong, Chen Fei's sword had already struck.

This one strike had thoroughly terrified Ji Zhuowen.

Under the Mountain-Sealing Sword technique, Cheng Hengzhong had been pushed to the brink of death. Within the Yashan Sect, no one could achieve such a feat, and Ji Zhuowen was no exception.

This level of brute force, bordering on the irrational, shouldn't occur at the mid-stage aperture tempering realm.

Indeed, when Chen Fei had truly gone all out, Ji Zhuowen realized the true extent of Chen Fei's power. At the mid-stage aperture tempering realm, his cultivation was on par with Ji Zhuowen's, but Chen Fei's displayed strength far surpassed his own.

It had reached a level that Ji Zhuowen couldn't even aspire to.

Chen Fei turned his gaze towards Ji Zhuowen, causing the latter's complexion to change. At this moment, the soldiers in the vicinity had not yet closed in, and their formation had not been established.

Having witnessed the sharpness of Chen Fei's previous sword strike, Ji Zhuowen, now facing Chen Fei alone, although reluctant to admit it, was indeed feeling somewhat afraid.

As for the harsh words he had just uttered, Ji Zhuowen had completely forgotten about them at this moment.

Observing Ji Zhuowen's slightly fearful expression, Chen Fei remained silent, turned, and hurried towards the outside of the military camp. Ji Zhuowen swallowed hard, standing still and not making a move.

Suddenly, several Aperture tempering realm auras appeared within Ji Zhuowen's perception, coming from the direction of the city lord's mansion. Judging by the positions of these auras, they were surprisingly close to this location now.

"Senior Brother Ji, have you captured the jailbreakers?" Xu Yanxin's voice came from afar, filled with excitement.

Ji Zhuowen opened his mouth but didn't know how to reply, keeping his eyes on Chen Fei's retreating figure. With the combat skills that Chen Fei had displayed, he realized that trying to stop him was virtually impossible.

However, not far away, there was a figure dragging dozens of members from the Ruan family, and Ji Zhuowen believed he could intercept them. If he could block these dozens of people, Chen Fei would either have to escape on his own or be forced to engage with him.

"Brother Ji, don't let them get away," a voice from the distance seemed to sense Ji Zhuowen's hesitation. Upon hearing this newcomer's voice, Ji Zhuowen hesitated for a moment and then rapidly fired a dozen arrows from his longbow.

Like meteors, they sharply flew toward the Ruan family members.

Simultaneously, Ji Zhuowen's figure flashed, rushing forward. Several fellow sect members were already nearby. While Chen Fei's previous sword strike had shown immense strength, with some careful strategy and brief entanglement, Ji Zhuowen still had some confidence.

When everyone converged on him, Chen Fei wouldn't be able to escape, even if he had three heads and six arms.

The black sword pearl gleamed as it shattered the arrows in mid-air. Chen Fei turned to look at Ji Zhuowen, who was charging towards him, squinting his eyes slightly.

Did they really have to force him to kill?

Chen Fei naturally sensed the Aperture tempering realm auras not far away. However, there was no aura of the late Aperture tempering realm among them, but there were two at the mid-stage Aperture tempering realm.

"Leave those people behind, or no one will be able to leave here!" Ji Zhuowen shouted sternly as he stared at Chen Fei.

The Ruan family members around Chen Fei had already shown relief on their faces, but with Ji Zhuowen's words and the intentionally displayed Aperture tempering realm auras in the distance, their hopes were dashed.

Facing so many Aperture tempering realm cultivators, it was a case of being outnumbered and outgunned. It seemed inevitable for Chen Fei to abandon them, or else he would risk getting himself killed.

The Ruan family members had never hoped that an Aperture tempering realm cultivator would sacrifice himself to save them. It was an unrealistic expectation. If they were in Chen Fei's shoes, they wouldn't be able to do such a thing either.

A bitter expression covered Chu Wennian's face. He had initially thought that they could escape and both he and his granddaughter would survive. He didn't expect this to be the outcome in the end.

Why was life so bitter?

"Are you suggesting that you're tired of living?" Chen Fei's main self looked at Ji Zhuowen and said coldly.

"Even though you're strong, there are more than just the two of us here."

Ji Zhuowen listened to Chen Fei's words, and a hint of anger flashed in his eyes as he sneered. If it were just him alone, he wouldn't dare to stop Chen Fei in the slightest, as was evident from what happened earlier.

But now, his fellow disciples were coming from afar, and they were only here to block Chen Fei for a moment.

"Is that so?"

As Chen Fei's words fell, he activated his Soaring Heaven Technique to the extreme, and his figure suddenly disappeared, as if he had teleported, appearing right in front of Ji Zhuowen.

Seeing Chen Fei's figure disappear, Ji Zhuowen's heart trembled. With his vision, all he could see was a blurred figure approaching. This kind of speed, even stronger than what Chen Fei had shown earlier, was what Chen Fei should have in terms of speed. However, how could there be such speed in the mid-stage Aperture tempering realm? Just like the strength Chen Fei displayed earlier, it was difficult to imagine in the mid-stage Aperture tempering realm.

With this kind of speed, this kind of strength, Ji Zhuowen couldn't help but doubt if Chen Fei was a late Aperture tempering realm powerhouse.

Ji Zhuowen's original plan was to engage in a protracted battle, using distance to entangle Chen Fei and prevent him from escaping at full speed. However, upon seeing Chen Fei's current speed, the idea of distance became a joke, and entanglement also became a joke.

Seal the Sea with a Sword!

Ji Zhuowen took a deep breath, and his entire body's essence surged, flowing endlessly within his body. It was somewhat similar to the technique used by Cheng Hengzhong earlier, but evidently more refined.

Sea-Sealing Sword was an advanced cultivation technique built upon the foundation of Mountain-Sealing Sword, taking it one step further. The final move in this technique was called "Sky-Sealing Sword."

Seal the Sky with a Sword. What an audacious idea! But if one could truly master it, the defensive power it possessed would be unparalleled.

Not only did this technique excel in defense, but it also had exceptional offensive power when used to the fullest.

Chen Fei had a similar concept in his Starry Night Sword and Thorn Sword techniques when he practiced them in the Body Refining Realm. Of course, compared to these three sword techniques of the Yashan Sect, there was no doubt a significant gap, and they couldn't be compared on many levels.

As Ji Zhuowen's sword technique unfolded, a tremendous aura like surging waves spread out. Ji Zhuowen's expression became solemn, and the surrounding elemental energy fluctuated. A tremendous force surged continuously, like a turbulent wave.

Chen Fei's hair flew backward as he disregarded the oppressive pressure, and he thrust his Qianyuan Sword forward.

It felt like piercing into thick, dense seawater, and the tremendous force was involuntarily reduced as the sword tip went deeper. The deeper the sword tip penetrated, the more pronounced this sensation became.

"Roar!"

A sound resembling the roar of a dragon and an elephant burst from within Chen Fei's body. The sword element wall blocking in front of Chen Fei immediately fluctuated, forcefully pushed aside by an immense force.

Ji Zhuowen's eyes widened slowly, and his elemental energy continued to boil. The veins on his forehead were on the verge of bursting as he struggled to dissipate the tremendous force on the Qianyuan Sword.

However, no matter how hard Ji Zhuowen tried, he could only watch helplessly as the sword tip of the Qianyuan Sword pierced inward. The black ripples on the Qianyuan Sword seemed to contain a raging and immense power.

In the face of this power, the Sea-Sealing Sword technique had become almost laughable.

Unstoppable and powerless to resist.

"Boom!"

The Sea-Sealing Sword was completely shattered, and Ji Zhuowen spewed out a mist of blood into the air. His face turned pale, and his elemental energy went into instant turmoil and lost control. Ji Zhuowen felt every bone and muscle in his body being continuously crushed by an overwhelming force.

He wanted to adjust, but he didn't know where to begin. At this moment, Ji Zhuowen lost all his power to resist.

Terror filled Ji Zhuowen's eyes. He knew he was not as strong as Chen Fei, and he had considered that he might fall into a disadvantage within a few moves. However, Ji Zhuowen had never imagined that after using the Sea-Sealing Sword, he would be defeated in a single move.

This was the proud heritage of the Yashan Sect's cultivation techniques, but now, in front of Chen Fei, it seemed like a joke.

Vulnerable to a single blow!

"Stop!"

An urgent shout came from a distance. Chen Fei turned to look and found it was Liang Zhongpu, the elder of the Yashan Sect whom he had a chance encounter with outside Shang Wu City.

And beside Liang Zhongpu, apart from Xu Yanxin, there was someone unexpected – Hong Yuanfeng from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect.

In Apricot Fen City, this elder from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect had shown a hint of killing intent towards Chen Fei. Unexpectedly, they would meet again in Qinhai City today.

Chen Fei's expression suddenly changed slightly as he connected the dots with the information he had gathered today. He suddenly realized that this was a trap set by Hong Yuanfeng in collusion with the Yashan Sect, using the Ruans as bait to lure him out.

It would be best if Chen Fei appeared himself. Even if he didn't, they wouldn't suffer any losses. This seemed more like a spontaneous decision by Hong Yuanfeng, a temporary trap.

As for why the Yashan Sect was willing to cooperate, with the personal persuasion of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect elder, they naturally had to give face. Besides, there had been some grievances between Chen Fei and the Yashan Sect back when they were outside Shang Wu City.

A well-coordinated plan!

Chen Fei's identity, when connected with the information available in Qinhai City, could lead to a reasonable deduction.

This was a scheme specifically targeting Chen Fei. The Ruans were lured into this because of their acquaintance with Chen Fei, turning them into bait.

Was it unfair? Certainly. But in this world, sometimes things didn't make sense.

Strength was the only way to avoid such situations and overcome them.

"Brother Ji is a friend of our Immortal Cloud Sword Sect. Chen Fei, don't make a mistake!" Hong Yuanfeng threatened with a cold and stern expression as he saw the situation unfold.

The Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, despite the complex situation surrounding Immortal Cloud City, was still one of the top three sects. A junior like Primordial Sword Sect is just a member of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect's alliance. How could he dare to rebel?

A faint smile appeared on Chen Fei's face, a feeling reminiscent of when he killed Hong Yuanfeng's disciple Shen Dingyan years ago. However, back then, Chen Fei was powerless to resist. But now, Hong Yuanfeng's cultivation remained the same, while Chen Fei had already advanced from the bone tempering realm to the mid-stage aperture tempering realm.

"Tsk!"

The Qianyuan Sword flipped in the air, and in Ji Zhuowen's horrified gaze, it swept across his neck, blood splattering..

Chapter 361: Pursuit

Liang Zhongpu's eyes widened involuntarily, the corners almost splitting. While the Yashan Sect was considered a major sect in the vicinity, it didn't boast an abundance of Aperture tempering realm cultivators, nor did it have any late Aperture tempering realm powerhouses.

For the Yashan Sect, a cultivator in the early Aperture tempering realm was a precious combat asset, let alone someone in the mid Aperture tempering realm. Within the entire sect, there were only three cultivators at the mid Aperture tempering realm.

Not too long ago, during the siege of Shang Wu City, one of them had been injured and was currently recuperating in the City Lord's Mansion.

And now, Ji Zhuowen had been killed before Liang Zhongpu's very eyes, leaving him struggling to accept this reality.

Hong Yuanfeng's eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze turned cold as he looked at Chen Fei.

Killing someone right in front of him, was Chen Fei planning for a life-or-death showdown? In Hong Yuanfeng's view, even if the fish died, the net would remain intact.

Chen Fei didn't say a word. He glanced at Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng, retrieved the spiritual weapon from Ji Zhuowen's hand, and then with a swift movement, dashed toward the outskirts of the city.

This was a military camp, and soldiers were gradually closing in. If he were completely surrounded, it would put him in a very unfavorable position.

"Stop, you thief!"

Liang Zhongpu roared in anger, his figure flashing as he pursued Chen Fei. Was he planning to kill a member of the Yashan Sect and just leave like this?

Hong Yuanfeng remained silent and followed behind Liang Zhongpu. Today, Chen Fei had to die.

Ji Zhuowen's killing took Hong Yuanfeng by surprise. Chen Fei's strength exceeded Hong Yuanfeng's expectations. After all, he was a genuine mid Aperture tempering realm cultivator. Although Ji Zhuowen had recently broken through to the mid Aperture tempering realm, the realm was there.

Chen Fei had just recently broken through to the Aperture tempering realm, so how could he kill a mid-aperture tempering realm cultivator? If he continued to grow like this, what heights could he reach?

If Chen Fei managed to escape today and took refuge in the Primordial Sword Sect, Hong Yuanfeng wouldn't have a chance to take action against him. Informing the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect about the threat posed by Chen Fei was also not a feasible option. Currently, the greatest threats to the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect were the Divine Flame Sect and the seemingly neutral Yu family.

Attacking the Primordial Sword Sect was out of the question since Chen Fei had killed someone from the Yashan Sect, and the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect had suffered no losses. In the eyes of the high-ranking members of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, Chen Fei's mid Aperture tempering realm cultivation and strength were not significant.

What the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect lacked were combined aperture tempering realm cultivators; they had no shortage of mid aperture tempering realm cultivators, and they even had several peak aperture tempering realm powerhouses.

To put it bluntly, a peak aperture tempering realm cultivator, if handled properly, could gradually wear down the entire Primordial Sword Sect without suffering any damage themselves. This was their confidence.

Therefore, Hong Yuanfeng had to kill Chen Fei today. Otherwise, he would have to watch Chen Fei grow stronger without any good solutions. If Chen Fei reached the late Aperture tempering realm someday, Hong Yuanfeng would have to be careful about his own safety. After all, in the eyes of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, as long as the Primordial Sword Sect didn't make any major mistakes, they were tolerable.

Hong Yuanfeng's personal interests were not the same as the overall interests of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect. Unless the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect found out that Chen Fei had killed someone from their sect, there was no real reason for them to take action.

Hong Yuanfeng couldn't allow Chen Fei to pose a constant threat by staying by his side. He seized the opportunity today, while they were in Qinhai City, to silently kill Chen Fei without anyone noticing.

By doing so, the Primordial Sword Sect wouldn't be able to find any evidence, and the alliance with the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect wouldn't be significantly affected. Plus, he could completely eliminate this hidden danger.

Otherwise, Hong Yuanfeng wouldn't be able to sleep and eat in peace!

Xu Yanxin approached the injured Cheng Hengzhong and saw that he had already been taken away by other soldiers for treatment, temporarily out of immediate danger. His heart eased slightly.

However, the extent of Cheng Hengzhong's injuries left Xu Yanxin somewhat chilled. He wasn't aware of how Chen Fei had managed to inflict such damage on Cheng Hengzhong in just a few moves, but they had received the message from the City Lord's Mansion and arrived shortly after. The time they spent getting here was extremely short.

Yet in this brief time frame, Chen Fei had not only severely injured Cheng Hengzhong but also killed Ji Zhuowen in front of them.

This level of combat prowess was simply unimaginable for an ordinary mid Aperture tempering realm cultivator.

Thinking about Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng, who were currently chasing after Chen Fei, Xu Yanxin hesitated for a moment before gritting his teeth and following suit. While Chen Fei was strong, Liang Zhongpu was no weakling. He was at least much stronger than Ji Zhuowen, who was also in the mid Aperture tempering realm.

And then there was Hong Yuanfeng, a master who inherited the top techniques of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect. He was already much stronger than an average mid Aperture tempering realm cultivator.

Together, they would surely be able to capture Chen Fei.

After all, based on the information they received, Chen Fei had only recently broken through to the Aperture tempering realm, roughly three years ago. For many cultivators at this stage, that time would be barely enough to stabilize their cultivation and open one or two additional acupoints.

Chen Fei's current displayed strength had far exceeded this category, reaching the level of the mid Aperture tempering realm. However, it was likely that this was already his limit.

Facing the combined assault from Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng, Xu Yanxin didn't believe that Chen Fei could create any further waves.

Xu Yanxin thought this way, and Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng shared the same sentiment. Achieving the mid Aperture tempering realm within three years was already quite astonishing, and during this time, other aspects of cultivation were likely to be comparatively weaker.

Of course, this talent was still terrifying. Given enough time to grow, who knew how far Chen Fei could progress.

Now that both sides were mortal enemies, there was no possibility of reconciliation. In that case, they had to take advantage of the fact that Chen Fei hadn't become stronger yet and eliminate him here.

Otherwise, Chen Fei would not only be a threat to Hong Yuanfeng but also a major concern for the entire Yashan Army.

Chen Fei's main body transformed into a phantom and, with a few leaps, landed outside the city walls. Upon reaching this point, Chen Fei didn't stop but continued running forward.

Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng also leaped over the city walls, closely following behind Chen Fei to ensure he didn't leave their sight.

After a moment, Xu Yanxin finally landed outside the city walls. He looked at the three figures in the distance, now reduced to mere specks. Seeing that Chen Fei was still running, Xu Yanxin felt more at ease. Apparently, Chen Fei was concerned about not being able to defeat the two of them, which was why he was fleeing.

At this moment, inside Qinhai City, Chen Fei's clone, along with several members of the Ruan family, leaped out from another section of the city walls and eventually came to a stop in a mountain valley.

This location was more than ten miles away from Qinhai City, with no obstructed visibility between them and the city. If anyone were to chase them, they would be easily spotted.

"Big Brother Chen, are you a clone?" Chu Lan cautiously asked, and the other members of the Ruan family also looked at Chen Fei.

Just moments ago, things happened so quickly in the military camp that they were caught off guard. However, they more or less understood the situation. The person before them and the one who appeared later both seemed to be Chen Fei.

Such lifelike appearances, almost like real people, were beyond imagination in the world of martial arts and filled them with awe. Unfortunately, those who could truly touch this realm were always a tiny minority among the few.

"Yes, the main body has lured them away," Chen Fei nodded.

ii

Is it dangerous?" Chu Lan asked nervously. In her impression, there were many mid Aperture tempering realm cultivators in the Yashan Sect, while Chen Fei was a newly promoted mid Aperture tempering realm cultivator in the Primordial Sword Sect.

Chu Lan's cultivation level was not high, but she still had some knowledge of cultivation. Compared to those mid Aperture tempering realm cultivators who had practiced for many years, Chen Fei was expected to have a significant gap in strength.

"It's alright," Chen Fei reassured her, ruffling Chu Lan's hair and smiling.

Dozens of miles away, Chen Fei's main body ran into a dense forest and stopped on a rock, turning to look back. If Chen Fei wanted to, with his perfected Soaring Heaven Technique, Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng wouldn't be able to catch up to him at all.

Chen Fei had been keeping Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng hanging by a thread earlier for a simple reason: he intended to leave them stranded here forever.

In the military camp just now, anyone who had seen Chen Fei was already killed by him. Today, as long as he killed Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng here, then returned to kill all the mid Aperture tempering realm cultivators in the Yashan Army, this matter would be considered resolved.

Just as Hong Yuanfeng dared to set a trap and try to kill Chen Fei in Qinhai City, it was because this place was too far from Immortal Cloud City. Many things were difficult to convey to Immortal Cloud City as long as the general situation was neatly resolved from start to finish.

When Liang Zhongpu saw Chen Fei come to a stop ahead, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he became cautious. However, when he glanced at Hong Yuanfeng beside him, Liang Zhongpu relaxed a bit.

The Immortal Cloud Sword Sect's influence extended for thousands of miles, and having cultivators in the combined aperture tempering realm was a key factor. However, the cultivators in the aperture tempering realm from within their sect were also stronger than those in most other sects of the same level.

This was due to the inherent advantages in their cultivation techniques, which were difficult for other sects to match. This advantage became even more pronounced in the late aperture tempering realm.

"Not running anymore?" Hong Yuanfeng looked at Chen Fei and taunted.

Based on Chen Fei's displayed agility earlier, Hong Yuanfeng was genuinely concerned that Chen Fei might keep running, and if something unexpected happened in the process, they might lose track of him. Now that Chen Fei dared to stop and confront them, while Hong Yuanfeng had a cold smile in his heart, he also felt somewhat relieved.

As for the possibility of Chen Fei counterattacking them? Did he think all those years of his cultivation were for nothing? Moreover, Liang Zhongpu, who was standing beside Hong Yuanfeng, had also been in the mid aperture tempering realm for many years.

With the combined strength of both of them, could they not handle one Chen Fei?

"This distance is far enough!" Chen Fei said, looking at Hong Yuanfeng. The surrounding spiritual energy trembled, and a black sword formation descended from the sky, exuding immense pressure in all directions, shrouding the two of them.

"The Zhongyuan Sword Formation? I've been wanting to experience it!" Liang Zhongpu shouted, and a sword shadow soared into the sky. Within the sword shadow, waves surged, and it was none other than the Sea-Sealing Sword. Compared to the one displayed by Ji Zhuowen earlier, Liang Zhongpu's Sea-Sealing Sword had an even more imposing aura.

The surging waves crashed against the shore, as if there were indeed a vast sea, sealed within it by Liang Zhongpu, and crashing towards the Zhongyuan Sword Formation.

Hong Yuanfeng took a step forward with his left foot, preparing to charge at Chen Fei with force, but suddenly, his expression froze, and he looked up above.

In Hong Yuanfeng's expectations, the Zhongyuan Sword Formation, which should have been blocked by Liang Zhongpu's Sea-Sealing Sword, was now rapidly overpowering Liang Zhongpu's sword shadows. In the next moment, the black sword formation covered all directions.

Liang Zhongpu's face turned slightly pale, his breath became disordered, but what was even more chaotic than his breath was Liang Zhongpu's state of mind.

The Sea-Sealing Sword was used for both defense and offense. Even though the head-on attack just now wasn't the most potent state of the Sea-Sealing Sword, it was still difficult for Liang Zhongpu to accept that it had been easily broken through.

In Liang Zhongpu's perception, that sword formation felt like a real mountain bearing down on him, and he couldn't resist it..

Chapter 362: Total Destruction

If Liang Zhongpu's Sea-Sealing Sword displayed the momentum of a vast sea just now, then Chen Fei's sword formation truly possessed the awe-inspiring power of a mountain.

One was merely symbolic, while the other was a real, immense force. The gap between the two sides was evident.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

Within the sword formation, eighty-one sword pearls soared into the sky, the Zhongyuan Sword of Great Completion and the Giant Spirit Sword of Great Completion merged as one, possessing an exceedingly exaggerated level of power.

At the middle stage of the Aperture tempering realm, possessing such a degree of comprehension of this cultivation could be said to place Chen Fei's strength at the pinnacle of the middle stage of the Aperture tempering realm.

Hong Yuanfeng practiced a top-tier cultivation, the Tianyue Sword, which, when cultivated to its peak, could open up a hundred acupoints. Although it hadn't reached the level of a hundred and eight acupoints, it had already far surpassed the eighty acupoints of the Zhongyuan Sword.

However, Hong Yuanfeng hadn't comprehended the Tianyue Sword to the Great Completion level. If he had, even the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect would have to push him up to the late stage of the Aperture tempering realm.

If one's comprehension of the cultivation wasn't sufficient, even with enough mental power, it was challenging to break through the barrier between the middle and late stages of the Aperture tempering realm. Insisting on breaking through might even cause self-injury.

Hong Yuanfeng's level of comprehension of the Tianyue Sword had always been lacking that last bit of refinement, and he could only rely on time to gradually gain insight. This was also the method of practice for most Aperture tempering realm cultivators.

Otherwise, if one really relied on this level of cultivation comprehension to fortuitously break through to the late Aperture tempering realm, they would undoubtedly be the weakest in the late Aperture tempering realm.

And forcing growth could also harm the foundation, which wasn't worth it!

At this moment, Hong Yuanfeng sensed the tremendous power contained within those sword pearls, and his expression had changed somewhat.

Hong Yuanfeng's knowledge was undoubtedly much greater than that of an ordinary Aperture tempering realm cultivator. Therefore, even before coming into contact with these sword pearls, Hong Yuanfeng felt a huge threat.

Breaking through to the middle stage of the Aperture tempering realm in just three years, how was it possible to cultivate a cultivation to such a degree? This was even more baffling than Chen Fei reaching the middle stage of the Aperture tempering realm.

It was possible to break through to the middle stage of the Aperture tempering realm in three years with the help of some extraordinary treasures, especially considering that Chen Fei had been to that mysterious place and that Bizarre city. It was conceivable that he had obtained some treasures by chance, leading to an accidental breakthrough.

However, the level of comprehension of this cultivation was truly incomprehensible. Even with exceptional talent, one shouldn't have such an exaggerated cultivation accomplishment.

The Primordial Sword Sect's cultivations opened up only a few acupoints, but it was still a cultivation that could be cultivated to the late Aperture tempering realm. If it were so easy to comprehend, the Primordial Sword Sect would have been full of late Aperture tempering realm cultivators long ago.

"Hum!"

The eighty-one sword pearls trembled, and in the next instant, they seemed like eighty-one top-notch swordsmen, each using different sword techniques, converging to attack Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng.

Sensing the aura, Liang Zhongpu's face darkened, and he deployed the Sea-Sealing Sword, enveloping both himself and Hong Yuanfeng within it.

Hong Yuanfeng's aura continued to rise, and behind him, it appeared as though a mountain had emerged, standing firm like a towering peak. The mighty power caused the surrounding spiritual energy to tremble.

Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng both sensed that something was amiss. Although it was their first time cooperating, they immediately made the right moves. One took the main defensive role, and the other took the main offensive role to completely tear apart the sword formation.

In this way, they would have a chance to choose whether to leave or stay later on, rather than being trapped in the sword formation like they were now, unable to move.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The eighty-one sword pearls struck Liang Zhongpu's sword blade, causing his aura to tremble, and blood even spilled from the corners of his mouth.

The power was too overwhelming. Although Liang Zhongpu had prepared himself mentally beforehand, after this round of attacks from the sword pearls, he realized the gap between the two sides.

If it weren't for Hong Yuanfeng by his side, Liang Zhongpu probably would have begged for mercy by now. There was simply no room for a fight. After a few more rounds, the immense power within the sword pearls would directly crush him to death.

In the face of this level of power, the Sea-Sealing Sword seemed like a joke. Liang Zhongpu finally understood how his junior brother, Ji Zhuowen, had died.

Facing someone like Chen Fei one-on-one, being slain was really just a matter of time, and a very short amount of time at that.

"Open!"

Hong Yuanfeng shouted explosively, and the spiritual sword in his hand seemed to possess the power of mountains and rivers as it cleaved towards the sword formation.

At this moment, most of the power of the sword formation was focused on attacking Liang Zhongpu's Sea-Sealing Sword. It could be said that the sword formation was at its weakest state right now.

"Boom!"

With a deafening roar, ripples spread within the sword formation. At some point, Chen Fei appeared within the sword formation and intercepted Hong Yuanfeng's Tianyue Sword with a single strike.

The power contained in the Tianyue Sword was indeed immense, as it was the pinnacle inheritance of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect. However, Chen Fei's sword interception showed no signs of wavering.

The Tianyue Sword was strong, but the support provided by the Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique was even stronger.

Both were at the middle stage of the Aperture tempering realm, with the power of thirty-six acupoints at their disposal. What they were really competing with was how well their techniques complemented their own strengths. Undoubtedly, the Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique's enhancement was much greater.

Hong Yuanfeng's spiritual sword was rebounded by the tremendous force, involuntarily lifted, and a surge of power flowed into his body along with his weapon.

It felt as if he was being crushed by countless giants. Since he started practicing the Tianyue Sword, this was the first time Hong Yuanfeng had felt such an exaggerated physical power from an opponent of the same level.

When did the Primordial Sword Sect possess a body-enhancing technique like this? Primordial Sword Body? But the Primordial Sword Body had long been damaged, and the Primordial Sword Sect had no way to cultivate it.

Moreover, with the mastery Chen Fei had achieved in the Zhongyuan Sword and Giant Spirit Sword techniques, why did he have no weaknesses in his physical form? What had Chen Fei been practicing for the past three years?

Countless thoughts flashed through Hong Yuanfeng's mind, but before he could make sense of it all, Chen Fei had once again raised the Qianyuan Sword.

Forty-one sword pearls flew towards Chen Fei and merged into the Qianyuan Sword. The sword threads on the Qianyuan Sword shimmered, and the sword continuously trembled. Within its spiritual nature, there was a sense of excitement.

The immense power excited the spiritual sword, causing it to involuntarily radiate even greater strength. The power currently possessed by the Qianyuan Sword was unlike anything it had ever experienced before.

The edge of the Qianyuan Sword moved downward, causing the air along its path to violently tremble. It emitted a roaring sound that was both terrifying and soul-stirring.

Hong Yuanfeng's expression had completely changed, and a sense of death began to envelop all his thoughts. This power was unstoppable, and in its face, he was bound to die!

At the thought of death, Hong Yuanfeng's pupils were instantly filled with bloodshot veins.

He was an elder of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, above ten thousand others. How could he die here, at the hands of an ant he could have easily crushed back then?

Back then, he should have spared no effort to kill Chen Fei. If he had, he wouldn't be facing this disaster today.

Chen Fei deserved to die, and so did everyone in the Primordial Sword Sect. All those who had opposed him in the past deserved to die!

Die, die, die!

The virtual mountain shadow behind Hong Yuanfeng began to crumble, and an extremely powerful force emanated from the cracks. Bursting one's acupoints—this was the desperate method used by nearly all Aperture tempering realm cultivators.

And within the Tianyue Sword, there was a technique that took it to the extreme, completely releasing this power.

Shattering Mountain Style!

Dismantling oneself while dismantling the enemy, annihilating the enemy!

Swoosh!

The elemental energy within Hong Yuanfeng's body roared like a surging river, producing a tumultuous sound. As the Shattering Mountain Style was executed, his acupoints began to shatter one by one.

With each acupoint shattering, it brought a force akin to an avalanche and tsunami. In the blink of an eye, Hong Yuanfeng's aura soared to its peak.

In that moment, it seemed as though Hong Yuanfeng had become a formidable late-stage aperture tempering realm cultivator. Every move he made exuded a formidable pressure that left one's soul trembling.

Chen Fei's eyebrows raised slightly. Indeed, Hong Yuanfeng's current aura had reached the level of a late-stage aperture tempering realm cultivator. It was not an illusion; the shattering of Hong Yuanfeng's acupoints had unleashed an ultimate power.

"You want to kill me? I'll make you die first!"

Hong Yuanfeng's visage, twisted in extreme agony due to the acupoint ruptures, appeared extremely ferocious. His eyes were bloodshot, and the hatred within them seemed as if he wanted to flay Chen Fei alive and strip his bones to ease his boundless anger.

No, Hong Yuanfeng wanted to shatter every bone in Chen Fei's body. He wanted to torment Chen Fei, for only through such torment could he alleviate the boundless fury within his heart.

With all his acupoints shattered, not even the Origin Awakening Pill of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect could help. In this battle, even if Hong Yuanfeng emerged victorious, his cultivation would be irreversibly crippled, rendering him a cripple.

For the rest of his life, he would have no chance of reaching the Aperture tempering realm again.

Transforming from a lofty elder of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect to a cripple, how could Hong Yuanfeng willingly accept this fate? How could he ever soothe the profound bitterness in his heart?

He wanted to torment Chen Fei, to torment him to the point where he would beg for death but could not have it. He wanted Chen Fei to understand the consequences of offending him.

"Hum!"

Hong Yuanfeng swung his sword, releasing a terrifying force that rippled through the surroundings, showcasing the power of a late-stage aperture tempering realm cultivator. The Shattering Mountain Style, a technique specifically designed for mutual destruction, displayed its pinnacle heritage and profound essence.

Chen Fei narrowed his eyes as the forty sword pearls that had entrapped Liang Zhongpu merged into the Qianyuan Sword, which emitted an extreme black radiance.

The Zhongyuan Sword, Giant Spirit Sword, Suppressing Dragon Elephant Technique, Thousand Threads Technique, and the Slaughter Spirit Technique!

The immense force of surging waves enveloped Chen Fei completely!

Godslayer Sword!

An illusory sword light flashed across Chen Fei's eyes, slashing directly at Hong Yuanfeng's spiritual sea.

Under the influence of the Shattering Mountain Style, Hong Yuanfeng's spiritual power surged and expanded. Ordinary spiritual techniques were utterly helpless against him at this moment.

However, the Godslayer Sword, enhanced by the Slaughter Spirit Technique, still managed to create a tiny hole in Hong Yuanfeng's spiritual consciousness.

This spiritual injury was not severe, but it caused a slight pause in the turbulent elemental energy within Hong Yuanfeng's body. This momentary pause was fleeting but instantly detected by Chen Fei.

In the next instant, the Qianyuan Sword clashed with Hong Yuanfeng's spirit sword.

"Boom!"

The violent force tore the sword formation apart, and countless sword essences surged, completely engulfing Chen Fei's figure. Hong Yuanfeng's body swayed slightly, and he involuntarily took a few steps back, falling to the ground.

However, Hong Yuanfeng's eyes were fixed firmly on the front. He didn't want Chen Fei to die just like that. If he died, where would he find someone to torment?

Liang Zhongpu's eyes were filled with the joy of a narrow escape. He didn't have to die, and he had suffered minimal losses.

As the howling wind subsided, the sword essence gradually dissipated, revealing Chen Fei standing with his sword.

His skin was torn open, blood flowed freely, and Chen Fei's body was covered in numerous wounds caused by the Shattering Mountain Style. Many of these wounds pierced through bones, organs, and even had injuries that ran from front to back.

For an ordinary person, facing such injuries would be certain death. Even for an aperture tempering realm cultivator, these wounds would be considered severe, rendering them almost powerless in battle.

"Your life, is quite resilient!" Hong Yuanfeng mocked loudly. He was delighted that Chen Fei had survived. With these injuries, Chen Fei would be no match for the nearly unscathed Liang Zhongpu.

The outcome was already decided!

"Good sword technique!" Chen Fei looked up at Hong Yuanfeng, a hint of a smile on his lips. He said, "Just as a person, you're a little lacking!"

"Arguing with you is pointless," Hong Yuanfeng retorted.

Liang Zhongpu took a step forward, ready to capture Chen Fei, but suddenly noticed that the wounds on Chen Fei's body were healing at an astonishing speed, and Chen Fei's weakening aura was rapidly increasing.

Liang Zhongpu's eyes widened involuntarily, and he hesitated in his footsteps.

On the other side, Hong Yuanfeng, who had a sinister smile on his face, froze in place..

Chapter 363: What Does It Have To Do With You?

When Chen Fei had just mastered the the Spirit Suppression of the Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique, he could already manage a form of limb regeneration. Therefore, the seemingly terrifying injuries on Chen Fei's body at this moment, with the aid of the Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique, were not actually considered severe.

In the blink of an eye, many of the minor wounds on Chen Fei's body had already healed, and as for the larger wounds, they were forcefully closed at this moment.

Although the damage to his internal organs had not fully recovered yet, it did not affect Chen Fei's combat capability anymore. His aura, which had initially been in decline, was continuously rising.

"Hurry, kill him, kill him quickly!" Hong Yuanfeng shouted in fear.

He had thought he had the victory in the bag, and he was even concerned initially that Chen Fei might die before he could torture him. However, now that he saw Chen Fei's injuries recovering so rapidly, he couldn't help but feel terrified.

Liang Zhongpu seemed to have woken up from a dream and shouted loudly. His figure flashed and appeared in front of Chen Fei, sword energy surging, completely enveloping Chen Fei.

At this moment, the goal was to seize the opportunity to kill Chen Fei while he hadn't fully recovered. Otherwise, with the extraordinary strength Chen Fei had just displayed, Hong Yuanfeng wouldn't be able to escape, and Liang Zhongpu would be in the same predicament.

"Boom!"

The sword energy exploded, causing Liang Zhongpu's figure to pause slightly, while Chen Fei's body merely swayed a bit, not even taking a step back.

As for the force generated from the collision, it only caused some of Chen Fei's wounds to reopen. However, these newly opened wounds were insignificant and had no impact on Chen Fei.

Liang Zhongpu's expression completely changed. Was Chen Fei really at the middle stage of the aperture tempering realm?

Taking Hong Yuanfeng's life-or-death strike head-on, which was even stronger than the average middle stage of the Aperture tempering realm, not only did Chen Fei not die, but his injuries also recovered so quickly.

How could there be a middle-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivator like this? How did Chen Fei manage to train?

It had only been three years, not thirteen or thirty. Why was Chen Fei able to elevate both his techniques and physique to such a level in such a short time?

Liang Zhongpu had seen many geniuses and heard of many prodigies, but none of them could compare to Chen Fei. Could it be that Chen Fei had been possessed by an Aperture tempering realm expert?

Otherwise, how could you explain that in just three years, Chen Fei had achieved what others at the same level of the Aperture tempering realm might not accomplish in decades?

ii

It's my turn!"

Chen Fei's elemental energy roared within him, causing some of the wounds on his body to burst open again. However, Chen Fei's expression remained unchanged. The black light on the Qianyuan Sword pervaded, and its momentum, though slightly diminished compared to the previous strike, was still terrifying.

This strike was something Liang Zhongpu couldn't withstand!

Liang Zhongpu wasn't like Hong Yuanfeng; he didn't have the " Shattering Mountain Style." In the cultivation heritage of the Yashan Sect, there were methods for fighting to the death, but they couldn't elevate his strength to the level of the late Aperture tempering realm.

Liang Zhongpu wanted to go down together with Chen Fei, but he couldn't achieve it.

"Whoosh!"

Liang Zhongpu's figure flashed, not advancing but retreating, and he ran towards Qinhai City's direction. Liang Zhongpu was afraid; he wanted to take advantage of Chen Fei's recovery time to return to Qinhai City.

He had to rely on the formation of the Yashan Army in Qinhai City to confront Chen Fei; only in this way could he possibly escape Chen Fei's killing blow. Otherwise, facing Chen Fei one-on-one here, Liang Zhongpu was afraid he would die in the next moment.

"Buzz!"

In Chen Fei's gaze, a sword intent flashed, and the "Godslayer Sword" directly attacked Liang Zhongpu's mind. Liang Zhongpu staggered, and intense pain spread in his spiritual sea.

While Chen Fei's body was injured, his mental power remained unaffected. The current Godslayer Sword could still have an effect even against someone in the late Aperture tempering realm. Facing an opponent of the same stage in the middle of the Aperture tempering realm, it was like one strike, one kill, without worrying about any backlash.

Liang Zhongpu endured the severe pain in his spiritual sea, about to continue using his body technique, but he realized that he didn't know when the "Zhongyuan Sword Formation" had already enveloped the surroundings.

Eighty-one sword pearls whizzed inside the sword formation, and in the next moment, the sword pearls divided and refined into sword threads, surrounding the entire sword formation. Everything Liang Zhongpu saw was filled with a chilling sword intent.

"Yashan Sect was deceived; this is definitely not our intention!" Liang Zhongpu turned to look at Chen Fei, his face pale, and shouted loudly.

People cherish their lives, especially those in the Aperture tempering realm who have twice the lifespan of ordinary people. Liang Zhongpu was no exception. As long as he could survive, he was willing to surrender and kneel.

But when Liang Zhongpu's words fell on Chen Fei's ears, Chen Fei didn't respond at all. Within the sword formation, the sword threads flickered and surged toward Liang Zhongpu.

"My Yashan Army is at your service, but if there's a mission, I dare not disobey!" Liang Zhongpu shouted anxiously.

"Tsk!"

The sword threads showed no hesitation as they directly collided with Liang Zhongpu's Sea-Sealing Sword. Feeling the astonishing power of the sword threads, despair filled Liang Zhongpu's eyes.

"All!"

Liang Zhongpu roared loudly. He was willing to yield and surrender, so why did they have to go to such lengths to exterminate him? Although Sea-Sealing Sword's power surged by a level, it couldn't push back the sword threads by a fraction.

The surrounding space for Liang Zhongpu grew smaller and smaller. The sword threads pressed down on him relentlessly, unstoppable and unyielding.

"Chen Fei, 1'11 be waiting for you down below!" Liang Zhongpu turned to look at Chen Fei, his eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness.

Chen Fei remained expressionless. In the next moment, the sword threads completely enveloped Liang Zhongpu.

"Boom!"

A loud sound erupted from within the sword formation. The sword threads slightly expanded but quickly suppressed the force within. Liang Zhongpu's enraged cries also abruptly ceased. Strands of spiritual essence drifted out of the sword formation and fell into the Qianyuan Sword.

Not far away, Hong Yuanfeng's body trembled involuntarily. He sensed that Liang Zhongpu's presence had completely disappeared, indicating that he had been completely slain by Chen Fei.

Even if Liang Zhongpu begged for mercy, bowed his head, or offered to be commanded in the future, Chen Fei showed no mercy.

Hong Yuanfeng looked at Chen Fei and met his gaze, sending a shiver down his spine. Although he had become a cripple now, Hong Yuanfeng did not want to die.

"Kill me, and the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect will surely seek your death. You will die, and the Primordial Sword Sect won't escape either!" Hong Yuanfeng threatened, his tone fierce.

"You're already dead. How does any of this concern you?" Chen Fei replied calmly.

Hong Yuanfeng opened his mouth but couldn't find a suitable response to Chen Fei's question. Should he admit he was afraid of dying and beg Chen Fei not to kill him? Yet just a moment ago, when Liang Zhongpu begged for his life, Chen Fei showed no hesitation.

Chen Fei withdrew his gaze and looked in the direction of Qinhai City, where he sensed the aura of Xu Yanxin. Chen Fei's figure flickered and disappeared from the spot.

Seeing Chen Fei leave, a look of relief crossed Hong Yuanfeng's face. He was about to get up when suddenly an immense force pressed down on him. Even as a cripple, Hong Yuanfeng couldn't muster any resistance against this force and was instantly pinned to the ground.

"Cough!"

Blood dripped from Hong Yuanfeng's mouth and nose, mixing with the soil on the ground, making him appear thoroughly disheveled. He struggled desperately but couldn't budge an inch.

At some point, a powerful array had entrapped him, and Hong Yuanfeng hadn't even noticed. This was the consequence of using the Shattering Mountain Style – sacrificing everything, regardless of whether it killed the opponent, meant that the aftermath of shattered acupoints had to be fully endured.

"All!"

Hong Yuanfeng trembled with effort, trying to lift himself up. From being a high-ranking elder of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, he had fallen into this pitiful state.

Hong Yuanfeng was unwilling and couldn't accept this outcome. It shouldn't have ended like this; he had meticulously planned everything, so why had it all turned out this way?

What went wrong? What went wrong!

More and more blood flowed from Hong Yuanfeng's mouth and nose as he struggled. The more he fought, the worse his injuries became, yet he couldn't break free.

The Dragon Elephant Formation that Chen Fei had casually set up was an insurmountable barrier for Hong Yuanfeng in his current state.

Several dozen miles away from Qinhai City, Xu Yanxin heard the sounds of battle in the distance. It was clear that a confrontation had occurred. Xu Yanxin contemplated for a moment, then increased his speed with his footwork, trying to catch up and provide assistance.

However, the sounds of battle only lasted for a moment before slowly fading away. Xu Yanxin's expression shifted slightly. Had Chen Fei been captured, or was he executed on the spot?

Xu Yanxin had a strange feeling in his heart, but he couldn't describe it precisely. It was as if a looming disaster was about to strike.

Suddenly, Xu Yanxin looked ahead and saw a figure racing towards him at incredible speed. Who could that be?

The strange feeling in Xu Yanxin's heart grew stronger, causing him to stumble for a moment. As he recognized the face of the approaching person, his expression changed dramatically.

How could it be Chen Fei?

Why was Chen Fei here? What happened to Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng? What was the meaning of the earlier battle sounds?

Xu Yanxin's thoughts were in disarray, but he knew one thing: he absolutely couldn't confront Chen Fei one-on-one. Even Ji Zhuowen had been slain by Chen Fei. Xu Yanxin's cultivation, at the mere early stage of the Aperture tempering realm, was utterly inadequate in the face of Chen Fei.

Xu Yanxin stepped forward with his right foot, sprinting in the direction of Qinhai City. Returning to Qinhai City was his only chance for survival.

However, despair quickly overcame Xu Yanxin's expression. It was too fast; Chen Fei's speed was far superior to his own. If Chen Fei had displayed such speed when running out of Qinhai City, Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng would likely have given up the chase.

As this realization struck him, Xu Yanxin suddenly understood that Chen Fei had intentionally lured Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng out of Qinhai City.

If that was indeed the case, and Chen Fei had now reappeared alone, did that mean that Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng had already been killed?

Two mid-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivators, one of whom was a senior elder of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, killed by Chen Fei? Someone who had broken through to the Aperture tempering realm in just three years, capable of such deeds?

Xu Yanxin's face had turned deathly pale, and he sensed that Chen Fei was now less than a hundred meters behind him. The fear in his eyes was uncontrollable.

"Have mercy, don't…"

Xu Yanxin shouted loudly, but before he could finish his sentence, a sharp sword light had already appeared behind him. Instinctively, Xu Yanxin turned to defend himself. In the next moment, an enormous force pressed down on his sword.

Xu Yanxin's sword emitted a strained sound before rebounding and striking him in the chest.

Clothes, flesh, bones—everything shattered inch by inch..

Chapter 364: A Piece Of Cake

"Boom!"

Xu Yanxin had no resistance at all and crashed forcibly onto the ground, leaving a deep crater. Xu Yanxin was embedded in it, blood and flesh mangled.

In one move, heavily wounded and near death, he couldn't even put up a decent resistance.

Xu Yanxin's consciousness was now blurred. He looked up at Chen Fei, attempting to speak but was choked by the blood in his mouth. He couldn't utter a word.

Chen Fei stood before Xu Yanxin, effortlessly lifted him, and with a flash, returned to the dense forest where they had been before.

Hong Yuanfeng was pinned to the ground by the Dragon Elephant Formation, and blood continued to trickle from his mouth and nose. He had completely lost consciousness.

Chen Fei was determined to kill Hong Yuanfeng. Repaying evil with good was not something he considered. However, the question was how to kill him.

Within the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, they might have some kind of blood mark for members at the aperture tempering realm. It was hard to say for certain. If Chen Fei killed Hong Yuanfeng and ended up imprinted on his body with a blood mark, he might never be able to return to the Primordial Sword Sect.

The strength of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect remained top-notch. Even if it wasn't about the Aperture tempering realm, just the peak Aperture tempering realm alone was enough to overpower the Primordial Sword Sect. Chen Fei wouldn't stand a chance.

Therefore, for the sake of caution, Chen Fei couldn't directly kill Hong Yuanfeng.

"Kill him!" Chen Fei tossed Xu Yanxin in front of Hong Yuanfeng.

Xu Yanxin struggled to open his eyes, and upon seeing Hong Yuanfeng at his feet, he was slightly surprised. It suddenly dawned on him what Chen Fei intended.

"Hahaha, I'm about to die, why should I help you!" Xu Yanxin laughed manically. He didn't believe that helping Chen Fei would earn his freedom.

If that were the case, why should he follow Chen Fei's wishes?

Chen Fei remained silent, merely pointing his finger forward slightly. Before Xu Yanxin could react, he suddenly found himself unable to move. Then, a sword pierced directly into Hong Yuanfeng, who was on the ground.

Xu Yanxin's eyes widened as he desperately tried to stop his own actions. However, his heavily injured body had little strength left, making it impossible for him to resist.

Xu Yanxin could only watch in horror as his spiritual sword stabbed into Hong Yuanfeng's head, and Hong Yuanfeng's body quivered slightly before falling completely motionless.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, a blood-red mark floated out of Hong Yuanfeng's body and, at lightning speed, entered Xu Yanxin's body. Xu Yanxin barely had time to react before feeling a searing heat in his arm.

"A blood mark…"

Xu Yanxin sensed the mark on his arm, and a mad smile appeared on his face.

Chen Fei's expression shifted slightly, realizing that there was indeed a blood mark. However, this blood mark seemed rather rigid, instantly shifting blame onto someone else.

But that was to be expected, as Hong Yuanfeng was currently unconscious and lacked the ability to control the blood mark. So, whom would the blood mark choose?

"Sss…"

A sword bead pierced through Xu Yanxin's forehead, and his manic laughter finally came to a halt as his body collapsed limp on the ground.

Chen Fei gestured with his right hand, collecting some elemental stones, elixirs, and three spirit swords. There was one low-grade spirit sword and two middle-grade spirit swords among them.

However, these spirit swords were not fit to be seen by others and would ultimately have their spiritual essence extracted by Chen Fei and infused into the Qianyuan Sword.

Tonight, the Qianyuan Sword had already absorbed the spiritual essence of three cultivators, including two in the middle stage of the Aperture tempering realm, which greatly enhanced the sword's spirituality.

After extracting the spiritual essence from the remaining spirit swords, the Qianyuan Sword would likely reach the pinnacle of middle-grade spirit swords. After nurturing it properly for a few years, there would probably be a chance to break through to the level of a top-grade spirit sword.

It was only because of the Slaughter Spirit Technique, which allowed him to kill and absorb spiritual essence, that Chen Fei could achieve this. Otherwise, the amount of spiritual materials required to upgrade a middle-grade spiritual weapon to a top-grade one was staggering.

With that kind of financial strength, the first thing Chen Fei would do was to improve his cultivation level. Only then would he consider the issue of spiritual weapons.

Fortunately, with the Slaughter Spirit Technique, Chen Fei was spared this headache.

The black sword radiance flickered, completely erasing all traces in the vicinity, including Hong Yuanfeng and Xu Yanxin. Only the remnants of a battle were evident in this place, but the specific details of the fight were impossible to discern.

Chen Fei turned his gaze toward Qinhai City. The matter was not yet over; there were still several aperture tempering realm cultivators from the Yashan Sect who were alive.

Since the Yashan Sect had agreed to set up this trap with Hong Yuanfeng to wait for Chen Fei, they needed to be prepared to accept all consequences.

Killers must be killed without exception!

However, the Yashan Sect probably didn't anticipate that Chen Fei would actually come knocking on their door to retaliate all by himself. After all, in the information they received, Chen Fei was considered a genius, but this genius had only broken through to the Aperture tempering realm three years ago.

What could he accomplish in three years?

Chen Fei's figure flashed, turning into a shadow and disappearing from the spot. The night wind blew, leaving behind devastation everywhere. Who could have imagined that in this small area, three cultivators who appeared god-like to ordinary people had died?

In the barracks of Qinhai City, Cheng Hengzhong lay on his bed. Several visceral tempering realm generals were stationed outside, ready to follow Cheng Hengzhong's orders at any moment.

Cheng Hengzhong manipulated his elemental energy, trying to heal his injuries. Chen Fei's sword had nearly killed him on the spot, and one could imagine the severity of his injuries.

According to Cheng Hengzhong's estimation, it would take at least half a year to completely recover from these injuries. During this half-year period, he couldn't engage in combat, or it would trigger a recurrence of his injuries.

Furthermore, whether these injuries would cause problems in his future cultivation was uncertain.

Thinking about all of this, Cheng Hengzhong's heart was filled with a desire for revenge. However, he took solace in the fact that Chen Fei was about to be killed by Liang Zhongpu and Hong Yuanfeng shortly, which eased his mind.

Even though he was severely injured, at least he was still alive.

No matter how strong Chen Fei's combat prowess was or how talented he was, in the end, once he died, it would be over. Thinking about this, a smile appeared at the corner of Cheng Hengzhong's mouth.

"But something's not right!"

Cheng Hengzhong's eyes suddenly opened wide. Why was it so quiet around him? Where were the sounds of patrols that should have been there? And the auras of several generals outside the door, where had they all disappeared to?

Just as Cheng Hengzhong was about to reach for the spiritual sword by the bed, a sharp pain exploded in his sea of consciousness, and a sword light directly pierced through his spiritual consciousness, creating a huge hole.

This was almost like cleaving Cheng Hengzhong's spiritual consciousness in two, a pain worse than physical agony, making Cheng Hengzhong instinctively try to cover his head.

However, before he could make that move, Cheng Hengzhong felt a coolness at his neck, his consciousness trembled, and then it dissipated into nothingness.

Chen Fei's figure, like a phantom, appeared in the room, collecting Cheng Hengzhong's spiritual sword and elemental stones, erasing Cheng Hengzhong's presence, and then disappearing from the room.

Several miles away, Chen Fei's figure flickered as he looked at the Lord's Mansion in the distance. Inside the Lord's Mansion, Chen Fei sensed the aura of a mid-level aperture tempering realm cultivator.

This aura should belong to Qi Yuanlu, the head of the Yashan Sect, who was injured while besieging Shang Wu City and was recuperating in the Lord's Mansion. Besides Qi Yuanlu, Chen Fei didn't sense any other Aperture tempering realm-level auras.

Chen Fei's expression changed slightly. There should be more Aperture tempering realm cultivators in the Yashan Sect. Three at the mid-level and possibly six at the initial level.

However, based on the current situation, it seemed that the other four initial-level Aperture tempering realm cultivators were on other missions and were not currently in Qinhai City.

Chen Fei concealed his aura and entered the Lord's Mansion effortlessly.

As soon as he entered, Chen Fei sensed the powerful formation within the Lord's Mansion, radiating an imposing presence.

This is the Lord's Mansion's own formation, but unfortunately, it didn't stop the Yashan Army back then and has now become the Yashan Army's asset.

If Chen Fei had come to the Lord's Mansion for information or to rescue someone instead of going to the barracks earlier, he might have fallen into this formation.

At that time, it would have been very difficult to say who would win. The presence of a formation could make a significant difference. Just like how very few people would directly attack someone else's mountain gate because there were generations of formations established there. Those of the same level who came would easily be trapped and might never return, unless their strength far exceeded their opponents.

Of course, the Lord's Mansion's formation was not as exaggerated as that, but it was more than enough to trap people.

Chen Fei floated quietly, a wound opened on his arm, blood mist emanating as it began to corrode the formation in front of him.

A quarter of an hour later, the entire Qinhai City heard a loud noise coming from the Lord's Mansion. However, soon after, these sounds gradually disappeared, and the Lord's Mansion became calm again.

All the people in Qinhai City locked themselves in their homes. Even the major families dared not inquire about the situation at the Lord's Mansion. They could only pray that the situation wouldn't affect them. Apart from this, they couldn't do anything.

Inside the Lord's Mansion, several courtyards had collapsed, and Qi Yuanlu, the head of the Yashan Sect, had already lost all his vitality and lay lifeless on the side.

After gaining partial control of the formation and using his sensing abilities, Chen Fei directly destroyed the formation's core, causing the formation, which had been connected to an area several miles in radius, to collapse.

Qi Yuanlu was a formidable cultivator, but he was already injured. With the formation destroyed by Chen Fei, his fate was sealed.

Inside the city lord's mansion, there were many maids and servant girls, but at this moment, they all hid in the corners of the mansion, not daring to show themselves, let alone make any noise, fearing that they would be affected by the disaster.

Chen Fei collected the elemental stones and spirit swords from Qi Yuanlu, and with a swift movement, he entered the main hall. After a moment, Chen Fei arrived at a room that was protected by a formation.

Chen Fei slashed several swords, directly breaking the formation, and entered the room.

As soon as he entered the room and saw everything before him, a smile involuntarily appeared on Chen Fei's face.

Numerous neatly arranged wooden boxes filled the room. Chen Fei waved his right hand, and all the wooden boxes were opened, revealing their contents in a dazzling display. Chen Fei extended his hand, and silver coins flew towards him.

After a while, Chen Fei retracted his hand.

Although there were many boxes, the amount of silver coins was not extremely extravagant. According to the records on the panels, there were a little over seven hundred thousand taels of silver coins.

In addition to the silver, there were also dozens of bottles of spirit pills, various types of spirit materials, elemental stones numbering over six hundred, and even three spirit weapons. Although they were all low-grade spirit weapons, selling them could still fetch a substantial number of elemental stones.

All of these were resources belonging to the Yashan Sect.

But now, they all belonged to him!