The further west the group went, the more different the atmosphere became, with bandits appearing from time to time.
The westernmost border region of the empire was where law and order were weakest.
On the night when they were still ten days away from Vast Sea City, the team set up camp at the foot of a sheltered hill.
The campfire had just been lit, and everyone found a place to rest when Tang Feng suddenly looked up.
He looked northwest, where there was a low, gently sloping valley, and faint flickering lights could be seen in the distance.
Tang Feng suddenly stood up. " Chenxiang, go see what's going on."
Bai Chenxiang didn't ask any further questions. With the phantom of the Sharp-Tailed Swift Martial Soul behind her unfolding, she shot into the night sky like an arrow.
Everyone stood up, waiting anxiously for Bai Chenxiang's message.
Less than a quarter of an hour later, Bai Chenxiang returned, his face deathly pale as he landed. He said, "It's Wolf Bandits. At least a hundred of them, slaughtering the village."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Tang Feng's Flame Dragon Wings suddenly unfurled. He grabbed Zhu Zhuqing's waist with one arm and leaped three zhang away, shouting, "You all follow immediately! Zhu Zhuqing and I will go first!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already transformed into a shooting star, his Flame Dragon Wings trailing a blazing tail, flying straight towards the valley ravaged by flames.
But they were too late.
The village was small, built along a mountain stream, with about seventeen or eighteen households. More than a dozen male corpses lay in the village, all of them villagers, still clutching hoes, hunting spears, and woodcutting axes.
They tried to protect those who were running slower behind them, but they were unsuccessful.
When Tang Feng landed at the village entrance, all he could hear was the crackling sound of flames burning the roof beams and the heavy panting of Wolf Bandits gnawing on bones.
Those beasts were slightly smaller than ordinary Soul Beast. They walked upright, with grayish-brown manes covering their hunched backs. Their snouts protruded forward, and saliva dripped from their fangs.
They were dragging out everything they could swallow from the broken doors and windows: grain, livestock, and things that were no longer recognizable...
Tang Feng took a step forward, and the instant the Clear Sky Hammer landed in his palm, the Gravity Domain suddenly expanded around him, with five times the gravity.
The center of the Wolf Bandits, which was huddled together and gnawing on the corpses, suddenly caved in, and blood mist and broken bones exploded into a crimson ripple.
The dozen or so animals on the outer edge were pressed into the ground by the sudden, heavy pressure, their limbs twisted at bizarre angles, and they died before they could even let out a wail.
The remaining Wolf Bandits finally reacted. They dropped the flesh and blood from their mouths, letting out threatening growls, their scarlet vertical pupils locking onto the uninvited guest.
However, when they saw the slowly pulsating crimson Soul Ring beneath Tang Feng's feet, the Wolf Bandits pack let out mournful howls and scattered to both sides like a receding tide.
But under the pressure of five times the gravity, every step they took was like sinking into a quagmire; they staggered, fell, and were trampled underfoot by their companions, letting out dying screams.
Escape is impossible.
Zhu Zhuqing's figure emerged from the shadows, her Dark Gold Dreadclaw drawing six eerie blue arcs in the night sky, so fast that their trajectory was almost invisible. The heads of the six Wolf Bandits rolled off with a thud, their headless bodies still in a fleeing posture, taking two more steps before collapsing with a thud.
Tang Jian, who arrived shortly after, shouted and smashed the Clear Sky Hammer into the most densely packed area of Wolf Bandits from the side. The purple afterimage trailing behind the hammer smashed two Wolf Bandits into a pulp, their entrails spilling onto the ground.
Tai Long's roar and Niu Zhen's charge arrived simultaneously. Dugu Yan's poisonous mist sealed off the last gap.
The dark green poisonous mist meandered and flowed like a living thing. The three Wolf Bandits rushed to the edge inhaled the first breath and bled from all seven orifices, convulsing and collapsing.
This was a massacre with no suspense whatsoever.
Fifteen minutes later, the last Wolf Bandits fell to Tang Feng's hammer.
It was a leader that was noticeably larger than others, with a few strands of dark red mixed in with its mane, and fangs that were as long as a forearm.
Tang Feng's Clear Sky Hammer came crashing down from the front. It instinctively raised its arms to block, but its arm bones snapped instantly and twisted into bizarre angles. The hammer's momentum didn't stop; it landed directly in the center of its chest cavity.
The leader let out a hiss, a spray of blood mist gushing from his sunken chest, before collapsing, crimson blood slowly seeping from his seven orifices.
Tang Feng was surprised to find that after the beast died, it dropped a dark red Right Leg Soul Bone, which he put away.
Silence returned, broken only by the sounds of burning flames and collapsing roof beams.
Tang Feng put away the Clear Sky Hammer and silently walked into the village to check if there were any survivors, but the result was contrary to his expectations.
He said somberly, " Tai Long, Niu Zhen, you two count the number of Wolf Bandits. Little Ao, Brother Jian, you two collect the villagers' remains."
No one said much, and each accepted their orders.
A total of 103 Wolf Bandits, and 37 villagers' bodies were recovered.
The villagers retrieved straw mats and cloth from the ruins, wrapped each body in them, and buried them on the hillside behind the village.
After completing all this, the group returned to camp.
Tang Feng took out the dark red Soul Bone and said to everyone, "This Right Leg Bone of Bloodthirsty Berserk, approximately 18,000 years old. It unleashes burst-type skills and is quite suitable for a Power Attack System Beast Martial Soul Master like Tai Long."
He handed the Soul Bone to Tai Long and continued, " Tai Long, absorb it now!"
Tai Long accepted the Soul Bone without hesitation, immediately sat down cross-legged, and pressed the Soul Bone against his right leg.
An hour later, the Soul Bone was completely absorbed.
"Level 53. Soul Bone Skill ' Bloodthirsty Berserk ': For five minutes, strength, defense, and speed are increased by 100%. The cost is the inability to use other Soul Skill and the possibility of entering a berserk state, resulting in mental loss of control," Tai Long said excitedly.
Tang Feng nodded, looking at him seriously and said, "This kind of berserk state can indeed lead to mental loss. Before your mental strength reaches the Soul Saint level, it's best not to use Soul Bone Skill."
"Yes." Tai Long nodded solemnly.
Ten days later, the sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy smell, swept in, and the outline of Vast Sea City finally appeared on the horizon.
This largest coastal city on the far western border of the Heaven Dou Empire was completely different from all the towns they had encountered along the way.
The city wall was made of huge coral stones stacked together, with sea mud and some kind of viscous resin filling the gaps, which shimmered with a fine silver light in the sunlight.
The city gates were wide open, and merchants and travelers came and went in an endless stream.
Tang Feng withdrew his gaze, looked at his travel-worn companions, and said with a smile, "Let's go into town and find an inn first!"
After checking in and having a hearty meal, Tang Feng said, "We'll rest in Vast Sea City for a few days. Tomorrow, Little Ao and Rongrong, you two will be in charge of purchasing supplies for the voyage. Tang Jian, Tai Long, and Niu Zhen, the three of you will go to the dock and find a ship to Sea God Island."
Everyone nodded in unison, agreeing.
The next day, the weather was clear and the morning in Vast Sea City was early. Tang Feng and Zhu Zhuqing arrived at the beach without disturbing anyone.
The sand in Vast Sea City is different from other places. It is not the usual golden color, nor the dark color unique to some islands, but a kind of pure, fine white that has been washed by the waves for thousands of years.
The sand is as fine as powder; when you step on it barefoot, a cool warmth spreads from the soles of your feet, like stepping into a handful of unspoiled, fresh snow.
The tide gently licked the sandy shore, leaving behind a fine, spiderweb-like pattern of watermarks on the mudflats with each receding tide, shimmering with a pale golden light in the rising sun.
Tang Feng held Zhu Zhuqing's hand, their fingers intertwined, and walked barefoot along the edge of the tide line.
The waves surged up again and again, reaching above ankle height before slowly receding, carrying away the sand.
Tang Feng's gaze inadvertently drifted downwards.
Zhu Zhuqing's ankles were slender, her arches were smooth like crescent moons, and her five toenails shimmered with a pale pink pearly sheen, which made them appear even whiter against the white sand.
She walked very lightly, each step leaving only shallow marks on the sand, which were smoothed over by the next wave.
He glanced at it again, and then again.
Zhu Zhuqing noticed. A thin blush slowly crept onto the tips of her ears. She pursed her lips, pretending not to notice, but her steps became lighter and lighter, almost as if she were leaping on the fine white sand.
Tang Feng looked at her feet, and she jumped faster.
Tang Feng looked again, and she went even faster.
Like a child deliberately racing against the waves.
Finally, she couldn't help but turn her face away and glare at him reproachfully, but that glare contained an undisguised smile.
What are you looking at?
"Nice."
Zhu Zhuqing turned her face away, refusing to look at him, but the hand he was holding gently squeezed back.
A sea breeze swept by, ruffling a stray lock of hair that had fallen beside her temple.
Tang Feng stopped and turned around.
Zhu Zhuqing noticed his movement and looked up at him. A wisp of hair was blown by the wind and swayed gently against her cheek. She was about to raise her hand to brush it away.
Tang Feng's fingertips arrived first.
He gently brushed aside a strand of hair, his fingertips brushing against her earlobe, bringing a slightly ticklish warmth.
Then, instead of withdrawing his hand, he cupped her cheek and gently stroked her cheekbone with his thumb.
Zhu Zhuqing stared at him blankly.
The sunlight fell on her face, illuminating the faint blush clearly.
Her eyelashes were long and trembled slightly, like butterfly wings covered in morning dew.
Tang Feng didn't speak, he just looked at her.
Look at her eyebrows and eyes, look at the clear, soft look in her eyes that melts only for him.
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly tiptoed slightly. She had done this action countless times, but every time, just like the first time, her heart was pounding so fast she couldn't control it.
The kiss landed on the corner of his lips, extremely light and brief, like a sea breeze brushing by unintentionally. It was just a light touch, and she was about to pull away.
Tang Feng didn't let her back down. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist, pulled her into his embrace, and rested his chin on the top of her head.
Zhu Zhuqing buried her face in his chest, her ear tips turning bright red.
Tang Feng tightened his arms around her; the body in his embrace was soft, as soft as the fine sand on the beach, and carried her unique, cool, and delicate fragrance.
The sea breeze swept past them, ruffling her hair and tickling his neck.
In the distance, the sound of the tide rises and falls, wave after wave.
The sky was blue, the sea was vast, and two crooked footprints were left on the beach, which were washed away by the tide and disappeared without a trace.