Chapter 156: The Lethal Intent of Nan Ling
Chapter 156: The Lethal Intent of Nan Ling
As soon as Mu Feng exited the passageway, his expression shifted drastically. He immediately shouted, pulling Bai Ziyue aside just in time to avoid danger.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two razor-sharp energy blades sliced through the air, missing them and embedding themselves in the wall, leaving deep scars.
Inside the room, four unfamiliar figures had appeared.
All four were young men in their twenties, clad in martial robes. Their chests bore the insignia of Tianyun Academy, marking them as fellow students.
The group stood with menacing smiles, their eyes locked on Mu Feng and Bai Ziyue. Mu Feng's face darkened as he sized up his unexpected opponents.
One was a burly man in a black robe with a rugged, powerful appearance, exuding brute strength. Beside him stood a tall, lean man in a blue robe, his cold gaze radiating malice. Both were enveloped in Condensed Qi, clearly experts at the Condensed Qi realm. The other two, while not as intimidating, were formidable cultivators at the Great Heaven stage of the Purple Palace realm.
A Dangerous Encounter
"What is the meaning of this, seniors?" Mu Feng asked coldly, his voice edged with caution. The earlier attack had clearly been aimed at their lives.
Suspicion gnawed at Mu Feng. Why were fellow students here? Could it be a coincidence? Impossible—academy tasks were exclusive and wouldn't be assigned to multiple parties.
"Hand over whatever you found in that vault," the blue-robed man sneered.
"Hand it over? Are you kidding me? We're the ones who risked our lives to take down this bandit den. The spoils are ours!" Bai Ziyue retorted angrily.
"Enough talk. Kill them and take everything. We have orders to complete," the burly man growled, blue Qi swirling around him as he advanced, brimming with killing intent.
"Bai Ziyue, they're here to kill us. Don't hold back!" Mu Feng warned, his voice icy as he tightened his grip on his weapon.
The battle erupted in an instant.
The Fight Begins
The black-robed man shouted, "Kill them!" Two Purple Palace cultivators charged at Mu Feng and Bai Ziyue with swords drawn, their strikes fierce and precise.
Mu Feng met his opponent head-on. The attacker's sword slashed down, sending a golden arc of energy cutting through the air. Mu Feng countered with a flaming punch, his Nine Flames Explosive Fist shattering the golden arc.
He followed up with a swift double-finger strike, sending two golden beams hurtling toward his attacker. The first beam was deflected by the man's sword, but the second pierced through his thigh, shattering bone.
"Arghhh!" The man howled in pain, clutching his leg. Mu Feng wasted no time, delivering a brutal kick to the head. The force snapped his neck with a sickening crack, and the bandit crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
The Condensed Qi Experts Join In
The respite was brief. A gust of wind roared toward Mu Feng as the burly black-robed man unleashed a powerful punch infused with blue Qi. Mu Feng barely evaded the strike, which obliterated part of the wall behind him, leaving a gaping hole.
His opponent, clearly stronger, was at the Condensed Qi realm, Small Heaven stage. Mu Feng's brows furrowed as he prepared for a tough battle.
Nearby, Bai Ziyue wasn't faring much better. After slaying one Purple Palace cultivator, he was sent flying into a wall by a brutal kick from the blue-robed man. The impact cracked the wall, and Bai Ziyue coughed up blood as he struggled to stand.
"Ziyue!" Mu Feng called out in alarm. The blue-robed man raised his foot, aiming to deliver a fatal stomp.
"Xiao Tian, help him!" Mu Feng roared, hurling the small white snake he carried toward Bai Ziyue.
The snake, Xiao Tian, transformed mid-air, growing into a massive 20-meter-long white-scaled wyrm with fiery red mane. With a deafening roar, it lunged at the blue-robed man, knocking him back and shielding Bai Ziyue with its towering frame.
A Clash of Titans
"Worry about yourself, boy!" The black-robed man snarled, launching himself at Mu Feng with a punch cloaked in swirling blue Qi.
"Nine Flames Explosive Fist: Inferno Burst!" Mu Feng countered, channeling searing flames into his strike. Their fists collided, sending waves of red and blue energy rippling outward, reducing the room's furniture to splinters.
The impact sent Mu Feng skidding back several steps, his feet gouging deep grooves in the ground, while his opponent only staggered slightly.
"Thunderstorm Steps!" Mu Feng bellowed, activating his Thunderstorm Source. Lightning surged through his body, amplifying his power threefold. He dashed forward, now a blur of lightning and fury.
The black-robed man responded with a savage grin, drawing a massive black saber. He swung it in a vicious arc, generating a blue energy blade. Mu Feng's Violet Thunder Spear met the blade head-on, but the immense force forced him to retreat again.
Though Mu Feng's lightning-enhanced strikes pushed him closer to the Condensed Qi realm, the difference in raw power remained glaringly clear.
A Dangerous Revelation
In the midst of the battle, Mu Feng shouted, "Who sent you? Why are you trying to kill us?"
The black-robed man smirked darkly, his blade humming with power. "You're a dead man anyway, so I'll tell you. His Highness Nan Ling ordered your execution. Crossing the Northern King's faction was your first and last mistake."
As the words sank in, Mu Feng felt no surprise. He had already suspected as much. His cold smile deepened.
"Nan Ling, huh? So he wants me dead this badly? Fine. Let's see if his pawns are as tough as they think they are."