Translator: CinderTL
Buzz!!
In the outskirts, on a dilapidated, potholed concrete road, two aircraft broke the silence, slicing through the white clouds as they descended.
Their wakes stirred up dust, and the wreckage of a Flying Car still smoldered on the ground, its occupants long vanished.
Hiss! Click!
The aircraft doors opened, revealing several Cyborgs who cautiously scanned their surroundings.
Only after confirming there was no immediate danger did a middle-aged man in a dark suit emerge, flanked by security personnel.
"Where is he?"
He frowned slightly, pulling a white handkerchief from his suit's left breast pocket to cover his nose.
His Cyborg subordinates scanned the area and offered a grim assessment.
"Something must have gone wrong. A major battle took place here, possibly involving a Fifth-Tier Cyborg."
"Oh?"
The Man in Suit's eyes widened in surprise.
"So, that brat Xu Heng failed?"
His subordinate nodded, and someone on the scene collected a few drops of residual blood, confirming it was indeed Xu Heng's.
"Interesting. Looks like he crashed and burned."
Narrowing his eyes slightly, the Man in Suit's tone betrayed no hint of joy or anger.
Seeing this, his assistant spoke up, suggesting they investigate the matter.
"It doesn't matter who the killer is. Xu Heng's death has nothing to do with us."
Shaking his head, he continued in a calm tone, "However, these new Energy Devices are indeed rare and extremely difficult to manufacture. The group urgently needs them right now."
"Contact Xu Hai. Tell him his son is dead and that he needs to expedite the transaction."
The assistant nodded immediately, preparing to follow the order.
"Wait."
The middle-aged Man in Suit put down his handkerchief and pondered for a moment.
"Leak the information. Whoever hands over the device will receive a generous reward from Red Wave Energy."
The assistant's eyes flickered with concern.
"Manager, won't this anger Xu Hai? His son might have been killed by these people."
"It doesn't matter."
The Man in Suit glanced indifferently at the charred remains of the Flying Car and the ashes within. Turning, he walked toward the aircraft's cabin.
"Just dogs biting dogs."
"Whether it's Xu Hai or this group, they'll always only dare to tear each other apart in their own backyard."
"Once they're tired of fighting and a victor emerges, they'll naturally come crawling to our feet, vying for our favor."
No one contradicted him.
The aircraft slowly departed, security personnel gazing down at the land below with an unsettling possessive air, as if surveying their own territory.
----
[Steel Bones LV5: 21/100]
In the suburban mountain forest, the progress bar on Chen Feng's interface froze.
"Not bad," he nodded, not entirely disappointed.
He had already noticed in the Dead Crow Secret Realm that the difficulty of leveling up Steel Bones had skyrocketed again. After all, in terms of hardness alone, Steel Bones was already slightly superior to ordinary Stellar Grade Titanium. Compared to that, the effects of Fifth-Tier Radiant Alloy were naturally limited.
His gaze then shifted to his other two talents.
[Heart of Glory LV4: 51/100]
[Azure Armor LV6: 35/100]
Heart of Glory had only increased slightly. In contrast, Azure Armor had made significant progress, gaining a full twenty percentage points.
"Xu Heng and his Cyborg subordinates' efforts were limited," Chen Feng mused. "Zhong Yan is likely the key."
His eyes flickered as he understood the reason.
Zhong Yan was not only a Fifth-Tier Cyborg with considerable strength but also a director of Skyway Shipping. Even though she was at the bottom of the board, she had experienced a great deal.
While she might not be as cunning or resourceful as Xu Heng, her mental fortitude far surpassed his, resulting in higher-quality fear essence.
"I wonder if the other group directors are the same?" Chen Feng mused, his eyes narrowed in curiosity.
He had always been certain that the stronger a person was, the higher the quality of their fear essence. Ordinary people without cybernetic enhancements or martial arts training could only be assessed through their social standing, which wasn't always accurate. After all, even those in high positions could have weak wills.
"I'll have to test this further when I get the chance," he thought, shaking his head.
He glanced around. The Small Stone Statue was unlikely to be discovered, and the Flying Car's AI would leave no trace. After instructing the AI to operate freely without revealing itself, he settled into the vehicle and ordered it to drive back to the city center on autopilot.
The journey was silent, with the green forests and wild mountainsides blurring past.
Suddenly, Chen Feng had an impulse and instructed the AI to pass through a specific area on the outskirts.
Buzz!
The Wasteland came into view as the Flying Car slowed and hovered in mid-air. Chen Feng saw the newly demarcated city site.
Unlike his previous visit, the dense forest had been completely cleared.
Military camps were stationed nearby, and various large-scale construction equipment was in operation.
Even at that moment, a massive slab of gray-black special high-wall material, measuring dozens of square meters, was being manipulated by a mechanical arm from a construction device and inserted into the ground.
Below lay a pre-built, sturdy channel and a metal base.
Click!
A crisp sound echoed as the high wall landed, seamlessly locking into place with the base.
Simultaneously, pipes sprayed a gray, specially formulated chemical agent, and other reinforcement devices were deployed to secure it.
"Progress is swift," Chen Feng observed from a distance, choosing not to approach too closely.
With the full force of a city's resources and the combined efforts of numerous large corporations, the high wall construction had already taken shape. He sensed it wouldn't be long before this area was completely sealed off, becoming a distinct inner and outer realm.
He then turned his gaze away.
The Flying Car silently departed, eventually returning to the bustling urban center.
At the entrance of the Jinhua District Martial Hall, people came and went. Chen Feng opened the car door and stepped out.
The gray floor tiles were smooth and intact. At the Martial Hall entrance, disciples hurried forward to greet Chen Feng respectfully.
"Senior Brother!"
"Mm." Chen Feng nodded and walked toward the Martial Hall doors.
Buzz!!
Just then, two aircraft crossed paths overhead, leaving a white contrail that tore through all the neon projections.
Chen Feng paused, looking up.
The two gray-black aircraft, marked with crimson water patterns, clearly identified them as belonging to a Mega Corporation.
As if sensing his gaze, someone inside the aircraft's glass cabin cast a downward glance.
A middle-aged man in a suit, with a handkerchief tucked in his pocket, sat by the window, surrounded by attendants.
Their eyes met for an instant, both gazes deep and inscrutable.
Finally, the aircraft sliced through the sky, heading toward the distant Crimson Wave Energy Tower.
Watching them go, Chen Feng lowered his gaze.
Lost in thought, he calmly walked into the Martial Hall.
----
Several days later.
BOOM!!!
Beneath the swirling mist, a towering building collapsed.
The One-Eyed Lava Troll's body exploded, revealing a fist-sized ball of flame in its chest.
Half-real, half-illusory, deep crimson Molten Flame continuously erupted from the wound, attempting to repair the fatal injury.
"Together!!"
The figure with the black-green single horn roared, the crimson pattern of a single horn on his broad shoulders blazing like ignited embers.
Simultaneously, a golden broadsword materialized, gripped tightly in his hand and held horizontally at his side.
Buzz!!
Without hesitation, the massive Holy Shield Colossus clenched its fist, its colossal right fist formed like layered rock, radiating dazzling golden light.
Whoosh!!
Boom!!
One unleashed his Horn Strike Ultimate, pouring forth his full power.
The other unleashed a savage, earth-shattering punch, golden light soaring into the heavens.
As if sensing the impending crisis, the fiery bead erupted in a towering column of Molten Flame.
Walls of molten rock began to form, intending to heal the devastating wound from the explosion.
But...
Buzz!!!
The fist imprint descended from the heavens, unleashing a whirlwind that swept across the battlefield, obliterating everything in its path.
The sea of fire vanished, and the molten rock walls shattered instantly.
The golden broadsword swept horizontally, and in the next moment, the black-green figure vanished, reappearing dozens of meters away, still holding the sword in its horizontal stance, just a few meters from the Holy Shield Colossus's side.
Crack!
An abnormal sound echoed abruptly, and the corpses of Black Tide Creatures piled on the ground began to fade into nothingness.
More non-human creatures rushed toward him. Chen Feng slowly sheathed his sword, glancing sideways.
The floating orb of molten flame in mid-air emitted a series of cracking sounds, covered in dense fissures.
Finally, with a deafening boom, it exploded, sending molten flame soaring into the sky.
Confirming the One-Eyed Lava Troll was truly dead, Chen Feng turned his gaze toward another Martial Hall not far away.
Located in the center of a wasteland, it stood only three stories tall.
Compared to the surrounding dilapidated skyscrapers, it seemed rather small. Yet the three characters on its plaque—Extreme Martial Hall—shone with extraordinary brilliance.
He had finally found this familiar Martial Arts Sect again.
Whoosh!
In an instant, his Blood Wings vibrated, and he shot forward like an arrow.
A dozen or so pale red Limit-Breaking Light Orbs caught his eye, suspended within the various Training Halls.
In addition, two pale blue Extreme Martial Light Orbs stood motionless, their allure irresistible.
300 meters... 200 meters... 100 meters...
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, just as he was about to charge into the Martial Hall, Chen Feng's gaze sharpened.
His perception had lagged for a split second.
Or, to be more precise, it felt as if some force had interfered, and he had only just noticed another figure inside the Martial Hall.
The figure stood at the edge of a Meditation Chamber with a collapsed wall, wearing a simple white robe embroidered with the words "Extreme Martial" in black.
His hair was gray and white, and his aged body resembled a withered tree.
His wrinkled face was deathly pale, and his eyes had lost their pupils, leaving only white sclera.
"This..."
A flash of surprise flickered in Chen Feng's fiberglass red eyes. He frowned, his heart filled with caution, and he instinctively tried to stop his dive.
But the next moment, the old man murmured, "Meteor."
The words echoed, lingering in the air.
Chen Feng paused, slightly stunned, until the next instant.
Buzz!!!
A hazy white light emerged from the old man's palm, perfectly round and flawless, utterly pure.
Then, with a flick of the old man's arm,
Whoosh!!
The blinding white light transformed into a meteor, trailing a deafening whistle as it hurtled toward Chen Feng in an instant.
Bang!
A punch exploded outward, obliterating the white light.
A powerful shockwave erupted at the point of impact, shattering windows in the surrounding skyscrapers.
The dark figure was sent sliding back dozens of meters through the air, a golden Steel Bones covering its arm trembling slightly for a moment.
"Sixth-Tier?"
Chen Feng's gaze turned grave. He sensed something amiss.
He hadn't expected to encounter a true Sixth-Tier Transcendent Martial Artist within the Dream Realm of Qinggang City.
But he had no time to ponder.
Boom!
The aged figure unleashed a flurry of punches, each accompanied by a hazy white meteor shower that filled the sky.
(End of the Chapter)
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