Because of that momentary lapse in concentration, he had failed to notice the attack descending from above. Now, trying to dodge was impossible. The yellow-robed cultivator's face paled drastically. At the critical moment, he activated his Spirit Light Barrier. A shimmering shield snapped into existence around him, pushing the fiery net away mere inches from his skin. A sigh of relief almost escaped him.
Humm…
But his relief vanished before it fully formed. Alarm shot through him as he felt his barrier shudder violently beneath the net's pressure, emitting a low, mournful hum. An unimaginable, searing heat began radiating through the barrier itself, scorching the air within.
"It's an ext—" His horrified exclamation barely began before— BOOM!!
A deafening explosion ripped through the air. His Spirit Light Barrier shattered like glass under the intense heat of the Magma Flame Net. The raging flames, acting like a colossal, fiery fist, clenched down upon him. Not even a scream escaped before he was utterly consumed, reduced to drifting ash.
...
In the span of mere breaths, Lin Feng had annihilated two late-stage Golden Core cultivators. His expression remained calm, but a surge of exhilaration pulsed within him. Though he had only unleashed two simple moves, the profound changes in his cultivation were undeniable. The most evident was the speed of his true essence circulation – smoother and faster than ever before, drastically increasing the speed of his techniques. Additionally, the true essence consumed per technique was noticeably less.
Such are the benefits of a high-grade cultivation method, Lin Feng thought with inner satisfaction. His hands, however, didn't pause. He swiftly gathered the floating artifacts from the dissipating flames – the spoils of battle. Raising his head, he swept his gaze across the horizon. Multiple streaks of light were converging on the island from various directions – clearly, more cultivators had heard the commotion or seen the earlier phenomena. Without further hesitation, he urged his flying sword forward, speeding towards the direction of Zhenhai City.
Yet, while Lin Feng sought to evade trouble, destiny seemed determined to throw it in his path. As he departed, although the approaching cultivators were still distant, a few sharp-eyed individuals had spotted his fleeing silhouette. Among them, two cultivators abruptly abandoned their course towards the island and veered sharply, altering their pursuit to follow Lin Feng.
Lin Feng sensed the two converging energies behind him. A frown creased his brow, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. With a surge of true essence, the Flaming Soul Sword beneath his feet erupted with dazzling light. Its speed instantly doubled as he sought to outpace his pursuers.
"Oh? A top-grade flying sword?" murmured an old man clad in grey robes, observing Lin Feng's sudden burst of speed. His eyebrows arched in surprise, quickly replaced by a gleam of avarice. He, too, accelerated, matching Lin Feng's pace with determined intensity.
"The Huwu Island Old Demon!" The other pursuer, a middle-aged man, paled slightly upon recognizing the grey-robed elder. Knowledge of the elder's reputation flickered in his eyes, swiftly followed by hesitation. Fear evidently won out over greed. He abruptly halted his pursuit, his escaping light winking out as he abandoned the chase.
"Hmph! At least someone knows their place…" The grey-robed elder glanced contemptuously over his shoulder at the retreating cultivator before refocusing entirely on Lin Feng, continuing his relentless pursuit.
This man was Hu Tonghai, a figure notorious among the Golden Core cultivators of the Starry Sea. His cultivation stood at the perfection stage of Golden Core. He had claimed an island named Huwu Island as his personal domain within the Starry Sea, earning him the moniker "Huwu Island Old Demon". Renowned for his ruthlessness and viciousness, few dared to provoke him.
Although Hu Tonghai's flying sword was inferior in grade to the Flaming Soul Sword, his profound cultivation base more than compensated. Powered by his formidable true essence, his speed matched, and even slightly surpassed, Lin Feng's.
Had Lin Feng truly committed to fleeing with all his might, he might have eventually shaken Hu Tonghai off. However, the relentless pursuit ignited fury rather than fear within him. This pursuer wasn't worthy of forcing him into a desperate escape. Seeing the old man stubbornly closing in, Lin Feng's anger solidified. His sword-light jerked to an abrupt halt. He pivoted in mid-air, his gaze cold and sharp as a blade, locking onto the rapidly approaching Hu Tonghai.
Within a dozen breaths, Hu Tonghai closed the distance, halting roughly fifty meters opposite Lin Feng. A flicker of surprise crossed the old demon's weathered face – clearly puzzled why his quarry had suddenly stopped running.
Though Lin Feng had already deduced the man's intentions, he asked flatly, his expression unreadable, "You pursue me relentlessly, elder. What is your purpose?"
"Oh?" Hu Tonghai was taken aback once more. Not only did this youngster not recognize him, but a mere fourth-layer Golden Core cultivator dared to address him with such a tone? He scrutinized Lin Feng more closely, then snorted derisively. "Playing dumb! Answer me! Did you acquire something on that island earlier?"
Lin Feng's lips curled in a faint, mocking smile. "And if I said no, would you believe me?"
Hu Tonghai's eyebrow twitched. "Oh? Then hand over your storage ring for inspection. If it lacks what I seek, you may depart." His voice dripped with condescension.
"Is everyone in the Starry Sea this tyrannical?" Lin Feng scoffed openly. "And what if I refuse?"
This blatant disregard, this utter lack of fear from a cultivator so far beneath him, ignited Hu Tonghai's fury. A vicious glint flashed in his eyes. "Impudent little brat! Truly courting death! Since you wish to die, I shall oblige!" His voice turned icy.
As he spoke, the overwhelming aura of a Golden Core Perfection stage expert erupted. His right hand snapped upward, fingers clawing at the air. Ripples of deep orange energy shimmered around his grasp. Earth spirit energy condensed violently from the surrounding void. Within a radius of a hundred meters, a dense haze of yellow sand materialized out of thin air, swirling like a miniature sandstorm!
The sand roared towards him, coalescing before his body. In an instant, it formed a massive serpent, thick as a water barrel! With a silent hiss, the Sand Serpent surged forward, aiming to engulf Lin Feng!
The power radiating from this technique was immense – easily comparable to Yue Shuo's "Water Dragon Strangulation Art" from before. It was undoubtedly an Earth-rank technique. Lin Feng initially planned to activate his Spirit Light Barrier to defend against it. But then, a thought sparked in his mind. His eyes flashed with sudden insight, replaced by a fierce resolve. A sharp, chilling aura burst from his core. His right hand flew up, fingers forming a complex seal, then slashing violently forward!
Schliiick! Schlik! Schlik! Schlik! Schlik!
Five sharp, tearing sounds erupted from the ocean surface directly below! Immediately afterward, five immense pillars of water erupted skyward, forming a watery barrier between Lin Feng and Hu Tonghai. The pillars writhed like living serpents. With a powerful, coordinated twist, they shredded the onrushing Sand Serpent to pieces!
The swirling currents didn't stop. They swept the disintegrated sand particles into their cores. The five deep blue pillars instantly turned murky and brown. Yet, far from diminishing their power, the added mass seemed to fuel them. Their swirling intensity doubled as they reversed direction, lashing out like massive, sediment-laden whips aimed directly at Hu Tonghai!
"What?!" Hu Tonghai's pupils contracted violently. Shock distorted his features. He desperately activated his own Spirit Light Barrier. An orange light shield bloomed around him just as the leading water pillar struck— THUMP!!!
The impact reverberated through the barrier like a physical blow. Hu Tonghai grunted, feeling his shield shudder precariously. Panic surged through him. He poured more true essence into the barrier while simultaneously throwing himself backward, narrowly avoiding the crushing, swirling embrace of the remaining four sediment pillars.
The entire exchange lasted mere heartbeats. Each had unleashed one technique. Yet, the outcome was undeniable - Lin Feng had gained the upper hand!!
"Impossible!!" Hu Tonghai retreated another fifty meters, his eyes fixed warily on the five massive pillars as they slowly descended back into the churning sea below. Only then did he allow himself a shallow breath. But the shock in his eyes had intensified into profound disbelief. He simply couldn't accept that a fourth-layer Golden Core cultivator's technique could overpower his own!
"Arrogance backed by some actual skill, I see!" Hu Tonghai snarled, masking his inner turmoil with bravado. He wouldn't be deterred so easily. All traces of condescension vanished, replaced by cold calculation. His right hand flicked out. A dazzling blue trident, radiating intense spiritual pressure, materialized before him. With an ear-piercing shriek, it tore through the air, aimed like a spear at Lin Feng's heart!
Opposite him, Lin Feng's expression shifted unexpectedly. Seeing the opponent resort to a magical treasure, a spark ignited in his eyes – not fear, but a hint of undisguised excitement. His body reacted instinctively. He leaped backward, landing lightly atop a second flying sword that shot out from his storage ring. Simultaneously, with a shrill sword hum, the Flaming Soul Sword shot forth from its position beneath him, a streak of crimson fury intercepting the blue trident!