Luo Feng's eyebrows furrowed slightly. He hadn't expected the other party to reject him so decisively, giving no room for negotiation. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, he stepped up to the door, cupped his fists, and said,

"Senior, who is the person hunting you?"

"Why ask so much? This is none of your business! Just go!"

Lan Congfeng, standing to the side, looked helpless. He walked up to Luo Feng and whispered,

"This man is Yang Yunshi, known in rtiad as the Awakened Lion. Half a month ago, he sought Elder Zhuang to refine the Blood Agglutination Pill. Because this pill requires a living fetus as a medicinal primer, it goes against natural morality. Elder Zhuang rejected his request; hence, Yang Yunshi grew resentful and vowed to kill Elder Zhuang."

Luo Feng's expression shifted; he had heard of the exploits of the Awakened Lion, Yang Yunshi.

Yang Yunshi belonged to no school or sect and was in his thirties, a peak cultivator at the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Court Realm. This man was originally a servant in his youth. However, after a fortuitous accident, he experienced a mysterious breakthrough in his cultivation and became a famous martial artist in rtiad by middle age.

Because he killed indiscriminately, possessed a brutal nature, and would murder at the slightest disagreement, he was dubbed the Awakened Lion.

Now that I have reached the Minor Achievement of Great Trend, against a peak expert of the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Court Realm, I have a seventy percent chance of winning. If I strike suddenly, my chances should be even greater.

An idea flashed across Luo Feng's mind. He looked up at the door and spoke again, "Senior, I can help you kill Yang Yunshi."

Upon hearing this, Lan Congfeng's expression changed drastically. He looked at Luo Feng in astonishment and exclaimed, "Luo Feng, you can't be serious?"

The Awakened Lion, Yang Yunshi, was a peak expert of the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Court Realm and had been famous for nearly ten years. Countless people had died at his hands. Merely hearing his name would make ordinary people tremble with fear, yet Luo Feng was boldly proclaiming he wanted to kill him!

Before Luo Feng could respond, footsteps suddenly sounded from within the room.

SQUEAK!

The door opened from the inside, and a man stepped out.

This man had a long beard, and both his hair and beard were hoary white. However, his complexion was rosy, and his skin glowed with a crystalline luster, like that of an infant. He exuded an otherworldly, transcendent aura, as if he were an immortal untouched by worldly desires.

"Elder Zhuang." Lan Congfeng hurriedly greeted him.

Elder Zhuang's face was cold, his eyes, blazing with anger, fixed on Luo Feng. He sneered, "You audacious brat! How dare you spout such arrogant nonsense! Don't think that just because you've become the First New Talent, you can look down on everyone! Is the Awakened Lion, Yang Yunshi, someone you can deal with?"

"Elder Zhuang, please don't be angry. Luo Feng means well," Lan Congfeng said quickly, noticing the displeasure on Elder Zhuang's face and trying to smooth things over.

Elder Zhuang flicked his sleeve and snorted coldly, "Young people today are truly too ostentatious!"

Luo Feng remained unfazed. He knew that unless he demonstrated his capabilities, the other party would not believe him. With a swipe of his finger across his storage ring, the Rage Flame Knife immediately appeared in his hand.

Turning, he walked into the small courtyard. Luo Feng took a deep breath, his gaze locking onto a two-person-high rockery a hundred paces away, his eyes narrowing with focus.

Drawing the blade, he slashed!

The Rage Flame Knife streaked through the air in a stunning arc and then vanished.

Luo Feng turned around. Behind him, the two-person-high rockery trembled for a moment, then suddenly shattered into more than a dozen pieces, the fractures smooth as a mirror.

Lan Congfeng, initially unsure of Luo Feng's intentions, stared in shock at the sundered rockery. "The blade's light condensed into a single line! What an exquisite Saber Technique!"

For a peak martial artist of the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Court Realm, splitting a rockery a hundred meters away in half was not difficult.

However, Luo Feng had not circulated his Yuan Qi just now. He had relied solely on the keen edge generated by his swing to cleave the rockery. Such a level of skill was not something everyone could achieve.

Moreover, in that single instant, Luo Feng had executed over a dozen slashes. Lan Congfeng had never even heard of such a rapid Saber Technique. No wonder Miss Waner has her eye on him; he truly is a dragon among men, he thought with admiration.

Luo Feng turned back and looked at Elder Zhuang. "Senior, tell me, if I were to launch a surprise attack, could the Awakened Lion, Yang Yunshi, evade these few slashes?"

Elder Zhuang's stern expression also flickered with surprise, a hint of admiration appearing in his eyes.

The speed of Luo Feng's Saber Technique was so great that even he had not seen it clearly. Faced with such a strike, the Awakened Lion, Yang Yunshi, would likely find it difficult to evade.

The admiration in his eyes vanished as quickly as it appeared. Elder Zhuang replied indifferently, "Your Saber Technique is indeed good, but speed alone is not enough. The disparity in strength between you and him is too great. I'm afraid you wouldn't even be able to break through Yang Yunshi's Protective Gang Energy."

Luo Feng offered no rebuttal. His eyes gleamed with a chilling light. Without turning his head, he swung the Rage Flame Knife behind him three consecutive times.

A tremendous sound, like a thunderclap on a clear day, reverberated through the small courtyard as three streams of blade energy, resembling bolts of white silk, shot into the courtyard's pond.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Three deafening explosions erupted, sending waves several meters high surging from the pond, splashing water everywhere.

Lan Congfeng looked towards the pond and could not help but gasp.

The four to five-meter-deep pond was now completely dry. Inside, three intersecting blade marks were visible, pitch-black and of indiscernible depth.

Lan Congfeng had encountered many peak martial artists of the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Court Realm, but only a handful could achieve such a feat.

"That was sixty percent of my full strength," Luo Feng said, his gaze fixed on Elder Zhuang.

"Sixty percent!"

Elder Zhuang took a deep breath. Luo Feng's prowess was beyond his expectations; those three slashes had sent a shiver down his spine. And that was merely sixty percent of the young man's strength!

Beside him, Lan Congfeng wore a wry smile. "Unbelievable," he murmured.

Seeing Elder Zhuang still hesitating, Luo Feng sheathed the Rage Flame Knife and stated coldly, "You can avoid responsibility for a while, but not forever. Senior, if you are so afraid of death, do you intend to live out your days in fearful compromise? If so, then pretend I never said anything."

Lan Congfeng hadn't expected Luo Feng to suddenly utter such words. His eyes widened in alarm, and worried that Elder Zhuang would become enraged, he quickly said, "Luo Feng, apologize to Elder Zhuang at once!"

Elder Zhuang suddenly raised a hand, stopping Lan Congfeng. He gave a bitter smile. "He's right. I am indeed afraid of death."

Taking a deep breath, Elder Zhuang looked at Luo Feng and asked, "Luo Feng, if we join forces, what are our chances of killing Yang Yunshi?"

"Conservatively, seventy percent," Luo Feng replied without the slightest hesitation.

A look of determination flashed in Elder Zhuang's eyes. He nodded. "I've grown weary of this life of hiding and skulking. Seventy percent... it's worth a try!"

Lan Congfeng, standing to the side, was dumbfounded. He stared at Elder Zhuang, then his gaze shifted to Luo Feng. "You truly are amazing," he said, his voice filled with admiration.

Elder Zhuang was known for his eccentric temper. When Luo Feng had accused him of being afraid of death, Lan Congfeng's heart had leaped into his throat, fearing they would come to blows right then and there. He never imagined Luo Feng would miraculously manage to persuade Elder Zhuang.

Luo Feng touched his nose. I was just burning my bridges, but I didn't expect to actually move Elder Zhuang. It seems his temper is stranger than most.

Elder Zhuang looked at Luo Feng with undisguised approval and chuckled. "You're the first person to dare tell me, Zhuang Yuan, to my face that I'm afraid of death. Truly, the younger generation is formidable!"

Luo Feng cupped his fists. "Senior, my earlier actions were forced by circumstance; I deeply apologize for any offense."

Elder Zhuang waved his hand dismissively, displaying a certain magnanimity. "I, Zhuang Yuan, am not an unreasonable person. You spoke the truth; there's no need for an apology. However, the Awakened Lion, Yang Yunshi, has been infamous for years. He kills indiscriminately and his strength is no small matter. We must proceed with caution."

Luo Feng nodded. Lan Congfeng, standing nearby, smiled and said, "Let's go inside to talk."

The three entered the room and sat down in turn. Elder Zhuang said to Luo Feng, "What pill do you need me to refine?"

"The Illusion Heart Pill."

"The Illusion Heart Pill!" Elder Zhuang exclaimed, somewhat surprised. "The Illusion Heart Pill is a top-tier, fourth-grade Spiritual Medicine. It requires the Demon Core of an Illusory Blood Demon and Peaceful Heart Grass..."

Luo Feng directly retrieved the Illusory Blood Demon's Demon Core and the Peaceful Heart Grass.

Elder Zhuang took the Spiritual Medicines, rubbing them in his hands. A smile appeared on his face as he nodded repeatedly. "Such a large Illusory Blood Demon's Demon Core! It must have consumed the blood of hundreds of thousands of people. And this Peaceful Heart Grass has three hundred years of maturity. Excellent!"

Luo Feng asked, "Senior, how long will it take to refine the Illusion Heart Pill?"

Elder Zhuang set down the two Spiritual Medicines and said, "Ten days. However, refining the Illusion Heart Pill requires absolute focus; otherwise, failure is highly probable. I can only refine the pill with peace of mind after we've dealt with Yang Yunshi."

Luo Feng had read some basic books on pill refinement at the academy, so he knew Elder Zhuang spoke the truth. He nodded and then asked, "Senior, do you have any idea where Yang Yunshi is now?"

"Half a month ago, I entered the Red Chain Mountain Range and was ambushed by him. He pursued me all the way here. That man is true to his word and certainly won't give up easily. He should also be in Qingfeng Town. As long as I reveal my whereabouts, he will definitely come," Elder Zhuang said, his expression turning somewhat grave as he frowned.

Luo Feng nodded. After a moment of contemplation, he looked up, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Then we strike tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Shouldn't we prepare more thoroughly?" Elder Zhuang asked, somewhat astonished.

Their target was a peak expert of the Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Court Realm, no ordinary opponent. He had initially assumed Luo Feng would want to discuss a detailed plan and then wait for an opportune moment to strike.

Luo Feng shook his head. "There's no time like the present."

"Alright!" Elder Zhuang, also eager to resolve this trouble quickly, took a deep breath and nodded in agreement.

Lan Congfeng produced a bottle of fruit wine, filled three cups, and raised his. "My strength is meager, so I can't be of much help. I can only offer you this toast and wish you great success in battle tomorrow!"

"Cheers!"

Luo Feng and Elder Zhuang raised their cups and drained them in one gulp.

Having decided to act against Yang Yunshi the next day, Luo Feng wanted to return to the academy to inquire about the Duanmu Family's movements, so he rose and took his leave.

Upon returning to the academy, Luo Feng headed straight for the Extreme Sun Great Hall.

Arriving before the Great Hall, Luo Feng glanced up at the nearby Dragon and Tiger Pillar.

He hadn't seen it in several months, and the Dragon and Tiger Pillar had undergone considerable changes.

His name still occupied the first position. Zi Yuan was second, with Bing Ruolan close behind. After them were the Flower Picking Hand, Xu Mei, the Twin Sword Guest, Yang Hong...

Luo Feng casually glanced at Lin XiaoXiao's name, ranked one hundred and forty-fifth—a rather middling result.

Shaking his head, Luo Feng turned and walked towards the Great Hall.

"Luo Feng."

A tall, slender girl with a graceful figure walked out of the Great Hall. It was the Flower Picking Hand, Xu Mei. Seeing Luo Feng, a charming smile blossomed on her pretty face.

Noticing the jade token in Xu Mei's hand, Luo Feng smiled. "Xu Mei, are you accepting a mission? What is it?"

"A small family in Lan Mountain Town, all forty-six members, was massacred overnight. I'm going to investigate," Xu Mei said, stopping two meters in front of Luo Feng. She then asked, "Are you also here to accept a mission?"

Luo Feng shook his head. "I need to inquire about something. By the way, congratulations on your rank on the Dragon and Tiger Pillar rising to fourth place."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.