Li Feng’s expression remained calm as he looked at the middle-aged man and said, “You want my VIP card. Do you think you have the ability to take it?”
“Is that so? You will soon find out.”
The middle-aged man smiled coldly. As soon as the words left his mouth, he stamped his foot on the ground, creating a deep pit beneath it, and shot forward like lightning.
“Myriad Swords Pierce the Heart.”
While still in motion, a crimson halo surged around the middle-aged man’s body. His longsword flickered, and crimson sword rays emerged one after another, shooting towards Li Feng like sharp arrows.
“Petty tricks.” Li Feng sneered. He swung his broadsword fiercely, sending out a dazzling blade ray that slashed through the air.
Boom!
The blade ray collided with the sword rays, producing a heaven-shaking explosion. Both the blade ray and sword rays instantly dissipated into the air. Powerful shockwaves radiated outward, kicking up small craters in the ground.
“I did not expect your strength to be quite good.”
A cold glint flashed in the middle-aged man’s eyes. He had thought this sword strike would defeat Li Feng, but the blade ray Li Feng unleashed had matched his own evenly, which was beyond his expectations.
“It seems I underestimated you somewhat. However, this is as far as you go.” The middle-aged man sneered. He continued rushing towards Li Feng and kicked out with one foot.
Boom, boom, boom…
Leg forces burst forth from his foot one after another, like raging winds and massive waves, bombarding Li Feng relentlessly.
Li Feng stood in place, watching the kick approach. He remained unmoved, his gaze as sharp as a blade fixed on the middle-aged man.
Just as the leg forces reached him, Li Feng struck out with a palm.
“Overturning Mountains and Seas.”
Continuous palm forces shot from his hand, fast as lightning and carrying immense power as they met the attack head-on.
Boom!
The palm forces smashed fiercely into the crimson leg forces. In an instant, brilliant light erupted. The overlapping leg forces were completely cleaved apart.
“Boy, I did not expect you to block my kick.”
The middle-aged man landed on the ground and looked at Li Feng, cold light flickering in his eyes. At this moment, his heart was far from calm. Li Feng’s palm strike earlier had nearly injured him.
This filled the middle-aged man with immense surprise. From their previous exchanges, Li Feng had not seemed capable of clashing directly with him, yet this palm had shown him that Li Feng was not as weak as he had imagined.
“Your strength is merely this. It seems there is no need for me to toy with you any longer.” Li Feng sighed. Although this middle-aged man was also at the peak of the ninth level of the Postnatal Realm, his abilities were far inferior to Wei Kang’s. Whether in experience or martial techniques, this man could not compare to Wei Kang.
But upon reflection, it made sense. Wei Kang likely had the Zhu family backing him. With the Zhu family’s influence and the capabilities of the Heavenly Eye, a peak ninth-level warrior like Wei Kang was not someone a loose cultivator could match. In this era of declining spiritual energy, familial inheritances were rare, let alone for loose cultivators.
He had even slain Wei Kang. If not for wanting to use the Divine Control Technique on this middle-aged man, Li Feng would have killed him long ago.
Still, the man was not entirely useless. His strange movement technique and powerful leg arts, combined with the resources Li Feng could provide, might help him break through to the Innate Realm in the future, making him a good subordinate.
The middle-aged man’s gaze was icy, a sinister smile curling at his lips. “Try blocking another sword from me.”
With a loud shout, he stepped forward. A crimson halo flickered around his body. His longsword trembled, and a massive crimson sword ray thrust through the air towards Li Feng.
Whoosh!
The sword ray was as fast as lightning, tearing through the void as it lunged at Li Feng.
Boom, boom, boom…
Wherever the sword ray passed, piercing sonic booms rang out, as if the entire space were about to collapse.
“Not bad. It has some merit. I will take you as my subordinate.” A sharp glint flashed in Li Feng’s eyes. This sword strike finally displayed the strength expected of a peak ninth-level warrior.
However, he had no intention of continuing to play around.
“Blade Cleaves the Cosmos!”
Li Feng gripped his broadsword and slashed fiercely. A blade ray shot out instantly. It moved like electricity, surging forward with the momentum of a startled swan.
Boom!
A heaven-shaking explosion resounded. The sword ray was shattered by the blade ray, which continued unabated, slashing viciously towards the middle-aged man.
“Not good.” The middle-aged man’s expression changed drastically. He stamped his foot on the ground and retreated at high speed, barely avoiding the blade ray.
Boom!
The blade ray struck the ground, carving out a deep pit one metre wide.
At the same moment, after unleashing the slash, Li Feng stamped heavily on the ground. His body shot forward like an arrow released from a bowstring. As the middle-aged man evaded the blade ray, Li Feng’s fist was already smashing out.
Boom!
Before the middle-aged man could react, the fist force arrived before him, striking his chest squarely.
The next instant.
The middle-aged man let out a muffled groan and was sent flying backwards, crashing heavily onto the ground.
“How is this possible?”
The middle-aged man spat out a mouthful of blood. He raised his head and looked at Li Feng in disbelief. He had actually been defeated, and by a young man in his twenties.
“There is nothing impossible in this world.” Li Feng sneered as he walked towards the middle-aged man. Through this fight, he felt his strength had improved slightly, which left him somewhat incredulous.
Could recovering from injury increase his cultivation?
Or was it due to that Heavenly Origin Spirit Fruit?
Li Feng did not know, but it was a good thing for him. He was unsure about the strength of Innate Realm experts, but he felt that against two peak ninth-level warriors, he might be able to cope.
“Those who covet wealth must pay the price.” Li Feng approached the middle-aged man and looked down at him coldly.
“Hmph. Kill me if you must.” The middle-aged man’s expression shifted. This outcome was beyond his expectations, but he knew full well the consequences of failing to kill for greed. Thus, he did not believe Li Feng would spare him.
“Kill you?” Li Feng sneered. “If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so earlier. Peak ninth level of the Postnatal Realm, so what? In this young master’s eyes, it is nothing.”
“Then what do you want?” the middle-aged man asked in a low voice.
At this moment, deep regret filled his heart. From the moment Li Feng appeared until he revealed his greedy intentions, Li Feng had remained calm throughout. He had thought it was arrogance born of ignorance, but now he realised Li Feng simply had never taken him seriously.
To think Li Feng had defeated him so easily. Could his strength not be merely peak ninth level, but actually the Innate Realm?
With this thought, terror gripped the middle-aged man’s heart.
A peak ninth-level warrior in his twenties was already hard enough to accept. An Innate Realm expert of that age was utterly inconceivable.
“Speaking of which, today should count as our second meeting.” Li Feng looked at the middle-aged man and smiled.
“Second meeting?” The middle-aged man was stunned. Earlier, upon seeing Li Feng, he had felt his aura somewhat familiar. Now, hearing these words, he could not help but wonder if they had met somewhere before.
“The day before yesterday at the Ancient Warriors Association, you called me a country bumpkin.” Li Feng smiled faintly. With his divine sense, his perception of auras was far superior to ordinary people. The moment this man spoke, he had recognised him.
“You… you… it’s you…” The middle-aged man stared at Li Feng in disbelief, as if seeing a ghost. He had never imagined that this Li Feng was the very person he had mocked as a country bumpkin at the association.
“Surprised? I am surprised too.” Li Feng was indeed surprised. When he encountered this man at the association the day before yesterday, he had thought they would have no further dealings. Yet they met again so soon, and in this manner.
The middle-aged man took a deep breath, suppressing his shock as he asked, “Did you recognise me from the start?”
“The moment you spoke, I knew.” Li Feng nodded. The aura and voice were identical. It could not possibly be anyone else.
“So that is how it is. Today, I have thrown myself into the net.” The middle-aged man gave a bitter smile. He had already offended Li Feng at the association. Then, out of greed, he had tried to kill and rob him for the VIP card. No matter what, Li Feng would not let him go today.
“What do you plan to do with me? Kill me if you will.” The middle-aged man accepted his fate.
“Very simple. I want you to become my servant.” Li Feng said calmly.
“Servant? You are delusional.” The middle-aged man’s eyes widened as he stared coldly at Li Feng.
“Ha ha. At this point, do you think you still have a choice?” Li Feng sneered.
“You can forget about it. Even if I, Lu Shuang, die, I will never become another’s servant.” Lu Shuang said coldly.
“Die?” Li Feng shook his head. “I told you, you have no choice.” With that, he activated the Divine Control Technique. A strand of divine sense shot fiercely towards Lu Shuang.
“You…” Lu Shuang managed only one word before his gaze went blank, his eyes losing focus.
“From now on, I am your master.” Li Feng said in a deep voice.
One minute later, clarity returned to Lu Shuang’s eyes. He climbed up from the ground and knelt, saying, “Lu Shuang pays respects to Master.”
“Very good.”
Li Feng nodded in satisfaction, then turned his gaze towards the elder nearby.
At this moment, the elder was staring at Li Feng as if he had seen a ghost. He had never imagined that someone so young could be this powerful, defeating Lu Shuang with ease. Moreover, using some unknown method, he had turned Lu Shuang into his servant.
“What do you want?” Seeing Li Feng’s gaze turn towards him, the elder jumped in fright and quickly said, “I never harboured any greedy intentions towards you. Lu Shuang is Lu Shuang, and I am me. I am not his accomplice.”
“I know.” Li Feng stopped ten metres from the elder and asked, “You accepted the mission at the Ancient Warriors Association too, right?”
“Yes, ah, no, no. I do not want to accept it now.” The elder hurriedly shook his head.
“You do not want to accept it? Is my mission something you can accept or reject at will?” Li Feng sneered. Having come here, whether elder or old woman, none would be allowed to leave. Though this was somewhat despicable, to prevent news of his Divine Control Technique from leaking, he had no choice.
