Chapter 24: The Heart of a Strong One
Moye lowered his head and looked at himself. The dark shadow on the ground sent a chill through his entire body.
His stiff body barely dared to move. Moye could clearly sense that the other party was standing right in front of him, locking onto him with their aura, yet he simply could not see anyone.
"It's him." Nan Gong Ling's eyes flashed with sharp light, revealing a shocked expression. He obviously had not expected the owner of this shadow to appear at this moment.
"Moye, come back." Mo Canglan shouted. As the Great Elder of Cloud Sea Sect, over sixty years old, his experience was vast, and he naturally understood what the shadow before him represented.
This was a Shadow Martial Soul, an extremely mysterious type of martial soul. It was said that after undergoing a true awakening, the owner of a Shadow Martial Soul could completely merge their figure into shadows, showing only the shadow, not the person, and even concealing their aura.
This kind of martial soul was too terrifying. Imagine if, in the dead of night, the owner of a Shadow Martial Soul wanted to assassinate you—how easy would that be? No one wanted to offend the owner of a Shadow Martial Soul, and Mo Canglan certainly did not want to either.
Moye's stiff footsteps moved. His face pale, he stepped back, not even daring to let out a single fart. Such was the deterrence of overwhelming strength.
"I wonder which senior this is? Could you show yourself?" Mo Canglan spoke to the shadow on the ground. Since the shadow was there, the person was there.
"Manage your sect well. Don't be so indecisive. This kind of face, the sect cannot afford to lose." The hoarse voice sounded again, and then a gentle breeze passed by. The shadow on the Life and Death Platform vanished abruptly, disappearing into thin air, without a trace.
"So terrifying." The crowd felt their heartbeats unconsciously quicken. They took a deep breath. This was what a truly powerful martial soul was like.
"Who exactly is this person? From his tone, it sounds like he's talking to the Sect Master." Someone recalled the hoarse voice and whispered in discussion.
"He should be a senior expert of our Cloud Sea Sect. Even the Great Elder doesn't know him. It seems our Cloud Sea Sect hides crouching tigers and hidden dragons."
Nan Gong Ling smiled bitterly. Here, probably only he knew who the other party was.
Thinking of his own actions, Nan Gong Ling felt a trace of shame. He always weighed pros and cons, considering the sect's interests, but forgot about the sect's reputation. Indeed, he was too indecisive.
"Dapeng Gongzi, let today's matter end here. Please return. Give my regards to Sect Master Chu." Nan Gong Ling looked at Chu Zhanpeng and spoke.
End it? Lin Qian was stunned. Did that mean she had to leave just like that, letting Lin Feng go?
"Senior Brother." Lin Qian called out softly. Chu Zhanpeng's expression changed unpredictably, then he let out a low laugh and said, "Sect Master Nan Gong, I've heard that Cloud Sea Sect produces many geniuses. Zhanpeng is filled with admiration. I wonder if any of Cloud Sea Sect's disciples would be willing to spar with Zhanpeng."
Although Chu Zhanpeng's tone was gentle, his meaning was clear: any disciple from Cloud Sea Sect could come at him. Obviously, because his goal had not been achieved, he was provoking Cloud Sea Sect.
Seeing this, Lin Feng guessed the gist of the matter. Lin Qian must have dragged this eerie young man to Cloud Sea Sect to demand his release.
"Dapeng Gongzi is renowned throughout Snow Moon. My Cloud Sea Sect disciples still need more training and experience. Perhaps we can spar another time." Nan Gong Ling shook his head.
"Sect Master Nan Gong—"
"Are all people from Hao Yue Sect as disrespectful of seniority as Dapeng Gongzi?" Chu Zhanpeng tried to speak again, but Nan Gong Ling's gentle demeanor changed. A fierce coldness radiated from him as his eyes stared straight at Chu Zhanpeng. As the Sect Master of Cloud Sea Sect, he had already politely asked the guest to leave twice, which was more than enough face for Chu Zhanpeng.
But Chu Zhanpeng, probably because of his outstanding talent, was used to being arrogant. He didn't even care about the face of Nan Gong Ling, the Sect Master of Cloud Sea Sect. Although Hao Yue Sect was stronger than Cloud Sea Sect, Chu Zhanpeng was still a generation younger than Nan Gong Ling.
Chu Zhanpeng's face stiffened, then a strange smile appeared on his face. He said coldly, "Since that's the case, then I, Chu, will take my leave."
The massive Dapeng Martial Soul spread its wings, stirring up a gale. Chu Zhanpeng hugged Lin Qian, and the Dapeng's wings flapped wildly. His figure shot forward instantly, flying over the heads of the surrounding Cloud Sea Sect crowd. The fierce gale blew many people away, causing chaos in the scene.
"I will remember today's matter." The Dapeng soared into the sky. Only then did the dodging crowd steady themselves, feeling ashamed. This was naked contempt.
"Lin Feng, on the day of the annual gathering, I will make you pay. Unless you hide in Cloud Sea Sect forever." Lin Qian's voice followed.
Watching the high-flying Dapeng, Lin Feng sneered inwardly. Did he need to hide in Cloud Sea Sect?
Nan Gong Ling looked at the fallen crowd, his expression not good. Although Dapeng Gongzi was arrogant, his strength and talent were indeed not something Cloud Sea Sect's disciples could match.
"Within five years, I hope Cloud Sea Sect can produce someone who can contend with Dapeng Gongzi." Nan Gong Ling felt a pang of emotion. Among the Eight Young Masters of Snow Moon Kingdom, Dapeng Gongzi was only ranked sixth, yet he dared to act arrogantly and freely in Cloud Sea Sect. This was indeed Cloud Sea Sect's misfortune. He wondered how strong the other seven Young Masters were.
"Let today's matter end here. Everyone, disperse." Nan Gong Ling waved his hand at the crowd and then prepared to leave.
Moye did not move. He stared at Lin Feng. By now, he had developed a deep hatred for Lin Feng. Of course, Lin Feng had also remembered him, Elder Moye.
"I said, let today's matter end here." Nan Gong Ling's voice grew heavier as he shouted at Moye, who was staring at Lin Feng. This made Moye's body stiffen before he finally lifted his feet and followed behind Nan Gong Ling.
"It seems I need to be careful of this man from now on." Lin Feng became vigilant. His strength was still too weak, far inferior to Moye, an elder of the sect.
Lifting his feet, Lin Feng also prepared to leave, but a voice directly entered his ears.
"If you want to be respected, you must have sufficiently powerful strength and talent. Otherwise, not to mention a little humiliation, even if you die, no one will sympathize."
Lin Feng's footsteps paused slightly. These words were spoken by Nan Gong Ling, transmitted directly into his ears.
"Of course I understand." Lin Feng smiled lightly in his heart. He lifted his feet, and every step he took was firm and steady, like steps on the staircase leading to the path of a strong one.
………………
In a cliffside stone cave on Tongtian Peak, Lin Feng sat cross-legged. The world's origin energy transformed into strands of soft white light, continuously seeping into Lin Feng's body, strengthening his inner breath, fortifying his muscles, bones, and flesh.
Qi Martial Realm martial artists train in strength and Qi, using the world's origin energy to temper the body, condense muscles and bones, expand blood vessels, making strength powerful, making the body perfect, and storing inner Qi.
The Qi Martial Realm is the first realm of martial cultivation, the foundational realm. Only by laying a solid foundation can one grow stronger step by step on the path of cultivation.
Lin Feng urgently needed strength. He needed to become powerful, to break through the Qi Martial Realm as soon as possible and step into the Spirit Martial Realm. Only by entering the Spirit Martial Realm could he become an inner disciple, be considered a true sect disciple, and gain respect.
Upon entering the Spirit Martial Realm, it was said that one could also undergo a true awakening of their martial soul, causing a qualitative change and making it even stronger.
Just like Dapeng Gongzi's Dapeng Martial Soul, which could only soar through the sky after undergoing a true awakening. And Lin Qian's Ice and Fire Same Origin Martial Soul was also born from a mutation after a true awakening.
As for Lin Feng, he believed that his Darkness Martial Soul, which could enhance all abilities, would become even more powerful once it underwent a true awakening.
Therefore, after Han Man's injuries healed, Lin Feng came alone to one of the Eight Pillars of Tongtian Peak, found this hidden cliffside stone cave, and devoted himself to bitter cultivation, hoping to enter the Spirit Martial Realm as soon as possible.
PS: Second chapter. Washing up and going to sleep. So sleepy!