"Ahem..."
Ling Feng coughed a few times, then used his Yuan Power to disperse the choking smoke and dust.
A short while later, a brief calm returned to the battlefield, but the place was already a complete mess.
Ling Feng walked toward Lin Langtian and the other two, who were either down on one knee or leaning against something. Their expressions changed once more, and they immediately grew wary.
Seeing this, Ling Feng gave a teasing smile. "Now, does anyone object to me taking the entire medicinal pool for myself?"
His words sounded like a question, but his manner made it plain that he was provoking them.
Yet after witnessing Ling Feng's methods, the proud, arrogant trio no longer dared underestimate him, despite the anger burning in their hearts.
Only after carefully examining him did they realize how extraordinary Ling Feng was. Their wariness deepened.
"I have no objections."
Of the three, Qin Shi was the first to yield. Wary of Ling Feng, Wang Yan and Lin Langtian also backed down for the time being.
Seeing this, Ling Feng clapped his hands and smiled sincerely at them. "Well, wouldn't it have been nice if you'd done that from the start? Why bring out blades and spears? I've always won people over with virtue. I neither like nor advocate conquering people through force or violence. Since none of you object, I'll gladly accept it."
Listening to Ling Feng, the three wore dark expressions while inwardly cursing eighteen generations of his ancestors.
Fuck!
Never have I seen anyone so utterly shameless!
You've already scraped the place clean, so why even ask us? Haven't you had enough of slapping our faces...?
Of course, Wang Yan and the others dared to be angry but not to speak. Ling Feng, meanwhile, paid them little mind. To him, they were excellent stalks of chives to harvest, just a little too young yet. He intended to leave them for later and reap them slowly.
Boom!
The Shadow Clone handed the medicinal herbs it had collected to Ling Feng, then turned into a cloud of smoke and vanished.
"What martial art is that?!"
Seeing Ling Feng's Shadow Clone, Lin Langtian and the others narrowed their eyes in surprise, even less inclined to underestimate him.
Still, they had not forgotten the purpose of their trip. Seeing that Ling Feng had no intention of pursuing the fight to the bitter end, the three sat cross-legged, took healing medicine, and began recovering.
Just then, Ling Qingzhu also approached. Apparently intrigued by Ling Feng's mysteriousness, she decided to sound him out and said with a smile, "May I ask your name, young master? Might Qingzhu have the honor of making your acquaintance?"
Ling Feng did not think much of it. Seeing the beauty take the initiative to greet him, he smiled easily. "My name is Ling Feng."
Ling Feng?
Recalling the names of the prodigies she knew, Ling Qingzhu knitted her delicate brows. None of the prodigies I've heard of have that name.
His martial arts are strange. I've never heard of anything like them in the Eastern Xuan Region, so he probably isn't from there. But I've never heard of anyone like him in the super dynasties or the other dynasties, either. Just where did this fellow come from...?
Though questions filled her mind, Ling Qingzhu maintained a calm smile. "Young Master Ling Feng, what was that homing lump of iron called? Why was it so powerful? What great expert made it? I've never seen anything like it before..."
Ling Qingzhu sounded like an "interviewer," and Ling Feng immediately realized that she was probing him. With a knowing smile, he replied, "Oh, that thing's called a Dongfeng Missile. One is comparable to an all-out strike from someone at the advanced Qi Creation Realm. I have plenty of them. They're my own private products, so it's perfectly normal that you've never seen one. As for who made them-take a guess."
"..."
Ling Feng's sudden leap in logic left Ling Qingzhu speechless for a moment. Then she shook her head and chuckled. "I couldn't possibly guess."
"Oh, then don't."
Ling Feng nodded as he spoke. That blunt, brutally simple response left Ling Qingzhu speechless again. His incurable lack of tact toward women startled and bewildered her, accustomed as she was to flatterers.
Still, she knew that Ling Feng clearly did not want to tell her. Knowing when to stop, she asked no further questions.
By then, Lin Langtian and the other two had recovered. Seeing Ling Feng chatting and laughing with Ling Qingzhu, Lin Langtian and Wang Yan, both of whom had designs on her, immediately frowned.
Wang Yan was rather more hotheaded. He darted straight to Ling Qingzhu's side and watched Ling Feng warily. Lin Langtian and Qin Shi followed close behind, likewise on guard against Ling Feng and treating him as an opponent on their own level.
After all, they could not discern Ling Feng's strength, and he clearly was not someone incapable of cultivation. There was only one explanation: he was no weaker than they were.
With all five gathered, the atmosphere grew somewhat stiff. Qin Shi was the first to break the deadlock. Pointing at the sea of fire ahead, he smiled. "The Fire Sea Array ahead should be the final barrier on the way to the Bottom Hall. Let's go take a look together."
Without waiting for a response, he walked toward the crimson sea of fire. Lin Langtian and the others had long wanted to leave and promptly followed.
Seeing this, Ling Feng smiled, folded his arms across his chest, and followed with an unruffled expression.
Watching Lin Langtian, Wang Yan, and Qin Shi instinctively retreat whenever waves of flame rose from the crimson sea ahead, Ling Feng could not help laughing inwardly, as though he were watching clowns perform.
The sea of fire before them was actually an illusion. Ling Feng had known that all along, so he felt no fear. The other three, however, had no idea. Their instinctive reactions amused him greatly, but he did not point it out, merely standing aside to enjoy the show.
Lin Langtian and the others spotted a dozen or so fiery paths leading out through the sea of fire. It seemed that only one of them was real.
For a moment, all three hesitated. Before long, however, Wang Yan, eager to please Ling Qingzhu, stepped forward first and gave her a hearty smile. "Qingzhu, it's hard to tell which of these fiery paths are real and which are false. Allow me to go ahead and scout the way for you."
Without waiting for Ling Qingzhu to refuse, Wang Yan swept gracefully into one of the paths, hoping to win her favor.
"Qingzhu, I'll go down and investigate as well."
Though Lin Langtian was cautious, he did not want Wang Yan to steal the limelight in front of Ling Qingzhu. Giving her a gentle smile, he also jumped into a fiery path.
Perhaps all of them wanted to show off in front of the beauty, for Qin Shi also chose a passage and flew into it.
Then they all became trapped.
"Young Master Ling Feng, they seem to be trapped. Why don't you go forward and give it a try?"
Turning toward Ling Feng behind her, Ling Qingzhu spoke in her ethereal voice. He ignored her suggestion entirely and instead asked, "Why don't you try?"
"You wouldn't let a woman like me go down first and brave the danger, would you?"
Blinking her beautiful eyes, Ling Qingzhu gave Ling Feng a faint smile, seemingly hoping that touch of charm would awaken his gentlemanly instincts.
Unfortunately, Ling Feng had long been tempered by a thousand hammer blows from modern women. He did not fall for that at all.
Slowly stepping forward to meet those lovely, crystal-clear eyes, Ling Feng smiled teasingly. "Is it really all right for you to be this scheming?"
"??"
Behind her thin veil, Ling Qingzhu froze briefly, not quite understanding. "Young Master Ling Feng, what do you mean?"
"I'm not like those three fools, risking their necks just to please you."
Meeting her lovely eyes, as deep as a still pool, Ling Feng smiled meaningfully. "You knew all these fiery paths were fake, yet you deliberately let them jump into the traps. You just want to keep the whole feast for yourself, don't you? Didn't your master teach you that eating alone makes you fat? Watch your waistline..."
"You!"
Ling Feng's teasing finally stirred ripples in Ling Qingzhu's formerly tranquil heart.
But this hint of earthly emotion in Ling Qingzhu only broadened Ling Feng's smile. Ignoring her embarrassment and anger, he laughed heartily and leaped into the sea of fire.
Just as Ling Feng had expected, no searing pain came. A knowing smile appeared on his face, and he immediately employed his movement technique, swiftly disappearing into the flames.
At the sight, Ling Qingzhu grew anxious.
"Young Master Ling Feng, please wait for me."
As she called softly, the beauty stepped onto the Green Lotus with her delicate foot, instantly becoming a streak of green light that plunged into the sea of fire after Ling Feng. Yet determination glimmered in her lovely eyes as she thought, I must obtain the Nirvana Heart!
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