Translator: CinderTL
Boom!!
The stone tower and walls exploded with a deafening roar. Several Serpentfolk sentry guards were splattered across the sky, their limbs raining down.
The sudden attack momentarily stunned the entire Black Blade Tribe. Armored Serpentfolk warriors and core members of the tribe looked up in shock.
Seven or eight Flying Eagle Beasts.
Their brown wings beat furiously, whipping up a gale as dozens of elite warriors in armor and cloaks appeared overhead.
At the center, atop the lead Flying Eagle Beast, a young man in Black Armor with a short blade surveyed the scene below. Behind him, a Silver Armor Warrior narrowed his eyes coldly, drawing his bow and nocking an arrow.
As if sensing their gaze, the next moment—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A rain of arrows descended from the sky, piercing the air and shattering stone walls and wooden huts.
The sound of arrows piercing flesh—thud, thud, thud, thud—rang out continuously as Serpentfolk armor shattered, chests were pierced, and Serpent Eyes burst open.
Blood instantly splattered into the air. Amidst the gathered Serpentfolk Army, an Elder roared in fury, finally snapping out of his shock.
"Enemy attack!!"
"Return fire at once!!!"
His voice, a furious roar like a maddened lion, was followed by elite Serpentfolk warriors, especially those from the Huorong Tribe, drawing their longbows and unleashing volleys of flame arrows.
Whoosh!!
The dense sound of rockets merged into a single roar as flames erupted across the sky.
Just as the rockets were about to pierce the heavens and strike the inverted Flying Eagle, a white-gray shadow streaked down from the high-altitude clouds, tinged with golden light.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh... The wind pressure, like a razor-sharp blade, sliced through the air, pressing down on the earth.
Every flying rocket was instantly enveloped by the wind pressure and Qi mechanism, exploding into dust and vanishing.
"Get out of the way!!"
A furious shout from a Serpentfolk warrior pierced the air. A massive figure blocked out the sunlight, casting an ever-growing shadow over the Black Blade Tribe's camp.
The Serpentfolk warriors stood frozen in shock, realizing with horror that they were trapped by an overwhelming pressure, unable to dodge.
Finally, with a deafening boom!!—like a comet's impact—the ground shook violently.
A dozen Serpentfolk warriors from the Huorong Tribe instantly turned into pulp. The wooden houses directly in front of them were flattened, reduced to splinters that continued to sink into the earth.
Crack, crack, crack, crack!
A massive crater, spanning dozens of meters and still expanding, swallowed everything in its path.
The shockwave kicked up a storm of dust, engulfing all the Serpentfolk and houses in a swirling vortex of debris.
"Aah!!"
Thud! Splurt!
Screams, terror, fear...
For the first time, the normally stoic Serpentfolk felt such helplessness and dread.
Some Serpentfolk survived by sheer luck, left with only mangled limbs. Others were flung backward, impaled through the chest by the splintered spikes of their wooden huts or had their heads smashed against stone walls, becoming bloodied corpses that slowly slid to the ground.
The entire Black Blade Tribe descended into chaos in an instant, their previously tenuous defenses and counterattacks rendered laughable.
"Attack!!"
Olon roared, leading the charge. Gripping a massive broadsword, he dove from his Flying Eagle Beast.
The power of the wind was harnessed by his awakened Seed of Life, while a dozen warriors from the Falcon Corps, armed with swords and bows, followed suit, leaping down in unison.
"Follow!"
The warriors of the Earth Rock Corps and Thorn Corps surged forward, including Molly, who charged into the Black Blade Tribe's camp with the Small Stone Statue in tow.
Within mere breaths, the sound of thump-thump-thump echoed as Serpentfolk were slashed through the chest and abdomen, their vital points pierced.
Chen Feng watched the scene unfold with cold detachment, showing no pity. He had long known the Serpentfolk's inherently cold nature, a consequence of their corruption by Serpent Spirit Power.
In contrast, his Perception expanded, revealing a section of the Black Blade Tribe's territory near the Dwarf Mountain lake.
A patrol of elite Serpentfolk warriors was patrolling nearby, separated from the surroundings by a black, transparent Barrier.
Two colossal black trees, each requiring seven or eight people to encircle, thrived within the Barrier. Their roots, gnarled like coiling pythons, spread deep into the earth, while their emerald-green leaves, tinged with black, bore the faint sight of seven or eight Serpent Spirit Fruits hanging among the branches.
Seeing this, Chen Feng nodded in satisfaction.
In an instant, Blood Wings sprouted from his back, and he prepared to take flight and claim the fruits.
But then...
"Aaaah!!"
"I'll kill you!!"
A ferocious roar echoed from the center of the wooden huts, where a more formidable black Barrier stood.
Dense ripples of energy surged outward, barely managing to deflect the Holy Shield Colossus's Heaven-Crushing Strike.
Witnessing the carnage outside, the three Great Priests and the Fifth-Tier Elders within the Barrier were filled with bloodshot fury, a mixture of terror and intense rage.
"Interesting," Chen Feng murmured, his eyes narrowing as he sensed the formidable strength of the Barrier.
It surpassed the Sixth-Tier level, bearing a striking resemblance to the crimson Barrier Saint Barbone had erected long ago.
Immediately, he sent a mental command through their psychic link. The giant Holy Shield Colossus clenched its fist.
Crack!
The air exploded with a deafening crack, sending a swirling vortex of white vapor into the sky.
Like a massive arm carved from stone, the Colossus's thick limb slammed forward, its golden veins instantly blazing with light.
Boom!
With a muffled explosion, everyone felt their hearts skip a beat, their heartbeats slowing by half a beat.
The intense shockwave cracked and sank the ground, creating a depression that spread like a storm. The resulting air currents swept outward, shattering Serpentfolk who had ventured too close.
Buzz... buzz... buzz... buzz!
The black Barrier at the center of the Serpent-folk Camp strained under immense pressure, dense ripples of energy frantically surging across its surface.
A gray-white giant fist, like a mountain range, pressed down, while golden light surged through the Barrier's defenses with brutal force.
Witnessing this scene, the Serpentfolk Elders were deeply alarmed, their hearts filled with dread.
Gold and black clashed in a fierce struggle, yet the Barrier stubbornly held firm, showcasing its remarkable strength and unique properties.
"As expected of a Barrier laid down by the Temple of the Gods, blessed by Angelic Power. It seems they won't be able to break through here."
"But this isn't a solution. Our people are still outside."
"Indeed. What shall we do?"
Anxious voices echoed within the Barrier. Then, several Serpentfolk Elders felt their vision darken as they watched the Colossus Creature stand tall against the sky, once again unleashing its fist strike.
Boom!
Another deafening explosion erupted, the dense ripples of energy rippling even more wildly, dancing in arcing patterns.
The Barrier's defenses, like a solid stream of water, formed a vortex, capable of deflecting even the crushing weight of a mountain range.
A sense of relief washed over them, even the Black Blade High Priest and the other three Saints couldn't help but feel a flicker of gratitude.
But this feeling didn't last long.
The barrier's range was limited. The thought of their clansmen being slaughtered outside ignited a wave of indescribable fury and killing intent within them.
The Black Blade High Priest was particularly enraged. This was the core territory of his tribe, where nearly all their foundation lay.
He turned his head sharply, locking eyes with the young man perched atop the giant Flying Eagle.
Clenching his jaw, his face contorted with hatred, he was about to unleash a counterattack.
But in the next instant...
"This turtle shell is surprisingly tough."
A deep voice echoed. The young man, who had been far away in mid-air, vanished from his spot and instantly appeared outside the barrier.
Two crimson arcs of light flashed, and his Black Armor was instantly covered by a bluish-black shell.
Moreover, a radiant daylight emanated from within him, completely dissipating the residual impact of the barrier's attacks.
The Black Blade High Priest felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.
Before he could speak, however...
Buzz!!!
A powerful storm force slammed against the barrier, while an invisible aura erupted in full force.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
The ground caved in. The single-horned crimson mark on Chen Feng's chest instantly lit up, and his arms were inexplicably covered in gold.
"This is bad!!"
The Black Blade High Priest's expression changed as he saw the towering Holy Shield Colossus rapidly shrink, its back now pressed against the young man with the single green-black horn.
A burst of black light erupted from his body. He immediately retrieved the token bestowed by the Serpent God Temple and ordered everyone to channel their power into it.
Buzz!!
Three Saints and seven Fifth-Tier Elders joined forces.
The Barrier, which had been rippling with dense waves of energy, momentarily solidified, as if shedding all pressure and becoming even stronger.
"He can't break through!"
Saint Yin Cang spoke grimly, while High Priest Rong Yan beside him wore a cold expression, furiously channeling flame into the token.
The Barrier seemed to grow darker and deeper, as if amplified and reinforced. Yet the figure with the green-black horn remained utterly unfazed.
Buzz!!
The full force of the Horn Strike, amplified by Chen Feng's current martial arts prowess, was no less than that of a Pseudo-Seventh-Tier attack.
In an instant, his golden right arm shot out like a bolt of lightning. At the same time, the Holy Shield Colossus pressed against his back mirrored his movements almost perfectly, a one-to-one replica.
Boom!!!
Golden and white-gray fists slammed into the Barrier's protective screen simultaneously, unleashing a violent storm of wind pressure that raged in all directions.
The entire Black Blade Tribe, stretching nearly a thousand meters in radius, was engulfed in the storm. Serpentfolk were swept away by the shockwaves, their bodies exploding into dust.
Even the elite warriors of the Holy City, like Olon and Molly, hastily retreated to dodge, their eyes widening in horror as they witnessed the devastating blow from the man and his statue.
Crack!
As if in response, the Black Blade High Priest's eyes widened, and Saint Yin Cang and Rong Yan's faces paled.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The continuous cracking sounds persisted, and with the naked eye, a fissure appeared in the deep, inky barrier, rapidly spreading across its surface.
Finally, with a deafening boom!
The barrier shattered, and the black light in the sky dissipated into nothingness.
The sky, now stripped of its clouds, and the earth below, riddled with countless wounds, came into view.
Without hesitation or doubt, the three Saints and seven Fifth-Tier Elders shared a single, desperate thought:
"Flee!"
Boom!
Before the Black Blade High Priest's words could even fade, a flash of white and gold streaked across the sky.
The brute force was utterly overwhelming, an invisible Qi mechanism pressing down and locking everyone in place, making escape impossible.
Pfft!
In an instant, the seven Fifth-Tier Elders were pierced through their bodies.
Silver light erupted from Saint Yin Cang's body, turning him into a crystalline statue. He vomited blood, his Serpent Eyes filled with despair and agony.
Half of his massive frame and silver armor were obliterated, his left shoulder and chest seemingly wiped away by sheer force.
The crimson blood sprayed by the berserker stained everything red. The once vibrant and powerful life force flickered like a candle flame in the wind.
"Flee!!"
"Run for your lives!!"
At the same moment, as if sensing the impending death of their comrade, a seemingly ordinary Serpentfolk's shadow flickered with black light. They were fleeing rapidly toward the Dwarf Mountain behind the tribe.
And it wasn't just them.
Within the collapsing, burning wooden huts of the tribe, figures flickered in and out of sight, their faces etched with lingering shock and fury as they fled in another direction.
Pseudo-Angels.
Even with the prefix "pseudo," they were beings no Saint could withstand.
Fleeing was the best option. As long as they survived, even if the tribe suffered heavy casualties, they could rebuild and recover.
In the blink of an eye, both Saints had used Shadow Substitution and flame element jumps to rapidly distance themselves, covering a hundred meters in an instant.
"Despicable Outlanders!"
"Don't you dare fall into my hands!!"
The Black Blade High Priest thought venomously, already far beyond the tribe's perimeter.
No pursuit followed. A sense of relief, almost like surviving a disaster, nearly surged within him, but he found it utterly loathsome and humiliating.
Then, a thunderous roar echoed from within the tribe, as if another Barrier had been forcibly shattered.
He vaguely guessed the reason, and his anger and hatred grew more intense. Yet he could only cling to the ground's shadows, leaping rapidly.
One breath. Five breaths. Ten breaths.
He had already rounded Dwarf Mountain and was about to head farther, directly toward Heaven's Fall Mountain, which separated north and south.
But then...
Zzzt!
A flicker of lightning flashed in the corner of his Serpent Eyes. A figure with blood-veined wings suddenly appeared, suspended in midair.
"I gave you a chance."
"Too bad you're useless."
As the words fell, the Black Blade High Priest's expression changed drastically.
"You—"
Buzz!!
A powerful storm descended, accompanied by a crushing distortion of gravity.
The air trembled, and the ground cracked and crumbled, the fissures spreading relentlessly.
As if shouldering a mountain, the Black Blade High Priest's body shuddered. He was horrified to discover that he could no longer use Shadow Substitution; it felt as if all his power had been forced back into his body.
Even his entire being was being forcibly pulled from the shadows, forced to emerge onto the surface.
What kind of technique is this?
A mixture of shock and fury surged through him as he stood on the fallen leaves and mud, his mind screaming in rage.
Then, a thunderous boom suddenly echoed, as if in response.
In the opposite direction, a pillar of flame erupted into the sky, as if a fiery column had pierced the heavens, incinerating everything in its path.
The sky itself turned crimson and scorching, the clouds evaporating into nothingness.
But this spectacle didn't last long. In the next instant, it was brutally torn apart by a brute force of white-gray energy.
Boom!
The earth trembled as if an Earth Dragon had turned.
With a single punch, Chen Feng shattered all hope and vitality. The Black Blade High Priest's heart skipped a beat. He averted his gaze, fixing his gaze on the blue, horned figure descending before him, slowly touching down on the ground.
"The Serpent God Temple will never let you go!"
"The Serpent God and the angels will avenge us!"
Whoosh!
A concentrated beam of black light shot from the horn, piercing through the air and the so-called Shadow Power.
The unfinished threat was abruptly cut off. With a wet splurt, blood splattered as a Serpent Eye and shattered flesh rolled onto the ground.
A flicker of life remained, as if trying to cling to existence as a contingency plan.
But it was short-lived.
With a stomp of Chen Feng's foot, an invisible force seized everything.
All the Life Essence transformed into warm currents that flowed into the Life Mark on his chest. The so-called Black Blade High Priest vanished completely from this world.
A gentle breeze stirred, scattering dead leaves and debris across the ground.
Chen Feng lowered his head slightly, finally turning his attention to the Serpent Spirit Fruits in his hand.
Their crimson Fiberglass eyes reflected the sunlight. This was the reason he hadn't immediately pursued the Black Blade High Priest earlier.
It wasn't just absolute confidence in his own strength and speed, but also a desire to prevent any accidents or complications with these precious fruits.
So, as he gazed at the information scrolling across his interface, including the final segment of the Sacred Flame Awakening Method's progress, he made an immediate decision without hesitation.
"Convert and enhance!"
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (MF) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c472. [+4.1k]
🔑Early Access at $5.
✍Translated (6) Series, (3.6K+) Chapters, (5.1M+) Words.