This time, Chen Feng did not evade her gaze but looked straight back, unblinking.

It was the first time he had looked at a girl with such focus, and a strange feeling rose in his heart.

It was a stirring of the heart—the first time he had ever been moved by a girl.

Ling Feng was somewhat stunned by his words. She deeply understood how difficult it was for this somewhat cold young man to utter such things.

Swish… A sharp cry echoed from not far away. The surrounding air instantly compressed by a wave of heat, generating bursts of sound.

An Eighth-level single-target magic attack, aimed directly at the momentarily dazed Ling Feng!

The speed of this attack was utterly terrifying, so fast that it seemed impossible to react!

Chen Feng’s pupils contracted sharply. He cast the Teleportation Spell, instantly flashing in front of Ling Feng. His Domain shimmered open, and the "Bright Godly Mansion" enveloped him like armor.

Though it was the last possible second, he had arrived.

Boom… An Eighth-level single-target magic attack slammed brutally against the "Bright Godly Mansion." The powerful impact forced him back several steps, nearly causing him to crash into Ling Feng.

"You seek death!" Chen Feng roared. He stomped his feet, and the massive boulders beneath him instantly cracked and splintered. He then charged directly toward the direction the magic projectile had been fired from.

The magus was hiding in a dark corner, launching a sneak attack. Chen Feng and Ling Feng, distracted by their intense emotions, had completely failed to notice.

"How could he instantly shift without activating his Domain… And why did my magic hit him without effect…" The magus was utterly astonished, his mouth agape, his mind struggling to process the reality.

Though shocked, that did not mean he would wait around to die. Seeing Chen Feng rushing forward rapidly, he casually hurled another spell, deployed his Domain, and fled along a pre-planned escape route.

Since it was a sneak attack, he had naturally prepared a fallback position.

"Freak!" the magus muttered as he fled.

No one who managed to pass two rounds to enter the Death Race Arena was weak; every single one possessed means of self-preservation, or they wouldn't have survived to this point.

He had attempted three sneak attacks, all failing. This time, seeing two individuals who were only Second-level Dou Zun standing foolishly, he launched this assault, only to fail again.

When a sneak attack fails, the only option is to flee. Did he expect to engage in an open, honorable battle? Even if he killed the opponents, how many hidden masters were watching nearby? The number of opportunists hoping to reap the benefits was likely vast.

"Trying to run?" Chen Feng snorted coldly upon seeing the escape. He deployed his Domain, and his speed increased dramatically.

"Ah… What is happening!" The magus was instantly terrified upon witnessing Chen Feng’s speed. His own pace felt like a snail’s crawl compared to the pursuer. Keep in mind, he was an Eighth-level Wind Element Archmage, specializing in speed…

This wouldn't work. If this continued, the pursuer would catch him in less than a minute. If escape was impossible, then he had to kill the enemy! He gritted his teeth, simultaneously expanding his powerful Domain to cover a hundred-meter radius, and his body, which was moving at full speed, immediately halted.

Chen Feng maintained his speed and instantly pierced into the enemy’s Domain.

Battles between individuals of their caliber were almost always collisions between Domains. Plunging directly into someone’s Domain like this was akin to stepping into an ambush; a normal Dou Zun would never choose such a foolish course of action.

"If you insist on courting death, don't blame me!" A vicious expression crossed the magus's face. He gritted his teeth and instantly conjured a potent spell within his Domain.

It was still an Eighth-level spell, but its might and pressure were easily twice as intense as the previous one!

Chen Feng paid no heed to the spell the opponent was forming. Inside the enemy’s Domain, his body suddenly blinked, instantly appearing directly behind the magus!

"What in the—?" The magus nearly cried out. Instant shifting inside his own Domain? Was this a joke?

All elemental energy within the Domain was under his control; he hadn't sensed any elemental fluctuation whatsoever. How did the other party teleport?

But before he could rationalize this question, an incomparably fierce and crazed killing intent instantly flooded his mind, plunging him into darkness!

"Ah…" A piercing scream tore out. Completely unprepared, he had his very essence lost to this wave of killing consciousness.

"Die!" Chen Feng roared low. A streak of sword light flashed within the Domain, cleaving the magus’s head cleanly in two.

This sword light was the sword shadow formed by the Heart of Slaughter within his Domain. It was the first time he had utilized it this way since the Endless Slaughter Domain had evolved.

An instant kill against an Eighth-level Archmage in a direct confrontation!

Chen Feng knew that this victory was primarily due to the enemy’s shattered morale. Someone who failed a sneak attack and constantly sought to flee could never fight with true focus.

Lacking concentration in the fight, and not having time to erect a magical shield around his body, death was the inevitable result!

If they had clashed head-on while the magus was fully prepared, killing him would have been significantly more difficult.

After dispatching the sneak attacker, Chen Feng unceremoniously searched the body. He only found one badge; it seemed the fellow hadn't acquired anything else of value.

Chen Feng had no use for the staff, tossing it aside casually.

The body lacked a spatial ring or anything similar, so his belongings were few: a few top-grade crystals, some provisions, and fresh water—nothing more.

"Bum!" Chen Feng cursed, tucking the badge into his canteen, and turned to fly back toward where Ling Feng was waiting.

It turned out the Death Race Arena was situated on a mountain with complex terrain—rocky cliffs overgrown with dense trees. It was indeed an excellent locale for ambushes, concealment, and assassinations.

Seeing this, a sudden thought struck Chen Feng. The Three Great Factions were unwilling to tolerate too many free experts who refused their rule. Setting up this system of mutual slaughter to gain the qualifications for the Ling Shi rank naturally served to weaken their numbers!

Only one person could advance out of ten; this meant nine people would be killed in the fighting. Without deploying a single soldier, they could make the free experts kill each other. The method employed by the Three Great Factions was truly formidable!

It appeared that in order to consolidate their power, these people would resort to any means imaginable!

Sighing inwardly, Chen Feng heightened his spiritual awareness. This place was fraught with traps; one careless step could lead to utter ruin.

The two of them had been slightly careless just now and had nearly fallen victim to an assassination attempt.

If not for his mastery of the Teleportation Spell—allowing his consciousness to reach any point instantly—and the protection of the "Bright Godly Mansion," it was likely one of them might have died just now…

Before he reached their previous spot, he saw Ling Feng flying out to meet him.

"Are you hurt?"

"Are you alright?"

They spoke simultaneously, and upon finishing, both couldn't help but break into smiles.

This time, when their gazes met, there was none of the previous hesitation; instead, there was a feeling of seamless connection.

"Let's go. A battle just occurred here; it will certainly attract more people!"

Where there is conflict, there are casualties. In this environment, many would choose to play the waiting game, hoping to profit from the aftermath.

Chen Feng understood this in an instant. He called out, pulled Ling Feng's soft right hand, and they flew forward.

They had already kissed; holding hands shouldn't be considered excessive, right…?

Ling Feng did not resist, allowing him to pull her as they sliced through the air…

Their speed was considerable, and soon they plunged into a deep valley.

Flying in the open was also unsafe, as many potential ambushers were positioned below, ready to shoot down anyone in the air.

Chen Feng had the "Bright Godly Mansion" manifested on his skin, so he wasn't worried about his own safety, but he was concerned for Ling Feng.

Even if she could defeat a Nine-level Dou Zun expert, she was still in constant danger here. If even a Saint Realm expert couldn't guarantee their life, how could she escape?

On one side of the valley wall, Chen Feng used his Dark Grappling Hook to smash a large hole, sealing the entrance with rocks from the outside, and camouflaging the opening with leaves and vegetation. He and Ling Feng slipped inside.

His current strategy mirrored that of many others here: wait for the rabbit, relying on the silent efficiency of the Black Particles to launch sneak attacks on passersby.

Though neither Chen Feng nor Ling Feng had explicitly stated it, their relationship had clearly deepened after the recent incident. Ling Feng also seemed to have softened; the look she gave Chen Feng was no longer so aloof, but held a warmth in her eyes.

The two sat opposite each other in the cave. A long silence stretched between them before a single word was spoken.

Chen Feng didn't know what to say, and neither did Ling Feng.

It seemed that bringing together two inherently quiet people was not necessarily a good thing.

Yet, as they gazed at each other in the silent cave, a sense of profound contentment seemed evident in their eyes.

Indeed, what was there to be dissatisfied with? In that quiet understanding, it was as if they had exchanged countless words, clearer than any oath of eternal devotion.

Not a single spoken word—yet, at the critical moment, to stand without hesitation before the other—was that not more persuasive than any speech?

"Thank you," Ling Feng finally managed to say.

Chen Feng naturally knew that her thanks were for him blocking the magus's attack; surely she wasn't thanking him because he had kissed her…

"I said I would take responsibility!" he brought up the topic again.

"You are the first person who risked danger to save me. You did the same thing back at Tianfeng Academy!" Ling Feng stated, light shining from her bright eyes.

Now, protected by the "Bright Godly Mansion," he didn't fear danger. But back at Tianfeng Academy, Chen Feng was only a newly ascended Dou Zun, yet he dared to stand against the entire academy to protect her. She had always kept that immense favor in her heart.

Chen Feng fell silent. At this moment, he felt a sudden sweetness in his heart. To be so remembered by a beautiful woman—it would be a lie to say he wasn't happy.

Others entered the Death Race Arena tense and worried about being killed at any moment, yet these two, the lowest-cultivated individuals ever to enter this place, were… filled with sweetness…

If this news were to spread, no one would ever believe it.

PS: Sigh, I only managed to write 30 characters. I am guilty… Today marks only 6000 characters written, possibly creating a new low record for this month… But I truly am not good at writing emotional scenes, Old Ya… I must strengthen my practice in this area later… Apologies again… (To be continued. If you wish to know what happens next, please log in to www.idian.com for more chapters, support the author, and support legitimate reading!) First published