Fourth Vice-Lord? Chen Feng’s face drastically changed upon hearing this. Since it indicated a presence at the Dou Sheng level, being ranked fourth meant their cultivation was even stronger than Kozmo’s!

It was too late to save Lingfeng now. Never mind that the Domain Power within him hadn't recovered; even if it had, how could he stand against a late-stage Dou Sheng master?

At the critical moment, Chen Feng lost his sense of panic, and his heart calmed.

This was a good habit he had cultivated over the three years since arriving in this other world. Having frequently skirted the edge of life and death had naturally forged excellent psychological fortitude; losing his composure now would only hasten his demise!

His eyes narrowed slightly as Chen Feng analyzed the current situation. Without Domain Power in his Dantian, severing the chains binding Lingfeng was impossible. Taking her into the "Divine Mansion of Light" to spirit her away was even more out of the question. What should he do?

Footsteps grew louder, and suddenly, a flash of inspiration sparked in Chen Feng’s mind, forming a daring and brilliant plan!

Having figured out a way, he let out a breath and casually uncorked another bottle of "Energy Serum," pouring it down his throat. Currently, one bottle of the serum only restored half his stamina, so for safety, taking two bottles was better.

Just as he swallowed the energy boost, a clean-shaven man walked in.

Judging by his appearance, this man looked barely twenty years old, yet Chen Feng knew he must be a manifestation of some magical beast that had achieved human form. Magical beasts reaching the ninth rank could transform, and once their cultivation reached the Saint Domain, their appearance would cease to change, which explained their youthful look.

“Lingfeng…” the man strode in.

The two people previously present, both at the rank of Seventh-Tier Magic Tutor, had been incinerated to ashes by Chen Feng without the newcomer noticing.

However, upon entering, he immediately spotted the single person in the room.

“Who are you?” he watched Chen Feng coldly, his gaze filled with chilling malice. But after an instant, as if remembering something, he chuckled, “So you are the youth who brought such shame upon that waste, Kozmo!”

It seemed the news of Kozmo failing to capture Chen Feng and letting him escape had already reached the upper echelons of the Purple Garden Demon Territory.

“Only a Second-Tier Dou Zun level!” As he spoke, deep disdain flashed in his eyes, clearly showing he hadn't taken Chen Feng seriously at all.

After saying that, he seemed to recall something else, and his face instantly frosted over with icy displeasure: “Let me tell you, don't even think about Lingfeng. A girl as outstanding as her is not someone a lowlife like you could ever hope to be worthy of!”

Saying this, a powerful aura erupted from him, and he controlled this presence to bear down upon Chen Feng.

Initially, he hadn't known about this young man. Before arriving, while chatting with a few Vice-Lords, Kozmo’s embarrassing defeat had been mentioned, and everyone knew of his pursuit of Lingfeng, so the distinct relationship between Lingfeng and this youth had also been shared.

It was because of this gossip that he had drawn attention.

In his eyes, Chen Feng was nothing more than an ant. An ant vying for a woman with a man—what a joke!

A Dou Sheng level master could already control the forces of heaven and earth, so under this crushing pressure, Chen Feng’s body swayed, and his face instantly turned a sickly yellow.

Seeing Chen Feng’s state, Lingfeng urgently spoke, “Move away, he won’t be able to bear this!”

In her distress, she didn't resort to coarse language or vicious threats, but simply asked the man to step back, revealing the simplicity of her pure heart.

Although the Fourth Vice-Lord disliked Chen Feng, he wouldn't humiliate himself in front of a beautiful woman. Hearing her speak, he quickly reined in his aura, glanced at Chen Feng, and said coldly, “If I see you pestering Lingfeng again, I will kill you!”

After speaking, he immediately turned his face back to Lingfeng, breaking into a smile, “Lingfeng… Fellows of this cultivation level, I could gather a handful of them. You don't need to bother with him at all. I told you, as long as you agree to my proposal, I will immediately have the Lord release you, so you won't have to suffer this torment anymore…”

Lingfeng ignored the Fourth Vice-Lord’s fawning attempts and instead gazed with a slightly wistful look at Chen Feng, whose face was yellowed by the oppressive might. She saw him rapidly coughing, and two streams of blood trickled from the corners of his mouth as he coughed.

Clearly, the pressure earlier had been too intense, exceeding his body’s limits and inflicting serious injury.

“Chen Feng…” Seeing him like this, two clear tears tracked down Lingfeng’s fair face.

The Fourth Vice-Lord’s expression darkened when he saw that while he was addressing Lingfeng, she was still looking at the youth. He glared at Chen Feng coldly and roared, “Get out of here immediately!”

Chen Feng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his right hand, then suddenly walked in front of Lingfeng, stating firmly, “Lingfeng is mine…”

This declaration stunned not only the Fourth Vice-Lord but also Lingfeng. In her memory, Chen Feng would never utter such a thing. However, hearing those words, her heart skipped a beat. Looking at Chen Feng’s figure, which wasn't particularly imposing, it was suddenly filled with a stubborn resilience.

Lingfeng had a naturally serene disposition, but that didn't mean she lacked emotion. After spending two months with Chen Feng, even if nothing romantic had transpired, their rapport had been good. Coupled with Chen Feng having saved her at the academy, hearing him say such a thing now gently stirred a string in her usually placid heart.

“Yours?” The Fourth Vice-Lord let out a cold laugh, “What do you think you are, daring to say such things in front of me? Let me tell you, in my eyes, someone of your cultivation level is no different from a dog!”

Hearing this, Chen Feng seemed provoked, a sinister look crossing his face. His fists clenched, and a purple domain instantly unfurled, bathing the entire room in flames, while his personal power surged in an instant, and he lunged toward the Fourth Vice-Lord.

“Barbaric Bite, Absolute Domain!”

“Arrogant clown!” The Fourth Vice-Lord scoffed, “You are courting death, don't blame me!”

He extended his palm, and an invisible wall of energy instantly materialized before him. The force of Chen Feng’s punch was stopped by this barrier and immediately repelled outward.

“Break…” Chen Feng roared, his muscles bulging, his fist imbued with intense flame energy as he hammered against the wall of energy before him. The rampant power scattered around, whipping up a wave of heat.

Simultaneously, the powerful Boundless Fire Domain coalesced into a fire dragon that spewed forth along the line of his fist!

However, how could the power of a Second-Tier Dou Zun contend with a late-stage Dou Sheng master? The Fourth Vice-Lord opened his eyes, flicked a finger, and Chen Feng, who had exerted his utmost strength, was instantly sent flying backward as if struck by a train—a colossal force throwing him violently away!

“Bang!”

With a deafening crash, his entire body slammed against the wall, leaving a human-shaped crater in the stone. If the wall hadn't been sturdy, the room likely would have collapsed from that impact.

“Cough, cough…” Chen Feng slid down from the wall, spitting out another mouthful of blood.

“With this little bit of skill, you dare fight over a woman? Are you worthy?” The Fourth Vice-Lord, having transformed from a magical beast, had a rather direct manner of speaking and didn't see fighting over women as dishonorable.

“I… don’t care… about the cultivation level… Lingfeng… is mine…” Chen Feng staggered back to his feet unsteadily, but as soon as he stood, he collapsed again.

The casual flick of the opponent’s finger earlier had actually channeled the essence of the world's elemental power, forming an impact force of hundreds of thousands of pounds. Even with Chen Feng’s sturdy physique, he sustained severe injuries.

Tears welled up in Lingfeng’s eyes as she watched Chen Feng, feeling a stabbing pain in her heart.

“Is this… love?” That thought suddenly crossed her mind.

Since birth, she had been dedicated to her family's mission, training desperately for it, and had never been close to any boys of the opposite sex, which contributed to her detached nature. Later, inheriting the bloodline of the ancestral Fire Phoenix made her even colder, seemingly unconcerned with anything.

But this cold detachment was shattered by the youth before her. He had suddenly burst into her view from the wilderness, making her feel inexplicably close to him. She had spent two months with him without realizing why, and when it was time to descend the mountain, she had inexplicably invited him along—she couldn't even explain her own actions.

Now, seeing him beaten like this for her sake, her heart twisted as if by a knife. Only then did she understand that this young man had, without her noticing, occupied a significant place in her heart!

Little did she know, a portion of the blood flowing in her veins was actually that of the young man before her!

“If you die, I won’t try to escape either. I will die too!” This thought suddenly surfaced in Lingfeng’s mind. However, once this thought formed, she felt a great calm wash over her, and she returned to her original placid demeanor.

Since she had already decided to die with him, what was there left to be sad about?

The Fourth Vice-Lord approached Chen Feng, subtly glancing at Lingfeng. Seeing her face now composed and lacking the look of utter despair from moments before, he felt relieved. “It seems Lingfeng doesn’t have feelings for this youth after all, otherwise why wouldn't she be heartbroken?”

Thinking this, his heart soared with delight, and his gaze towards Chen Feng grew even more contemptuous: “Boy, call me Grandpa three times, then crawl under my legs, and I won't kill you!” He spread his legs and gestured arrogantly.

“Go to hell, Grandpa…” Chen Feng roared, struggling to rise, and threw a punch toward the opponent, but if he couldn't even scratch the man when uninjured, how could he succeed now while gravely wounded?

His punch lacked its former might, landing weakly before the man.

“How about that? Soft now, weren't you so fierce a moment ago?” The Fourth Vice-Lord chuckled, raising his right foot and kicking Chen Feng squarely in the stomach.

“Bang!” Chen Feng was sent flying against the wall again by that incredibly powerful force. This time, his injuries seemed far worse; his face was even paler, and his eyes looked barely able to stay open.

“How about it, boy? Let me tell you, I can pick up ten or eight fellows of your cultivation level on the street. You dare act arrogant with me? It seems you’re tired of living!” The Fourth Vice-Lord sneered coldly.

Chen Feng helplessly slid down the wall, turning his head toward Lingfeng. He looked at her, as if he had many words to say, but in that brief moment, he couldn't utter a single one.

“Chen Feng…” Lingfeng called out, her voice devoid of sorrow or grief, only a cold flatness—yes, utter flatness.

“I’ll go with you!” Her crimson lips parted slightly as she spoke softly.

Though her voice was quiet, the Fourth Vice-Lord heard it. He instantly understood the meaning of Lingfeng’s words, and in a fit of rage, he seized the limp Chen Feng from the ground: “I’ll let you die…”

“Bang…”

Another punch landed on Chen Feng, slamming him hard into the wall.

“Crackling…” Due to these repeated, heavy impacts, even this reinforced room seemed unable to withstand the immense force, and chunks of the ceiling began to fall.

“I’ll kill this brat, that’ll break her resolve!” the Fourth Vice-Lord thought.

In his mind, women were simple creatures; they followed whoever was good to them, regardless of how strong their willpower was.

Women fear pestering and persistence. No matter how faithful a love, if another man persists in his efforts nearby, it will eventually break. This wasn't because women were easily unfaithful, but because they were creatures of emotion; spending a long time with someone would inevitably foster feelings—that is what 'feelings grow with time' referred to.

Thus, there were men who didn't pursue, but no women who couldn't be won over.

The Fourth Vice-Lord’s murderous intent flared at this thought. Holding Chen Feng in his palm, he abruptly increased the force of his fist, driving it straight into Chen Feng’s heart!

“Snap…” A crisp sound, like shattering crystal, echoed. Chen Feng’s eyes snapped wide open, round with shock, before his body went limp in the Vice-Lord’s grasp, seemingly devoid of breath.

The Fourth Vice-Lord was confident in the power of his strike; never mind a Second-Tier Dou Zun, even an early-stage Dou Sheng struck in the heart like that would surely meet a fatal end.

Exhaling, he clapped his hands and tossed the limp Chen Feng onto the floor like a mud doll, then turned to look at Lingfeng.

“He’s dead…” Lingfeng murmured, perhaps asking, perhaps sighing, her eyes dull and lifeless.

“He’s dead!” The Fourth Vice-Lord laughed, casually pointing a finger, and elemental fluctuations instantly materialized, binding Lingfeng in place.

Even he, foolish as he was, could see that Lingfeng’s sudden calm was unnatural. If he didn't act immediately, this girl might kill herself.

Just as he was secretly gloating while restraining Lingfeng, a fierce, unparalleled wave of murderous intent suddenly surged toward his mind. Immediately, a sharp pain pierced his back. Looking down, he saw a massive hole in his chest where, he didn't know when, an opening had appeared!

Simultaneously, a loud ‘whoosh’ sounded above his head, and a weapon hurtled down toward his skull.

He whipped his head around to see Chen Feng standing behind him, hale and hearty, wielding a heavy sword and bringing it down toward his head!

“How are you not dead…” He simply couldn't believe his eyes! How could someone he had just killed be leaping back up…

“Clang…” He caught the downward-slicing sword between two fingers, but he couldn't ward off the mad killing intent surging from all sides. His vision blurred, and he felt his life force rapidly draining away!

This feeling of life being threatened was something he hadn't experienced since reaching the Saint Domain cultivation level a long time ago. Yet, today, a mere Second-Tier Dou Zun was clearly inflicting it upon him!

And this Second-Tier Dou Zun had just been verbally abused as less than a dog!

“I refuse to accept this…” He suddenly roared, releasing an incomparably powerful aura from his entire body!

As a late-stage Dou Sheng, how could he accept dying at the hands of a Second-Tier Dou Zun?

This aura surged uncontrollably toward Chen Feng. Chen Feng felt a booming resonance in his mind, and his vision swam.

The armor formed by the “Divine Mansion of Light” could block physical attacks, but it couldn't block this frenzied psychic pressure. This time, his chest tightened, he spat out a mouthful of blood, and was instantly severely injured.

“No matter what, you must die here today!” Chen Feng gritted his teeth and threw the Dark Gold Iron that formed his middle finger toward the Fourth Vice-Lord’s head!

The Fourth Vice-Lord’s eyes widened, looking as if blood might drip from them, and the dark hair on his scalp began to swell and stand on end.

“I will make you die!” he roared, clapping his hand and batting the flying Dark Gold Iron away. Then, spitting out a beam of sword light, he directed it toward Chen Feng’s chest!

“Bang…” The sword light struck Chen Feng squarely!

“Rumble…” Chen Feng was blasted flying backward instantly, smashing through the stone wall and landing on the ground, creating a deep crater.

This pure physical attack, however, had the protection of the “Divine Mansion of Light,” so it didn't significantly affect him.

“Roar…” The Fourth Vice-Lord’s muscles began to swell, rapidly expanding, and his body continued to grow longer.

“He’s about to reveal his true form! If he transforms completely, I’m truly going to die here!” Chen Feng anxiously thought. Ignoring everything else, he shot out of the crater and pointed his finger again, aiming for the Vice-Lord’s rapidly enlarging head!

But this time, the Fourth Vice-Lord was prepared, and a wall of energy suddenly appeared before him. Chen Feng’s attack, the Black Particle, couldn't even pierce through the energy wall!

Chen Feng hurriedly swallowed two bottles of “Energy Serum,” but the serum couldn't take effect immediately. To prevent the opponent from fully transforming now, he had to rely on pure physical strength!

“Bang…” He stomped his feet onto the ground, instantly shattering the blue stones into countless fragments, and he surged forward like lightning.

“Open…” He roared and poured all his strength into the energy wall before him, but before his punch could land, the energy wall collapsed. It turned out that although Chen Feng’s Black Particle attack hadn't broken the wall outright, the power of its spatial annihilation had severely damaged it.

By this time, the Fourth Vice-Lord had already transformed. His true form was a massive Lion-Manticore, about six or seven meters long.

If Chen Feng hadn't launched a sneak attack initially and pierced his chest, even with the protective armor of the “Divine Mansion of Light,” Chen Feng’s outcome would likely have been tragic!

Chen Feng rushed above the creature’s head. He had already thrown the Dark Gold Iron, and the Nether Feather Sword was already integrated with his domain. The Dou Qi dagger he obtained from Moke earlier was too small. With no weapon in hand, trying to smash the beast's head open with just his fists was utterly impossible!

In desperation, without further thought, he reached into his waterskin and blindly grabbed an object. He swung his arm in a full circle and, gritting his teeth, brutally brought it down onto the beast’s head!

“Clang!”

The object in his hand suddenly emitted a golden light. After striking the beast’s head, it instantly smashed the head of the Lion-Manticore into powder!

PS: A 5000-character chapter offered first thing this morning… If you have monthly tickets, please give a couple… And recommendation tickets too… (To be continued. For future events, please log into wdiancomm for more chapters, to support the author, and to support genuine reading!) First published.