No one assessed him, and no one taught him the Sage Scroll technique, so Liu Chengfeng had no choice but to stay at the Su Family residence.
Liu Chengfeng used his Celestial Body to sense all of Tiger Mound. In an instant, he could feel the abundant spiritual energy everywhere.
This was the Su Family's foundation. Its spiritual energy was so abundant that the Cloud Rising Sect could not compare.
Liu Chengfeng wanted to take a deep breath and draw in all that abundant spiritual energy, but he didn't dare act recklessly.
If he used the World Tree to greedily absorb it, he might drain the Su Family's Spirit Pool dry.
Then, forget teaching him a technique—there was a good chance they'd come after him for his life.
Staying with the Su Family made Liu Chengfeng's senses even sharper. The Spirit Vein Dojo lay directly beneath him.
He could reach out and touch the Heart Method Spirit Stone in the Spirit Vein Dojo.
Liu Chengfeng didn't try to seize the spiritual energy. Instead, he used his Celestial Body to sense and explore the entire Su Family.
Through his senses, he detected two powerful forces within the Su Family. One of them was the ball of light in the Spirit Vein Dojo.
Liu Chengfeng guessed that it was probably the Su Family's Old Matriarch.
The other powerful force was likely the Grand Marshal.
That powerful presence didn't remain in the Su Family for long before leaving, but the Iron-Armored Airship outside was still there.
The Grand Marshal must have left, while Princess Ye stayed behind to meet Su Youqian.
Su Youqian, however, was hiding outside and refusing to come home.
Liu Chengfeng's attention was drawn to the Black Roots underground.
The Black Roots wrapped around the entire Spirit Vein Dojo beneath the earth, like the roots of a tree.
They weren't content to take root in the underground Spirit Vein; they were also burrowing into the Spirit Vein Dojo to steal its spiritual energy.
No one knew where these strands of roots had come from. They twisted and coiled around each other, invading the Spirit Vein Dojo as they tried to drain all its spiritual energy.
The ball of light in the Spirit Vein Dojo fought against the Black Roots, but couldn't destroy them.
Being so close to the Spirit Vein Dojo allowed Liu Chengfeng to observe the Black Roots more clearly.
"It's definitely that tree stump."
After observing them, Liu Chengfeng was certain: the Black Roots invading the Spirit Vein Dojo belonged to the Thunder-Scorched Tree Stump that called itself She Tian.
It was a Demonic Tree whose trunk had been cut down, leaving only the roots to flee here.
Liu Chengfeng was very interested in She Tian because it knew the Black-Armored Emperor.
He suspected the Black-Armored Emperor might have cut down its trunk.
The Black Roots were invading the Su Family Dojo, but he couldn't find where they originated.
Using his Celestial Body to sense his surroundings, Liu Chengfeng was certain She Tian was hiding somewhere in the Su Family.
Liu Chengfeng decided to search the Su Family.
He turned the Heavenly Mound and tried to summon She Tian, but it ignored him.
"Don't bother me."
She Tian was furious with Liu Chengfeng. It was stronger than him, so Liu Chengfeng couldn't forcefully summon it.
But when the Heavenly Mound turned, it had no choice but to respond.
Once She Tian spoke, finding it would be easy. It was inside the Su Family, beneath the Sky Eye—how could it possibly hide?
The Su Family's Old Matriarch couldn't find it, but Liu Chengfeng could.
Liu Chengfeng found She Tian among the trees in the Imperial Garden.
Just as the Sky Eye had shown him, it was a tree stump marked with scorch marks from lightning.
A stump like that, standing among the trees in the Imperial Garden, wouldn't catch anyone's attention. They would think it was nothing but an old stump about to die.
"Kid, you're asking for death."
Liu Chengfeng circled the tree stump that was She Tian, examining it closely.
"You want to kill me?"
"The road to heaven is open, but you refuse to take it. The gates of hell are shut, yet you insist on barging in."
"You can't kill me."
Liu Chengfeng felt confident. After seeing She Tian, the Golden Lotus Root in his Blood Sea had also begun to stir, stretching out its roots as if it wanted to stab She Tian.
"Killing you would be as easy as crushing an ant."
"You must have escaped from Cloud Mist Marsh. Even if the Black Emperor didn't suppress you, you must have suffered a crushing defeat at his hands."
Liu Chengfeng had pieced together some clues about She Tian's origins.
"Get lost—"
Mentioning the Black Emperor made She Tian furious.
"Your body was cut down, and your Primordial Spirit nearly destroyed. You fled here to steal spiritual energy, but you never expected the Su Family's Old Matriarch to be so powerful that she could stop you."
Liu Chengfeng deduced what had happened from She Tian's condition.
"Hmph. Once I've absorbed this Spirit Vein's energy, I, She Tian, will be able to slay all Gods and Devils."
She Tian's boast shook the heavens.
Liu Chengfeng paid no attention to its bragging. He wondered whether he could capture it.
She Tian was giving its all to absorb the spiritual energy and had no time to kill him.
If it made a move, it would alert the Old Matriarch and expose its hiding place.
As Liu Chengfeng considered how to capture She Tian, a chill swept toward him. His heart tightened, and he immediately braced himself.
A woman approached until she was very close to Liu Chengfeng, watching him coldly.
She wore a deep black gown streaked with red, and a silver leaf hung against her forehead. Her features were striking, and her figure was slender yet full.
Her eyes held a chilling gleam. She lifted her sharp, delicate chin, radiating an air of icy arrogance.
"Do you think hiding in the Su Family will let you escape your fate?"
This woman was the Princess of the Wu Clan. She was also a genius, already at the fourth level of Treasure Mountain and close to catching up with the elders.
"Looking for a fight?"
Liu Chengfeng narrowed his eyes, a murderous glint in them.
"Killing you would be easy, but not here."
The Princess of the Wu Clan was proud enough to look down on everyone her age. As a genius of the Ascending Wu Clan, she didn't take her peers seriously.
But no matter how arrogant she was, the Princess of the Wu Clan wouldn't dare kill someone in the Su Family.
"Then quit talking crap."
Liu Chengfeng let out a cold laugh.
"The agreed time is almost here."
"If you don't show up, our Wu Clan will surround the Cloud Rising Sect compound and wipe them all out."
Liu Chengfeng's expression changed. The Ascending Wu Clan really was going to unleash a massacre in Great Meng City.
"We'll be waiting. If you don't dare come, then keep cowering in the Su Family like a turtle in its shell."
After taunting him, the Princess of the Wu Clan turned and left.
Liu Chengfeng's face darkened. He didn't linger either, turning and leaving the Su Family.
He had no choice now. He didn't know how many people the Ascending Wu Clan had brought, but he couldn't stand by and watch the Fourth Elder and the others get slaughtered.
After leaving the Su Family, he crossed the streets of Great Meng City. Nearing the Cloud Rising Sect compound, he found the long street already thick with murderous intent.
The long street was steeped in the threat of violence. The street vendors had vanished, and the shops were shut.
Wang Jing stood at the far end of the street with more than twenty experts.
On either side of the street, figures from the Ascending Wu Clan could be glimpsed here and there.
Farther away, Gu Yao stood atop a roof, surveying the scene and arranging the troops.
He was in charge of the operation: capture Liu Chengfeng, and if that failed, kill him on the spot.
"Are you coming quietly with us, or are we carrying your head away?"
Wang Jing folded his arms across his chest and sneered.
The Ascending Wu Clan was determined to kill Liu Chengfeng. The Dragon Ascending Holy Sect had already given them the order.
Zhao Jinnian had been killed, and the Ascending Wu Clan had to answer for it. If they couldn't produce Liu Chengfeng's head, they would have to pay the price.
"Elder, attack—"
Liu Chengfeng didn't waste words. He let out a shout and charged forward like a tiger or leopard.
"Second Elder Wu, come out and face your death—"
Inside the compound, the Fourth Elder had long since assembled the disciples and readied them for battle. Seeing Liu Chengfeng appear, he knew a bloody fight was unavoidable.
The Fourth Elder erupted with a shout and led Jiang Yu and the others in a charge. They had to fight their way to the end of the street and join Liu Chengfeng.
With a furious roar, the Fourth Elder charged like a wild bull. His blood and vital energy surged, rumbling without end.
He swung the Crescent Moon Spade in his hands like a mad demon. Sheets of cold light rolled out, falling like a blizzard of goose feathers and drawing spurts of blood.
Screams rang out. The Ascending Wu Clan experts guarding the way were instantly cut down by the dozen.
The Crescent Moon Spade in the Fourth Elder's hands swept through broad, powerful arcs. He ignored the attacks of the other experts, his body like Treasure Mountain and his muscles hard as iron.
"How dare you—"
As the Fourth Elder rampaged through their ranks, the Ascending Wu Clan's Second Elder swooped in like a black leopard. The Poison Nether Sword shot straight for the Fourth Elder's throat.
"You're the one I came to kill—"
The Fourth Elder roared in fury and flung his Crescent Moon Spade around, sending a flash of cold light slashing straight at him.
The Wu Clan's Second Elder moved like a black leopard, dodging and weaving to evade the slash before circling behind the Fourth Elder and engaging him in close combat.
"Kill—"
Led by Jiang Yu, the Cloud Rising Sect disciples also charged out in a frenzy.
The Black Pointed Stones in Jiang Yu's hands flew like locusts filling the sky, streaking out to blanket more than a dozen enemies.
At the same time, Jiang Yu used Flying Sand Steps. Sand and stones whirled as he darted past one enemy after another, leading the charge.
The Cloud Rising Sect and the Ascending Wu Clan clashed in an instant. The battle erupted, blades flashed, swords clashed, and blood sprayed.
At the end of the long street, Liu Chengfeng charged forward like a tiger or leopard, his body flashing like rosy clouds and streaking like a shooting star.
At the first level of Treasure Mountain, three thousand li a day was normally the limit. Liu Chengfeng, however, was already approaching five thousand li, crushing those at the second level of Treasure Mountain.
Even Wang Jing, who was at the second level of Treasure Mountain, couldn't match that speed.
Liu Chengfeng's aura surged like a flying waterfall. He unleashed the Purple Mist Flying Waterfall Technique, coming to a halt as steady as an abyss or a mountain, with an impact of forty to fifty thousand jin.
The more than twenty experts beside Wang Jing didn't even have time to attack before Liu Chengfeng slammed into them and sent them flying. The sound of bones breaking rang out as blood sprayed from their mouths.
The experts of the Blood Sea Divine Treasury couldn't withstand a single move from Liu Chengfeng.
The impact of forty to fifty thousand jin smashed every bone in their bodies. They screamed and died.
The bones of the experts at the first level of Treasure Mountain were shattered, yet some still managed to get back up and fight. With a furious roar, they raised their swords and blades and rushed at him without fear of death.
Liu Chengfeng pushed the Purple Mist Flying Waterfall Technique to its limit. The advantage of an Innate Cultivation Method instantly crushed his opponents.
Even as the experts at the first level of Treasure Mountain threw themselves into their attacks, they couldn't keep up with Liu Chengfeng's speed.
Before their blades and swords could strike him, Liu Chengfeng had already sent them flying.
This time, Liu Chengfeng gave them no chance to live. He gripped the Thunder Sound Staff and brought it down on their heads like a bolt of lightning.
"Ah—" they screamed as blood and brains burst out. Liu Chengfeng smashed the skulls of several experts at the first level of Treasure Mountain.
The bodies of Treasure Mountain Divine Treasury experts were hard, and they healed quickly. Even with broken bones, they could still fight.
But once their skulls were smashed, they were truly dead.
In one breath, Liu Chengfeng killed more than a dozen experts from the Ascending Wu Clan. Like a ferocious tiger descending the mountain, he was covered in blood—all of it his enemies'.
"Kid, die—"
Wang Jing flew into a rage. He used the Shadow Leopard Mental Method and pounced on Liu Chengfeng like a flying leopard.
He swung the Shadow Sword in his hand and unleashed the Shadow Hunting Sword Technique. He was like a vicious leopard, surrounded by gusts of cold, shadowy wind.
As a disciple of the Second Elder, Wang Jing was at the second level of Treasure Mountain. His mental method and technique were both upper-grade Human Scroll arts, and the Shadow Sword in his hand was made of mid-grade Black Copper.
With his mental method and sword technique working as one, every slash from Wang Jing made a vicious leopard bare its claws and sink its fangs into its prey. He was utterly ferocious.
Wang Jing was at the second level of Treasure Mountain, and both his mental method and sword technique excelled in speed. He could barely keep up with Liu Chengfeng in a contest of speed—Liu Chengfeng was simply too fast.
After smashing his enemies' skulls, Liu Chengfeng faced Wang Jing as he pounced like a vicious leopard. He swung the Thunder Sound Staff back, and with a "clang," blocked Wang Jing's sword.
"Kill—"
Liu Chengfeng gave a loud shout and shot forward like a shooting star streaking through rosy clouds, swinging the Thunder Sound Staff at him.
One River Staff—the opening move of the Thunder Sound Five Staffs.
As the River Staff rose, its flurries of blows surged like an unending river. The Thunder Sound Staff was forged from Thunder Sound Copper, and as it met the staff technique, the roar of a rushing river rang out.
Every blow carried forty to fifty thousand jin of force, crashing down like the waves of a great river. The Thunder Sound Staff's booming roar also shook the soul.
With the very first move, Wang Jing was suppressed. He was shocked and raised his sword to defend himself.
Liu Chengfeng struck one blow after another, torrents of river water crashing down. Wang Jing couldn't block them.
"Protectors, help!"
Seeing Wang Jing forced into defeat by just one move, Gu Yao, who was directing the battle, sent the protectors to his aid.
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