Chapter 11 - 414-423

Chapter 414: Vastsun

Chen Fei turned around, his brows slightly furrowed.

Sheng Renyuan's martial arts skills were already exceptional, which was why he had managed to escape from Tao Shiye's pursuit. At this moment, he was using a secret technique, and his whole body was enveloped in a fiery aura, increasing his speed even further.

"Sir, there's no escaping this. Only by joining forces can we fend off the Heavenly Sun Mansion's people and have a glimmer of hope." Sheng Renyuan hadn't expected Chen Fei's agility to match his own so quickly and couldn't help but shout loudly.

Sheng Renyuan was currently relying on a secret technique, but secret techniques had their time limits. If he didn't get far enough away from Tao Shiye's watchful eyes before the technique wore off, he would be in serious danger.

Chen Fei didn't respond, glancing ahead, his figure flickering as he reached the top of a hill, then turned to look back at Tao Shiye and Sheng Renyuan.

"You're wise, sir. Running away won't get you far.

When Sheng Renyuan saw Chen Fei voluntarily stopping in the front, a smile of satisfaction crossed his face, and his eyes gleamed with cunning triumph.

Tao Shiye watched Chen Fei halt and couldn't help but chuckle. He couldn't believe that there was such a naive person who thought that two cultivators at the Mid Aperture Tempering realm could withstand his blade.

Cultivators from these small places, even if they had high cultivation levels, had limited knowledge. It was like they were trapped in a well, unable to see the vastness of the sky.

Sheng Renyuan arrived about a hundred paces away from Chen Fei, suddenly changing his direction without slowing down, shifting several body positions without reducing his speed, attempting to leap over Chen Fei directly.

"Sir, I have companions ahead. Just hold on for a moment, and I'll call for reinforcements!" Sheng Renyuan shouted loudly, his words filled with

sincerity.

"No need!"

Chen Fei's expression remained unchanged. With a burst of electromagnetic sound, he disappeared from his original position and reappeared right in front of Sheng Renyuan.

Sheng Renyuan's face changed slightly, and he was about to speak when he realized that Chen Fei had already raised his sword and thrust it towards him.

"What are you doing?" Sheng Renyuan shouted angrily. He hadn't expected to be intercepted like this.

"Bang!"

In an explosive collision, Sheng Renyuan had initially planned to use his agility to deflect Chen Fei's attack or even use it to escape. However, when their blades clashed, Sheng Renyuan realized the tremendous force concealed within Chen

Fei's sword.

"Pfft!"

Sheng Renyuan spurted blood into the air. This time, not only could he not use the force, but he also couldn't control his own body. He involuntarily flew backward, crashing in the direction of Tao Shiye.

Despair filled Sheng Renyuan's eyes. He had thought he could find someone at the Mid Aperture Tempering realm to help him withstand Tao Shiye, but he hadn't expected his opponent's strength to be so overwhelming that he couldn't even block a single sword.

"Sir, you've handled your business, and I have no intention of interfering. Goodbye!"

Chen Fei glanced at Tao Shiye, his figure flickering as he ran towards the distance.

"Hahaha, interesting!"

Tao Shiye arrived in front of Sheng Renyuan, looking at Sheng Renyuan's miserable state, and couldn't help but laugh loudly. Sheng Renyuan wanted to struggle, but Tao Shiye pointed his finger at Sheng Renyuan's forehead. In an instant, Sheng Renyuan completely lost his perception of his own apertures, and his cultivation was completely sealed off.

Sheng Renyuan slumped to the ground, turned his head to look at Chen Fei in the distance, his eyes filled with resentment. He didn't dare to show this expression to Tao Shiye, but he needed an outlet for his emotions, so he directed all his hatred towards Chen Fei.

Tao Shiye pinched his sword finger, and a sword intent soared into the sky. This sword intent would alert the nearby Heavenly Sun Mansion personnel to come here and pick up the captive.

Then Tao Shiye's figure flashed, heading straight for Chen Fei. Sheng Renyuan was caught, and even from a distance, Tao Shiye had no intention of letting

Chen Fei go.

Although Chen Fei had silently escaped from Imperial City, it surprised Tao Shiye a bit, but now that he had caught both of them together, it seemed convenient.

Chen Fei sensed Tao Shiye's approaching aura and furrowed his brows. In the world of martial arts vendettas, such things were quite normal. The reason of "stumbling upon Heavenly Sun Mansion committing murder wouldn't hold water.

Chen Fei had thought that by handing Sheng Renyuan over to Tao Shiye, this matter would come to an end. After all, he had no intention of antagonizing a dominant force for no reason, especially considering that they were still within imperial City's boundaries. It was possible that this could attract even more Heavenly Sun Mansion personnel.

"I have no grudge or enmity with you. Why are you pursuing me?" Chen Fei said in a deep voice.

"There are some matters I'd like to inquire about from you. Why don't you come with me to Heavenly Sun Mansion for a brief visit? It won't take up much of your time," Tao Shiye said loudly. As he spoke, he closed the distance between himself and Chen Fei.

Chen Fei's current speed and agility, at the Advanced Aperture Tempering realm, were undoubtedly fast, but they were not unmatched, especially when it came to individuals from dominant forces.

They cultivated techniques that led directly to the pinnacle of the Aperture Tempering realm, and naturally, they possessed other profound martial arts legacies. Tao Shiye, with his Advanced Aperture Tempering realm cultivation and the occasional influx of Elemental tide, had long perfected his martial arts skills.

Moreover, the high-grade spiritual sword in Tao Shiye's hand seemed to enhance his martial arts, so in just a short while, the distance between the two of them was rapidly closing.

Of course, it also had much to do with Chen Fei not exerting his full effort in using his martial arts. If both parties had simply parted ways earlier, there wouldn't have been any trouble. But Tao Shiye clearly had no intention of letting Chen Fei go, and with no one else nearby, a hint of cold determination slowly appeared in Chen Fei's eyes.

Chen Fei's figure flickered as he leaped into a dense forest, and his aura suddenly vanished without a trace.

Sensing Chen Fei's aura disappearing, Tao Shiye's eyes narrowed slightly. He snorted coldly and charged directly into the dense forest. In the face of absolute power, everything else was inconsequential..

Chapter 415: Vastsun (2)

"Squeak!"

Stepping on the soft, decaying branches and leaves, Tao Shiye's footsteps made a subtle noise. With Tao Shiye's cultivation level, he could easily avoid making such a sound, but he intentionally created this disturbance.

Within the Heavenly Sun Mansion, there was a small technique that used sound to detect people. It could be said that everyone within the Heavenly Sun Mansion had to learn this technique. It was quite useful for tracking individuals.

Tao Shiye continued to walk forward step by step, and the sound of dried leaves under his feet was incessant, even behind him, it had become an unsettling noise, extremely jarring.

"Come out, you can't escape."

Tao Shiye looked around, chuckling softly, "Just a visit to the Heavenly Sun Mansion, so many people wish to go there but don't have the opportunity. You should cherish this chance."

"Rustle, rustle!"

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, emitting a faint sound. Tao Shiye's brow furrowed slightly, and he still hadn't sensed the presence of Chen Fei.

It was as if Chen Fei had already left this place.

So clean and concise, completely concealing his aura, Tao Shiye had indeed never seen such a technique before, but he knew that using this technique would affect one's speed.

If Chen Fei really tried to escape during this time, Tao Shiye would definitely notice. Therefore, Chen Fei must still be here.

"Now, I'm telling you nicely, if you don't come out soon, don't blame me for being ruthless in a while!"

After a few more steps, the smile on Tao Shiye's face faded, and his eyes looked around coldly, clearly becoming impatient.

"Still no movement around," Tao Shiye halted his steps, and the spiritual sword in his hand suddenly moved. A circular sword aura, with Tao Shiye at its center, swept across in all directions.

Since he couldn't find Chen Fei, Tao Shiye decided to dismantle this dense forest directly. By doing so, there would be no hiding place left for Chen Fei.

With his cultivation at the Advanced Aperture Tempering realm, destroying a dense forest was a simple task, only a matter of time.

"Boom!"

The entire forest erupted with a tremendous noise, and Tao Shiye's sword intent soared into the sky. Those nearby from the Heavenly Sun Mansion could sense this sword intent and would naturally come to support.

Countless fallen trees tumbled and shattered, tree sap filled the air, and for a moment, the entire forest became dim.

A shadowy figure appeared behind Tao Shiye, wielding a long sword. It was Chen Fei, who had been waiting on the sidelines.

'Tve been waiting for you!"

Tao Shiye suddenly turned around, his eyes filled with a triumphant smile. His power was like the scorching sun in the sky, radiating intense heat, bursting out within a hundred meters.

This heat not only cut through the body but also directly burned one's mental state. It was as if facing the true might of the heavens and the sun, something too intimidating to gaze upon directly, instilling endless fear in the heart.

The Heavenly Sun Sword!

The most top-notch inheritance of the Heavenly Sun Mansion, it could open all 108 acupoints, allowing one to cultivate all the way to the peak of the Aperture Tempering realm. Tao Shiye had already opened 104 acupoints thanks to the Heavenly Sun Sword.

With four more acupoints, Tao Shiye would become a peak Aperture Tempering realm expert, and his sword would even be able to upgrade to a top-grade spiritual weapon. At that point, Tao Shiye's combat power would reach its most extreme level.

Even though Tao Shiye had not reached the peak of the Aperture Tempering realm with his 104 acupoints and a top-grade spiritual sword, he was far beyond what most Advanced Aperture Tempering realm cultivators could compare to.

In other words, the vast majority of Advanced Aperture Tempering realm cultivators wouldn't stand a chance against Tao Shiye, especially those who could only open seventy or eighty acupoints.

This was the difference between top-tier inheritances and ordinary ones, and it was the fundamental reason why dominant factions looked down upon ordinary martial artists. The starting point and the endpoint of the two sides were indeed different.

Chen Fei sensed the surging momentum from Tao Shiye, his brows slightly furrowed. This was undeniably the strongest opponent Chen Fei had ever faced.

"Sizzle!"

A burst of electric light flickered on the Qianyuan Sword, then transformed into a deep black color. All five martial arts techniques were fused into the Qianyuan Sword, causing it to tremble slightly.

It was excitement. The Qianyuan Sword sensed the power emanating from Chen Fei and couldn't help but get excited.

The roar of the Suppressing Dragon Elephant resounded within Chen Fei's body. A moment ago, it was an ordinary sword strike, but now it had undergone a dramatic transformation.

"Boom!"

The two sword blades collided, creating ripples with the sword blades at their center, spreading in all directions. The grass and trees that had already been cut down were completely pulverized.

Under the feet of Chen Fei and Tao Shiye, huge cracks appeared, extending into the distance. Some of the mountainsides even started to slide, producing deafening noises.

Tao Shiye, who had previously looked completely in control, underwent a sudden change.

In Tao Shiye's eyes, Chen Fei's aura had undergone a change, reaching the Advanced Aperture Tempering realm. However, this wasn't the key factor, as even in the Advanced Aperture Tempering realm, there were not many who could withstand Tao Shiye's strike.

But the current situation was different. A tremendous force surged toward him, and the characteristic of the Heavenly Sun Sword, which could burn through anything and cut both the body and spirit, didn't seem to affect Chen Fei.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

Tao Shiye involuntarily took a few steps backward, his throat rolling with a hint of blood, which he forcibly swallowed back down. Just with one move, Tao Shiye had been injured to some extent.

"Hidden cultivation level? I'd like to see what else you've hidden!"

Tao Shiye roared angrily. The scorching aura around him grew even stronger. In the next moment, he flickered and dashed in the opposite direction.

Surprisingly, Tao Shiye was fleeing. They had exchanged just one move, and this Advanced Aperture Tempering realm expert, feared by everyone in the Heavenly Sun Mansion, was running away.

Chen Fei was momentarily puzzled. He had expected Tao Shiye to fight to the death, but the outcome was completely unexpected. As he watched Tao Shiye's retreating figure, his spiritual sea trembled, and he unleashed ten consecutive Godslayer Sword strikes.

Tao Shiye's steps involuntarily paused. He could ignore a single Godslayer Sword strike, as the Heavenly Sun Sword could protect his mental state. The Heavenly Sun Sword was a rare technique that allowed one to cultivate both elemental power and the spirit simultaneously.

However, facing ten consecutive Godslayer Sword strikes, Tao Shiye was stopped in his tracks, his mental state became dazed, and there was even a slight breach in his spirit.

Tao Shiye instinctively activated the Heavenly Sun Sword, and he suddenly found himself surrounded by a sword formation.

Tremendous force pressed down on Tao Shiye, and the formidable sword energy surrounded him in all directions.

"Break!"

Tao Shiye shouted fiercely, and the spiritual sword in his hand emitted a scorching light. With one strike, he swept at the edge of the Qianyuan Sword Formation.

The entire Zhongyuan Sword Formation trembled violently, and a gap was torn open at the edge of the formation.

With 104 opened acupoints and a top-grade spiritual sword, Tao Shiye's combat power was indeed extraordinary. If Chen Fei had the same cultivation level and possessed a top-grade spiritual sword, the Qianyuan Sword Formation would not have been torn apart.

After all, the Suppressing Dragon Elephant couldn't bolster the sword formation, and if there were no Suppressing Dragon Elephant, Chen Fei might indeed struggle against Tao Shiye.

However, the world is never defined by "ifs." Chen Fei had the Suppressing Dragon Elephant, and his current strength surpassed Tao Shiye.

Before Tao Shiye could escape after tearing the sword formation, Chen Fei had already appeared in front of him. The Qianyuan Sword thrust forward, and the air in front of it seemed as if it were about to be forcefully shattered.

"Boom!"

A deafening explosion echoed in all directions. Tao Shiye couldn't control the surging blood anymore and vomited it out, his face turning deathly pale in an instant.

Chen Fei took a step forward without giving Tao Shiye a chance to catch his breath and thrust his sword again.

Two swords clashed, creating a massive recoil force, as the power of the Heavenly Sun Sword was extremely exaggerated. However, on Chen Fei's side, these recoil forces seemed non-existent.

One strike, two strikes, three strikes!

In an instant, three strikes were delivered, and Tao Shiye had lost all color in his face. His eyes were filled with unwillingness. In just a few more years, he would have the opportunity to reach the peak of the Aperture Tempering realm, but now, he was here, dying at the hands of an unknown opponent?

"Is that Tao Shiye ahead? Do you need any assistance?" Suddenly, a voice echoed from a distance.

Tao Shiye's eyes widened suddenly, and a look of relief appeared in his eyes. It was his friend, Tong Wenxuan. He didn't expect to encounter him here.

"Tong Brother, save me!" Tao Shiye shouted urgently.

As Chen Fei sensed the approaching presence from afar, another Advanced Aperture Tempering realm expert, he realized that there were indeed many formidable individuals near Imperial City..

Chapter 416: Do You Believe This?

A clone of Chen Fei emerged from his body, flashed, and disappeared in an instant, heading straight towards Tong Wenxuan's location.

"Do you think you can stop me by relying on a clone?"

Seeing the clone separating from Chen Fei, Tao Shiye burst into laughter. Clones like this were achievable through various cultivation techniques and weren't particularly rare.

Within the many legacies of the Heavenly Sun Mansion, there were two methods to cultivate clones, but very few made it their primary cultivation technique.

Clones were useful in certain situations, such as when facing uncertainty, allowing the clone to scout ahead and detect potential dangers early on.

However, clones had an inherent flaw – their strength was extremely weak, and they were almost useless in direct combat.

Among the Heavenly Sun Mansion disciples who chose these clone techniques, most were aware of their limited talents and sought alternatives.

"Do you have to resort to killing to stop someone?"

As Chen Fei's words fell, his entire body suddenly radiated an intense heat, and a scarlet flame burst forth from him.

It was similar to the scene when Sheng Renyuan had burned his blood essence before, but Chen Fei's current display was even more extreme. The scarlet color seemed to truly transform into flames, even his hair turned blood-red in an instant.

Blood Ignition Technique!

Using blood as fuel, completely burning it to gain a power boost.

Blood Ignition Technique wasn't considered a rare skill; you could say that in many cultivation techniques, there was such a desperate move. Especially in the Body Tempering realm, where there were no apertures to burst, the only option was to burn one's blood essence.

The ultimate display of the Blood Ignition Technique's power depended on how much strength was contained in the blood essence you were burning. The greater the power contained within the blood essence, the stronger the boost you would gain after burning it.

Chen Fei's blood essence came from the tempering of the Suppressing Dragon Elephant. In the Aperture Tempering realm, Chen Fei had never seen anyone with a stronger physique than his, not even those at the peak of the Aperture Tempering realm could compare.

After obtaining the Blood Ignition Technique from the Rain Pavilion last time, Chen Fei combined it with some secret techniques recorded in the Blood Origin Technique, creating an enhanced version of the Blood Ignition Technique.

In terms of blood manipulation, the Blood Origin Technique was indeed the most powerful technique Chen Fei had ever seen. Unfortunately, it had a malevolent nature, and reckless cultivation of it led to more harm than good.

The enhanced version of the Blood Ignition Technique would burn the blood essence to the maximum extent, even to the point of exhausting all of it.

In simpler terms, using this enhanced Blood Ignition Technique meant giving oneself no way out.

If others used regular Blood Ignition Techniques, they could recover in a few months if it was a mild case, or a few years for more severe cases. However, if someone used Chen Fei's version of the Blood Ignition Technique, their strength would increase, but they would likely turn into ashes in no time.

In response to this Blood Ignition Technique, Chen Fei, following the instructions in the Blood Origin Technique, had specially opened a small space in his chest cavity, specifically used to store blood essence. Chen Fei would even occasionally purify the blood essence inside, making the contained power even more refined. And at this moment, the Blood Ignition Technique was burning the blood essence in this area.

For Chen Fei himself, burning only this specific area posed no threat.

Tao Shiye felt Chen Fei's aura steadily rising, and his expression changed instantly. At first, when he saw Chen Fei use the Blood Ignition Technique, Tao Shiye didn't pay it much mind.

The Blood Ignition Technique was indeed effective, but the power boost it provided wasn't usually to an extreme degree.

However, at this moment, Tao Shiye was watching Chen Fei and had a strange feeling that Chen Fei seemed to have burst his own apertures, otherwise, how could the increase in his aura be so exaggerated?

Initially, Tao Shiye was confident that he could hold out until Tong Wenxuan arrived, as he believed that Tong Wenxuan was only moments away. But now, Tao Shiye realized that the situation had taken a turn he couldn't control.

With a step forward, Chen Fei's Qianyuan Sword was enveloped in a bloody aura. When he thrust the sword, everything else in Tao Shiye's field of vision disappeared.

The momentum of this sword overwhelmed all of Tao Shiye's thoughts. At this moment, it was as if Tao Shiye had stopped thinking altogether.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, Tao Shiye roared in anger, and all the apertures in his body began to shatter, a scorching aura sweeping in all directions.

Tao Shiye hadn't expected that, with Tong Wenxuan so close, he would have to resort to the method of shattering his apertures to seek a glimmer of hope.

He was only four apertures away from reaching the peak of the Aperture Tempering realm. After that, there was a good chance he could break through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm, a realm that countless martial artists dreamt of.

But now, by shattering his apertures, even if he managed to escape today, the injuries to his apertures would be permanent. Even with those sacred healing medicines that could repair aperture injuries, the old injuries would remain. Perhaps after recovery, they wouldn't affect Tao Shiye's combat abilities, but the possibility of breaking through to the Combined Aperture Tempering realm was now entirely out of reach.

Moreover, even if he reopened those four apertures, whether they could form a cohesive whole with the other 108 apertures to achieve the true peak of the Aperture Tempering realm was a huge question.

However, at this moment, Tao Shiye had no other choice. Techniques like the Blood Ignition Technique were also in his repertoire, but they didn't provide much power. The only option left was to shatter his apertures.

If he didn't shatter his apertures, he might die from this sword!

Outside the dense forest.

Tong Wenxuan was about to rush to the location where Tao Shiye's aura was coming from when suddenly, a figure blocked his path. Tong Wenxuan frowned because the person in front of him had no aura at all..

Chapter 417: Do You Believe This?(2)

"There's a battle going on inside. Your sudden entrance could lead to accidental injury," Chen Fei looked at Tong Wenxuan with a hint of a smile on his face.

"You must be joking! My closest friends are in there. Are you suggesting that I can't enter?"

Tong Wenxuan sneered and was about to draw his sword to deal with the person in front of him. Suddenly, two powerful auras emanated from the dense forest, followed by a tremendous collision.

Even though they were over a mile apart, the shockwaves of the battle still reached them. The ground trembled violently, as if a dragon was rolling beneath it, a terrifying sight.

Tong Wenxuan's expression changed slightly. This level of power and impact, even in the normal state, was beyond what Tao Shiye could achieve.

In other words, Tao Shiye must have been pushed to the brink of destruction?

What kind of dire situation could make the proud Tao Shiye choose to destroy his own acupoints to save his life?

Tong Wenxuan looked at the person in front of him, and his hand holding the sword hesitated for a moment.

In the dense forest,

Chen Fei took a few steps back, channeling his strength into the ground. This was the first time Chen Fei had retreated during this battle, mainly because Tao Shiye's sword was incredibly powerful.

Fortunately, Chen Fei's strength would only grow stronger at this moment. In his Blood Ignition state, his power had reached an unprecedented level. Moreover, with the support of the Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique, he had not suffered any injuries from Tao Shiye's attack, despite taking a few steps back.

On the other hand, Tao Shiye's face was as pale as paper, and both his energy and spirit had dropped to the lowest point.

Without even glancing at Chen Fei, Tao Shiye kicked off and rushed out of the dense forest. Right now, his only chance of survival was to find Tong Wenxuan.

Just now, I heard the sound, and Tong Wenxuan was clearly nearby. Why hasn't he arrived yet?

Chen Fei stepped back with his right foot, and in a flash of lightning, he appeared in front of Tao Shiye, his sword aimed at Tao Shiye's neck.

Since they had chosen to be enemies, Chen Fei had no intention of sparing him. They were already mortal enemies, and in such a situation, only one of them could truly fall for it to end.

"Don't kill me!"

*Bang!*

Chen Fei's sword struck Tao Shiye's spiritual sword. Tao Shiye's arms made a sound as if they were under unbearable pressure. The next moment, blood splattered, and the high-grade spiritual sword flew off at an angle, embedding itself into the ground, emitting a ringing sound.

Tao Shiye was sent flying by the tremendous force, rolling over dozens of times on the ground before coming to a stop, looking disheveled.

"Kill me, and Heavenly Sun Mansion will never let you go. You won't escape death in the end!" Tao Shiye struggled to lift his head and shouted loudly as he saw the shoe sole in front of him.

"If I spare you, will our grievances come to an end?"

"Yes, we have no more grievances!" Tao Shiye nodded vigorously.

"You don't even believe that yourself, do you?" Chen Fei said softly.

Tao Shiye was about to reply when he suddenly felt a lightness in his head. He tried to speak but found himself unable to. Realizing a possible outcome, fear filled Tao Shiye's eyes.

There was still a better future ahead of him, so how did it come to this?

Chen Fei stood in front of Tao Shiye, and under the ritualistic technique of slaughtering spirits, spiritual essence flowed into the Qianyuan Sword. Suddenly, Chen Fei's figure violently retreated, and a blood imprint rushed out of Tao Shiye's body, heading straight for Chen Fei.

God Slayer, God Slayer, God Slayer!

The Qianyuan Sword, infused with the Godslayer Sword, struck towards the blood imprint one after another.

Chen Fei had taken the time to research these vengeful blood imprints and came to the conclusion that they were created through a unique mental technique. Therefore, to break them, using a similar mental technique was the most effective approach.

However, the person who created the blood imprints had naturally considered this, so if you simply attacked with mental techniques, the blood imprints might indeed disperse, but they would directly adhere to your own mental techniques.

Mental techniques were connected to one's own consciousness, and once they stuck to a mental technique, your consciousness would inevitably be tainted by a bit of the blood imprint. And once it was tainted, clearing it became extremely difficult, requiring a significant amount of time and effort to remove.

But Chen Fei's Godslayer Sword was a shadow formed by mental projection, a sword that sliced shadows with the power of consciousness. It was just an illusion and couldn't connect to Chen Fei's own consciousness.

Five consecutive strikes of the Godslayer Sword shattered the blood imprints in mid-air.

However, the blood imprints didn't disappear immediately. Instead, they transformed into a column of blood-red light shooting into the sky. The blood light wasn't intense, and its aura wasn't strong, but it was highly conspicuous.

This blood light was signaling to the people of Heavenly Sun Mansion in the vicinity that someone had been killed at this location.

The change in the blood imprints took Chen Fei by surprise. At this point, shattering the blood light wouldn't be of any use. People from Heavenly Sun Mansion within several tens of miles around would likely have sensed the situation here.

Chen Fei waved his hand, and a sword energy swept across, reducing Tao Shiye to ashes.

Chen Fei retrieved the high-grade spiritual sword from a distance, along with several pieces of elemental stones and elixirs. Using the Godslayer Sword, he completely erased his own aura from the scene.

As a precaution, Chen Fei even used his Sword Return Eye to backtrack, and then continued to use the Godslayer Sword to eliminate any traces of his aura. This was a thorough removal of the aura from this location.

With everything done, even if others had the same technique, they wouldn't be able to determine Chen Fei's true aura.

After completing these actions, Chen Fei's figure flickered, and he ran towards the distance. He couldn't afford to stay any longer; Heavenly Sun Mansion's experts would be arriving soon.

Outside the dense forest,

Tong Wenxuan was still hesitating when suddenly, he saw the blood – red light shooting into the sky from the dense forest. Tong Wenxuan was left dumbfounded.

Tao Shiye had ruptured his own acupoints, and yet he had been killed within moments? Not a trace of the blood imprint had even adhered to the enemy; it had only left behind this blood light.

What kind of terrifying opponent had Tao Shiye provoked?

A peak-level Aperture Tempering realm cultivator?

Tao Shiye shouldn't be so foolish. Challenging a peak-level Aperture Tempering realm cultivator at the advance Aperture Tempering realm stage would be a surefire way to his own demise.

But if the opponent was also at the advance Aperture Tempering realm stage, how could they cleanly kill Tao Shiye like this? Tao Shiye's strength was considerably higher than his own.

Thinking about this, Tong Wenxuan, for some reason, felt a sense of relief that he hadn't rushed in.

Chen Fei's clone glanced at Tong Wenxuan and then dissipated into the air.

From the beginning to the end, the clone had not revealed a trace of its aura, so there was no need to worry about leaving behind any flaws.

In less than half a moment, several figures appeared in the dense forest. All of them were Aperture Tempering realm cultivators from Heavenly Sun Mansion.

Seeing the signs of battle around, everyone fell silent.

"That's Senior Tao's aura!" someone whispered softly, the aura contained in the blood light was quite obvious.

"The aura of the person who killed Senior Tao can't be found!"

"Thief! You think you can escape after killing members of our Heavenly Sun Mansion?"

"The news has been sent back to the mansion. More people will be coming soon."

A sound of breaking through the air echoed, and a powerful aura descended from the sky; it was Ning Pusheng, the peak-level Aperture Tempering realm cultivator.

At this moment, Ning Pusheng's face remained expressionless, but everyone could see the anger in his eyes. Tao Shiye had the potential to grow into a peak-level Aperture Tempering realm cultivator, and now he had been killed here.

This loss was devastating even for Heavenly Sun Mansion.

Hum!*

In Ning Pusheng's sea of consciousness, his mental power surged, and his sword intent spread throughout the surroundings, causing the ground to be forcibly dug up to three feet deep.

Ning Pusheng was determined to find the aura of the person who had killed Tao Shiye. Without an aura, there was no way to track them. But no matter how he stimulated his sword intent, he still couldn't find any trace of the killer.

It was as if this person didn't exist.

The radiance in Ning Pusheng's eyes grew stronger, and those around him felt the pressure and involuntarily stepped back.

After a while, Ning Pusheng withdrew his sword intent, but he still couldn't find the aura. Even though Ning Pusheng had refined his sword intent and made it as subtle as possible, there was still no clue.

"Go to the mansion and fetch the Sky-Searching Mirror!" Ning Pusheng said in a deep voice.

"Yes!" someone replied with a bow and hurried towards the direction of Heavenly Sun Mansion.

Half an hour later, a mirror appeared in Ning Pusheng's hand.

The Sky-Searching Mirror could detect even the faintest and most subtle auras. It was typically used to search for auras with a time span of more than an hour.

Using the Sky-Searching Mirror for an event that had just occurred was unheard of.

Ning Pusheng was eager to see how the other party would conceal their aura now!

Chapter 418: Dumbfounded

Ning Pusheng manipulated the Sky-Searching Mirror, and a hazy beam of light emanated, enveloping everything within a radius of several dozen meters.

Several other individuals from the Heavenly Sun Mansion standing nearby felt discomfort as the light from the mirror fell on them. They furrowed their brows and eventually avoided the light.

Under this light, it seemed as if people were stripped bare, with no secrets left, and even their innermost thoughts were exposed.

Ning Pusheng connected his consciousness with the Sky-Searching Mirror, perceiving every inch of this place's fluctuations.

The Sky-Searching Mirror was a top-grade spiritual tool. Even with the Heavenly Sun Mansion's heritage, top-grade spiritual tools were rare, to the point of being extremely scarce. Among them, most were weapons, and functional top-grade spiritual tools like the Sky-Searching Mirror were incredibly rare, like a solitary sprout.

It wasn't that the Heavenly Sun Mansion couldn't afford top-grade spiritual tools; it was just that there were hardly any transactions involving top-grade spiritual tools. Unlike high-grade spiritual tools, which were occasionally traded, even in places like the Imperial City, records of top-grade spiritual tools being bought and sold were few and far between.

Most of the top-grade spiritual tools within the Heavenly Sun Mansion were crafted at a great expense and nurtured for countless years before they gradually took shape.

Of course, there were also top-grade spiritual tools obtained after destroying other sects, like this Sky-Searching Mirror.

This mirror could examine even the tiniest details, and the Heavenly Sun Mansion had used it for many years, almost never failing in its endeavors. Only when it involved Combined Aperture Tempering realm would they encounter obstacles.

The one who intended to kill Tao Shiye was most likely not in the Combined Aperture Tempering realm, and might not even have reached the Peak Aperture Tempering realm. That's why Ning Pusheng was so confident in relying on the Sky-Searching Mirror to locate the person.

However, as time passed, there was still no sign under the Sky-Searching Mirror. Ning Pusheng's expression changed slightly, and the others from the Heavenly Sun Mansion beside him exchanged puzzled glances.

The Sky-Searching Mirror was here, and it had been less than an hour since they started searching, yet they still couldn't detect the person's presence. This seemed rather exaggerated.

"Reveal!"

Ning Pusheng shouted loudly, and his consciousness surged into the Sky-Searching Mirror. With this power, the light on the mirror's surface instantly intensified, making it difficult for anyone to keep their eyes open.

Ning Pusheng had already pushed the power of the Sky-Searching Mirror to its limit. If they still couldn't find any trace with this level of effort, then it might be impossible to find the person.

At that point, even if Ning Pusheng felt unwilling, he would have to accept the outcome.

"Hum!"

Under the pillar-like light from the mirror, a faint ripple suddenly flashed through the air.

The others watching couldn't help but brighten their eyes. The net of heaven is wide and meshes finely; no matter how well you erase your traces, eventually, you'll reveal your tracks.

Thinking about this, the people from the Heavenly Sun Mansion couldn't help but smile.

It had always been the case that when they wanted to kill someone, no one could trace it back to them. When someone from the Heavenly Sun Mansion was killed, they were powerless to do anything. It seemed that this pattern wouldn't change.

Ning Pusheng's lips curled slightly as the Sky-Searching Mirror's light shifted and captured the faint trace of breath, presenting it before Ning Pusheng.

Ning Pusheng had genuinely thought that they might not find any leads. The faintness of this breath was to such an extent that, without the Sky-Searching Mirror, even Ning Pusheng himself might not have been able to detect it.

How faint was this breath?

It was probably several times weaker than that left behind by a single ant!

"Go!"

Ning Pusheng formed hand seals, and the Sky-Searching Mirror rotated, pointing in the direction to the right rear. Ning Pusheng was slightly taken aback. Although this direction didn't point directly to the Imperial City, it wasn't too far from its location.

Had this person intentionally returned to the Imperial City area, trying to hide in plain sight?

Killing someone from the Heavenly Sun Mansion and then hiding right under their noses – not many people would have the audacity for such a thing. This person must have believed that the Heavenly Sun Mansion wouldn't be able to catch them.

Ning Pusheng sneered and, with a swift movement, followed the guidance of the Sky-Searching Mirror and charged in that direction.

In reality, with the Sky-Searching Mirror in hand, he could have directly searched for Tao Shiye's aura since Tao Shiye's high-grade spiritual sword had disappeared and was undoubtedly in the possession of the culprit. However, just now, even under the Sky-Searching Mirror, he couldn't detect Tao Shiye's aura, indicating that it had been completely concealed. This forced Ning Pusheng to shift his focus.

Fortunately, the current outcome was favorable. Once Ning Pusheng caught up to the person, he wouldn't kill them immediately. Bringing them back to the Heavenly Sun Mansion, they had plenty of ways to make that person experience what true suffering was!

Ning Pusheng's figure darted forward, with the others from the Heavenly Sun Mansion trailing far behind, ready to prevent any unexpected incidents.

Twenty li away, Sheng Renyuan lay motionless on the ground, and standing beside him was an Aperture Tempering realm cultivator from the Heavenly Sun Mansion, Ni Peisheng.

Sheng Renyuan's eyes were filled with despair. His cultivation had been sealed, and the Heavenly Sun Mansion's people had already arrived. Now it seemed there was no way out.

What Sheng Renyuan hoped for now was to encounter Chen Fei in the Heavenly Sun Mansion's dungeon. Only if both of them were captured, suffered together, and faced an uncertain future could Sheng Renyuan find some psychological balance.

In his heart, Sheng Renyuan cursed Chen Fei continuously. Suddenly, he felt a weight on his chest, and an immense aura descended from the heavens. What made it more critical was that this aura was firmly locked onto him.

"Senior Brother Ning?" Ni Peisheng was somewhat surprised to see Ning Pusheng's sudden arrival.

Ni Peisheng knew about the unexpected situation with Tao Shiye, and he knew that Ning Pusheng had gone to deal with it. However, why had Ning Pusheng suddenly come here now? His expression also appeared extremely grim..

Chapter 419: Dumbfounded (2)

Sheng Renyuan struggled to lift his head and, upon seeing Ning Pusheng, appeared somewhat confused. He didn't understand why Ning Pusheng was glaring at him so fiercely.

As for Ning Pusheng, Sheng Renyuan certainly knew him well. He was the top expert in the Combined Aperture Tempering realm of Heavenly Sun Mansion, and near Imperial City, he was a household name.

Sheng Renyuan had seen him from a distance a few times in Imperial City.

But now, why was Ning Pusheng looking at him like this? He was the one who had been inexplicably captured by Heavenly Sun Mansion. Even in that situation, he hadn't shown such an expression. Why did Ning Pusheng seem so intent on tearing him apart?

"What's going on?" Sheng Renyuan asked.

The aura sensed by the Sky-Searching Mirror pointed directly at the person on the ground. But even with a little thought, Ning Pusheng knew it was impossible for this person, with only mid-stage Combined Aperture Tempering realm cultivation, to kill Tao Shiye.

If Tao Shiye had been killed by someone at the mid-stage Aperture Tempering realm, Ning Pusheng thought Tao Shiye had better died sooner to save Heavenly Sun Mansion from embarrassment.

But why did this person's aura appear in the dense forest?

"Reporting to Senior Brother Ning, this person was captured by Senior Brother

Tao earlier. Later, Senior Brother Tao went to pursue another individual and left this person here," Ni Peisheng explained. He had doubts in his heart, but he reported the situation truthfully. Ni Peisheng could tell that Ning Pusheng's mood at this moment was quite terrible.

"Have you seen the person Senior Brother Tao was pursuing?" Ning Pusheng lowered his head to look at Sheng Renyuan.

"I have, I have," Sheng Renyuan quickly nodded.

"What's their cultivation level?"

-Same as mine, mid-stage Aperture Tempering realm," Sheng Renyuan replied

without hesitation.

"Mid-stage Aperture Tempering realm?"

Suddenly, Ning Pusheng stepped on Sheng Renyuan's calf, and Sheng

Renyuan's calf, as if made of tofu, had no resistance at all, snapping at the slightest pressure.

Sheng Renyuan screamed loudly in pain. He didn't know if Ning Pusheng had used some other power, but the excruciating pain of broken bones, while not common for martial artists, was something most could endure.

However, at this moment, Sheng Renyuan felt as if he had been subjected to severe torture, far more agonizing than a simple bone fracture, echoing relentlessly throughout his body, causing him to roll on the ground uncontrollably.

Sheng Renyuan couldn't understand why Ning Pusheng would treat him this way when he had answered Ning Pusheng's questions without hesitation.

Sheng Renyuan couldn't comprehend it!

"Do you want to say that an Advanced Aperture Tempering realm cultivator of the Heavenly Sun Mansion was killed by someone at the Mid Aperture Tempering realm?" Ning Pusheng berated.

However, after reprimanding Sheng Renyuan, Ning Pusheng slowly closed his eyes and let out a sigh. The kick he had just delivered had been influenced by personal emotions because Ning Pusheng realized that he had been played by that person.

At this point, whether or not Sheng Renyuan had seen that person was irrelevant. The Sky-Searching Mirror couldn't collect any traces of the person's aura, making it impossible for Ning Pusheng to track them with it.

As for gathering the person's aura from Sheng Renyuan, such traces would have been disrupted when interacting with others. Only in places of intense combat, where individuals exerted their full strength, could an aura linger long enough to be detected significantly. In other situations, it was practically impossible.

The Sky-Searching Mirror was indeed a top-grade spiritual tool, but it had its limitations, and it couldn't perform miracles.

"Useless brat, useless brat!" Ning Pusheng roared softly, then kicked Sheng Renyuan's head. Sheng Renyuan didn't die but was knocked unconscious by Ning Pusheng. However, his skull had visibly caved in. While Ning Pusheng had held back to some extent, he hadn't been gentle.

Several hundred li away, Chen Fei stood atop a hill and glanced back in the direction of Imperial City.

Normally, the people from the Heavenly Sun Mansion would not be able to track Chen Fei. After all, under the influence of his Sword Return Eye technique, even past auras were severed by Chen Fei.

This was precisely why Chen Fei had deliberately cultivated the Sword Return Eye technique. It was a mystical art that involved some principles of causality and proved to be quite remarkable.

With the mindset of being prepared for any situation, Chen Fei had mastered the technique to perfection, and today it had truly come in handy.

As for leaving Sheng Renyuan's aura in the dense forest, it was entirely

unintentional.

When Chen Fei used the Sword Return Eye technique, he discovered a faint trace of Sheng Renyuan's aura lingering on the Qjanyuan Sword. At that time, when Sheng Renyuan had desperately resisted Chen Fei's attacks, the residual aura had been somewhat pronounced. However, in the subsequent use of the Qjanyuan Sword, that trace of aura had already dissipated.

Yet, during the process of backtracking with the Sword Return Eye technique, a faint trace had reemerged.

To be honest, this trace was incredibly faint, almost negligible, and could be equated to practically nothing. Chen Fei had casually left it in the dense forest in case the people from the Heavenly Sun Mansion could actually trace the aura, which could serve as a diversion.

As for whether Sheng Renyuan had seen Chen Fei and if that would become a vulnerability…

Remembering a person's aura was entirely a subjective perception, and it couldn't be extracted as a real aura, unlike one's appearance. The dynasty was so vast that there would be no starting point for such a search.

As for appearance, Chen Fei had disguised himself at the time.

The distance between Imperial City and Immortal Cloud City was nearly ten thousand li, and that was the straight-line distance. Just thinking about it made it clear how low the probability of being found was.

As long as he wasn't actively pursued and discovered immediately, it was highly unlikely that he would be found later.

Chen Fei glanced at the Qjanyuan Sword in his hand. The spiritual essence he obtained from slaying Tao Shiye had almost overflowed into the sword's body. Already in a transformative state, this transformation had now accelerated, and once it became a high-grade spiritual weapon, the quality of the Qjanyuan Sword would greatly improve.

This was a case of having an insufficient foundation and making up for it with spiritual essence, forcibly elevating the Qianyuan Sword.

Thinking about the high-grade spiritual sword inside the spatial grid, Chen Fei couldn't help but feel a strange sensation. He couldn't understand why Tao Shiye had come after him.

The cause and process of the incident were truly baffling.

Within the Heavenly Sun Mansion, they must have been doing something, and Chen Fei and Sheng Renyuan both fit some specific criteria.

Chen Fei shookhis head, deciding not to dwell on it any longer because it didn't serve much purpose. Chen Fei couldn't currently storm the Heavenly Sun Mansion directly, so he had to remember this incident and deal with it later.

With a burst of electric energy, Chen Fei released all his speed and rushed toward the distance.

Several hours later, Chen Fei arrived in Lingshui City, the city where he had originally settled Ruan's family.

However, compared to when Chen Fei had first arrived, Lingshui City now seemed a bit deserted, with hardly any people to be seen on the streets.

Although it wasn't completely deserted, many people had indeed moved away from Lingshui City after the strange and terrifying incident that had occurred last time.

Those with abilities and skills had all left Lingshui City, aiming to put as much distance between themselves and Shangwu City as possible. They were afraid that one day they would wake up to find the strangeness of Shangwu City running rampant within the city.

Chen Fei arrived at the courtyard where Ruan's family had lived. He found that it was also vacant.

Entering the courtyard, after a moment, Chen Fei stood in front of a hidden compartment, next to which there were torn pieces of paper.

Chen Fei picked them up and realized that they were a message left for him by Ruan Qjaojun.

However, someone had beaten Chen Fei to it and had already found the hidden compartment.

After a moment, Chen Fei's gaze moved away from the sealed envelope. The Ruan family had moved to the more distant Beimo City, and the letter expressed Ruan Qjaojun's hope that if Chen Fei ever had the chance, he could visit them in Beimo City.

Chen Fei smiled faintly and decided not to head to Beimo City this time. He planned to visit Beimo City the next time he came out.

Chen Fei's figure flickered and disappeared in Lingshui City.

Instead of heading in the direction of Immortal Cloud City, Chen Fei went in another direction.

When Chen Fei had first visited the Ruan family, Ruan Qjaojun had given him a map to the location where her father had obtained the Gold Sky Stone. Chen Fei had never been there in all these years.

This time, one of Chen Fei's destinations was this place. With Chen Fei's current strength, most places posed no danger to him.

Half an hour later, Chen Fei stood on a rocky hill.

In front of him, there were two figures being surrounded and attacked by a group of spider-like demonic beasts.

One of the people, Chen Fei recognized as Yu Shijia from the Yu family. He had challenged Chen Fei to a duel in Immortal Cloud City, but Chen Fei had politely declined.

The other person was also from the Yu family, and she appeared elegant and graceful. She was Yu Shijia's older sister, Yu Yuqi.

Both of them were at the Mid Aperture Tempering realm in terms of cultivation, but the current situation looked precarious..

Chapter 420: Sob

Chen Fei did not rush to rescue anyone. Yu Shijin, the brother and sister, are in a somewhat precarious situation now, but it's not a matter of life and death.

Even if it were a matter of life and death, Chen Fei knew that they must have some means of self-preservation at their disposal.

The Yu family, as a familial power, doesn't possess as many overall resources as the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, and they might even have fewer resources.

While their overall resources are limited, the members of the Yu family's main lineage are few in number. When you divide those resources among them, each person ends up with a substantial share.

Yu Shijin and the others dared to come out and travel, so they must have some treasure to ensure their safety. Chen Fei didn't need to worry about their well-being.

His clone quietly separated from Chen Fei and entered the spider cave.

These spiders were extremely sensitive to the presence and movements of outsiders. Fortunately, Chen Fei's clone didn't emit either of those cues. At this moment, the attention of these spiders was focused on Yu Shijin and the others, allowing Chen Fei's clone to smoothly penetrate the cave.

It was dark and damp inside, and occasionally, Chen Fei saw many small spiders biting and fighting each other. Additionally, he observed many spider eggs in the process of hatching.

Each spider egg was trembling slightly, and thick mucus covered the surroundings. Upon closer inspection, it seemed that there was a subtle movement within the egg sacs.

Chen Fei remained unfazed but couldn't help but wonder why this place could support the proliferation of so many spider demons.

The spiders that had surrounded Yu Shijin earlier included quite a few second-tier ones; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to trap two cultivators at the early stage of Aperture Tempering realm so effectively.

Chen Fei continued to delve deeper and finally arrived in a gigantic cavern.

It seemed like the interior of a mountain, hollowed out, rather than a natural formation. Upon reaching this place, Chen Fei distinctly sensed the richness of the world's aura.

A spider queen, resembling a small mountain, was currently crawling in the center. It was at the mid-stage of the second tier, roughly equivalent to the mid-stage of Aperture Tempering realm in human terms.

However, a typical cultivator at the mid-stage of Aperture Tempering realm, unless their techniques are exceptional, might not fare well against a spider queen of this size. They might even find themselves trapped.

Chen Fei's gaze shifted to the area beneath the spider queen. The fluctuations of the world's aura in the entire cavern originated from this point.

He activated his Star Gazing Art, and a faint light emanated from his eyes, revealing everything beneath the spider queen in his sight.

"Elemental stone mine?"

Chen Fei appeared somewhat surprised, and this discovery partially explained his earlier confusion about how so many spiders could thrive in this place.

If this was indeed an elemental stone mine, then the presence of so many spider demons wasn't that unusual.

The light in Chen Fei's eyes grew brighter as he continued to examine the area under the spider queen. Whether it was due to his relatively intense investigation or other factors, the spider queen, which had been pretending to sleep, trembled slightly as if awakening.

Chen Fei paid no mind to it and continued his observation for a while. The light in his eyes gradually dimmed.

The initial excitement of discovering the elemental stone mine had faded from Chen Fei's face.

It wasn't that he had made a mistake in his judgment; indeed, beneath the spider queen was an elemental stone mine. However, this elemental stone mine was exceptionally small, just a tiny vein.

Over the years, as it had been absorbed and consumed by these spiders, the elemental stone mine had already dwindled significantly. According to Chen Fei's estimation, even if he were to claim this elemental stone mine, he would only obtain a dozen or so elemental stones from it.

A dozen elemental stones might seem like a decent amount. In terms of silver, it would be worth tens of thousands. That sounded quite impressive.

However, for Chen Fei in his current situation, a dozen elemental stones didn't elicit much of an emotional response. After slaying Tao Shiye and obtaining the high-grade spiritual sword, he hadn't yet decided how to handle it. If he could sell it successfully, it would bring in an income of two thousand elemental stones.

Therefore, a dozen elemental stones didn't generate much excitement for Chen Fei.

If Yu Shijin and the others weren't outside, Chen Fei might have taken a more detailed approach, charging in, kicking the spider queen away, and then digging out the elemental stones.

But now, he wasn't particularly interested.

Chen Fei glanced around and in a corner, surprisingly found a low-grade spiritual blade. It seemed that some cultivator at the Aperture Tempering realm stage had fallen prey to these spider demons, and the spiritual essence on this low-grade spiritual blade had dissipated, leaving it a rusty and damaged item.

Without any further discoveries, it was evident that this place had become a den of spider demons due to the presence of an elemental stone mine.

In the past, Ruan Qiaojun's father had been lucky enough to discover Gold Sky Stone here and escape unscathed. With slightly worse luck, a cultivator at the Body Tempering realm would have met a gruesome end here.

Even a cultivator at the early stage of Aperture Tempering realm, if slightly slower in reacting, could have been surrounded and killed, much like the owner of that low-grade spiritual blade.

Chen Fei shook his head and dispersed his form, vanishing from the cavern.

The spider queen opened her eyes, scanned her surroundings, found nothing unusual, and then closed her eyes slowly.

Outside the cave.

Chen Fei's main body glanced at Yu Shijin and the others who were still struggling, his figure flickered, and he disappeared from the spot.

Not long after Chen Fei had distanced himself by several miles, he heard a tremendous explosion from behind, accompanied by the faint but sharp cries of the dying spiders.

Evidently, Yu Shijin and the siblings had realized the hopelessness of their situation and used their life-saving treasures.

Continuing to penetrate deeper into the cave was out of the question, but they would undoubtedly escape without any issues. This was the advantage of their foundation. For other cultivators at the early stage of Aperture Tempering realm, facing the same predicament would almost certainly mean certain death. Blood Ignition techniques or shattering their apertures, these suicidal methods would be of no use..

Chapter 421: Sob (2)

Chen Fei rushed towards Apricot Fen City at an incredible speed. However, just as he was about to approach Apricot Fen City, Chen Fei turned onto another road.

This breakthrough to the advanced stage of the Aperture Tempering realm was primarily to resolve the matter of the Sword Return Tower. After dealing with the Sword Return Tower, Chen Fei also wanted to address several other outstanding issues.

One of them was Mi Village, and the other was the peculiar situation in Pinyin County.

When Chen Fei had just broken through to the early stage of the Aperture Tempering realm, with his strength at the time, he couldn't directly handle these two places alone.

If he forced it, he would undoubtedly end up getting himself in trouble.

Even in the mid-stage of the Aperture Tempering realm, Chen Pel's confidence was limited.

Only now, in the advanced stage of the Aperture Tempering realm, did Chen Fei truly feel confident.

If he couldn't resolve these two places even in the advanced stage of the Aperture Tempering realm, the next time Chen Fei came back, he wouldn't be in the peak Aperture Tempering realm but would directly use the power of the Combined Aperture Tempering realm to forcefully push through.

In the dense forest, Chen Fei stood on the treetop. The treetop swayed with the wind, and Chen Fei seemed weightless, gently swaying along with the treetop.

Chen Fei looked at a valley ahead, his brow slightly furrowed.

Initially, Mi Village was down below, but at this moment, the valley below was truly just a valley, and the Mi Village hidden in the mist had disappeared.

Chen Fei lightly tapped the treetop with his right foot, like a roc spreading its wings, drawing a huge arc and landing in the valley.

The cold and eerie aura from before had long disappeared.

Chen Fei glanced around, but there were no traces of the Evil that had existed here before.

After a moment of contemplation, Chen Fei raised his right hand, forming a sword gesture, and swiped it across his forehead.

Sword Return Eye!

Within Chen Fei's sea of consciousness, his mental power surged as the Sword Return Eye began to backtrack the aura in this place.

The Sword Return Eye's ability to backtrack depends entirely on how much mental power the user possesses to sustain it.

At this moment, in Chen Fei's eyes, the entire valley's aura was violently rolling, not forward, but rapidly rolling back into the past.

This sensation was quite extraordinary, as if looking back in time, even giving a strange feeling of time reversal.

However, after a moment, Chen Fei stopped. Half of his mental power had been consumed, but he hadn't seen anything.

Clearly, the time when Mi Village disappeared was much earlier than Chen Fei had estimated, far beyond the range that Chen Fei could currently trace.

Chen Fei looked around, and the resources within Mi Village weren't essential for him at this point.

However, he had been driven out of Mi Village by the village chief originally. Chen Fei had wanted, this time, no matter what, to greet each of the Mi Village residents and have a proper conversation with them, standing up for the last one.

But Mi Village didn't give him that opportunity.

He'd just wanted to say hello, why was it so difficult!

Chen Fei's figure flickered and disappeared from the spot.

A gentle breeze blew into the valley, lifting the dust from the ground. The swirling dust gradually formed a vortex. The howling of the wind, upon closer listening, sounded like a mournful cry.

In less than a moment, Chen Fei saw the city wall of Pinyin County in the distance.

Whether Mi Village had left on its own or had been destroyed was unknown to Chen Fei. He had also wondered whether the target of Pinyin County, being so significant, had fled and hidden in some undisclosed place.

Now, it seemed that the Evil of Pinyin County had not done so; it remained here.

From a distance, Pinyin County appeared inconspicuous to the average person —a typical small county with even the city wall showing signs of wear and tear.

But in Chen Fei's eyes, Pinyin County was shrouded in a chilling force. Compared to the last time he had seen it, the eerie power of Pinyin County had grown significantly.

This kind of power could be resisted by most advanced stage Aperture Tempering realm practitioners, but to completely suppress it was quite challenging. It would require a top-quality spiritual weapon to have even a slight chance.

And it was only a slight chance.

After all, this Evil used Pinyin County as its base, and if a comprehensive suppression couldn't be achieved, it could continuously draw power to resist.

Even though advanced stage Aperture Tempering realm practitioners had abundant elemental energy, they couldn't withstand this kind of prolonged consumption. In the end, they might have no choice but to retreat.

A faint cold star drifted from Chen Fei's hand. This cold star shared the same origin as the eerie power of Pinyin County, and it was the mark placed on Chen Fei years ago.

Chen Fei could have erased this mark long ago, but he had kept it, intending to return it to this Evil one day.

In life and in actions, there should always be a proper beginning and an end!

A finely crafted iron longbow appeared in Chen Fei's hand, not only in his hand but also several more on the ground.

Chen Fei had never considered entering Pinyin County personally to confront the Evil; that was the Evil's home turf. He now had long-range attack capabilities, so he intended to stand at a distance and directly destroy the eerie presence in Pinyin County.

"Sizzle!"

The electromagnetic sound began to resonate, and Chen Fei's aura gradually surged.

After obtaining the Sword Return Tower's technique, Chen Fei had absorbed the mysteries of returning the sword, making the charging speed of the electromagnetic cannon much faster than before.

Moreover, Chen Fei was confident that he could release a more powerful shot than he had in the Sword Return Tower.

The reason was the Water-Jade Sword, a martial art that was both extremely hard and extremely soft. It acted as a buffer for all the forces in the electromagnetic cannon, making it more stable and increasing the upper limit of its power.

The previously motionless Pinyin County suddenly trembled slightly. The tightly closed city gates cracked open horizontally, revealing two huge crimson eyeballs.

At this moment, these two eyeballs stared directly at Chen Fei, and their gazes collided with his.

A surging force rushed towards Chen Fei, surprising him. Even at such a distance, could Pinyin County's eerie presence actually launch an attack?

"Snap!"

A sound like wood being burned crackled, and Chen Fei turned to look, puzzled.

The firelight was dim, and the walls on all sides were in ruins. A damaged idol stood in front, and now, with the flickering of the firelight, the walls seemed to be dancing eerily.

Chen Fei lowered his head, but there was no bow and arrow in his hand. He was actually holding a rabbit, roasting it over a bonfire.

The menials from the clinic chatted idly, their eyes fixed on the rabbit in Chen Fei's hand, secretly salivating.

The clinic's food didn't include meat, and if they wanted to eat meat, they had to buy it themselves. But with the wages of the menials, they couldn't afford meat even once a month.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

A knocking sound rang out, and one of the menials went to open the door. The cold wind blew in, and Chen Fei subconsciously glanced outside.

"Great, there's rabbit meat! I was so hungry." Qi Chun rejoiced upon seeing the roasted rabbit.

"Just you? I thought the others were with you," the menial who opened the door said, looking outside in surprise.

"I don't know," Qi Chun shook his head, sat down, and gazed at the nearly cooked rabbit.

"Sizzle!"

The firewood still had some moisture, causing a faint crackling sound.

It seemed a bit too quiet, so Qi Chun spoke up, saying, "Guess what happened to me today? Once you hear it, you'll be amazed!"

"What happened? Tell us," the other menials were intrigued.

"Sizzle!"

The sound of a blade slicing through the air resonated as Chen Fei cut open the rabbit in his hand. It wasn't fully cooked, and blood filled the inside. Chen Fei casually tossed the rabbit into the bonfire and stood up.

The surrounding menials all stared at Chen Fei, unsure why he suddenly acted this way.

"This scene has almost disappeared from my memory, but I didn't expect you to bring it back!" Chen Fei's blade flashed, and just like in the past, Qi Chun's head fell to the ground. However, this time, Chen Fei didn't run away but looked at the other menials inside the ruined temple.

The menials around, witnessing Chen Fei's sudden act of violence, were in a panic. They shouted and rushed out of the temple's main gate. In the blink of an eye, only Chen Fei remained in the ruined temple, along with Qi Chun's lifeless body on the ground.

Chen Fei glanced around and suddenly his firewood knife flashed, impaling the shadow on the wall that had been moving continuously..

Chapter 422: Overlooking

The shadows on the wall trembled slightly, and there was a faint roar in Chen Fei's ears.

Chen Fei glanced at the door, where the moonlight was bright, and he could still see the attendants of the clinic running around in the distance.

Retracting his gaze, Chen Fei slowly walked up to the wall, drew his firewood knife, and then inserted his hands directly into the gap left by the knife.

"Chen Fei… Chen Fei… Have you seen my head? Where did my head go?"

Qi Chun's voice suddenly sounded behind Chen Fei, and a chilling breath brushed against him, as if Qi Chun had already pressed himself against Chen Fei's back.

"It's on the ground, look for it yourself!"

Ignoring the Evil on his back, Chen Fei spoke as if he were talking to an ordinary person.

"But I can't see it. You chopped me, can you help me find it, hehe…"

Qi Chun's voice began to grow sinister, as if it were coming from the depths of the underworld.

"Get lost!"

A roar erupted from Chen Fei's mouth, and a powerful force emanated from him, making Qi Chun's voice disappear instantly.

Chen Fei looked at the wall in front of him, and it seemed as if the sound of dragons and elephants clashing resounded within his body. His arms began to exert force, and the wall started to tear open a gap.

What should have been ordinary soil and bricks, at this moment, seemed to possess a vitality, desperately resisting Chen Fei's strength, not allowing him to tear it apart.

"Open!"

With a slight sinking of his body, Chen Fei let out a low shout, and a tremendous force burst from his arms. In an instant, the entire wall was forcibly torn open by Chen Fei, creating a huge gap.

Behind the gap, a black mist surged, chilling and eerie. Just one glance at it instinctively made people want to avoid it, not even wanting to make prolonged eye contact with it.

However, Chen Fei had no hesitation. He stepped forward with his right foot, entering the black mist.

"Third brother!"

A voice filled with pain echoed, and Ling Hanjun looked incredulously at the figure lying on the ground, covered in blood.

Chen Fei opened his eyes and glanced around. This time, he had returned to Pingyin County.

Chen Fei looked at Jian Liang on the ground and Ling Hanjun not far away. They were all familiar faces. They had been some of Chen Fei's few enemies back in Pingyin County.

In reality, Jian Liang's remains were nowhere to be found, and as for Ling Hanjun, although he had managed to avoid the Evil in Pingyin County, he ultimately perished in a cave.

"I'll kill you!"

Ling Hanjun went berserk, wielding a large knife and charging at Chen Fei. Several other bandits also rushed towards Chen Fei, ready to support Ling Hanjun.

"Smack!"

Watching Ling Hanjun charging at him, Chen Fei slapped him to the ground. The other bandits froze in their tracks, not knowing whether to advance or retreat.

Chen Fei didn't bother with these bandits. He moved quickly, standing on the roof of a building, overlooking the entire Pingyin County.

From the ruined temple to here, Chen Fei had roughly figured out the nature of this bizarre attack.

If Chen Fei's current cultivation wasn't at the advanced stage of the Aperture Tempering realm, and if his mental state wasn't protected by various techniques, then from the moment he was dragged into the ruined temple, his mind would have likely been ensnared.

If his mind had truly been ensnared, Chen Fei guessed he might have felt like he was the same novice warrior who had just entered the Skin Tempering realm all those years ago.

Ah, the Skin Tempering realm, where one can be manipulated at will, yet remains unaware, leading to an inescapable situation. It's like getting gradually submerged in a swamp, suffocating to death in the end.

Most practitioners in the Aperture Tempering realm would likely meet this fate when faced with the Evil of Pingyin County.

However, ever since Chen Fei was pulled into the ruined temple, his mental state had remained extremely clear. Therefore, both the ruined temple and the current scene posed no threat to him.

In fact, Chen Fei could easily leave this illusion and return to reality whenever he wanted. It's much easier when you are aware that you're dreaming and want to wake up, compared to those trapped in a nightmare.

But Chen Fei didn't want to leave like this. This illusion was built on Evil, and part of that Evil's origin must be here.

If Chen Fei was brought here, leaving like this would be giving this Evil an undeserved advantage. Chen Fei wanted to see if he could extract a portion of this Evil's origin right here.

If he could find even a trace of the Evil's origin, then in reality, his efforts to conquer the entire Pingyin County would undoubtedly become much easier.

"Whoosh…"

The night wind howled, and the once mildly cool summer breeze now carried a chill. In Pingyin County, people who were going about their business all stopped what they were doing, their gazes fixed on Chen Fei.

Chen Fei sensed the change in the atmosphere and couldn't help but smile. It seemed that this Evil had finally realized that something was amiss.

"Splash!"

The roof tiles behind Chen Fei suddenly shattered, and several figures rushed up from below, wielding blades and slashing at Chen Fei from all directions. "Bang!"

Chen Fei casually waved his hand, and the figures shattered, rolling back and smashing through the buildings, disappearing from sight.

However, this was clearly just the beginning. Chen Fei could already hear the sound of approaching footsteps coming from all directions, converging towards him.

Here, the Evil was like a god of creation, dictating everything, and at this moment, Chen Fei was regarded as an enemy by everything within this illusion. They all rejected and loathed him, eager to kill him quickly..

Chapter 423: Overlooking (2)

In such a surreal realm, finding the Evil origin undoubtedly proved extremely challenging because it could manifest anywhere, even within the tiles of a building.

Chen Fei's eyes emitted a faint glimmer, employing Star Gazing Art!

But it didn't end there; Chen Fei's right hand passed over his own brow, a glimmer gathering in its midst, using Sword Return Eye!

Both techniques were simultaneously deployed, significantly enhancing Chen Fei's perception of this illusion. At this moment, as Chen Fei looked at the approaching crowd, all that remained upon them was a shroud of black mist.

Clearly, the origin was not within them.

Chen Fei's figure flickered, his gaze sweeping a radius of several hundred meters, methodically examining every corner of Pingyin County. The saying "digging three feet into the ground" probably couldn't compare to Chen Fei's current abilities.

Real Pingyin County wasn't small, after all, it had been home to so many people in its prime. This illusion had faithfully recreated the true size of Pingyin County, making it vast indeed.

However, no matter how vast the area, it couldn't withstand Chen Fei's methodical search. Consequently, Chen Fei quickly found his target.

At this moment, chaos reigned within Pingyin County, with people rushing toward Chen Fei's supposed location, one after another, akin to a zombie horde.

Despite their bodies breaking apart, their minds remained intact, showing an unwavering determination to reach Chen Fei.

From afar, it appeared as though they were like waves, one surging after another, all in a hurry to reach Chen Fei's presence, to make contact with him more quickly.

Chen Fei's figure flickered as he stood atop the head of a stone lion at a mansion.

"Boom!"

The mansion's grand gate, even its walls, shattered instantly as a multitude of people rushed toward Chen Fei. Their faces were numb, but when their eyes locked onto Chen Fei, they were filled with deep-seated animosity.

Chen Fei remained composed, suddenly inserting his right hand into the head of the stone lion beneath his feet.

The dormant source, which had been motionless all along, was startled and vanished within the body of the stone lion in a flash.

In this environment, the Evil origin could move freely because this was its world. However, it hadn't anticipated that Chen Fei would locate its source so quickly.

"Swish!"

A streak of sword light, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, plunged into the ground in the distance. Those nearby, shrouded in a cloud of black mist, dissipated in an instant.

Chen Fei arrived at the spot where the sword light had struck, and the Evil origin was trembling incessantly beneath it.

Chen Fei naturally knew that when the Evil origin was startled, it would attempt to flee, so he had prepared a countermeasure long ago.

"Crack!"

The sword light swirled, and the Evil origin shattered in an instant.

"Roar!"

A deafening roar echoed throughout the entire illusion, causing violent tremors within it. In the next moment, it shattered with a resounding crash.

The scene before him suddenly darkened, and Chen Fei's eyes opened. He had returned to reality, the electromagnetic cannon still humming in his hand. Despite all the events that had just transpired, time in the real world seemed to stand still.

The mental confrontation had felt incredibly lengthy, but in reality, it might have been just a fleeting moment.

Chen Fei looked towards Pingyin County in the distance and noticed that its vitality had diminished somewhat.

The source within the illusion was only a small part of this Evil entity, but a source was a source, and any loss inflicted upon it was genuine damage.

What held greater significance for Chen Fei was that he had pinpointed the true location of this Evil entity.

Present-day Pingyin County could be considered a part of this Evil entity, but also, in times of desperation, it could be abandoned without hesitation.

Therefore, even if Chen Fei were to use the electromagnetic cannon to dismantle Pingyin County, it might not ultimately inflict significant harm on this Evil being.

However, at this moment, due to the recent encounter in the illusion, Chen Fei had directly locked onto the true location of this Evil entity within Pingyin County.

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!"

The power of the bow and arrow in Chen Fei's hand grew stronger, radiating with a dazzling light. Chen Fei gazed ahead, and in the next moment, he released the bowstring.

"Boom!"

A massive sonic burst cloud appeared behind Chen Fei, and the surrounding mountains, rocks, and trees were instantly swept away. Except for the spot where Chen Fei stood, which he protected, the surrounding ground seemed to disappear into thin air for a moment.

As soon as the sonic burst cloud emerged on Chen Fei's side, the arrow had already collided with the walls of Pingyin County.

Black mist enveloped the city walls, and even a slight touch of it would turn an ordinary person's flesh into blood. Cultivators in the Body Tempering realm could only withstand it for a moment.

Even Cultivators in the Aperture Tempering realm were unwilling to come into contact with such malevolent power.

However, now, when this black mist collided with the electromagnetic cannon, it didn't even have a chance to put up a defense before being pierced through.

"Boom!"

"Roar!"

The sound of explosion and the roar nearly sounded simultaneously, and a massive hole pierced through Pingyin County from front to back. Electric sparks flickered on the hole, and the surrounding black mist was dissolved into wisps of smoke before it could approach.

The power of an absolute peak Aperture Tempering realm cultivator was evident, and the key was that this arrow had struck the Evil entity directly, leaving it no time to dodge.

With just this one arrow, Pingyin County's vitality plummeted once more, and it was a rapid decline.

The Evil entity was indeed formidable, but it was by no means at the level of a peak Aperture Tempering realm cultivator. Therefore, being hit by such power didn't immediately reduce it to ashes, but it was hanging on by a thread.

The wrought-iron longbow in Chen Fei's hand turned to ashes, and he glanced at the dozen or so longbows on the ground. It seemed he wouldn't need so many this time.

A new wrought-iron longbow fell into Chen Fei's hand, and the electromagnetic sound resumed.

Pingyin County in the distance continued to tremble, and the Evil entity inside continued to flicker and change positions.

If it weren't for the previous illusion, Chen Fei might not have been able to lock onto the Evil entity at this moment. But one could only say that everything had its own fate!

Several miles away.

A few figures stood on a hillside, gazing at the location of Pingyin County. They exchanged glances, unsure whether to advance or retreat.

"That power just now, was it at the peak of the Aperture Tempering realm?"

"It seems so, at least I can't produce such a technique at this level. Brother Lu, can you?"

"I don't have that kind of ability," another person sighed and shook his head.

'Well, this is for the best. Someone has beaten us to it. It's fortunate to have this great menace removed!"

"You're right."

They all nodded, but in their eyes, there was still a hint of regret.

After all, they had gathered so many people with the intention of destroying Pingyin County and obtaining something valuable. However, upon arriving here, they unexpectedly encountered a peak Aperture Tempering realm expert.

Despite being several miles apart, they still felt the awe-inspiring power, which made them both fearful and intensely envious.

"Boom!"

Another explosion sounded, and in their perception, the Evil aura from Pingyin County disappeared completely.

"Just two moves!" someone sighed.

For a group that had gathered several people and had prepared for possible casualties, to see an entity of this level dealt with in just two moves in someone else's hands was quite disheartening.

Being in the same Aperture Tempering realm, the difference in strength was truly astonishing.

"Let's go."

"All right, let's go!"

The group exchanged glances. While they had an interest in getting to know such a powerful individual, they had no idea about this person's temperament. Especially since they had arrived right after someone had dealt with the Evil entity, it could easily lead to misunderstandings. So, it was better to leave directly and avoid any further complications.

Another hole had appeared in the city walls of Pingyin County.

Chen Fei stood on the city wall, overlooking the entire Pingyin County, and suddenly, he felt a sense of deja vu.

Many years ago, Chen Fei had woken up for the first time in this place.

However, at that time, Chen Fei was of lowly status, just an unattached servant in a clinic. No one cared about him, whether he lived or died.

Or rather, no one paid any attention to him at all.

In Pingyin County, memories of various figures flashed through Chen Fei's mind.

The once high and mighty Zhang family had perished, with only a few individuals managing to escape. A former lowly servant of the Zhang family had now exterminated the Evil entity that had devoured tens of thousands of people.

Chen Fei shook his head slightly, and his figure flickered, bringing him to a massive crater within the city.

The Evil entity had been pinned down by Chen Fei here, and within the crater, a crystal resembling amber was faintly shimmering.

Chen Fei's duplicate picked up the crystal, finding nothing unusual.

The original Chen Fei brought it closer to his eyes, observing it for a moment before carefully infusing it with his elemental energy.

The crystal began to tremble faintly..