Translator: CinderTL
[Extreme Martial Arts: 9]
[Limit Breaking Orbs: 32]
The next morning, at dawn.
A ray of sunlight appeared outside the window, and Chen Feng opened his eyes in the small courtyard house.
The panel information surfaced, showing fewer and fewer Extreme Martial Arts and Limit Breaking Orbs. The Martial Halls in the danger zone were almost completely searched by him.
"I need to break through that Space Barrier as soon as possible..."
As the thought crossed his mind, he recalled the talent orb from the Dead Crow Secret Realm.
He still didn't know what type it was or what its effects might be.
Shaking his head slightly, he got up and walked to the window. The early morning sun hung in the sky, but the light was dim, and the sky seemed somewhat gloomy.
His perception quietly spread, covering everything within a certain radius, yet he still couldn't detect the hidden fifth-tier expert.
"I wonder who it is..."
The fact that the other party harbored no ill intent was the premise that allowed him to sleep peacefully last night.
In fact, he suspected that the person might have already left the Lion Heart Sect, otherwise, he wouldn't have failed to find even a trace of them.
Knock, knock!
A knocking sound came from the door.
"Senior Brother, we'll be heading up the mountain in half an hour."
Xu Tingxiao, dressed in a black robe, stood outside the door to remind him. Knowing that Chen Feng usually woke up late, he was worried he might miss the time.
Chen Feng responded from inside the room and quickly got ready without delay. He changed into a black outfit and pushed the door open to step outside.
"Senior Brother, breakfast is ready."
"The Lion Heart Sect specially prepared a century-old ginseng medicine for you."
Xu Tingxiao said, and soon someone brought breakfast into the courtyard.
The hot porridge was mixed with ginseng slices. Chen Feng's gaze flickered for a moment, but he didn't refuse.
He indeed needed Essence-rich supplements to continue advancing the Life Seed Awakening Method.
At the same time, he understood the Lion Heart Sect's intentions in currying favor with him.
With their only Grandmaster absent and many old enemies still around, some might cause trouble today or in the future.
Now, as the strongest Grandmaster in the southern Martial Arts World, they hoped to build goodwill and seek his protection.
Silently, he drank the porridge in the courtyard.
Cao Tong and Xu Tingxiao either stood at the courtyard gate, looking outside with complex expressions, or sat on a stone bench nearby, gazing up at the sky.
The cold wind whistled, and dark clouds gathered in the gloomy sky.
Many core disciples of the Lion Heart Sect, dressed in solemn black robes with white cloth strips tied around their arms, gradually gathered toward the main hall.
"The weather isn't good today."
Xu Tingxiao said in a low voice, but Chen Feng remained silent.
The century-old ginseng medicine was effective, and waves of warmth flowed through his body. The Life Seed Awakening Method was getting closer and closer to the fourth tier.
Finally, after finishing the hot porridge, Zhou Wuren and others appeared outside the courtyard gate.
Only then did he stand up and step out.
"Let's go."
Xu Tingxiao and Cao Tong nodded repeatedly, picked up umbrellas, and followed his steps.
Tap, tap.
Outside the red wooden courtyard gate, numerous gazes turned toward them.
"I heard that some other sects might show up today, intending to cause trouble for the Lion Heart Sect."
Zhou Wuren approached, dressed in a black Zhongshan suit, his expression cold and stern.
Chen Feng nodded, knowing that this was how grudges in the Martial Arts World played out.
"Which sects?"
"Mostly major sects that once had Grandmasters, though they've declined somewhat in recent years."
The Giant Elephant Grandmaster, a towering figure at two meters tall, stood like an iron tower, dressed in loose black martial attire. He awkwardly explained, "I know some of them personally, and I even owe them favors."
"Same here."
The white-bearded Whale Sect Grandmaster wore a helpless expression, and Chen Feng neither confirmed nor denied it, aware of the subtle intentions he and the Giant Elephant Grandmaster harbored.
Their relationship with Grandmaster Xie was merely ordinary.
Moreover, grandmasters too grow old and face death. They feared that intervening too much today might lead to similar repercussions for their own sects in the future when they no longer had a grandmaster.
In other words, they didn't want to be the ones to play the villain.
"I'll handle it," Zhou Wuren said calmly.
Though his relationship with Xie Xiao wasn't particularly deep, they had shared life-and-death trials.
"Our Northern Martial Arts World has always been united. Even if I'm no longer here, the Saint Sect will speak for my Shadowless Sect."
"No need for all these complications."
He somewhat looked down on the Giant Elephant Grandmaster and the Whale Sect Grandmaster.
He also understood why the Northern Martial Arts World had always looked down on the South.
The latter two could only sigh in resignation. The Southern Martial Arts World had been fragmented for too long, with numerous grudges and complex interpersonal dynamics, far beyond what the North could compare to.
"Your Martial Arts World has too many ridiculous rules," Zhao Meng coldly interjected, standing beside them.
Martial arts were already in decline, and with constant internal strife, it was no wonder they were being replaced by cyborgs.
Since she was here today, she intended to stand up
"No, why not say that even the heavens are bidding farewell to Grandmaster Xie?"
Whispers of conversation quietly arose, followed by the patter of rain.
The maple leaves on the trees on either side were knocked down by the rain, leaving dense little marks on the gray stone steps.
Bang! A black umbrella opened, and Xu Tingxiao stood behind Chen Feng, holding the umbrella for him.
Other grandmasters and Zhao Meng, including the merchants and politicians who had come to see them off, also made similar gestures.
A vast crowd of hundreds, even thousands, pressed up the mountain, looking from above like a black torrent.
One by one, black umbrellas opened, but the Lion Heart Sect disciples carrying the coffin, along with Tan Long and the others, were gradually soaked by the rain, their hair and clothes dampened. They remained silent, simply lowering their heads and walking forward.
Tap, tap!
At that very moment.
Unusual footsteps sounded.
The supposedly deserted back mountain had somehow been filled with dozens of figures.
Their attire varied, ranging from casual clothes to long robes, with old, middle-aged, and young individuals among them. Some even carried swords and knives, clearly harboring ill intentions.
"Tan Long, if you want to take your master up the mountain, you'll have to get past me first."
A gray-haired old man at the True Intent level spoke with a sinister tone, holding a black Tang sword as he blocked the path.
The crowd was stunned, and the procession that had been moving forward suddenly came to a halt.
"It's the Night Blade Sect. They once had a grandmaster, but later they fell out with Grandmaster Xie, suffered severe injuries, and died prematurely, over a decade earlier than expected."
"I didn't see them at the Martial Arts Conference. I thought they had already declined and disappeared."
"Sigh."
Amid the murmurs, the Giant Elephant Grandmaster offered an explanation.
Chen Feng remained expressionless, but Zhou Wuren and Zhao Meng frowned. "Tan Long, retribution has come for your Lion Heart Sect."
"If you want to go up the mountain, you can. But first, face north and kowtow three times to my master, and I'll let you pass."
Another True Intent expert stepped forward, a middle-aged man with a cold, stern expression and a robust build, clearly someone who had trained in Strengthening Techniques.
"It's the Giant Stone Sect, a school that was once on par with the Giant Elephant Sect."
"I heard that the Giant Elephant Grandmaster owed them a favor and borrowed their True Art, which helped him break through to the grandmaster level."
As the discussions continued, the Giant Elephant Grandmaster, who had initially intended to step in and intervene, stiffened and ultimately retracted his steps.
"Tan Long, your master killed my master."
"Forty years have passed. I didn't dare seek revenge while he was alive, but now that he's dead, it's time for you to repay this debt."
An elderly woman in a green robe, holding a sword, stepped forward. She appeared to be in her fifties, with a man and woman at the True Intent level following behind her.
"It's the Heavenly Flow Sword Sect. That woman must be the former closed-door disciple of the Heavenly Sword Grandmaster."
"Forty years, and they've outlived who knows how many generations. They didn't show up at the Martial Arts Conference, but now they've finally appeared."
"I heard that a grandmaster from the Sea-Swallowing Whale Sect was once saved by someone from the Heavenly Flow Sword Sect when he was young."
Some of the Martial Arts World's veterans were also in the procession. Though their cultivation levels might not have been high, their knowledge was profound, and they were well aware of many past grievances.
Without speaking, Zhou Wuren glanced at the Whale Sect Grandmaster, who had stopped in his tracks, looking somewhat helpless.
"That person was me."
As soon as he finished speaking, five or six more sects appeared one after another on the stone steps leading to the back mountain.
Each had True Intent level experts among them, and one even came from the northern Martial Arts World, causing Zhou Wuren's expression to darken.
"Damn it."
He cursed under his breath and was about to step forward to drive that person away.
But soon...
"Little Friend Zhou, do you still remember me?"
From the crowd blocking the way, a man emerged, his hair white as snow, his body frail and withered.
Dressed in a gray robe, he was being supported by others.
His aura resembled that of a Grandmaster, yet it wasn't entirely so, as if he could fall from this realm at any moment.
In an instant, Zhou Wuren's expression stiffened, his eyes widening.
"Senior Xu, you..."
"This old man has never asked anything of you, but today I have just one request."
The man cupped his hands and bowed slightly, saying, "Please, do not interfere, alright?"
As his words fell, countless gazes turned towards Chen Feng and his group.
They all knew that this was the backbone of whether the Lion Heart Sect could safely pass through this calamity today.
But just then... "Grandmaster Zhou?"
Zhao Meng frowned and asked.
The Giant Elephant Grandmaster and others were also curious, as Zhou Wuren had previously been extremely resolute.
"I truly didn't expect that he also had grievances with Grandmaster Xie."
"That is the old Grandmaster Xu from the northern Martial Arts World. He once intervened on my behalf, and as a result, he suffered severe injuries, nearly falling from the Grandmaster realm."
Zhou Wuren spoke with a complex expression.
Everyone understood, but it was clear that he was somewhat unwilling.
"Senior Xu, this junior owes you a debt that is hard to repay, but Old Xie is indeed my friend. Could you please show mercy today?"
As their gazes turned to him, the white-haired old man shook his head.
"Little Friend Zhou, do you know why I am pursuing this matter?"
"This junior is all ears." Zhou Wuren suppressed his irritation and spoke sincerely.
"In my early years, while traveling in the south, I encountered a man who called himself Invincible."
"Arrogant and overbearing, he injured my friend. I pursued him overnight, intending to teach him a lesson."
The white-haired old man's tone was calm as he finally looked towards the coffin. "After several days of hardship, just as I was about to succeed, Xie Xiao appeared and obstructed me."
"Tell me, shouldn't I seek an explanation?"
As his words fell, the atmosphere grew still.
No one had expected there to be such a layer of history.
At the same time, they hadn't anticipated that this would also involve the only Pinnacle Realm expert in the southern Martial Arts World, Yang Wudi.
Zhou Wuren's expression gradually darkened, his fists clenched but unable to refute further.
"Then why did you wait until today to come forward?"
Someone in the crowd couldn't hold back and asked quietly.
The white-haired old man didn't hide it, stating bluntly, "I couldn't afford to provoke Yang Wudi, but now he should be too preoccupied to interfere."
"So, I came."
He admitted his own limitations but didn't deny his intention to seek justice.
The crowd fell silent, the sound of pouring rain continuously echoing.
The Lion Heart Sect disciples in the procession had their hair soaked, their clothes disheveled, while Tan Long and other elders and sect leaders looked despondent.
How glorious a Grandmaster's sect could be, but how quickly it could decline once the Grandmaster passed away.
"Shameless old thing."
Suddenly, Zhao Meng spoke up, cursing.
The white-haired old man frowned as he looked at her, while others were also shocked and uncertain.
"You didn't come when Xie Xiao was alive, and now that he's dead, the debt is cleared. Don't you understand this principle?"
"Today, I'll say it here: if you dare to make a move, you'll be making an enemy of the Black Crystal Group!"
As she spoke, her aura surged, her empty left sleeve fluttering without wind.
Zhou Wuren opened his mouth but couldn't say more. The white-haired old man opposite him remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"This is a matter of our Martial Arts World. Are you certain you want to interfere?"
"Nonsense!"
Zhao Meng's attitude was resolute, and Tan Long and others looked hopeful.
But in the next second.
"Then I apologize."
As his words fell, Tan Long and the others' expressions stiffened.
Everyone looked up and saw a figure emerging from the maple forest.
He was dressed in a white robe, with grayish-white hair and beard, and a somewhat lean build.
"Hehe, Old Xu, you finally decided to use this favor."
Tap, tap.
He walked over in cloth shoes, his aura gradually spreading.
One gate, two gates, three gates.
His aura was even slightly stronger than Zhao Meng's, causing Zhou Wuren's expression to change once again.
"Grandmaster Wang?"
The Giant Elephant Grandmaster and others were also filled with doubt, but they quickly recognized the newcomer.
"He is the former protector of the Northern Saint Sect."
At these words, Zhao Meng's face darkened, and Tan Long and the others felt their hearts sink to the bottom.
Yet, despite this.
The white-haired old man was in no hurry to act. Instead, his gaze shifted, finally settling on the young man at the center of the crowd.
"Grandmaster Chen, if you are willing to stand aside and let this matter go today."
"I am willing to request the Saint Sect to invite your Flame Tiger Sect to move north, allowing you a glimpse of the Spirit Soul techniques."
His tone was firm, believing that this exceptionally talented young grandmaster would make the right decision.
As long as he still harbored the ambition to climb the path of martial arts, he could never refuse such a temptation.
For a moment, countless eyes turned toward him.
Tan Long and the others looked desperate, while the Giant Elephant Grandmaster and the rest wore complex expressions.
Moving north, the Spirit Soul techniques.
These were goals they had long yearned for, offering both the protection of the Northern Saint Sect and a greater chance to unlock the Gate of Spirit.
But alas, none of them were qualified.
"Grandmaster Chen?"
Seeing that the young man had not responded, the white-haired old man, known as Grandmaster Xu, spoke again.
Yet, countless eyes were watching.
Chen Feng, dressed in a black robe, simply looked up at the sky in silence.
The crowd, puzzled, followed his gaze.
Beyond the umbrella, in the drizzling sky.
A black crow was still circling, unusually abrupt.
Everyone was startled, and only then did they see Chen Feng lower his gaze and look toward the opposite side.
"My friendship with Grandmaster Xie is not deep."
The white-haired old man's expression relaxed slightly, and he nodded gently.
Zhao Meng's face changed slightly, while Tan Long and the others felt even more despair, fearing that their sect would be eradicated today with no hope of aid.
"But... I am curious about one thing."
"Speak," Grandmaster Xu said.
In the space between their gazes, droplets of water splashed on the umbrella.
Chen Feng's eyes swept over the sects blocking the way, finally settling on the white-haired old man.
"Since when did the affairs of our Southern Martial Arts World become something for you Northerners to meddle in?"
(End of the Chapter)
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