Translator: Anubis Translations
"Gulp, gulp—"
A battle was imminent, and everyone swallowed their saliva, holding their breath as tension spread.
"Gu Feng, you..."
Just as Qiu Ze opposite him was about to speak, Gu Feng took action.
He crouched down, clenched his right hand into a fist, crushing a pocket of air with a faint explosion sound, and then unleashed a domineering punch from a distance of ten feet.
A powerful fist wind shot straight toward Qiu Ze's face.
Everyone knew Gu Feng was still in the Body Tempering Realm and hadn't yet opened his Dantian, let alone could he release spiritual energy externally. Therefore, no one, including Qiu Ze, was prepared for a punch from ten feet away.
Boom—
By the time Qiu Ze realized and tried to dodge, it was too late. The fist wind struck him squarely in the face.
He staggered backward, his head tilting back, and a stream of blood shot upward. The few teeth he had left were officially declared gone.
"Trash—" Gu Feng retracted his fist, standing like a spear on the Wind and Cloud Platform, his eyes filled with disdain and contempt.
"What? A punch from someone in the Body Tempering Realm can send a fist wind ten feet and injure Qiu Ze? How much strength does that take?"
"It must be over a hundred thousand jin! My God, he's a monster!"
"This battle isn't one-sided. Gu Feng has shown his determination to win with that punch!"
"..."
The outer sect disciples watching were utterly shocked. They had never seen such a formidable Body Tempering cultivator. Not only had they never seen it, they had never even heard of it. The power Gu Feng displayed with a single punch left them in awe.
Even the inner sect disciples were stunned. They had all gone through the Body Tempering Realm, and in their honest opinion, they could never have reached Gu Feng's level, not even close.
Only Elder Liu and others on the viewing platform smiled calmly, stroking their beards, as if they had already gotten used to such shocks in the past three days. They had developed a sort of immunity.
"Kill... Kill him!!!" Qiu Ze's face turned red. He had intended to intimidate Gu Feng before the battle and humiliate him, but instead, he was the one humiliated.
Covering his nose and mouth, blood gushed from between his fingers. His eyes turned bloodshot, like a she-wolf in heat, screaming without any dignity.
The thirty Qi Refining Realm disciples on the Wind and Cloud Platform exchanged glances, their faces serious.
This battle wasn't going to be a walk in the park. The Body Tempering cultivator on the other side wasn't someone they could easily deal with.
The strength Gu Feng had just displayed was no less than any Second Level Qi Refining cultivator, and it was clear he was still holding back.
They set aside their arrogance, drew their weapons, activated their cultivation methods, and enveloped themselves in spirit energy shields, not daring to be careless.
As for Qiu Ze, he shrunk back, his face filled with resentment, retreating behind the others. His eyes were blood red.
Facing the rising momentum of the group, Gu Feng's expression remained as calm as a still lake. He simply tightened his fists, then kicked off the ground with both feet, charging forward with determination.
"Bold! How dare you strike first in front of us!" The disciple at the front, his muscles bulging, had no weapon. He was a martial artist specializing in close combat. With a roar, he threw a lightning-fast punch at the charging Gu Feng.
Boom—
The two fists collided, and the sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed. The muscular disciple's expression changed. He felt as if his fist had hit a block of diamond, a searing pain shooting through it.
He was utterly shocked. If the person he had punched was a peer, he wouldn't have been so astonished. But the person in front of him was a Body Tempering cultivator!
How could there be such a powerful Body Tempering cultivator? It far exceeded his understanding.
Just as he was about to retract his fist and strike again, he was horrified to find that his fist was firmly gripped by Gu Feng, as if held by a vice, completely immobile.
Oh no, this is bad!
The moment the ominous premonition flashed through his mind, Gu Feng's attack came like a storm.
Boom boom boom—
Gu Feng was like an enraged beast, at times like a lion descending a mountain, at others like a wolf pouncing, or a deer leaping, or an eagle swooping down. Clawing, tearing, biting, slapping, hammering—his hands, feet, elbows, knees, shoulders, even his head and teeth became weapons. Every bone in his body was in motion, maximizing its potential.
The Ten Thousand Beasts Manual was unleashed!
His figure swayed unpredictably, ethereal and elusive, as he relentlessly attacked the muscular disciple.
His speed was too fast, his angles too tricky, and with constant pulls and twists, the disciple couldn't muster any strength. Every time he tried to counterattack, it was interrupted at the critical moment. Even when he finally managed to throw a punch, it missed!
The muscular disciple was both shocked and furious, but also terrified. He wanted to retreat but couldn't; he wanted to counterattack but couldn't land a hit. The intense pain from all over his body made him feel as if he had fallen into an icy abyss, the scent of death permeating his entire being.
Seizing the moment, Gu Feng delivered a heavy blow to the back of the disciple's head. The muscular disciple's eyes bulged, filled with disbelief.
With the last of his strength, he turned his head with difficulty, opening his mouth but unable to utter a word before collapsing to the ground.
The first Third Level Qi Refining disciple had fallen!
It was so fast that the other twenty-nine disciples on the platform didn't even have time to intervene.
When they finally reacted, a chill ran down their spines, spreading throughout their bodies. Simultaneously, they roared and launched a furious assault on Gu Feng.
"Kill!"
The onlookers were completely stunned. They had anticipated the battle would be brutal, possibly resulting in multiple deaths.
But they never expected the first Third Level Qi Refining disciple to fall so quickly, taken down by Gu Feng's relentless, lightning-fast combo. The battle had only been going on for a dozen breaths!
"Incredible, truly incredible! Is this the Ten Thousand Beasts Manual that Former Brother obtained from the Cultivation Method Hall?" Guo Renkai murmured.
"Hahaha, Gu Feng killed a disciple! He's going to win!!" Yan Xixi was so excited she jumped up. In her eyes, if Gu Feng could kill one, he could kill thirty. This was a good start, and the ultimate victor would undoubtedly be him.
Qiu Tian's face was as dark as water, his brows furrowed. It had taken a lot of effort to persuade these disciples to join the battle, and he had promised to compensate their families ten times the market value if they were injured or killed.
With his current financial resources, he could afford to lose three or five disciples. Any more, and he would have to seek help from his family.
Huang Qi, an inner sect disciple, was deep in thought, trying to figure out the origin of this martial skill. After much pondering, he couldn't recall any such powerful skill in the outer sect's Cultivation Method Hall.
"Hehe, this is the Ten Thousand Beasts Manual that Former Junior Brother spent 500 spirit stones to purchase from the Cultivation Method Hall!
After his modifications, it became an incredibly powerful martial skill," Chu Youhuan said proudly. In fact, she had only learned about it a few breaths ago from Wu Qi.
At this moment, her tone was filled with pride, as if the modifications to the Ten Thousand Beasts Manual had something to do with her.
"Haha, I have to say, Gu Feng is a genius when it comes to cultivating martial skills!" Elder Wu stroked his beard, full of admiration.
He had personally experienced the power of the Ten Thousand Beasts Manual. Without exaggeration, even with his martial experience and suppressing his cultivation to the Third Level Qi Refining Realm, he couldn't withstand Gu Feng's storm-like attacks.
"Indeed, if it weren't for his physical limitations, he would undoubtedly make a name for himself in the Great Chu Dynasty, and perhaps even beyond!" Elder Liu said with a smile.
On the Wind and Cloud Platform, Qiu Ze stared blankly at the scene, his body trembling slightly, filled with terror.
In his eyes, Gu Feng was like a war god, withstanding high-grade mortal spiritual weapons bare-handed, each punch carrying immense force, making the Third Level Qi Refining disciples pale and bleed from the corners of their mouths.
Gu Feng's movements were agile, as if he had eyes on the back of his head, perfectly dodging every fatal strike!
His attacks were endlessly varied and incredibly sharp. With a single twist, he could disable a disciple's arm.
Even more terrifying was Gu Feng's relentless fighting style. Whenever he caught someone, he would unleash a barrage of attacks on them, completely ignoring the punches and kicks from behind, until the target was dead.
Looking at the blood flowing on the ground and the five or six lifeless bodies, Qiu Ze turned to Qiu Tian below the platform, pleading for help.
At this moment, he really wanted to go home to his mother!
"Hahaha, exhilarating!"
Gu Feng laughed heartily, his booming voice shaking the entire arena.
His black hair danced wildly, evenly draped over his shoulders. His eyes sparkled with boundless fighting spirit and determination. His robe, stained with blood, added to his fierce aura.
The more he fought, the stronger he became; the stronger he became, the wilder he was. His arms swung with tremendous force, and with a single kick, he sent two Third Level Qi Refining disciples flying dozens of meters.
"Die!" A Third Level Qi Refining disciple, his eyes blazing with anger, found an opening and thrust his sword straight at Gu Feng's face.
At this moment, Gu Feng's arms and legs were being held by multiple disciples, rendering him immobile.
Success!
Seeing this, Qiu Ze jumped up in excitement. In such a situation, even a god wouldn't be able to save Gu Feng.
However, the next moment, he was completely dumbfounded, unable to believe what he was seeing. He frantically rubbed his eyes, trying to get a clearer view.
Not only him, but even the disciple holding the sword was stunned, countless question marks flashing through his mind.
Gu Feng had actually used his teeth to bite the tip of the sword, neutralizing the fatal strike.
How was this possible?
Was he even human or some kind of monster?
While teeth are hard, they shouldn't be able to withstand a full-force strike from a Third Level Qi Refining cultivator.
Even more bizarre was that the sword, now held by Gu Feng's teeth, couldn't be pulled out.
While the disciple was still in shock, Gu Feng suddenly raised his head, revealing a sinister smile. Then, with a roar, the dozen or so disciples holding him were flung away like straw men.
With a single punch, a thunderous sound erupted. The high-grade mortal sword shattered into pieces, scattering silver fragments across the ground, leaving only the hilt in the disciple's hand.
"I—"
The disciple wanted to curse, but Gu Feng didn't give him the chance. He grabbed the disciple's neck, twisted it, and the disciple fell, lifeless.
Sss—
The remaining twelve or so disciples, filled with terror, quickly retreated, gathering together.
Gu Feng's overwhelming strength was gradually eroding their will to fight.
This Body Tempering cultivator was too powerful, giving them the sense that he was invincible.
"Kill—kill him! He's injured! Don't give him time to recover his strength! He's almost done!"
Whoosh—
At these words, everyone's eyes turned to Qiu Tian. The current situation had even this 43rd-ranked prodigy on the Inner Sect Prodigy Ranking flustered.
Gu Feng's strength had far exceeded his expectations. It wasn't that he hadn't considered the possibility, but as a normal person, he couldn't have predicted that a Body Tempering cultivator could defeat thirty Third Level Qi Refining disciples.
He had already sent out thirty Third Level Qi Refining geniuses. What more could he do? This was the limit! The Wind and Cloud Platform was only so big; adding more people would only hinder their movements.
Gu Feng had beaten him into silence, forcing him to shout frantically at the Wind and Cloud Platform without regard for his image.
This made the inner sect disciples who sided with him blush with embarrassment, while Chu Youhuan and others sneered.
Below the platform, Tuoba Lei's body trembled slightly. His calm expression belied the turmoil within. He could never have imagined that Gu Feng could actually defeat thirty Third Level Qi Refining disciples.
"I knew it! This kid is strong. Not impulsively fighting him was the wisest decision I've made in over twenty years!" he muttered to himself.
"Hahaha, Gu Feng is going to win! He's going to win! He's already killed half of them!" Yan Xixi was so excited she was about to go crazy, pinching the arms of Wu Qi and others next to her, shouting wildly.
"Miss, my arm is already swollen. Can you stop pinching it?" Wu Qi said with a pained expression. Like Guo Renkai and the others, he was filled with excitement, wanting to burst out laughing.
"Xixi, have you been hanging out with him all this time?"
Just as Yan Xixi was laughing wildly, a voice sounded beside her. Her smile froze, and she mechanically turned her head, "Sister, when did you get here?"
Yan Yexue was not only the 10th-ranked prodigy on the Inner Sect Prodigy Ranking but also a prestigious alchemist, one of the few in the Sunset Glow Sect who excelled in both alchemy and martial arts.
She bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Yan Xixi, both possessing a beauty that was the envy of many. However, compared to Yan Xixi, there was a sternness in her brows, making her appear as someone not to be trifled with.
Yan Yexue didn't answer her sister's question but instead turned her gaze to the Wind and Cloud Platform. After a while, she looked back at Yan Xixi and said coldly:
"He is indeed the undisputed number one in the Body Tempering Realm, but that's all. You and he are not suited for each other."
"Sister, what are you talking about? What's suited or not suited?" Yan Xixi blushed, not daring to meet her sister's eyes.
"He..."
"Yan Yexue, you're such a busy person, yet you still found time to come to the outer sect!" Yan Yexue was about to say something when she was interrupted by Chu Youhuan not far away.
The latter took a step forward, wrapped her arm around Yan Yexue's neck, and winked at her, "As an elder sister, is it appropriate to say such things now? Does it even help?"
"What are you two talking about?" Yan Xixi looked at the two women in confusion.
"You, just cheer for Former Junior Brother now. Don't think about anything else!" Chu Youhuan rubbed Yan Xixi's small head, smiling.
"If you can refine a Heaven-defying Thunder Tribulation Pill in the future, perhaps..."
Chu Youhuan's half-spoken words left Yan Xixi bewildered, only vaguely understanding that the Thunder Tribulation Pill could be of great help to Gu Feng.
"Thunder Tribulation Pill? Isn't that a pill that doesn't exist in this world? Does Gu Feng need it? I'll try to study it in the future," Yan Xixi thought to herself.
On the Wind and Cloud Platform!
After Gu Feng smashed the last disciple's head, the battle was officially declared over.
As one of the only two survivors, Qiu Ze huddled in a corner of the array, frantically scratching at the edge of the formation while screaming for help toward Qiu Tian below the platform.
"Brother, save me... I don't want to die!"
Blood stained the entire Wind and Cloud Platform. Gu Feng walked among the dismembered limbs and bodies like an emissary from hell, exuding a chilling aura.
Facing the approaching demon, Qiu Ze was petrified, yellow liquid flowing from his crotch, his cries growing increasingly desperate.
He was like a young girl surrounded by a dozen thugs, helplessly screaming but not daring to fight back.
"Gu Feng, name your demands! Just spare my brother!" Qiu Tian couldn't bear it any longer. He couldn't watch Qiu Ze die and shouted at Gu Feng.
"Ten billion spirit stones. Bring them, and I'll spare this trash!" Gu Feng glanced at Qiu Tian, a sinister smile playing on his lips.
At these words, everyone around them rolled their eyes. Ten billion? The entire Qiu family didn't have that many spirit stones. There was no way Qiu Tian could produce such an amount.
Qiu Tian's face darkened, and he bit his lip, spitting out each word, "Think carefully. If you kill my brother, the Qiu family will hunt you down without end!"
"Are you threatening me?" Gu Feng narrowed his eyes, staring at Qiu Tian.
The two locked eyes across the Wind and Cloud Platform, a silent battle of wills.
Whether to kill Qiu Ze was the final suspense of today's life-and-death battle.
Putting themselves in Gu Feng's shoes, the best option would be to force Qiu Tian to swear on behalf of the Qiu family that they would never trouble Gu Feng again.
An ordinary person might have chosen this path, but the person on the platform was Gu Feng. Would he ever submit?
The crisp sound of a slap left no room for doubt.
"Slap—"
Gu Feng delivered a resounding slap to Qiu Ze's face.
"Gu Feng... don't kill me. I know you like spirit stones. My family has a lot. I can give you many!" Qiu Ze, who had been slapped several meters away, crawled back, clutching at Gu Feng's pants, pleading.
Dignity, reputation—they meant nothing compared to his life. At this moment, all he wanted was to walk away from the Wind and Cloud Platform alive.
"Do you know you were wrong?"
"I was wrong! I know I was wrong! I'm shameless... I'm despicable... I'm vile!" Qiu Ze cried out, even slapping himself repeatedly, ignoring the dark look in Qiu Tian's eyes below.
"Say 'I was wrong' a hundred times, and I'll let you leave alive!" Gu Feng's lips curled into a sinister smile as he grabbed Qiu Ze's hair, speaking softly.
Phew—
Gu Feng's approach made Yan Xixi and the others breathe a sigh of relief.
They were really afraid that Gu Feng would kill Qiu Ze without a second thought.
The Qiu family's power was top-tier among the clans in Cloud Prefecture. In recent years, they had developed rapidly, becoming the third-largest force after the Prefecture Lord's Mansion and the Sunset Glow Sect.
This outcome was the best—revenge had been exacted, and Gu Feng had left himself some leeway. At the very least, it didn't escalate into a life-and-death feud.
Everyone present understood Gu Feng's choice, and even Elder Liu and the others on the viewing platform nodded subtly.
"I was wrong!"
"I was wrong!"
"I was wrong!"
"..."
Qiu Ze's tearful voice echoed across the Wind and Cloud Platform.
Today, he had truly been defeated. His journey in the Sunset Glow Sect had come to an end. For a long time to come, he would have to hide in the Qiu family's territory, lying low.
Just as everyone thought the matter was settled, the situation on the platform took a sudden turn.
After Qiu Ze said "I was wrong" for the 99th time, Gu Feng suddenly grabbed his neck, his expression cold:
"Unfortunately, you didn't finish a hundred times.
So—
Die!"
With that, he delivered a palm strike. Qiu Ze's body remained still, but his head spun 180 degrees, facing Qiu Tian below the platform.
His eyes gradually dimmed, filled with resentment and unwillingness. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his neck twisted, and his life force dissipated.
One of the Qiu family's three prodigies, Qiu Ze, had fallen on the Wind and Cloud Platform!
The entire world seemed to pause, deathly silent. Even the gentle breeze seemed shocked into stillness.
After what felt like an eternity, a piercing scream shattered the silence.
"Gu Feng!!!! I'll kill you!!"
(End of the Chapter)
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