With a sharp hissing sound, Mu Feng rocketed into the sky, tearing through the air like a blazing comet. The four monks followed closely behind, their eyes cold and resolute.
Mu Feng pierced through the dark clouds, the roaring wind whipping against his robes and long white beard. Bursting through the mist, he emerged into the open heavens where moonlight spilled across a sea of clouds. Without glancing back, he sped forward—his only thought was to protect the child in his arms.
But then—
A sudden grip clamped around his right leg. One of the monks had caught up, golden light radiating from his body as he pulled sharply downward. Mu Feng's balance faltered; his body jerked violently as he was dragged from the sky, plummeting for a brief moment.
Before he could react, another monk streaked across from the right, leaving a blinding golden trail behind him. In one swift motion, the monk snatched Zixiao from Mu Feng's grasp and soared ahead, stopping several meters away in the air.
Mu Feng's eyes widened in shock—but in an instant, his spiritual energy surged. He halted his descent, stabilizing himself midair, his figure floating just below the clouds. His aura flared with anger as he glared at the monk holding Zixiao.
The remaining three monks quickly regrouped, flying toward the one holding Zixiao. Golden light flickered around them as they formed a loose formation high above the clouds.
Mu Feng steadied his breath, his old chest rising and falling heavily. Although I'm at Level 58… they're not far behind. Level 54, maybe 56. I can't afford a single mistake.
With that thought, he clenched his fists and shot upward once more, his aura bursting forth as he charged straight at them.
The three monks responded instantly, breaking formation and flying out in a flowing triangle. The monk in the middle raised his right hand, and his string of prayer beads shattered into dozens of fragments, glowing with radiant gold.
Each bead turned into a streaking comet, slicing through the air toward Mu Feng.
The sky filled with trails of golden light—dozens of them raining down like divine punishment. Mu Feng spun and twisted through the storm, his robes flaring as he narrowly dodged the beads. Each time one came too close, it detonated with a thunderous boom, shaking the clouds apart.
As Mu Feng dodged another bead,The first monk sped forward through the violent gusts of wind, golden prayer beads trailing like shooting stars behind him. His right hand bent backward, folding into a fist as he launched it directly at Mu Feng's face.
But Mu Feng was ready. Calmly, he drew a black talisman from his sleeve, its surface flickering with sparkling blue symbols.
With a swift motion, Mu Feng caught the monk's wrist with his left hand, stopping the punch mid-air. Then, without hesitation, he slammed the talisman onto the monk's forehead.
Crack!
Blue lightning erupted instantly, racing across the monk's body. His muscles twitched uncontrollably as the electricity danced over him, hissing and crackling through the air.
"Ahh! Uhh! Ahh! Uhhh!" the monk screamed, his golden aura flickering violently as Mu Feng's talisman suppressed his strength.
High above the forest, the wind howled, carrying the echoes of his agony across the trees. Mu Feng's expression remained calm, almost serene, as he held the monk trapped, the talisman pulsating with energy that refused to relent.
After a short while, the monk went limp, unconscious, hanging from Mu Feng's grasp by his wrist. Black smoke rose from his body, swirling violently into the wind, twisting and merging with the gusts as if the forest itself rejected him.
Mu Feng released his hold. Instantly, the monk plummeted, spinning uncontrollably through the air—twisting, turning, tumbling side to side, smoke trailing from him like a dark comet.
Boing!
He struck a thick branch of a green-leaved tree, hanging there awkwardly by his stomach. Dark spots marred his robes and skin where the black smoke had touched, a stark contrast against the vibrant foliage around him.
Above, the forest canopy quivered from the impact, leaves rustling violently as the monk dangled helplessly, his consciousness swallowed by the talisman's power.
Then suddenly without even a second of relief the second monk came toward mu feng clenching his fist.Mu Feng reacted instantly—his body twisted midair. With a sharp spin, he kicked out his right foot, striking the monk squarely in the waist.
Boom!
The monk was hurled downward, crashing toward the forest canopy below. Trees splintered beneath the impact, but before he hit the ground, the monk managed to stop himself, floating just above the treetops, his breath ragged.
The nearest monk's eyes flickered as he caught sight of Mu Feng's right leg—and froze. Unlike the left, which was covered in a pointed black shoe, his right foot was bare.
The realization struck him like lightning. That old man… he used his bare foot to strike?
"Then where did that shoe go…" the monk thought, eyes narrowing.
Before the thought even finished forming, a black blur spun across the corner of his vision—fast, silent, and unexpected.
Whap!
"Ahh!" the monk screamed as a sharp pain exploded across his face. His body tilted violently backward, his vision spinning.
It was Mu Feng's missing shoe.
The impact sent the monk reeling, his aura scattering as he lost all sense of direction. He shot straight toward Mu Feng, who floated calmly amidst the swirling clouds, robes fluttering like banners.
Mu Feng shifted his body slightly to the left, his expression calm and eyes cold.
A golden streak tore through the air. The third monk, still spinning uncontrollably, hurtled at full speed toward the second monk hovering above the forest canopy.
A piercing scream cut through the wind: "Ahhhh—!"
Then, with a thunderous CRACK…, the falling monk collided head-on with the airborne one. The force of impact sent shockwaves through the air, scattering leaves and twisting branches around them.
The monk who had been floating instantly lost his consciousness, tilting violently before plummeting into the dense forest canopy below And disappeard with a tree branch cracking noise.
Crack! Crash! Boom!
The last monk fell with forest's tree Branches shattered and leaves scattered everywhere, sticking to the monk's robes as he plummeted. With a thunderous impact, he slammed into the muddy ground, carving a crater beneath him.
Dust billowed into the air.
The monk didn't move again—he had lost consciousness instantly, lying face-down in the dirt as green leaves slowly drifted down, settling gently across his back.
High above, Mu Feng's lone black shoe floated in the air for a moment before dropping silently through the clouds.
The monk clutching Zixiao was now alone among the clouds. His breathing quickened as he watched his comrades fall one after another.
"That old man… he actually defeated them all in an instant… but they were at Level 57 and 56… how—how is that possible?" he thought, his jaw tightening.
With a roar, a surge of golden energy erupted from his body, splitting the clouds around him. In the blink of an eye, he launched himself toward Mu Feng like a golden comet, the air howling in his wake.
Mu Feng's eyes sharpened. He gathered his energy, preparing to strike—
—but suddenly, the monk twisted sharply mid-flight, veering to Mu Feng's left side and darting away in a flash of gold.
"He's fleeing!" Mu Feng's eyes widened as he realized—the monk was heading straight back toward the ship, still holding Zixiao tightly in his arms.
Without a single breath wasted, Mu Feng's fury ignited. A thunderous boom echoed as he burst forward, brown energy swirling around him like a storm. The clouds split apart as master and monk streaked across the sky, one fleeing in desperation, the other pursuing with blazing wrath.
The monk vanished into the thick white clouds, leaving only the fading echo of his energy behind. Mu Feng's eyes blazed with fury as he pushed his power to the limit. With a deafening boom, his figure shot through the sky like a meteor tearing open the heavens.
Soon, through the thinning mist, the outline of the massive ship came into view on the horizon.
On its deck, the monk was already kneeling on one knee before Xuan, his head lowered in reverence. Beside him, Zixiao lay motionless upon the wooden floor, his face pale and turned toward the heavens.
In a flash of light, Mu Feng stopped—hovering just ten meters above the ship. His robes whipped violently in the roaring wind as his voice thundered across the sky.
"Jing Xuan! Return my disciple—now!"
His words rolled like thunder through the clouds, shaking even the ship's sails.
Xuan, however, remained unmoved. His eyes were half-closed, his hands folded calmly before him in his usual meditative posture.
"Ah… so it's true," he said softly, his tone eerily calm. "Elder Mu Feng, the man who can still defeat four Sky-Lord-level monks in a single breath."
He paused, then let out a quiet laugh that echoed faintly through the mist.
"Well, I suppose it's only natural… from the one once called the Emperor of Alchemy and Talismans."
The praise drifted up to the sky, but for some reason Mu Feng's expression darkened further—his fury now burning hotter than the storm swirling around him.
"Jing Xuan!" Mu Feng's voice thundered across the clouds. "I'm asking you... one last time—return my disciple!"
A violent gust burst out from him, tearing through the sky. The ship's banners snapped and its sails fluttered wildly as the pressure thickened. The clouds above twisted into a vortex, and the once-golden sky darkened into an ominous gray. The air grew sharp and heavy, like the calm before a storm that could devour worlds.
Xuan let out a faint sigh, his serene face shadowed under the gathering storm.
"So be it," he murmured coldly. "It seems Elder Mu Feng will not leave without a battle."
In the blink of an eye, his form blurred—his body dissolving into pure golden light.
Mu Feng's eyes narrowed. His instincts screamed danger.
Then—boom!
A streak of gold tore through the air. Xuan reappeared right before Mu Feng, his right leg already raised high above the clouds—then came crashing down like divine judgment.
Mu Feng moved on reflex, crossing his left arm in front of his face, his right hand gripping tightly over his wrist for support.
Boom!
Golden and brown light exploded outward in rippling waves, their impact shaking the heavens. The sheer force sent Mu Feng hurtling backward through the sky, cutting through the swirling mist like a meteor before steadying himself midair.
The clouds cracked open beneath them, lightning slithering through the gaps as the two stood suspended in the raging winds—one cloaked in gold, the other in earth-brown light—staring each other down like ancient gods of war.
Mu Feng's left arm trembled violently, pain shooting up to his shoulder—but he gritted his teeth, forcing it still. He couldn't falter. Not when Zixiao's life depended on him.
Xuan gracefully shifted back into posture, his robes dancing softly with the wind as if he were untouched by the chaos.
"Although this monk stands at the peak of Level 59…" he said calmly, his golden eyes narrowing. "but For Elder Mu Feng it's just a name -rather than a gap"
Mu Feng exhaled deeply, his breath visible in the cold air as he adjusted his stance. His expression hardened—quiet fury behind his calm.
Then, without warning—both figures vanished.
Boom!
Golden and brown beams slashed across the sky, colliding in midair. To mortal eyes, it was a storm of flashing lights, but within those streaks—if one could slow time—two silhouettes were locked in motion, legs clashing and crossing midair, each blocking the other's strikes. Their robes fluttered gently in the vast, cold heavens.
In the next instant—they vanished again.
Boom…! Boom…! Boom!
Explosions of light erupted across the horizon. Golden streaks collided with earthen ones, creating shockwaves that split the clouds apart. Each impact rippled through the sky, bursting into halos of raw energy that painted the heavens gold and brown.
From below, it looked as if two stars were dueling at the edge of heaven—each blow echoing through the world like a divine drumbeat.
The monk on the deck was still kneeling in prayer, yet when the beams of golden and brown light tore through the heavens above, he froze. His trembling eyes followed the chaotic flashes streaking across the sky.
"Is… is this the power of such mighty beings?" he whispered to himself, awe and fear mixing in his voice.
Another violent clash echoed overhead—BOOM!—and a massive wave of energy descended like a storm. The explosion's shockwave rippled across the ship, nearly knocking the monk over. The sails snapped wildly, the vessel trembling under the force.
Then, with a final burst of light, the two beams were thrown apart—separated by more than a hundred meters as an expanding sphere of energy exploded between them.
Silence followed, broken only by the crackle of fading energy.
High above, the two figures reappeared—Mu Feng and Xuan—facing each other through the drifting smoke. Xuan hovered slightly above Mu Feng, his breathing ragged as he tried to steady his stance in midair. Both men were gravely wounded. Their robes were torn and stained with blood, threads fluttering in the dying wind.
A thin line of blood trickled down Mu Feng's forehead. He wiped the corner of his lips with his sleeve, smearing away the red stain before coughing heavily, his breath shallow but his eyes unyielding.
Xuan wasn't in any better shape. His once pristine monk robes were in tatters, and his golden aura flickered like a candle about to die. When he coughed, blood sprayed from his mouth and drifted down like crimson mist against the pale sky.
For a long moment, neither moved. The world seemed to hold its breath—waiting to see which of these two titans would fall first.
"Elder Mu Feng truly lives up to his name," Xuan said, his voice carrying across the shattered sky as he drew in ragged breaths. "Not long ago, you defeated several powerful Sky Lords… yet even so, you were able to keep up with me."
He steadied his breathing, eyes narrowing as golden light flickered faintly beneath his skin.
"Elder Mu Feng," he warned solemnly, "I hope you can withstand this next strike—because this will be my final and most powerful technique."
As he spoke, Xuan's left hand rose gracefully into the air. His fingers moved in slow, deliberate patterns, tracing ancient symbols unseen by mortal eyes. A faint hum resonated through the heavens.
From his palm, a soft golden glow emerged—then brightened, solidifying into a radiant lotus that pulsed with divine energy. Each petal shimmered as though forged from pure light.
Mu Feng's eyes widened slightly. That aura...
"The Holy Lotus of Heaven," Xuan intoned.
The lotus floated forward, spinning gently in the air. For a brief second, it looked peaceful—divine, even. But then—BOOM!—the calm shattered.
The lotus exploded into motion, shooting forward like a blazing star. The sky itself trembled as waves of golden energy rippled outward, tearing through the clouds with violent bursts of power.
Seeing this, Mu Feng reacted instantly. His hands blurred through a flurry of intricate seals, fingers moving faster than the eye could follow.
In a single breath, a sigil blazed to life upon his forehead—a golden lotus mark, each petal tipped with sharp arrow-like points that hummed with fierce spiritual resonance.
The mark glowed brighter, responding to the pressure of Xuan's incoming attack, and the air around Mu Feng distorted violently as if reality itself was bending to his will.
From the thin air around Mu Feng, countless threads of golden light appeared, spiraling toward his hands. The symbols before his fingers glowed, bending the very fabric of reality as the light gathered.
The streams merged into one blinding orb before his palms. Slowly, a golden lotus began to bloom—its petals sparking with arcs of divine electricity, humming in deep rhythmic tones that made the heavens tremble.
"Lotus of… NIRVAAAAANAAAA!" Mu Feng roared, his voice echoing through the shattered sky.
At that cry, the lotus flared to life. Like Xuan's Holy Lotus, it burst outward with unstoppable force, shooting toward its twin across the air, spinning violently—each petal tearing the space around it apart.
And then—
BOOOOM!
The two lotuses collided.
The shock wave that followed was as if heaven itself had passed judgment upon the earth. Blinding light engulfed the forest and sky alike, swallowing all color, all sound.
Reality twisted under the pressure. Cracks spread through the air like shattered glass, and the very world seemed to cry out as the explosion tore through the clouds.
The violent ripples reached the ship below—Xuan's robes whipped wildly in the tempest, and the deck groaned as if it would split apart.
"W-woaaahhh—!" the kneeling monk cried out, tripping as the entire ship shook beneath his feet.
Xuan's eyes burned from the blinding light. Instinctively, he raised his left arm to shield them.
For a long moment, there was only the roar of energy in his ears—the world itself trembling from the aftermath.
When he finally lowered his arm, he blinked rapidly, his vision swimming in golden haze. Slowly, the blur cleared. The sky was still choked with divine radiance; thick clouds of golden light drifted past him, humming like the voice of the heavens themselves.
His gaze turned toward the place where the two lotuses had collided. There, suspended in midair, hung a massive cloud of light—frozen in place, vibrating with deafening power. Reality around it was fractured; cracks spread through the air like shattered mirrors, each one pulsing faintly with golden edges.
But then something else struck him.
"Where… where did Elder Mu Feng go?" he muttered, his voice trembling. "Did he… perish in that blast?"
His eyes widened.
"Wait—no… if Elder Mu Feng truly unleashed the Lotus of Nirvana, there's no way he'd die that easily."
His heart skipped a beat. "Then… where's the Holy Lotus?"
Xuan turned sharply toward the ship.
The once-grand vessel was in ruins. Its sails had been torn apart and now hung in shreds. The deck was split open in several places, fire devouring the shattered wood. Black smoke poured into the sky, curling and twisting amid the golden mist.
The lone monk who had remained behind lay sprawled unconscious, his robes burned and torn.
And then—through the haze—something caught Xuan's eye.
His pupils shrank. He clenched his left fist so tightly that blood trickled down his knuckles. His teeth ground together in rage as his voice broke through the crackling flames.
"The child… he's gone!"