In desperation, Chen Feng dared not hesitate, channeling the vortex power into a frantic spin, his right arm bulging as he drove a punch against the earthen wall restraining him!
Just then, a strange change occurred. Chen Feng’s thin vortex power began to rotate with sudden acceleration, the punch’s destructive force increasing as it advanced. A familiar sensation slowly welled up in his mind, and the power in his arm underwent a radical transformation.
If the power of the Savage Bite he had forced out earlier could only harness 1% of the vortex power, this punch was now capable of unleashing 15% of it!
A level unattainable even when uninjured!
What was happening?
Fire! Yes, it was fire. The fist technique he was using was the Kusanagi Fist; without the guidance of a burning bloodline within him, Savage Bite could not unleash its full potential. Now, surrounded by a sea of flames, which had inadvertently benefited him greatly, the power of Savage Bite naturally surged!
“Boom!”
The earthen wall shattered, and the surrounding sea of fire swiftly converged on Chen Feng’s fist, instantly coalescing into a massive fire dragon.
“No… impossible, this…” Bill’s face finally drained of color. He rapidly retreated backward, but how could a mere mage’s retreat speed possibly match Chen Feng’s advance?
The fire dragon, like a colossal arrow, pierced straight through Bill’s body, striking the ground and blasting a crater over two meters deep!
“Why…” Bill collapsed with utter disbelief, his eyes wide open in unconcealed unwillingness to die.
Perhaps, in his final moments, he could never fathom why the Level Two Magic Scroll had not only proven useless but had instead become his opponent’s aid!
Chen Feng tumbled on the ground, struggling to stand.
That punch had saved his life, but it had simultaneously drained every last bit of vortex power within him.
Looking down at the slightly defiant Bill lying on the ground, a flood of emotions washed over him. If the enemy hadn't foolishly cast the Sea of Fire technique, the one lying on the ground now would have been him!
It seemed his momentary rage to kill all five of them had been too rash! He had almost died in the Desolate Mountain. If Bill hadn't been eager for revenge and rushed ahead alone, how would he have had the chance to kill him?
Chen Feng took a step back and suddenly noticed a sphere rolling out from Bill’s hand. It was crystalline, throbbing with energy fluctuations—it was the Level Three Earth Elemental Core.
Chen Feng, unsure what it was, casually picked it up and tucked it into his robe, then began dragging his heavy body step by step deeper into Dragon Mountain.
Returning to Dragon Mountain Town was out of the question. Two mages were still behind him; with his current strength, trying to kill the other two was nothing more than a fool’s errand.
He should first move forward and see if he could find a place to rest!
…………
The middle-aged man and the sallow-faced mage finally arrived at the scene.
Bill lay sprawled on the ground, a bowl-sized hole in his chest, emitting faint wisps of scorched odor.
“Bill… is dead!” The sallow-faced mage could hardly believe his eyes!
Although Bill’s cultivation wasn’t high, he was cautious and intelligent, having executed numerous missions without failure. Yet now, he had been suddenly killed by an unknown child—how could he accept it!
“What powerful Fire damage!” The middle-aged man glanced at the body. “We shouldn’t pursue him further. Reporting this matter to the Clan Leader is the priority!”
The sallow-faced mage nodded as well. Five people had set out, expecting an incredibly easy task, only to have three companions, whose cultivation was no lower than his own, killed in quick succession within half a day!
They should hurry back to report; the opponent was too terrifying!
Furthermore, he seemed to have ventured into the outer perimeter of Dragon Mountain, entering the territory of high-level Magical Beasts. With the strength of just the two of them, trying to search for the others would likely result in them being devoured by Magical Beasts before finding anyone.
Return! The two retraced their steps along the path they had come from!
…………
“What?”
A furious roar echoed from the room. Harry stood up, kicking the two men standing before him to the ground.
“A mere teenager actually killed three of you—what are you good for?”
The middle-aged man and the sallow-faced mage spoke quietly as the Clan Leader raged, “He is too bizarre…”
“Nonsense! Four Level Four formal mages and one Level Three formal mage—and you couldn't even capture one child! What use are you!” As Harry finished speaking, a sharp glint suddenly flashed in his eyes. Two huge spheres of earth abruptly materialized in his hands and smashed down toward the heads of the black-robed figures.
With two dull thuds, the two men managed only a grunt before their brains splattered, blood coating the ground; they were instantly dead.
“Gubo’er, rest assured, Father will avenge this insult for you!” Harry clenched his fists, a sharp coldness radiating from his gaze.
In truth, Harry never suspected that offending someone he shouldn't have would ultimately lead to the annihilation of the Lefe Clan.
…………
Thunder roared incessantly. Chen Feng’s legs felt weak, and stars swam before his eyes. He hadn't had a drop to drink since morning, and he had fought several battles exceeding his physical limits. Now hungry and exhausted, his body was at its absolute limit.
The churning clouds above were pitch black, like spilled ink. The towering distant peaks seemed to be crushed beneath them, threatening to snap. It looked like rain was imminent.
Chen Feng sighed, taking in his surroundings, realizing that in his frantic flight, he had somehow arrived at an unknown mountain peak, flanked by terrifying, looming high mountains. A short distance ahead was a sheer cliff, and on the other side, a sword-like peak pierced the clouds, separated from the cliff by mist—hundreds of meters away, it was quite spectacular from a distance.
Chen Feng circled the edge of the cliff and spotted a massive boulder several tens of meters high not far away, possessing a strange shape. Puzzled, he walked closer, only to discover a small cave tucked behind the rock, close to the precipice.
Hearing the ceaseless thunder outside and feeling utterly exhausted, he didn't hesitate and burrowed inside. The entrance to the cave was small, but once inside, it opened into a dark, deep space. Chen Feng kept his right hand pressed against the stone wall, slowly moving deeper.
After walking about ten meters, the space widened considerably, large enough for three or four people to walk abreast. As Chen Feng pondered his surroundings, he suddenly heard a roar ahead, and a massive Magical Beast lunged out of the darkness straight toward him!
The narrow confines of the cave made dodging difficult. Caught completely off guard, Chen Feng instinctively spun the vortex power within him, roared out, “Savage Bite!” and drove a punch toward the beast!
Having traveled for half a day, his internal vortex power had recovered somewhat, so this punch whistled through the air with considerable force.
Who knew the beast was extraordinarily cunning; it twisted its body in mid-air, dodging aside. Chen Feng’s punch struck empty air, immediately followed by a searing pain in his back. His vision went black, and he was flung forward dozens of meters. His shoulder struck the ground, rendering half his arm numb, and his left arm, after a desperate struggle, felt like it was being torn apart, the pain almost causing him to pass out.
What a formidable creature, such quick reactions!
Of the various skills Chen Feng had mastered as a Fist Emperor, only one move, “Savage Bite,” was known to him. Yet, this move channeled the “Vortex Power” and was immensely strong; even a Level Three Fighter would hesitate to confront it head-on. But the beast in the darkness seemed capable of seeing, managing to change direction in mid-air just before the force hit, its reaction speed utterly baffling.
Chen Feng struggled to his feet. The vortex power within him slowly circulated along a specific route, and he raised his right hand, fingertips emitting a faint yellowish fighting aura (Dou Qi), which, in the darkness, flared like a burning flame, instantly illuminating the entire stone cave.
Not far ahead, an Iron-Backed Silver Tiger, about a meter and a half long, was staring intently at him—this unexpected intruder.
Chen Feng let out a long breath, inwardly groaning in despair. The outer regions of Dragon Mountain were indeed filled with high-level Magical Beasts!
The Iron-Backed Silver Tiger, a high-level Wind-type Phantom Beast of the forest!
Phantom Beasts were the most powerful class of Magical Beasts, powerful because they were an evolutionary type! Their rank could increase with age. Take the Iron-Backed Silver Tiger: when young, its abilities might be so weak that an ordinary person could kill it, but as it aged, its strength and rank would rise. An adult Iron-Backed Silver Tiger was at least Level Seven, possessing incredible agility, moving like the wind, its body hard as iron. It typically attacked with its tail and forepaws and could instantly unleash Wind-type magic below Level Three, or charge up its strongest attack, the Level Nine magic, “Silver Tiger’s Roar!”
Moreover, Phantom Beasts lacked an inherent level cap; they had no natural barriers. Some could cultivate indefinitely, and legends even claimed some could transform into human form!
But that was just a legend. No matter how powerful a Phantom Beast, it was still constrained by lifespan. An Iron-Backed Silver Tiger had an average lifespan of only about 200 years. To cultivate to the point of shapeshifting normally required 250 years, so for thousands of years, people had only heard that Phantom Beasts could transform, but no one had ever seen it.
Judging by its size, this Iron-Backed Silver Tiger was much smaller than normal, likely not yet an adult. However, even an adolescent should possess the strength of a Level Four Fighter, a level he currently couldn't hope to match.
The Iron-Backed Silver Tiger closely resembled a Siberian Tiger from his previous life, but its size was larger. Its fur was mottled yellow-green, its fangs protruded, and its eyes glowed with a greenish-blue light.
“I mean no harm!” Chen Feng quickly called out.
High-level Magical Beasts possessed intelligence, often equal to humans. Knowing he couldn't win a direct fight, Chen Feng hastily waved his hands and shouted.
The Iron-Backed Silver Tiger hesitated for a moment, then lifted its sharp fangs and roared, shaking the entire cave.
Seeing that the beast had stopped attacking, meaning it understood him, Chen Feng felt a surge of relief and continued, “I only came in here to find shelter, I have no ill intentions…”
Before he could finish speaking, the Iron-Backed Silver Tiger seemed provoked by something, leaping up, its forepaws sweeping out a powerful Wind Blade aimed directly at his head!
Chen Feng leaned back, retreating five or six steps, his shoulder hitting the stone wall. He barely managed to evade the sudden Wind Blade; if not for the incredible speed of his Phantom Crane Steps, his head might have been severed.
The Wind Blade struck the stone wall with a boom, sending stone fragments flying. Several pieces struck his face, instantly drawing blood.
The Iron-Backed Silver Tiger, having gained the advantage, didn't relent. It shot toward Chen Feng like a meteor!
Chen Feng executed a slide step, but inadvertently crashed into the wall—there was a massive protruding rock he hadn't noticed while focusing entirely on the front.
In that split second of pause, the Iron-Backed Silver Tiger’s gigantic paw was less than a foot from his face!
Magical Beasts have far superior stamina than humans, let alone high-level ones whose bodies were as hard as steel. The massive limbs of the Iron-Backed Silver Tiger, combined with the force of its leap, would surely result in Chen Feng’s brains splattering everywhere if the paw struck his head.
Blood rushed to Chen Feng’s head; ignoring the vast gap in their strength, he swung his good right fist directly toward the tiger’s paw!
“Savage Bite!”
Another Savage Bite!
It wasn't surprising that Chen Feng’s fighting style was simplistic; since regaining consciousness, he had only learned this one offensive move. It was because his internal vortex power was too scarce to unlock the other sealed techniques in his mind!
His arm glowed with the faint yellow fighting aura, illuminating the entire cave.
Crack!
The tiger paw met his arm!
“Crunch…”
The sound of crumbling stone walls echoed. It turned out the side of the cave wall bordered the cliff. The battle between man and beast was so fierce that it broke through the stone barrier, and due to inertia, both man and tiger fell down the cliff together!
“Boom…”
A clap of thunder split the sky, and the heavy rain began to pour down!
ps: Phew… Three chapters updated, dizzy from exhaustion… Comrades, please give Old Ya some rewards; I see the recommendation votes are dismal!!