Promoted to Commander

The Giant Python Head that Wang Teng had transformed into rolled away, its foul-smelling snake blood instantly soaking the broken walls and ruins.

Lin Feng stood with his saber, his chest rising and falling slightly. The final, deadly strike he had just unleashed, condensing his Blood Burning Saber Intent and Geng Metal True Essence, had indeed consumed a significant amount of energy.

His gaze, sharp as an eagle's, was fixed on the massive, lifeless snake corpse.

Something's not right.

The cold system prompt he expected in his mind did not arrive as scheduled.

The system remained silent, which meant... the slaughter wasn't over?

A chill crept up Lin Feng's heart.

"Buzz..."

Just then, at the broken neck, the air began to distort like ripples on water!

A black phantom, dense as ink and constantly churning and writhing, struggled to break free from the physical body and rose into the air.

The phantom vaguely outlined the form of a python, but it was more ferocious and ethereal, exuding a chilling aura that made one's soul tremble. It was purer and more sinister than the Giant Python's original body.

"Hehehehe..."

A piercing, sharp cackle rang out, laced with endless malice and mockery, directly affecting Lin Feng's sea of consciousness:

"Lin Feng! You think you've won by chopping off this skin? Naive! Foolish!

This Wang Teng was merely a clone cultivated by my centuries of vital blood!

Using his identity to infiltrate the Mysterious Cloud Sect was my grand plan! And you, a mere ant, dare to destroy my clone and sever my path!"

The voice of the black phantom—the Giant Python Primordial Spirit—was filled with hysterical hatred.

"There is no place for you in heaven or on earth! I have remembered your aura!

You, and your sister Lin Wan hiding in the Northern Garrison Command, everyone you care about, will fall into the abyss of eternal suffering because of what you've done today!

You... are not far from death!"

Lin Feng's pupils contracted violently. His sister Lin Wan was his absolute limit!

A surge of violent killing intent almost burst from his body, but he forcefully suppressed it, instead revealing a cold sneer on his face.

He couldn't let this demon soul see his weakness, nor could he let its words disturb his mind.

"A clone?" Lin Feng scoffed, his tone resolute. "Just a lingering, remnant soul that can barely maintain its own form, dares to bark in front of me?

Let alone a mere clone, even if your true body appeared, the saber in my hand, Lin Feng's saber, would still cut you down!"

"Arrogant and ignorant!" The Giant Python Primordial Spirit was completely enraged. Its phantom flickered violently, letting out a tearing shriek. "I will imprint your body with the power of my origin soul!

This mark is a secret art of my clan. Even if you flee to the highest heavens or hide in the depths of the Yellow Springs, my clan will be able to track you!

At that time, I will surely extract your soul, refine your spirit, light your head on fire, and boil your oil, letting you suffer the torment of a burning soul for eternity, with no chance of rebirth!"

Before its words even finished, the black phantom suddenly ignited, transforming into an extremely condensed, almost imperceptible dark light. It instantly pierced Lin Feng's protective True Essence and directly entered his brow and sea of consciousness!

"Ugh!"

Lin Feng grunted, feeling an extreme coldness, a power with strong corrosive properties and a sense of marking, like a leech attached to bone, deeply branded onto the surface of his soul.

The bone-chilling sensation spread rapidly, as if freezing his very thoughts.

However, at the very moment this Soul Mark was completely formed—

Another change occurred!

The Crimson Gold Saber Intent, which had been dormant deep within Lin Feng's sea of consciousness, a result of the fusion and evolution of the Heavenly Gang Blood Burning Saber and the Golden Metal Wind Splitting Art, felt like a king provoked by an ant, sensing the most direct blasphemy and violation!

"Zheng—!"

Without Lin Feng's conscious activation, the Crimson Gold Saber Intent erupted with dazzling brilliance, rising like a miniature sun in his sea of consciousness!

Its extremely yang, extremely strong, scorching, and sharp will operated on its own, following the newly established, unstable channel of the Soul Mark, and with a savage and overbearing posture, it counter-attacked fiercely!

This strike was not a physical attack, but one that directly acted on the soul level!

"What?! No—! This... what kind of power is this?! Extreme Yang... bane of evil... Ah...!"

The Giant Python Primordial Spirit's roar instantly changed from maliciousness to extreme fear and disbelief.

Its soul phantom, condensed with the power of its origin, was like snow melting on a scorching surface under the illumination and strike of the Crimson Gold Saber Intent.

Without even a sliver of room to struggle, it let out a shrill, distorted scream before vanishing with a "poof," completely annihilated, leaving not even the slightest trace of energy particles.

[Killed a hundred-year Giant Python clone and remnant soul, gained Slaughter Points: 5000.]

Only now did the familiar, cold system prompt clearly echo in Lin Feng's mind.

Lin Feng's heart settled, and he let out a long sigh.

He focused his inner gaze, clearly able to "see" into his sea of consciousness in his brow.

That wisp of dark mark was being continuously burned and ground away by the scorching, overbearing Crimson Gold Saber Intent. Although the speed was not fast, it was incredibly firm. He believed it would be completely cleared soon.

"A clone... a clan mark..." Lin Feng's eyes turned icy as he gripped the saber in his hand. "It seems the trouble isn't over yet. But bring it on. It's just right to use your lives to hone my blade!"

The Giant Python's main body and the forces behind it had been added to his kill list.

Leaving Black Wind Stronghold, which had already become a pile of rubble, Lin Feng oriented himself and prepared to rush to the Wang family with all his might to rescue Uncle Zhou.

Just then, a flapping of wings echoed from the sky. A completely black, unusually divine-looking carrier pigeon circled down precisely and landed steadily on his shoulder.

A small bamboo tube was tied to the pigeon's leg. Lin Feng untied it, took out the paper strip inside, and unfolded it.

On it was the familiar, strong handwriting of Shen Mo, the Northern Commander, concise and to the point:

"Lin Feng, the battle at Black Wind Stronghold was a success in eradicating bandits, greatly enhancing the prestige of our Northern Garrison Command.

By law, you are promoted to Northern Commander of Black Rock City, taking over my post. I hope you will diligently fulfill your duties and not betray the Imperial Grace.

I am being reassigned to the Prefecture today for other duties.

The road ahead is long. I hope you will be diligent and tireless. We shall meet again at the Prefecture in the future.

Shen Mo, hastily written."

The joy of promotion came suddenly, but Lin Feng merely scanned the letter quickly before putting it away, his face showing little emotion.

While the elevation in power and status was important, compared to Uncle Zhou, whose life and death were uncertain and who had raised him and his sister, everything else seemed secondary.

His gaze turned once more towards the direction of the Wang family, his eyes becoming firmer and colder.

The Wang family mansion was located in the east of Black Rock City, with vermilion gates and high walls, guarded by stone lions, exuding an imposing aura.

Just as Lin Feng arrived within a few dozen feet of the main gate, the two heavy, copper-studded wooden doors suddenly burst open from the inside with a "boom."

Led by the family head, Wang Xiong, dozens of Wang family experts with vigorous auras and bulging temples filed out, quickly spreading out and forming a loose encirclement.

They had clearly learned of his arrival long ago through informants or some secret technique.

Wang Xiong was burly, with a sinister face and eagle-like eyes as sharp as knives. He instantly locked onto Lin Feng, who was covered in dust but stood with a straight back.

The corner of his mouth pulled into an undisguised sneer, and his voice boomed with a condescending tone:

"Lin Feng? So it is you.

You have some skill to have escaped from my son, Wang Teng, a prodigy of the Mysterious Cloud Sect and the top of the Yellow Ranking.

What, hiding in the Northern Garrison Command no longer? Have you run out of options and come to my Wang family to beg for a way out?"

The Wang family experts behind him burst into unrestrained laughter upon hearing this, looking at Lin Feng with the playful disdain of a cat toying with a mouse, as if watching a clown who had walked into a trap.

Lin Feng stopped, his posture like a pine tree.

His gaze was terrifyingly calm as he slowly swept over every hostile face present.

Finally, his indifferent gaze settled on Wang Xiong's face, full of confidence and mockery.

"Escaped?" Lin Feng spoke, his voice not loud but clearly cutting through the surrounding noise, "You're mistaken. I didn't escape."

He paused slightly, his tone still flat but carrying a decisive force, speaking word by word:

"I've come specifically to tell you.

Your eldest legitimate son, a true disciple of the Mysterious Cloud Sect, the number one on the Yellow Ranking, Wang Teng..."

"...has been personally killed by me."

The scene instantly fell into dead silence.

All the laughter ceased as if an invisible hand had choked their throats.

On the faces of the surrounding Wang family members, the mockery and amusement froze, replaced by shock, confusion, and a hint of disbelief.

Then—

"Haha... Hahaha!"

Wang Xiong, as if hearing the most absurd and laughable joke in the world, threw his head back and erupted into even louder, more unrestrained laughter.

His laughter was filled with immense contempt and ridicule, as if hearing an ant claim it could move a mountain:

"Hahaha! You ignorant brat, facing death, you dare to spout nonsense and boast!

My son, Wang Teng, is a peerless prodigy, number one on the Yellow Ranking! A true disciple of the Mysterious Cloud Sect's inner sect! His cultivation has already reached the peak of the Seventh Rank, and he wields the sect's ultimate skill, the 'Mysterious Cloud Sword,' having grasped three parts of its true meaning!

Even I wouldn't dare claim victory! And you? A mere Imperial Brocade Guard Qianhu who got lucky and achieved some minor merit by chance?

You think you're worthy of harming my Teng'er even a little? You truly don't know the immensity of heaven and earth, the greatest joke in the world!"

He didn't believe it, not one bit.

He was convinced that Lin Feng must have used some underhanded trick or paid a tremendous price to barely escape from Wang Teng's clutches.

Now, he was merely bluffing, trying to disrupt the Wang family and buy himself a sliver of a chance.

"Killed my son? Lin Feng, have you gone mad? Or do you think these few ridiculous boasts of yours can scare my entire Wang family?"

Wang Xiong reined in his laughter, but the mockery on his face intensified. His eyes became as dangerous as a venomous snake, and powerful True Essence fluctuations began to emanate from his body. "Since you've delivered yourself to our doorstep, then perfect! It saves my son the trouble of capturing you!

Today, I will capture you, cripple your martial arts, and wait for my son to return and deal with you personally!"

Lin Feng looked at Wang Xiong, who was brimming with confidence and unwilling to accept the truth, and stopped wasting his breath.

All words seemed pale and insignificant in the face of ironclad facts.

He slowly raised the waist knife, which had once drunk the blood of the Giant Python, to his front. The tip of the blade lifted slightly, pointing at Wang Xiong.

A chilling killing intent began to spread out from him as the center.

Seeing this, the thick, unresolvable mockery on Wang Xiong's face almost overflowed.

As requested by our readers, we are now launching a VIP ad-free membership feature.

Click to view.