Yuyang City.
The last beast fell unwillingly into a pool of blood. Although many areas of the city had turned into ruins, the casualties were thankfully not severe. The Super Visionaries of the three great families were counting the numbers...
"Twelve dead, thirty-two seriously injured, one hundred and forty lightly injured..."
Everyone was in disbelief at these numbers, feeling as if they were dreaming.
"Only this few casualties?"
"The beast tide wasn't as terrifying as I thought!"
"Is it over already?"
"I thought many Super Visionaries would be eliminated..."
Although the first layer of the Heavenly Tower wasn't very difficult overall, many Super Visionaries lacked experience, and the competition was intense. The pass rate was actually very low. Generally, over eighty percent of Super Visionaries were still stuck on the first layer, with only a small twenty percent able to climb to higher layers.
"Look, the enemy Super Visionary faction is gone!"
A Super Visionary from the Stone Clan suddenly shouted, staring wide-eyed at the numbers on his panel.
"What?"
Other Super Visionaries also opened their panels.
"Is it really zero?"
"Can someone explain what happened?"
"No idea..."
"Did the enemy Super Visionaries all die mysteriously?"
"Did they have to perform some terrifying task in their world?"
"Uh... but how did a horror world combine with our martial world?"
"Does any expert know what's going on?"
"I have many Super Visionary friends who have reached the third layer of the Heavenly Tower. I've gathered a lot of insider information about the tasks, heard many stories, but I've never encountered such a situation..."
"Yes, even those who barely completed tasks in higher layers described them as extremely perilous. Even the first layer shouldn't be this simple, right?"
Everyone discussed but couldn't reach a conclusion. The third phase task notification had already appeared on their panels, indicating that the second phase had indeed ended and they were about to face the final boss—Xia Jiuyou.
However...
According to normal progression, shouldn't the confrontation with Xia Jiuyou's faction happen after returning to Guanghan City?
Now...
They were still in Yuyang City, and the enemy was already dead!
The progression seemed chaotic!
On the front lines, General Li Xiuyuan and other martial masters, led by the Guanghan King, also returned to Yuyang City.
"Gentlemen, your performance in this beast tide was outstanding. Now, Yuyang City has suffered significant damage. Are you willing to accompany us to Guanghan City? There, you will find more martial opportunities waiting for you."
Li Xiuyuan's calm gaze swept over the Super Visionaries of the three great families, a smile on his face.
Everyone exchanged glances and could only agree. Their current cultivation levels were at most at the fifth tier of Martial Arts. As Xia Jiuyou, Guanghan King's arch-enemy, was at least a Martial Saint, it would be suicide to face him without training in Guanghan City.
Just then, the Guanghan King approached the Zhao clan's Super Visionaries with urgency in his voice, "Do you know this person?"
He displayed a drawing, revealing the likeness of "Zhao Yi," the character played by Chu Feng. Some martial masters in the scene were not only skilled in martial arts but also had the secondary occupation of being "master painters." Just a glance at Chu Feng had allowed them to accurately capture his facial features. If given time to color it, it might have looked as real as a photograph!
The Super Visionaries present immediately recognized the "native" from the Zhao clan.
"We've seen him. When the Yu clan betrayed us, it was he who came to our aid!"
Several astute Super Visionaries quickly stepped forward, seizing the opportunity to converse with the Guanghan King.
"Then, did you see him return?"
The Guanghan King's tone was urgent, almost desperate.
Everyone looked at each other, not understanding why the Guanghan King was so anxious.
"Sir, the last time I saw this Zhao clan brother, he was leaving the city. He is likely dead by now," Zhao Gaocheng said through gritted teeth.
"He didn't return? What a pity."
The Guanghan King rarely showed regret, shaking his head with a somewhat disappointed expression. This scene made the Super Visionaries speculate even more.
"Hey, do you think this Zhao clan native might be the Guanghan King's illegitimate son?"
"Hiss... Now that you mention it, it seems possible!"
"Yeah, how could the Zhao clan, with its limited resources, cultivate such a prodigy? At thirteen, he's already at the sixth tier of Martial Arts and can one-shot the Yu clan's leading Super Visionary..."
"And look, the Guanghan King even showed sadness. He must be his illegitimate son!"
"Winning the war but losing his son... The Guanghan King must be feeling terrible right now."
...
In the Hengduan Mountains, Chu Feng, who had been cultivating, was unaware that besides being a "native prodigy," he had also gained the title of "illegitimate son of the Guanghan King."
After seven days of cultivation...
Chu Feng had consumed all the elixirs he had collected along the way!
No matter how many elixirs he swallowed, the current level of the Eternal Divine Eyes allowed him to absorb the medicinal properties entirely and at an incredibly fast rate.
"Reached the peak of the ninth tier of Martial Arts!"
On this day, Chu Feng stood up, surrounded by a powerful aura. He had advanced from the sixth tier to the Half-Step Martial Saint realm in just seven days!
If this were to spread, it would absolutely overturn the understanding of all martial artists in the martial world!
Half-Step Martial Saint...
His cultivation was only slightly below that of the Guanghan King!
"With my Eternal Divine Eyes, even an ordinary Martial Saint wouldn't be my match now!"
In the original storyline for Super Visionaries, the Eternal Divine Eyes evolving to the fourth tier required surpassing the Martial Saint realm, crossing two major realms to transform. Although "Martial Saint" sounded impressive, it was just the postnatal realm in the entire martial world. Beyond it were many layers of realms, but Yuyang City, being the most barren place, had very few warriors who broke through the postnatal realm, hence the title "Martial Saint."
The current tier of the Eternal Divine Eyes was far beyond the original "script" for Super Visionaries...
Using the "Floating Step" technique, although it was an ordinary movement skill, Chu Feng's speed now was as fast as a shadow, reaching a hundred meters away in the blink of an eye.
Having reached the Half-Step Martial Saint realm, the vision of the Eternal Divine Eyes could see very far.
Chu Feng found a high vantage point, looked down, and with a thought, switched to the Supreme Heavy Eyes.
In the distance, a red aura of fortune, mixed with some sinister gray and purple qi, was visible. It looked unsettling.
"Hmph, the aura of conspiracy and destruction!"
Chu Feng judged that Xia Jiuyou must be there just from the aura.
He immediately headed towards the area filled with ominous qi. Soon, a figure wearing a bamboo hat and black robe appeared in Chu Feng's vision. The person held a flute, playing an eerie melody.
In front of him was a giant beast, as large as a hill! The beast's eyes were blood-red, filled with unwilling murderous intent as it looked at the black-robed man, occasionally letting out low growls...
But due to some kind of suppression, the beast's eyes sometimes became confused and distracted, as if its consciousness was on the verge of collapsing.
"That guy is the final boss, Xia Jiuyou!"
Chu Feng murmured to himself, then found a spot with a good view and activated his eye technique.
"Netherworld Frost!"