Stuart’s cultivation was not high; he was merely a First-Tier Formal Mage. That day, after witnessing Chen Feng’s frenzy in the hall, his heart felt as if crushed by a massive boulder. Every time he recalled that youth, remembering the cold, malevolent gaze, his body would uncontrollably tremble. So many nights he woke up drenched in sweat from nightmares, his clothes soaked through with fear. Hearing this vaguely familiar voice, he first froze, then swiftly turned toward the red-haired youth not far away, only to be instantly overcome by panic, his eyes widening to perfect circles. His frame shook involuntarily: “It’s him…”

Though Chen Feng’s hair had changed, and his aura had shifted, those icy, resentful eyes remained unaltered. Stuart recognized him after only a single glance.

Brute noticed Stuart trembling beside him and felt a flicker of confusion. He knew Stuart well: meticulous in his dealings, decisive in action, and possessing considerable courage. Why was he now shaking after hearing just one sentence? He turned toward the source of the frightening voice and saw a red-haired youth slowly approaching, his face etched with deep resentment.

Brute was the official in charge of procuring energy crystals for the Lefu family, and he was also Harilefu’s elder brother.

Although the natural magic array in Dragon Mountain Town generated vast wealth daily, its consumption of magic crystals was equally enormous. While Dragon Mountain contained various ores, magic crystals were exceedingly rare, generally unable to meet demand. Kuta Town was the primary source of these crystals. Dragon Mountain Town was a long journey away, taking over a month by both teleportation array and travel. Essentially, the magic crystals consumed by the array in Dragon Mountain Town were almost all purchased by Brute from here.

Speaking of crystal procurement, one had to mention Stuart. Stuart and his younger brother, Finlanger, were originally from Kuta Town. Stuart, due to his sharp wits, had been noticed and brought into the family to manage relations between the two locations. Finlanger remained here, surviving through petty means.

“Did… did you kill my brother?” After the initial terror subsided, Stuart gradually calmed himself, looking at his disfigured sibling. A surge of rage began to rise.

The momentary lapse had only been due to the profound impression the youth had left on him. Now that he had regained his composure, he remembered that Brute standing beside him was a Ninth-Tier Mage, a figure renowned in the Lefu family as their fourth strongest expert. With Brute by his side, no matter how rampant this youth became, he couldn't harm him. In his mind, when the youth left in anger, he was barely a Second-Tier Fighter; even with relentless effort, it would be impossible for him to defeat Brute in eight months!

Furthermore, they were inside the walls of Kuta Town, where patrols were constant. Murder within the city limits would immediately summon soldiers, and even the strongest individual could not withstand the continuous assault of numerous guards. This realization somewhat stabilized his nerves, allowing him to shout.

Chen Feng looked at the trembling, forcing-out-words Stuart. The anger in his chest slowly escalated. It was this very man who had spewed venomous lies, plunging him into an abyss of despair. It was this man who caused him to lose an arm and shatter his teeth!

Revenge, revenge!

A fierce conviction burned within his chest. Hot blood surged upward. He offered no reply, simply throwing his eyes wide open and roaring, launching a sharp hook punch forward!

Azure flames immediately rolled forward through the crowd. (Computer Reading w ww .1 6 k. cn)

Because of the naked corpse and the bitch lying there, the area was packed with people, layered one upon another. Chen Feng and Stuart were separated by barely ten meters, yet dozens of bodies lay between them.

Chen Feng, consumed by rage, disregarded the lives of those caught in the middle. The Azure Flames moved like wandering fireworks, hissing upon the ground, and in an instant, reached Stuart.

“Agh…”

The dozens of people between the two instantly shrieked in unison, sustaining burns of varying severity. If Chen Feng hadn't deliberately shown mercy, these people would have long since been reduced to ash.

“Flame Dou Qi?” Brute’s eyes also betrayed surprise. Projecting Dou Qi externally for an attack was, in his experience, a showy but useless technique. Yet, seeing these people burned proved that notion wrong. What was happening?

However, observing that the injuries inflicted were not fatal, he concluded that the power of this Flame Dou Qi was not overly great.

In his confusion, he drew his magic staff, flicked his wrist, and a pale yellow orb of magical light shot toward the flames burning on the ground.

The magic orb collided with the flames, sounding a soft pop like a water ball meeting fire, reforming into pure elements and dissipating into the air.

The azure flames, seemingly unimpeded, continued their charge forward.

“This… how is this possible!” Brute could barely believe his eyes.

Magic and Dou Qi were two distinct cultivation methods. Yet, both relied on harnessing one’s own power to manipulate the surrounding elemental energies. Therefore, even though they differed, when they clashed, they should have been able to neutralize each other.

To give a concrete example: if the innate Dou Skill of a Fourth-Tier Ice Rock Battle Wolf King clashed with the innate magic of a Fourth-Tier Azure Jade Magic Wolf, assuming equal power, the result would be either an explosion or mutual cancellation, as if no attack had occurred.

Although the magic orb he released was only a First-Tier spell, even if it couldn't completely neutralize the Flame Dou Qi, it should have at least managed to momentarily impede it. How could this Flame Dou Qi proceed without any change whatsoever?

Was there truly a form of Dou Qi that magic could not counteract?

The flames advanced slowly, but their movement was imbued with a suffocating, bizarre quality. Stuart’s face turned ashen. In a panic, he leaped two steps to the side, letting out a sigh of relief. The Dou Qi was so far away; surely it wouldn't turn, right?

It seemed the youth’s strength had increased. While this Flame Dou Qi was strange, its attack speed was far too sluggish. If one couldn’t evade such a slow assault, they deserved to be dead or permanently disabled.

Patting his chest, ready to celebrate his narrow escape, Stuart’s eyes suddenly tightened, and every hair on his body stood on end.

The slow-moving flame ahead suddenly changed direction mid-air, accelerating by more than double its speed, hurtling directly toward him. Before he could react, a sharp thud erupted as the flame leaped up and blasted one of his arms into shrapnel!

“Aaaah…”

The intense pain made Stuart want to pass out.

If he had simply killed Stuart instantly, how could the rage in his heart be appeased? Seeing his wretched scream, Chen Feng felt a sliver of vengeful satisfaction.

The surrounding crowd scattered like startled rabbits amidst this sudden upheaval. Screams and shouts echoed through the air, throwing the entire street into chaos.

“Who are you, and why commit such a malicious act!” Brute stared at the red-haired youth advancing step by step and shouted, his tone relatively steady.

As a Ninth-Tier Mage, he possessed his own pride. This blatant, unprovoked assault angered him. Even if the youth’s Dou Qi was unusual, based on his confidence in his own strength, he hadn't taken the attacker seriously.

Chen Feng ignored his words entirely, his eyes fixed on Stuart like a wild beast. Suddenly, he exerted force through his legs; the muscles in his thighs bunched like rising earth mounds. With a sharp contraction and release, he moved like a phantom, appearing directly before the arm-severed Stuart.

“Does your arm hurt, now that it’s gone?” Chen Feng’s chilling words brushed against Stuart’s ear like the autumn wind.

Seeing the youth’s ferocious face, Stuart felt dragged back into the terrifying scenes of his nightmares. Sweat streamed down his neck, unsure if it was from the severed limb’s agony or sheer terror.

“No… no…” Stuart’s fear broke through. The dread of death overshadowed all dignity as he cried out, trembling.

“No? This isn't over. This is the humiliation you brought upon me back then!” Chen Feng snatched the man up, his icy voice taking on a strangely gentle tone, “I promised I would return it twofold!”

With a sharp crack, Chen Feng tightened his right hand, grinding Stuart’s remaining arm to dust.

“Aargh…” Stuart let out another piercing cry.

“Still not done!” Chen Feng’s face twisted into a cruel smile as he raised his right hand and brought it down with a sharp smack onto the man’s face.

Ptooey… Stuart felt an immense force hit him, and every single tooth in his mouth was instantly knocked loose. The violent pain made his mind go blank, and he slumped into unconsciousness.

Blood for blood! That was the last coherent thought Stuart had before darkness claimed him…

“You are Chen Feng?” Brute held his magic staff high above his head.

If Chen Feng’s sudden attack had initially left him bewildered, hearing Chen Feng’s words now finally jogged his memory. When he had last returned to the family, he had seen his nephew, Gu Bo, lying in bed; upon inquiry, he learned the boy had been injured by a youth named Chen Feng, who subsequently lost an arm and was expelled from the family.

Judging by the youth’s behavior, this was indeed that Chen Feng! A killing intent rose in Brute’s heart.

Gu Bo was his favorite junior, possessing high magical talent and being exceptionally likable. His injured arm had never healed, and the internal fire poison remained incurable, preventing his cultivation from advancing further—he was effectively crippled.

All of this was thanks to this youth, and now he dared to act so brazenly. If he didn't kill him, how could he face the shame? After asking the question, Brute didn't wait for confirmation and immediately began chanting an incantation.

Chen Feng snorted coldly, ignoring Brute’s chanting. He tossed the unconscious Stuart into the air, his fingertips instantly filling with vortex energy. Grasping the man’s chest, he violently pulled outwards in both directions!

Rip!

Stuart was savagely torn in half by the fierce steel claws, his shredded flesh and viscera mixing with blood, raining down to dye the ground a deep crimson.