Three months later.
On the official road from Lanzhou to Jingzhou, a carriage traveled at a leisurely pace.
Inside the carriage, Han Feng sat cross-legged, his aura even deeper and more enduring than when he left.
After nearly a year of traveling outside, the harvest far exceeded expectations.
Now, his cultivation had already reached the Thirteenth Level of Qi Condensation, leaving only a single step between him and the legendary realm of Foundation Establishment.
Aside from the surge in his cultivation, he had also newly learned two low-grade intermediate spells, Wind Blade Technique and Green Wood Shield.
One focused on offense and the other on defense, making up for his shortcoming of having a single spellcasting method.
As for that spiritual sense secret technique, Soul Annihilation Technique, it had also quietly broken through to the third layer.
Coupled with the Seven Profound Sword and several other magical tools guarding his person, the present Han Feng was confident that he was already a powerhouse within the Qi Condensation ranks!
As the carriage entered Jingzhou territory, Han Feng did not linger for a moment, heading straight for Colorful Clouds Mountain.
After a lapse of nearly a year, the Seven Profound Sect remained the same.
Familiarly, Han Feng passed straight through the outer sect, ascended Setting Sun Peak, and arrived at the Sect Leader Hall.
"Master."
He bowed in salute toward the slightly indistinct figure inside the hall.
Wang Juechu slowly turned around. When he saw clearly that the newcomer was Han Feng, the face previously covered in worry instantly blossomed with a smile from the bottom of his heart.
"You're back! You brat, you've been gone for almost a year, making your master wait quite a while!"
He walked quickly down the steps, looking Han Feng up and down to make sure he was safe and sound before letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Was this trip out for tempering smooth?"
"Fairly so; I experienced quite a few things and saw many people."
Han Feng answered vaguely, naturally not about to spill everything about his immortal cultivation.
"Back is good, back is good!"
Wang Juechu patted Han Feng's shoulder with gratification, full of deep emotion.
"The pugilistic world is treacherous, and you are still young. From now on, with me as your master, I will slowly teach you the principles of getting along in the world."
Han Feng nodded in silence.
The principles of the mortal realm had long been thoroughly ingrained in his heart. What he pursued was the Great Dao outside of this mortal world.
Seeming to remember something, Wang Juechu suddenly spoke again.
"That's right, Master heard that kid Li Feiyu say that the Divine Doctor Han of Divine Hand Valley is your paternal cousin?"
"Mm, he is indeed my older cousin."
"This cousin of yours is truly extraordinary!"
Wang Juechu praised without end.
"His medical skills alone can be said to surpass the master!"
"Not long ago, Vice Sect Master Ma went out and unfortunately fell into the Wild Wolf Gang's ambush, contracting a heavy poison and looking like he wouldn't make it. Every physician within the sect was helpless.
In the end, it was only by inviting your cousin to act that he was forcibly dragged back from the gates of hell!"
Vice Sect Master Ma?
Han Feng recalled some past events.
However, none of this mattered.
What mattered was that he had been poisoned.
Ambushed by the Wild Wolf Gang.
A chill quietly rose from the bottom of his heart.
It seemed that his premature elimination of Venerable Golden Light had not altered the major historical trajectory.
The Wild Wolf Gang had ultimately started an all-out war with the Seven Profound Sect after all.
And listening to his master's meaning, the Seven Profound Sect seemed to be on the losing side.
"Sect Leader!"
Right at that moment, hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.
Vice Sect Master Wu walked in with a few elders and protectors with a hurried and flustered air, heavy solemnity carried on every single person's face.
"What is so panicky?" Wang Juechu's brows furrowed anew.
Vice Sect Master Wu cupped his fists and reported in a deep voice.
"Sect Leader, news has just been received that the Wild Wolf Gang sent word saying they no longer wish to continue fighting with us and hope both sides can sit down for negotiations!"
"Negotiations?"
Wang Juechu's first reaction was disbelief.
Over this period of time, small and large conflicts between the two factions numbered no less than dozens, resulting in heavy casualties for the Seven Profound Sect disciples and leaving them in a passive position everywhere.
No matter how one looked at it, the Wild Wolf Gang held the absolute advantage.
Under these circumstances, would they take the initiative to propose negotiations?
There was definitely something fishy here!
Vice Sect Master Wu did not think so, however. With a fiery temper, he fiercely slapped his thigh.
"What is there to fear!"
"If they want to talk, we'll talk with them! Could it be that our Seven Profound Sect would actually be afraid of a pack of wolf pups like them!"
"Negotiations it is. We can just take this opportunity to probe their real strength!"
He stepped forward and volunteered himself.
"Sect Leader, this subordinate is willing to personally lead a team to go and meet the head of that Wild Wolf Gang!"
The several elders inside the hall also chimed in one after another, obviously having been suppressed and beaten for too long with a fire bottled up in their hearts.
Looking at this scene before him, Han Feng's heart stirred not a single ripple.
He knew better than anyone that this so-called negotiation was a meticulously planned massacre from start to finish.
The Wild Wolf Gang had long since laid down a inescapable net at the negotiation location, preparing a large batch of Military Repeating Crossbows diverted from the military.
Those powerful crossbows possessed immense might and terrifying penetrating power, making it impossible even for internal martial arts experts to withstand them.
In the previous life's plot, Vice Sect Master Wu led over a hundred elite members of the sect to attend the appointment, only to be met with a rain of ten thousand arrows that shot them into hedgehogs and wiped out nearly the entire force.
This battle also directly led to the Seven Profound Sect's vitality being severely damaged.
It laid the groundwork for the Wild Wolf Gang to subsequently lead its forces up to Setting Sun Peak and storm the Seven Profound Sect headquarters.
"Master."
Amidst everyone's righteous indignation, a calm voice sounded.
Han Feng stepped out.
"This disciple is also willing to go together with Vice Sect Master Wu."
In an instant, everyone's gazes in the hall converged upon him.
Before you continue