Translator: CinderTL
Whoosh!
The small, white-gray stone statue had been soaring across the sandy wasteland for nearly half a month.
Seemingly tireless, it would occasionally dive into the ground to feed on the earth when hungry.
Once satiated, it would shake its body, vibrate its tiny stone wings to clear away sand and dust, and resume its flight across the land.
The scenery shared through its vision constantly shifted until, finally, the mountain cliffs where the Saint-level battle had once taken place drew closer. A massive, blood-red barrier, shaped like a half-sphere, enveloped the sky and mountains.
Within this vast space, spanning over a thousand meters, several Black-Scaled Winged Serpents circled in the air. Above them, numerous Serpentfolk warriors in armor, armed with long spears, surveyed the barrier below.
Faintly visible within was a lake. At the outer edge of the barrier, a massive Serpentfolk camp had sprung up from the ground.
Serpentfolk warriors patrolled on alert, their leaders all at the Fourth-Tier level. Occasionally, Fifth-Tier Serpentfolk Commanders would appear, and within the central courtyard of the camp, Saint-level auras flickered in and out of existence.
This was a massive, gray-brown Winged Serpent, measuring seventeen or eighteen meters in length and three to five meters in girth.
Each time it turned over, it made a tremendous noise, causing numerous Serpentfolk to kneel respectfully and call it "Holy Beast."
"Hmm?"
As if sensing something, a voice of confusion echoed through the wooden hut camp.
A figure in a black robe instantly appeared in mid-air. Under the hood, the black-scaled triangular serpent head gazed into the distance, its Serpent Eyes reflecting a vast forest.
He's here?
A flicker of doubt crossed his eyes. He had just detected a trace of an incredibly familiar aura, one he could never forget.
That vile, despicable outsider who had fled this world at the last moment!
"Holy Envoy?"
Several Fifth-Tier Serpentfolk emerged, their eyes following his gaze, but they saw no movement.
Without answering, the Holy Envoy of the Serpent God Temple glanced up at the barrier.
According to the Serpent God's revelation, the outsider could only appear where he had left, making it impossible to bypass the barrier's blockade.
So...
"Go. Investigate this area for any human traces."
His voice was cold, filled with killing intent.
Several Fifth-Tier Serpentfolk nodded in obedience and quickly dispatched over a dozen Serpentfolk teams to spread out into the forest.
Hidden on a massive boulder, the small, white-gray stone statue watched everything unfold.
After hesitating for a moment, it finally flapped its wings again and quickly flew away.
"As expected, these Serpentfolk paid a heavy price to ambush me."
In the Martial Hall's meditation chamber, Chen Feng sat cross-legged on a soft cushion, opened his eyes, and severed the shared vision.
When he left the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm, he had instructed Stone Statue No. 2 to relay the message to Molly and the others to return to the Holy City.
As a precaution, he then ordered it to go alone to the place where he had left the Secret Realm to investigate the situation.
After a long journey, it had just arrived at the site of his battle with the Serpent God Temple.
"That barrier should have a powerful sealing ability, and it's possible it conceals some special killing mechanism."
"And those envoys from the Serpent God Temple and the Saints of the Eight Great Tribes—they possess extraordinary treasures bestowed by the Serpent God, giving them far greater strength and recovery abilities than those mutated Sixth-Tier monsters in Qinggang City."
Recalling the battle, Chen Feng remembered how the Serpent God Temple envoy had been severely wounded, only for a temple token to appear and rapidly heal his injuries with seemingly little cost.
Moreover, the token had been infused with a powerful aura.
After pondering for a moment, Chen Feng considered his current weakened state and limited dream-walking abilities.
He made a decision.
"I'll wait."
His eyes flashed. He knew that in his current condition, he would barely manage to kill a Saint, let alone break through the barrier's seal.
As for seizing the Serpent Spirit Fruit, that was pure fantasy.
"Once I've fully recovered and grown stronger, I can try again."
"Moreover, I can wait for Stone Statue No. 2 to return to the Holy City and see if I can persuade a Saint to come as backup."
His thoughts expanded, and Chen Feng formulated a plan.
He didn't dwell on the Serpent Spirit Fruit for too long. Since it was currently out of reach, he decided to see if he could obtain more Advanced Life Elixirs on Earth.
Thinking of this, he glanced at his phone, only then remembering a message he'd received that morning, which he'd completely forgotten to reply to.
[Chu Shihong: I've given your contact information to Vice Dean Fang of Radiant Star Academy. He's personally leading a team to Nanjiang, partly to oversee the construction of the branch academy and partly to discuss the matter I mentioned yesterday. He'll be meeting with you to ask questions and collect martial arts data.]
The other party revealed quite a bit, including the background of Vice Dean Fang. They mentioned he had once served at the Red Capital Academy and knew one or two members of the General Federation.
Chen Feng understood their meaning: they were simply worried he might clash with the visitor, making it difficult to resolve the situation.
After a brief reply assuring them he had it under control, Chen Feng stepped outside and called for Cao Tong.
"Has Master still not emerged from seclusion?"
"No."
Cao Tong, clad in a loose black tactical jacket, shook his head. "I went back to the Sect yesterday to exchange for the Flame True Skill. Hehe."
"Knowing you'd ask, I checked."
"Junior Brother Xu said the Sect Leader is still in seclusion, but there's been some movement recently. He might be close to emerging."
Cao Tong grinned, admiration flashing in his eyes, mixed with deep relief.
To have created a powerful True Art capable of breaking through the Grandmaster realm, one that perfectly complements the Heavenly Flame Technique, enhancing both cultivation speed and power...
He felt that recommending Junior Brother Chen to the Sect had been the wisest decision he'd ever made.
"Is that so?"
Unaware of Cao Tong's thoughts, Chen Feng nodded slightly upon hearing about the movement in seclusion.
If he guessed correctly, Master was likely tackling the Force Refinement Stage.
After all, at his advanced age, his Qi and Blood had declined, making the Physical Tempering Stage several times more challenging.
As for the Spirit Gate, it was even more daunting.
"I hope it goes smoothly," he sighed, unsure if his Master, Li Tong, would succeed in his breakthrough. Ultimately, such matters came down to one's own efforts.
He exchanged a few words with Cao Tong about recent Sect affairs, intending to inquire about the alliance between the Giant Elephant Sect, the Golden Flying Eagle Sect, and the other three Grandmaster Sects.
Sha!!
A shout echoed in his mind, and his gaze sharpened. Though the connection felt sluggish and awkward, he knew it was Gata calling.
"Finally caught it!"
"Fire!!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!!
Across the azure sea, a fleet of over a dozen large multi-masted sailing ships unleashed a coordinated barrage. Black cannonballs roared through the air, and as they struck, a Giant Octopus, over ten meters in size, thrashed violently, trapped in a massive fishing net.
Sha!!!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!
The fleet's cannonballs exploded in rapid succession, creating a dense pattern of fire on the Giant Octopus's body, as if its flesh had been torn open, leaving wounds.
Despite its desperate struggles, the fishing net, crafted from a special material, remained remarkably resilient, showing little damage. Instead, it continued to tighten, binding the creature ever more firmly in the sea.
"Keep firing!"
"Fire! Fire!!"
Two flags flew from the fleet: one bearing a red scepter and the other a hurricane emblem. A burly man in captain's attire stood on the deck, shouting orders.
Each sailor was highly trained, loading cannons and firing volleys from both sides of the ship.
The continuous bombardment sent the Giant Octopus within the fishing net roaring in agony, frantically struggling to escape.
It unleashed its brute strength, attempting to break free, but the net glowed with a faint white light, tightening its grip and wrapping around the creature, even tearing through its flesh.
Furthermore, ropes extended from both ends of the net, stretching upwards.
Focusing, one could see a massive brown Griffin.
Its eagle-like wings beat up and down, churning the sea into a frenzy of waves.
Its Fourth-Tier peak aura was exceptionally powerful. Standing above it was a burly, bald man in a sleeveless robe, a longsword at his waist, his arms bulging with muscle and veins straining, gripping the net's ropes with unwavering determination.
"Truly worthy of being the Hurricane Lord's strongest warrior," someone in the fleet remarked admiringly. It was an Elder Mage in a dark robe, his hair as white as snow.
Though he was also a Fifth-Tier peak Sequencer, he knew that even he would struggle to restrain the Giant Octopus and prevent its escape.
"Uncle Long Tai, you're amazing!!"
Standing beside the Elder Mage was a red-haired boy in noble attire, wearing a silk robe. After showering Uncle Long Tai with praise, he turned his gaze to the writhing, roaring Giant Octopus.
His eyes were filled with the joy of a child gazing at a toy, and he thought even a Mermaid couldn't be more interesting than this behemoth.
"Uncle Long Tai! Mage Simon! Hurry and catch it!"
"I'm taking it back to the family castle!"
The air was thick with possessive demands and cheers. Long Tai, a Sequencer hovering in mid-air, didn't argue. He gripped the fishing net tightly while glancing at the Elder Mage on the ship.
"Mage Simon?" he urged impatiently, hoping the mage would act quickly.
After all, capturing this ocean overlord would be a great achievement, whether they handed it over to the Hurricane Lord or the Red Dragon Family.
"Leave it to me." The Elder Mage nodded and immediately raised his staff.
Buzz!!
The surrounding air shifted inexplicably. A massive black cloud, over ten meters wide, materialized in the sky and drifted directly above the Giant Octopus.
Crack!!
Lightning struck, searing into its body.
Everyone gasped, awed and terrified by the raw power of the storm.
"Sha!!!"
The Giant Octopus roared in pain. A wound appeared on its head, and after a moment of paralysis, it began to thrash wildly.
Waves of water, controlled by the creature, surged into the air, but were quickly blocked by the gale whipped up by the Griffin.
As for the whirlpool that had attacked the fleet, the Elder Mage used his control over the water to forcibly neutralize it.
For a moment, the Giant Octopus was in dire straits, fighting like a cornered beast.
The red-haired little boy clapped his hands excitedly, his eyes growing brighter with each clap.
Long Tai, hovering in mid-air, sneered coldly, his gaze icy. He tightened his grip on the rope, preparing to tighten the constriction further.
Whoosh!!!
Suddenly, a tiny conch shell, swirling with golden patterns, emerged from one of the Giant Octopus's massive tentacles.
A long, melodious sound echoed—like the song of a Merfolk—reverberating through the surroundings.
The seawater around them surged violently. Before the dark clouds in the sky could unleash another bolt of lightning, the water transformed into an enormous, towering water column that forcefully pierced through the clouds.
At the same moment, streams of blue, water-like light continuously emerged, rapidly healing the Giant Octopus's wounds.
"This is bad!!"
Long Tai's expression shifted slightly as he urgently tightened the rope.
But soon, the Giant Octopus opened its eerie, green, gurgling eyes and locked its gaze on him.
In an instant, the atmosphere stilled.
The Elder Mage on the fleet sensed something amiss and looked down.
Beneath the vast sea surface, dense shadows suddenly appeared.
Dong!!
A marine creature slammed into one of the ships, ignoring the pain.
It was a shark.
"This is..."
The Elder Mage's pupils contracted. Then, more and more marine creatures emerged, relentlessly attacking the fleet.
Sea turtles, giant crabs, white sharks, whales...
Crack!!
In the blink of an eye, a ship was breached, water gushing in and causing it to sink.
(End of the Chapter)
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