Chapter 264: Chapter 264: First Young Master
Fresh flesh and blood, to a Slaughter Corpse, were like the Yuan Qi within a martial artist’s body.
The Slaughter Corpse was now just half a step away from entering the ninth level of the Heavenly Court Realm. If it devoured enough blood, its power would surely surpass this level. Furthermore, it could evoke Corpse Gang, making it unbeatable amongst those of the same rank!
It must be dealt with immediately!
Sensing the Slaughter Corpse feasting on flesh and blood, Luo Feng knew that further delay might lead to unexpected troubles. Instantly, he decided to kill it.
HUM!
A saber-shaped illusion flashed and disappeared in Luo Feng’s pupils. His aura became as sharp as a saber, its edge fully exposed. His entire being seemed to merge with the heavens and earth.
"Grand Momentum like a Saber!"
A massive saber shadow emerged, carrying overwhelming momentum as it rolled towards the Slaughter Corpse.
After reaching the peak of the eighth level of the Hell Realm, Luo Feng’s strength had further improved. The thick saber aura, as imposing as a mountain, rushed out, crushing the surrounding air until it collapsed inch by inch.
BOOM!
The fierce saber aura slammed into the blood-eating Slaughter Corpse. The immense impact, like rippling water, spread out in every direction, tearing open large cracks in the surrounding ground.
ROAR!
The blood light in the Slaughter Corpse’s eyes flared. A torrent of blood-colored air burst from its body, forming a large blood cocoon that enveloped and protected it.
The saber light hacked at the blood cocoon, leaving only a half-inch-deep mark before being deflected.
SHRIEK!
The Slaughter Corpse let out a sharp shriek. A fierce hurricane erupted within a radius of roughly a hundred feet around it. The pungent smell of blood assailed Luo Feng’s nostrils as the Slaughter Corpse transformed into a stream of blood light, charging at him at a speed more than double what it was before.
Seeking death!
Luo Feng’s brow furrowed, his killing intent surging. He made successive strikes with his Tiger Soul Saber.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH...
He swung his saber over ten times in an instant, each strike as swift as a gale. Due to the rapid speed, the saber auras merged, forming a massive saber aura several zhang wide.
BOOM!
The mountain-like saber aura sent the Slaughter Corpse flying.
The blood light was shattered layer by layer. A wide gash, inflicted by the Saber Qi, appeared on the Slaughter Corpse’s chest, revealing its blackened internal organs.
SQUAWK...
The Slaughter Corpse’s blood-red pupils stared fixedly at Luo Feng, a mournful shriek issuing from its throat. Blood light surged from its chest as the flesh within churned, the wound healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Humph! Dreaming of recovery!
Luo Feng snorted coldly. His tiptoes tapped lightly on a fallen leaf, and his figure glided into mid-air. The Tiger Soul Saber unleashed dozens of saber shadows, all aimed at the joints of the Slaughter Corpse’s limbs.
Without the protection of the Blood Fiend, the Slaughter Corpse could no longer ignore the saber aura. After dozens of strikes, its limbs were cleanly severed.
THUD!
As Luo Feng’s feet touched the ground, he strode towards the Slaughter Corpse.
Despite such grievous injuries, the Slaughter Corpse’s blood-red pupils remained locked on Luo Feng. Its severed limbs twitched on the ground, seemingly attempting to reattach themselves.
Rest in peace.
With a flick of Luo Feng’s wrist, the Tiger Soul Saber decapitated the Slaughter Corpse.
CRUNCH...
The moment its head was severed, the blood light in the Slaughter Corpse’s pupils instantly extinguished. Its body gradually disintegrated into a pile of sand, which was then swept away by the wind, disappearing without a trace.
PHEW...
Only then did Luo Feng let out a long sigh of relief.
If he had been even a moment later, the Slaughter Corpse could have refined the blood and become as powerful as a genuine martial artist of the ninth level of the Heavenly Court Realm. It had been a truly close call.
However, through this battle, Luo Feng also gained a better understanding of his own strength.
After reaching the peak of the eighth level of the Hell Realm, both Luo Feng’s physique and Yuan Qi had greatly increased. He felt an endless supply of energy coursing through him; otherwise, breaking through the Slaughter Corpse’s protective Blood Gang earlier would have been very difficult.
Now, no one below the ninth level of the Heavenly Court Realm should be able to threaten me. But if I encounter an expert like Duanmu Xiong, it will still be very dangerous.
Thinking back to the confrontation with Duanmu Xiong a few days ago, Luo Feng shook his head.
He had been utterly powerless then, and his opponent certainly hadn’t used his full strength. Martial Artists of the ninth level of the Heavenly Court Realm were terrifyingly powerful.
ROAR!
Just then, a violent roar suddenly echoed. Subsequently, the Yuan Qi of heaven and earth surged violently. A demonic wind arose in the forest, plunging the area into darkness.
Such strong Demon Qi! That’s at least a fourth-level Demon Beast!
Luo Feng used his Soul Power to sense the disturbance, his expression turning grave. His gaze fell upon the carcass of the Blood Pattern Wolf not far away.
Damn it! The stench of blood must have attracted it!
Luo Feng cursed inwardly, his face instantly turning grim.
A fourth-level Demon Beast was equivalent to a martial artist of the ninth level of the Heavenly Court Realm. Moreover, Demon Beasts possessed destructive power even greater than human martial artists, making this one even more dangerous than a martial artist of that realm.
SWOOSH!
Without the slightest hesitation, Luo Feng executed Teng Dragon’s Step to its utmost limit. He transformed into a streak of light and, without looking back, rushed into the dense forest.
At this moment, the initially dark forest suddenly turned crimson. Luo Feng glanced sideways and was aghast.
In the distance, a pillar of red fire, as wide as a small hill, shot towards him. Wherever it passed, trees instantly turned to ash. A black crevice, over a zhang wide, was scorched into the ground, as if the fire intended to burn everything in its path.
The fire pillar moved incredibly fast, reaching him in the blink of an eye. Seeing no way to dodge, Luo Feng roared. A black dragon materialized and coiled around him, forming a protective shield.
BANG!
Luo Feng was grazed by the aftershock of the fire pillar. A tremendous impact struck him, and his Dragon Slaughtering Gang Qi nearly collapsed.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM...
The earth trembled, and a colossal dark figure appeared several thousand meters away, obscuring the sky and sun.
SWOOSH!
Luo Feng didn’t spare a glance at the distant entity. He turned and bolted into the dense forest at an even greater speed, not daring to look back.
...
After running for dozens of miles in one breath, Luo Feng released his Soul Power. Sensing no immediate danger, he finally slowed his pace.
Standing on a treetop, Luo Feng looked back. Recalling the terrifying power of the fire pillar, a lingering fear still gripped him.
What a terrifying attack! The Demon Beast just now must have been a fifth-level, no, it must have been a sixth-level Demon Beast!
Luo Feng unconsciously licked his lips.
A sixth-level Demon Beast... Luo Feng couldn’t even imagine it. That was a power beyond the Spiritual Rotation Realm!
Rumor had it that the previous Dean of the Purple Sun School had died at the hands of a sixth-level Demon Beast, and that Dean had been a genuine powerhouse at the third level of the Spiritual Rotation Realm!
This forest is indeed not a place I should venture into yet. I’d better leave here as soon as possible!
After a moment, Luo Feng calmed down. He pondered for a while and decided to leave the Red Chain Mountain Range.
This time, upon entering the Red Chain Mountain Range, his cultivation had increased by two levels, which could certainly be described as rapid advancement.
Since the purpose of his cultivation had been achieved, there was no need to continue taking risks.
SWOOSH!
After determining his direction, Luo Feng immediately sped towards Red Maple Lead.
Leveraging his powerful Soul Power, Luo Feng skillfully avoided potent auras from a great distance. While the journey had its perilous moments, he faced no true danger. Three days later, he finally exited the Red Chain Mountain Range and entered Red Maple Lead.
I wonder where I can find a place to rest.
Once out of the forest, Luo Feng glanced around, a look of anticipation in his eyes.
For several days, he had been traveling through the forest day and night, and he was feeling mentally fatigued.
Coincidentally, not far from the forest’s edge, Luo Feng spotted a small, dilapidated inn beside a mountain valley. On the damaged plaque were four large black characters: ’Red Inn’.
Seeing the inn, Luo Feng’s eyes brightened. He decided to rest for a while before continuing his journey.
"Youngster, have you just come out of the Red Chain Mountain Range? How about coming in for a rest first?" a server called out warmly from afar upon seeing Luo Feng.
Luo Feng nodded. "Bring me a few side dishes and a pot of wine."
"Right away! This way, please, sir!"
The server quickly led the way.
The inn looked very shabby from the outside, and the interior was just as simple. The walls were mottled, and the tables and chairs were pitted and uneven, giving it a very impoverished appearance.
Of course, Luo Feng wasn’t bothered by the poor environment; he just wanted to rest his feet and would be leaving soon.
Perhaps because the inn was remotely located, it surprisingly had quite a few guests. It was bustling with activity, filled with martial artists, all with stern brows and cold eyes, carrying sabers and swords.
Luo Feng quietly observed and found that quite a few experts were hidden among them; there were more than ten martial artists at the eighth level of the Hell Realm!
No wonder Red Maple Lead ranks higher than Flowing Cloud Region. To think there are so many experts in such a remote place.
Luo Feng’s Tiger Soul Saber was exceptionally eye-catching. The moment he stepped into the inn, over a dozen pairs of eyes instantly fixed upon him.
Luo Feng remained unfazed and followed the server to a table, where he sat down.
The gazes fixed on Luo Feng quickly withdrew; their owners dared not stare for long.
Although Luo Feng had concealed his cultivation, he was still a martial artist at the middle stage of the eighth level of the Hell Realm.
No one dared to underestimate such a young martial artist at the middle stage of the eighth level of the Hell Realm.
The food and wine arrived quickly. Luo Feng ate in silence, his attention focused on the conversations of the other martial artists in the inn.
These men were all seasoned adventurers who had traveled far and wide, and many shared interesting anecdotes from their journeys.
"Have you heard? This time, Changxin Academy and Ivy School have invited the Four New Heroes of Flowing Cloud Region to attend a summit to be held in two days!"
"The summit is held every year, so that’s not strange. The Four Great Academies in Flowing Cloud Region don’t have any students worth mentioning. They must have declined the invitation this time," one martial artist chuckled.
"No!"
The martial artist who had spoken first shook his head. "This time, the Four Great Academies accepted the invitation. I passed by Changxin Academy two days ago and even saw Zhou Zhiyun, the Dean of Tianlan Academy."
Luo Feng’s expression flickered. It seems Zhou Zhiyun and the others have already arrived.
I wonder if Ruolan and Zi Yuan have arrived.
Two beautiful figures flashed through Luo Feng’s mind.
"What! The Four Great Academies of Flowing Cloud Region accepted? Now that’s strange!"
The atmosphere in the inn grew animated. A sword-bearing martial artist laughed heartily. "The Deans of the Four Great Academies must have lost their minds this time. The Four New Heroes don’t stand a chance against our Four Young Masters of Red Maple Lead."
"That’s natural. As far as I know, Luo Feng, the First New Hero of Flowing Cloud Region, is only at the early stage of the eighth level of the Hell Realm. And our Four Young Masters? Each of them reached the middle stage of the eighth level of the Hell Realm long ago!"
Hearing this, someone disagreed, retorting, "I heard that this Luo Feng, the First New Hero of Flowing Cloud Region, has comprehended Grand Momentum. I’m afraid he’s no simple character."
The sword-bearing martial artist sneered.
"So what if he has comprehended Grand Momentum? Strength is strength. You don’t necessarily have to comprehend something profound to become a master. Half a month ago, I saw the First Young Master, ’Young Master Haitang.’ Her cultivation has reached the extreme limit of the late stage of the eighth level of the Hell Realm. She could break through at any moment!"
"Isn’t that the peak of the eighth level of the Hell Realm! And she’s only sixteen!" The others widened their eyes, clearly astonished.
Luo Feng’s gaze also flickered slightly.
My instincts tell me that on this trip to Red Maple Ridge, this person known as ’Young Master Haitang’ will be a formidable opponent.