Martial Arts Overlord

Wan Feng exuded a wild temperament, his attacks as swift as lightning. With a single palm strike, the very air within several yards seemed to solidify, making breathing heavy.

"Back off!"

Luo Feng's eyebrows furrowed. He stepped forward, shielding Bing Ruolan and the other two behind him. His punch, like a ferocious tiger, met Wan Feng's attack head-on. His form was domineering, his presence no less imposing than Wan Feng's.

BOOM!

Two distinctly different currents of Gang Qi collided, instantly erupting in a violent shockwave.

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP...

Luo Feng retreated three steps.

Wan Feng's body swayed, and he retreated a single step.

He actually withstood one of my palm strikes!

Wan Feng looked at Luo Feng, truly shocked.

He had originally thought his palm strike would be enough to severely injure his opponent, but unexpectedly, he had only gained a slight advantage.

His gaze darkened. Wan Feng sized up Luo Feng and said coldly, "I didn't expect you to also possess peak seventh Essence storage Realm Cultivation! I truly underestimated you!"

"The same to you."

Luo Feng stood his ground, his words indifferent.

It might have seemed he was at a disadvantage, but that wasn't the case.

His Furious Tiger Fist was merely a Middle-Grade Yellow Grade Martial Art, while Wan Feng's Coiled Snake Palm was a Superior-Grade Yellow Grade Martial Art.

Setting aside the difference in Martial Arts quality, Wan Feng had actually been slightly outmatched in that exchange.

However, his opponent clearly hadn't used his full strength either. If Wan Feng were to get serious, the outcome would be uncertain.

The Four New Outstanding Talents, indeed none of them are easy to deal with. Luo Feng felt a chill inwardly.

The crowd around the auction house hadn't dispersed. The confrontation at the entrance was too conspicuous and quickly drew the attention of many Martial Artists.

"Hey, isn't that Wanluo School's 'Thunderbolt Spear,' Wan Feng!"

"Wan Feng failed in several bids at the auction; he must be furious. Provoking him now is asking for trouble."

"Not necessarily. That saber-bearing young man just blocked Wan Feng's palm and only fell slightly behind. I don't think he's so simple!"

"That's only because Wan Feng wasn't using his full strength. He's one of the Four New Outstanding Talents from the previous generation; few in all four schools are his match. I've never seen that black-haired youth before; he must just be a Wuming. If Wan Feng gets serious, he's bound to lose!"

The surrounding Martial Artists watched from a distance, discussing animatedly.

Luo Feng had risen to prominence only recently, so many people didn't recognize him.

Seeing the atmosphere grow increasingly tense, Hu Yitian stepped forward.

"Luo Feng, are you alright?"

Hu Yitian, knowing Wan Feng's formidable strength, stepped forward and asked.

Luo Feng shook his head.

Seeing Luo Feng unharmed, Hu Yitian looked at him with admiration.

"You're truly amazing! Across all four schools, probably less than a handful of people could take Wan Feng's palm strike unharmed!"

Turning his gaze to Wan Feng, Hu Yitian's expression turned cold.

"Wan Feng, what is the meaning of this? Are you upset because you lost to Luo Feng at the auction? Luo Feng is my friend. If you want to cause trouble for him, I'll see you through to the end!"

Wan Feng stared at Hu Yitian and frowned. Knowing it was difficult to make a move now, he reined in his aura and said with a smile, "Since he's Young Master Hu's friend, how could I possibly cause him trouble? I merely saw his skills were impressive and felt an itch to spar."

"I hope so!"

Hu Yitian naturally didn't believe such nonsense and said to Luo Feng, "Let's go."

After they left, Wan Feng's face immediately darkened.

Only then did Gu Yufeng dare to step forward. He had originally hoped Wan Feng would teach Luo Feng a lesson. He never expected Luo Feng to take Wan Feng's palm strike unscathed!

"Wan Feng, are you just going to let them go?"

"Hmph, let them go? Wouldn't I lose all face then?"

Wan Feng snorted coldly, his voice sinister. "He thinks he can rest easy with the backing of the Six Great Families? Today, I'll show him what the treachery of rtiad means!"

Looking at Wan Feng's terrifying gaze, Gu Yufeng swallowed and asked, "What's your plan?"

Wan Feng slapped the brocade pouch at his waist, a savage grin spreading across his face.

Not everything in this world requires one to act personally. Wind Howl City has plenty of desperados! Money makes the world go round, after all! Especially when it's just about killing one or two people.

「Outside Wind Howl City...」

Four figures led their horses, walking side by side.

"Hu Yitian, thank you for earlier," Luo Feng said to Hu Yitian.

Although he wasn't afraid of Wan Feng, he was still very grateful that Hu Yitian had stood up for him.

Hu Yitian laughed heartily. "If you're thanking me for such a small thing, shouldn't I be thanking you a thousand times a day for saving my sister and me?"

The two young women walking beside them smiled gently at his words, their captivating beauty enough to make flowers pale in comparison.

The four of them reached a fork in the road and stopped.

One path led west, the other north, towards Cold Cloud Valley and Purple Sun School respectively.

"Luo Feng, Wan Feng is vengeful and ruthless. It might not be safe for you to travel alone. Why don't you come with us to Cold Cloud Valley? I doubt he'd dare to oppose our Hu Family!" Hu Yitian said, standing opposite Luo Feng.

Luo Feng shook his head, stating calmly, "He's formidable, but I'm no pushover. Don't worry."

Having spent some time together, Hu Yitian knew Luo Feng was a man of his word, so he didn't press further, only saying, "Then take care of yourselves. If anything happens, you can come find me at Cold Cloud Valley anytime!"

Luo Feng nodded.

"Then, until the New Heroes Festival!" Hu Yitian mounted his horse.

Luo Feng cupped his fists. "Until we meet again!"

Hu Yitian and his sister bid their farewells and departed.

"Luo Feng, Bing Ruolan, remember to come visit me in Cold Cloud Valley!" Hu Caiyun called out, turning back to wave after following Hu Yitian for a few steps.

Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan exchanged a smile.

"Let's go," Luo Feng said to Bing Ruolan.

Bing Ruolan nodded, her gaze fixed on the road ahead, a pure, lovely smile on her face. "It's been over a month since we left the academy; I'm starting to miss it."

"Me too."

Chatting and laughing, they mounted their horses and rode off.

Just as their figures vanished, two shadows darted out from the man-high coarse grass lining the road.

They stood on the very tips of the grass blades, clad in black robes, only their sinister eyes visible, glinting with a chilling light.

"That should be them! Let them get a bit further before we make our move."

After a glance in the direction Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan had disappeared, the leading figure in black spoke in a low, hoarse voice. Like phantoms, the two shadows skimmed close to the ground, darting forward.

The sky was a clear azure, and waves of grass rolled across the plains.

Two riders galloped side by side across the wilderness, their horses' hooves kicking up tufts of coarse grass.

"Looks like they're after us," Luo Feng murmured, glancing back over his shoulder.

After parting ways with Hu Yitian, Luo Feng had sensed two powerful auras tailing them.

They had initially planned to shake them off, but their pursuers' Light Martial Arts cultivation was surprisingly profound, and they remained close behind.

Bing Ruolan's Daimei knotted slightly. "It seems Wan Feng hired them to kill us. To think he'd collude with rtiad experts just because he lost to us at the auction! A person like that is utterly unworthy of being one of the Four New Outstanding Talents!"

"It's not surprising. Everyone has their own way of doing things."

As Luo Feng spoke, his ears twitched. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he huffed, "Looks like we don't need to bother shaking them off. They seem ready to make their move."

Bing Ruolan heard him and looked back.

Across the desolate sea of grass, two black figures skimmed over the grass tops, rapidly closing the distance.

They reined in their horses and waited quietly.

"Wan Feng is certainly cautious. He actually hired two martial artists at the peak of the seventh Essence storage Realm. Such experts don't come cheap. It seems he's spared no expense," Luo Feng remarked with a faint smile, watching the two approaching shadows.

"Two martial artists at the peak of the seventh Essence storage Realm?" Bing Ruolan's Daimei furrowed slightly.

"Don't worry, I've got this," Luo Feng said, looking at Bing Ruolan.

Bing Ruolan looked at Luo Feng's composed expression and nodded, her own gaze gradually calming.

WHOOSH...WHOOSH...

They were incredibly fast, closing to within a hundred meters in just a few breaths.

"You just need to hold off one of them. Don't aim for victory, just focus on protecting yourself. Once I've dealt with the other, I'll come help you." Luo Feng's expression had also turned grave.

"Alright!"

Bing Ruolan also knew that two martial artists at the peak of the Essence storage Realm were not to be underestimated.

These rtiad experts kill without batting an eye. Hardened by countless battles, their combat experience is terrifying, far beyond that of ordinary martial artists at the peak of the Essence storage Realm!

WHOOSH!

As they spoke, the two men in black had already positioned themselves thirty paces before Luo Feng.

"Hehe, judging by your expressions, you already know why we're here."

The leading man in black, his hands behind his back, regarded Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan with gleaming dark eyes. A dry, grating laugh issued from beneath his mask.

Luo Feng, still mounted, glanced around and chuckled. "We're in the middle of nowhere; I doubt you're here for a friendly chat."

The other man in black snorted. "Kid, if you know what's good for you, kill yourself now. It'll save you some suffering later!"

Luo Feng laughed heartily. When the two men in black's gazes turned grim, he said, "Kill myself? I'm afraid you two don't have what it takes! Before we begin, let me ask you one thing: did Wan Feng send you?"

The leader of the men in black replied coldly, "Wan Feng, Qian Feng, it makes no difference to us. We brothers take money to solve problems!"

"I see."

Luo Feng nodded, realizing he wouldn't get any more information out of them. Suddenly, he barked, "Ruolan, now!"

WHOOSH!

As he spoke, Luo Feng launched himself from his horse, soaring through the air like a great bird, covering the thirty-pace distance in an instant.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

His Tiger Soul Saber flashed, sending several dark arcs of blade energy locking onto the leading man in black.

Bing Ruolan was no slower. With a light tap of her foot on her horse's back, her figure floated like a cloud or a falling leaf, closely following Luo Feng.

"Star-piercing Swordsmanship's First Realm, Star Glare Crossing the Sky!"

A clear, cold voice rang out as Bing Ruolan's sword danced, stirring a cascade of starlight as she charged the other man in black.

Seeing them dare to attack first, a flicker of contempt crossed the lead assassin's eyes. With a twitch of his shoulder, a short, black dagger appeared in his hand. "Kill!"

A glaring, blood-red light coated the dagger. The assassin's movement technique was eerie, like a phantom's, as he dodged the arcs of blade energy and closed in on Luo Feng.

"Heavenly Slaughter's Three Blades!"

Seeing his opponent approach, Luo Feng neither retreated nor dodged. With a flick of his wrist, his Tiger Soul Saber whipped up a fierce gale of blade energy, slashing directly at the assassin.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A series of Gang Qi explosions thundered. Amidst enraged shouts, the assassin retreated in disarray.