Chapter 123: The Qi Martial Realm! (2/3)

"Boom!"

Qin Feng caught the fist Ao Wushi swung at him and countered with a punch of his own, slamming it directly into Ao Wushi's chest.

"Boom!"

The immense power within Qin Feng’s body reached 8.8 million catties, surpassing the strength possessed by even the most formidable late-stage Human Sovereign experts. As his fist struck the protective aura surrounding Ao Wushi, the vast, violent force shattered the barrier with ease, landing squarely on Ao Wushi's physical body.

"Boom!"

Ao Wushi’s chest caved in instantly, and his entire body was sent flying, a spray of blood erupting from his mouth.

"Whoosh!"

Having exchanged two blows, Ao Wushi realized the terrifying power of his opponent; he was nowhere near a match for Qin Feng. He finally understood that the rumors of Qin Feng’s grievous injury had been a calculated trap—a ruse to lure him in. Landing on the ground, he clutched his chest and, without a moment’s hesitation, unleashed his full power to flee into the distance.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

Ao Wushi pushed his speed to the limit, transforming into a trail of blurred afterimages.

"Consider yourself lucky to be fast," Qin Feng muttered with a cold snort, turning back toward the convoy. He chose not to pursue; if he left, there was no telling if other opportunistic scavengers might appear to plunder the convoy’s resources, and neither Tianjun Hou nor Hua Yunliang would be able to stop them.

Hua Yunliang watched Qin Feng with a mixture of shock and reverence. Even the world-renowned Human Sovereign Wushi was no match for the Qin Emperor.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Tianjun Hou asked, noting the wounds covering Qin Feng’s body.

"I am fine," Qin Feng replied, shaking his head. His physical body was still too weak, leaving him covered in wounds after every major battle. If not for the extraordinary regenerative capabilities of his physique, he would have perished many times over. "Let us continue."

Qin Feng tossed the Nine-Section Whip into the convoy. With seven unicorn horses pulling the carriage, he quickly ducked inside, sat cross-legged, and began to rest. Under the influence of his body’s terrifying recovery speed, his wounds began to heal rapidly, and his physical strength even showed signs of further refinement.

***

"Chu Tianfa pays his respects to the Qin Emperor."
"Zuo Taoming pays his respects to the Qin Emperor."

...

Having received word that Qin Feng was returning to Yuntian Prefecture, Chu Tianfa, Zuo Taoming, Lin Xiaozhong, and the others had rushed out to meet him.

"Rise," Qin Feng said, sounding weary. "There is really no need for such formality between us." He had told them this countless times, yet they never listened.

"Your Majesty, what are these?" Chu Tianfa asked, gesturing toward the convoy behind Qin Feng. He did not ask about the battle with the Cloud Mountain Sect immediately. He knew the strength of the sect—its leader was a mid-stage Human Sovereign—and he assumed that even though the Qin Emperor was powerful, he would not be able to overcome them. Zuo Taoming and Lin Xiaozhong, having heard of the sect’s power from Chu, stood silently by.

"These are the spoils of war from my annihilation of the Cloud Mountain Sect," Qin Feng said calmly.

"What?" Chu Tianfa’s expression shifted instantly, filled with shock and utter disbelief. If the Qin Emperor had wiped out the Cloud Mountain Sect, it meant that even the mid-stage Human Sovereign Yun Zhonghe was no match for him. How long had it been since the Qin Emperor ascended to the Human Sovereign realm? Had he already reached the mid-stage?

"By the way," Qin Feng continued, "your intelligence was flawed. The Cloud Mountain Sect did not just have three Human Sovereigns. After arriving, I discovered they were hiding two additional early-stage Human Sovereigns. It took me some effort to execute all three—the two early-stage guardians and the mid-stage leader. From now on, the Great Chu Empire must act with caution; do not trust intelligence reports blindly."

"I see," Chu Tianfa murmured, still reeling. "So, they had three Human Sovereigns guarding the mountain... no wonder you were able to wipe them out. Wait—three?" He blinked, finally processing the magnitude of the feat. Even with three such masters, the Qin Emperor had still obliterated them. Just how strong was he?

Zuo Taoming and Lin Xiaozhong exchanged looks of wild joy. The stronger the Qin Emperor became, the more beneficial it was for them. Thanks to their direct relationship with Qin Feng, their status within the Great Chu Empire was rising rapidly. The Emperor of Chu, knowing their closeness to Qin Feng, had already begun entrusting them with major responsibilities.

***

"Let’s go. Follow me back to Qin City," Qin Feng commanded.

Upon returning to Qin City, Qin Feng first checked on Huang Tianlong. Seeing that his recovery was progressing well, he finally felt at ease. He then took the vast amount of resources he had acquired and entered seclusion. Having fully mastered the Human Sovereign-grade technique, the *Three Elements Unification Manual*, he was certain he could make a breakthrough.

"Cultivate!"

Qin Feng consumed a two-thousand-year-old spirit herb and began to practice according to the teachings of the manual.

...

At the border of the Tianlong Empire, in the Sea of Death, five battered, tattered ships were approaching, clearly having endured tremendous hardship. A large number of martial artists stood upon the decks; though their expressions were weary, their exhaustion could not hide the excitement in their eyes.

They were from the Zhao family of the Tian-Shui Domain, one of the nine great domains of the Longteng Continent. Having offended a powerful enemy, they had been pursued relentlessly. In their desperation, the remnants of the Zhao family had ventured into the Endless Sea to escape. When they had entered, they had done so with the conviction that they were walking to their deaths. The Endless Sea was a forbidden zone, filled with fierce, naturally gifted beasts and lacking the spiritual energy required for proper cultivation. For thousands of years, few had dared to enter, and fewer still had ever returned.

"Hahahaha!"

"Heaven has not shut every door against us! Who could have imagined there would be another continent within the Endless Sea?"

"The heavens have not forsaken the Zhao family!"

Zhao Houyun, the strongest member of the remaining family, stared at the endless expanse of land ahead. His cultivation was at the Qi-Martial Realm. In the peak days of the Zhao family, he would not have even ranked in the top hundred, but after the relentless pursuit and the loss of so many stronger experts in the sea, he had recently broken through from the late-stage Human Sovereign realm, becoming the clan's last hope.

"The heavens have not forsaken the Zhao family!"
"The heavens have not forsaken the Zhao family!"
"The heavens have not forsaken the Zhao family!"

The remaining two hundred members of the clan erupted into a delirious celebration.

"Everyone!" Zhao Houyun shouted, his face flushed with excitement. "Today, the Zhao family has found life in the face of certain death!"