Early morning.
The waystation lay shrouded in thin mist.
The horses stamped their hooves restlessly.
Grandmaster counted everyone.
His brows were tightly furrowed.
"Stay close, everyone."
"We have to pass through Black Wind Gorge today."
"That place isn't safe."
The convoy set off again.
The farther they went.
The steeper the mountain road became.
Cliffs towered on either side.
Casting vast shadows.
Xiao Wu clung to the carriage window.
"This place is so creepy."
Tang San gripped Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges.
Ready to draw his hidden weapons at any moment.
Ling Feng rested with his eyes closed.
But Soul Power flowed slowly around his body.
Like a leopard lying in wait.
Suddenly.
The carriage jolted to a halt!
The driver's startled cry came from outside.
Along with a jumble of footsteps.
"What's going on?"
Grandmaster lifted the carriage curtain.
On the road ahead.
Several felled trees lay across the path.
Blocking their way completely.
Behind the trees.
Seven or eight figures darted out.
The one leading them.
Was none other than Lan Feng from yesterday!
He stood with his arms folded.
His face full of smug satisfaction.
Six young men followed behind him.
Every one of them had a vicious gaze.
Their Soul Power fluctuations were all above rank twenty.
"Go on, run!"
Lan Feng sneered.
"Why aren't you running anymore?"
Grandmaster's expression darkened.
"Lan Feng."
"What are you trying to do?"
"What am I trying to do?"
Lan Feng took a step forward.
"That brat yesterday!"
"He dared to launch a sneak attack on this young master!"
"Today..."
His gaze swept over the carriage.
And fixed on Ling Feng, who had just stepped down.
"Get on your knees and kowtow three times!"
"Then leave that little girl here to make amends!"
"Otherwise..."
The six young men behind him released their Martial Souls at once!
Beasts roared.
Weapons rang.
Soul Rings lit up!
Two Two-Ring Soul Grandmasters!
Four Three-Ring Soul Elders!
Their presence was menacing!
Wang Sheng and the others' legs went weak with fear.
"T-Teacher..."
Grandmaster stepped forward.
Shielding the students behind him.
"Lan Feng!"
"Does your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan..."
"Teach you to behave like this?"
Lan Feng burst out laughing.
"Don't try to use the clan to pressure me!"
"We're out in the remote wilderness!"
"If I cripple all of you..."
"Who's going to know?"
His gaze turned vicious.
"Attack!"
"Except for that little girl!"
"Beat the rest to death!"
The six young men charged with savage grins!
The light of Soul Skills flashed!
They lunged straight at Grandmaster!
Grandmaster was only a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster.
How could he possibly stop them?
He was about to be overwhelmed!
"Teacher!"
Tang San cried urgently.
Hidden weapons were already clasped in his hand!
Xiao Wu was also about to charge forward!
A dark figure.
Was faster than either of them!
Ling Feng!
At some point, he had already taken his place in front of Grandmaster.
Facing six powerful enemies.
His expression was calm.
"Step back."
He told Grandmaster.
His voice was quiet.
Yet carried an unquestionable force.
Grandmaster froze.
And instinctively stepped back.
Ling Feng looked at the six men charging toward him.
His gaze swept over Lan Feng.
"You."
"Come at me with them."
Lan Feng's face twisted with rage.
"Arrogant fool!"
"Cripple him first!"
The six young men roared!
Their Soul Skills erupted together!
Wind blades!
Fireballs!
Earth spikes!
They engulfed Ling Feng!
"Ling Feng!"
Xiao Wu cried out in alarm.
Tang San was about to release his hidden weapons!
At that very moment!
Ling Feng moved!
His right hand rose!
Black light surged forth!
An enormous hammer, pitch-black from end to end.
And traced with dark red patterns.
Appeared out of thin air!
Its head was larger than a human head!
Overbearing!
Heavy!
As though it could crush space itself!
The Clear Sky Hammer!
Revealed for the first time within Suotuo City's territory!
"What Martial Soul is that?"
The Soul Elder at the front froze.
Ling Feng flicked his wrist!
The Clear Sky Hammer swept sideways!
No Soul Skill!
Pure strength!
Boom!!!
The wind shattered!
The fire died!
The earth crumbled!
The first Soul Elder's Martial Soul was a saber.
Both saber and man.
Were sent flying by a single hammer blow!
He slammed into the cliff face!
And lost consciousness!
An instant defeat!
The second Soul Elder had a leopard Martial Soul.
He was fast.
Ling Feng did not even look.
And swung the hammer backhanded!
It struck precisely in the path of his pounce!
"Pfft!"
The leopard Soul Elder spat blood as he flew backward!
The third Soul Elder had a turtle Martial Soul.
His defense was strong.
He roared and charged forward!
Ling Feng stepped forward!
He surged ahead!
The Clear Sky Hammer swung from above!
One simple smash!
Crack!
The turtle shell shattered!
The man sank into the ground!
The fourth Soul Elder had an eagle Martial Soul.
He flew in the air.
Ling Feng stamped his foot!
The ground cracked!
He shot upward like a cannonball!
One hammer strike!
The eagle Soul Elder was like a fly swatted away.
He plummeted.
Two Soul Grandmasters remained.
They were scared witless.
They turned to flee.
Ling Feng landed.
The Clear Sky Hammer flew from his hand!
It spun!
It howled through the air!
Bang! Bang!
Both were struck squarely in the back.
They fell flat on their faces.
The entire place fell deathly silent.
From the moment Ling Feng struck.
Until all six lay on the ground.
Only three breaths had passed.
Lan Feng's mouth hung open.
He looked like a chicken with its neck in a stranglehold.
Tang San's clenched fists slowly loosened.
Shock filled his eyes.
Xiao Wu blinked.
"It... it's over?"
Ling Feng beckoned.
The Clear Sky Hammer flew back into his hand.
Its head pointed at Lan Feng.
"Your turn."
Lan Feng jolted.
He retreated two steps.
"You... stay away!"
"My father is..."
Before he could finish.
Ling Feng was already before him!
The Clear Sky Hammer pressed down!
Lan Feng screamed!
He desperately unleashed his Soul Skill!
The phantom of a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon roared!
It crashed toward the Clear Sky Hammer!
A mantis raising its arms against a chariot!
The hammer fell!
The dragon shattered!
Lan Feng was smashed down onto both knees!
The ground split!
"Ugh!"
He spat blood.
Ling Feng held the tip of his hammer against his forehead.
"Yield?"
Lan Feng trembled all over.
Tears and snot streamed together.
"I... I yield..."
"Grandpa, spare my life..."
Ling Feng withdrew his hammer.
He turned.
He did not spare him another glance.
"Let's go."
He spoke to Grandmaster.
Grandmaster drew a deep breath.
He suppressed the towering waves raging in his heart.
"Let's go."
The convoy went around the trees.
It continued onward.
As they passed Lan Feng.
No one looked at him.
It was like passing a pile of garbage.
Only once the convoy was far away.
Did Lan Feng collapse onto the ground.
His eyes brimmed with fear and venomous resentment.
Atop the cliff.
A figure stood silently.
He wore a Silves Academy teacher's uniform.
His face was so dark it could have dripped water.
He watched the direction in which the convoy had vanished.
His fists clenched tightly.
"The Clear Sky Hammer..."
"It really is the Clear Sky Hammer!"
"This brat..."
"He absolutely cannot be allowed to live!"
His figure flashed.
He vanished into the mountain forest.
In the carriage ahead.
Xiao Wu leaned close to Ling Feng.
"That hammer just now..."
"It was so powerful!"
Ling Feng kept his eyes closed.
"It was all right."
Tang San remained silent for a long while.
Then he suddenly spoke.
"Your hammer technique..."
"It seemed to be more than just strength?"
Ling Feng opened his eyes and looked at him.
"You have a good eye."
The Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.
It emphasized intent over form.
Those strikes had seemed casual.
In truth, they concealed techniques for exerting force.
Tang San looked thoughtful.
Grandmaster watched Ling Feng.
The worry in his heart deepened.
The Clear Sky Hammer had appeared in the world.
And in such a conspicuous way.
He feared...
It would stir up great winds and waves.
He gazed toward Suotuo City.
The sky gradually darkened.
Black clouds gathered.
A mountain storm was about to break.