Assassination Attempt by Zhao Wuji!

Night deepened, and the streets of Heaven Dou City were sparsely lit.

Ye Feng and the girls from Skywater Academy emerged from the restaurant, each with a satisfied flush on her face.

Shui Yue'er rubbed her belly and continued muttering, "Senior, let's come here again next time. Their grilled fish is really good."

"Sure, sure, we'll come again next time," Ye Feng replied perfunctorily, but his steps suddenly halted.

The smile on his face vanished instantly, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"What's wrong?"

Shui Bing'er was the first to notice something off about him, her ice-blue eyes sweeping over him.

Ye Feng did not answer immediately. Instead, he tilted his head slightly and casually scanned the street corner, rooftops, and shadows.

After several breaths, he withdrew his gaze and lowered his voice. "Yue'er, you all head back first."

"Huh? Why?"

Shui Yue'er blinked. "Senior, are you going somewhere?"

"I have something to deal with."

Ye Feng's tone was calm, but it carried an unquestionable authority. "Go on ahead. Don't ask."

Shui Yue'er still wanted to say something, but Xue Wu tugged at her.

Xue Wu gave her a slight shake of the head. Shui Yue'er pouted and could only mutter, "Fine, fine. Then come back early, Senior."

Yu Hairou also glanced at Ye Feng, then at Shui Bing'er. She seemed to understand something and did not ask further, turning to follow Shui Yue'er and Xue Wu.

The three figures quickly disappeared around the street corner.

Ye Feng stood at the entrance of the restaurant as the night wind swept up the loose strands of hair before his forehead.

He did not turn around, merely saying blandly, "You're not leaving either?"

Shui Bing'er stood beside him with her arms crossed, her voice cold. "If I leave, who's going to collect your corpse?"

Ye Feng's mouth twitched. "Can't you hope for something better?"

"With your talent for causing trouble, I don't trust you."

As Shui Bing'er spoke, her gaze had already shifted toward a patch of shadow at the end of the street. "Come out. You've been hiding for half the night. Aren't you tired?"

As soon as her words fell, the street went quiet for two seconds.

Then, a short and burly figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

The man was barely over 1.7 meters tall, but he was built like a bear, broad-shouldered and thick-backed, with arms as thick as thighs.

Under the moonlight, a square, rugged face was revealed.

It was none other than Shrek Academy's Fudo Myoo, Zhao Wuji.

He walked forward one step at a time. Every step on the bluestone pavement produced a dull thud, like a fierce beast poised to strike.

"Little brat, your senses are pretty sharp."

Zhao Wuji grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, but his gaze was as cold as a blade. "That Karma Fire Phoenix... was that you?"

Ye Feng tilted his head and looked him over. "Who are you?"

"Heh, you don't need to know who I am."

Zhao Wuji sneered, his fists cracking loudly. "You only need to know that you crippled my disciple, so you'll pay the price!"

"Oh?"

Ye Feng drew out the word, looking suddenly enlightened. "So you're that Evil Fire Eunuch's master?"

"You bastard!"

Zhao Wuji's face darkened as Soul Power erupted around him. Three yellow, two purple, and two black Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet, casting a terrifying glow through the night.

He clenched both fists, and a circle of cracks exploded across the ground around him, sending rubble flying.

"If I don't beat you into a meat patty today, then my surname isn't Zhao!"

Ye Feng tilted his head, sizing up Zhao Wuji's bear-like build before grinning.

"A Soul Sage? Seven rings? Old man, you're getting on in years, but you've got quite the temper."

"Cut the crap!"

Zhao Wuji roared and stomped down hard, shattering the bluestone pavement.

He shot toward Ye Feng like a cannonball, his right hand clenched into a fist. Soul Power condensed into a layer of earthy-yellow light around it as it blasted straight toward Ye Feng's face.

The punch was powerful and heavy, carrying a shrieking gust of wind. If it landed solidly, even a Soul King would suffer broken bones on the spot.

Ye Feng's pupils narrowed, yet he did not retreat. Instead, he stamped his right foot against the ground, and crimson-gold flames erupted around him with a boom.

Fourth Soul Skill: Blazing Flame Phoenix Feather Formation—Single-Target Enhancement!

His pitch-black fourth Soul Ring suddenly shone brightly, and the flames around Ye Feng surged.

His long hair rapidly transformed from the roots into a pure golden-red, like a miniature sun illuminating the entire street as brightly as day.

He raised his hand and clenched his right fist as well. Crimson-gold flames gathered around it, forming a solid flaming gauntlet.

Then, he threw a punch to meet the attack.

Boom!

The two fists collided, and a violent shockwave exploded outward. The shop signs along both sides of the street rattled loudly, while several windows shattered outright.

Zhao Wuji felt a scorching pain in his fist. The crimson-gold flames actually spread up his arm along his Soul Power, burning his skin hot.

He abruptly shook his hand and retreated two steps. Looking down, he saw that his fist was charred black and wisps of smoke were still rising from it.

"This..."

Zhao Wuji looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief.

A Soul Sage's full-force punch had actually been blocked head-on by a mere Soul Ancestor?

And he had even come out worse for it?

Ye Feng shook his numb right hand and grinned. "Tsk. A Soul Sage's fist is nothing special after all."

"Brat, you're courting death!"

Rage burned in Zhao Wuji's chest. He brought his hands together sharply, and his fourth Soul Ring blazed. Fourth Soul Skill: Gravity Suppression!

An invisible force rose from the ground.

Ye Feng felt his body suddenly grow heavy. The bluestone beneath his feet cracked with a snap, and his feet sank half an inch into the ground.

Zhao Wuji grinned viciously and charged forward in great strides, both fists clenched like two massive warhammers as they smashed down toward Ye Feng's head.

Ye Feng drew a deep breath. Crimson-gold flames surged over his body, forming a thin membrane of light pressed tightly against his skin.

Third Soul Skill: Mystic Fire Phoenix Transformation—Elementalization!

The flames exploded in an instant, and Ye Feng's figure blurred within the firelight, as though he had transformed into a mass of flowing flame.

Zhao Wuji's fists crashed down and passed through Ye Feng's body, but it felt as though they had struck empty air, finding no purchase whatsoever.

"Hmm?!"

Zhao Wuji froze, only to see Ye Feng's figure slowly dissipate before him, turning into a wisp of firelight.

Behind him came Ye Feng's lazy voice. "Old man, your eyesight isn't very good."

Zhao Wuji spun around sharply and saw that Ye Feng had somehow appeared three meters behind him.

"Die!"

Zhao Wuji roared, stomping down hard as he lunged at Ye Feng once more.

His fists rained down like raindrops, every punch carrying earthy-yellow Soul Power as deep pits exploded across the ground.

With light steps, Ye Feng relied on his speed and the damage immunity of Elementalization, weaving through the barrage of fists like a phantom.

Every step precisely avoided Zhao Wuji's attack range.

After a string of heavy punches missed their mark, sweat had already seeped from Zhao Wuji's brow, and his breathing had grown noticeably heavier.

He stopped and stared at Ye Feng, his eyes full of uncertainty and shock.

This brat... he was clearly only a Soul Ancestor. How could he hold out against a Soul Sage like him for so long?