What a formidable soul attack! Additionally, there is also that familiar wickedness. It is most likely that Qing Zhihun.

For Chen Feng, although Qing Zhihun’s attack was fierce, it was not that serious. The only thing he was wary of was his soul attack.

After the previous clash between their gazes, Chen Feng had realized that this opponent possessed a stronger soul power.

However, just as Chen Feng was about to attack, Wen Shaoxiu and the others arrived. The earlier battles they went through had added fuel to the flames in their hearts. Thus, seeing Chen Feng under attack, they unleashed their fury.

The seven of them, seven pure sword cultivators, surrounded Qing Zhihun’s team of three and unleashed a flurry of attacks at them. Sky-encompassing sword beams flashed out and the wretched cries of Qing Zhihun and the other two cultivators could be heard.

Speaking of which, all three from Qing Zhihun’s team were also half-step Human Immortals. In fact, Qing Zhihun practically already had one foot within the Human Immortal stage. Unexpectedly, he would end up getting besieged by a group of sword cultivators from Heavenly Sword Faction, getting wounded in the process.

When had he ever suffered from such a loss? Still, despite the rage in his heart, Qing Zhihun knew that it was imperative that he avoid the attacks. This was a situation that would require him to go all out. Any carelessness on his part would result in him dying to the combined siege of the seven half-step Human Immortals.

“Liu Quan! It’s you guys again?! Is your Heavenly Sword Faction going to use numbers to bully us here?” shouted Qing Zhifeng, who was amongst the three cultivators there. He wanted to buy time.

Chi! Chi!

Their mount, the great golden eagle, circled around before swiping at Liu Quan, whizzing sounds coming from its sharp claws. Its body shone with a golden radiance, giving off an extremely ferocious atmosphere.

It was then that Chen Feng made his move. Additionally, he displayed his killer move. It was neither the Blood Mustering Bead nor his Sacred artefacts. Rather, it was the Soul Subduing Mantra.

The Soul Subduing Mantra was a soul-type secret technique recorded within the Longevity Scripture. Although Chen Feng was uncertain of its specific grade, he knew that even a Human Immortal could be seriously affected by it.

The Soul Subduing Mantra was divided into four major types of mantra: The Soul Subduing Mantra, the Soul Lock Mantra, the Soul Refining Mantra and the Soul Anchor Mantra. The one that Chen Feng was most proficient in using was the Soul Subduing Mantra.

Bypassing time and space, invisible fluctuations immediately bore down upon Qing Zhihun’s team of three. Even the massive golden eagle was caught within the range of the attack.

As expected, in the face of the Soul Subduing Mantra move from Chen Feng, even Qing Zhihun, who possessed the strongest soul power amongst them all, was affected. His expansive sea of wisdom froze and nearly all of his thoughts came to a halt.

No, no, no! Soul, soul attack! Qing Zhihun’s movements faltered. Even so, his soul was very powerful. Thus, a portion of his thoughts managed to keep moving. Sensing the life-threatening situation he was in, he did not hesitate to utilize a secret technique that he had yet to fully master.

“Kill!” Wen Shaoxiu and the others had cooperated with Chen Feng before. Thus, seeing Chen Feng utilize his killer move, their bodies flared with sword luminescence as they attacked Qing Zhihun’s team of three.

The sword cultivators from Heavenly Sword Faction were all courageous and resolute. They were not the type to hesitate in taking actions. Forget the cultivators from Soul Tempering Sect, they would not hesitate to even attack cultivators from the Four Absolute Academies.

Bang!

In addition to Qing Zhihun and Qing Zhifeng, there was another cultivator, also a half-step Human Immortal. However, his cultivation base was slightly weaker compared to the two. Thus, in the face of the attacks from Wen Shaoxiu and the others, this fellow was the first to fall. He only managed to release a cry of misery before countless sword beams cleaved his body apart. Not even his soul could escape as it was shredded by the sword beams.

Next was the massive golden eagle. It was seemingly made completely from gold and it exuded the ferocious aura of a high-level Great Yao. This bird-type Great Yao was a notch stronger than human cultivators on the same level. It occupied an advantageous position in terms of speed.

Additionally, yao beasts innately possessed fleshly bodies that were stronger than humans. That was especially so for this variant-type golden eagle. It was a highly formidable yao beast. It would be able to easily shred apart the average half-step Human Immortals.

At that very moment, however, this savage yao beast was bathed in a cascade of sword beams. Its feathers fell while its flesh was pulverized. Speaking of which, cultivators with the strongest offensive attacks were pure sword cultivators. The golden eagle had first fallen prey to Chen Feng’s Soul Subduing Mantra. Then, a group of half-step Human Immortals, each of them a pure sword cultivator, attacked it. Putting aside the fact that it was only a high-level Great Yao, even a Yao King would be in a world of hurt.

In the face of the densely-packed sword beams, the formidable yao beast cried out wretchedly as it attempted to break out. However, the sword beams engulfed it. Its massive body kept shrinking before a great sword beam finally hacked it into two.

“Don’t waste it!”

Chen Feng shouted, reaching out with his hand to grasp. Vast amounts of gold-coloured blood were caught by him. The blood essence of this yao beast was very powerful, something that the blood essence of human cultivators on the same level could not compare against.

Devouring the blood essence of this yao beast was the equivalent of devouring the blood essence of two or three half-step Human Immortals.

Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!

The cyan-coloured armours on both Qing Zhihun and Qing Zhifeng burst apart and countless wounds appeared on their bodies.

Both of them were the core disciples of Soul Tempering Sect and the cyan-coloured armours they wore were Sacred-tier armours. Even so, the armours could not endure the siege from Wen Shaoxiu and the others.

Chen Feng was not doing nothing either. After absorbing the blood essence of the golden eagle, he utilized the Bloody Netherguide Art. Due to that, the wounds on Qing Zhihun and Qing Zhifeng’s body abruptly erupted and blood flew out like arrows from their wounds. In just a flash, their bodies had shrunk considerably.

“Argh, Soulburn Technique!”

Qing Zhihun suddenly shouted with a contorted face. A clump of flames suddenly emerged from his pupils. The clump of flames was cyan-black in colour. In the beginning, it was only a small clump of flames. However, it abruptly erupted into countless sparks, which moved to form a thin layer of barrier around him and Qing Zhifeng. The thin barrier blocked all the incoming attacks and even Chen Feng’s Bloody Netherguide Art could no longer affect the two of them.

“Heavenly Sword Faction, I will remember this! I will be settling this score with you fellows soon enough!” Qing Zhihun’s face was twisted and he fired out those malicious words. Next, he pulled Qing Zhifeng and the thin, flaming barrier smashed its way through space, bringing the two of them away with it. It looked like a meteor streaking far into the distance.

However, Chen Feng utilized the Kirin Steps. Runes flashed beneath his feet as he rapidly caught up to them. Next, he raised his hand and unleashed a heavy slap upon the flaming barrier.

Bang!

An explosive sound rang out, but the flaming barrier did not break. Instead, it flew at an even greater speed. Its cyan-black light flashed and it was already tens of li away.

Knowing that he would not be able to catch up to them, Chen Feng shook his head and stopped his pursuit.

“Brother Chen, are you all right?” Wen Shaoxiu and the others caught up to him.

“I’m fine. Unfortunately, they managed to get away. Qing Zhihun’s team are from Soul Tempering Sect, after all. However, they managed to get away after we killed one of them. Wouldn’t this become a problem?” Chen Feng said, shaking his head.

“Hah! There might be a slight problem from this. However, there is nothing Soul Tempering Sect can do to us. Although Soul Tempering Sect is also a first-rate sect, it is a notch worse compared to our Heavenly Sword Faction. Forget a few disciples, even if we kill off one or two Human Immortals from their side, they would not start a war with us. Naturally, they will definitely try to take revenge on the sly.” Wen Shaoxiu chuckled, seemingly unconcerned with it.

Chen Feng nodded his head. The Central Plains was more chaotic compared to the Northern Plains. Some of the rules here were different from the rules of the Northern Plains. If a half-step Human Immortal from a first-rate sect were killed in the Northern Plains, the higher-ups of the sect would probably go crazy. Even if the perpetrators were the three Palaces, that sect would still want to put on a tough stance. At present, however, Heavenly Sword Faction appeared indifferent towards Soul Tempering Sect’s provocations.

He thought back to the war between Heavenly Sword Faction and the other sects that occurred a while ago and realized that such a war would be almost impossible in the Northern Plains.

“Phew!”

Chen Feng took a deep breath, suppressing the churning blood streams within his body. He had absorbed too much blood essence lately. Although most of them were devoured by the Blood Mustering Bead, 10 % of the blood essence had still melded with his fleshly body. Not to mention, the Blood Mustering Bead was placed within his Blood acupoint. It was a magic treasure that he had refined. Thus, there was a link between it and his life. It would not be an exaggeration to consider it as part of his flesh.

I have been absorbing too much blood essence of late. If it weren’t for my mighty fleshly body, my body would have blown up by now. Looks like I will need to spend some time tempering my body. It would be bad if some troublesome issues or hidden dangers pop up in the future, Chen Feng thought.

The Xu Family cultivators had fought against the assassins from Killer Palace and the cultivators from the Xu Family were killed, leaving only Xu Zishan, who had to go all out, utilizing a mutually destructive move in the end. Due to his move, both sides suffered from serious casualties. However, before the onlookers could recollect themselves, Chen Feng appeared to kill off all of the assassins.

Unexpectedly, the cultivators from Soul Tempering Sect, under Qing Zhihun’s lead, had chosen to attack Chen Feng. Next, however, the cultivators from Heavenly Sword Faction, under Wen Shaoxiu’s lead, launched a ferocious attack against Qing Zhihun’s team.

The series of events left the spectating cultivators gaping, uncertain of what was happening.

“What is going on here? Why did Heavenly Sword Faction interfere in this matter? Also, who is that youngster? His moves are so ruthless. He would even devour the blood essence of others. Is he someone from Bloodreign Sect? However, when did Bloodreign Sect become close with Heavenly Sword Faction?”

“If I am not mistaken, it is the Xu Family who came over to attack Killer Palace’s outpost here, right? Why did Heavenly Sword Faction suddenly choose to take part in this?”

“I know a bit about this. Recently, there is a shocking piece of news spreading around. It has caused quite the stir in the world of cultivation. Two of Killer Palace’s outposts were wiped out and the assassins stationed there were all killed. This should be the third outpost to fall.”

“Who could be so audacious? They dare offend Killer Palace? Isn’t this begging for death?”

“It is said that Heavenly Sword Faction was the one behind it. In the beginning, I did not believe it. However, it would appear that it is true.”

“The disciples from Heavenly Sword Faction are all mad men. It was only recently that they were in a war with Heartless Heaven Sect. It hasn’t even been that long since the war came to an end, but they are already provoking Soul Tempering Sect.”

“Heh! If you ask me, those guys from Soul Tempering Sect were the ones with a death wish. They could have just stayed back and watch the show. Instead, they just had to attack. Look what happened. They lost a half-step Human Immortal and a high-level Great Yao.”

“Serves them right! They have always been an arrogant bunch. They can only blame their own misfortune for bumping into the mad men from Heavenly Sword Faction.”

Chen Feng chatted with Wen Shaoxiu and the others for a bit. Next, light shone from his eyes. His gaze pierced through space as he quickly inspected his surroundings.

1 li = 0.5 km