Chapter 24: Returning with Gold

Now, you can't even die if you want to. If you don't want me to use torture, reveal your identity immediately!" Xiao Nanfeng coldly approached the crumpled Tang Xiaoyi. Suddenly, an ominous energy enveloped him, making his hair stand on end. Without hesitation, he leapt aside, barely avoiding a stone that grazed his shoulder. 

Bang! The stone hit the ground with such force that it shattered a nearby boulder. Xiao Nanfeng turned to see a burly man stepping forward, the same one who had thrown the stone. His shoulder throbbed painfully, blood seeping from the torn fabric of his clothes; had he not dodged in time, the impact would have seriously injured him.

"Who are you?" Xiao Nanfeng's expression darkened. 

"Chen Hai, why did you take so long to arrive?" Tang Xiaoyi exclaimed, frantic with excitement. Chen Hai frowned at him, displeased. "You left so suddenly and didn't inform us. If I hadn't come out of curiosity, you might have been dead." 

"I planned to deceive him, draw him into a trap, but he insisted on going to the dock immediately. I had no time to warn you," Tang Xiaoyi replied, frustrated. 

"How did your poison turn against you?" Chen Hai questioned, perplexed. 

"I… I was careless. Quick, catch him before he escapes!" Tang Xiaoyi urged weakly. 

"Hmph, he's only at the sixth level of the Acquired Realm. There's no way I'll let him get away," Chen Hai replied confidently. 

"Don't underestimate him!" Tang Xiaoyi warned anxiously, regretting his own oversight. 

"Your courage seems to be dwindling. I'm two minor realms above him. In the face of absolute power, all tricks are futile." With that, Chen Hai charged forward like an arrow, striking with immense force. Xiao Nanfeng, however, was prepared and nimbly dodged. 

Chen Hai missed and, seizing the opportunity, Xiao Nanfeng threw a punch at him, the sound echoing like thunder. 

Chen Hai, anticipating this, smirked and countered with an elbow strike that clashed against Xiao Nanfeng's fist, creating a resounding impact. Both were pushed back, with Xiao Nanfeng staggering several steps before regaining his footing. 

"What immense power! Is this kid really at the sixth level of the Acquired Realm?" Chen Hai asked, astonished. 

"He practices the Chaoyang Technique, cultivating pure Yang true energy. Its quality is likely superior to yours, so be careful!" Tang Xiaoyi warned urgently. 

"Pure Yang true energy? No wonder he's so fierce. He only knows one set of military punches; how can he be my opponent?" Chen Hai lunged at Xiao Nanfeng again. 

Despite knowing about Xiao Nanfeng's tyrannical fist technique, they dismissed it as useless since he had practiced it for just a month. 

Chen Hai charged forward like a ferocious tiger, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks aimed at Xiao Nanfeng. Yet, this time, Xiao Nanfeng stood his ground. He realized that, although Chen Hai was stronger, it wasn't by much. 

With a resounding crash, their fists collided, neither giving way. Xiao Nanfeng pressed on, unleashing another punch. Chen Hai's eyes glinted with mockery as he prepared to counter, seemingly reserving his strength for this very moment. 

However, just as their fists were about to clash again, Chen Hai's hand passed through Xiao Nanfeng's fist, hitting nothing but air—the Tyrannical Fist! Shadow Strike!

"What?!" Chen Hai was startled, and in the blink of an eye, another punch appeared before him. 

A fierce wind rushed in! 

"Not good!" 

Bang! The punch struck Chen Hai squarely in the face, sending him crashing to the ground amid a shower of debris. 

Xiao Nanfeng closed in, noticing that Chen Hai's nose was broken and bloodied, but he didn't stop. He unleashed a powerful kick, but Chen Hai, dazed from the previous blow, instinctively rolled away to avoid the hit to his head. 

However, his arm wasn't as lucky; the kick broke it with a sickening crack, eliciting a scream from Chen Hai. 

"Ah!" he cried out as he fell, but the onslaught didn't stop. Xiao Nanfeng moved in swiftly, mercilessly battering Chen Hai until he was incapacitated, breathing heavily as he finished. 

Tang Xiaoyi looked on, dumbfounded at the defeated Chen Hai. "How could this happen? He's at the eighth level of the Acquired Realm. Even if Chen Hai was careless and you have pure Yang true energy, it shouldn't have been this brutal." 

"This isn't military punching; you're hiding your strength!" Tang Xiaoyi exclaimed incredulously. 

"Not at all; you knew, right? This is the Tyrannical Fist," Xiao Nanfeng chuckled. 

"That's impossible! You've only practiced it for a month; you couldn't possibly be this strong!" Tang Xiaoyi shouted in disbelief, nearly hysterical. 

Xiao Nanfeng felt a chill, grateful that Chen Hai was merely at the eighth level of the Acquired Realm and had been careless; otherwise, it would have been disastrous for him. 

He extracted the poison from Chen Hai's mouth and took Tang Xiaoyi's flask, forcing both of them to drink the drugged spirit wine. 

"What are you doing? Nanfeng, do you know who we are? Do you know the consequences of offending us?" Tang Xiaoyi screamed. 

Xiao Nanfeng's calm demeanor was unexpected for a sixteen-year-old. 

Bang! 

Xiao Nanfeng knocked Tang Xiaoyi unconscious with a punch. 

Not wishing to linger, fearing more enemies might arrive, he quickly took both men, making his way toward the dock along the seaside. 

Xiao Nanfeng sought no help; who knew if they were allies of Tang Xiaoyi? 

Following his mental map, he quickly reached the dock and spotted the ships moored there, recognizing the very one that had brought him here. 

After hiding the two in a secluded grove, he took a deep breath and submerged himself in the water, swimming toward the ship. 

Before long, he found the "tuition fee" he had hidden: a bank note worth ten thousand taels of gold! 

The ship was empty, and he quietly boarded, grabbing a large canvas before diving back into the water, returning swiftly to the grove. 

"Are they really just a couple of underground operatives? Together, they've only got five hundred taels of gold?" Xiao Nanfeng searched both men, disappointed to find no clues other than the gold. 

He reluctantly pocketed the five hundred taels and wrapped the two in the canvas with some branches. 

Interrogating them held little interest; he preferred to take them back to his master instead. 

Taiqing Island was surrounded by a formation he didn't know how to enter, but he could approach through the main dock. 

With a heavy bundle on his back, he arrived at the bustling dock and encountered some disciples of the Taiqing Immortal Sect stationed at the entrance of a vast valley. 

"Nanfeng, is that you? What are you doing out here? Are you carrying a mythical creature?" one curious disciple asked. 

Xiao Nanfeng didn't recognize him, but after placing first in the examination a month ago and being taken in by Elder Ku, he had become well-known. 

"Yes, I'm just handling some matters. Thank you for your hard work!" Xiao Nanfeng nodded. 

He strode confidently through the main entrance of the Taiqing Immortal Sect, encountering no obstruction. 

Rather than taking the main path, he chose less frequented trails according to his mental map. Along the way, he rarely encountered others, and when he did, he used his spiritual sense to avoid them. 

Yet, even he didn't anticipate overhearing something he shouldn't have. 

"Have you found him?" 

"Not yet!" 

"Keep searching. The senior brother has given strict orders; we must capture them, especially that Nanfeng. When you find him, act without hesitation; don't be swayed by his sweet talk. Just capture him first." 

"Understood!" 

As the conversation faded, Xiao Nanfeng felt a jolt of alarm. 

"Tang Xiaoyi's organization is so brazen? They want to capture me?" His expression darkened. 

Though uncertain of the situation, Xiao Nanfeng realized he was at a significant disadvantage. He couldn't trust anyone now; he had to find his master immediately. 

Avoiding everyone, he hastened his steps. An hour later, he reached the entrance of the scripture palace, where the watchers had already dispersed. 

Not everyone was hunting him; many disciples of the Taiqing Immortal Sect were unaware of the situation. Without explaining himself to anyone, he made a beeline for his master's closed retreat hall. 

Gazing at the tightly shut door, urgency filled his expression. His master had said not to disturb him during meditation. 

"Master! Disciple Nanfeng seeks an audience!" he called from outside. 

Yet, the door remained closed, silence echoing within. 

Xiao Nanfeng's anxiety grew. Should he keep waiting? 

"Found him! Hurry and inform the senior brother; Nanfeng is here!" a voice called from behind, filled with excitement. 

Xiao Nanfeng's expression changed. Without his master's protection, capture

could lead to dire consequences. 

"Master, forgive my intrusion!" Xiao Nanfeng thought quickly, pushing the door open forcefully. To his surprise, it swung wide, revealing an empty hall. 

As he stepped inside, the door shut abruptly behind him with a loud bang, causing him to jump. 

Something felt off. 

The hall was eerily silent, and an unsettling aura filled the air. Xiao Nanfeng glanced around, sensing that he was not alone. 

"Who's there?" he called out, his voice steady despite the growing tension. 

Suddenly, shadows shifted in the corners, and several figures emerged, their faces obscured by hoods. 

"Xiao Nanfeng, you've made quite a name for yourself," one of them spoke, a sinister edge in their tone. 

"Who are you? What do you want?" Xiao Nanfeng demanded, instinctively preparing for a fight. 

"We are here on orders to capture you," the figure replied, stepping closer. "Your talents are deemed too dangerous to remain unmonitored." 

With a swift motion, Xiao Nanfeng activated his spiritual energy, readying himself for battle. 

"Come at me, then! I won't go down easily!" 

The figures lunged forward, but Xiao Nanfeng was quick, dodging their attacks with agility. He retaliated with a series of powerful punches, channeling his pure Yang true energy. 

The hall erupted with the sounds of clashing fists and shattering tiles as Xiao Nanfeng fought fiercely. 

Despite being outnumbered, he held his ground, using his speed and technique to keep his opponents at bay. 

"Is that all you've got?" he taunted, feeling a surge of confidence with each strike. 

Yet, just as he began to gain the upper hand, one of the hooded figures whispered an incantation, summoning a dark energy that enveloped the room. 

Xiao Nanfeng felt his strength wane, the oppressive force weighing him down. 

"Now, surrender!" another figure commanded, stepping forward with a glowing talisman. 

"No!" With a fierce roar, Xiao Nanfeng unleashed his energy, breaking free from the dark hold. 

He dashed toward the nearest window, shattering it with a punch and leaping out into the open air. 

As he landed, he rolled to absorb the impact, quickly regaining his footing. 

"Get him!" the figures shouted from behind, rushing toward the window. 

Xiao Nanfeng sprinted through the forest surrounding the sect, his heart pounding. 

He had to reach his master before they caught up. 

Using his knowledge of the terrain, he weaved through trees and underbrush, determined to evade his pursuers. 

However, their relentless pursuit was close behind, their dark energy echoing through the woods. 

"Master, please help me!" he thought desperately, hoping his plea would reach his master in meditation. 

In the distance, he spotted a familiar clearing and raced toward it, praying for sanctuary. 

As he burst into the clearing, he found a shimmering barrier—a protective formation his master had set. 

With a surge of hope, he dashed inside, momentarily safe. 

But he knew it wouldn't hold them off for long. 

"What now?" he wondered, scanning the area for an escape route. 

He couldn't stay here; he needed to find a way to alert his master. 

Just then, he spotted a flicker of light ahead. 

Could it be? 

Xiao Nanfeng pushed forward, racing toward the source, determined to find a way to turn the tables on his pursuers.