After unlocking the second and third forms of Tempest Swords, Xiao Feng's life returned to its usual rhythm—peaceful and serene. His days were now split between cultivation and practicing the newly acquired techniques.
Each morning, after bathing in the crisp waters of the mountain lake and dressing in his silk-white loose robe, he would step outside into the clear open skies. The sound of rustling leaves and the soft roar of the waterfall accompanied his training.
He would start with Wind Fang Slash, letting the compressed sword wind cleave through distant peaks, before moving on to Storm Rift, summoning vortexes of destructive air. The techniques were powerful, yet exhausting, and it took immense control to refine their use.
Just like that, two months passed.
Today marked exactly one year since Xiao Feng began his secluded cultivation. He now stood on the balcony of his artifact mansion, gazing out over the lake below, the wind brushing against his white robes. His aura was much deeper and more refined than before.
> Status
Age: 10
Cultivation: 2-Star Dou Wang
The mountain air felt peaceful, but Xiao Feng's heart was starting to stir.
> "It's been a whole year without a single fight… my foundation is solid, my Dou Qi is stable. It's time."
He turned toward his study and unrolled the map of the continent. His finger trailed across cities, towns, and regional powers until he paused on one—a second-rate faction known for some regional influence. The force was led by an 8-star Dou Wang, with two others, both 2 and 3-star Dou Wang, serving as city guardians.
> "They'll do," he said quietly, a slight smile forming.
Without hesitation, he stepped outside.
With a flash of jade-green and silver light, his Dou Qi wings unfurled, shimmering like wind-forged crystal. A sudden boom echoed through the mountains as he shot into the sky like a comet.
The air cracked with the sound of a sonic boom, and a visible trail of green and silver followed him like a blazing meteor tearing across the heavens. He flew nonstop for five hours, cutting across rivers, forests, and valleys in a blur.
Eventually, the outline of a city came into view on the horizon—large walls, several towering structures, and guards stationed at various vantage points.
Just outside the city, two powerful Dou Qi auras were stationed like sentinels.
The two Dou Wangs, one at 2-star, the other at 3-star, were resting when they felt an immense pressure approaching them at terrifying speed. Even from a distance, the sheer force in the incoming aura made their expressions change.
> "That speed… that pressure… is it a Dou Huang?" one of them muttered.
"No way a Dou Wang can move like that…"
Inside the city, the leader of the force, an 8-star Dou Wang, opened his eyes in his cultivation chamber. His Dou Qi fluctuated in response to the disturbance, and in a flash, he too soared into the sky, heading toward the source of the pressure.
Meanwhile, Xiao Feng had already arrived just outside the city. He didn't bother concealing his presence. He floated calmly in the sky, his hands behind his back, white robes fluttering in the wind. The jade-green glow of his Dou Qi wings shimmered as if responding to the air around him.
From below, many citizens looked up, startled by the presence of the young, glowing figure suspended in the sky. Whispers began to spread through the city—someone powerful had arrived.
A few seconds later, three figures flew up to meet him, their Dou Qi surging.
The two city guardians arrived first, their expressions tense. But when they saw the figure clearly, their eyes widened. Xiao Feng's youthful face and small frame didn't match the terrifying aura they had sensed.
The leader arrived a moment later, his expression stern. But just like the others, the moment he laid eyes on Xiao Feng, he froze.
> "A… child?"
All three of them instinctively scanned his aura. To their shock, it was true—only a 2-star Dou Wang. But what left them even more speechless was how stable and condensed his Dou Qi was. Not even ordinary 6-star Dou Wangs had this kind of control.
> "How can a boy this young… be a Dou Wang?"
Xiao Feng calmly hovered in the air, looking at the three men, his eyes indifferent yet curious.
The 8-star Dou Wang leader composed himself quickly and stepped forward.
> "Young friend, this is not a place for aimless soaring. What brings you to our city?" he asked, his tone polite but vigilant.
Xiao Feng replied with a light and innocent tone, as if discussing something as simple as picking herbs.
> "Ah, I just wanted to fight someone. It's been a while since I last fought, so I randomly picked a second-rate faction. You guys looked… interesting."
The moment those words left his mouth, a heavy silence fell over the sky.
The leader's face twitched, his brow furrowed deeply.
> "Did he just say… randomly picked? Because we 'looked interesting'?"
The two city guardians were also speechless.
Their faces slowly turned darker.
At first, they were baffled, then confused, and now… they were furious.
The leader's eyes narrowed sharply. His pride as a high-ranking Dou Wang of a respected faction boiled within him.
> "Are you… mocking us, boy?" he said, his voice lowering and carrying a threatening tone.
But Xiao Feng only tilted his head and gave a puzzled look, clearly not grasping the weight of his words—or simply not caring.
> "Mocking? No. I meant it seriously."
The leader's expression turned completely grim.
The surrounding air grew tense as Dou Qi from all three of them began to stir. The wind howled faintly in response.
> "You dare treat us like some training ground?!"
Xiao Feng floated there, still calm, still composed—still smiling.
> "You're angry. That's good. I'll get a better fight this way," he thought silently.
The calm before the storm had ended. The tension was about to snap.