Douglas looked at Chen Feng as if gazing upon a mere insect. In his eyes, Chen Feng’s mere Third-Tier Battle Master cultivation was utterly beneath notice; killing him, along with perhaps hundreds more standing before him, would be a simple wave of the hand.
“I am Austin, Third Prince of the Fenlai Empire, sent by my ancestor, Gangdi Finns, to pay respects to Senior Douglas,” Austin said, gritting his teeth as he saw the other party intending to kill Chen Feng, bowing immediately.
“You are a prince?” Douglas looked at the Third Prince. “A descendant of Gangdi Finns? Hmm, that old monster…” His tone suggested deep caution regarding that figure.
“This person is a friend of our royal family, someone my ancestor specifically ordered me to protect. I implore Senior Douglas to show mercy!” Austin had played his highest card this time, invoking the name of that ancient terror within the palace, purely to gamble on Chen Feng’s immediate safety.
Indeed, Douglas’s expression flickered uncertainly upon hearing that Chen Feng was a royal friend. After a pause, he addressed Chen Feng below, “I do not know what feud you have with my descendants, but since they summoned me here today, it would invite unwanted scrutiny if I did nothing. Cut off your right arm, and I shall let you go!”
Douglas’s tone was laced with condescension, implying that allowing Chen Feng to keep one arm was the greatest concession he could offer.
A look of profound relief washed over Austin’s face. “Thank you, Senior, for your benevolence!” Severing an arm, if treated by a Light Element Archmage using a sixth-tier or higher light spell, could easily result in regeneration. Given the current situation, this concession was a massive face-saver.
“Ancestor, he killed the Clan Head and more than a dozen of our clan members! He cannot be let off so easily!” a member of the Leofu family suddenly knelt down, shouting fiercely.
The first speaker gave courage to the second, and soon the collective voice swelled into a tidal wave: “Ancestor, you cannot spare him… cannot spare him…”
Another Magus, Alshius, watched coldly from the side, as if observing a spectacle.
Douglas frowned. “Do you refuse to listen even to my decree?”
His voice carried infinite majesty. Although the tone wasn't harsh, the sheer power of the pressure made everyone below shudder involuntarily. Even the thousands of soldiers led by Austin grew restless and fearful under that immense aura.
This was the gulf between tiers. A Ninth-Tier Magus unleashing his full might could leave not merely a thousand-man legion, but even a ten-thousand-man corps, utterly annihilated.
“What I have decided will not change. Boy, act quickly!” Douglas glanced at Chen Feng, apparently not considering him worth a second thought, and fell silent. Under the pressure of a Ninth-Tier Magus, he didn’t believe a mere Third-Tier Battle Master like Chen Feng would dare resist; in his eyes, Chen Feng didn’t even rank as an ant, one that could be crushed by the handful.
To have a Ninth-Tier Magus personally issue a penalty order was an honor that should have left a Third-Tier Battle Master weeping with gratitude.
However, Chen Feng, the party involved, already showing signs of a volatile surge, felt no such gratitude. Hearing those words, he instead let out a laugh.
“Hahaha… Two Ninth-Tier Maguses! And they demand someone’s arm be severed just because they ask? Hahaha… How utterly laughable!”
“Since you desire my arm, then I shall take the lives of every single member of the entire Leofu family!” Chen Feng’s arrogant voice rang out, and his body underwent a sudden change with a 'Hmph' sound—his pupils had turned completely white, and a faint yellow radiance emanated from his skin.
Berserk Surge + Aura Burst!
Chen Feng’s greatest reliance was now fully unleashed. Chen Feng was a man who refused to bow to fate. Between killing and being killed, no one would choose the latter. Even if the opponent was as powerful as a Ninth-Tier Magus, submission in the face of impending death was impossible. Since they demanded his arm, they were clearly his ultimate enemies, and if they were enemies, why show mercy? Even if he couldn't kill the Magus, killing one of his kin would count as a victory!
Driven by this thought, the frenzy within Chen Feng intensified, and his power grew ever stronger.
As his Aura Burst and Berserk Surge completed, his entire presence and strength continuously mounted.
“Hmm? Now this is turning peculiar,” Alshius, who had been watching as a spectator, suddenly spoke up.
Douglas’s face darkened to the color of deep water. A fierce, unparalleled aura immediately erupted from him, pressing down directly onto Chen Feng. Simultaneously, he flicked his hand, locking Chen Feng in place with a Seventh-Tier Imprisonment Spell.
A Seventh-Tier Imprisonment Spell was capable of restraining even a Battle Sovereign below the third tier, showcasing the immense power of the magic.
Austin’s face instantly turned green seeing this spell. Back in the Nine Nether Gorge, he and Rodriguez had both been trapped by this magic near the cold pool, completely unable to move—at that time, even a child armed with a weapon could have easily ended their lives.
The pressure emanating from Douglas grew more intense. All those on the ground felt their legs weaken, struggling to remain upright. The thousands of warhorses brought by Austin also whinnied in unison, seemingly spooked by the same force.
“Quickly retreat three miles back!” Austin roared immediately. How potent was the pressure of a Ninth-Tier Magus! Retreating was essential; not only would the soldiers be overwhelmed, but the warhorses might also become listless and useless on the battlefield from this aura!
“Rumble…”
The thousands of soldiers retreated like a receding tide.
Although the Leofu family members on the ground felt the pressure severely, it was not fatal. Douglas, after all, was their ancestor, and he had held back a measure of force when deploying his aura. With a wave of his hand, a faint green light enveloped each of them. After the light faded, everyone felt the pressure lift.
Caught squarely within the suppression, Chen Feng’s waist instantly bent over, and the bluestone beneath his feet began to crack with a 'Hmph'.
“Ah…” He suddenly threw his head back and roared into the sky. Under this suffocating pressure, a fierce conviction surged through his heart: I will not yield!
I will never yield. The Eight Gods will never yield. The Grass will never yield. The Fist Emperor’s people will never yield!
“Boom…”
An even mightier aura erupted from Chen Feng’s body. The Yan Dragon bloodline within him spun rapidly, as if injected with a stimulant, glowing a terrifying crimson.
Aura Vortex power: 76%… 77%… 78%… 80%… 83%… 87%… 92%!
The Aura Vortex power reached 92%!
“Ah…”
Chen Feng roared again. The Seventh-Tier Imprisonment Spell binding him suddenly shattered with a sharp 'snap' into countless threads of energy, dissipating into the air.
Unexpectedly, the crushing pressure of the Ninth-Tier Magus had forced Chen Feng to unleash his potential, causing his cultivation to soar dramatically!
“He… his rank is continuously rising?” Alshius showed a look of astonishment.
“This… how is this possible!” Douglas, though vastly experienced, was nearly speechless at such a bizarre sight. “He… he actually jumped five tiers… reaching the rank of Eighth-Tier Battle Master…”
An Eighth-Tier Battle Master posed no threat to him, but this monstrous rate of progression defied belief.
“Can this even be called genius? Genius would pale in comparison before him…” Alshius murmured, then his eyes suddenly lit up, and his voice trembled slightly. “Old friend… could this fellow be his disciple?”
“His?” Douglas shuddered upon hearing this.
“I heard he recently took on a disciple, whose cultivation hovered around the Battle Master realm. Could it be this youth?” Alshius’s face also turned ashen.
“His… disciple? Then I am currently trying to kill his disciple…” Douglas instantly looked conflicted and uncertain.
Chen Feng burst free from the restraint of the Imprisonment Spell. His entire body felt as if it were about to explode, radiating an unbearable heat. He expelled a plume of white vapor from his mouth and nose, let out a shout, and with lightning speed, charged directly into the crowd of Leofu family members.
“Roar…” Under the sound of Chen Feng’s roar, he darted through the crowd like a dragon among sheep. The Leofu clansmen screamed, and any he encountered were instantly reduced to chunks of flesh.
“Regardless of whether this fellow is his disciple or not, he must die today!” Douglas made a firm decision. Regardless of the massacre of his kin, the possibility of Chen Feng being that person’s disciple necessitated his death. Offending his disciple, if discovered by him, would invite certain doom. Therefore, he must silence the witness!
“Alshius, you watch from the side. You probably won’t escape either, so you might as well join in!” Douglas turned and advised his friend.
“…” Alshius understood Douglas’s malicious intent. Though angry, he had no choice; if he stood aside now, his own escape would be compromised. Gritting his teeth, he replied, “Fine! I’ll help you this much—that item must be mine!”
“Agreed. That item is currently on me. Kill him, and I’ll give it to you immediately!” Douglas didn't hesitate in confirming the deal.
Even if Chen Feng’s cultivation increased another five tiers, he would still be no match for either of them. Their hesitation stemmed only from their fear of Chen Feng’s supposed ‘Master.’ If they killed the Master’s disciple, and the truth was uncovered, they would only face death. Now that both were on the same level, Douglas clearly didn't trust Alshius to keep the secret. To ensure silence, Alshius had to be implicated in the murder! This was much like Lin Chong joining the Liangshan band in Water Margin: to join the outlaw band, one had to first spill blood; without that first crime, one could not be trusted. How could one join a nest of thieves without first becoming a thief oneself?
P.S.: Today is Monday. If you have recommendation tickets, throw them all over! Old Ya wants to climb the Fantasy Genre Recommendation Chart! Support him!!
Also, have you guessed who "He" is? "He" just took on a new apprentice... (To be continued. For the rest of the story, please log into www.qidian.com for more chapters, support the author, and support genuine reading!)