Translator: CinderTL
Buzz!
The instant the words fell, the falling raindrops seemed to freeze mid-air.
The driver in the black car remained deathly pale throughout, too terrified to speak. He clearly saw the unfamiliar man in the black raincoat's expression darken slightly.
"You've gone too far," Chen Feng said in a low voice, as if his patience had finally worn thin.
Ignoring him, Chen Feng turned his head to scan the surrounding mountains. He could clearly sense seven figures emerging from the shadows, crawling out of puddles to silently surround him. Their auras were indistinct, fluctuating between real and illusory, roughly at the peak of the Fourth-Tier.
Each wore a black raincoat, varying in height, build, and appearance. Their faces were utterly unfamiliar. Most striking were their eyes—pitch-black orbs clearly controlled by some unknown force.
"They say a wise man adapts to the times," eight voices spoke simultaneously, all the black-robed figures speaking in unison. "Why can't you see this?"
Their pitch-black eyes gleamed with malice. The eight figures seemed to settle into specific positions, radiating a strange Qi mechanism.
Silence, eerie stillness...
Under their cold, sinister gazes, shadows began to spread from the ground, silently creeping forward like black threads, directly toward Chen Feng.
The light flickered uncertainly, making it difficult to see clearly beneath the overcast sky.
Just as he was about to touch Chen Feng,
Roar!!!
The True Intent Crimson Tiger suddenly unleashed a deafening Tiger Roar. The piercing sound waves overturned the rain, stirring up a fierce wind that instantly shattered all the darkness.
Immediately after, three crimson Blazing Suns materialized in the sky, hovering one after another behind Chen Feng.
The Divine Martial Alliance Leader's eyes flickered. In the next instant, a black shadow flashed before him, and his tightly clenched fist transformed into a bronze-colored fist imprint that slammed directly into his chest.
Boom!!
His body exploded, scattering into dark light that was pierced by the rain.
This bizarre scene didn't faze Chen Feng in the slightest. The three Blazing Suns behind him erupted in the sky, instantly obliterating several black-robed figures who had been closing in for the kill.
Boom boom boom!!
Muffled explosions echoed as the rain evaporated.
A hazy mist silently spread, and Chen Feng, his eyes cold and his body a blur, unleashed a whirlwind of destruction beneath the rain-soaked sky.
Whip fists, charging fists, slamming fists.
Elbow strikes, knee strikes, side kicks.
These were just ordinary martial techniques, yet in his hands, they unleashed tremendous power.
Boom boom boom boom!!
Each black-robed figure exploded the instant they made contact, almost none able to withstand a single blow from him.
Buzz!!
But unexpectedly...
The eight Black Shadows, who should have been dead, solidified once more into human forms. Some stood in puddles, others rose from the muddy grass.
Squinting, Chen Feng stood his ground, surveying the scene.
Behind him, the True Intent Crimson Tiger stood on all fours, wreathed in scarlet flames that created a hazy mist from the evaporating rainwater.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Without wasting a word, the eight hooded figures charged again.
Some unleashed dark palms, while others condensed Force into pillars of energy that burst through the air.
Boom!
All their attacks landed. Chen Feng frowned, studying each face and the identical black eyes that seemed to belong to a single person.
Buzz!
An invisible pressure suddenly descended, and the Wrath of the Storm swept across the sky.
The expressions of all the hooded figures froze. They felt their bodies creaking and cracking, their arms and legs bending uncontrollably downward, their spines twisting inch by inch as if crushed by the weight of Mount Tai.
Yet, instead of immediately striking, Chen Feng tilted his head slightly, glancing sideways toward a spot in the forest to his left.
Dense raindrops fell from the sky, the green leaves of the trees obscuring his view.
At a distance of seven or eight hundred meters, he might not have noticed anything in the past. But now...
"I've found you."
The low voice echoed through the mountains, causing a single leaf to stir gently in the forest.
Roar!!!
Suddenly, the Flame Tiger roared, a golden Sacred Flame blooming on its forehead like a vertical pupil.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
All the Black Shadows exploded simultaneously, and the rain in mid-air instantly vaporized and vanished.
Dark light scattered, and white mist coalesced into a sphere.
The black-robed youth who should have been standing on the concrete road had vanished without a trace.
The driver in the black car barely regained his senses, turning his head to peer into the rain-drenched green forest.
A fleeting afterimage of a tiger leaping flashed past, followed by a thunderous explosion.
Boom!!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Flying debris pierced through the green trees, shattering leaves and wild grass.
A man-sized gray boulder was instantly pulverized by a bronze fist. Chen Feng narrowed his eyes, watching the middle-aged figure retreat more than ten meters.
The man was still clad in a black raincoat, his face lean and angular beneath the hood, etched with wrinkles.
Though they had never met, Chen Feng felt an inexplicable familiarity, suddenly recalling the elderly clone he had slain outside the Martial Hall.
Their facial features were strikingly similar, sharing six or seven out of ten characteristics. The middle-aged man's Qi and Blood were more abundant, and his physique was more upright.
Upon closer inspection, his aura had already surpassed the peak of the Fifth-Tier, nearing the Fifth-Tier's pinnacle.
"Your senses are indeed somewhat unusual," the middle-aged Divine Martial Alliance Leader said, frowning. His hood slipped off, revealing short, gray-black hair styled in a pompadour.
He hadn't expected to be detected from nearly a kilometer away. For a moment, he even suspected his opponent might be carrying some advanced detection device.
"Stop talking nonsense!"
But Chen Feng didn't give him a moment to dwell on it.
Roar!!
Another Tiger Leap, another punch.
Scarlet Flame Force swirled around his arm, coalescing into a radiant Falling Sun that bloomed in the sky.
Boom!!
Fist met fist. The Divine Martial Alliance Leader's legs plowed through the earth, sliding back over a dozen meters and snapping four or five thick green trees.
Before he could even frown, Chen Feng had already closed the distance again, launching another relentless assault without a word.
Boom boom boom boom boom!!
Punch after punch landed, each crimson Falling Sun radiating unparalleled power. Not only did they vaporize the rain, but they also carried a compressed, explosive force.
The two men fought as they retreated, leaving a trail of deep craters exploding in the muddy ground.
Wild grass lay scattered, and the earth churned.
The Steel Factory, initially distant, was now drawing closer. Someone inside noticed the commotion, seeing the water cup on the security booth table trembling violently.
"What's going on?"
A security guard, puzzled, turned to his companion, who put down his phone and stared at the computer monitor.
Outside the Steel Factory's perimeter wall, lush green forests stretched as far as the eye could see.
Despite the rain, numerous birds and beasts were startled, taking flight into the sky.
Simultaneously, trees began toppling one after another, steadily advancing toward the factory.
"Could it be a wild beast?"
Alarmed, the two guards rushed out of their booth to investigate, simultaneously grabbing their walkie-talkies to report the situation.
"What's the matter?" a voice crackled from the walkie-talkie.
"There's... there's something happening. It looks like some kind of wild beast is charging toward the factory."
The guard holding the walkie-talkie paled, heedless of the rain lashing his face and soaking his clothes. All he could hear clearly was the booming sound echoing from the forest.
The ground began to tremble, and the toppling trees drew ever closer, as if some creature more terrifying than a lion, tiger, or bear was rapidly approaching.
"Are you kidding me?"
"What wild beasts are there in Nanjiang?"
Boom!!
Before the voice on the walkie-talkie could finish speaking, the two guards saw a Black Shadow hurtling through the air. It crashed through the concrete brick wall, sliding past them in a blur.
Gray debris swirled through the air, accompanied by a piercing whistle that assaulted the ears.
Both men stared wide-eyed, their bodies numb and cold.
Forgetting to flee, they instinctively turned their heads to follow the commotion.
They immediately saw the heavy truck parked on the factory's concrete ground slammed by the Black Shadow, sending it sliding toward the steel shed.
Sparks flew as the truck's sturdy frame buckled and deformed.
The truck drivers resting beneath the shed, waiting or smoking in the rain, turned pale with terror. They watched the truck hurtle closer, certain it would crush them and the steel shed behind them into dust.
Buzz!!
Suddenly, a flash of red light erupted from the factory wall that the Black Shadow had smashed through in the distance.
Then, with a deafening boom, the Black Shadow leaped into the air, plummeting from the sky to stomp down on the rapidly sliding truck.
Boom!!
The concrete ground shattered, and the sliding truck was instantly crushed into a deep pit.
With only a few meters remaining, the petrified truck drivers stared in disbelief.
Fragments of the truck and concrete, propelled like bullets by a mixture of dark energy, hurtled through the air, seemingly intent on engulfing everyone in their wake.
At that critical moment,
Swoosh swoosh swoosh!!
Scarlet Flame Force materialized precisely, intercepting the dense debris.
Explosions echoed again and again. Over a dozen truck drivers turned ashen-faced, while the factory workers who had rushed over to investigate watched in horrified silence.
Finally, the atmosphere stilled.
Through the dense rain, a black-robed youth with a close-cropped haircut could be seen standing on the twisted, deformed hood of a truck. His gaze was cold as he looked down at the deep crater where several trucks had overturned.
Everyone froze, then followed his gaze.
Crack!
The steel plating of several overturned heavy trucks shattered as they were torn open.
A middle-aged figure in a black raincoat rose from the crater, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
The two figures, one above and one below, locked gazes, their expressions cold.
Everyone's hearts pounded in their throats. Even the senior management of the Steel Factory and the two distant security guards shuddered, sensing impending disaster.
"It seems you're close to reaching the peak of the Fifth Tier," the Divine Martial Alliance Leader suddenly said, wiping the blood from his mouth.
A flicker of surprise flashed in his dark eyes. He hadn't expected his opponent to progress so rapidly even at this level.
Or perhaps, only now had his opponent truly entered the Pinnacle Realm, reaching the limits of his potential?
Chen Feng offered no explanation.
He was already weakened by the mental strain of the Dream Realm, his strength diminished from its peak.
Even so, he was confident he could defeat his opponent.
But the crucial point was...
"I didn't expect you to be just a clone," Chen Feng said, his eyes narrowing as he sensed something amiss.
The Divine Martial Alliance Leader before him was stronger than the last time they met, but he still gave off the same feeling as the old man—a mix of reality and illusion, infused with various types of Evil God Power.
Moreover, with his upgraded Perception, he could now directly perceive the fundamental essence of many things.
Though the Alliance Leader was deliberately concealing his true nature, he couldn't fool Chen Feng.
At that moment, both men seemed to have found the answers they sought. No one spoke, only the relentless rain continued to fall.
The sound of the drizzle echoed through the air, mingling with the clatter of machinery from the Steel Factory.
Some workers had already panicked and fled, while others stood frozen in terror, cold sweat beading on their foreheads as they swallowed nervously.
Buzz!!
Finally, an invisible dark light erupted violently.
Above the Divine Martial Alliance Leader's head, a black crow hovered with outstretched wings, plunging the already dim sky into even deeper gloom.
Caw!!
A piercing cry echoed through the air, as if a crimson Blood Moon had appeared in everyone's minds. Simultaneously, an endless, abyssal Black Sea materialized, countless hands reaching out from its depths to grasp at their ankles.
Coldness, corruption, death...
An invisible terror gripped the hearts of everyone nearby. It felt as if a giant hand had seized their hearts, making it hard to breathe.
Some people's pupils constricted, and they collapsed to the ground, nearly losing consciousness.
Roar!!!
At this critical moment, the Flame Tiger reappeared, its four legs wreathed in flames.
A streak of white-gold light on its forehead, like a vertical pupil, pulsed with a deafening roar. The temperature soared, incinerating everything in its path.
Buzz!
All darkness was instantly dispelled as an invisible divine majesty descended, shattering the illusions of the Blood Moon and the Nether Sea.
The crowd stood stunned, but before they could react,
Boom!!
Two figures collided again, their fists meeting in a thunderous clash.
A sphere of white energy exploded outward, sending deep cracks spiderwebbing across the broad concrete ground, leaving it riddled with holes.
Thump! Thump! Thump! The muffled thuds of impact echoed continuously as raindrops vaporized, creating a thick mist.
The figures were barely visible, only two black streaks piercing the air like fleeting sparks, appearing a hundred meters away in an instant, leaving behind new craters and shockwaves.
Ring after ring of rainwater vanished, and the heavy trucks caught in the aftermath were already reduced to twisted wreckage.
During this chaos, a massive black-scaled python materialized from the shadows of a puddle, its fangs bared.
But before it could strike, a tiger claw tore through the air, ripping through its scales and pinning it to the ground. The Flame Tiger's blood-red maw opened wide, snapping shut with a resounding thump!
Dark light exploded, followed by the simultaneous descent of a Black Crow and a Flying Dragon. They swooped down, claws raking the sky, one coiling and twisting, unleashing a dragon's roar.
Boom!!
The Blazing Sun erupted, its crimson and dark hues colliding and instantly vanishing.
The two combatants unleashed their respective skills. One, incorporating Divine Power Crystals, employed methods eerily reminiscent of the Evil God Cult, mysterious and unpredictable.
The other adhered solely to the path of Ancient Martial Arts, grounding every move in Scarlet Flame Force, showcasing their domineering power.
Bang!!!
Another punch met punch. The rain vanished, and debris momentarily cleared from the surroundings.
Chen Feng stood firm, his right fist still radiating the light of the Falling Sun. Only the ground beneath his feet cracked, spiderweb fissures spreading outward.
In contrast, the Divine Martial Alliance Leader's legs plowed deep furrows as he slid backward, his aura rapidly weakening.
Their eyes met, and without hesitation, Chen Feng stomped the ground and charged forward.
The howling wind swirled the air, and the sound of rain seemed to diminish.
But...
Roar!!
A Black Tiger suddenly materialized before the Divine Martial Alliance Leader, phosphorescent flames flickering in its brow, radiating an indescribable sense of corruption and evil.
Watching this scene, nearly identical to the Flame Tiger but with completely opposite aura and color, Chen Feng's gaze sharpened.
Chen Feng's gaze sharpened, his thoughts surging.
Boom!!!
The Flame Tiger pounced, the Black Tiger tore.
The Fierce Tiger Manifestations clashed, their roars echoing through the air.
Seizing the opportunity, Chen Feng closed the distance, standing before the Divine Martial Alliance Leader, who was struggling to regain his footing.
"Heh, it seems your martial arts go beyond just the Flame Tiger Sect's True Art," the Alliance Leader chuckled, blood trickling from his lips. Far from fear, a knowing smile played on his face.
"But no matter."
"Next time, I'll become you."
As he spoke, a faint, eerie light flickered in his obsidian eyes. His arms hung limp at his sides, as though he had surrendered all resistance.
Sensing something amiss, Chen Feng narrowed his eyes.
"No wonder you're so weak."
"You're nothing but a mimic?"
Their gazes locked, Chen Feng's eyes radiating contempt and disdain, piercing the Alliance Leader's very soul.
The Alliance Leader's expression froze. In the next instant, the world's dark clouds parted, as though a Falling Sun had crashed through the sky, leaving a trail of vaporizing crimson flames in its wake.
Before he could react, a fist印 descended from above, striking him squarely in the chest.
Boom!!
All traces of dark light vanished in an instant. His flesh and blood exploded in a violent burst.
In the midst of splattering blood, the storm descended, freezing all power that was about to vanish.
In the blink of an eye, the Serpent Spirit and the Mark of the Dead once again welcomed new nourishment.
At the same time, a new Abyssal Mark appeared.
(End of this chapter)
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