At that moment, after seeing the new battle technique Ning Feng had developed, the elder was utterly astonished.
As a high-ranking member of the Body Sect, he had seen countless extraordinarily gifted geniuses.
But he had never heard of a disciple like Ning Feng, who could combine several battle techniques on the fly during a fight and evolve them into an entirely new form of attack.
Moreover, the idea of perfectly combining mental suppression with an explosive burst of physical strength had already begun to take shape as an advanced combat technique.
Du Busi grew more and more excited. He watched Ning Feng's movements intently, as if he were looking at a priceless treasure.
He wanted to see Ning Feng's limits, so he kept urging the elder on:
"Old fool, keep feeding him moves! Help him hold on to that momentum!"
Although the elder was already somewhat exhausted, he cared about protecting a talented youngster, so he could only grit his teeth and press on, continually adjusting his position and guiding Ning Feng's punches.
But even a state of insight this intense had its limits.
Gradually, the aura of "Unity of Heaven and Man" around Ning Feng began to fade rapidly, and the fierce wind of his punches gradually died down.
At last, the Martial Soul phantom behind Ning Feng vanished. He left his combat stance, sat cross-legged on the spot, and began to regulate his breathing with his eyes closed.
Seeing this, the elder let out a long breath and raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
For him, feeding Ning Feng moves had been more exhausting than fighting a life-or-death battle.
Not only had he needed to suppress his cultivation, he had also needed to control the force of every strike precisely, making sure he put pressure on Ning Feng without actually injuring him in that state.
"It's finally over." The elder shook his head with a wry smile. "What a miserable job. These old bones of mine are about to fall apart."
Vina and Mu Xue had been watching anxiously from the sidelines. Now that Ning Feng had stopped moving, they hurried forward and looked toward Du Busi with concern. "Sect Master, is Junior Brother all right like this?"
Du Busi looked perfectly at ease. He waved a hand, telling them not to worry. "He's fine. This is normal."
"That state just now took a tremendous toll on his mind and stamina. Once he's had a chance to recover and his Soul Power is flowing smoothly again, he should be back to normal."
They waited there a little longer.
The Main Hall was quiet, with only Ning Feng's steady breathing echoing through it.
At last, Ning Feng opened his eyes again.
As he did, a glint flashed through his eyes, and his whole demeanor seemed steadier than before.
He stood and stretched his limbs, immediately feeling the far stronger power surging through his body.
His finer control over Soul Power and the subtle improvements in his physical strength left him feeling more fulfilled than ever.
Although his consciousness had been in an indescribably hazy, mysterious state when he entered Unity of Heaven and Man, he had still retained a vague sense of what was happening around him.
He knew how much effort the elder had expended to help him improve. He immediately stepped forward and respectfully bowed to the elder and Du Busi. "Thank you, Sect Master, for watching over me, and thank you, Elder, for helping me hone my skills."
The elder had regained his breath by now. As he looked at Ning Feng, the disdain he had shown earlier was gone from his eyes.
He waved a hand, his tone much gentler than before. "As long as you've improved, that's what matters. You're the sect's hope for the future; this little favor is nothing. You'd better keep working hard at your cultivation. You have excellent talent, and I truly have high hopes for you."
Hearing this, Du Busi couldn't help teasing the elder. "Old fool, that's not what you said before."
"Weren't you just telling me you were worried the boy wasn't strong enough, and that he might not be able to protect Vina while out on a mission? What happened? You've changed your tune in no time at all."
The elder's face reddened, and he looked rather embarrassed.
Trying to cover up his awkwardness, he raised his voice and retorted, "That was before! How was I supposed to know the boy was such a freak?"
"Most Body Sect disciples are unreliable when they've only been in the sect for a few months. I was only looking out for the children's safety!"
Listening to the two of them, Ning Feng finally pieced together what had happened.
It seemed Du Busi had already intended for him to go on a sect mission with Vina and Mu Xue.
But the elder had worried about the newcomers' fighting abilities and feared they might suffer casualties due to their lack of experience, so he had deliberately tested them with that challenge.
Even so, Ning Feng didn't resent being doubted. Instead, he showed remarkable tact.
He bowed to the elder again and said sincerely, "Thank you for your concern, Elder."
"You were looking out for our safety. I'll keep your advice in mind throughout the mission, act with caution, and never be reckless."
The elder gave Ning Feng an odd look. His tense expression softened, and he couldn't help muttering, "That boy sure knows how to handle himself..."
Seeing that the mood had eased, Du Busi smiled and said, "All right, you should understand what's going on now."
"I called you here to assign you a mission in the first place, but this old fool insisted on testing you in person."
"Now that you've passed the test, I should tell you the details."
Vina's expression turned serious as she looked at Du Busi. "May I ask what the mission is, Sect Master, and where we'll be going?"
Du Busi's expression grew stern. "I want you to wipe out a group of Evil Soul Masters."
"According to reports, they've been operating around the Great Rock Forest in the western part of the Heaven Dou Empire. They've committed several crimes there recently and even attacked nearby villages."
"None of them are particularly strong on their own. Their leader is probably only around level twenty-seven or twenty-eight. The trouble is that they have quite a few members, around seven or eight."
He paused, then gave them a pointed warning. "Be careful when you carry out this mission. Evil Soul Masters often use bizarre methods that defy common sense. You must not only complete the purge but also make sure everyone returns safely."
Ning Feng and the two girls listened with grave expressions.
They asked for more details about the mission's most recent sighting, the Soul Skills the enemy might possess, the surrounding terrain, and other particulars.
Once they had all the information they needed and had made their preparations, the three of them wasted no time. They left the sect and headed at full speed toward the Great Rock Forest.
Three days later, after a long and dusty journey, they reached Great Rock Town, a small town on the outskirts of the Great Rock Forest.
It was the only route into the forest and a hub for all kinds of information.
To avoid alerting the enemy, they didn't go straight into the forest. Instead, they split up to gather information at the town's taverns, market, blacksmith shops, and other places.
By evening, the three of them had returned to the room they had booked at the inn to discuss what they'd learned.
Ning Feng spoke first. "What about you two, Senior Sisters? Did you find out anything useful?"
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