The sallow-faced magician snapped back to awareness from the shout. All around them were precariously balanced rolling boulders. Had he attacked just then, the movement would have certainly shaken the stones loose. They were outside the valley basin, but the terrain was still complex; once those boulders rolled, they would instantly crush the three of them to death within the rockfall.
Bill seemed not to hear their argument. With a Lightness Spell cast upon himself, he darted after the shadow disappearing into a crack between the stones.
…………
"Second one down!"
Chen Feng gasped for breath, sprinting forward, his face utterly impassive.
His close-fitting clothes were already soaked through with sweat. He had discarded his outer jacket when he killed Yellow-Teeth. His undergarments clung to his body, making him look remarkably slight from behind.
Yet, this very slender frame had managed to kill two official magicians—one Third-Tier and one Fourth-Tier!
His left arm was severely swollen, and his mouth tasted bitter. His plan, laid out amidst the round stones earlier, hadn't actually anticipated them entering the basin. The goal was simply to lure them into the boulder field; that offered a chance! Thus, he had set a small mechanism: once the person in front stepped on a specific branch, the boulders behind would roll into the valley under the principle of leverage. The moment the rocks fell, anyone completely caught off guard would experience a momentary lapse in focus—and that was the instant Chen Feng needed.
He had succeeded. The instant the colossal rocks thundered down, he had slain the last of them, the bald-headed magician trailing behind.
However, that bald man had possessed high vigilance; his body had flinched slightly. If Chen Feng hadn't reacted instantly, surging his Qi Cyclone Power and instantly shifting his body's trajectory, killing him would have been impossible. One failed strike, and the man would have immediately unleashed some low-level spells to entangle him, making escape nearly impossible once the others reacted.
Completing this chain of actions felt as if the Qi Cyclone Power within his body had been completely drained; he couldn't muster even a sliver. His mind was swimming with dizziness. If not for his high mental cultivation and strong willpower, he would have already passed out.
Shaking his head, Chen Feng constantly urged himself: Cannot faint. If I collapse now, I might never wake up again.
The hatred and humiliation have not yet been avenged! I absolutely cannot pass out!
Hold on. Just a little longer!
Chen Feng continually spurred himself on internally.
Perhaps influenced by the instinct for survival in a crisis, or perhaps because his body had reached its limit and achieved a qualitative leap, just as Chen Feng felt he could hold on no longer, a sound like a thunderclap echoed in his mind, accompanied by countless sounds resembling buzzing insects. A memory flooded rapidly into his consciousness.
"Phantom Crane Step!" Chen Feng exclaimed in shock.
The Phantom Crane Step was a signature technique of Chizuru Kaguya in KOF. When executed, the body transformed into illusory shadows; the deeper the cultivation, the more shadows appeared, and the closer they resembled the true form—an ultimate movement technique for instantly increasing speed!
In KOF techniques, it was second only to Iori Yagami’s "Oni Step"!
Chen Feng forcefully suppressed the surprise surging in his heart. Following the steps from the ingrained memory, he slowly channeled the last remnants of Qi Cyclone Power within him. His figure flickered, and a wispy, ethereal shadow instantly manifested behind him, while the speed of his feet increased by more than double compared to before!
Incredible!
Truly worthy of being a KOF technique. Paired with his Qi Cyclone Power, if his physical condition were perfect, he might even stand a chance against a Fourth-Tier magician!
But in his current state, this powerful technique could only be used for running away! It was unavoidable; his internal Qi Cyclone Power was nearly depleted, and his muscles and spirit were pitifully exhausted. If he were to fight three Fourth-Tier magicians now, he would face certain death!
However, the three behind him were hunting him down. Simply fleeing continuously might impose immense psychological pressure, and if this pressure wasn't properly alleviated, it could hinder his future cultivation.
Chen Feng fought down the urge to roar, allowing his complex emotions to settle. He slowly absorbed the vital energy from the air, attempting to regain some stamina.
Yet, the effect was minimal. His nerves were too tense, and the shadow behind him was pressing in closely; there was simply no time.
By this point, Chen Feng had entered the dense woods, thick with vines and creepers. Entering this area meant he had truly reached the periphery of Dragon Chart Mountain—the territory of high-level magical beasts and battle beasts.
"Hoo!" Chen Feng exhaled. The air carried a strange odor, saturated everywhere with the heavy scent of blood.
There must be a high-level magical beast or battle beast nearby! Chen Feng thought.
Before encountering any high-level beasts, he had to shake off the pursuers or kill them all, otherwise, his own escape would be precarious!
This meant he had to resolve the situation with the people behind him right here. Continuing forward would inevitably lead to the danger of being sandwiched between high-level magical beasts and his pursuers.
Once he understood this, Chen Feng relaxed his tension. Facing what must come was always his inherent strength.
Assessing his surroundings, Chen Feng launched himself upward like a nimble ape, climbing a massive tree large enough for three men to encircle.
…………
Bill followed the fleeing shadow frantically.
He had already cast fifteen Lightness Spells on himself during this chase. Yet, the seemingly fragile figure ahead not only failed to slow down but actually seemed to be accelerating—it was utterly baffling!
They had traveled nearly three hundred li from the Kaint Family estate to this point. Given the enemy's consecutive string of intense actions—setting traps, ambushes, killing, and fleeing—his stamina showed no decrease. This constant reality made Bill doubt himself: could this truly be just a Second-Tier Fighter?
Whether it was or not, Bill knew that if all Second-Tier Fighters on the continent were this formidable, the Magic Families would have no standing; the Martial Families would have taken over long ago.
However, when he used his mental power to sense Chen Feng in the hall this morning, he was unequivocally a Second-Tier Fighter. Furthermore, judging by the fluctuations of internal energy, this Second-Tier Fighter had only recently advanced, his energy not yet fully tamed.
How could a recently advanced Second-Tier Fighter accomplish all this?
As Bill felt the shock, he had to concede that the slender youth darting ahead, constantly changing direction to evade his magical attacks, was a genius—an absolute, peak genius!
Pop.
The fifteenth Lightness Spell abruptly vanished.
Bill quickly cast another one on himself. The middle-aged man and the sallow-faced magician were already far behind. If it weren't for his desire to avenge Yellow-Teeth, even his own slender frame wouldn't have lasted this long!
For sustained combat, magicians also needed a good physique. It seemed that once this mission was complete, he would need to start a rigorous training regimen upon his return.
Bill consecutively cast several minor support spells to provide stamina, then pulled a magic core from his pouch to replenish his internal mana.
It was a Third-Tier Earth Magic Core, a reward bestowed by Clan Leader Harry after Bill used his specialized sense of smell to complete a task! At the time, many were envious. A Third-Tier Earth Magic Core represented the death of a Third-Tier Magical Beast!
To slay a Third-Tier Magical Beast required the cultivation of at least a Seventh-Tier Magician!
Third-Tier Magic Cores sold on the market often cost thousands of gold coins each, and they were rare, practically unobtainable!
As his fingers touched the warm, smooth sphere, Bill sighed inwardly. He never expected to be forced into using such a precious item, one he usually cherished too much to use, all because of a Second-Tier Fighter!
It felt almost unbelievable.
Having recovered some mana, Bill's eyes snapped open as he looked at Chen Feng ahead, ready to resume his magical assault. But what he saw made him momentarily disbelieve his own eyes: the slender figure in front suddenly stretched into a long line, and behind him, more and more phantoms appeared, as if Chen Feng had multiplied out of thin air!
Bill shook his head, suspecting he was mistaken, but in the blink of an eye, the Chen Feng ahead flashed into the forest and vanished without a trace.
ps: Votes, whining for votes~~