Lie Feng and Zhang Shun stood motionless where they were. Yet the air around them was taut with tension—the next moment would be a slaughter.
Lie Feng suddenly swept a backfist across. Zhang Shun didn't hesitate; he raised both hands to block with all his strength.
He managed to take the blow, but his feet still skidded four steps across the ground.Zhang Shun was secretly startled.
He recalled their last exchange half a month ago: Lie Feng's strength had already been frightening then, but still within the range he could barely handle.
Since that time, Zhang Shun had broken through from late Fifth Realm to perfected Fifth Realm—his power had grown greatly. By rights, facing Lie Feng now should have been easier than before. Yet he had almost failed to block that first strike.
He thought, This guy's power has increased by at least half again—no, nearly doubled—in just half a month. What on earth did he do?
There was no time to ponder.
Lie Feng was already in front of him, driving a heavy, crushing punch straight in.The blow didn't send Zhang Shun sliding back like before, but it punched straight through his guard.
Zhang Shun's arms were blasted upward over his head; his upper body tipped back, exposing gaping openings all over.Lie Feng seized the chance.
Zhang Shun's abdomen and face were both hammered, and worst of all, his head took a savage kick that sent him staggering several steps, almost blacking out.
A palm like a battering ram then smashed into his chest, flinging him into a distant tree where he crashed and stopped.
Blood surged from his chest into his mouth; he couldn't help but spit it out.Utterly beaten by those few exchanges, Zhang Shun was upright only because the tree held him up.
Then even that strength failed—his knees buckled and he slumped forward.At that instant a merciless hand clamped his throat and pinned him to the trunk.
What followed was horrifying.
Zhang Shun struggled with the last of his strength, vainly trying to wrench free from Lie Feng's hand.
His whole body suddenly convulsed; his muscles shrank; the spiritual power within him was forcibly drawn out. The pain was excruciating.
The commotion of the fight had been so great that everyone still battling nearby turned to look—only to see Lie Feng using demonic arts to drain away all of Zhang Shun's cultivation, leaving him a withered corpse.
Seeing their strongest man killed so easily, Zhang Shun's troops lost all will to fight and scattered in panic.
In the distance the rebel units rushed off to cut down the fleeing troops, but those who had just witnessed the ghastly scene did not join the pursuit.
Instead, they leveled their weapons at Lie Feng.Their faces were outwardly calm, but sweat slicked the hands gripping their blades.
They had already seen what Lie Feng could do—slaying Zhang Shun and Zhang Jie with disturbing ease.
Those two had been enemies; their deaths should have been cause for cheers. But the one who killed them was a demonic cultivator.
Demon cultivators were said to be inhuman and bloodthirsty.
No one could guarantee Lie Feng wouldn't turn on them next—and worse, many felt that even with several hundred of them together, they still might not be able to beat him; they might be wiped out instead.
Lie Feng didn't care in the least that their blades were pointed his way.
Partly because he truly didn't care—and partly because he had just spotted a familiar figure in the distance: Qin Fen.Qin Fen had tried to run, but tripped and fell.
An ax-wielding man was on him, the blade already arcing down to cleave him——when the ax stopped mid-swing, caught in a single hand.
No matter how the man strained, the ax didn't budge.
"Bastard, let go!" he shouted.
His answer was Lie Feng's palm igniting with searing flame; the portion of the ax in Lie Feng's grip softened and dripped away.
Realizing this was no one to provoke, the man backed off several steps. Others surged in to surround them; they truly didn't know whether Lie Feng was friend or foe.
Snatched from the jaws of death, Qin Fen stared in disbelief at his rescuer—Lie Feng.
He forgot entirely that enemies ringed him round; he could only look at Lie Feng.Something about Lie Feng had changed.
The tall, imposing frame was the same, but now there was an indescribable aura of intimidation—enough to make one's heart quail.Being stared at by someone like that set Qin Fen's nerves on edge—especially when Lie Feng looked down at him from on high like that.
Anger flared in Qin Fen. He scrambled up, met Lie Feng's eyes, and refused to give an inch.
Lie Feng only stared at him, saying nothing.
Qin Fen couldn't stand it. "Well? Do you have something to say?" he snapped, voice hot with anger.
Lie Feng spoke slowly: "Is this the life you got by throwing away your dignity?"
He didn't know when it had started, but even a few simple words from Lie Feng could ignite Qin Fen's rage.
Brows knit, Qin Fen roared, "Stop preaching at me from on high! With my level of strength back then, what choice did I have but to swallow my pride? I just wanted to live—what's wrong with that? Why does everyone look down on me! If I had your power, I would've fought them to the death too! But I don't. Do I have to die to make you all happy?"
Those listening around them fell into confusion.
Not long ago they themselves had been torn over whether to risk their lives to rescue captured comrades.
Qin Fen poured out all the pent-up grievance of these past days.
And what he said did carry some truth: living beings seek life, not death. Another person might have been stumped by such words.
But the one answering him was someone who had lived alongside him for over ten years—Lie Feng.
Lie Feng's rebuttal was fiercer still: "Then go fight to the death. You didn't dare then; you don't dare now. Are you only brave when victory's guaranteed? Our master was killed—you don't think of revenge. Is this how you repay the years he raised and taught you?"
The words struck home.
Qin Fen floundered for an answer and could only change the subject."Is there really any need to avenge him?"
"What did you say?"
"He only treated us as tools. He served Yaowang Valley and opposed the court, but kept us in the dark. Why should we avenge such a selfish man?"
At that, fury showed plain on Lie Feng's face.
He walked toward Qin Fen step by step, voice low and cold:"I thought you only lacked backbone. I didn't expect you'd stoop to shamelessness just to excuse yourself. Master tried to persuade you not to enter the Central Province tournament—you insisted on going.
Before we entered the secret realm, he even gave us a precious teleportation jade so it could save our lives in danger. Because of that, he had no means of escape and was beaten to death. And you call that man selfish?"
By now Lie Feng had come right up to Qin Fen.
His voice held naked threat:"I had clung to a shred of hope for you. In the end, you're just a spineless cur without shame.
I'll give you one last chance: either you come with me to avenge our master—or you die here."