Chapter 29: Ambushed!

"Ahh!!" Lin Feng's pupils contracted violently. An involuntary cry escaped his lips. He kicked off the ground, desperately throwing himself backward. Simultaneously, he swung his sword upward in a desperate thrust towards the stabbing tail.

"THUD!!!"

In the next instant, a colossal force slammed into Lin Feng's chest. He swore he heard the sickening crack of ribs breaking. His body became utterly weightless, hurled backward like a broken kite!

"Thunk!" Yet, even as he was sent flying, Lin Feng's flying sword pierced through the massive tail. His momentum tore the blade backward, splitting the tail open lengthwise as he was thrown clear. Even the flaming tip was cleaved in two, forking the end grotesquely.

Lin Feng crashed into the cave wall over ten meters away with another heavy thud, then slumped to the ground. The impact finally wrenched the sword from his grasp. Agony lanced through him; it felt like his organs had been pulverized. He looked down. His chest armor was exposed through a large tear in his robes. Without that mid-grade treasure armor, the blow would have pierced straight through his heart.

The ambush had happened too fast. Lin Feng was still reeling. A glance at the Spirit Light Gold Talisman on his left wrist confirmed its near destruction – dull, cracked, and looking ready to shatter at a touch.

"SCREE!!!" Pain immobilized him, but his enemy offered no reprieve. An enraged shriek echoed as the fire-tailed scorpion charged like a loosed arrow!

Death. The certainty chilled him to the bone. If it closed in, he was finished. Gritting his teeth, he frantically channeled his Qi, forcing his battered body to respond.

"AAAGH!!!" A surge of Qi finally broke through. Lin Feng roared, a sound of pure desperation. His right arm shot forward in a violent, lashing throw!

"Clear ring…" A resonant hum filled the air. A streak of silver light erupted from beside Lin Feng, faster than the charging scorpion, aimed straight into its gaping maw!

"Swoosh… Thunk!" Everything blurred. Faster than thought, the silver streak vanished into the scorpion's mouth. It punched clean through the beast's body, bursting out its back in a spray of ichor before embedding itself deep into the cavern roof above with a heavy thud!

"CRASH!!!" The scorpion's colossal body slammed to the ground mere feet from Lin Feng. One massive claw impacted beside his leg, cratering the stone floor.

"..." Lin Feng's breath hitched. He stared, wide-eyed and trembling, at the monstrous carcass twitching before him, cold sweat drenching his brow.

"Whew…" Moments later, as the scorpion lay utterly still, devoid of life, the breath Lin Feng hadn't realized he was holding finally rushed out. He slumped against the cave wall behind him, utterly spent, gasping for air.

After only a few seconds of respite, urgency gripped him. With immense effort, he retrieved a fire-attribute demon core and a piece of Tier 2 metal essence ore from his storage ring. Placing them against the ruined Spirit Light Gold Talisman on his wrist, he commanded mentally: "Repair."

Seconds later, the talisman was restored. Lin Feng weakly activated its protective light shield. Only then did he dare close his eyes, immediately circulating his cultivation technique to begin healing his grievous injuries.

Dead silence reclaimed the cavern. After just a few minutes of focused meditation, Lin Feng forced himself upright. He stored the massive scorpion carcass, then walked forward a dozen paces. Looking up at the cave ceiling where his sword was embedded, he leaped several meters high. His hand closed around the hilt; a metallic clink sounded as he pulled it free.

Was that another rustle from the depths? A jolt of fear shot through him. He didn't wait to confirm it. Wheeling around, he sprinted towards the cave exit as fast as his battered body could carry him. ... Lin Feng fled the cave system and the Crimson Rock Mountains entirely. He ran until the last dregs of his strength evaporated. Spotting a towering ancient tree, he scrambled up into its dense canopy.

Hidden within the thick foliage, he settled onto a broad branch, leaning back against the trunk. He placed a Spirit Gathering Array formation plate before him and clutched a spirit stone in his hand, sinking deep into cultivation and recovery.

Over an hour passed before Lin Feng finally stirred. He opened his eyes, exhaling a long, slow breath, his injuries fully mended.

Stowing the formation plate, he looked down at his chest. His hand instinctively touched the repaired armor beneath his torn robes. Relief flooded his eyes. "So close…" he murmured quietly. "Without this armor's strength… eviscerated. That beast was definitely Tier 2, seventh rank or higher… terrifyingly powerful…"

The memory of the ambush sent a fresh wave of fear through him. Yet, recalling the final, desperate maneuver, a spark of exhilaration ignited. "I… I actually hurled the sword?" he whispered, pulling out the flying blade and staring at it in wonder. In that life-or-death instant, he had instinctively launched it—killing the late-stage Tier 2 scorpion instantly. Even he could scarcely believe it.

He focused intently on the sword, trying to replicate the action. Several attempts yielded nothing. It seemed that burst of power was a fluke born of absolute desperation, impossible to consciously replicate now. But the feeling… I remember it, he thought. Once I reach Foundation Establishment, with practice… maybe…

"Life-and-death trials truly temper the spirit," he acknowledged, a grim satisfaction settling over him. He felt a subtle loosening within him—the bottleneck to Foundation Establishment had cracked slightly under the pressure. "Good… one step closer. After consolidating back home, I can attempt the breakthrough." ... Lin Feng dropped down from his perch. Glancing at the sky, he saw the sun dipping towards the horizon. Spending the night in the Seven Peaks Forest held no appeal; the day's events were more than enough excitement. He immediately set off towards the forest's edge.

Nightfall brought heightened demon beast activity. Lin Feng encountered several Tier 1 beasts on the path, dispatching them swiftly. Finally, under the slanting light of the rising moon, he reached the boundary of the Seven Peaks Forest.

Exiting the forest meant relative safety. Picking up his pace, he could still make it back to the city for a late meal.

"Lin Feng!!" The sudden call shattered his thoughts. He jerked his head up, startled. A man was leaping down from atop a large boulder ahead, his face lighting up with apparent relief upon seeing Lin Feng.

"Lu Cheng?" Lin Feng frowned, perplexed. "What are you doing out here?"

"I…" The relief in Lu Cheng's eyes vanished the moment he saw Lin Feng. His expression twisted into something strange—shifty, unable to meet Lin Feng's gaze. Hesitation, fear, and… unmistakable guilt warred on his face.

"Crunch… crunch… crunch…" Before Lu Cheng could stammer a reply, the sound of footsteps crushing dry leaves erupted from the surrounding undergrowth. Then… Lin Feng watched as seven or eight figures emerged from the shadows of the trees, encircling him completely!!

Lin Feng's pupils shrank to pinpoints. Shock lasted only an instant before the terrible truth dawned. His gaze snapped back to Lu Cheng, eyes blazing with fury.

"You betrayed me!!"