Author note: I can't believe it more than 50k viewer I don't know how to thank you all I am very happy. This is an extra long chapter for you guys and thanks for all your support.
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It had been two days since Fu and Ye Feng saved Ye Long and his team. In that time, Ye Feng had spoken at all, his silence heavy with intent. Alongside Fu, he scoured the area for the Zhang brothers' team, preparing to settle the debt they owed for nearly killing his brother.
During those two days, every monster beast they encountered was dealt with swiftly. After extracting the monster cores from the fallen beasts, they resumed their search for the Zhang brothers' team without slowing their pace.
Ye Feng was seething with fury. No matter where they searched, the Zhang brothers' team was nowhere to be found within the vast forest. Each empty trail only fed his rage, pushing him closer to the edge. He felt as if he were about to lose his mind from the pent-up anger boiling inside him.
Fu noticed the change immediately—the tightness in Ye Feng's movements, the restless edge in his breathing. It was clear his state of mind was deteriorating, impatience and fury slowly overtaking his usual composure.
He sighed in his heart then reached into his space belt, and pulled out a bottle of water. Tossing it to Ye Feng, he said, "Relax. I'm sure we'll find them soon."
Ye Feng caught the bottle and snapped back at Fu, "How can you say that? Ha! We don't even know if they're still in the forest."
Fu showed no anger at Ye Feng's outburst. Meeting his gaze, he spoke calmly, "Calm down, Brother Feng. You are a smart guy—haven't you ever wondered why they chose to go after your brother and his friends?"
Silent hovered over Ye Feng when he heard Fu's words before Fu continued in a serious tone.
"I'm certain your brother has no grievances with the Zhang brothers. So why would they nearly kill him and his friends? What was their purpose?"
Understanding struck Ye Feng, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. He turned to Fu, his voice low and heavy with barely contained anger.
"I was their target all along they only target my first brother because of me."
Fu nodded his head his eyes were cold too as he looked Ye Feng.
"I told you before—he's dangerous. That guy is like a snake. It seems the rumors I heard about Zhang Da were true. We must stay on our guard."
Ye Feng finally calmed down. After taking a few mouthfuls of water from the bottle Fu had tossed to him, he nodded, handed it back, and said,
"Since I'm their main target in this forest, we'll wait for them here. When they arrive, I'll settle the score."
Fu smirked and nodded to Ye Feng, and the two took seats beneath a massive tree, patiently waiting for the Zhang brothers to show themselves.
_______
The last day of the hunting competition.
With the Zhang brothers
Zhang Da looked at his team, a cold smile spreading across his face. "Alright, it's time for me to get my revenge on Ye Feng. You will all be handsomely rewarded for the help you give me in dealing with him. I've already given you half of what I promised. Once Ye Feng is dealt with, the rest of your reward will be yours."
The three team members smiled at Zhang Da and nodded in acknowledgment. Each of them was muscular, their strength apparent in the way they carried themselves. Their short black hair and sharp eyebrows gave them a serious, no-nonsense look. They weren't handsome—by any standard, they were ordinary—but the aura they exuded was anything but. Intimidation seemed to hang around them, palpable and heavy in the air.
Zhang Wei glanced at Zhang Da, concern etched on his face. "Third brother, how are we supposed to find Ye Feng? Today's the last day of the competition, and this forest… it's huge. Finding just one person here seems impossible."
Zhang Da glared at Zhang Wei with icy disdain. "Do you even have a brain in that skull of yours, or is it just for decoration?"
The rest of the team snickered at the insult, and Zhang Wei ground his teeth, burning with anger and humiliation. 'This is all Ye Feng's fault,' he thought, clenching his fists. 'If I hadn't lost to him—and lost my pure cleansing pills—Zhang Da would never have the right to treat me like this. This is my last chance from Father. If we fail to kill Ye Feng in this forest… the punishment he'll inflict… I don't even want to imagine it.'
A chill ran through him at the thought of failure and his father's wrath. His hands trembled slightly, betraying the fear he tried so desperately to suppress.
"We left Ye Long and his team half-dead in the forest. I'm sure Ye Feng is either searching for us right now or waiting at the very place we abandoned them. Let's head there first—I have a feeling Ye Feng is already waiting for us."
Zhang Da said to his team. The others nodded in agreement, and they immediately set off toward that spot.
______
With Ye Feng and Fu
Ye Feng and Fu returned to the spot where they had found Ye Long and his team barely alive a few days ago. They sat down and waited patiently for the Zhang brothers' team.
After three hours, the Zhang brothers' team finally arrived and appeared in front of Ye Feng and Fu. The moment Ye Feng and Fu saw them, they stood up, alert and ready to battle.
Zhang Da sneered when he looked at Ye Feng, his eyes glinting with malice. "Ye Feng, how's Ye Long doing? I hope he didn't die. HAHAHAHAHA!"
Zhang Wei and the other three members joined in, their laughter loud and mocking, while Zhang Da's deep chuckle added to the menacing chorus.
Ye Feng didn't even respond to Zhang Da's provocation. Calmly, he summoned his Blood Dragon Fang and used his Free Steps martial skill.
"SWISH!"
"SQUASH!"
"AAAAAHHHH!"
Zhang Da's piercing scream tore from his throat and Fu's jaw dropped as he struggled to process what he was seeing.
'Brother Feng… he actually sliced off Zhang Da's leg…'
Zhang Da collapsed to the ground, his eyes blazing red as his anger and hatred surged to a terrifying new height, and he began screaming at Ye Feng.
"YOU ARE DEAD! THE ZHANG CLAN WILL NOT LET YOU GO, THEY WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND DESTROY THE YE CLAN."
Ye Feng's eyes narrowed at those words. He began walking toward Zhang Da slowly, each step deliberate, his gaze burning with killing intent.
Fu laughed loudly at the scene before him. With a swift motion, he summoned his saint weapon and surged forward toward the three members of the Zhang brothers' team. 'Brother Feng wants to handle the Zhang brothers himself… I'll take care of these three. Let's see if they can give me a proper challenge,' he thought, a grin spreading across his face.
The three members of Zhang brothers team sneered as they watched Fu charge alone. In unison, they summoned their own saint weapons. The tallest gripped a massive green blade, its length matching his towering frame. The shortest wielded a colossal purple hammer, while the last brandished a gleaming silver sabre. Without hesitation, all three lunged at Fu at the same time, their weapons swinging in a deadly, synchronized assault.
Fu smirked as he watched the scene unfold. Without hesitation, he swung his saint weapon at them.
"CLANK!"
The three members of the Zhang brothers' team staggered back, eyes widening in shock at the sheer force of his strike.
Fu didn't pause. He charged at the shortest member and brought the blunt side of his weapon crashing toward his face. The young man was still reeling from Fu's raw power, unprepared to defend himself.
"CRACK!"
A bone-shattering sound echoed through the air. The foe flew backward, slamming into the tree trunk with a sickening thud. Blood shot from his mouth in a dark spray, his nose broken, his face twisted in pain.
When the other two saw what had happened to their friend, their eyes turned red with fury. Rage blinded them completely as they charged at Fu, their saint weapons raised with clear killing intent.
They swung their Saint weapons wildly, attacking without restraint. Fu met their assault head-on, countering every strike with brutal strength.
"CLANK! CLANK! CLANK! CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!"
Fu's swings were heavy and overwhelming. The sheer force behind each blow sent violent vibrations through their arms, and soon they could no longer maintain their grips on their Saint weapons. One after another, their saint weapons slipped from their hands and fell to the ground.
Fu smirked coldly when he saw this. Seizing the opening, he rushed forward and swung the blunt side of his saint weapon at their faces.
"CRACK! CRACK!"
The sickening sound of bones shattering echoed through the air. Both men were sent flying backward, their bodies slamming into the trunks of nearby trees. Blood sprayed from their mouths as they collapsed, unconscious and broken.
Zhang Da looked at Ye Feng in fear as he slowly walked toward him. Blood poured from his severed limb, and his emotions were in complete turmoil. Yet despite the terror gnawing at his heart, his anger and hatred toward Ye Feng burned at their peak.
After losing his left leg, his cultivation would be affected tremendously. For a cultivator, losing a limb was a fate worse than death—it would become extremely difficult to advance their cultivation from that point onward. This was especially true for Zhang Da, as Ye Feng had already become his heart demon.
Even if, by some stroke of heaven-defying luck, Zhang Da managed to persuade a rank-seven Radiant Saint Master to restore his missing limb, his cultivation would never progress smoothly again. As long as Ye Feng existed, the shadow in his heart would remain, blocking his path and tormenting his dao.
"You will pay for this!" Zhang Da roared like a madman. "I will make sure everyone you care about is dead. Mark my words—your father, your mother, your siblings, your friends, and even your lovers. None of them will be spared. Just wait and see!"
Ye Feng's black eyes narrowed, killing intent surging within them. Without saying a word, he continued walking toward Zhang Da at an unhurried pace, his grip tightening around the Blood Dragon Fang as murderous aura seeped from his body.
When Zhang Da saw that Ye Feng showed no sign of stopping, fear finally overwhelmed him. He tried to scramble to his feet and run, but every attempt ended with him crashing back to the ground. Crippled and trembling, standing on one leg was already beyond his ability—let alone escaping.
Zhang Wei stood rooted to the ground as he watched the scene before him. Terror swallowed him whole. Though every instinct screamed at him to run, his legs refused to obey.
When Ye Feng stopped in front of Zhang Da, his gaze was icy and indifferent, as if he were looking at a corpse. Without saying a word, he swung the Blood Dragon Fang upward in a ruthless arc. A flash of cold light passed by, and Zhang Da's right arm was severed cleanly at the shoulder.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
Zhang Da's scream tore through the air as blood sprayed everywhere. His severed arm fell to the ground beside him, twitching once before going completely still.
Ye Feng showed no mercy. He stepped forward and kicked Zhang Da squarely in the face, sending his body flying backward. Zhang Da slammed heavily into a tree trunk with a dull thud, his eyes rolling back as he lost consciousness.
After dealing with Zhang Da, Ye Feng slowly turned his head and locked eyes with Zhang Wei. Zhang Wei was trembling uncontrollably after witnessing how viciously Ye Feng had dealt with his brother. Ye Feng began walking toward him, his steps calm and unhurried. Panic seized Zhang Wei's heart, and he staggered backward several steps, his legs nearly giving out.
When Zhang Wei met Ye Feng's cold, pitch-black eyes, the last of his courage shattered. He dropped to his knees with a thud and raised both arms in surrender. In a trembling, broken voice, he begged, "W-we're s-sorry… f-for h-hurting y-your b-brother. P-please… f-forgive u-us."
Ye Feng did not respond. His expression remained indifferent as he raised the Blood Dragon Fang and swung it downward without hesitation.
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!"
Zhang Wei screamed in agony as Ye Feng sliced off his right arm cleanly at the shoulder. The severed limb fell to the ground, blood spraying as Zhang Wei collapsed, writhing in unbearable pain.
Fu watched the scene unfold with calm indifference after knocking out the three foes he had been fighting.
At his feet, Zhang Wei's severed right arm lay motionless on the ground, blood rapidly pooling around it.
Despite the agony, Zhang Wei's face twisted with hatred as he glared at Ye Feng and began cursing wildly.
"You bastard! How dare you do this to me? I am the fourth young master of the Zhang Clan! I will not stand for this! You will pay for what you've done. You will beg me for mercy—you will crawl to my feet!"
Ye Feng's expression darkened. His cold black eyes narrowed as killing intent surged within them. Without saying a word, he raised the Blood Dragon Fang once more and swung it down mercilessly.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
Zhang Wei's scream pierced the air as blood sprayed violently—Ye Feng's blade had carved through Zhang Wei's right eye.
Ye Feng then kicked Zhang Wei square in the face, sending him flying just like he had with Zhang Da. Zhang Wei slammed into a tree trunk, blood spraying from his mouth, and collapsed unconscious.
After Ye Feng dealt with the two brothers, Fu calmly moved among the fallen Zhang siblings and their teammates, collecting their space belts one by one. With practiced precision, he removed the flare formations from each belt, letting them clatter to the ground. The faint metallic echo of the flares hitting the floor seemed almost deafening in the sudden silence that followed the battle.
After exacting revenge for Ye Long, Ye Feng felt an immense weight lift from his chest, leaving his heart unusually light. A surge of power coursed through him, and he sensed that breaking through to the sixth layer of the Sain realm was now within reach. He turned to Fu, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Let's go," he said calmly.
Fu gave a small nod, falling in step beside him as they walked away from that part of the forest, leaving the echoes of violence behind them.
_____
In secluded part of the Dragon Forest.
Ye Feng and Fu stopped at an empty clearing deep within the forest. Fu emptied the space belts they had taken from the Zhang brothers' team, and the moment the contents spilled out, both of them fell silent.
Piles of items quickly formed what looked like a small mountain in front of them—various pills, preserved food, water, jars of wine, and a staggering number of monster cores.
Fu stared at the heap in disbelief before shouting indignantly, "What the hell? How did those bastards collect more monster cores than us?"
Ye Feng was equally surprised at first, but realization soon dawned on him. He turned to Fu and said calmly, "They probably stole the monster cores from other students."
Fu's expression darkened when he heard that, his face twisting in anger. "Dirty bastards. I hate people like them."
Ye Feng let out a quiet chuckle, but he nodded in agreement.
Fu and Ye Feng began sorting through the items piled before them. Ye Feng suddenly froze, his eyes widening in shock as they landed on several pill bottles. He quickly picked one up and examined the pills inside more carefully. After confirming their identity, his breath hitched, and he said in disbelief, "I can't believe it… these are Soul Nourishment Pills."
Fu frowned, clearly confused. "Soul Nourishment Pills? What are those?"
Ye Feng took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm his racing heart, before explaining, "Soul Nourishment Pills are extremely rare pills that strengthen the soul of the cultivator who consumes them. Not only that, they allow the soul to grow by leaps and bounds. I once read in the library that before a cultivator can breakthrough to the Heaven Saint Master realm, their soul must first be cultivated to a certain level. Only then can they attempt the breakthrough."
Fu's eyes widened in shock at what he had just heard from Ye Feng. He quickly counted the bottles of Soul Nourishment pills they possessed, his expression growing more complicated with each one. When he finally looked up, he met Ye Feng's gaze—eyes burning with barely concealed desire. Fu let out a helpless sigh, then reached out and handed five bottles of Soul Nourishment pills to Ye Feng.
Ye Feng was stunned. He shook his head and said earnestly, "Thanks, Fu, but no. We made a deal, and I can't take these pills from you. I always keep my word."
Fu narrowed his eyes and snapped, "Shut up, Feng. You are my brother. Yes, we made a deal—but without the Saint Concentrating Pills you gave me, I would never have broken through to the Saint Realm. Now it's my turn to help you. If you think this goes against your principles, then treat it as a loan."
Warmth spread through Ye Feng's heart when he heard Fu's words. He nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Fine. I'll take it as a loan. I'll pay you back later."
Fu smirked and nodded in response.
Ye Feng carefully stored the five bottles of Soul Nourishment pills in a separate space belt, then placed the monster cores into the space belt he had been using since entering the Dragon Forest. Fu gathered all the pill bottles and stored them in his own space belt before disposing of the space belts stolen from the Zhang brothers' team. After finishing their preparations, the two of them decided to spend the remaining time in the forest hunting monster beasts.
____
In the Azure Dragon Academy
In a luxurious dwelling within the Azure Dragon Academy, Rou sat behind a red curtain in the lotus position. The lower half of her face was veiled by thin red fabric, and she wore a flowing red dress that was both elegant and luxurious. Draped in crimson, she looked like a fairy descended from a painting. She was cultivated diligently, her aura calm and refined.
Suddenly, a knock sounded at her door. Rou slowly opened her eyes and said in a soft, sweet voice, "Enter."
A slim yet muscular man with long silver hair, clad in the academy staff uniform, entered the dwelling and knelt respectfully before Rou.
"Princess, I have brought the information you requested regarding the fifth young master of the Ye clan, Ye Feng, as well as the headmaster's personal disciple, Fu," he said.
Rou smiled softly behind the red curtain and replied, "Good work, Senior Zhao."
Senior Zhao presented two scrolls with both hands. Rou extended her elegant, slender hand from behind the curtain and accepted them. When she noticed that Senior Zhao was still kneeling before her, she raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, "Is there anything else you wish to report, Senior Zhao?"
Senior Zhao nodded. "Yes, my princess. In the Dragon Forest, Ye Feng severed Zhang Da's left leg and right arm. Later, he cut off Zhang Wei's right arm and destroyed his right eye—using his saint weapon."
Rou couldn't believe her ears. Her eyes widened in shock, and for a moment her mind went blank. She took a deep breath to steady herself and asked, her voice low and tense, "Why did he do that?"
Senior Zhao answered truthfully, "His first brother, Ye Long, and his team were attacked by the Zhang brothers' team. Afterward, they were abandoned, left in a near-death state."
Rou nodded in understanding and fell into thought for several minutes. After weighing the matter carefully, she finally made up her mind and said, "Announce to all royal family followers within the academy to protect Ye Feng from any retaliation by the Zhang clan."
Senior Zhao's eyes widened in shock. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are you certain, Princess? Our relationship with the Zhang clan is already extremely strained. If we carry out this order, it may deteriorate even further. There is also a high risk that our people will be exposed if they intervene on his behalf."
He took a deep breath and continued, his tone grave. "We went through immense hardship to station our men in the academy as undercover agents in order to uncover spies from the Persian and Andreas kingdoms. If word reaches the Zhang clan that our people protected the fifth young master of the Ye clan, our relationship with them will suffer a severe blow."
Senior Zhao paused briefly before adding, "Please do not forget the current state of our kingdom, Princess. These days, we are already engaged in minor skirmishes with both the Persian Kingdom and the Andreas Kingdom. We cannot afford internal turmoil at such a critical time."
The princess nodded calmly. "You are right. However, what you don't know is that the Zhang clan has had dealings with the royal families of the Andreas Kingdom and the Persian Kingdom."
Senior Zhao sprang to his feet, fury flashing across his face. His fist clenched tightly as he growled, "How dare those traitors?"
The princess ignored his reaction and continued, "Even if we shield Ye Feng from the Zhang clan's followers within the academy, they will not dare strike at us, for they fear the combined might of the royal family and the other houses loyal to us."
She paused for a few seconds, her gaze locking onto Senior Zhao's. "The Ye family is a proud clan," she said. "When they learn that the royal family protected their fifth young master, they will naturally side with us against the Zhang family—if the Zhang clan dare retaliate."
"I'm certain the headmaster already knows we planted our people in the academy. He is a close friend of the Ye clan head and will inform him that we safeguarded Ye Feng. The Ye clan head will be grateful, and in return, he will support us against the Zhang clan. It will be their way of repaying our kindness."
Senior Zhao's eyes widened in astonishment. 'She had thought of everything—analyzing the situation from every angle, devising the perfect solution, and even finding a way to secure the Ye clan's allance. No wonder she was so favored by the royal court.'
Rou sighed softly, a shadow of disappointment passing over her delicate features. "It is a pity… Ye Feng is far too independent. His talent in cultivation is extraordinary. Roping him directly into the royal family… would be nearly impossible. But… perhaps his friend Fu could be persuaded."
Zhao's eyes widened with sudden realization. "Princess… then why not propose an arranged marriage between Ye Feng and a member of the royal family? That way, we could bind him to us through family ties."
Rou felt a faint flush creep up her cheeks as the memory surfaced—the moment in the forest when Ye Feng had touched her waist and locked eyes with her. She hastily buried the thought deep within her mind, forcing herself to regain composure. Turning back to Senior Zhao, she spoke with measured calm, "True, we could, but now is not the time. Our priority must be handling the Zhang clan and the skirmishes along our kingdom's borders."
Senior Zhao nodded, his expression firm, silently acknowledging her order.
"For now, let's focus on building a friendly relationship with Ye Feng. His talent in cultivation will be a great asset to us in the future. At the same time, contact the Royal Court and start cultivating friendly ties with the Ye clan—we will need their support when the time comes to deal with the Zhang clan," Rou said seriously.
Senior Zhao's eyes reflected both respect and concern as he spoke solemnly, "Princess, I will ensure our men aid Ye Feng when the time comes, but I cannot help worrying about the Zhang clan."
Rou nodded. "We can't move against them for now. We still need their alchemy skills to strengthen our army. The only thing we can do at this stage is implant spies within their ranks."
Senior Zhao was visibly shocked. Seeing his reaction, Rou smiled faintly and added, "Don't worry. My father already has everything under control."
Her smile slowly faded as she sighed inwardly. 'I only hope Ye Feng doesn't do anything reckless in the future.'
She then looked at Senior Zhao and said, "You may leave now, Senior Zhao, and inform all our followers to aid Ye Feng when the time comes."
Senior Zhao cupped his fist respectfully to Rou and left to carry her order.
______
Four hours later
The academy staff announced that the hunting competition had concluded and summoned all remaining students to gather at the Dragon Forest's entrance.
After hearing the announcement, all the students began making their way to the forest entrance, leaving the Dragon Forest behind.
Once all the remaining students arrived at the forest entrance and the academy staff confirmed that no one was left behind, the students exited the forest.