Translator: CinderTL
Swish!
Mist enveloped the area, and the buildings stood in silence.
Within the dimly lit streets, a colossal roar shook the heavens and the earth.
ROAR!!
The sound waves swept through, causing the tall buildings to tremble.
The Silver-Gray Colossus stood unyielding like a city wall, forcibly blocking the massive creature that resembled both a crocodile and a dragon.
Seizing the opportunity, an azure-gold figure flashed past and swiftly entered the martial arts hall, emptying its contents in one sweep.
"Another Extreme Martial Fist manual," Chen Feng murmured, his eyes flickering as he glanced at the incomplete iron book in his hand.
Immediately, sensing the approach of other creatures around him, he quickly flapped his blood wings and left the area.
After several minutes, the roars in the black mist subsided, and the Silver-Gray Colossus flew back, merging into his forehead.
Hovering in mid-air, Chen Feng surveyed the land below and soon spotted the group of masked men and the Faceless Ones.
Additionally, during his search, as he passed by a villa, his senses detected something unusual.
He noted the location but chose to first absorb the nutrients.
Boom!!!
The azure-gold figure descended with brute force, crimson energy exploding and sweeping everything in its path.
Two Extreme Martial Orbs swiftly appeared, and streams of gray light poured into his body.
[Perception LV5: 10/100]
A panel notification appeared, but Chen Feng paid it little mind, quickly absorbing the Extreme Martial Orbs.
It had been three days since Lin Hao and the others had left, and he had yet to obtain any useful memory fragments during this time.
Buzz!
In an instant, memories flooded in, and scenes began to unfold.
Without allowing himself to be distracted, Chen Feng soon saw something peculiar.
"Is that the Spirit Master?"
"Yes, it's him and a few other Masters from the Enforcement Team who repelled the last Black Disaster."
"I heard that the spirit of the Sword Master Alonco was burned because of it. I wonder if it's true."
"It seems to be true, but I heard he recently awakened another ancestor's spirit, the Storm Queen, Selisha."
Whispers of conversation quietly arose on the city streets under the azure sky.
The young man, whose memories lingered, walked with his friends along the street, surrounded by numerous malls and supermarkets, resembling the Red Nation in some ways.
But that wasn't the main point. The key was that many people had stopped on the street, all gazing at a young man passing by.
He was somewhat thin, about 1.78 meters tall, wearing the black uniform of the Enforcement Team, walking alone.
His disheveled hair and somewhat handsome features were overshadowed by his unusually haggard appearance.
"Alonco…"
He seemed to be murmuring, his eyes vacant.
A woman wearing a blue round hat and a silk palace dress followed him closely, her curly brown hair tinged with black.
Buzz!
The scene shattered, and Chen Feng stood in place, his eyes momentarily dazed.
If he wasn't mistaken, the man just now was likely the superhuman with the Spirit Master talent, named Wang Yu.
Burning power, the spirit of the Sword Master Alonco…
Lost in thought, Chen Feng then absorbed another Extreme Martial Orb.
The memory was rather ordinary, containing no useful information.
Not disappointed, he quickly flapped his blood wings and headed straight for the location where his senses had detected something unusual earlier.
A row of villas stood with red brick walls separating them from the street, clearly an important area where only the wealthy and powerful resided.
Directly targeting the villa he had noted earlier, Chen Feng entered, passing through the living room and arriving at a bedroom.
A velvet quilt, an exquisite but extinguished chandelier.
In the dim environment, he walked to the wooden table beside the bed, his gaze settling on a dusty brown diary.
Written records in this world were exceedingly rare, and every diary was as precious as a bronze plaque or an incomplete iron book.
Blowing off the dust, he picked up the brown diary and opened it.
His eyes narrowed as he read.
[Alliance Year 246, June 12th.]
[Alonco is dead.]
[I've always been weak, powerless to do anything.]
[The word 'trash' describes me perfectly. I can only live a cowardly life under the protection of sacrifices…]
The familiar handwriting carried unexpected content.
He had once again obtained Wang Yu's diary.
His eyes flickered, and Chen Feng suppressed his stray thoughts, continuing to read.
[Alliance Year 246, June 24th.]
[Heaven has given me another chance. Professor Fang discovered something unusual. It turns out Alonco didn't completely die; he left behind a trace of his soul and spirit seed.]
[Hahahaha! I knew it! You couldn't die so easily!!]
[Wait for me, Alonco. We'll meet again! We definitely will!]
[Alliance Year 246, July 10th.]
[I killed a Death Crow and learned from it that the Realm of the Dead has a treasure that nourishes spirit seeds and strengthens the soul—the Star Soul Liquid.]
[Additionally, the Realm of Calamity has a similar special elixir.]
[I want to take the risk and venture into the Abyss once more.]
[But before that, I need to improve my strength a bit. At the very least, I can't remain a powerless bystander.]
[Alliance Year 246, September 16th.]
[I've reached the fourth rank, and with Selisha's help, I think I'm qualified to give it a try.]
[Next, I need to find the key to enter the Abyss.]
[I hope I can bring Alonco back safely.]
The content wasn't extensive. After reading the last line, Chen Feng slightly narrowed his eyes.
Star Soul Liquid, a treasure that strengthens the soul.
The Realm of the Dead, the Realm of Calamity.
He pondered for a moment, then finally put the diary away.
Coincidences were no longer just one or two occurrences. He was beginning to form some guesses but chose not to delve deeper.
Everything depended on strength. Knowing more wouldn't be of any use without sufficient power.
Suppressing his stray thoughts, he turned his gaze to the deep mist in the danger zone and, with a leap, continued his search for Limit Breaking.
Time silently passed until, at last, the mist dispersed.
His center of gravity subtly shifted, and he opened his eyes.
The morning sunlight streamed in through the wooden window, and faint noises drifted from the front yard.
After a moment of adjustment, he got up and walked to the window.
"Tomorrow is the battle at the Huai River. Everyone, stay focused!"
"Nanjiang is the territory of our Flame Tiger Sect. No matter what the Flying Dragon Sect throws at us, we have a Grandmaster. Keep your backs straight!"
"Do you all hear me?"
Cao Tong was roaring loudly on the training ground, and the other True Disciples gradually appeared in view.
Twenty to thirty core disciples stood in a row, and vehicles were already parked in the courtyard.
Tomorrow was the day of the battle. According to the news Lin Hao had relayed, many people were paying attention to this fight.
Nanjiang's corporate businessmen, council members…
He planned to take his men down the mountain today and stay at the martial arts hall in the city for the night.
There were some things he needed to confirm with Lin Hao before taking action.
So…
Retracting his senses, he looked at the panel before him.
[Extreme Martial Arts: 11]
[Limit Breaking: 45]
[Crimson Tiger Force: Crimson Tiger (3%)+]
"Upgrade."
Buzz!
With his mind set, all the Extreme Martial Arts and Limit Breaking points were consumed.
The progress of the Crimson Tiger Force rapidly increased.
10%, 30%, 70%, 100%…
In the next instant.
As if breaking through some kind of shackle, a panel notification appeared, and the two skills, Myriad Tempered Steel and Crimson Tiger Force, suddenly overlapped and merged into one.
[Heavenly Flame Technique: Heavenly Flame!]
[Strength: 42.7 → 45.2]
[Agility: 37.2 → 39.7]
[Constitution: 51.3 → 53.8]
[Willpower: 41.2 → 43.7]
Crackle!
A series of popping sounds echoed from within his body. The increase in physical attributes wasn't significant, but the key was the enhancement in his Force.
In an instant, the True Intent Crimson Tiger materialized out of thin air, coiled behind him.
Six meters, seven meters, eight meters…
As it continued to grow and expand, Chen Feng focused his mind and compressed it.
Instantly.
Crimson energy swirled, and the Heavenly Flame hovered.
Threads of flame-like energy condensed into a deep, seven-meter-long True Intent Crimson Tiger, coiled in place, lifelike and exuding a cold majesty.
Underneath its fur, its claws were sharp, and its vertical pupils gleamed with intelligence.
The room's temperature soared, and Chen Feng clearly understood the effect of the Heavenly Flame.
High temperature!
Burning!
The Force resembled flames, capable of burning others and evaporating water vapor with every strike.
Because of this, the moment he broke through, Chen Feng had an epiphany, grasping the wonders of the Heavenly Flame Force.
Buzz!
Visibly, the Force swirling around his body gathered in his hand, forming a spherical fireball.
Even more strikingly, the Force above his head detached from his body by a foot, hovering like a sun, suppressing the heavens and the earth.
With a thought, he could unleash it in a devastating attack. This was the profoundness of the Gate of Qi.
The Force became as easy to control as his own limbs, whether released or condensed.
The Force columns that previously required charging up became straightforward, with every move possessing equal power.
In that instant, Chen Feng suddenly understood why Lu Xinglong had been able to soar through the sky in such an exaggerated, low-altitude flight.
Force was no longer just pure strength. Depending on the attributes of the Martial Arts True Skill, it could gain unique characteristics.
For instance, the reason he could wield the Heavenly Flame Force to this extent was due to the high temperature of the Force and the control of internal and external pressure.
"But there's more."
Chen Feng's gaze shifted downward, landing on another one of his skills.
[Life Seed Awakening Method: Second Rank (58%→59%→60%)]
During this period, the Third Elder had procured many Essence supplements for him.
Although the effects were far inferior to the Serpent Spirit Fruit, the sheer quantity had directly nourished his Life Seed, increasing its growth by over 50%.
In the past couple of days, the progress had slowed, hitting a bottleneck.
But now, with the Gate of Qi broken, Chen Feng could clearly feel the Life Seed in his lower dantian, which resembled a flame, beginning to grow vigorously once more.
"Force is also a form of Life Energy. As it grows and transforms, it naturally affects the Life Seed."
Chen Feng pondered, then looked at the True Intent Crimson Tiger coiled behind him.
Lifelike, it stared back at him.
Perhaps due to the feedback from the Life Seed, a deep red mark appeared on the chest of the True Intent Crimson Tiger.
It resembled a flame, or perhaps a heart pulsing with vitality.
Seeing this, Chen Feng had no doubts.
He knew that the Life Seed Awakening had provided a special enhancement to his Force and had also shortened his transformation time.
In other words, he had now officially opened the Gate of Qi.
And…
Snap! Chen Feng clenched his fist, feeling a strong intuition.
Even without using any innate talents, he was confident that he could stand at the pinnacle among Grandmasters.
Standing in place, he remained still for a moment.
The True Intent Crimson Tiger slowly dissipated, and Chen Feng's heart was unprecedentedly calm.
"It's time to descend the mountain."
That day.
Several black cars left the Flame Tiger Sect's mountain gate.
A core disciple sat in the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel tightly, while Cao Tong in the passenger seat instinctively glanced at the rearview mirror.
The burly young man in black was resting with his eyes closed, but Cao Tong couldn't shake the feeling that the Senior Brother seemed to have grown stronger again.
He couldn't pinpoint what had changed, or if it was just his imagination.
Every step a Grandmaster took was arduous, and reaching this realm was already the pinnacle for martial artists.
Although the Senior Brother possessed the Innate Tyrant Bone and unparalleled talent, how could he possibly make another breakthrough in just seven days?
He thought to himself, still somewhat worried.
If what the Giant Elephant Grandmaster and the others said was true, and Lu Xinglong had already broken through two gates while mastering numerous top-tier True Arts…
Could the Senior Brother really win?
The same thought quietly arose in the minds of many, though they had all resolved to stand with the Flame Tiger Sect, no matter what.
Chen Feng was aware of this but paid it no mind.
"I wonder when Master will wake up."
The thought crossed his mind as he recalled the scene before descending the mountain.
Master Li Tong was still unconscious.
If it weren't for the subtle changes he could sense in his master's aura, gradually improving, he might have suspected that the Source Consciousness Liquid Meng Anran had given him was fake.
Shaking his head slightly, Chen Feng didn't dwell on it further.
The black car thus left the mountain range, traveling in silence along the road.
The outskirts were filled with more and more factories, as many large corporations from other regions had set up branches here.
Finally, they entered the city.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Chen Feng noticed many people in ancient robes from the martial world along the way.
Some arrived in flying cars, others followed tour buses, and some simply walked with backpacks.
As if sensing his surprise, Cao Tong explained, "Senior Brother, you haven't descended the mountain in several days."
"The battle at the Huai River has spread throughout the southern martial world. Recently, I've heard that many martial arts sects have come to our Nanjiang."
"Most likely, they're here to witness the profoundness of a Grandmaster…"
Hearing this, Chen Feng's brow relaxed.
The continuous dream sequences had caused him to overlook real-world matters. He nodded lightly and didn't think further.
Seeing this, Cao Tong recalled his earlier worries.
He hesitated, but considering the impending battle, he ultimately held back.
Time passed, and after about twenty minutes.
Passing through more than a dozen traffic lights, the group finally arrived at the Flame Tiger Martial Hall in the Jinhua District.
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, they could see the fitness equipment still neatly arranged inside.
However, for some time now, the place had become much quieter.
Few people were around, whether they were ordinary gym-goers or martial arts trainees. The once bustling and lively atmosphere was gone.
Only a few official disciples were on the first floor, half-heartedly stretching and keeping watch.
Click!
Finally, the convoy parked.
Wu Shuang and the others stepped out one after another, and Cao Tong opened the car door.
Nearby pedestrians stopped to watch. A middle-aged man smoking at the supermarket entrance narrowed his eyes, while a couple sitting on a public bench put down their phones.
A parent holding a child's hand turned to look, and a woman sipping coffee gazed with curiosity.
Surprise, scrutiny, observation…
Chen Feng stepped out, standing at the forefront of the convoy, the center of the crowd.
"Senior Brother!"
The official disciples in the martial arts hall immediately spotted them and hurried out, their faces filled with excitement.
Chen Feng nodded in acknowledgment, while Cao Tong and the others wore complex expressions, feeling somewhat uneasy.
The martial arts hall's business had declined significantly. Although the Senior Brother had broken through to the Grandmaster level, due to the upcoming battle with the Flying Dragon Sect, everything had yet to be properly managed.
"You've worked hard," Chen Feng said sincerely, looking at the few official disciples who had stayed behind.
He knew that the decline in the martial arts hall's business was largely due to his earlier instructions.
Avoid conflict, wait for the right moment.
But now…
He looked up at the sky.
A black crow circled above, its malevolent, dark eyes locking onto his.
This surveillance from the Divine Martial Alliance had been watching him for days, as if trying to uncover all his preparations and plans.
Caw!
The persistent, jarring cry seemed to mock him, a sound only he could hear.
Expressionless, Chen Feng retracted his gaze and entered the martial arts hall.
One by one.
It's time to end this.
(End of the Chapter)
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