Chapter Thirty-Eight: Battle with Qin Zhang

Qin Zhang approached with overwhelming force, exuding an intimidating aura, all of it a deliberate act. He was well aware of Chu Feng’s stubborn nature; provoking him in this manner was meant to elicit a sharp backlash, which would then justify teaching him a lesson. Even if Xiao Yue arrived, there would be nothing to dispute.

At that moment, Chu Feng, having shed all burdens, stood with his sword, his brow slightly furrowed, but he spoke calmly, “What crime have I committed? And you think you can make me kneel?”

“Insolence!” Qin Zhang’s face was thunderous with rage, pointing at Chu Feng. “You intentionally assaulted someone! Not only did you sever Qin Hao’s right hand, but you shattered it as well. So young, yet so ruthless. How can I allow you to run wild?”

“Hahaha, how laughable,” Chu Feng tilted his head back and laughed, then fixed Qin Zhang with a stern gaze. “Spare his life? That was already a mercy to your Qin family.”

“Fine, very fine,” Qin Zhang chuckled instead of growing angrier. Turning to two armored patrol soldiers, he said, “Brothers, you’ve heard him. Not only did Chu Feng injure someone, but he meant to kill. Such a madman cannot be allowed to roam free.”

Behind Qin Zhang, a burly man with a bristling beard gave Chu Feng a cold look, planted his spear on the ground, and said, “Violent assault—this charge alone is enough to keep him locked up for half a year. Chu Feng, surrender now!”

“Hmph. Truly unexpected, to see you stoop so low,” Chu Feng shot a cold glare at Qin Zhang, then turned to the patrol soldier who had just spoken, utterly unafraid. “You collude with one another and want me to surrender? Keep dreaming.”

“Rebellion! I want to see what tricks you have, daring to defy arrest,” Qin Zhang said coldly, preparing to make a move.

“There’s no need for Brother Qin to act against a mere youngster; leave him to me,” the bearded man said, his figure flashing as he lunged at Chu Feng with his spear.

Chu Feng smiled coldly. Though he was speaking, he had long been poised for action.

The bearded man underestimated Chu Feng, believing he could subdue him without activating his spiritual form. He was caught off guard when Chu Feng’s sword struck, snapping his spear in two.

Startled, the bearded man was immediately pressed by another unpredictable sword strike. Its trajectory was elusive; startled further, he spun and rolled across the ground, barely evading the blow. Yet his breastplate was still slashed open from left shoulder to right waist.

This was because Chu Feng had held back; he had no wish to harm the patrol soldiers. Otherwise, that last sword would have cleaved the man in two.

The bearded man thought he had escaped danger, stepping out of Chu Feng’s reach, but as he steadied himself, the sword was already at his throat.

Cold sweat broke out as his heart raced—was this really a newcomer from the Twentieth Battalion? The power was staggering.

Meanwhile, Qin Zhang and the other patrol soldier were equally shocked. They never imagined Chu Feng’s sword could be so sharp, and his swordsmanship so exquisite, subduing a second-tier Earth Spirit warrior with ease.

Chu Feng’s unexpected success was all due to catching them off guard—the bearded man had underestimated him, acting without spiritual transformation.

Moreover, Chu Feng’s swordsmanship demanded close combat, his specialty, while the bearded man foolishly obliged. It was a death wish.

Chu Feng laughed coldly. “You thought you could catch me?”

Ashamed and angry, the bearded man had nothing to say.

“Chu Feng, disrespecting a patrol officer—you’re courting death,” Qin Zhang barked.

“Disrespecting me, you’re the one courting death,” Chu Feng retorted sharply.

He shot Qin Zhang a disdainful look, withdrew his sword, and kicked the bearded man rolling away. “If I’m truly guilty, I’d surrender without protest. But if some people have ulterior motives, let’s see what tricks they’ve got.”

Chu Feng was ready to stake everything; he didn’t mind making a scene.

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“You have no idea how high the sky is. Let me show you my methods,” Qin Zhang stepped forward, instantly transforming with spirit energy, determined to teach Chu Feng a lesson.

Qin Zhang possessed a Water Spirit body. At that moment, spirit energy surged around him, mist rising, emanating a powerful aura.

He knew Chu Feng couldn’t undergo spiritual transformation; his swordsmanship was formidable, but only for close combat. At range, spiritual techniques would render his sword useless.

Qin Zhang gathered spirit energy and unleashed water spirit arts, summoning a long water whip in his hand.

The whip moved like a living water serpent. With a flick, it lashed out at Chu Feng.

Chu Feng’s brow furrowed. The opponent’s spiritual arts were indeed powerful—the aura alone surpassed Zhang Kongming by far.

Yet Chu Feng didn’t hesitate. He moved, sword flashing to meet the attack. Where the Territory Sword passed, the water whip was instantly severed.

“Such strength,” Chu Feng was startled, his body pausing, arm numb from the tremendous recoil.

It was thanks to the Territory Sword’s indomitable force; an ordinary blade would have shattered from the impact, and Chu Feng might have suffered greatly.

From this brief exchange, Chu Feng sensed the opponent’s battle power exceeded his own, but not by much—he pegged Qin Zhang as a third-tier Earth Spirit warrior.

And so it was: Qin Zhang was indeed a third-tier Earth Spirit warrior.

Qin Zhang’s face darkened, deeply surprised. Though he hadn’t used full force, that blow was comparable to a second-tier Earth Spirit warrior’s full strike. He never expected a boy unable to transform to withstand it.

The two patrol soldiers were stunned, staring at Chu Feng as though he were a monster. They knew Qin Zhang held considerable authority, managing a district of the Holy City; his cultivation wasn’t the highest, but he was a third-tier Earth Spirit warrior.

That level far surpassed them. Yet his spiritual technique couldn’t suppress a mere newcomer, who hadn’t even undergone spiritual transformation.

Had they known Chu Feng couldn’t transform at all, their shock would be greater still.

While Qin Zhang was distracted, Chu Feng nearly reached him, startling the man. But Qin Zhang kept his composure, and with a wave, conjured a wall of water ahead.

Chu Feng swung his sword to break it, but the wall surged, shooting arrows of water.

The water wall could defend and attack.

Qin Zhang smiled coldly, wielding his arts. Two more water whips appeared, one before, one behind, sealing Chu Feng’s retreat.

Chu Feng sighed inwardly. Qin Zhang was indeed a veteran; although his cultivation wasn’t high, his combat experience was deep.

An ordinary second-tier Earth Spirit warrior would be in grave danger. But Chu Feng, wielding the Territory Sword and his subtle swordsmanship, blocked the water arrows and severed one whip.

Spinning through the air, he slapped the ground with his left hand, using the recoil to leap clear of the other whip.

He barely avoided disaster—the escape was perilously close.

Chu Feng’s combat strength rivaled the top second-tier Earth Spirit warriors, but compared to Qin Zhang, his base power was somewhat lacking. The recoil from their clashes slowed his movements.

---

Yet relying on explosive force, Chu Feng held his own, and for a time, Qin Zhang could not subdue him.

In his most intense burst, Chu Feng managed to approach Qin Zhang once, but without effect—his sword was driven aside by Qin Zhang’s mighty spirit energy.

Qin Zhang’s face flushed red—he, a third-tier Earth Spirit warrior, unable to subdue a boy without spirit transformation? If word got out, he’d be a laughingstock.

He used every trick, even his prized Water Dragon technique, which only made Chu Feng struggle harder but yielded no real results.

Meanwhile, Qin Zhang’s spirit energy drained rapidly, making him anxious and furious.

“You’re not good enough,” Chu Feng taunted during the fight, unfazed by Qin Zhang’s storm of spiritual attacks, using them as an opportunity to refine his swordsmanship.

“You impudent brat!” Qin Zhang roared, no longer caring for restraint. Fearing delay, he turned and shouted to the patrol soldiers, “Help me seize this wretch!”

Both soldiers transformed—one with a Gold Spirit body, one with an Earth Spirit body.

They knew Chu Feng excelled at close combat, so they attacked from range, assisting Qin Zhang.

With one third-tier and two second-tier Earth Spirit warriors attacking together, Chu Feng was pushed to his limits. Soon, he was struck by Qin Zhang’s water whip and sent flying. If not for his powerful physique, his bones might have snapped.

Even so, Chu Feng felt as if his body had shattered, unable to rise for a moment.

“Where’s your arrogance now?” Qin Zhang sneered, eyes flashing coldly. He did not relent, casting the Water Dragon technique again, intent on seriously injuring Chu Feng—perhaps crippling his hands.

A water dragon roared toward Chu Feng. At the critical moment, a water chain shot in from the doorway, dispelling the dragon in an instant. Then, the chain wrapped around, binding Qin Zhang and the two patrol soldiers.

Qin Zhang’s heart chilled. He shouted, “Who dares intervene!”

“Seems the three of you have overstepped,” came a clear, resonant voice. Standing at the door was the handsome, elegant Xiao Yue.

Chu Feng struggled to his feet, breathing a quiet sigh of relief upon seeing Xiao Yue enter—there was no need to invoke the Sanctuary Battle Order after all.

Xiao Yue also possessed a Water Spirit body, but his cultivation was clearly beyond Qin Zhang’s. It was Chu Feng’s first time seeing Xiao Yue in action, and he was secretly amazed—a single water chain immobilized all three men.

Seeing Xiao Yue, Qin Zhang’s heart sank. His intention had been to seize Chu Feng before Xiao Yue knew, so that by the time he found out, it would be too late, and they could claim to have arrested Chu Feng outside the Spirit Battle Pavilion.

In truth, from the moment the three entered the Twentieth Battalion, Xiao Yue had noticed.

He knew Qin Zhang’s arrival boded trouble, so he had followed them from the start.

Facing Xiao Yue, Qin Zhang felt no fear; in his view, Xiao Yue was merely an instructor for a mediocre battalion, and in terms of rank and status, couldn’t compare to him. Xiao Yue would never dare oppose him.

Qin Zhang’s face darkened; he still resented Xiao Yue for brushing him off last time. He shouted, “Xiao Yue, how dare you! Who are you to treat me this way?”