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**
In the depths of a dark forest…
Strands of faint moonlight filtered through the gaps in the dense canopy, forming beams that shone down like ghostly ribbons. On the forest floor, patches of light took on strange and varied shapes.
Swish!
A soft sound of the air being pierced suddenly rang out, breaking the silence of the woods.
A soul body—translucent and illusory—flashed through the forest, darting quickly into the distance.
The soul looked disheveled, its hair wild and loose. Given its ethereal appearance, if someone with a timid heart saw it flitting through the night, they'd likely be scared out of their wits.
At this point, Han Feng could barely be distinguished from a ghost.
His face twisted, at times showing ecstasy, at other times rage, hatred, and venomous malice.
"My physical body is destroyed. The Heavenly Flame—Sea Heart Flame—is gone. Even my soul is on the verge of collapse," Han Feng ground his teeth.
"No, I must find the people of Hall of Souls as soon as possible. Maybe… maybe they have a way to help me recover!"
"Xiao Yan, Wei Yang…"
"And that old bastard!"
"You just wait. I, Han Feng, will not let any of you go!"
Gone was the former grace and refinement of the so-called Medicine Emperor. What remained now was a man consumed entirely by hatred and vengeance.
He wanted revenge.
"Die… die… die! I want all of you to die…" Han Feng mumbled over and over, his voice low and hoarse, repeating those words like a mantra.
Swish~
Without pause, he sped through the forest, pushing himself toward the Black-Corner Region as fast as he could.
In the distance, his eyes glinted with faint anticipation.
"Almost there… at this speed, I should be able to leave this mountain range and return to the Black-Corner Region within half a day," Han Feng murmured.
That thought gave him some comfort.
By now, he had fled far from the cliff where the battle had taken place.
And along the way, he had deliberately changed his route several times.
Even if Wei Yang and Xiao Yan regretted letting him go and wanted to give chase, Han Feng no longer feared them.
After all, in such a vast and dense forest, finding one man was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
"Hehehe… all of you will die!" Han Feng couldn't help but laugh under his breath.
But just then—
A sharp, eerie laugh—like the screech of an owl—exploded in his ears like a thunderclap:
"Jie jie jie~ Die? I wonder, Medicine Emperor, who exactly is it that you want to see dead?"
"Who's there?!"
The smile on Han Feng's face froze instantly. He stopped in his tracks, standing still in the middle of the forest, eyes wide in terror as he looked around.
But no matter where he turned, he saw no one.
Yet that piercing owl-like laughter continued, echoing from every corner of the dark woods, while the speaker remained hidden.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" Han Feng called out, trying his best to suppress the fear rising in his chest. "I am Han Feng, a mid-level Tier 7 alchemist. If you have a request, feel free to speak. If it's within my ability, I will not refuse."
"Oh? A mid-level Tier 7 alchemist? Then at the very least, your soul is likely at the peak late-stage Mortal Realm, huh?" the eerie voice chuckled again, now with a hint of satisfaction. "Not bad. Not bad at all."
"You seek pills?" Han Feng steadied himself, forcing a warm smile and speaking confidently. "That's easy. As long as you're willing to escort me to a certain place, I can promise to reward you handsomely."
"A generous reward? Jie jie~ And where exactly would the great Medicine Emperor wish to go?"
"Demon Flame Valley," Han Feng answered immediately.
"Oh? Demon Flame Valley? Even in such a miserable state, you're daring enough to head back there for help? Seems like you have quite the relationship with them. Who would've thought the mighty Medicine Emperor would still have such a backup plan. Impressive, impressive. Jie jie~"
"The Founder of Demon Flame Valley and I share some ties," Han Feng said calmly, nodding.
"And this so-called generous reward of yours… what might that be?"
Hearing this, Han Feng frowned slightly, but kept his smile as he raised a finger and said, "A Zong Breaking Pill as payment. And from that day on, you'll be a friend of mine—Han Feng's."
"Jie jie~ A Zong Breaking Pill and the friendship of a mid-level Tier 7 alchemist? That does sound tempting… enough to stir one's heart."
Hearing that, the smile on Han Feng's face deepened, and a trace of smugness appeared in his heart. He spoke calmly, "Since that's the case, may I ask you to show yourself? Then we can set off right away."
"Set off? No rush, no rush. Jie jie, in fact, I have another proposal. I wonder if the Medicine Emperor would like to hear it?"
"A proposal?" Han Feng frowned, holding back his impatience. "Speak."
"I actually have a better destination in mind—one I think you'll find... very fitting. Jie jie~"
"Where is it?" Han Feng's expression turned wary.
"Jie jie… That destination… is inside my belly. What do you think?" The voice suddenly turned sharp and shrill, almost excited, and even carried a tinge of longing. "The soul of a Tier 7 alchemist… I don't think I've ever tasted one before. I imagine it must be… absolutely delicious! Gah gah gah~"
"You—!" Han Feng's entire body shuddered, then a look of joy flashed in his eyes. He asked hastily, "You… are you a Protector of the Hall of Souls?"
"Protector of the Hall of Souls? Jie jie jie~ No. I'm sorry to disappoint you. I'm not. I'm different from them. They like to capture souls… but I prefer to eat them."
"Eat souls?!" Han Feng's expression changed drastically as dread overtook him. "Wait! Please, wait a moment!"
"Jie jie jie~ Too late. Embrace your fear!"
Woooo…
As the last word fell, the forest was suddenly filled with a bone-chilling wind. The eerie gust howled through the trees, and as it brushed across Han Feng's soul, it felt like he had plunged into an icy abyss—his whole soul nearly frozen solid in an instant.
"This is… Heavenly Cold Qi?! No—wait! I'm Han Feng! I'm the direct disciple of Yao Zun Zhe! I'm a member of Hall of Souls! You can't kill me—I can refine pills for you! Aaaaah—!"
Guah—!
A strange, croaking cry echoed through the night.
Then, without a sound, a wave of invisible sonic force swept over the area. Han Feng let out a miserable scream as his soul trembled violently, and then his consciousness faded into complete, mindless stupor.
Woooo…
Above Han Feng's head, a faint blue vortex quietly formed. It radiated a sinister, frigid aura and slowly spun downward.
Crack… crackle…
The terrifying cold spread rapidly. The air itself froze as a layer of thin, bluish frost began to coat the nearby trees and empty space alike.
At the center of that blue vortex, faint wisps of dark-black flame flickered.
These black flames were ominous and cold, unlike any normal fire.
If any skilled alchemist had been present, they would have immediately recognized it:
This was a Rank 6 Beast Flame—Frost Dragon Demon Flame.
Woooo…
The vortex descended and completely engulfed Han Feng's soul.
Gradually, the vortex began to shrink.
"Aaaah—Who are you?! Don't kill me! I can refine pills for you! Don't eat me! Aaaah—!"
From within the vortex came Han Feng's agonized and frantic howls.
But the spinning vortex did not stop. It continued to hover in mid-air, whirling rapidly, its size steadily diminishing.
"No—!"
Moments later, Han Feng's final, despairing scream rang out—then all was silent.
The dark forest fell quiet once more. Only the faint blue vortex remained, floating silently in the air, turning slowly.
Crunch… crunch…
Then came a strange, gnawing sound—like something being chewed.
It echoed faintly from within the vortex, and in the darkness of the forest, it was deeply unsettling and horrifying.
Before long, the chewing stopped.
The pale blue vortex slowly dissipated.
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