The blazing sun shone high in the sky.
Seven or eight carriages rolled slowly along the broad yellow-earth road.
The scorching weather left the guards escorting the carriages drenched in sweat, and irritated curses rang out incessantly along the road.
Xiao Ying, one of the Xiao Clan's three elders, was its second elder. His strength had already reached Three-Star Da Dou Shi.
Even across all of Wutan City, that strength placed him among its notable experts. Sending him to escort this shipment showed just how much the Xiao Clan valued these medicinal ingredients.
Ling Feng's blockade had left the Xiao Clan unable to obtain enough medicinal ingredients in Wutan City to refine third-rank pills, reclaim the market, and restore its finances.
The Xiao Clan could only send people outside the city to buy them at exorbitant prices. These ingredients cost several times what they did in Wutan City and had consumed more than half the clan's wealth. Naturally, the clan dared not take chances and had assigned Xiao Ying, a Da Dou Shi, specifically to protect them.
"Damn Jia Lie Bi, Oba Pa, and that bastard who doesn't dare show his face! Just you wait! The Xiao Clan will tear every last one of you out by the roots and avenge this humiliation!"
Xiao Ying sat cross-legged in a carriage, his body remaining rock-steady no matter how it jolted. But several days of travel had worn down the patience of a man accustomed to comfort, and he couldn't help cursing through gritted teeth.
Ling Feng had caused the Xiao Clan's finances to plunge rapidly. Jia Lie Bi and Oba Pa had certainly played their part as well. Seizing the opportunity, the two had thrown stones at a man already down a well, dealing the clan a devastating financial blow.
Had Yao Chen not intervened and provided the third-rank Qi Recovery Pill, the Xiao Clan might already have fallen into decline.
However, because of Ling Feng, the Xiao Clan could obtain precious few medicinal ingredients in Wutan City. This prevented it from using the Qi Recovery Pill to restore its finances and reclaim the market quickly.
After cursing through clenched teeth, Xiao Ying turned his head slightly backward. Through the carriage window, he looked at the neatly stacked medicinal ingredients behind him, and a trace of helplessness appeared on his gloomy face.
Although he owned a Storage Ring, it was only a low-grade one with very little space. Holding several carriage-loads of ingredients would require at least a mid-grade Storage Ring.
The Xiao Clan's entire fortune might have been enough to buy one mid-grade Storage Ring. Obviously, the clan would never do that, nor could it afford to. Thus, they had no choice but to transport the ingredients in the most primitive, cumbersome fashion.
Xiao Ying blinked wearily and was about to take a short nap when he noticed the carriages suddenly stop. He frowned, only to see a stern-faced young man in luxurious black robes blocking the road.
His brows knitted, and his expression darkened. They were already within Wutan City's territory, yet someone still dared intercept them here?
His gaze swept over Ling Feng, and a cold gleam flashed through his eyes. After a brief hesitation, Xiao Ying asked in a low voice, "Who are you, sir? Why are you blocking our way?"
Although the other man looked young, Xiao Ying couldn't sense his cultivation level. That made him wary of underestimating him.
What Xiao Ying didn't know was that Ling Feng looked mature and stern because he was in his character Spirit Imbuement state. Once he left that state, he would still be that Dou Shi-level youth.
"Xiao Ying, spare me the chatter. Now that I'm here, none of you-including those carriage-loads of ingredients-will enter Wutan City!"
Ling Feng watched Xiao Ying and the others impassively as he spoke coldly.
Ling Feng had long since assigned people to watch the Xiao Clan. How could any movement of theirs escape him? This time, he had deliberately intercepted them halfway, intending to destroy the clan little by little.
Clang!
The moment Ling Feng finished speaking, Xiao Ying's face twitched. With a grim expression, he waved his arm, and the dozens of guards behind him immediately drew the weapons at their waists, glaring hostilely at the mysterious young man in luxurious black robes.
Seeing this, Ling Feng gave a cold smile, then slowly walked toward the convoy.
"Archers, ready... fire!"
Watching Ling Feng approach with complete composure, Xiao Ying ordered the ten-man Archery Squad behind him, his expression icy.
In an instant, ten arrows became ten vicious streaks of wind, hurtling toward Ling Feng's vital points at treacherous angles.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The arrows tore through the air with heart-crushing whistles, yet Ling Feng remained utterly unruffled. When they struck him, however, he dissolved into smoke. In the end, a Substitution Log appeared before Xiao Ying and the others.
How was that possible?
Where had he gone?
What kind of Dou Technique was this?
Xiao Ying and the others stared wide-eyed. Shock surged through them as they scanned their surroundings warily.
Just then, Xiao Ying felt a hair-raising chill behind him. He turned to look over his shoulder and saw Ling Feng standing atop a carriage at the rear, rapidly forming strange hand seals. Bringing his sword-hand seal to his mouth, Ling Feng leaped into the air.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A huge fireball formed from Chakra erupted from Ling Feng's mouth, instantly engulfing every carriage and the Xiao Clan guards around them.
"Run!"
Finally reacting, Xiao Ying hurriedly shouted for everyone to flee, but the Xiao Clan guards were essentially just guards; their reactions couldn't match his.
In an instant, the Great Fireball Technique caught the vast majority of them, and flames swept swiftly over their bodies.
The agony of being burned alive drew piercing screams from the Xiao Clan guards. They tried to extinguish the flames but couldn't, and ultimately burned to death.
The carriages laden with medicinal ingredients were the first to be caught and the first to burn to ashes.
Watching this, Xiao Ying's expression turned extremely ugly. The surviving guards looked horrified as well. They had been too busy fleeing for their lives to save their companions.
They had suffered devastating losses in a single exchange. Unease rose in Xiao Ying and the others' hearts, while the guards faced Ling Feng with outright terror, instinctively drawing closer to Xiao Ying.
Damn it, this fellow is probably stronger than me. I can't stay here. Otherwise, I might die here. I have to find a way to retreat to Wutan City immediately.
That single clash had revealed the gap between them. Xiao Ying's brows drew together, and he was already thinking of retreat.
His aged eyes shifted as he drew a Flexible Sword from his waist. Facing Ling Feng, he asked gravely, "Who exactly are you? Why are you targeting the Xiao Clan?"
"Don't you know villains die from talking too much?"
Ling Feng smiled coldly and slowly advanced toward Xiao Ying and the others.
Although Xiao Ying didn't understand Ling Feng's strange words, he knew his attempt to stall for time probably wouldn't work.
He slowly exhaled. Pale-green Dou Qi immediately seeped from his body, stirring the surrounding air into turmoil.
Clearly, Xiao Ying's Dou Qi cultivation method was of the wind attribute, favoring destructive power.
Gripping his specially made Flexible Sword, Xiao Ying stared fixedly at Ling Feng. After adjusting his stance slightly, he abruptly stamped the ground, turning into a streak of green light that charged straight at the approaching Ling Feng.
Once airborne, Xiao Ying's face grew solemn. The Flexible Sword in his hand twisted sharply like a writhing serpent, green Dou Qi radiating from its length. Fierce winds immediately rose, their whistles pressing heavily against the heart.
"Storm!"
A low shout burst from Xiao Ying's mouth. Howling winds rapidly coiled together, forming a pale-green vortex more than ten zhang across that swept toward Ling Feng.
Storm was a Profound Tier Low Grade Dou Technique, the highest-grade technique Xiao Ying had mastered so far. Years of cultivation had brought his command of it to the point where the furnace fire burned pure blue. Unleashed at full strength, it could kill an opponent above his level.
As Xiao Ying's shout faded, the vortex spanning more than ten zhang bore down with howling winds, bringing tremendous pressure.
Facing Xiao Ying's killing move, Ling Feng dared not be careless. He hurriedly formed seals with both hands. "Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A cylindrical wall of water rose around Ling Feng. Xiao Ying's Storm pressed toward him but was stopped outside the curtain of water.
Bang!
The two forces collided with a resounding clash of energy. But Xiao Ying had never intended to fight Ling Feng to the death; he fled the moment he unleashed his strongest move. Without a continued supply of energy, the Storm was easily blocked by Ling Feng.
The few surviving Xiao Clan guards paled at the sight. After a moment's hesitation, they hurriedly scattered and fled.
Ling Feng ignored them outright. These small fry weren't his targets. His gaze settled on the rapidly fleeing Xiao Ying, and his lips curled coldly. "Think you can escape?"
The next instant, Ling Feng became a blur and rapidly caught up with Xiao Ying. Sensing the pursuit, Xiao Ying grew frantic and couldn't help cursing.
"Damn it! Why is this bastard only chasing me?"
But curses were one thing; Xiao Ying didn't dare stop. Still, how could a Da Dou Shi's strength compare to Ling Feng's Dou Ling strength?
Besides, Ling Feng had unlimited mana while using Spirit Imbuement.
Soon, Ling Feng overtook him on a bend. Seeing that he couldn't evade him, Xiao Ying was forced to fight.
"Damn it! Do you really think I'm afraid of you?"
Xiao Ying erupted in fury, swinging his Flexible Sword again as pale-green Dou Qi spread outward.
Soon, Xiao Ying formed another Storm and sent it charging toward Ling Feng. This time, he was clearly giving it everything he had, and the vortex was several zhang larger than before.
"Storm!"
Watching his target draw ever closer, a vicious look flashed across Xiao Ying's face, and he smiled chillingly. Yet Ling Feng suddenly opened his eyes wide at him, and a sharp cry rang in Xiao Ying's ears.
"Sharingan!"
A bloody gleam flashed through Ling Feng's dark eyes, and the three-tomoe Sharingan appeared before Xiao Ying's gaze.
Those eyes... why do they feel so evil? I have a bad feeling about this.
Looking into Ling Feng's eyes, Xiao Ying felt an inexplicable surge of unease. But the arrow was already on the string; he had to loose it.
Xiao Ying had no choice but to press on.
"Die!"
Facing the target right before him, Xiao Ying swung his Flexible Sword. The raging vortex, nearly twenty zhang across, howled toward Ling Feng.
Even before it reached him, Ling Feng's body seemed to be sliced apart by countless wind blades, strips of flesh torn away.
Yet just as Xiao Ying thought his attack had succeeded, his eyes suddenly bulged. Ling Feng, who had clearly been on the verge of being shredded by his attack, transformed into a flock of crows.
An intense sense of dread swept through his entire body. At the same moment, Xiao Ying felt a chill behind him. Sensing something, his face filled with terror.
Shhk!
A cold blade pierced Xiao Ying's heart from behind. His eyes immediately bulged. "Urgh... how?"
Blood gushed uncontrollably from his mouth. He glanced back at Ling Feng, who had driven a Samurai Sword through his heart, utterly bewildered. He had clearly caught Ling Feng in his shredding attack. Why had he been killed instead at the final moment?
Ling Feng understood Xiao Ying's confusion. He said coldly, "From the moment you saw these eyes, you were already caught in my genjutsu."
"Genjutsu?"
His face deathly pale, Xiao Ying glared venomously at Ling Feng. "You... who exactly are you?!"
At his words, Ling Feng smiled chillingly and pulled out the Samurai Sword. Xiao Ying's heart ruptured, and he vomited another great mouthful of blood. As he died, only Ling Feng's words, cold as the netherworld, echoed in his ears.
"I am your Xiao Clan's nightmare!"