A huge palm struck with a deafening roar, and Chen Feng crashed to the ground, illusions swirling around him.

The roaring force of the palm created fierce winds, shattering the illusions and sending withered leaves rolling across the ground. Leaves several meters away rustled in response.

“The barbarian bear has been blinded! Everyone, now’s the time—kill it!” Chen Feng leapt backward, narrowly dodging the bear’s crushing paw. He shouted lowly.

Wang Qi and the other three were stunned, but their experience kicked in immediately. They knew the opportunity was fleeting.

Kill!

The giant, blind barbarian bear was undoubtedly easier to deal with now.

The five of them worked together, and the bear, nearly five meters tall and heavy as a mountain, stumbled back before crashing to the ground.

Boom!

The ground shook violently, sending shockwaves through the air in a frightening display.

“It’s finally dead. The strength of a nearly second-tier beast is truly terrifying,” Yan Bin wiped the sweat from his forehead, letting out a deep sigh of relief. He then turned to Chen Feng and said, “This is all thanks to Brother Chen Feng. If it weren’t for his extraordinary swordsmanship, piercing the bear’s eyes in one blow, who knows how much longer it would’ve taken to kill it.”

“Brother Chen Feng truly lives up to his reputation as the young genius of the Huitian Dao Academy. He will surely become a disciple of the Huitian Sect one day,” Wang Qi praised as well.

“This time, teaming up with Brother Chen Feng is indeed a stroke of luck for us,” Han Hui also chimed in.

“We’ll be able to brag about this for the rest of our lives.” Han Jie, who had previously been dismissive of Chen Feng, now spoke up, his voice laced with flattery.

Veteran martial artists, after years of experience, usually know how to gauge situations and avoid provoking formidable enemies.

“Let’s quickly pick the Redfiber Fruits,” Chen Feng said, his impatience evident. Otherwise, he feared the four would continue showering him with compliments for too long.

“You’re right, Brother Chen Feng. Let’s quickly collect the Redfiber Fruits before anything unexpected happens,” Wang Qi quickly agreed. The other three inwardly cursed themselves for being slow to speak.

Fifteen Redfiber Fruits were plucked from the trees, and following the earlier agreement, each person took three.

Chen Feng studied the fruits carefully before storing them securely.

As for how to deal with them... he’d consider that later.

“This second-tier barbarian bear will likely fetch about 800 taels when brought back to the camp. Brother Chen Feng will receive 400 taels, and the remaining 400 will be evenly split among us. What do you all think?” Wang Qi spoke again.

“Sounds reasonable.”

“Killing the barbarian bear was mainly thanks to Brother Chen Feng’s contribution, so it’s only right.”

“Indeed.”

After all, it was only about 100 taels of silver. If this helped leave a good impression on Chen Feng, or even build a relationship with him, it would be a bargain.

Despite the giant bear weighing several thousand pounds, Chen Feng didn’t need to lift a finger. Wang Qi and the others easily hoisted the beast’s massive form and began carrying it toward the edge of the forest.

As they neared the exit of the forest, two figures approached them at a brisk pace.

Seeing them, Chen Feng’s eyes narrowed, a sharp gleam flashing in his gaze.

“Chen Feng, so you’re still alive,” Ye Huai’s eyes locked onto Chen Feng’s face, a murderous aura radiating from him as he growled menacingly, “This time, you’re really dead.”

Without hesitation, Chen Feng immediately retreated deeper into the forest.

“I am Ye Yao, from the Ye family, ninth seat of the Huitian Dao Academy. This is my older brother, Ye Huai, third seat of the Dao Academy. You four, quickly help us capture this thief, Chen Feng. Once we succeed, each of you will be rewarded with a Qi-clearing Pill,” the younger man, Ye Yao, spoke, his eyes scanning Wang Qi and the others, his gaze sharp.

Wang Qi and the others had originally no intention of intervening. However, upon hearing that the person before them was from the Ye family, and the fact that he was a genius ranked among the top ten of the Huitian Dao Academy, coupled with the enticing reward of a Qi-clearing Pill, they couldn’t help but be swayed.

“From the very first moment, I knew Chen Feng was no good. How dare he go against the Ye family! I, Han Jie, will certainly assist you two in capturing this thief,” Han Jie immediately released the giant barbarian bear, his tone cold.

“I, Han Hui, am also willing to help capture Chen Feng, this thief,” Han Hui added, following suit.

Soon, Yan Bin and Wang Qi also expressed their support.

“Go!”

The six of them immediately set off, quickly chasing after Chen Feng’s retreating figure.

At first, Chen Feng only intended to lure Ye Huai and Ye Yao deeper into the forest, using the terrain to his advantage to dodge them or even defeat them. But when he realized that Wang Qi and the others were also chasing him, he couldn’t help but feel frustrated.

“Four of you, have you made up your minds? Do you really want to be my enemies?” Chen Feng’s eyes flashed coldly, and he spoke in a chilling tone, “If you leave now, I won’t hold this against you.”

“Stop wasting time, surrender!” Han Jie shouted fiercely.

“Chen Feng, going against the Ye family is the worst decision you’ve made,” Yan Bin said, his face serious.

“Chen Feng, there must be some misunderstanding. If you stop now, we can talk it out,” Wang Qi tried to persuade him.

The six experts, all at the peak of Body Refining Stage Nine, were incredibly fast and closed in on him rapidly.

Chen Feng had no choice but to rely on the dense trees of the forest to maneuver.

At the end of the day, his cultivation was only at Body Refining Stage Seven, and his Nine Shadows Illusionary Form wasn’t suited for prolonged running. His speed simply couldn’t match those at Body Refining Stage Nine.

“Brothers, this thief is skilled with a sword and can kill those at Body Refining Stage Nine. Be careful,” Wang Qi warned Ye Huai and Ye Yao.

“There’s no need for unnecessary words,” Ye Huai coldly responded.

Ye Huai had already received information about Chen Feng’s ability to kill those at Body Refining Stage Nine in the camp.

His heart was filled with suspicion.

In just a few days...

Chen Feng’s cultivation had been rising steadily, and his improvement speed was astonishing.

“Brother Huai, Chen Feng must be hiding some secret, perhaps a special inheritance. Let’s capture him alive and force him to reveal it,” Ye Yao said, his voice low and focused, as he moved closer to Ye Huai.

Ye Huai’s eyes flickered with a subtle glint, and he nodded imperceptibly.

“Six Body Refining Nine experts, each with extraordinary strength. If they surround me...” Chen Feng thought as he continued fleeing. “I can’t escape for long. I must break through one by one.”

As he neared a large tree, Chen Feng quickly climbed up, then leapt from the top with a swift dive.

“Kill!”

The others rushed in, their voices rising in unison, as they attacked.

But in that instant, Chen Feng’s figure trembled, splitting into nine illusions that scattered in all directions, indistinguishable from the real one.

Nine shadows launched simultaneous attacks on Ye Huai and the others, each sword strike tearing through the air.

“Be careful!”

“Watch out for his sword!”

Shouts rang out, and Wang Qi and the others showed expressions of shock and fear.

They had witnessed Chen Feng’s swordplay when they joined forces to slay the second-tier barbarian bear, and the memory was still fresh.

However, they were all experts at Body Refining Stage Nine, and they were able to fend off the sword strikes, though barely.

Chen Feng landed gracefully, and once again, his illusions appeared, real and fake blending seamlessly.

Kill!

Nine sword shadows connected in a rapid chain, directly targeting Wang Qi.

The speed of the nine strikes was unimaginable.

Wang Qi’s expression changed drastically. He swung his long sword in a flurry of strikes, desperately defending himself. However, the speed and precision of Chen Feng’s sword were too overwhelming. His sword was pierced through, and with one deadly blow, Wang Qi was struck down.

Withdrawing his sword, Chen Feng swiftly retreated, and Wang Qi collapsed, his eyes filled with regret as he fell to the ground.

Yan Bin, Han Jie, and Han Hui’s expressions shifted dramatically, and they began to have second thoughts.

“Do you want to offend the Ye family?” Ye Yao’s sharp gaze caught their hesitation, his voice cold as ice.

"That thief actually killed Brother Wang Qi. I will definitely avenge him!" Han Hui trembled with anger and immediately declared his intentions.

"Right." Han Jie quickly followed with his agreement.

"This thief is ruthless and his actions demonic. If we don't eliminate him, I fear it will bring disaster to the Great Xia!" Yan Bin raised his twin guns, speaking with righteous fury.

"Right, right." Han Jie echoed again.

"Why aren’t you moving? Quickly pursue him!" Ye Huai barked.

None of the five paid attention to the fallen Wang Qi as they hastily continued their pursuit.

Chen Feng ran at full speed, weaving around the large trees to evade capture.

"I wonder how effective the Chi Xue fruit is?" A thought crossed his mind.

The Chi Xue fruit was the main ingredient in refining the Chong Qiao Dan, unlike the Chi Xue fruit, which was a normal type of fruit. Chen Feng wasn't sure if consuming the Chi Xue fruit directly would enhance his cultivation.

"Let's try one."

Without hesitation, Chen Feng pulled out a Chi Xue fruit, crushed it in his mouth, and swallowed. The fruit had a thick, somewhat astringent flesh, but that didn't matter.

What mattered was that the Divine Transformation Talisman immediately began to refine the Chi Xue fruit, releasing an extremely pure energy.

"About equivalent to a Pei Yuan Dan."

A Chi Xue fruit was worth two hundred taels, equivalent to two Pei Yuan Dans, but the effect of directly consuming it only equaled one Pei Yuan Dan, making it not very cost-effective.

However, Chen Feng showed no hesitation and immediately consumed the remaining two Chi Xue fruits.

The pure energy surged through him, filling his blood and strengthening his internal organs, refining them continuously.

Before long, Chen Feng could feel his internal organs becoming increasingly strong, his overall vitality growing, and even his muscles and bones strengthening.

"Finally, a breakthrough."

Feeling the immense, powerful force surging within him, a trace of joy appeared on Chen Feng's face.

With his current cultivation at the Eighth Transformation of the Body Refining realm, he should no longer fear them.

Turning around, Chen Feng charged directly toward Ye Huai and the others, causing them to be filled with shock and suspicion, immediately becoming wary.

"Kill!"

Ye Huai grunted, drawing his long knife. He executed the "Breaking Wave Step," each step accelerating his speed as he unleashed seven powerful strikes with his knife, each one filled with all his strength.

Originally, he had only trained the Breaking Wave Sword to six strikes, but after fighting the Phantom Leopard, he gained some insight. During his recovery, he kept refining his technique, and finally, he broke his limits and achieved the seventh strike of the Breaking Wave Sword.

Ye Yao also drew his knife, launching the six strikes of the Breaking Wave Sword in a horizontal arc.

Yan Bin's twin guns erupted, firing like a torrential storm. Han Jie leapt into the air, high above, wielding his battle axe with immense strength, as if cutting through a mountain. Han Hui charged forward with his copper shield raised, crashing into the fray.

Nine illusions appeared, and Chen Feng's sword followed, immediately cutting through Yan Bin's gunfire with a terrifying force, piercing him.

Before the nine illusions had even disappeared, a tenth illusion appeared behind Han Hui, and a sword pierced through the air.

Kill!

Han Hui fell, following the fates of Wang Qi and Yan Bin.

"Second brother!" Han Jie roared in fury, his eyes turning blood-red, filled with the rage of a trapped beast. "I will kill you!"

The battle axe howled as it swung, violent and frenzied.

Chen Feng’s face grew cold. With a quick movement, he dodged the attack, and the nine illusions reappeared, the sword shadows forming a continuous assault.

However, Ye Huai and Ye Yao's long knives came once again, slashing through the illusions one by one.

The tenth illusion appeared, and a sword strike, as mysterious as a ghost, pierced Han Jie's chest, shattering his heart in an instant.

"Chen Feng, I never imagined your strength had grown so formidable." Ye Huai’s gaze grew colder, filled with a chilling light. His voice was filled with extreme frost: "Tell me your secret, hand over your inheritance, and I will make your death easier."

Ye Yao did not speak, but his face was filled with a sinister grin as he locked his gaze onto Chen Feng.

"With just you?" Chen Feng sneered.

Having seen his own strength, Chen Feng was not intimidated by Ye Huai's words. Could Ye Huai really be that much stronger than him?

Chen Feng was also curious.

What was the true difference between the power of the Ten Seats of the Dao Academy and the ordinary Body Refining Ninth Transformation?

"Since you insist..." Ye Huai’s eyes gleamed with murderous intent, his overwhelming killing aura locking onto Chen Feng. Step by step, the breaking wave sword shadows surrounded him.

Ye Yao’s figure flickered, appearing beside Chen Feng, and the Breaking Wave Six Strikes violently erupted toward him.

[--------------------------------------------]

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