Chen Feng immediately realized his lapse in composure. What was wrong with him? Had the volatility of the Dark Vortex power affected him? Could a casual remark from a mere mercenary stir such anger in him?

He shook his head with a wry, self-mocking smile, patted the head of Yass, who was busy working the bellows, and said, "I'm fine!"

He lowered his head and returned to the forging.

"Heh, these two children are interesting!" The first knight chuckled, walking toward the woodpile. He scooped up an armful of firewood, preparing to leave, but a quick glance caused his breath to catch sharply.

"Is that... a Battle Core?"

Around Yass's neck, tied with a red string, was a dark-red Battle Core.

This core was given to him by Chen Feng. On the way to the Nine Nether Canyon, Chen Feng had hunted numerous Battle Beasts and Demonic Beasts, and he possessed quite a few Demon Cores and Battle Cores below the third level in his water flask. Because Yass had saved his life, Chen Feng felt immense gratitude and gave him a third-level Ice-attribute Battle Core to wear as a pendant. Battle Cores could naturally gather free-floating elemental energy; while wearing one wouldn't turn someone into a Battle Master, it did offer benefits for strengthening the body.

Furthermore, Yass often worked near the intense heat of the fire, helping with the bellows, inevitably absorbing some heat toxins. To prevent future complications, pairing this with an Ice-attribute Battle Core was the perfect solution.

Of course, Yass was utterly attached to the core. How could a seven or eight-year-old boy not be curious about and fond of such a smooth object emanating a cold aura?

"A Battle Core? Are you sure you're not mistaken!" said another knight, following the gaze of the first and looking at the core around Yass's neck. After one look, his eyes also gleamed brightly: "It's actually a third-level Ice-attribute Battle Core!"

Few people would understand the rarity of a third-level Battle Core better than these mercenaries. A third-level Battle Beast was comparable in strength to a seventh or eighth-level Battle Master. Taking their own mercenary group as an example, even the leader was only a sixth-level Battle Master, and these men were barely competent, only second-level Battle Masters themselves. If they were to surround and attack a third-level Ice-attribute Battle Beast, even if they succeeded, at least half of them would likely perish!

If they weren't driven by necessity, why would they venture to this desolate, freezing land?

They had only come here hoping to try their luck and acquire some low-level Demon Cores or Battle Cores from beasts. Who knew that before even entering the Frozen Demon Garden, they stumbled upon a third-level Battle Core!

This single core alone was worth five hundred gold coins!

Both men's eyes shone with avarice.

"Little fellow, I'll give you one gold coin if you give me that round ball around your neck," the first knight stepped in front of Yass, his gaze locked onto the core hanging there.

"No! Big Brother gave it to me! I won't sell it!" Yass clutched the core protectively around his neck, clearly unwilling.

The first knight pulled a gleaming gold coin from his pocket and continued to entice him: "Look closely, this is one gold coin! It can buy many things!"

For an ordinary person, one gold coin could indeed buy a lot; it might take a blacksmith like John twenty longswords to earn that much. However, Yass wasn't entirely clear on the purchasing power of gold coins, so he remained unmoved.

Seeing the ill intent in the men's expressions, Chen Feng stopped working the Iron Mother. While he didn't fully grasp why these two warriors were so fixated on a third-level Battle Core, his long experience in combat gave him an innate sense of danger. He instantly flashed forward, positioning himself in front of Yass.

A slender youth holding a blacksmith's hammer stood before two bulky knights—a strangely incongruous sight.

"Get out of the way!" the first knight snapped, his effort to manipulate a young child ruined. Deceiving a seven or eight-year-old might be easy, but dealing with a fifteen or sixteen-year-old was more difficult. He reached out to shove Chen Feng's shoulder, intending to push him aside.

Who knew that the youth's feet seemed rooted to the ground, unmoving. In his frustration, the knight roared, and his entire body was enveloped in Battle Qi, instantly unleashing the aura of a third-level Battle Master.

Chen Feng felt the force pushing against his shoulder growing stronger. Annoyance flared within him. Since cultivating the Dark Vortex, his inherent agitation had already been high; being provoked like this now, he reached out, grabbed the hand resting on his shoulder, and twisted it forcefully!

"Crack!" A sharp sound echoed. The first knight's hand immediately shattered under the immense pressure.

"Ah..." In searing pain, the first knight could no longer maintain his composure and roared without restraint. He immediately swung his other iron fist toward Chen Feng.

Chen Feng didn't even look. He dropped the hammer, casually picked up the glowing-hot Iron Mother with the fire tongs, and thrust it forward. The timing and placement of this thrust were perfect—exactly where the knight's punch was committed and impossible to redirect.

This was the sense of timing honed by Chen Feng's seven days of strength training, now deployed against an enemy for the first time, proving remarkably effective.

"Hiss..." A burnt smell wafted through the air, followed by another piercing scream!

Chen Feng glanced at the knight, whose hands were now essentially ruined, but paid no mind to the roaring. He lifted his eyelids slightly, flicked his wrist, and the unfortunate knight was tossed outward like a sack of sand! The knight’s tall frame tumbled several times in the air before crashing heavily onto the snow outside the tent!

The other knight could hardly believe his eyes. What was happening in this world? Since when was a youth forging metal in a smithy so powerful? A wave of intense terror made his body tremble slightly, and he retreated several steps.

A mere third-level Battle Master was nothing Chen Feng needed to worry about; killing him was no more significant than swatting a fly. Chen Feng wiped his hands with a cloth and resumed swinging the hammer, continuing to forge the Iron Mother.

Only Yass seemed awestruck. His eyes wide open, he looked at Chen Feng, his face filled with adoration: "Big Brother, what just happened? You have such incredible strength, you actually threw that big uncle out!"

Chen Feng offered no comment. That knight weighed, at most, two hundred pounds; tossing him aside was trivially easy, wasn't it?

"What happened?" Just then, the door to the smithy opened, and the mercenary group leader entered with several warriors and Old John.

Little Yass, seeing his grandfather, bounced forward as if reporting a great achievement: "Grandpa! Big Brother is amazing! He just threw the big uncle right out!"

John felt a headache coming on. That was a mercenary group of over twenty people; wasn't this act by Eight God openly offending them? But then he paused in confusion. Mercenaries were skilled in cultivating Battle Qi; how could Eight God, a slender youth even if he possessed slightly more strength, manage to throw one of them out?

The leader’s face was ashen. He glared at the remaining knight and roared, "Damn it, what exactly happened?"

The surviving knight stammered out the story after much prompting.

Only then did the leader turn his eyes to Yass—a third-level Battle Core!

Everyone present gasped. Obtaining a third-level Battle Core would undoubtedly be the greatest reward of this expedition.

The leader remained silent, his mind racing. Based on the way his subordinate was thrown and the nature of his injuries, he had expected a third-level Battle Master to be inside the smithy. Yet, upon entering, he found only a youth whose cultivation was less than a first-level Battle Master, and a seven or eight-year-old child!

Moreover, aside from his surprising strength, the youth showed no other discernible special traits. The leader let out a breath, thinking his subordinate must have been caught off guard by sheer luck!

If they could secure this third-level Battle Core, his group wouldn't need to risk the Frozen Demon Garden adventure. If they killed all three of these people here, who would ever know in this desolate, snow-covered wilderness?

With this thought, a killing intent instantly bloomed in his heart.