Promotion to Commander

Wang Teng's transformed python head came rolling down, and foul-smelling snake blood instantly soaked the broken walls and ruins.

Lin Feng stood with his saber in hand, chest rising and falling slightly. That deadly strike, which had condensed Blood Burning Saber Intent and Geng Metal True Essence, had consumed quite a lot.

His gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, locked tightly onto the enormous snake carcass that had lost all signs of life.

Something was wrong.

The cold prompt he had expected in his mind had not appeared as scheduled.

The system remained silent. That meant... the killing had not ended?

A chill quietly crept into Lin Feng's heart.

"Bzzz..."

Just then, the air around the severed neck twisted like rippling water!

A black phantom, as dense as ink and constantly churning and writhing, struggled free from the restraints of the flesh and rose into the air.

The phantom faintly outlined the shape of a python, but it was even more hideous and illusory, radiating a sinister, icy aura that made one's soul tremble. It was far purer and more evil than the python's physical body had been.

"Heh heh heh..."

A harsh, shrill cackle rang out, filled with boundless venom and mockery, striking directly at Lin Feng's sea of consciousness:

"Lin Feng! You think you've won just because you cut down this shell? Naive! Foolish!

"This Wang Teng was merely a clone that this venerable one spent a hundred years' worth of essence and blood cultivating!

"Using his identity to infiltrate the Mysterious Cloud Sect was this venerable one's grand plan! And you, a lowly ant, actually dared destroy my clone and sever my Dao Path!"

The black phantom—the Giant Python Primordial Spirit—spoke with a voice brimming with hysterical hatred.

"There will be no place for you under heaven or on earth! This venerable one has already memorized your aura!

"You, and that younger sister of yours, Lin Wan, hiding in the Northern Garrison Command—everyone you care about will fall into the Infernal Hell because of what you did today!

"You... are not far from death!"

Lin Feng's pupils abruptly contracted. His younger sister, Lin Wan, was his one inviolable reverse scale!

A berserk killing intent almost burst out of his body, but he forcibly suppressed it. Instead, a cold sneer appeared on his face.

He could not let this demonic soul see his weakness, much less allow its words to disturb his state of mind.

"A clone?" Lin Feng gave a mocking laugh, his tone decisive. "You're nothing more than a remnant soul barely clinging to life, unable even to maintain your own form, and you dare bark wildly in front of me?

"Let alone the fact that you're merely a lowly clone—even if your true body came here in person, the saber in my hand, Lin Feng's saber, would surely cut you down!"

"Arrogant and ignorant!" The Giant Python Primordial Spirit was thoroughly enraged. Its phantom fluctuated violently as it let out a shriek like tearing silk. "With the power of my primordial soul, I brand you!

"This mark is my clan's secret art. Even if you flee beyond the Ninth Heaven or descend beneath the Yellow Springs, my clan will still follow the trail and find you!

"When that time comes, I will extract your soul and refine your spirit, light a sky lantern and boil you in oil, making you suffer the torment of a burning soul for all eternity, never to be reborn!"

Before its voice had even faded, the black phantom suddenly began to burn. It transformed into a condensed, almost imperceptible streak of dark light that instantly pierced through Lin Feng's protective true essence and plunged directly into the sea of consciousness between his brows!

"Ugh!"

Lin Feng grunted dully. He felt an intensely icy force, carrying powerful corrosiveness and the sensation of a brand, burrow into the surface of his soul like a maggot clinging to a bone.

The bone-chilling sensation rapidly spread, as though it intended to freeze even his thoughts.

However, at the instant the Soul Mark was completely formed—

Another change occurred!

Deep within Lin Feng's sea of consciousness, the strand of crimson-gold saber intent born from the fusion and transformation of the "Heavenly Gang Blood Burning Saber" and the "Golden Metal Wind Splitting Art" had remained dormant all this time. Now, it seemed like a king provoked by an ant, sensing the most direct blasphemy and violation!

"Clang—!"

Without needing Lin Feng to activate it, the Crimson Gold Saber Intent suddenly erupted with dazzling light, like a miniature blazing sun rising within his sea of consciousness!

Its utterly yang, utterly rigid, searingly sharp will began circulating on its own. Following the channel of the newly established, still-unstable Soul Mark, it ferociously struck back with a savage and overbearing force!

This strike was not a physical attack. It acted directly upon the level of the soul!

"What?! No—! What... what kind of power is this?! Utterly yang... shattering evil... ah...!"

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

Its soul phantom, condensed from the power of its origin, was illuminated and slashed by the Crimson Gold Saber Intent, and was simply like boiling water splashed onto snow.

It had not even the slightest room to struggle. After letting out a shriek so miserable it twisted the air, it vanished completely with a "puff," dissipating without a trace and leaving behind not even the tiniest energy particle.

Slaying the century-old python's clone and remnant soul, obtained Slaughter Points: 5000.

Only then did the familiar, icy system prompt clearly echo through Lin Feng's mind.

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

He focused and looked inward, clearly able to "see" within the sea of consciousness between his brows.

That dark mark was constantly being scorched and worn away by the blazing, overbearing Crimson Gold Saber Intent. Although the process was not fast, it was unwavering. He believed it would be completely erased before long.

"A clone... a clan mark..." Lin Feng's gaze was icy as he tightened his grip on the saber. "Looks like the trouble isn't over yet. But come on. I'll use your lives to temper my blade!"

He had already placed the python's true body and the forces behind it on his must-kill list.

After leaving Black Wind Stronghold, which had been reduced to a field of rubble, Lin Feng identified the direction and was just preparing to hurry to the Wang Family to rescue Uncle Zhou.

Just then, the sound of wings flapping came from the horizon. A completely black, extraordinarily fine messenger pigeon circled down with pinpoint accuracy and landed steadily on his shoulder.

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

The familiar, forceful handwriting of Shen Mo, the Northern Commander, was on it. The message was concise:

"Lin Feng, the bandit suppression operation at Black Wind Stronghold has succeeded, greatly strengthening the prestige of our Northern Garrison Command.

"According to regulations, you are promoted to Northern Commander of Black Rock City and will take over my post. I hope you will fulfill your duties and not fail the Imperial Grace.

"I will be transferred to the prefecture today for another appointment.

"The road ahead is long. I hope you will work diligently without pause. We shall meet again in the prefecture someday.

"Shen Mo, hastily written."

The joy of promotion had arrived suddenly, but Lin Feng merely skimmed the letter once before putting it away. His face showed little emotion.

An increase in power and status was certainly important, but compared with Uncle Zhou, whose life or death was unknown and who had raised him and his sister, everything else seemed secondary.

His gaze turned once more toward the direction of the Wang Family, growing firmer and colder.

The Wang Family residence stood in the eastern part of Black Rock City. Vermilion Gates and High Walls, with stone lions standing tall, gave it an atmosphere of stern majesty.

When Lin Feng had just arrived within several dozen paces of the entrance, the two heavy copper-studded wooden doors suddenly opened outward with a resounding boom.

Led by the family head, Wang Xiong, dozens of Wang Family experts with sharp auras and bulging temples filed out and quickly spread apart, faintly forming an encirclement.

Clearly, they had already learned of his arrival through planted spies or some kind of secret art.

Wang Xiong was burly, with a sinister face and a pair of eagle eyes sharp as sabers. They instantly locked onto Lin Feng, who was covered in dust yet stood with his spine straight.

The corners of his lips curled into undisguised mockery. His voice was loud and carried a condescending air:

"Lin Feng? So it really is you.

"You've got some ability, managing to escape from my son Wang Teng, a prodigy of the Mysterious Cloud Sect and the top-ranked genius on the Yellow Rankings.

"What? You're not hiding in the Northern Garrison Command anymore? Have you run out of options and come to the Wang Family wagging your tail and begging for a way to live?"

The Wang Family experts behind him immediately burst into waves of undisguised laughter. Their gazes at Lin Feng were filled with the playful contempt of a cat toying with a mouse, as though they were watching a clown walk straight into a trap.

Lin Feng stopped, his body straight as a pine.

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

At last, that indifferent gaze settled on Wang Xiong's face, full of confidence and mockery.

"Escape?" Lin Feng spoke. His voice was not loud, yet it clearly overwhelmed the surrounding noise. "You've got it wrong. I didn't escape."

He paused slightly. His tone remained calm, yet carried a decisive force as he spoke each word:

"I came here specifically to tell you.

"Your legitimate eldest son, the Mysterious Cloud Sect's true disciple, the number-one name on the Yellow Rankings, Wang Teng..."

"...was personally slain by me."

"..."

The scene instantly fell into absolute silence.

Every mocking laugh abruptly stopped, as though an invisible hand had clamped around everyone's throat.

The original ridicule and amusement on the faces of the Wang Family members froze, replaced by astonishment, bewilderment, and a trace of disbelief.

Then—

"Hahaha... hahahaha!"

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

His laughter was filled with overwhelming contempt and mockery, as though he had heard an ant claim it could shake a mountain:

"Hahaha! You ignorant child! With death at your doorstep, you still dare spout lies and boast shamelessly!

"My son Wang Teng is the peerless prodigy ranked first on the Yellow Rankings! A true disciple of the Mysterious Cloud Sect's inner sect! His cultivation has already reached the peak of the seventh grade, and he possesses the sect's supreme art, the 'Mysterious Cloud Sword.' He has already grasped thirty percent of its true meaning!

"Even I would not dare claim victory over him! And you? A mere Imperial Brocade Guard Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander who got lucky and happened to earn a little insignificant merit?

"You think you're worthy of harming even a hair on my Teng'er? You truly don't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth—this is the height of absurdity!"

He did not believe it. Not a single word.

He was certain that Lin Feng must have used some disgraceful trick or paid an enormous price to barely escape with his life from Wang Teng.

At this moment, he was merely putting on a show of strength, hoping to throw the Wang Family into confusion and gain a sliver of life.

"Slay my son? Lin Feng, have you gone mad? Or do you think that a few laughable boasts from you can frighten everyone in my Wang Family?"

Wang Xiong reined in his laughter, but the mockery on his face grew even thicker. His gaze became as dangerous as a venomous snake, while powerful true qi fluctuations began radiating from his body. "Since you've delivered yourself to my door, that's perfect! It'll save my son the trouble of capturing you!

"Today, I'll take you down and cripple your martial arts. When my son returns, he can deal with you personally!"

Looking at Wang Xiong's self-assured face and his refusal to accept reality, Lin Feng no longer wasted his breath.

Before facts as hard as iron, all words appeared pale.

He merely slowly raised the saber at his waist, the one that had drunk the python's blood, before him. The tip lifted slightly and pointed at Wang Xiong.

A sharp killing aura began to spread outward from him.