"Stop right there!"
"You're not going anywhere until you explain that token!"
Chen Feng hadn't expected that he wouldn't even be allowed to leave.
In the blink of an eye, the two black wolf soul masters pounced at him. Two Soul Ancestors attacking together was no small threat—even for Chen Feng.
His expression sharpened, but he didn't panic. His vast combat experience made him far more composed in the face of danger than most.
With a subtle shift of his feet, his figure seemed to blur, and without anyone knowing how he moved, Chen Feng smoothly slipped between the two attackers.
"Release!"
As he brushed past them, he shouted and unleashed his Martial Soul. A radiant blue Seven Kill Sword appeared in his hand, and three spirit rings—yellow, purple, and purple—rose rhythmically around him.
The two guards faltered for a second, exchanging a glance. Both could see the confusion in the other's eyes.
But the situation involved Ning Rongrong, and they dared not take any chances. Even if the sword Martial Soul in the youth's hand looked suspiciously similar to the Guardian Elder's, protocol demanded they subdue him first and ask questions later.
"Lone Wolf Howl to the Moon!"
The two guards shouted in unison. Their third thousand-year soul rings lit up, and their humanoid wolf forms let out eerie howls. With their soul skills activated, their attack power and speed surged.
Whoosh—!
They came in fast from both sides, blurring into afterimages.
"Trying to race me in speed?"
Chen Feng sneered as his third soul ring lit up as well.
"Third Soul Skill—Swift Sword Like the Wind!"
It was a clash of third soul skills—all thousand-year level—but the quality was worlds apart.
The black wolf brothers' third rings had barely reached the thousand-year threshold, while Chen Feng's third ring came from a 3,500-year-old Lightning Saber-Toothed Leopard—a beast even stronger than the Man-Faced Demon Spider that Tang San had absorbed!
Three thousand five hundred years—that was almost the equivalent of most people's fourth soul ring!
The black wolf brothers soon realized that their double strike hadn't overwhelmed their opponent. Instead, that deep blue sword gave off an unsettling sense of lethal precision, making their instincts scream in alarm.
Still, their skills had already been activated—there was no turning back now.
Clang!
Black and red shadows clashed violently with a streak of dazzling blue.
Cries of alarm erupted from nearby disciples who scattered to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
Fortunately, patrol soul masters were stationed near the inner gate of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. They quickly took action, clearing out a wide area around the skirmish.
CLANG—!
A sharp, metallic crash echoed.
Dust exploded into the air, the shockwave lifting it high. A single flash of soul skill light shimmered before vanishing.
As the dust settled…
Chen Feng stood, gripping the Seven Kill Sword with both hands, a deep groove trailing behind his feet from where he'd been pushed back five or six meters. It had taken all his strength to steady himself.
Across from him, the black wolf brothers had each only taken one step back, but their blood was surging—they hadn't come away unscathed.
"A buff?"
Chen Feng narrowed his eyes. In that brief clash, he'd noticed a faint flash of energy pass into the two guards, boosting their speed just enough to intercept his sword.
Otherwise, despite the two brothers being higher in rank, Chen Feng was confident he could have pierced their defenses in one strike. When it came to speed and offensive power, he had absolute confidence in his edge.
"Greetings, Hall Master Ning!"
Suddenly, the black wolf brothers stopped. Panting slightly, they turned and saluted respectfully.
Chen Feng followed their gaze.
There, atop the city wall, stood a dignified middle-aged man, emanating a powerful presence. In his hand was a miniature Seven-Tiered Glazed Tile Pagoda, radiating a multi-colored divine glow that made him seem like a god descended from the heavens.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black—a perfect five-ring configuration.
This man was a Soul King, and his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda confirmed his identity as a core member of the sect.
"What is the meaning of this disturbance at the gates of my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
The middle-aged man stood tall atop the wall, his brows furrowed with dignity and displeasure. Several powerful guest elder soul masters flanked him, each exuding strong spiritual pressure.
Chen Feng snorted but said nothing.
It was the two wolf guards who stepped forward in panic.
"Hall Master Ning! This brat is carrying Princess Ning's token. We feared something might have happened to her!"
"What?"
The middle-aged man's gaze instantly turned sharp.
Though they were several dozen meters apart, the oppressive air was palpable.
The current Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had only one daughter—Ning Rongrong—who was beloved beyond words.
Everyone in the sect knew this.
If anything happened to her, who could bear that responsibility?
"Where is that token? Give it to me immediately—no, I'll come down myself!"
Not daring to be negligent, the man descended the wall with the guest elders.
Moments later, a dozen people encircled Chen Feng and the two wolf guards.
"The token—where is it?!"
The man's voice arrived before he did, filled with urgency.
"Hall Master! The token is here!"
One of the guards quickly handed it over.
The man snatched it and inspected it closely, pouring soul power into it to verify its authenticity. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had its methods of verification.
Soon, his face darkened.
It was real.
Hands behind his back, he spoke solemnly:
"Young man, where did you get this token?"
Chen Feng instantly felt the crushing pressure of a Soul King bearing down on him.
Even though the other man had a support-type Martial Soul, his soul power was the real deal.
In response, Chen Feng slid one foot back and took a sideways T-stance.
The Hall Master's brows furrowed. He could feel his soul power flow being disrupted, like it was being cleaved in half by an invisible sword, as if only half of his strength could reach its target.
What kind of ability is this? A soul skill? No… it doesn't feel like one.
"Is this how the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect treats its guests?"
Chen Feng shook his head slightly, disappointment etched on his face.
If the guards' actions could be written off as personal overzealousness, then this middle-aged Hall Master's conduct represented the sect itself.
The man was visibly stunned. Of course, he had noticed Chen Feng's Martial Soul.
After all, the Seven Kill Sword was supposed to be unique, wielded only by the Guardian Elder.
That elder had always been devoted solely to the sword, and never married nor had children.
How could there possibly be a second Seven Kill Sword?
So even upon seeing it, the Hall Master had not lowered his guard.
In the past, there had been instances of forged Martial Souls.
And compared to that possibility, Ning Rongrong's safety mattered far more.