Instant Kill Crimson Striped Leopard!

"Have you heard? Those people from the Baiyang Sect have recently come to Black Wind Forest too!" A burly man lowered his voice, dissatisfaction lacing his tone.

"The Baiyang Sect? Why aren't they staying on their own turf? What are they doing here?" another lean man asked with a frown.

"What else could it be?" The burly man curled his lip. "I heard a beast tide broke out around their sect, destroying their training grounds, so they came over to our side. Black Wind Forest has such excellent training resources—of course they've got their eyes on it."

"Hmph, a pack of bandits!" The lean man snorted coldly. "I heard that the one leading them this time is the Baiyang Sect's number-one Outer Court genius, Du Feng! They say he's already at the peak Body Refinement ninth level, and not long ago, word spread that he 'killed a Qi Gathering Realm expert across a level'!"

"What? Someone at the peak Body Refinement ninth level killed a Qi Gathering Realm cultivator? Is that even real?" someone nearby asked in shock.

"Who knows? Feats from geniuses like that are always hard to tell, true or false. But one thing's certain—he's definitely no weakling." The burly man sighed. "With them around, us Rogue Cultivators can forget about getting any benefits from Black Wind Forest. They have numbers on their side and they're tyrannical as hell. They'll definitely monopolize all the good spots."

"Exactly!" At the mention of the Baiyang Sect disciples' conduct, the lean man's face filled with indignation. "I heard long ago that whenever Baiyang Sect disciples went out training and ran into Rogue Cultivators, if they saw something good, they'd demand it by force. If you refused, they'd threaten you by saying you were 'making an enemy of the Baiyang Sect.' How could Rogue Cultivators without backing like us dare offend them? We can only avoid them. It's suffocating!"

The people around them nodded one after another, their faces showing worry, displeasure, and helpless resignation. The Baiyang Sect was also a sect of Yan Nan State, and its strength was on par with the Feiyun Sect. Rogue Cultivators like them simply had no power to contend with it.

Ye Feng listened to it all, merely raising an eyebrow without paying it much mind.

The Baiyang Sect? Du Feng? Killing a Qi Gathering Realm cultivator across a level?

To Ye Feng, they were nothing more than irrelevant names and rumors.

Now that he had the system, his strength had skyrocketed and his confidence was bursting at the seams. He did not take this so-called "number-one Outer Court genius" seriously at all.

After finishing his meal and resting for a while longer, Ye Feng felt brimming with energy. He rose, left the inn, and headed toward Black Wind Forest beyond the town.

Black Wind Forest stretched vast and boundless, its end nowhere in sight.

At the forest's edge, ancient trees towered into the sky, their branches and leaves so lush that sunlight could barely pierce through them, lending the place a somewhat gloomy air.

The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and a faint fragrance of grass and wood, occasionally mixed with a barely discernible reek of blood.

This was a true primeval jungle, incredibly ancient. Legend said it had existed for over ten thousand years.

The forest contained countless varieties and numbers of Fierce Beasts, with danger lurking at every turn.

However, because it lay at the foot of Feiyun Sect's mountain, the Feiyun Sect's high-level experts had personally carried out a massive purge of Black Wind Forest in order to provide their disciples with a safe place to train. They slew those powerful Fierce Beasts within the forest that had reached the True Condensation realm or even higher.

Thus, Black Wind Forest was now relatively much safer. At least in the outer and middle regions, one rarely encountered Fierce Beasts beyond the Qi Gathering Realm. It could be called a "holy land of training" for low-level cultivators.

Of course, that did not mean it was absolutely safe. Deep within the forest still hid terrifying existences beyond imagination. Yet as long as one did not venture into the forbidden zones, one generally would not face mortal danger.

Ye Feng's goal was clear. He had no intention of going deep into the forest. What he needed most right now were basic resources—for example, Fierce Beast materials he could sell for money, or low-grade spiritual herbs and medicines. For the time being, he did not plan to provoke Fierce Beasts at the Qi Gathering Realm. The risk was too high, and the rewards might not meet his expectations.

Concealing his aura, Ye Feng slipped silently into the dense forest like a civet cat.

Not long after entering the forest, the light around him dimmed. Only scattered patches of sunlight spilled through gaps in the leaves.

The surroundings were deathly quiet, filled only with the rustling of wind through the trees and the occasional cry of some unknown bird or beast.

Ye Feng advanced cautiously, spreading out his senses while vigilantly watching his surroundings. Though the system had greatly boosted his strength, he would not act rashly.

Suddenly, his steps halted, and Ye Feng turned his gaze toward a dense patch of shrubs not far ahead.

Beneath the shadows of the shrubs, a crimson figure lay resting.

Looking closer, he saw a leopard the size of a young calf. Its body was covered in vivid crimson stripes, like burning flames. It was one of the common Fierce Beasts in Black Wind Forest.

A Crimson Striped Leopard!

Ye Feng's arrival had clearly startled the striped leopard. It abruptly raised its head, a savage gleam flashing through its golden vertical pupils as it locked onto Ye Feng. A low growl rumbled from its throat. It had clearly regarded Ye Feng as an enemy invading its territory.

"A Fierce Beast at the Body Refining Tenth Level? Perfect for testing my skills." Ye Feng's gaze sharpened. Rather than retreating, he stepped forward.

Roar!

The Crimson Striped Leopard was completely enraged by Ye Feng's provocation and let out an earth-shaking roar. Its hind legs kicked off the ground, and its body shot toward Ye Feng like an arrow loosed from the bow, carrying a gust of bloody wind!

In midair, its blade-sharp claws flew up, tearing through the air with a piercing shriek as they viciously swiped at Ye Feng's head! The attack was immensely powerful, clearly intending to rip Ye Feng open in a single blow!

"Not bad speed. The strength's decent too," Ye Feng commented, though his face showed no fear.

Facing the striped leopard's savage pounce, Ye Feng neither dodged nor retreated. He merely tilted his body slightly, swaying like a willow in the wind as he lightly evaded the fatal claw.

Riiip!

The striped leopard's claw passed almost right by Ye Feng's shoulder. Its sharp talons tore through the air and left three deep claw marks on the tree trunk behind him, sending wood chips flying!

Having missed its strike, the striped leopard forcibly twisted its body in midair, intending to attack again.

But how could Ye Feng give it that chance?

The instant the striped leopard's body became unsteady, Ye Feng moved!

He stomped his right foot fiercely against the ground, shooting forward like a cannonball. His right hand clenched into a fist, all his Full Body Strength gathering into that fist—the Vajra Fist he had just modified with the system to the Perfection Realm!

Vajra Fist!

There were no fancy movements, only the purest and most overbearing force!

Bang!

Ye Feng's fist struck the Crimson Striped Leopard's soft abdomen with unerring precision.

"Awoo—!"

A heartrending scream tore through the forest.

The Crimson Striped Leopard's body flew backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily to the ground. A massive bloody hole had appeared in its abdomen, blood gushing out like a fountain and staining the earth red.

It lay on the ground, its limbs twitching, its eyes filled with terror and disbelief. Weak whimpers escaped its throat. It had clearly suffered a fatal wound and would likely bleed to death within minutes.

One punch!

With only one punch, Ye Feng had instantly slain this Body Refining Tenth Level Fierce Beast!