Ding Ke’s face flushed crimson, and with a violent slap, the armrest of his seat immediately cracked. “The [Sweeping the Horizon] Legion has disgraced me; I will make you pay the price! If I do not avenge this insult, I swear I am no man!” He roared, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

Being captured outside the city walls by the [Sweeping the Horizon] Legion, only to have his cultivation locked and then be dumped on the roadside—the dignified patriarch of the Aik family, not only held captive but ultimately picked up by a passerby? How could he possibly save face? “If it were my own troops, we surely wouldn’t be a match for them.

I need to contact a few allies!” Hardin Aik vented his fury, then thought inwardly. “Satan!” As his cry echoed, a man with distinct triangular eyes trotted in. “My Lord Patriarch, you summoned me?” Satan asked with a smile.

Satan was Hardin Aik’s strategist, known for his sharp intellect and always highly valued by Hardin Aik. “Think of a way for me to get revenge on the [Sweeping Horizon] Legion!” Hardin Aik said bitterly. “That’s simple!” Satan chuckled.

“Patriarch, you know they’ve gone to Mochou Mountain. But those heretics don’t know that… hehe. If we leak this information to them, do we still need to make a move ourselves?” Hake’s eyes lit up, yet he hesitated.

“Trading with heretics? That’s unwise. Although the heretics are strong now, the power of the Church should not be underestimated.

If we cooperate with them, the consequences if discovered by the Church are unthinkable!” “It’s not about cooperating with them!” Satan said with a grin. “We spread the message, and they won’t know who sent it… Moreover, if you’re still worried, we can unite with several other families and attack together! By then, the heretics and the [Sweeping Horizon] Legion will be locked in a life-or-death struggle, and we can sweep them all up from behind… hehe.

This way, we can claim merit with the Church while seizing their wealth—killing two birds with one stone!” “Excellent!” Hardin Aik slapped his thigh and stood up, his eyes blazing. “A brilliant plan to kill two birds with one stone! Satan, you truly are my good strategist!

From this day forward, you are in charge of preparing this matter. Take whatever money you need directly from the treasury. No need to report; I want immediate results!

Hmph. I will write letters to the Doren, Duma, and Kexi families now. The four of us families will mobilize troops together… By then, not only will our great vengeance be served, but we will also plunder their wealth…” Hardin Aik became wildly pleased as he spoke.

No matter how powerful the [Sweeping Horizon] Legion was, facing the siege of the heretics, they would likely be too preoccupied to look after themselves. Not to mention that he and his allies would be the orioles waiting behind! …………………………………………………… Did Chen Feng really perish?

Of course not. He was currently walking alone on the street of a town. His transformation into the Great Serpent by burning his soul power had consumed too much energy.

However, unexpectedly, the Golden Profound Tiger blood stored within him showed a tendency to slowly merge with the Blood of the Flame Dragon and Phoenix. This fusion resulted in a qualitative leap in his physical constitution, but his spiritual power remained terribly weak—so weak that he couldn't mobilize even a trace of domain power within his body! In other words, based purely on physical cultivation, he had definitely reached the Saint Domain level.

But… his spiritual weakness rendered him unable to control the power within. He could barely maintain daily life, yet in combat, he probably couldn't even defeat an ordinary Bronze Armored Soldier! One could say he was now an ordinary person!

Possessing all the cultivation, yet lacking the spiritual power to command it. The sudden shift from being a peak powerhouse in the Saint Domain—one who could easily obliterate divine envoys borrowing divine power—to an ordinary man was a blow he found hard to accept. Furthermore, the memory of Xiao Rou dying for him and the guilt he felt facing Jun Wunian and the others made him sneak out as soon as he woke, fleeing into the deep mountains!

Although his cultivation seemed lost, he still retained the awareness of an expert. If he didn't wish to be found, no matter how many people the [Sweeping Horizon] Legion sent, they wouldn't be able to locate him! “Sigh,” Chen Feng sighed, touching the Hou:bow in his hand, his eyes filled with questions.

Logically speaking, after burning his soul power, waking up without rare heavenly treasures to strengthen his soul power should have been impossible. His swift awakening was entirely due to this Hou:bow in his hand! When killing the Second Divine Envoy, he had extracted the enemy's soul using the ‘Soul Extraction’ technique.

That soul mass had subsequently been absorbed by this Hou:bow. After he fell unconscious, this soul power had slowly nourished him through the Hou:bow! Even stranger, the Hou:bow now seemed completely transformed.

Its entire body was covered in luster, lacking its former old and worn appearance. Gently stroking the bow's body with his right hand, the bow felt almost alive, emitting a faint warmth that was unusually comforting. Could the Hou:bow absorb souls?

This was truly bizarre! Shaking his head, Chen Feng tucked the Hou:bow back into his waterskin and stopped dwelling on the matter. “Tianyang Town” belonged under the jurisdiction of Longyang City, but it was very far away, over two thousand li.

Though only a town, it was exceptionally prosperous. After leaving Mochou Mountain, Chen Feng hitched a ride with a merchant caravan and spent a full seven days reaching this place. Walking through the streets, he felt hunger gnawing at his stomach, so Chen Feng found an inn and walked inside.

“Where did this beggar come from? We don’t have anything to give away here, move along!” The waiter, seeing Chen Feng approach, frowned and shouted rudely. “Beggar?” Chen Feng was slightly taken aback.

He looked down at himself and couldn't help shaking his head. Because of his transformation into the Great Serpent, his hair color had remained a pale white and hadn't changed back, and he was wearing Jun Wunian’s clothes. From the outside, he looked little better than a beggar.

“I’m not a beggar; I’m here to eat!” Chen Feng didn't want to argue with a runner and calmly walked to a table near the window and sat down. “To eat?” The waiter was stunned, eyeing him suspiciously. “Are you planning to dine and dash?

Let me tell you, don’t think you can just eat for free and then we’ll beat you up and let you go. I'm making it clear: this establishment is the property of the Town Lord of Tianyang Town, which means it belongs to the Aik family. Even if we beat a few people to death, it makes no difference!” Chen Feng said, “Are you running a business or not?

If not, I’ll eat elsewhere!” “Fine, fine,” the waiter muttered, tossing down a menu. “If you don’t have money soon, you can just wait to die!” Chen Feng couldn’t be bothered with the runner. He picked up the menu, glanced at it, ordered a few simple dishes and a pot of wine, and began to eat slowly.

He was only halfway through his meal when a throng of heavily armored soldiers, about a hundred strong, burst in from outside. “Everyone else, get out! We’re taking this place over!” shouted the leading heavy armored soldier.

All the patrons were naturally annoyed, but no one dared to speak a word. In this chaotic era, might made right. The waiter rushed over, bowing obsequiously.

“Gentlemen of the army, what can we get for you?” The leading heavy armored soldier slapped the waiter on the head. “Bring us a table full of your house specialties. If we enjoy this meal, we’ll give you some money.

If we don’t, we’ll tear down your shabby shop!” The waiter’s face soured upon hearing such rudeness, but he dared not show anger, so he carefully tried to tread lightly. “Gentlemen, surely you know this establishment is an asset of the Aik family. If you really smash the place up, it won’t look good for the Aik family, will it?” Slap!

The leading soldier casually backhanded the waiter, knocking him to the ground. “Damn it, don't talk to me about the Aik family! We were hired by the Aik family!

Stop your nonsense, or I’ll break your dog legs!” The waiter finally felt fear. Clutching his swollen cheek, he scrambled up and hurried inside, not daring to speak another word. Chen Feng couldn't use his cultivation right now, nor did he wish to clash with these brutes.

Although he was only halfway through his meal and felt his mood ruined, it was better than being beaten without cause. He stood up, retrieved a one-hundred-dollar bill from his waterskin, tossed it on the table, and headed for the door. Even though his soul power was damaged, controlling the waterskin to retrieve something was quite easy.

As soon as he stood up, two soldiers approached him, smiling broadly. “Oh, looks like our brother here is quite wealthy. We brothers are a little short of cash.

Could you lend us a couple?” Chen Feng knew these were mere thugs; arguing with them was useless. Helplessly, he took out two more one-hundred-dollar bills and handed one to each of them. “Brothers, take this money to buy yourselves something to eat!” Seeing that he was cooperative, both soldiers smiled.

“Very thoughtful! We brothers accept your kind gesture!” Chen Feng bowed slightly and continued toward the exit. With his cultivation unusable, he was like a normal person; provoking a fight with these men unnecessarily was clearly unwise.

“Hey, we haven’t told you to leave yet?” the two soldiers continued. “What do you mean?” Chen Feng looked at the spear blocking his way, a displeasure crossing his face. If it were in the past, forget two soldiers—he could kill a whole group of them barehanded.

But now… “You showed goodwill to us two, but what about our friends? You can’t expect us to keep it while they’re all watching, can you?” one soldier said with a smile. Anger surged in Chen Feng, but he quickly calmed himself, feigning a smile.

“Look at my attire, brothers. You should know I’m a pauper. Where would I have money?

I beg your understanding, sirs!” “A pauper? Heh heh. A pauper who can pull out three hundred dollars right away?

A pauper who can afford to eat here, knowing this is the best restaurant in Tianyang Town!” one soldier said, laughing. “Kroos, this world is chaotic now. The richer people dress more shabbily specifically to avoid attracting attention,” the other soldier chimed in.

The soldier named Kroos laughed. “You’re absolutely right! That’s exactly it!” He then clapped Chen Feng on the shoulder.

“Brother, stop pretending. Otherwise, we won’t mind stripping off all your clothes to search you!” Chen Feng was not a man to suffer indignities. If he hadn't been unable to mobilize his cultivation, he would have already struck these two down, never enduring such mistreatment!

Forcing down his rage, he said calmly, “I truly have no more money. I apologize.” “Damn it, stop playing games! I saw you the moment I entered the restaurant.

You didn't even flinch when we arrived—you must be someone who’s seen big situations before. And you still claim to have no money? Be careful, or we’ll smash your skull in!” Kroos roared.

Seen big situations, therefore wealthy? What kind of logic was that? Before Chen Feng could explain, he heard an extremely cold voice from the doorway.

“What’s all this noise? Eating a meal, stop causing trouble!” Kroos and the other soldier instantly turned pale green and quickly spun around, bowing deeply. “Young… Young Patriarch!” Chen Feng followed the sound of the voice and saw four people entering.

The leader was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, dressed in a purple robe with long sleeves, radiating authority and bearing considerable grace. Subtle energy surged around him, clearly indicating a high level of power. Behind him was a young woman, about eighteen or nineteen, wearing a light blue robe.

She was strikingly beautiful, but her eyes held a faint aloofness, like a proud princess. Further back were two people dressed in stark black. Both looked alert and energetic, their eyes like those of eagles or owls, sending chills down the spine.

Just by looking at them, one could tell they were at least peak Nether Saint level experts. The youth called the Young Patriarch glanced at Chen Feng, a look of contempt flashing in his eyes. “So young and already reduced to a beggar.

Truly useless,” he said, then ignored Chen Feng and found a table to sit at. Chen Feng had suffered one slight after another, and displeasure finally surfaced. His eyes narrowed slightly, a wave of anger stirring within.

“What? Are you not answering my brother?” The young woman behind the Young Patriarch instantly bristled, saying angrily. Chen Feng ignored her and started walking toward the inn exit.

He was full of anger after just trying to eat a meal; it truly wasn't worth it! He had only taken two steps when a ‘whoosh!’ sound cut past his eyes. Chen Feng quickly retreated, seeing a streak of sword light slash directly in front of him.

If his reaction hadn't been fast enough, he might have been killed instantly. “I asked you a question, and you dare try to leave without answering?” the young woman snarled. Chen Feng couldn’t suppress the fire in his heart.

“Are you not afraid of accidentally killing someone doing this?” “Accidentally killing someone?” The young woman sneered. “What’s the big deal if one or two people die? Do you think anyone would dare step up for you?” “Yujiao, stop fooling around.

Father ordered us to cooperate with the Aik family against the heretics this time; stop causing trouble,” the Young Patriarch said calmly. The young woman, addressed as Yujiao, changed her tone. “Hmph, how boring.

You wouldn’t let me play along the journey, and now that I finally see someone I don’t like, you stop me!” Chen Feng hadn't expected them to target him so aggressively, simply because he looked displeasing. His knuckles were slightly white from clenching too tightly, and dizziness washed over him. ‘My spiritual power is too weak.

If I force myself to act, even using just physical strength, I’ll fall unconscious again,’ Chen Feng warned himself internally. Don’t get angry, relax. “Fine, if I can’t bother him, then I’ll play with that spy from the [Sweeping Horizon] Legion, alright!” Yujiao said petulantly.

She gestured, and two soldiers brought a man from outside, shoving him to the ground. Chen Feng’s attention sharpened when he heard the name [Sweeping Horizon] Legion. When he saw the person lying on the ground, his pupils contracted sharply.

Judging by the clothing and attire, this was a scout from his own legion! “Alas!” Yujiao kicked the scout. “That question I asked you last time—will you tell me or not?” The scout’s face was swollen, and his eyes were bruised black, clearly having suffered much beating, yet he remained quite tough.

He raised his head, and a look of hatred filled his voice. “You want to inquire about our Legion’s Perfect Crystal secrets? Dream on!

I tell you, even if you kill me, I won't tell you a thing!” “Whoosh!” Yujiao drew her long sword and slashed at the scout. “Ah…” A scream tore out as the scout’s right thumb was severed by the sword. “Kill me… our Great Chieftain will avenge me!” the scout gasped intermittently.

“Your Great Chieftain? Hmph, just a coward who’s scared stiff. The First Divine Envoy of the heretics sent a challenge letter, hoping for a decisive battle with him, and he didn’t dare show his face for three whole days.

A real waste!” Yujiao sneered. “Our Great Chieftain is a hero…” The scout’s voice suddenly rose high, his face flushing deep red; he was clearly extremely agitated. “Our Great Chieftain is the strongest!

You’re talking nonsense…” “Am I talking nonsense? This matter has spread across the entire continent; everyone knows it! And your whole legion hides like turtles in Mochou Mountain, afraid to come out.

If it weren't for relying on some Thunder God Arrows, you’d have been wiped out long ago!” Yujiao pouted, mocking him. “You’re lying! Our [Sweeping Horizon] Legion is invincible…” In his agitation, the scout suddenly jumped up from the ground.

The two soldiers beside him were startled and quickly grabbed his arms, pinning him down to prevent a violent outburst. “Tch, I’m lying? Do you think I need to deceive a mere foot soldier like you?

You’ve been captured for five days; it’s no wonder you don’t know this news!” Yujiao felt a surge of triumph seeing his distress. She casually tossed out a sheet of paper. “See for yourself.

This is the message that came through!” The paper floated down from the air, slowly settling on the ground. The scout snatched it up, glanced at it, and immediately cried out, “I don’t believe it! You’re trying to trick me!” “Trick you?

Hmph. Your legion is about to be finished. Be smart and tell us the secret of your Legion’s Perfect Crystal, and perhaps I’ll spare your life!” Yujiao smiled, then beckoned with two fingers.

The paper on the ground floated lightly toward her palm. However, halfway there, the paper was caught by a hand that stretched out from the side. Yujiao turned to see the beggar she had noticed earlier!

P.S.: I won't say much, but my gratitude is deep in my heart. I announced an explosive update, and in less than three hours, I gained 9 more monthly passes! Thank you all.

I will explode with 12,000 words tomorrow; I keep my word. Don’t hold back on your recommendation tickets either; throw them over! Tomorrow’s chapters are guaranteed to be exhilarating for everyone to read, hehe.

Thank you. And don’t forget, if we make it onto the genre recommendation list tomorrow, there will be five chapters updated… (To be continued. For future developments, please log onto www**m for more chapters, support the author, and support genuine reading!)