Translator: AnubisTL
Gu Feng!!
Whoosh—
All eyes turned towards the direction of the voice.
Gu Feng walked leisurely, a smile on his face, holding a roasted beast leg in his hand. His hair fluttered in the wind, and his handsome face shone with an unusual brilliance under the setting sun. His simple yet elegant attire exuded a calm and composed demeanor.
Qiu Tian silently put away the nine Spirit Artifacts he had prepared to break the valley's Array Formation. His gaze fixed on Gu Feng, his expression dark as water, a hint of wariness flickering in his brow. But then, as if remembering something, he chuckled softly, the wariness dissipating, and he looked at Gu Feng with renewed interest.
Chu Youhuan and the others' expressions changed rapidly, first in surprise, then joy, and finally fear. They shouted, "Gu Feng, run! Qiu Tian can unleash the strength of the fifth level of the Postnatal Realm in this Secret Realm. You're no match for him!"
"Run? Where to? The Secret Realm isn't that big, and there are still many days before it opens," Gu Feng replied with a light laugh.
He smiled on the outside, but inside he was cursing. Qiu Tian at the fourth level of the Postnatal Realm was already tough to deal with. At the fifth level, wouldn't he be practically invincible? This was going to be the death of him.
"Gu Feng, you've finally arrived. I've been waiting for you!" Qiu Tian turned to face Gu Feng, his voice booming.
Chu Youhuan and the others were like lambs to the slaughter, not worth worrying about. Dealing with Gu Feng was the most pressing matter at hand.
"Are you waiting for me to beat you up again?" Gu Feng grinned.
Hearing this, a flash of killing intent passed through Qiu Tian's eyes, and his expression grew even darker.
However, he restrained his impulse to attack. In terms of true strength, Gu Feng probably still couldn't match him at the fourth level of the Postnatal Realm. It was just Gu Feng's swift and unpredictable fighting style that made him hard to defend against.
Qiu Tian was confident that if they fought again, even at the fourth level, he could defeat Gu Feng. Moreover, he was now stronger than before. Killing Gu Feng would be a piece of cake.
"Last time, you got lucky and escaped. This time, I'll kill you!" Qiu Tian tightened his grip on his golden spear, his eyes narrowing as he spoke fiercely.
"Defeated opponent, shameless!" Gu Feng's light, mocking words nearly broke Qiu Tian's composure. His face twisted in rage, and his hands holding the golden spear trembled slightly.
Even though he was on the verge of exploding, Qiu Tian still didn't charge at Gu Feng. Instead, he waited calmly for Gu Feng to approach.
Gu Feng's demeanor was too calm, unnaturally so, which made Qiu Tian wary. After some thought, he concluded that Gu Feng was planning to use the Thunder Tribulation to kill him.
Other than that, he couldn't think of where Gu Feng's confidence was coming from.
Qiu Tian's current position was strategic. He was only a few dozen meters away from Chu Youhuan and the others, well within the range of the Thunder Tribulation. Gu Feng's intention to save them was obvious, so he wouldn't dare to trigger the Thunder Tribulation.
With this in mind, Qiu Tian's restless emotions began to settle. He crossed his arms and looked at Gu Feng with confidence, as if victory was already in his grasp.
An eerie silence fell over the scene. After the initial tension, both men fell into silence.
Their brief exchange was heard by Chu Youhuan and the others. They exchanged glances, disbelief evident in their eyes.
Had Qiu Tian really suffered a major loss at Gu Feng's hands?
Was that even possible?
It was clear to everyone that Gu Feng's current cultivation level was still at the Qi Refining Realm.
Even if he had reached the peak of the Qi Refining Realm, for an ordinary cultivator to face a fourth-level Postnatal Realm expert and come out unscathed was already extraordinary. To not only hold his own but also win was nothing short of a myth.
Such cases were occasionally recorded in ancient texts.
However, Gu Feng's situation was different. His opponent was Qiu Tian, who ranked 43rd on the Inner Sanctum Heaven Ranking of the Sunset Glow Sect. Qiu Tian's understanding of Martial Skills had reached an extremely profound level, and he had even comprehended Martial Intent.
With a gap of four minor realms, including a major realm, Gu Feng was still able to fight Qiu Tian and gain the upper hand.
This was unprecedented in the history of Cloud Prefecture, and even in the entire history of the Chu Kingdom, there were no records of such a feat.
This couldn't just be called a myth. It was more appropriate to describe it as defying the heavens.
"Did Gu Feng really defeat Qiu Tian?"
"This is astonishing. Qiu Tian actually lost to Gu Feng."
"How strong is he really?"
"..."
Qiu Tian's ranking of 43rd on the Inner Sanctum Heaven Ranking of the Sunset Glow Sect was no fluke. To be fair, even at the same cultivation level, among them, only Chu Youhuan and A Fei could confidently say they could defeat him.
Yet, such a person had suffered a major loss at the hands of Gu Feng, who had challenged him across realms. It was simply unimaginable.
"Sect Leader, we're saved!" A female cultivator's spirits lifted. Gu Feng's strength gave her hope of survival.
"It's no use," Chu Youhuan shook her head, her eyes dim. "Gu Feng and Qiu Tian probably fought to a draw, and maybe Qiu Tian was careless then.
Now, Qiu Tian's cultivation has advanced further, and he won't underestimate Gu Feng. Gu Feng has no chance of winning."
Chu Youhuan's assessment was fair. Although she hoped Gu Feng could win, it was undoubtedly wishful thinking. After all, there were limits to challenging across realms.
"Sisters, Gu Feng coming here is a testament to his feelings for us. We should be grateful and not ask too much of him...
When Gu Feng and Qiu Tian start fighting, we'll all charge out together. Even if we can only buy Gu Feng a sliver of opportunity... Everyone, be prepared!"
As she spoke, Chu Youhuan took a deep breath and stood up abruptly. Her face was solemn, and she had already resolved to die, determined to drag Qiu Tian down with her if given the chance.
Qi Tingting and the others also struggled to their feet, deeply moved by Gu Feng's selflessness.
"When I first met Gu Feng, I didn't like him. I thought he was a money-grubber with no principles. Now, I see how wrong I was..."
"The first time I heard his name was when he swindled the Sect Leader out of hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones. At the time, I thought, what a despicable man. I'd find a chance to teach him a lesson..."
"On the way to the Secret Realm, I wanted to suggest to the Sect Leader several times to kick Gu Feng out. I even secretly called him a good-for-nothing... Compared to the Sect Leader, my judgment was so poor. Gu Feng is a real man, upright and unpretentious!"
"Sect Leader, don't worry. We won't disgrace the Jade Maiden Sect. Even if we all die, we'll make sure Gu Feng is the last to fall."
"..."
The heartfelt words of the female cultivators were not hidden, and they all reached Gu Feng's ears. His mouth twitched, and he looked utterly speechless.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he shouted towards the valley:
"Senior Sisters, aren't you misunderstanding something? I came here for the treasures and the 500,000 Spirit Stones per head that Senior Sister Chu promised.
You're making this very awkward for me!
Let's be clear: friends are friends, but money is money!"
Gu Feng was worried. He felt that the female cultivators were trying to soften him up so they could renege on the treasures and Spirit Stones they owed him.
However, something unexpected happened. After Gu Feng's words, several emotional female cultivators began to sob.
Even Chu Youhuan, who had always appeared strong, had tears in her eyes, on the verge of crying.
In their minds, no one would risk their lives for money. Gu Feng's words were meant to ease their guilt.
What a good man! Gu Feng was setting an example for all men.
Tears blurred everyone's vision, and Gu Feng's figure seemed to grow taller in their eyes. He was so indomitable, like a god descending to earth, displaying boundless charisma.
"Gu... Gu Feng, don't worry. I, Chu Youhuan, keep my word. All these treasures are yours..." By the end, Chu Youhuan was almost sobbing. Several female cultivators even crouched on the ground, hugging their heads and wailing.
Gu Feng was utterly confused. What was going on? It felt like they were all marching to their execution.
Sure, Qiu Tian was strong, having advanced another minor realm, but Gu Feng had also made progress. Although his cultivation level hadn't changed, during his search for the others, he had been contemplating the fusion of speed and strength.
He had taken a significant step forward on the path to comprehending Martial Intent. Gu Feng had a feeling that if given another ten days to half a month, he could fully grasp Martial Intent.
Unfortunately, time was not on his side!
Even so, Gu Feng was confident he could fight Qiu Tian to a draw. Moreover, he had a trump card, though he dared not use it unless absolutely necessary. It was too taxing on his body, and he might die before taking down his opponent.
They were already crying before the fight had even started. That was bad luck.
They must be trying to cheat me out of my treasures and Spirit Stones. No way that's happening!
"Senior Sister Chu, 500,000 Spirit Stones per person for the others, but you're of noble birth. Shouldn't yours be more expensive?"
"Right, right! Big Brother is correct. She has the blood of the Chu royal family. 500,000 won't do. At least 5 million!"
A Fei was the calmest of them all. Since Gu Feng's arrival, he had developed an inexplicable confidence in him. If Gu Feng could defeat Qiu Tian at the fourth level of the Postnatal Realm, then the fifth level would be no problem.
Chu Youhuan, tears in her eyes, nodded, then shook her head. "I was hoping to make a big profit from this Secret Realm expedition, but now all the treasures are yours. I don't have that kind of money.
5 million is too much. I can't afford it!"
"You've got to add something, right?" Gu Feng grinned.
"How about 1 million? I may have the blood of the Chu royal family, but I'm actually broke."
After saying this, Chu Youhuan sniffled, feeling a bit better, though something still felt off.
It was as if Gu Feng had a magical aura that could dispel fear, stabilize emotions, and give people hope.
"Deal!" Gu Feng's eyes lit up. A few extra words had earned him an additional 500,000 Spirit Stones, and he was satisfied.
"Are you done yet, Gu Feng? Are you scared and don't dare to come over?" Qiu Tian said impatiently, noticing that Gu Feng was walking slower and slower, like a snail.
"If you're so brave, why don't you come over here!" Gu Feng stopped, a slight smirk on his lips. He knew exactly what Qiu Tian was wary of.
"You come over!"
"You come over here!" Gu Feng provocatively hooked his finger, crossing his arms, clearly not planning to move.
"You—" Qiu Tian's face turned green with anger, but there was nothing he could do. He really didn't dare to go over.
The tearful female cultivators exchanged glances, and the scene suddenly became somewhat absurd, almost comical.
Chu Youhuan's eyes flickered, immediately understanding Gu Feng's strategy. She shouted in support:
"Gu Feng, trigger the Thunder Tribulation! We'll die without regrets and won't blame you!"
"Shut up—" Qiu Tian's eyes flashed with anger as he turned and roared at Chu Youhuan.
In that instant, Gu Feng's eyes lit up with lightning. He stepped on the Immortal by the River, a white jade bridge flashing across his brow. Speed and strength merged as he launched a devastating attack!
"Looking to die!" Qiu Tian's lips curled into a ferocious smile. Having been tricked once, he wouldn't fall for it again. He had been on guard against Gu Feng.
He swung his spear in a sweeping motion, tens of thousands of pounds of force carrying violent Spiritual Energy. The dazzling golden light was scorching, igniting the surrounding air.
"Charge out!"
"Kill—"
The moment Gu Feng attacked, Chu Youhuan dispelled the Array Formation and led the female cultivators in a fierce charge. Their expressions were solemn, hair disheveled, as if possessed, driven by the determination to die. They channeled the little Spiritual Power they had left, unleashing their strongest attacks.
Over twenty attacks crisscrossed the valley, their colorful Spiritual Radiance illuminating the entire area, dazzlingly beautiful.
Within a few dozen meters of the attack's epicenter, the temperature skyrocketed, bubbling like a pot of boiling water, constantly churning!
Glancing at the overwhelming attacks, Gu Feng's eyelids twitched, and every hair on his body stood on end. He inwardly cursed, "Holy crap!"
In their current state, Chu Youhuan and the others couldn't guarantee the accuracy of their attacks. If they weren't careful, Qiu Tian might not be hit, but Gu Feng would be the first to die.
However, the arrow had already been fired, and there was no way to dodge it.
Gritting his teeth, Gu Feng roared, his body radiating halos of light. If he had been holding back before, now he was truly fighting for his life!
"Boom—"
His iron fist collided with the spear, sparks flying, the explosion deafening. A tsunami of Spiritual Energy surged forth.
A hurricane, dozens of times more violent than a gale, suddenly rose and continued to expand!
Whoosh—
Rocks flew across the valley, ancient trees that would take several adults to encircle were uprooted, and unknown Spirit Herbs, along with large chunks of soil, were sent flying.
At the epicenter of the explosion, Gu Feng and Qiu Tian's faces were distorted by the violent hurricane.
Two-thirds of the female cultivators' attacks hit the air, while the remaining third were absorbed by Gu Feng, Qiu Tian, and the ground!
As for Chu Youhuan and the others, they were already sent flying by the powerful recoil, cries of pain and blood spurts echoing throughout!
The entire valley shook!
"Senior Sisters, please stop causing trouble, okay?"
Gu Feng, battered and disoriented, shouted in exasperation.
(End of the Chapter)
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