"Do you know why the two great Demonic lineage families could mobilize such immense power, commanding so many swordsmen and knights to aid them in eradicating the Martial lineage families?" Austin inquired.

Chen Feng shook his head. However, hearing that this was Austin's topic, his interest waned; all he cared about was revenge, which had nothing to do with these families, so he remained uninterested.

Austin seemed to notice the shift in Chen Feng's expression and smiled slightly before saying, "I inquired for a long time and finally learned that the bargaining chip they offered was a single item!"

"A single item?" Chen Feng felt a flicker of interest upon hearing the price. Back in the Kainerte family, according to Locke, even all the Kainerte family's assets and years of accumulation wouldn't move him, which indicated just how great the benefit promised by the Demonic lineage families was. If such a massive benefit was just one object, how incredibly precious must it be?

"Indeed, one object. What this object is, no one knows, but it is absolutely invaluable!"

"You don't know what it is, yet you know it's precious?" Chen Feng shook his head, finding it hard to believe.

"Heh, I know this sounds confusing. In reality, I don't know what the object is either, but I know it is currently within the Lefu family!" Austin stated mysteriously. "Legend has it that this item is a painting, a scroll made of a special material. The surface value of this scroll alone is equivalent to a Mid-grade Sacred Artifact!"

"A scroll that is a Mid-grade Sacred Artifact?" Chen Feng started, taken aback.

"Exactly!" Austin confirmed.

"What is the use of this scroll?" Chen Feng's curiosity was finally piqued.

"I don't know either. However, legend states that three thousand years ago, this item once sparked a conflict among Dou Zun level masters. Although everyone knew of its value, no one could decipher its mysteries. So, over time, it was forgotten, and somehow it has now fallen into the hands of the Lefu family."

"If you don't know the mystery, how do you know it's precious?" Chen Feng asked coolly.

"I don't know that either. I only glimpsed these details vaguely within the Royal Esoteric Sect. Afterward, I sent men to investigate and learned the content of the transaction between the Demonic lineage families and those swordsmen and knights," Austin shrugged, conveying his helplessness.

When Austin finished speaking, Chen Feng stared intensely at him: "What is your purpose in telling me all this?"

Seeing the killing intent in Chen Feng's eyes, Austin shuddered internally. "I have no other intentions, I—" He became so nervous he couldn't speak.

Although Austin possessed great ambition and was exceptionally intelligent, he had been terrified by Chen Feng during the Longtu Mountain Trial. Now, with Chen Feng's stern gaze and surging killing aura, he instantly lost his composure.

Chen Feng sneered, "Since it's a treasure that even Dou Zuns fought over, why would His Highness the Prince not keep the secret but instead tell me?"

"This..." Austin was momentarily tongue-tied. After a pause, he said, "No one has managed to decipher it in three millennia, so even if I obtained it, it would be for naught. But you, esteemed guest, are different. You are a 'Chinese' here for the trial. I have always admired the wisdom of the 'Chinese,' so rather than acquiring it only for it to become a decoration, I would rather present it to you!"

Chen Feng fixed his gaze on Austin, not blinking. Seeing that he wasn't feigning sincerity, he let out a cold snort. "I understand!" and fell silent.

Seeing Chen Feng narrow his eyes, Austin gritted his teeth, "I wish to exchange this piece of information for a promise from you, esteemed guest!"

Chen Feng expected this and simply replied, "Speak!"

"I request that you promise me, after your current matters are concluded, to accompany Elder Rodriguez into the Magic Association once!" Austin requested.

Chen Feng asked coldly, "Is this part of your transaction?"

Austin’s current standing, achieved within just one year, was clearly due to the strong support of the Magic Association behind him. Thus, Chen Feng grasped the implication immediately.

"Yes, I hope you will grant my request!" After speaking, Austin performed a solemn bow.

Chen Feng slightly narrowed his eyes, his mind working rapidly. Austin was absolutely no simple figure; Chen Feng had deeply experienced this on Longtu Mountain. Now, it seemed he had still underestimated him. Knowing there was a treasure he might not decipher, he immediately let it go and pivoted to favor—such decisiveness was indeed beyond the scope of ordinary people!

"Fine!" Chen Feng nodded.

Making a deal with such a person wasn't a bad thing; at least Austin understood Chen Feng's nature and wouldn't try to trick him.

After seeing Austin and his party off, night had fallen. Chen Feng sat cross-legged in the courtyard to cultivate.

After days of continuous contemplation, he had gained new insights into condensing the power of his Qi Cyclone to generate wind element force. Although he couldn't yet unleash Dong Zhang's Death Tornado, he had some promising leads on releasing simple wind-based attacks.

Converting the Qi Cyclone power into wind element release, enabling the manifestation of Dong Zhang's Death Tornado, was secondary. Primarily, Chen Feng was reminded of another incomparably formidable figure in The King of Fighters—

Rugal Bernstein!

The 'Rampaging Gale,' Rugal Bernstein, the leader of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Hakkeshu!

Utilizing the wind element... to perform Dark Cry, Yashinakei, Yashinakei—techniques surpassing Iori Yagami's Yashinakei!

If he could arbitrarily convert the Qi Cyclone power within his body into wind element and release it, he might be able to merge the Yashinakei techniques with wind to execute devastating moves like Yashinakei and Yashinakei!

If The King of Fighters techniques were categorized as Martial Arts, Yashinakei and Orochi Nagi would certainly rank as Mid-tier Earth Class, while Rugal’s Yashinakei Orochi could reach High-tier Earth Class, and perhaps Yashinakei could possess the might of Low-tier Heaven Class!

This was why Chen Feng was moved.

Slowly standing up, the Qi Cyclone power in his Dantian rotated within his meridians in a peculiar manner. With a thought, a vortex-like eye of wind formed at his fingertip. As the Qi Cyclone power grew stronger, the wind speed increased rapidly.

The sound of wind cut through the quiet courtyard with sharp "whooshing" cries. This sound grew louder and more intense, as if a tornado might erupt at any moment.

"Po..."

Just as the whirlwind intensified, the vortex at his fingertip dispersed with a soft "pop."

"It seems the control is still poor. It probably has little power against a person right now!" Chen Feng summed up his experience. "But if I keep practicing like this, it likely won't take even a year to completely master differentiating the Qi Cyclone power into the wind element. Once mastered, researching Yashinakei and Yashinakei will be smooth sailing, achieving twice the result with half the effort!"

Having made up his mind, Chen Feng stopped dwelling on the wind element. He resumed practicing the already learned moves of Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami.

"I've already mastered the ability to convert Qi Cyclone power into fire element. Why not study all the fire-elemental attack techniques from The King of Fighters?" Chen Feng decided, a thought sparking in his mind.

Many characters in The King of Fighters could release fire elements: Kyo Kusanagi, Mai Shiranui, Chris, Shion, King, Billy...

Their Desperation Moves were no less powerful than Orochi Nagi or Yashinakei. If he could simulate them, it would surely bring a substantial boost to his power.

Chen Feng wasn't greedy; sometimes, having more moves provided greater adaptability in combat, which benefited him.

Currently, he only knew two moves of Kyo Kusanagi. Excluding Yae Otome and Oniyaki, he had grasped the rest of Iori Yagami's techniques. What he needed to do now was use the Qi Cyclone power in his Dantian to convert into fire element and simulate all the techniques of the others.

He wasn't sure if the simulation effect could match the original version, but it would certainly bring great flexibility to his attacks.

For instance, using a fire element attack, if the enemy was in the air, even the attack power of Orochi Nagi would have minimal effect. But if he used Mai Shiranui's Phoenix Dance (a move where the body spins in the air, creating a rotating fireball around it), the power would be more than doubled!

Or consider using Billy: as long as he had a staff in hand, he could extend the range of his fire damage, delivering it via the staff strike...

Adjusting his breathing, Chen Feng executed Kyo Kusanagi's attack patterns one by one according to the cultivation method. Gai Shiki: Kuzukaze, Gai Shiki: Oniyaki, Nanajin Shiki: Ototsuki, Ni-hyaku-jū-ni Shiki: Kototsuzuki Yanagi, Kyu-hyaku-jū Shiki: Tsuritsuzumi, Yon-hyaku-ichi Shiki: Tsumi-yomi...

He executed all the moves fluidly, absorbing the feel of each one while practicing. Surprisingly, he discovered a secret!

After reaching the Dou Shi (Martial Master) level, as long as the method for utilizing the Qi Cyclone power was correct, the simulated moves could actually manifest 90% of the original move's power!

Currently, the maximum Qi Cyclone power Chen Feng could exert was 76%. This meant when normally utilizing Orochi Nagi or Araki, he could exert maximum power at this level. When using the mimicry moves like Gai Shiki: Kuzukaze and Gai Shiki: Oniyaki, he could only exert 68% of his Qi Cyclone power!

However, even if the King of Fighters moves could only utilize 68% of his Qi Cyclone power, they would still bring unexpected benefits!

This was because the King of Fighters techniques only achieved maximum effect under fixed postures. If one used Yashinakei to strike an airborne enemy, it would be less efficient than simply leaping into the air and kicking them.

Achieving this level of effect with simulation already made Chen Feng very satisfied.

"I should practice these moves a few more times, just in case I panic when I need to use them," Chen Feng mused. Just as he was about to continue practicing, he heard a faint sound of breathing outside the wall, followed immediately by a figure leaping in.

Chen Feng recognized the silhouette, and a surge of fury instantly erupted within him—it was... it was actually Filia, the one who had framed him! She hadn't died!

PS: I'm standardizing the update schedule. From now on, one chapter at 10 AM, one at 3 PM, and one at 9 PM. If there are extra updates, they will be around 12 PM. No updates outside these times unless notified in advance of schedule changes due to other reasons. Thank you for your support!!

Also: Send those recommendation tickets and monthly passes pouring in! That's what gives me the confidence to explode with content!! Haha...(To be continued. For the next installment, please log on to www**m for more chapters, support the author, and support genuine reading!)