Starting as a Cross-World Merchant #1-50
Author: 难得问候
Date: 2026-03-02T21:57:55+00:00

Chapter 1: Xingfeng Mining and Xingfeng Sect

“Boss, Mr. Zhang asked to increase the shipment volume. He’s already sent the prepayment. What do you think?”

The female secretary, dressed in a professional suit, softly asked the young man sitting on the sofa.

The young man on the sofa looked at his phone screen and said unhurriedly,

“Return the money to him. Tell him we don’t have enough raw materials to ship, so wait until next month.”

“This…” The female secretary hesitated, “But boss, I see there are still thousands of tons of iron ore raw materials in the warehouse. With our production capacity, we can fully process it within a month.”

This was the female secretary’s third month working at Xingfeng Mining.

Xingfeng Mining mainly engaged in mineral processing, which involved acquiring various ores, refining them into metals, and then selling them.

There were many such mineral processing plants in Mountain City.

Initially, during the interview, the secretary thought the boss would be a greasy middle-aged man.

After all, when she thought of the mining industry, that was the first image of a boss that came to mind.

Who would have thought that after the interview, she would discover that her boss was actually a handsome young man in his early twenties.

According to the information she’d gathered from colleagues, Xingfeng Mining’s investment amounted to tens of millions, making her think Chen Feng was a second-generation rich kid.

She wasn’t optimistic about businesses founded by such individuals. Most of these companies would surely collapse and close due to losses before long.

Moreover, Chen Feng was involved in mining, and everyone knew that the mining industry was fraught with risks.

But the reality was surprising; in just three months, Xingfeng Mining’s orders boomed thanks to its specially processed metal.

Her boss had even applied for a patent for this metal, naming it Blazing Sun Iron.

Blazing Sun Iron, with its excellent strength and toughness, had received high acclaim in many industrial fields, such as automotive manufacturing.

Chen Feng looked up at the secretary. “Just do as I say. You don’t need to worry about anything else.”

“Understood, boss.”

The secretary dared not say anything more and then left the office.

Chen Feng looked at the content on his phone, his expression somewhat displeased.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to accept more orders to make money, but some money couldn’t be earned too conspicuously.

Currently, the 50th trending topic on Weibo read:

【A new model of Huaren Automobile collided with a semi-trailer truck in a highway accident. The Huaren Automobile sustained only ten percent damage, and the four occupants suffered no life-threatening injuries.】

There were thousands of comments below this trending topic.

Many people were talking about the rise of domestic brands.

Some others were discussing what metal the Huaren Automobile’s body was made of.

Undoubtedly, the body of the new Huaren Automobile was forged from Blazing Sun Iron.

“If things continue like this, I will definitely be noticed by the authorities. I need to prepare early.”

Chen Feng muttered to himself.

He then walked out of the office and came to a warehouse storing iron ore in the factory.

After confirming no one was around, Chen Feng entered the password on the door lock and entered the room.

The entire room was over 100 square meters, with more than a dozen different paintings hanging on the walls.

Inside the room, there was also a circulating conveyor belt. One end of the conveyor belt connected to the warehouse outside the room.

The other end was extremely strange, connecting to a painting.

This painting was four meters long and one meter wide.

It depicted landscapes and a small town, outlined with simple brushstrokes.

Looking at the painting before him, Chen Feng sighed with emotion.

He had acquired this painting a year ago. It had a special function: it could link to another world.

The other end of the painting was a world similar to ancient China.

Initially, Chen Feng merely brought small items from the painting world to sell in this modern world.

Then he sold goods from the modern world to the painting world, engaging in buying and selling.

Because of this, he had accumulated a considerable fortune.

But as he slowly explored the painting world, Chen Feng discovered that it was far more complex than he had imagined.

That world not only had martial artists but also, according to legend, the existence of immortals.

Since learning this news, Chen Feng had been treading on thin ice.

He chose not to continue running around haphazardly in the painting world but instead began to develop steadily.

He used the money he had accumulated from buying and selling to establish a small sect in the painting world called the Xingfeng Sect.

The operation of the Xingfeng Sect was very simple: it hired mortals from the painting world to mine.

The ore from the painting world was transported to the modern world.

Then, it was processed and sold in modern society’s factories to make money.

Blazing Sun Stone was already considered the most common metal in the painting world. This ore was specifically used by martial artists to forge weapons.

Even though he deliberately added many other substances to the Blazing Sun Stone, the processed Blazing Sun Iron still had superior strength and flexibility compared to most metals on the market.

Chen Feng was certain that his Blazing Sun Iron would soon attract national attention.

After all, he was mining it from another world for processing, not from mines in modern society.

As soon as the country investigated and discovered he had a sudden surplus of special metal, he would surely be taken in for questioning.

The dozen paintings on the wall were all purchased by him as a cover.

If there was only one painting in the factory warehouse, it might attract attention, but a dozen would be much more reasonable.

After all, he could say he enjoyed calligraphies and paintings and collected some.

Chen Feng reached out and touched the painting.

Soon, ripples like waves spread across the painting.

After a dizzying sensation, Chen Feng appeared in a secret room.

This was deep within an abandoned mine in the Xingfeng Sect in the painting world.

Chen Feng had built a secret room here.

The Blazing Sun Stones mined on the mountain would be sent here and then transported to the modern world through a transfer channel.

For this purpose, Chen Feng had also established a conveyor belt in the abandoned mine here, specifically for transporting ore.

There was also a small generator in the secret room.

Although this secret room was relatively rudimentary, after his modifications, he now had a suitable dwelling for himself in this world.

Chen Feng couldn’t stand living like ancient people, lighting lamps to read.

After checking that no one had entered the secret room, Chen Feng closed the transfer channel.

The painting’s transfer channel was fixed.

The first time he came to this world through the painting, he appeared in this abandoned mine.

As long as he closed the channel here, neither the modern world nor this side would notice anything unusual.

Chen Feng had tried it; only he could open the channel. Others, no matter how much they studied the painting, found it useless.

Stepping out of the mine, a dozen burly men in strong attire, with long sabers at their waists, guarded the entrance.

Seeing Chen Feng emerge, all dozen clasped their fists simultaneously.

“Greetings, Sect Master!”

These dozen men were martial artists recruited by the Xingfeng Sect.

As long as one had money in this world, some low-level martial artists could be recruited.

“Has there been anything unusual recently?” Chen Feng inquired.

Shuttling between the two worlds, Chen Feng’s information was limited.

The leading martial artist reported, “Reporting, Sect Master, the Second Bandit Chief of Black Wind Fortress came yesterday to inform us that we must pay tribute amounting to 5,000 taels of silver to continue mining in the Transverse Mountains.”

Chen Feng’s Xingfeng Sect was located in the Transverse Mountains of Yue Kingdom, where numerous large and small sects dotted the landscape.

Each region of the Yue Kingdom had its strongest force, either bandits or sects.

The closest one to the Xingfeng Sect was Black Wind Fortress.

The entire Transverse Mountains belonged to the territory governed by Black Wind Fortress.

The small sects in the Transverse Mountains had to pay tribute to Black Wind Fortress every month.

Only by paying sufficient tribute could they freely exploit the resources of the Transverse Mountains.

Chen Feng frowned slightly. Three months ago, when he came here, he had already paid Black Wind Fortress 3,000 taels of silver as tribute.

According to Black Wind Fortress’s rules, he only needed to pay 100 taels each month thereafter.

Now, Black Wind Fortress had actually sent someone to demand another 5,000 taels.

There must be something amiss.

Chapter 2: Black Wind Fortress Comes Calling! Chen Feng, Master of the Truth.

Generally speaking, a major power that occupied an entire mountain would provide protection to the subordinate forces that paid them tribute.

After all, only when these small sects flourished and turned a profit could they continue to provide offerings.

For their behavior to suddenly become so unsightly and greedy, there was bound to be a problem.

“Sect Master, rumors have been spreading among the surrounding sects recently that you have obtained a method used by immortals to forge weapons. That is why Black Wind Fortress sent people over,” the leading martial artist whispered into Chen Feng’s ear.

This was a martial artist at the seventh level of the Post-Hearth Realm whom Chen Feng had recruited, named Wang Hu.

Wang Hu was among the most loyal of the martial artists he had hired. It was Chen Feng’s financial aid that had allowed Wang Hu’s critically ill mother to survive. Consequently, Wang Hu had always been deeply grateful to Chen Feng.

Because of this, Chen Feng had assigned Wang Hu to lead the men guarding the entrance to the abandoned mine.

Hearing this, Chen Feng’s expression remained unchanged, but a sense of crisis rose in his heart.

He knew it was only a matter of time before he was targeted. After all, he had installed a modern conveyor belt at the mine entrance; in this world, such a thing would undoubtedly be seen as an immortal’s method.

But he had no choice. He couldn’t possibly carry every piece of ore onto the conveyor belt himself. In the modern world, machines would handle everything, but here, he still had to employ people from this world to get things done.

However, this came with the risk of information leaking.

Chen Feng commanded, “Pass the word down. Stop all ore mining for the time being and let everyone rest for a few days.”

Wang Hu nodded immediately and went to make the arrangements.

After Wang Hu left, several nearby martial artists looked at Chen Feng with strange glints in their eyes.

Chen Feng knew exactly what those looks meant. When he first arrived in this world, people had looked at him the same way when he went to town to sell modern items.

But to have lived peacefully in this world until now, Chen Feng had his own methods.

He felt his pocket, and the touch of cold metal brought him a great deal of comfort.

While the martial artists of this world were indeed powerful, they were still useless before “the Truth.”

In the past six months, Chen Feng had survived multiple dangers by relying on modern weapons. He had specifically purchased these from abroad; although it was just a handgun, it was enough for self-defense.

Once Wang Hu had settled the arrangements, he returned to report to Chen Feng. He was accompanied by a lean old man.

This was the manager of the Xingfeng Sect, surnaed Sun. He was also hired by Chen Feng and was specifically responsible for managing the mortal miners in the mining area.

“Sect Master, why the sudden halt in the mining of Blazing Sun Stones?” Manager Sun asked, his face full of confusion.

“The production has been too high lately. Let’s clear out the existing stock before we continue mining,” Chen Feng explained with a smile.

“Sect Master, would you like me to expand our distribution channels? I, Old Sun, have wandered the rivers and lakes for many years and have some connections,” Manager Sun offered, looking eager to help.

Chen Feng waved his hand. “No need for now. If necessary, I will trouble Manager Sun.”

As for the people in his sect, Chen Feng had never truly considered them his own.

On the surface, Manager Sun seemed to be acting for the benefit of the Xingfeng Sect, wanting to improve its business. In reality, he just wanted to embezzle more of the mortal workers’ wages.

Chen Feng paid those mortal miners three copper coins a day, and Manager Sun would secretly skim off one.

Chen Feng had known about this for a long time, but he hadn’t targeted Manager Sun over it. In this vicinity, only someone like Manager Sun had the ability to gather so many mortal miners.

As long as he could bring in profit, greed was not an issue in Chen Feng’s eyes.

Just then, a martial artist from the Xingfeng Sect headquarters came running over in a hurry.

“Sect Master, the Second Bandit Chief of Black Wind Fortress is here!”

The Xingfeng Sect headquarters was built between several mines and consisted of three buildings, all constructed from stacked Blazing Sun Stones.

The headquarters was merely a front Chen Feng used to blindside others. The core area remained the abandoned mine and the secret chamber, where he spent most of his time. Here, he simply had some martial artists stand guard to keep up appearances.

Inside the sect hall, a group of martial artists from the Xingfeng Sect had gathered.

“Sect Master Chen, I’ve come today to collect the money. Your Xingfeng Sect was notified yesterday. Are you prepared?”

Sitting opposite Chen Feng was a burly, bald man. He was roughly 1.9 meters tall, with a scar over ten centimeters long on his right arm.

He was Wu Xiong, the Second Bandit Chief of Black Wind Fortress—a master at the ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm.

Wu Xiong was the most difficult person to deal with in Black Wind Fortress, known for his overbearing and tyrannical nature.

Chen Feng was not a martial artist, but he could still sense the aura emanating from Wu Xiong. It was a manifestation of vigorous blood and qi.

Although he had been in the scroll world for a long time, Chen Feng had not practiced martial arts. The main reason was that the martial artists of this world relied on honing their physical bodies. They had to begin tempering their bones and muscles from a young age, which was exceptionally painful.

Chen Feng didn’t want to suffer such misery only to end up with nothing but brute force. He simply spent money to buy pills that increased blood and qi to strengthen his constitution.

“Our Xingfeng Sect has been established for less than three months, and the mining has only just begun. We haven’t even turned a profit yet. Isn’t Chief Wu making things difficult for me?”

“Furthermore, the rules of Black Wind Fortress have always been a monthly tribute of one hundred taels of silver. Our Xingfeng Sect has already paid for this month.”

Chen Feng leisurely took a sip of the tea served by a beautiful maid.

Wang Hu stood right behind Chen Feng. His eyes were fixed on Wu Xiong; the moment Wu Xiong moved against Chen Feng, he would strike.

Slam!

Wu Xiong slapped the table and stood up abruptly. The table in front of him instantly shattered into pieces, revealing his terrifying palm strength.

“Sect Master Chen sure puts on a grand air! You’ve only been in the Transverse Mountains for a few months, and you’re already treating the words of our Black Wind Fortress as wind passing through your ears!”

The bandits behind Wu Xiong all drew the long sabers from their waists.

Seeing this scene, the tea-serving maid’s legs trembled with fear. Wang Hu was also visibly tense.

“If there’s no money, there’s no money. Even if you kill me, I can’t produce a single cent!”

As Chen Feng spoke, he slipped his hand into his pocket.

Wu Xiong said coldly, “If there’s no money, you can compensate with something else. I heard that Sect Master Chen obtained an immortal’s forging method. My eldest brother is very interested in this. Let’s use that to offset the tribute money.”

Wu Xiong had come under his eldest brother’s orders. He had already visited the mining area, and the automated conveyor belt had shocked him. An object that could move on its own—was that not an immortal’s method?

If Black Wind Fortress could obtain this forging method, their sphere of influence would surely expand.

As for all the talking, it was just a formality. There were many small sects under Black Wind Fortress’s territory. If they simply resorted to blatant robbery, it would cause panic among the other sects. As long as they fabricated a reason, they weren’t afraid Chen Feng wouldn’t hand it over.

He had already investigated Chen Feng. He was just a mortal with a bit of money from doing business who had started a so-called sect. The martial artists in the sect were all hired, and the highest level among them was only at the seventh level of the Post-Hearth Realm.

With Wu Xiong’s strength, slaughtering the entire Xingfeng Sect would be child’s play.

Just as Wu Xiong was waiting for Chen Feng to obediently hand over the forging method, he suddenly saw Chen Feng’s right hand move.

Vigilance instantly rose in Wu Xiong’s heart. A martial artist’s instinct allowed him to scent danger.

Almost at the exact moment this thought emerged—

Bang!

Wu Xiong only felt a sudden heat in his forehead, and then his consciousness began to blur.

The faces of everyone else in the room changed drastically.

A hole had appeared on Wu Xiong’s forehead, and blood was now pouring out of it.

Wu Xiong felt the life force draining rapidly from his body. He stared at Chen Feng with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“Astral Qi projection… an Innate master… how is this possible…”

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Xiong collapsed straight to the ground, motionless.

Everyone present was stunned. No one had expected Chen Feng to strike so suddenly.

Especially the bandits who had come with Wu Xiong. Their Second Bandit Chief was a master at the ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm! In the martial world, he was considered a top-tier existence.

And now, he had been instantly killed just like that.

Chapter 3: Returning to Reality

“Ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm… it seems you still aren’t faster than a bullet.”

Looking at Wu Xiong lying in a pool of blood, Chen Feng’s expression remained calm.

This wasn’t the first time he had killed someone in the scroll world. The rules of this world were dictated by the law of the jungle; no one was going to talk to you about morality or legislation here. Killing happened anytime, anywhere.

He had struck first out of a genuine fear that Wu Xiong might suddenly lash out. A martial artist at the ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm possessed the strength of two bears. If the man had managed to close the distance, a single punch would have been enough to kill Chen Feng. Even Wang Hu, standing behind him, might not have been able to stop him.

Chen Feng firmly believed in the principle: ‘Strike first or suffer the consequences.’ It was obvious the other man had no intention of negotiating, and Chen Feng certainly couldn’t produce any supposed “Immortal’s artifact refining method.”

“Sect Master Chen, please spare us!”

“We meant no offense to an Innate Realm expert! Please, Sect Master Chen, forgive us!”

The remaining bandits began to kneel and beg for mercy. After all, the method Chen Feng had just used appeared no different from an Innate Realm expert’s Astral Qi projection. That was the unmistakable hallmark of someone in the Innate Realm.

The First Chief of Black Wind Fortress was an Innate Realm expert, so they knew exactly how terrifying such people could be. They didn’t even harbor a thought of resistance.

“Go back and tell your First Chief that the Xingfeng Sect only does mining business. We won’t interfere with him, so he shouldn’t interfere with me. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being reaching the end of my patience!”

Chen Feng waved his hand, signaling for them to leave.

The bandits had assumed that by killing Wu Xiong, Chen Feng was declaring war on Black Wind Fortress and that they were as good as dead. They never expected him to simply let them go. They immediately showered him with gratitude before scurrying away as fast as their legs could carry them.

The reason Chen Feng didn’t kill them was because the First Chief of Black Wind Fortress was an Innate Realm expert. He hadn’t tested whether his handgun could kill someone at that level yet. If it couldn’t, he would be in massive trouble.

By letting these men go to report back, he could buy himself some time. He would return to the modern world to prepare and then come back—that was the safest path. Additionally, his ammunition was limited, and he didn’t want to waste it on these lackeys.

“Sect Master… are you truly an Innate Realm expert?” Wang Hu asked tremulously from the side.

He had been with the Xingfeng Sect for several months and had never seen Chen Feng fight. Furthermore, Chen Feng never showed any fluctuations of blood or Qi. This had led him to believe Chen Feng was just an ordinary person who didn’t practice martial arts.

If Chen Feng were an Innate Realm expert, everything made sense. Those in the Innate Realm could restrain their aura to the point that outsiders could naturally detect nothing.

“Ahem. My family sent me out for experience and tempering, so I concealed my cultivation. Do not ask more about it.”

Chen Feng fabricated an excuse, playing the part of a typical young master from a great clan out on a journey. Wang Hu was struck by a moment of realization and dared not ask further. He had almost no doubts about Chen Feng’s words.

“The First Chief of Black Wind Fortress probably won’t let this go. You need to make preparations early, Sect Master,” Wang Hu reminded him.

“There is no need to worry about that. If he dares to come, my family elders will ensure he never returns,” Chen Feng said.

He said this not just for Wang Hu, but for the other martial artists of the Xingfeng Sect gathered in the hall. There were bound to be spies from Black Wind Fortress among the men he had recruited. His words would be relayed to the First Chief word for word.

“What about the information I asked you to look into?” Chen Feng turned to ask.

Wang Hu shook his head. “The last time an immortal appeared in the Yue Kingdom was two hundred years ago. Only members of the Yue Kingdom’s royal family have ever had contact with them.”

Chen Feng nodded helplessly. Ever since learning about the immortals, he had been desperate to obtain the cultivation techniques of those cultivators. Cultivation was the true path. Practicing martial arts seemed inferior to simply buying more guns.

“I need to return to my family for a while. I’ll be back in a few days. During this time, go home and spend time with your mother. Consider it a vacation.” Chen Feng patted Wang Hu’s shoulder.

Chen Feng had returned to the scroll world this time to shut down the conveyor belt and make certain arrangements. Things were bound to go wrong soon in the modern world, and he had to resolve the trouble there before he could resume mining.

“Sect Master, do you not need me to accompany you?” Wang Hu was worried about Chen Feng’s safety. Even though he now believed Chen Feng was an Innate Realm expert, he had sworn an oath to protect him for life.

“No need. Set off now. I’ll leave things here to Manager Sun.”

In truth, Chen Feng was afraid that if Wang Hu stayed, the people from Black Wind Fortress would take their revenge out on him. If Manager Sun died, so be it, but he didn’t want Wang Hu to die. Besides, the Xingfeng Sect was essentially an empty shell with nothing of value. As long as he closed the portal, the First Chief of Black Wind Fortress could dig three feet into the ground and still find nothing.

Wang Hu hesitated, wanting to warn Chen Feng that Manager Sun was untrustworthy, but he felt that doing so would seem like he was trying to sow discord.

“This subordinate obeys your arrangements!” Wang Hu cupped his fists, picked up his blade, and left.

Chen Feng then found Manager Sun and told him he was leaving for a while, instructing him to manage the sect. Manager Sun immediately agreed, his heart blooming with joy. With Chen Feng gone, it would be even easier for him to engage in his little schemes.

Originally, when he heard the Second Bandit Chief was at the door, Manager Sun had been ready to pack his things and run. He hadn’t expected Chen Feng to be an Innate Realm expert who could kill Wu Xiong in a single move. More importantly, learning that Chen Feng was a scion of a great family made him even happier. He hadn’t just found a sucker to fund him; he had found a massive backer.

After finishing his instructions, Chen Feng returned to the secret chamber, opened the gate, and returned to the modern world.

Transverse Mountains, Black Wind Fortress Headquarters.

The bandits of Black Wind Fortress numbered in the thousands. The Yue Kingdom was filled with mountain ranges; as long as these bandits didn’t slaughter people within the towns, the Yue Kingdom’s royal family saw no need to intervene. After all, these bandits could act as a buffer against pressure from other countries.

Inside the largest building in the fortress, the First Chief, He Sandao, was cultivating. In front of him lay the corpses of a dozen young girls. Their throats had been slit and their blood drained dry.

He Sandao practiced the Blood Demon Saber Technique, a manual that required the absorption of human blood to advance. The younger the girl, the greater the boost to his cultivation. Relying on this technique, he had reached the Innate Realm. The number of people who had died by his hands was beyond counting.

At that moment, a rhythmic knocking sounded at the door. He Sandao ceased the circulation of energy within his body and opened his clouded eyes.

“Enter!”

A bandit rushed into the room and immediately knelt before He Sandao, his voice trembling.

“F-First Chief! The Second Chief is dead!”

Hearing this, He Sandao narrowed his eyes. “Dead? How did he die?”

His first reaction wasn’t grief over his sworn brother’s death, but rather intense caution. Wu Xiong was at the ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm, the strongest person in Black Wind Fortress besides himself. Killing him would require an ambush by several people at the same level—or the hand of an Innate Realm expert.

Chapter 4: National Security at the Door!

“It was done by Chen Feng of the Xingfeng Sect. That man is a hidden Innate expert! He killed the Second Bandit Chief with a single strike!”

A low-ranking bandit reportee prostrated himself on the ground, recounting the events in a voice laced with terror.

An Innate expert was a level of existence he could only look up to. Even his own Chief made his blood run cold; he understood perfectly well what the term ‘Innate expert’ signified.

“It’s that eccentric? He’s actually an Innate expert?”

The reason He Sandao called Chen Feng an “eccentric” was because of their first meeting. When Chen Feng had come to deliver tribute, he didn’t have long hair and wore strange, unusual clothes. He looked like a complete outlier.

He had indeed instructed Wu Xiong to visit the Xingfeng Sect when he had the time to ask if Chen Feng truly possessed a method for smithing artifacts. In truth, He Sandao hadn’t quite believed the rumors that Chen Feng possessed the smithing methods of the immortals.

Such techniques were likely only held by the Royal Family in the entire Yue Kingdom. He had only sent Wu Xiong to investigate.

“Chief, according to the report from our scout in the Xingfeng Sect, Chen Feng is suspected to be a scion of a great family out for experience,” the bandit added, relaying the gathered intelligence.

“A great family… out for training.”

He Sandao’s brow furrowed. The town closest to the Transverse Mountains was Liuyang Town, and several great families there did indeed have Innate experts. But Chen Feng looked to be only in his early twenties.

Such a young Innate expert couldn’t possibly be from Liuyang Town. In fact, He Sandao had never even heard of a twenty-year-old reaching the Innate Realm.

Only someone like him knew how difficult it was to cultivate to that level. If he hadn’t obtained the Blood Demon Saber Technique, he would never have reached the Innate Realm in this lifetime. Even with an Innate-level manual, he had spent decades of bitter cultivation to reach his current state.

“Where is the Second Chief’s body? Was it brought back?” He Sandao wanted to inspect the corpse. Whether the opponent was an Innate expert or not could be determined by a single look at the body; True Qi leaves a distinct residue when used to kill.

The bandit shook his head. “The body wasn’t brought back. It should still be at the Xingfeng Sect.”

He Sandao said coldly, “Send men to keep an eye on the Xingfeng Sect. I’m going out for a while.”

He Sandao wasn’t heading out to cause trouble for Chen Feng. Without confirming the man’s identity, he wouldn’t act rashly. He intended to find a few associates to inquire whether there was a prominent martial arts family with the surname Chen in the Yue Kingdom.

If such a great family truly existed, he would personally go to Chen Feng’s door to apologize. If necessary, he would even cede the Transverse Mountains to him and lead his men elsewhere.

But if no such family existed… A ruthless glint flashed across He Sandao’s face.

Seeing the expression on the Chief’s face, the low-ranking bandit trembled. He had seen with his own eyes how brothers close to the Chief were drained of their blood until they died just for offending him.

“This subordinate will immediately arrange for men to keep watch. However… those few brothers who returned are kneeling outside, seeking forgiveness for their failure. How should we handle them?” the bandit asked.

He Sandao stroked the blood-red saber at his side and said, “The Second Chief is dead; they shouldn’t have come back alive. Take my blade and chop off their heads. Remember to let it drain every drop of their blood!”

In the real world, inside the warehouse room.

Chen Feng stepped out from the scroll. After checking the room to ensure no one had entered, he turned off the conveyor belt.

He then moved the conveyor belt slightly. If someone were to walk in and see a conveyor belt pointed directly at a painting, they would surely realize something was wrong.

Once everything was tidied up, Chen Feng walked out of the warehouse.

Just as he stepped out, his secretary came rushing over, her high heels clicking loudly against the ground.

“Boss! I’ve finally found you. I couldn’t get through to your phone!” The secretary panted heavily, her chest heaving. She had searched the entire factory grounds without finding any sign of Chen Feng.

“My phone died. What happened?”

Chen Feng never took his phone with him when he entered the world of the scroll. Besides, signals couldn’t reach him there anyway.

“It’s Mr. Zhang from the Huaren Group. He came here personally to discuss a collaboration,” the secretary explained briefly.

This Mr. Zhang, whose full name was Zhang Dong, was the General Manager of Huaren Automobile. Chen Feng had spoken to him over the phone multiple times before. Zhang Dong had even called this morning to place an order, but Chen Feng had turned him down.

One had to realize that the General Manager of a listed automobile company was a heavyweight figure in the business world. To think he would personally come to this small factory.

“Where is he? Take me to him.”

Chen Feng had already guessed the general purpose of Zhang Dong’s visit.

Soon, the secretary led Chen Feng to the factory office. Upon entering, Chen Feng saw a middle-aged man in a suit pacing back and forth in the room.

When the man saw someone enter, he immediately looked up, his gaze landing on Chen Feng.

“Are you Boss Chen?” Zhang Dong had never met Chen Feng in person, only having spoken via telephone.

“That’s me. Mr. Zhang, what brings you here in person?” Chen Feng greeted him politely.

Hearing the familiar voice, Zhang Dong confirmed it was indeed Chen Feng. He immediately rushed forward with a smile, gripping Chen Feng’s hand tightly.

“Boss Chen, I’ve finally waited long enough for you to return. I was worried sick!”

“Mr. Zhang, let’s sit down and talk. There’s no rush.” Chen Feng gestured for Zhang Dong to sit. Since he was a client, Chen Feng needed to show proper hospitality.

Zhang Dong waved his hand dismissively. “How can I have time to sit? Our production workshop is in desperate need of your Blazing Sun Iron!”

Chen Feng replied helplessly, “I’m sorry, Mr. Zhang. We’ve been quite busy with production recently, and combined with a shortage of raw materials, we simply cannot fulfill the order volume you’re asking for.”

Zhang Dong spoke up immediately, “Boss Chen, you might not know this, but our Chairman has already issued a directive. From today onwards, all of Huaren’s latest electric vehicle models will use the metal produced by your factory for their chassis and bodies!”

“My group is prepared to sign a long-term partnership with you!”

“As for the shortage of raw materials you mentioned, that’s not a problem at all. I can pay Boss Chen a fifty percent deposit upfront!”

Zhang Dong’s words didn’t surprise Chen Feng. Instead, it was the secretary standing nearby who was utterly stunned. She had seen the contract Zhang Dong brought—it was a sixty-million-yuan deal. A fifty percent deposit meant thirty million upfront.

Chen Feng didn’t immediately agree despite the terms. Instead, he asked, “Based on what I know, our Blazing Sun Iron is only used in your latest EV model. That model hasn’t even been out for five days, has it? Is there really such a high demand?”

Zhang Dong chuckled. “Boss Chen, you must have seen the news lately. Our new EV was in a collision with a heavy truck on the highway. Not only were the passengers completely unharmed, but the damage to the car itself was negligible!”

“The body of that specific vehicle was built using your factory’s Blazing Sun Iron. Because of that incident, in just one day, our orders for the new car have reached thirty thousand.”

As he spoke, Zhang Dong’s face was filled with excitement.

However, Chen Feng’s expression darkened slightly. He asked again, “Recently… have any people from the government visited your production workshop?”

Zhang Dong answered without hesitation, “Well, yes. Several professors of basic materials science came by. They took some samples of the car body back with them. But Boss Chen, your Blazing Sun Iron is patented, so there’s no need to worry about anything.”

“They’re just following protocol for an investigation, since that news story was such a big deal.”

Hearing Zhang Dong’s words, Chen Feng was momentarily speechless. His “patent” was just for show—a fake certificate he’d bought for a few tens of thousands of yuan. If they actually investigated it, the secret would definitely be out.

Right at that moment, noise erupted from outside the office, and the door was pushed open.

Several factory security guards were standing at the door. Most strikingly, in the middle of the guards stood two young men with buzz cuts. Both wore black suits, white shirts, and had red badges pinned to their right lapels.

the security guards looked unsettled, even shocked.

One of the young men in suits pulled out an identification badge.

“National Security Bureau. Which one of you is Chen Feng?”

The young man’s voice was grim, devoid of any emotion.

Chapter 5: Has the Boss Offended the Heavens?

The moment the words “National Security Bureau” were uttered, the atmosphere in the office shifted instantly.

Chen Feng wasn’t particularly surprised to see two National Security agents show up. He knew it was only a matter of time before someone came knocking on his door.

He just hadn’t expected them to arrive so quickly. If he had come out of the painting world any later, he probably would have been caught in the act.

Moving forward, he realized he needed to be more cautious.

“I am Chen Feng.”

Chen Feng stood up from the sofa.

The two men with buzz cuts approached him, pulled out a photograph, and compared it to his face.

“Please come with us. We have some questions for you.”

The man with the buzz cut was relatively polite and didn’t put Chen Feng in handcuffs or anything of the sort.

Zhang Dong couldn’t sit still any longer.

“Comrades, what kind of case is Mr. Chen involved in? Why has it even alerted you two?”

He was currently in the middle of negotiating a partnership with Chen Feng. If the man was taken away, what would happen to his deal?

“State secret. No comment.”

With that, the two agents led Chen Feng out.

Seeing this, Zhang Dong and the female secretary followed immediately.

As soon as they stepped out of the office, Zhang Dong froze.

In the factory courtyard, seven or eight military vehicles were parked. Soldiers armed with live ammunition stood near the vehicles, every one of them fully equipped for combat.

The factory employees had also been gathered together.

The workers looked terrified, and the sound of hushed discussions rippled through the crowd.

“What’s going on? Aren’t we just a mineral processing plant? Why are there so many soldiers?”

“I don’t know. Looking at them, it seems like they’re here to arrest the boss.”

“Has the boss offended the heavens? Even National Security and the military have been deployed.”

Zhang Dong had originally intended to use the influence of his Huaren Company within the Dragon Kingdom to step forward and say a few words. But seeing this kind of lineup, he didn’t dare open his mouth.

He only whispered to the female secretary, “What’s wrong with your factory? Did you guys build a nuclear bomb or something?”

In Zhang Dong’s view, other than building a nuclear bomb, he couldn’t imagine anything else that would warrant such a massive display of force.

“I don’t know,” the female secretary replied, her face pale with fright.

The military had already taken control of the entire factory area, with soldiers stationed at the gates.

The two National Security agents did not take Chen Feng away from the factory grounds. Instead, they led him into one of the military vehicles.

As soon as he entered the vehicle, Chen Feng saw three men.

One was in a military uniform. The other two were elderly men wearing glasses, looking at Chen Feng with expressions of intense curiosity.

The man in the military uniform reached out his hand to Chen Feng.

“Hello, Mr. Chen. I am Liu Mu, a director from the Strategic Equipment Department of the Army’s Western Theater Command. These two are Dean Hu of the Dragon Kingdom Basic Materials Research Institute, and Professor Li Busheng from the Metal Research Institute.”

Hearing their titles, Chen Feng was genuinely stunned.

Any one of these three was a titan in their respective fields within the official levels of the Dragon Kingdom.

Chen Feng shook hands with Liu Mu and asked, “Gentlemen, have I committed some kind of crime?”

Liu Mu smiled. “Mr. Chen, you haven’t committed a crime. The suddenness of this operation is due to the need for secrecy. We are here this time for the Blazing Sun Iron.”

Chen Feng knew they had to be here for the Blazing Sun Iron. Whether it was basic materials science or the metal research institute, it was clear they were related to the material.

Professor Li Busheng from the Metal Research Institute took over the conversation.

“Let me speak. After our research into the Blazing Sun Iron produced by your factory, we discovered that seventy percent of the substances in this metal are things we have never seen before. Its hardness and lightweight properties are already comparable to carbon fiber.”

As Li Busheng spoke, his face was filled with excitement.

It had started with a minor traffic accident involving a car. Out of curiosity, someone from the institute went to take a look, and as a result, they discovered this incredible Blazing Sun Iron.

It wasn’t just light; its hardness actually exceeded ninety percent of the metals on the market.

What did that mean?

If this material were used on the army’s tanks or the air force’s fighter jets, it would lead to a massive leap in performance. Furthermore, the price of this metal was significantly cheaper than carbon fiber.

If it could be used on a large scale for military equipment, the annual military expenditure could be greatly reduced.

Dean Hu of the Basic Materials Research Institute also spoke up.

“According to our preliminary judgment, your metal should be synthesized. I want to know who in your factory synthesized this.”

The eyes of all three men fell on Chen Feng.

If an ordinary person were facing the interrogation of three top-tier figures, they probably would have confessed everything down to their eighteenth-generation ancestors. However, Chen Feng had spent a long time in the dangerous painting world; he had seen far more intense scenes.

“I developed it independently,” Chen Feng said. “Currently, I can only produce it in small quantities.”

Boom!

The atmosphere in the vehicle instantly turned silent.

Independent research and development!

The owner of a small private factory had actually developed a metal comparable to carbon fiber on his own? And he had succeeded!

At this moment, the three men could no longer remain calm. They looked at Chen Feng as if they were looking at a rare and precious treasure.

“Mr. Chen, you don’t need to be nervous. the state will not seize your metal technology, nor will we coerce you into doing anything. Our primary purpose for coming here is to discuss a partnership!” Liu Mu spoke again.

Dean Hu and Professor Li Busheng both nodded in agreement.

Currently, much of the domestic talent was being lost, with many people taking their technology and fleeing abroad once they achieved a breakthrough. It made it seem as though the Dragon Kingdom couldn’t retain its talent.

“A partnership? How would we cooperate?” Chen Feng asked, somewhat surprised.

He had originally planned to provide a vague excuse, simply saying he had researched it himself. If they demanded he hand it over, he would try to stall. He hadn’t expected them to propose a partnership.

Liu Mu said, “From today onwards, your factory’s Blazing Sun Iron will only be supplied to our military. You are not allowed to sell it to outside parties, and exports are strictly prohibited. In return, we will provide your factory with the maximum possible support and assistance.”

“At the same time, we need to establish a small research laboratory within your factory and have our researchers stationed here. What do you think?”

Liu Mu was very polite. He had to be; he needed to win Chen Feng over.

“This…”

For a moment, Chen Feng was stunned. The current turn of events was completely outside his expectations. He had predicted he would be taken to a secret small room for interrogation.

“Mr. Chen, rest assured, our researchers will not pry into your core technology. They are only here to assist you and help take the processing of Blazing Sun Iron to the next level,” Professor Li Busheng explained, assuming Chen Feng was worried about his technology being stolen.

“Fine, I agree.”

Chen Feng chose to accept. He didn’t have much of a choice, and this outcome seemed quite favorable to him. Although there was an element of state supervision, they weren’t interfering too much with him personally.

As for building a research lab in the factory, that didn’t matter. He just had to make sure these people were kept away from the warehouse where the painting was located.

Chapter 6: Going Abroad to Buy “The Real Deal”

Seeing Chen Feng agree, the three men breathed a collective sigh of relief, smiles spreading across their faces.

Liu Mu patted Chen Feng on the shoulder. “Chen, don’t worry. The state won’t interfere with your personal affairs. In fact, we will provide you with a great deal of assistance. You can focus on production with complete peace of mind.”

Chen Feng turned and asked, “I’d like to know which branch of the military the Blazing Sun Iron is intended for?”

He was quite curious about this. Since his company was about to become a military-grade industrial enterprise, he felt he should at least know what his product was being used for.

“For the time being, we plan to supply it to military factories that manufacture tanks. We intend to use the Blazing Sun Iron to build a new generation of armored vehicles,” Liu Mu explained.

Chen Feng nodded, asking no further questions. At this moment, he didn’t quite know what to say.

In the painting world, Blazing Sun Stone was the most common ore, used only to forge weapons for low-level martial artists. Yet, in the modern world, it was being used for tanks. Its value was likely even greater than Chen Feng had initially imagined.

However, the arrival of these government officials also put Chen Feng at ease. At the very least, he no longer had to live in constant fear of being noticed by the higher-ups. Becoming a military contractor would eliminate many unnecessary headaches.

Soon, the four of them began discussing the specifics of their cooperation inside the car.

Back on the factory grounds, the workers were still gathered. However, the situation had completely reversed.

Staff from the National Security Bureau were currently having everyone sign non-disclosure agreements. The terms were simple: nothing related to the work performed at Xingfeng Mining could be revealed to anyone.

Although the workers were confused, they understood that their jobs were safe and that their boss hadn’t “offended the heavens.” On the contrary, the state had taken a special interest in them.

The female secretary was also signing an NDA. She looked at the staff member in front of her and asked tentatively, “Is our boss going to be okay?”

She still didn’t fully grasp what was happening, as her boss hadn’t stepped out of the car yet. Even though things didn’t look as bad as she had feared, she was still worried.

The staff member gave a slight smile. “He’s fine. The state is simply discussing a partnership with your factory. There’s no need to be nervous.”

The staff had already received instructions from their superiors to treat the factory personnel with courtesy. Hearing this, the secretary breathed a long sigh of relief. But soon, her expression turned to one of shock.

“A partnership with the state?”

On the other side of the crowd, Zhang Dong had just finished a phone call with his chairman. He had been frantic ever since this situation started. If Xingfeng Mining stopped production, how would they manufacture their new car model? If they had to switch to a different metal for the chassis, the customers who had placed orders would certainly demand refunds.

He had contacted his chairman to use his connections and find out what was going on. It wasn’t long before he received a call back.

Zhang Dong answered immediately. “Chairman, what’s the situation?”

An elderly voice came through the line. “Suspend the production of the new car model for now. Xingfeng Mining has become a military-grade industrial enterprise.”

“What? A military enterprise?” Zhang Dong’s eyes widened as he gripped his phone. There were very few such enterprises in the country, and becoming one meant possessing crucial, high-level technology.

“That’s right. Blazing Sun Iron has been classified as a strategic material by the military. It won’t be easy to buy it anymore. I’ll try to talk to the higher-ups and see what can be done. For now, just come back,” the chairman sighed on the other end.

The meeting inside the car lasted over an hour. The concrete implementation of the plan would still take some time to finalize. The establishment of an on-site research lab would have to wait until the state sent their experts over.

Once the discussions were finished, Liu Mu and his team prepared to leave. He left his contact number with Chen Feng. Before departing, Liu Mu specifically left a group of men behind to set up a guard post at the factory entrance. He claimed it was to protect the factory’s safety and prevent espionage.

Chen Feng had no way to refuse. Truthfully, it didn’t matter if an expert spy or a god showed up—it would be useless. The ore was brought from the painting world; there was no “technology” to steal.

After seeing Liu Mu and the others off, Chen Feng found his secretary, Li Xiaorou.

“Xiaorou, you’ve probably heard by now. Our factory has become a military contractor. From now on, Blazing Sun Iron will only be sold to the military.”

Li Xiaorou said excitedly, “Boss, this is a massive opportunity! Every military enterprise in this country is a titan in its field.”

Now that she knew the details, she was incredibly stirred. With the backing of the military, the future growth of Xingfeng Mining was guaranteed to reach new heights.

Chen Feng nodded slightly. “Yes. Give everyone two days off. I need to go abroad tonight and won’t be back for a couple of days. Some technical personnel from the government will arrive tomorrow or the day after. Arrange everything for them, and we’ll restart the factory once I return.”

It was impossible to start production now anyway. He had to return to the painting world to transport more Blazing Sun Stone back for processing.

Li Xiaorou nodded immediately. “Understood, Boss.”

She was already used to Chen Feng’s “hands-off” management style. “But Boss, why are you going abroad?” she asked curiously.

“Just to look around and visit a few friends.”

In reality, Chen Feng was going abroad to buy “the real deal.” Now that the issues with the state were resolved, he had to handle matters in the painting world.

He had to be extra cautious when facing the Head Bandit Chief of Black Wind Fortress. That was an Innate Realm expert capable of projecting True Qi. He had to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

A handgun was no longer a reliable insurance policy. He had to go abroad to purchase weapons with significantly more firepower. As for why he didn’t apply for weapons from the state—that was virtually impossible. Dragon Country’s gun control was among the strictest in the world. He wouldn’t be able to get what he needed unless he revealed the existence of the painting world.

“By the way, where is Mr. Zhang?” Chen Feng noticed Zhang Dong was missing.

Li Xiaorou replied, “Mr. Zhang already left. He said he would come back later to discuss further cooperation.”

Chen Feng nodded. It seemed Zhang Dong had received the news. No matter how big Huaren Automobile was, they couldn’t compete with the state. Even if he wanted to sell them Blazing Sun Iron now, he wouldn’t be allowed to.

After giving Li Xiaorou a few more instructions, Chen Feng returned to the secret room in the warehouse.

Upon entering, he noticed that things had been moved. During that hour he spent in the car, the National Security Bureau and the military had likely turned his factory upside down. However, he had expected this. Even if they searched, they wouldn’t find anything incriminating.

He retrieved the scroll hidden among a dozen other paintings. He decided to take the scroll with him because he couldn’t bring heavy weaponry back into the country. He would buy the weapons abroad and send them directly into the painting world.

While the scroll itself could be moved anywhere, the portal leading into the painting world was fixed; it could only be accessed through that specific mine.

In a military vehicle.

Liu Mu was reviewing Chen Feng’s file. It was a report he had ordered thirty minutes ago. In just half an hour, Chen Feng’s entire history, going back generations, had been laid bare.

Chapter 7: Just Agreed on a Deal, and You’re Fleeing the Country?

Seeing Liu Mu reviewing Chen Feng’s file, Dean Hu couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity from his seat in the car:

“With such skill at such a young age, what school did he graduate from?”

Liu Mu looked at Chen Feng’s background information and said with surprise, “He graduated from an ordinary university. He grew up without parents, with only an aunt. After graduating, he started his own business independently, and in less than two years, he founded Xingfeng Mining.”

Hearing this, both Dean Hu and Li Busheng showed expressions of astonishment.

“No wonder he has such a steady personality. It seems his family environment shaped him,” Li Busheng remarked with a sigh.

Liu Mu continued, “His character seems solid as well. A few months ago, he made an anonymous donation to a disaster relief fund. He’s a young man with a good heart.”

Hearing this, Dean Hu and Li Busheng both nodded in approval.

Liu Mu closed the file and said, “My people searched the factory grounds and found nothing. Old Hu, your previous judgment was likely incorrect.”

Dean Hu nodded. “Perhaps I was wrong.”

Dean Hu was the Dean of the Research Institute for Basic Materials Science. Through his research, he had discovered that Blazing Sun Iron might not be a synthetic material at all, but a completely new, unknown metal.

This was because seventy percent of the internal composition of Blazing Sun Iron consisted of substances they had never seen before.

Since Liu Mu’s people had already searched the factory grounds, it suggested his deduction was flawed.

If Xingfeng Mining had truly discovered a new metal, there would certainly be mining and transport records; it would be impossible to process it so quietly.

Since nothing had been found, it could only prove that Chen Feng’s explanation was the truth.

Li Busheng threw a glare at Dean Hu. “You were planning on interrogating Chen Feng about that just now, weren’t you? I’m warning you, don’t do that. The country needs talent. Regardless of how he produced it, we shouldn’t interfere. We don’t want people pointing fingers at us later, saying we’re stealing someone else’s hard work.”

Dean Hu gave a bitter smile. “Old Li, how could I possibly steal someone’s research? I was just curious.”

Li Busheng let out a cold snort. “In any case, we cannot interfere with Chen Feng. I’ve already submitted a report to my superiors to treat him as a key talent for development. I’ll have him take up a nominal position at our institute later; from then on, he’ll be one of us.”

At those words, Dean Hu immediately became unhappy. “No way! Why should he be listed at your institute? He must belong to our Materials Science Academy!”

The two began to bicker inside the car.

Liu Mu watched them quietly without saying a word. He knew exactly what they were arguing about.

As soon as tanks made from Blazing Sun Iron became standard in the military, Chen Feng’s name would become famous. If Chen Feng were affiliated with a specific institute or academy, that place would gain a massive boost in prestige.

Modern scientific researchers cared deeply about such reputations.

Just then, Liu Mu’s phone rang. He answered and listened for a moment before his expression turned grim.

Li Busheng and Dean Hu stopped their bickering and looked at Liu Mu.

Liu Mu said in a heavy voice, “News just came in. Chen Feng booked a ticket to the United States for tonight.”

“What? We absolutely cannot let him go!” Dean Hu blurted out instinctively.

They had just finalized a collaboration with Chen Feng, and now he was leaving the country. It was hard not to let his mind wander toward the worst-case scenario.

After all, the “brain drain” was a serious issue in the Dragon Nation. The United States often offered exorbitant salaries to poach domestic technicians. He had seen this happen far too many times.

“Nothing is certain yet. I’ll call and ask him first.” Liu Mu began dialing Chen Feng’s number.

The call was picked up quickly.

“Xiao Chen, why the sudden rush to go abroad? And on an overnight flight at that?”

Liu Mu had to ask, as Chen Feng’s behavior was simply too abnormal.

On the other end of the line, Chen Feng heard the call and immediately realized that Liu Mu and the others might have misunderstood his intentions.

“I’m going abroad to meet a few friends. They’ve had some achievements in the field of metallurgy, so I’m going to have a discussion with them.”

Chen Feng fabricated an excuse on the spot. He certainly couldn’t tell them he was going abroad to buy guns.

“I see. It’s quite restless overseas, especially in the United States. Ensure your safety. If you run into any trouble, call me anytime.”

Liu Mu didn’t press him further.

“Understood. Please don’t worry, Chief.”

The call soon ended.

Dean Hu immediately questioned him, “Old Liu, why didn’t you stop him!”

Liu Mu smiled. “Going abroad is his freedom. He’s going for an academic discussion; should I really stand in his way? Old Hu, you’re getting on in years and worrying about every little thing. We should let young people go out and do their thing. I’m a soldier; I don’t overthink things like you do. If we only ever consider the worst outcomes, how can we get anything done? If I forcibly stopped him from leaving now, all the work we did earlier would go to waste. Would Xiao Chen ever trust us again?”

Liu Mu’s words left Dean Hu speechless.

On the other side of the ocean, the United States.

After Chen Feng got off the plane, he headed straight for a black market.

Black markets existed in many cities across the United States, selling all kinds of firearms and various contraband.

Chen Feng couldn’t buy guns through legal channels since he had no way of obtaining a gun permit.

He hailed a taxi and, after a bumpy ride, arrived at the black market an hour and a half later.

The black market was located in the suburbs of the city. Chen Feng had been here several times before. Each time, he bought handguns and ammunition.

The black market was run by gangs. Entering required an entry fee—one hundred dollars.

Arriving at the entrance of an alley, he saw several tattooed Black men smoking while standing guard.

Seeing Chen Feng approach, the leader broke into a smile.

“Chen! Welcome, my friend!”

The leader shook hands with Chen Feng.

Chen Feng responded in fluent English, “Jack, long time no see.”

Jack was a low-level gang leader Chen Feng knew. Chen Feng was considered a regular customer.

Jack led Chen Feng into the alley, talking as they walked. “Chen, are you here for bullets again? We have plenty of stock this time.”

Regular customers like Chen Feng generally didn’t have to pay the entry fee upfront; they could pay it all at once after the transaction was complete.

Chen Feng smiled slightly. “In addition to bullets, I need some weapons with a bit more power this time.”

At this, Jack’s smile widened. “No problem. No matter what you want, we can get it for you here.”

Jack was very polite to Chen Feng because he was one of his few stable clients.

The reason he was stable was that Chen Feng had purchased guns and ammo several times without any trouble following the sales. Many of Jack’s other clients either got themselves killed or ended up in prison. He liked clients like this the best.

Jack then led Chen Feng through the alley to a bar.

Entering a private room within the bar, Chen Feng saw seven or eight other people, all foreigners. These people only gave Chen Feng a brief glance and did not speak.

Jack poured Chen Feng a drink and pulled over a chair for him.

These were all prospective buyers. They had to wait until there were about ten people before they would be taken to select their weapons. This had always been the rule here.

Chapter 8: Fully Armed Like a Special Forces Soldier

Inside the room, some men were fiddling with daggers while others drank. The air was thick with the heavy scent of cigars and alcohol.

At that moment, a brawny white man turned to Jack and asked curiously, “Jack, is he Japanese?”

It was rare to see East Asians coming here to buy weapons, so he was naturally inquisitive. Moreover, Chen Feng never stayed long during his visits, so few people actually knew him.

Chen Feng glanced at the man. He was covered in dense tattoos that extended all the way to his face, making him look like a grotesque monster.

Before Jack could answer, Chen Feng spoke up first. “I am from the Dragon Nation.”

This wasn’t the first time Chen Feng had been asked if he was Japanese while abroad. Generally, these foreigners weren’t particularly friendly toward people from the Dragon Nation. Some would even ask if you were Japanese just to annoy or insult you, even if they knew exactly where you were from.

The tattooed man smiled. “Ah, a friend from the ancient land of the East. As far as I know, your country has the strictest gun laws in the world. Aren’t you afraid of getting into trouble by coming here to buy weapons?”

Chen Feng ignored the man’s questioning entirely. He sat there composed, simply staring back with a calm, indifferent gaze.

The tattooed man waited for a reply, but when none came, he felt a sting of embarrassment, as if he had been publicly snubbed. Had anyone else treated him with such an attitude, he would have exploded in rage.

Yet, for some reason, the moment he met Chen Feng’s eyes, a sense of unease rose in his heart. Intuition told him that this man from the Dragon Nation was not someone to be trifled with.

Jack chimed in then, trying to smooth things over. “My friend Chen doesn’t like small talk much. Drop it.”

Jack immediately took Chen Feng’s side. It was a no-brainer—Chen Feng was a stable, high-value client. He knew exactly who held more weight in this room.

Once Jack spoke, the expressions of the others in the room changed visibly. Their previous contempt vanished, replaced by a shift in perception. A few members of the group even offered Chen Feng friendly smiles.

Ten minutes later, a few more people entered the room, bringing the total to ten.

Jack stood up. “Friends, the group is full. Follow me.”

He led the crowd to the bar’s basement, which served as the gang’s armory. They didn’t sell drugs or other illicit goods here; those were kept elsewhere. From what Chen Feng had gathered previously, Jack’s gang sold everything, even people.

The United States boasted of freedom, but the darkness lurking beneath that freedom was terrifying.

Upon entering the basement, Chen Feng was greeted by rows of weapons lining the walls. Pistols, submachine guns, rifles—every kind of equipment was available.

“Feel free to take your pick. If you want to talk prices, come to me,” Jack said, sitting down and waiting for them to browse.

Chen Feng didn’t bother browsing the racks. He knew the simplest way to get the good stuff was to ask the man in charge. He walked straight up to Jack.

“Chen, what are you looking for?” Jack offered Chen Feng a cigar.

Chen Feng took it but didn’t light it; he didn’t care for them. “A pistol, grenades, body armor, and a sniper rifle. Put a set together for me—the best of everything.”

When Chen Feng said this, many people in the room turned to look at him. He was asking for a lot; this was a full combat loadout, enough to head straight to a battlefield.

“Chen, what are you planning to do? Are you heading off to a war zone or something?” Jack asked, genuinely surprised.

“Since when did you start asking questions about your customers’ business?” Chen Feng countered.

Jack held up his hands. “Fair enough. I’ll pick them out for you!”

A few moments later, Jack returned with a pile of equipment. He first presented a pistol to Chen Feng.

The handgun featured a compact and elegant design with a streamlined, matte-finish exterior that made it look like a piece of art. It was equipped with a red dot sight, a suppressor, and an extended grip.

“The Taran Tactical 2011 Combat Master. This is part of our latest shipment. The handling is superb, it allows for rapid response to emergencies, and it can toggle between semi-auto and full-auto. Its rate of fire will definitely satisfy you,” Jack explained, demonstrating how to disassemble it quickly.

Chen Feng had heard of this gun before. It was a high-end pistol often used in competitive shooting.

Seeing that Chen Feng remained silent, Jack continued his sales pitch, this time pulling out a vest.

“Chen, this is the best body armor we have. We only have three sets in stock. It’s called the ‘Interceptor.’ It comes with boron carbide ceramic plates. Not only will it protect your neck, chest, and back, but it also has a guard for your groin.”

As he spoke, Jack glanced at Chen Feng’s crotch with a playful smirk.

Chen Feng ignored the look and turned his attention to the sniper rifle at the end of the table.

“Remington 700. It has an effective range of 1,000 meters. I don’t think I need to introduce this one; it’s famous worldwide.”

Jack placed the rifle next to Chen Feng. After picking it up to check the weight and balance, Chen Feng asked, “How much for everything?”

Jack responded immediately, “Chen, you’re an old customer, so I’ll give you the best discount. For all of this, plus ten grenades, fifty rounds of 9mm pistol ammunition, and thirty rounds of 7.62mm sniper rounds… let’s call it $100,000. I’ll even throw in a tactical gear set for free. What do you think?”

One hundred thousand dollars—this price was several times higher than what these firearms would cost through legal channels. But that was the nature of the black market; items were always more expensive.

“Deal. Come with me to get the money.”

Chen Feng agreed without hesitation. He could afford $100,000. Although it was a significant expenditure, it would ensure his safety in the painting world, making it well worth the cost. Moreover, he knew Jack wasn’t ripping him off too badly—the Interceptor body armor alone was worth nearly $50,000 on the street.

In the United States, guns weren’t restricted, but high-end body armor was. Getting your hands on top-tier protective gear was difficult.

Jack’s face lit up with a grin. “My friend, you are as decisive as ever. I’ll have my boys pack everything up for you right now.”

Jack called over a few subordinates to pack the gear. The other buyers in the room watched Chen Feng in shock. His free-spending manner had stunned them. Most people came there to buy a single pistol or perhaps a rifle at most. Seeing someone drop $100,000 on a full kit was exceptionally rare.

Ignoring the shocked stares, Chen Feng left the basement with Jack. Jack didn’t even bother with the other buyers, leaving them to his subordinates. Taking care of a big fish like Chen Feng was his top priority.

They drove to a nearby bank, where Chen Feng withdrew $100,000 in cash and handed it to Jack. Jack beamed with joy as he received the money and handed the equipment over to Chen Feng.

“My friend, I look forward to your next visit.”

Chen Feng didn’t say much. He took the gear and walked away. Jack waved goodbye, long since accustomed to Chen Feng’s style of doing business.

Jack didn’t return to his car until Chen Feng’s figure had completely disappeared.

One of his underlings asked, “Boss, why did he buy so many weapons this time? The Dragon Nation has strict gun laws. If something happens…”

The lackey was somewhat worried. If Chen Feng used this gear to cause trouble in the Dragon Nation, it could get messy. While the Dragon Nation couldn’t directly interfere with things in the United States, they could pressure the American officials, and then the FBI would come looking for them.

The authorities usually turned a blind eye to black market dealings, but if a major incident occurred, no one would be able to shield them.

“I don’t know what he wants with all that gear, but Chen isn’t a fool. He’s traded with us many times and there’s never been an issue. We have to trust our friends,” Jack said, kissing a stack of green bills.

Jack was actually quite relaxed about Chen Feng; the man had a clean track record. Furthermore, he calculated that Chen Feng wouldn’t be taking these weapons back to the Dragon Nation—he would never make it through customs. Therefore, he wasn’t worried that Chen Feng would cause trouble back home and bring heat down on their gang.

Chapter 9: Black Wind Fortress Mobilizes!

Inside the painting world, at Black Wind Fortress.

Today was different from any other day at Black Wind Fortress; the entire stronghold was a hive of activity as men were being mobilized.

Over a thousand people had already gathered at the main gates, and more were streaming in Guan continuously.

On a hill overlooking the fortress gates, He Sandao stood silently, his long saber in hand. He was not alone.

Beside him stood a middle-aged man dressed in a brocade robe, his hands clasped behind his back.

“Brother He, does that Chen Feng truly possess an immortal crafting method?”

The middle-aged man was named Jiang Xiao, an elder of the Jiang family from nearby Liuyang Town. He was also an Innate Realm expert, brought in by He Sandao as reinforcements.

After extensive inquiries, He Sandao had confirmed that there was no martial arts aristocratic family with the surname Chen in the entire Kingdom of Yue.

That Chen Feng was completely bluffing.

According to his guesstimate, Chen Feng might not even be an Innate expert. He had likely used some other means to kill Wu Xiong.

It was highly probable that the murder was related to that immortal crafting method, which was why he had gathered his forces today to wipe out the Xingfeng Sect.

To be safe, he had called upon Jiang Xiao.

With two Innate experts present, even if Chen Feng really was in the Innate Realm, he would have no way out alive.

He Sandao smiled faintly. “Once we reach the Xingfeng Sect, Brother Jiang will see for himself. Would I ever deceive you?”

He Sandao knew that Chen Feng was not currently at the Xingfeng Sect.

But he didn’t care. He would seize everyone in the sect first and wait for Chen Feng to return.

If Chen Feng didn’t return for a day, he would kill ten people.

He would continue until everyone in the Xingfeng Sect was dead; surely there was someone in the sect that Chen Feng cared about.

Even if Chen Feng never returned, it didn’t matter.

Killing everyone in the Xingfeng Sect would count as avenging his Second Bandit Chief, and it would serve as a perfect warning to the smaller surrounding sects.

“Good. If there really is an immortal crafting method, Brother He only needs to provide me with a transcript. My Jiang family will forever be an ally to Black Wind Fortress.”

A smile played across Jiang Xiao’s face. Immortal methods were incredibly precious throughout the Kingdom of Yue.

No matter what kind of immortal method it was, even if it couldn’t be practiced, selling it to others would command an astronomical price—enough to trigger a bloodbath.

“Has this matter been kept secret?” He Sandao asked.

“Rest assured, only I know. I haven’t even mentioned it to anyone within my family.” Jiang Xiao understood He Sandao’s concerns.

If they obtained an immortal crafting method and the news leaked, it was highly likely that the Royal Family of Yue would be alerted.

That would be a major problem.

Seeing that his men were mostly assembled, He Sandao shouted to the crowd of bandits:

“Brothers! Our Black Wind Fortress has stood for decades, and in the Transverse Mountains, almost no one dares to provoke us!”

“But just a few days ago, your Second Bandit Chief died at the hands of a villain. This is a direct insult to our Black Wind Fortress! If we do not avenge this, how will the surrounding powers look at us?!”

He Sandao’s words immediately drew a roar from the bandits:

“Avenge the Second Bandit Chief!”

“Destroy the Xingfeng Sect!”

The shouting was deafening. He Sandao looked on with satisfaction.

The reason he had mobilized so many men was also a precaution.

He had navigated the world of martial artists for many years, and he relied on being cautious.

Even if Chen Feng didn’t come from a martial arts aristocratic family, he was no ordinary person. He had to go all out.

“Move out!”

He Sandao shouted.

The army of bandits marched grandly toward the Xingfeng Sect.

The Transverse Mountains were not that large; after only half an hour of marching, they arrived at the Xingfeng Sect.

The Xingfeng Sect was established between three mines, surrounded by mountains on all sides.

The entrance to the mines was guarded by only a single martial artist at the third level of the Post-Hearth Realm.

When he saw the massive army of bandits approaching from the distance, the martial artist was so terrified that he scrambled back toward the Xingfeng Sect headquarters.

“This is bad! Black Wind Fortress is coming!”

The martial artist’s shouts immediately caught the attention of the others in the sect.

Many of the Xingfeng Sect’s martial artists ran to the entrance of the mines.

The total number of martial artists in the Xingfeng Sect was currently only around thirty.

Because mining operations had ceased for the past two days, the mortal miners had all gone home.

Only these martial artists remained to guard the area.

Upon seeing the dark mass of bandits gathered at the mine entrance, the Xingfeng Sect martial artists all showed expressions of terror.

With so many bandits, most of whom were martial artists themselves, there was no way they could hold them back.

At that moment, Manager Sun stepped out from the crowd. Since Chen Feng was absent, he was the one in charge of the sect.

“Manager Sun, what do we do? The bandits from Black Wind Fortress are attacking!”

“Where is the Sect Master? He’s an Innate expert; he can surely drive them back.”

“Manager Sun, hurry and notify the Sect Master!”

The martial artists asked frantically one after another.

They couldn’t run now even if they wanted to, as the entire Xingfeng Sect was already surrounded by bandits. Their only hope was Chen Feng.

Manager Sun’s face was also deathly pale. This situation was completely outside his expectations.

In his view, Chen Feng was not just an Innate expert but also a scion of some great family. He thought Black Wind Fortress wouldn’t have the guts to knock on their door.

“There must be a misunderstanding!”

Manager Sun immediately ran toward the group of bandits. Although his legs were shaking with fear, he forced himself to stand tall.

“Might I ask if Chief He is present?” Manager Sun asked tremulously.

Manager Sun had lived in this area for decades. Although he was just a mortal, he was well aware of the situation at Black Wind Fortress.

He Sandao stepped out, flanked by his men.

Seeing He Sandao, Manager Sun immediately approached with a forced smile:

“Chief He, why have you brought so many men to our door? Our Sect Master is away—”

However, Manager Sun was only halfway through his sentence when He Sandao threw a direct punch.

His fist, coated in True Qi, instantly obliterated Manager Sun’s head.

Brain matter and blood splattered everywhere.

“Capture all of them!” He Sandao waved his hand.

He didn’t care to waste words with Manager Sun.

The man was just a mortal; in his eyes, he was no different from an ant.

The bandits then swarmed into the Xingfeng Sect.

The martial artists within the sect barely offered any resistance, choosing to surrender immediately.

Faced with thousands of bandits and an Innate expert like He Sandao, who would dare to fight back?

They had joined the Xingfeng Sect for the pay; they weren’t about to actually throw their lives away.

In a matter of moments, the entire Xingfeng Sect was under control.

The bandits began searching the sect grounds.

He Sandao and Jiang Xiao waited at the entrance.

Jiang Xiao remarked, “Brother He, this is truly that Chen Feng’s power? It seems a bit too weak.”

Jiang Xiao was somewhat surprised. He had expected things to be troublesome, but he hadn’t expected the people of the Xingfeng Sect to be this weak; there wasn’t even a single person at the fifth level of the Post-Hearth Realm.

“The Xingfeng Sect was only founded three months ago. It’s not strange that they lack manpower. The only real obstacle is Chen Feng. That man has the strength to kill a ninth level Post-Hearth Realm martial artist; we cannot be careless.”

He Sandao warned him, fearing that Jiang Xiao might become complacent.

Just then, a bandit came running over in a hurry.

“Head Bandit Chief, there’s something over there—”

He Sandao and Jiang Xiao followed the bandit to an abandoned mine shaft.

There, at the entrance of the shaft, was a looping conveyor belt that led directly into the heart of the mine.

Although the conveyor belt had been shut down and stopped moving, this piece of modern industrial machinery still stunned the bandits.

They crowded around the conveyor belt, looking it over and wondering what on earth it was.

When they saw He Sandao approaching, the bandits stepped aside.

Jiang Xiao’s eyes lit up upon seeing the conveyor belt, and he immediately leaned in to inspect it.

“What is this? Its construction is remarkably strange.”

Jiang Xiao considered himself well-traveled, but he had never seen anything like this.

Chapter 10: The Surprised Pair, Products from the Modern Era

He Sandao glanced at the conveyor belt, showing little surprise.

“According to reports from my men, this object was running automatically a few days ago. It was quite a miraculous sight, but it seems to have stopped operating for now.”

After saying this, He Sandao headed deeper into the abandoned mine. Jiang Xiao hurried to keep up. Only the two of them entered the mine; the rest of the bandits remained waiting outside.

Inside the abandoned mine, the external conveyor belt connected to an internal track that stretched deep into the cavern, ending at a stone door.

“This should be Chen Feng’s residence,” He Sandao remarked.

The two soon stood before the stone door. It was reinforced with an iron lock, but it was a type of lock they had never seen before.

“This lock…” Jiang Xiao was once again struck with surprise.

He Sandao didn’t say a word. Instead, he drew his long blade and channeled his True Qi, slashing down at the lock on the stone door.

The collision between the blade and the lock sent sparks flying, and the iron lock snapped instantly.

“It’s just a lock forged from Blazing Sun Stone, though the forging method is somewhat peculiar.”

He Sandao sheathed his blade and pushed the stone door open, entering the secret room.

The moment they stepped inside, both men froze in place.

Most of the items within the room were things they had never laid eyes on before. There was a modern sofa, a bed, tables, chairs, and various electronic appliances.

“What… what are these things?” Jiang Xiao’s face was a mask of shock.

He Sandao walked over to a desk where a tablet computer was laying. This was what Chen Feng usually used to pass the time by watching movies or reading novels.

As soon as He Sandao touched it, the tablet’s screen lit up instantly.

Startled, he immediately leaped back several paces, holding his long blade defensively across his chest.

After a moment, seeing that the tablet showed no further movement, he finally lowered his blade. He had initially thought it was an immortal’s magical artifact; after all, an object that could glow like that was very similar to the legends of such treasures.

Legends claimed that some immortal artifacts could attack on their own, which was why he had been so cautious.

Seeing that the tablet only emitted light and posed no danger, Jiang Xiao also approached. He picked up the tablet and began to examine it closely.

Rows of text were displayed on the screen—the novel Chen Feng hadn’t finished reading last time.

“There is writing on this, though I do not know which language it is.”

Jiang Xiao’s face was filled with excitement. Even if they didn’t know what this object was, there was no doubt it was a celestial item. It was highly likely that the text contained an immortal’s cultivation method.

He Sandao spoke up. “Brother Jiang, let’s leave this item here for now. We can discuss how to divide everything later.”

He Sandao’s tone was a clear reminder.

Jiang Xiao smiled and set the tablet down, knowing He Sandao was warning him. To be honest, if it weren’t for the fact that He Sandao possessed formidable strength, he would have already been tempted to kill him and seize the treasure. Every single item here looked like something only an immortal could possess.

The two quickly searched the secret room, but they recognized almost nothing.

“Brother He, Chen Feng must have discovered some immortal’s dwelling, and all these things were taken from within.”

Jiang Xiao voiced his suspicion. It was the only explanation he could think of.

“Yes, that is indeed a possibility,” He Sandao replied. He moved toward Chen Feng’s bed and began rummaging through it.

He found a pack of cigarettes on the headboard, but nothing else. He opened the pack and took a sniff, his expression turning puzzled. He couldn’t tell what it was meant for.

At that moment, Jiang Xiao spoke again. “Brother He, of all the things here, I only want this glowing tablet. The rest can go to you. What do you think?”

Jiang Xiao had set his sights on the tablet. Not only could it glow, but it also held text. Its value was practically immeasurable.

He Sandao sneered. “Brother Jiang, you’ve certainly done the math well. This is likely the most valuable thing here. While the other objects are strange, their value might not be as great.”

He Sandao naturally had no intention of handing the tablet over to Jiang Xiao.

“Then what do you propose, Brother He?” Jiang Xiao’s expression darkened.

He Sandao immediately said, “Chen Feng is still alive. It’s too early to talk about distribution. Let’s deal with him first, and leave the items here for the time being.”

Upon hearing He Sandao’s suggestion, Jiang Xiao thought it over and nodded. Indeed, they needed to find Chen Feng first.

The two then left the abandoned mine.

He Sandao ordered his subordinates to guard the entrance of the mine before walking over to a group of captured Xingfeng Sect martial artists.

The Xingfeng Sect members were currently tied up and kneeling on the ground. Every face was filled with terror. Their bodies were covered in bruises and wounds, evidence of a brutal beating.

He Sandao asked one of the bandits, “Did the interrogation yield anything?”

The bandit immediately reported respectfully, “Head Bandit Chief, these people don’t know where Chen Feng went.”

Hearing this, He Sandao’s expression remained unchanged.

“Kill five of them first. Hang their heads at the entrance of the Xingfeng Sect and spread the news.”

He Sandao’s plan was simple: kill a few members of the Xingfeng Sect every day and broadcast the news. If Chen Feng cared about them, he would definitely show himself.

the low-level bandit nodded and drew his blade, heading toward several Xingfeng Sect martial artists.

The martial artists immediately cried out and begged for mercy, but it was all in vain.

Soon, five heads were severed. As soon as the blood appeared, it was entirely absorbed by He Sandao’s Blood Demon Blade.

Seeing the tragic death of his companions, one of the Xingfeng Sect martial artists spoke up in panic.

“I know how to find Chen Feng! I know how to find him! Head Bandit Chief, have mercy! Have mercy!”

Hearing this, He Sandao looked toward the martial artist.

A few lackeys immediately hauled the man up. Jiang Xiao stepped forward first and asked, “How do we find him?”

At this moment, he was even more desperate than He Sandao to find Chen Feng, hoping to question him about the items in the secret room.

The martial artist said with a trembling voice, “I… I don’t know where Chen Feng is, but the person he trusts most is Wang Hu. He is Chen Feng’s confidant; he definitely knows where Chen Feng is…”

The martial artist quickly explained everything about Wang Hu. He had been on good terms with Wang Hu back at the Xingfeng Sect, and Wang Hu had looked after him quite a bit. But now, with his own life on the line, he could only sell Wang Hu out.

“Where is he?” Jiang Xiao pressed.

The martial artist immediately replied, “He went home! I know where his home is, I’ll take you there!”

He Sandao turned to several bandits who were at the seventh level of the Post-Hearth Realm.

“You lot take some men over there and capture that Wang Hu.”

Black Wind Fortress still had seven or eight martial artists at or above the seventh level; capturing one Wang Hu wouldn’t be a problem.

After receiving their orders, the bandits led a group of people away.

Inside the secret room, a ripple like water slowly emerged, and Chen Feng’s figure condensed into view.

He was carrying a large bag in his hand.

After finishing the trade with Jack, Chen Feng had found a secluded spot and returned to the painting world through the scroll. He planned to drop the equipment off in the painting world first before returning to the modern world to go back home.

Chen Feng didn’t feel comfortable leaving the painting at his factory; after all, no one else had the means to bring the painting into the painting world.

Chapter 11: The Operation Begins! Six Kills in a Row.

As soon as he appeared in the secret room, Chen Feng immediately sensed something was wrong.

His belongings had been moved.

He had memorized the exact placement of everything in his room. If anything had been touched, he could tell at a single glance.

Chen Feng instantly pulled a pistol from his bag, slowed his movements, and began to creep toward the secret room’s entrance.

The lock on the heavy stone door was broken, clearly forced open by someone.

Before even stepping out of the secret room, Chen Feng heard faint voices coming from the entrance of the abandoned mine in the distance.

“Is this Xingfeng Sect really so important that the Head Bandit Chief had to mobilize so many of us? I don’t know what he’s thinking.”

“Shh! Keep it down. If the Head Bandit Chief hears you, you’re dead.”

“I heard the Sect Master of this Xingfeng Sect isn’t simple. The Second Bandit Chief died at his hands. That’s why the Head Bandit Chief gathered all of us here. It’s better to be careful.”

“If he really was an Innate Realm master, would he need to build his sect on our Black Wind Fortress’s turf?”

“In my opinion, that Chen Feng isn’t an Innate master at all. He probably fled a long time ago. Why would he ever come back?”

Hearing the conversation outside, Chen Feng’s expression darkened. He hadn’t expected the Black Wind Fortress to move so quickly.

His plan to stall for time hadn’t worked for long.

Furthermore, looking at the current situation, the entire Xingfeng Sect had likely already been taken over by the Black Wind Fortress.

He Sandao’s decisiveness was beyond his expectations; this alone proved the man would be difficult to deal with.

Chen Feng began to put on a bulletproof vest. He dared not be careless when facing an Innate Realm expert.

Additionally, with so many bandits from the Black Wind Fortress here, being surrounded would be extremely dangerous.

After securing the vest, Chen Feng slung a sniper rifle over his back and slowly cracked the stone door open.

Through the gap, he saw six Black Wind Fortress bandits standing guard at the distant exit of the abandoned mine.

He checked the pistol in his hand. The Taran pistol was equipped with an extended magazine, giving it a capacity of twenty-one rounds.

Chen Feng calculated his firing sequence.

His marksmanship was decent; when he went to buy guns, he would occasionally practice at shooting ranges in the United States.

After mentally rehearsing the action, Chen Feng pushed open the stone door and began to stalk toward the mine exit.

The reason he didn’t choose to shoot from a distance was the fear of being detected. If any of them managed to shout, it would be trouble.

The secret room was less than a hundred meters from the cave entrance. Shortly after, Chen Feng had maneuvered himself near the exit.

The bandits never expected danger to come from inside the mine; their attention was focused entirely on the outside.

Their Head Bandit Chief had already gone inside. In their minds, the mine was definitely empty.

Chen Feng crouched low, using the darkness of the mine as cover to quickly close the distance.

He was now only about five meters away from the bandits.

This was extremely close. He stopped his approach.

Even though these martial artists were low-level, their senses were sharp. If he got any closer, he risked being discovered.

Chen Feng raised his pistol, aimed at the nearest bandit, and squeezed the trigger.

He used a rapid-fire cadence. The rate of fire was extremely fast, and with the suppressor attached, the gunshots were muffled thuds.

Chen Feng’s trigger finger moved with precision. In just a few seconds, three bandits had been shot and collapsed to the ground.

The remaining three only reacted once their companions hit the floor.

However, they were out of time.

Almost immediately after taking down the first three, Chen Feng shifted his aim and fired at the others.

The thuds sounded again. Two of them were hit in the chest and died instantly.

The last one was hit in both legs and collapsed to his knees.

Chen Feng lunged forward, pressing the barrel of the gun against the bandit’s forehead while covering the man’s mouth with his hand.

“Don’t speak. Don’t move!”

Chen Feng had spared this man because his vital energy was the weakest among them. Based on his estimation, the man was only at the second level of the Post-Hearth Realm.

He left him alive because he wanted to ask questions.

With a gun to his head, the bandit was terrified. Although he didn’t know what the object pressed against his skull was, he didn’t dare move.

Just moments ago, he had been chatting with his companions. In less than fifteen seconds, they were all lying in pools of blood.

He hadn’t even seen what method this suddenly-appearing man had used to kill them.

Recallling the rumors that the Sect Master of the Xingfeng Sect was an Innate Realm master, combined with the mysterious deaths of his comrades, his mind raced. He immediately realized that this man must be Chen Feng.

He just couldn’t understand why Chen Feng had appeared behind them.

After restraining the bandit, Chen Feng scanned the surroundings. There were no other bandits near the abandoned mine entrance.

But he couldn’t guarantee that no one would come to check. He had to hurry.

“I ask, you answer. If you dare to shout, I guarantee you won’t live to finish the sound.”

Chen Feng’s eyes were cold. Over a year of tempering in the painting world had given him—a non-warrior—a palpable aura of malice.

The bandit nodded vigorously, like a chicken pecking at grain.

Chen Feng loosened his grip and asked, “How many men did Black Wind Fortress bring, and what is the current situation with the Xingfeng Sect?”

The bandit gasped for air before stammering out his reply. “Every brother from the fortress is here… the Head Bandit Chief also invited a friend who is an Innate Realm master to help. They are currently at the Xingfeng Sect headquarters…”

The bandit quickly confessed everything in full detail.

To a low-level lackey like him, loyalty was non-existent.

Chen Feng frowned. He Sandao was hard enough to deal with on his own, and now another Innate expert had appeared.

For a moment, Chen Feng considered abandoning the Xingfeng Sect’s territory.

Self-preservation and caution had always been his habits.

But if he gave up this place, he could only return in secret. Since he traveled to this world through the painting, he always appeared in the secret room of this specific mine.

Furthermore, he had just started a partnership with his government back home. If he couldn’t provide the ores, it would be difficult to explain.

After a moment of deep thought, Chen Feng decided to try.

If he couldn’t take out He Sandao and the other Innate expert, he would return to the modern world and think of another way.

The bandit lackey then began to plead in a low voice, “Sect Master Chen, please spare my life! I was forced to join the Black Wind Fortress… I have an eighty-year-old mother at home…”

Chen Feng didn’t wait for him to finish before pulling the trigger.

The lackey went silent instantly.

Chen Feng didn’t believe a word the man said. Anyone who became a bandit of the Black Wind Fortress undoubtedly had many lives on their hands; none of them were good people.

As for an eighty-year-old mother—what did that have to do with him?

Chen Feng felt no pity for his enemies.

He reloaded his pistol and left the mine.

At the entrance of the Xingfeng Sect headquarters.

Wang Hu was being held down on his knees in front of He Sandao, having been captured by the Black Wind Fortress.

Wang Hu had been helping his mother chop wood when the bandits arrived. To avoid endangering her, he hadn’t put up much of a fight.

Right now, Wang Hu was staring with eyes full of rage at a martial artist from the Xingfeng Sect standing nearby.

It was this person who had led the Black Wind Fortress to his home.

Very few people knew his home address—mostly brothers who had faced life and death with him. To be betrayed like this made his blood boil.

Under Wang Hu’s furious gaze, the member of the Xingfeng Sect hung his head, not daring to speak.

He Sandao looked Wang Hu over and said with a smile, “So you’re Wang Hu? Reaching the seventh level of the Post-Hearth Realm in your thirties… your talent is decent.”

Wang Hu said nothing. He knew exactly why the Black Wind Fortress was looking for him. The current state of the Xingfeng Sect told him everything he needed to know.

Chapter 12: Facing Two Innate Masters Alone! True Qi VS Sniper Rifle

The Black Wind Fortress had completely seized control of the Xingfeng Sect. Since they had specifically sent men to capture him, it was naturally impossible that they were doing so just because of the death of the Second Bandit Chief, Wu Xiong.

In all likelihood, they wanted to interrogate him regarding Chen Feng.

“I heard you are Chen Feng’s confidant. How did you meet him? Where is he now?” He Sandao questioned.

But Wang Hu remained silent, refusing to utter a single word.

Seeing Wang Hu’s attitude, the surrounding bandit lackeys immediately stepped forward, intent on giving him a brutal beating.

However, He Sandao waved them off.

“I like loyal people like you. If you tell me where Chen Feng is, I can let you work by my side.”

To the side, Jiang Xiao also spoke up, “Following Brother He offers a much brighter future than following that Chen Feng. You should think this through carefully. According to the information we’ve gathered, this Chen Feng person isn’t some scion of a great family at all—he’s just a fraud.”

Jiang Xiao could see that Wang Hu was a tough nut to crack; the man likely wouldn’t talk even if they killed him. Therefore, he tried the “soft” approach first.

Wang Hu glared at He Sandao and barked, “If you’re going to kill me, just do it. What’s with all the nonsense!”

Even when facing an Innate Realm master, he remained fearless. At worst, it was just death. His only regret was leaving his elderly mother behind.

However, it was fundamentally impossible for him to betray Chen Feng. Not only did he not know where Chen Feng was, but he wouldn’t say a word even if he did. When Chen Feng first met him in Liuyang Town, he had handed over a hundred taels of silver without a second thought so Wang Hu could take his mother to see a doctor.

Wang Hu had always been grateful to Chen Feng. Betraying a friend was something he simply could not do.

He Sandao’s expression instantly turned cold. “It seems you think I’m an easy man to talk to.”

He Sandao picked up the Blood Demon Blade and thrust it directly into Wang Hu’s thigh.

In an instant, Wang Hu’s face turned ashen. The blood inside his body was being rapidly absorbed by the Blood Demon Blade. After only a few seconds, Wang Hu felt his body becoming incredibly cold.

“I’ll give you one last chance. Tell me, where is that Chen Feng?”

He Sandao grabbed Wang Hu’s head with one hand and tightened his grip. His fingers pressed inward until Wang Hu’s skull began to slightly cave in.

At this moment, Wang Hu’s eyes were bloodshot, his eyeballs bulging. If He Sandao applied just a bit more force, Wang Hu’s head would be crushed like a melon.

The surrounding bandits were terrified by He Sandao’s methods. They instinctively retreated a few steps, while only Jiang Xiao maintained a smile on his face. As an Innate Realm master, he viewed these low-level martial artists as little more than ants. Naturally, he felt no sympathy.

Seeing that Wang Hu still refused to speak, He Sandao flew into a rage. He was just about to crush the man’s head when he suddenly sensed something. His eyes narrowed instantly.

The next second, his body was enveloped in a layer of pale yellow True Qi.

Almost simultaneously…

BOOM!

A thunderous roar echoed!

He Sandao’s protective True Qi collided with something. Sparks flew as he was forced back more than a dozen steps before coming to a halt.

When He Sandao finally stopped, the True Qi covering his body had dimmed significantly.

This sudden turn of events caught the bandits completely off guard. They had no idea what had happened; they had only heard a loud bang before seeing their Head Bandit Chief get knocked back a dozen paces.

The only one who clearly saw the situation was Jiang Xiao.

His gaze instantly locked onto the top of the distant mining mountain, about 800 meters away. The eyesight of an Innate Realm master far surpassed that of ordinary people; he immediately spotted a person lying prone on the peak. The attack had come from that direction.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Several more thunderous reports sounded, and He Sandao was pushed back once again. He wanted to dodge, but the attacks were simply too fast, making it impossible for him to cover much distance quickly.

However, He Sandao was no ordinary man. He immediately grabbed a nearby bandit and pulled him in front of himself as a shield.

Seeing his own chief standing behind him, the bandit was momentarily stunned. But in the next second, a gunshot rang out, and only half of his head remained.

He Sandao immediately roared, “Brother Jiang, why aren’t you moving? That person must be Chen Feng!”

At this moment, He Sandao’s face was slightly pale. He was being pinned down by Chen Feng’s sniper rifle and found it impossible to charge toward Chen Feng’s position. Under normal circumstances, he could cross a distance of 800 meters in no time. But now, Chen Feng was using a method he didn’t understand to attack him relentlessly, giving him no room to breathe.

While True Qi could be used for long-range kills, its effective range was only a few meters.

Jiang Xiao reacted instantly as well. He immediately circulated the True Qi within his body and bolted toward Chen Feng’s position. He moved like a cannonball, his speed so great that he began to leave afterimages behind.

On the mountaintop, Chen Feng, who was bracing his sniper rifle and firing, saw Jiang Xiao charging toward him. His expression was grim.

He knew Innate Realm masters were difficult to deal with, but even after firing three consecutive shots with the sniper rifle, he still hadn’t broken through the opponent’s protective True Qi. The man’s defenses were incredibly resilient. However, Chen Feng could not afford to stop now. He had to quickly finish off He Sandao before he could deal with the next Innate master.

Chen Feng fired one shot after another.

The reports of the rifle echoed through the mining area, and the bandits had long since scattered in terror. When even their Head Bandit Chief was scrambling for cover, how could they dare to stay put? The image of the bandit whose head had just been blown apart was still fresh in their minds. If they stayed, they would just be used as scapegoats by the Chief.

BOOM!

Another bullet struck He Sandao, knocking him back another dozen steps. This time, blood leaked from the corners of his mouth.

The Remington 700 Chen Feng was using utilized 7.62mm rounds. Although the caliber wasn’t massive, the muzzle energy of each shot was roughly 3,000 joules. A single shot was enough to take down a multi-ton elephant. Even an Innate Realm master with protective True Qi could not withstand a continuous barrage of sniper fire.

Halfway up the mountain…

Jiang Xiao was sprinting, his face filled with excitement. Although he didn’t know what weapon Chen Feng was using, it was undoubtedly an immortal treasure. From such a distance, only a few attacks had nearly brought the mid-stage Innate Realm He Sandao to his knees. Only the legendary treasures of the immortals could possess such power.

Furthermore, he sensed that Chen Feng was not an Innate Realm master himself. If Chen Feng were at the Innate Realm, there would be no need for him to use an immortal treasure from such a distance. Given the strength of an Innate master, using such a treasure at close range would be even more terrifying.

The more he thought about it, the more excited Jiang Xiao became, and he instinctively slowed his pace.

That’s right—he wanted Chen Feng to attack He Sandao more. It would be best if he could kill He Sandao, or at least leave him severely wounded. That way, he could monopolize everything in the secret room, including the treasures on Chen Feng’s person. As long as he slaughtered everyone in the Black Wind Fortress afterward, no one would ever know he possessed an immortal treasure.

Just as Jiang Xiao was lost in thought…

He suddenly felt his foot trip over something—it seemed to be a thin wire.

Immediately following that, a massive explosion erupted. The fire and smoke of the blast rose from beneath his feet, instantly swallowing him whole.

A moment later, Jiang Xiao’s figure emerged from the smoke. His current appearance was quite wretched. Although a layer of True Qi still protected him, his clothes had been half blown away. Numerous grenade fragments were lodged in his body, some of which had already sunk deep into his flesh.

Chapter 13: Slaying the Innate!

Jiang Xiao stared at the wounds on his body, his face filled with horror.

He had reacted quickly just now, but the explosion had simply been too fast.

Looking at the crater blasted into the ground before him, he felt a lingering fear. If he hadn’t been protected by his True Qi, that explosion likely would have killed him.

No matter how strong an Innate Realm expert was, they were still made of mortal flesh and bone. At this moment, Jiang Xiao no longer dared to underestimate Chen Feng. The man’s methods were endless, and he possessed far too many immortal treasures.

On the summit of the mining mountain, Chen Feng continued to fire. Through his sniper scope, he witnessed the explosion halfway down the mountain.

He had set several traps in advance using high-explosive grenades. He had poured out a portion of the flash powder from the grenades’ igniters, which shortened the explosion’s delay. Then, he partially buried the modified grenades in the soil and secured them with a tripwire. As soon as someone walked by and tripped the wire, the primer would trigger, and the grenade would explode instantly.

The grenades Jack had sold him weren’t ordinary ones; they were high-explosive grenades specialized for the United States military. A single one was enough to flip a car, yet even such a powerful blast had failed to kill the man.

The speed and defensive power of an Innate Realm expert were beyond anything a Post-Hearth Realm martial artist could compare to.

Chen Feng ignored Jiang Xiao for the moment and continued to pull the trigger, firing at He Sandao. He had set a few more grenade traps further ahead; stalling Jiang Xiao wouldn’t be a problem for a while. Killing He Sandao first was the top priority. If he gave the man a chance to catch his breath and hide inside the sect headquarters, then things would become difficult.

At the entrance of the Xingfeng Sect headquarters, He Sandao’s face had already turned deathly pale. He felt incredibly stifled and frustrated; he knew exactly where the enemy was, yet he had no way to counterattack.

There was no one left around him to act as a human shield. Every single bullet struck his True Qi directly. His True Qi had grown completely dim and lackluster; it wouldn’t be long before it shattered. When that happened, he would be a dead man.

“Don’t run! He’s just a mortal! All of you, charge! Take Chen Feng down for me!” He Sandao screamed at the bandits fleeing in all directions.

Some of the bandits stopped in their tracks, but even more continued to run for their lives. Those who stayed were loyal to He Sandao, his trusted confidants. Roughly a dozen bandits put on fierce expressions and charged toward the mining mountain’s summit.

Halfway up the mountain, they encountered the injured Jiang Xiao. For a moment, none of the dozen men moved. One bandit asked, “Senior, what is the situation?”

Even an Innate Realm expert like Jiang Xiao hadn’t moved; how could they dare to proceed? They had heard the explosion just now, and seeing the wounds on Jiang Xiao’s body made them even more wary.

Jiang Xiao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and spoke coldly, “I was tricked by that Chen Feng. You lot, get up there. He’s out of tricks.”

Jiang Xiao didn’t dare to take any more risks. He didn’t know if there were more traps on the path ahead.

The dozen bandits hesitated. Although they had run up here on He Sandao’s orders, it didn’t mean they were fools. There was clearly danger here, otherwise, why would an Innate Realm expert like Jiang Xiao be standing still?

Seeing their lack of movement, Jiang Xiao’s expression turned cold. “What? Do I need to personally escort you over?”

Catching the ice-cold look in Jiang Xiao’s eyes, the bandits didn’t dare linger. They gritted their teeth and charged toward the summit. But they hadn’t run far before three consecutive explosions rang out, instantly killing all of them.

Seeing this, Jiang Xiao felt a wave of relief. Fortunately, he hadn’t chosen to rush up, or he would have been the one in trouble. While he might not have died, he certainly would have been severely wounded.

“Brother Jiang, why haven’t you acted yet?!”

From a distance, He Sandao channeled his True Qi to shout at Jiang Xiao. He was at his limit. Chen Feng’s assault had never wavered. At this moment, He Sandao was caught in a life-or-death crisis.

Despite He Sandao’s plea, Jiang Xiao remained unmoved, standing in place as he pondered. He did have a way to reach the summit quickly: by not touching the ground. Using his True Qi, he could briefly ride the wind to reach the top, thereby bypassing the traps.

However, an Innate Realm expert could only ride the wind for a short duration, and it consumed a massive amount of internal qi.

Jiang Xiao roared back at He Sandao, “Brother He, hold on a bit longer! This man has laid traps everywhere. Allow me to devise a way to break through!”

Jiang Xiao planned to wait. He would wait until He Sandao was either heavily wounded or dead before making his move. That way, even if he consumed most of his True Qi, he could still handle a severely weakened He Sandao.

“Jiang Xiao, you idiot! You’re still thinking about your own gain at a time like this? If I die, do you think you’ll live?” He Sandao was fuming. He knew exactly what was going through Jiang Xiao’s mind.

Jiang Xiao ignored He Sandao’s words and continued to wait quietly.

On the summit, Chen Feng had already fired nearly ten sniper rounds, yet he still hadn’t finished He Sandao. This caused Chen Feng to frown. He had only prepared three magazines in advance, and the Remington 700’s magazine capacity was only five rounds. He was down to his last magazine. If He Sandao wasn’t dead by the time this magazine was empty, he wouldn’t be able to kill him. The time it would take to reload would give He Sandao more than enough time to escape.

Chen Feng cleared his mind and pulled the trigger once more.

Bang!

This time was different. A sound like shattering glass rang out as the True Qi protecting He Sandao’s body completely dissipated. He coughed up a large mouthful of blood and collapsed to his knees.

Seeing this, Chen Feng didn’t hesitate and pulled the trigger again. This shot went straight for He Sandao’s chest. Without incident, the bullet struck true, instantly piercing through He Sandao’s chest.

Watching He Sandao collapse, Chen Feng finally let out a sigh of relief. “He really was hard to kill. I’ll need to switch to more powerful weapons in the future.”

Just as Chen Feng relaxed, Jiang Xiao moved from his position halfway up the mountain. The True Qi within his body surged violently. He leaped into the air and flew directly toward Chen Feng.

By the time Chen Feng noticed Jiang Xiao flying toward him, the man was less than five meters away. Jiang Xiao’s face was twisted with ruthlessness and madness. True Qi had already condensed in his right palm; he intended to cripple Chen Feng with a single blow.

Before Chen Feng could even turn his rifle, Jiang Xiao struck out with his palm. The released True Qi slammed into Chen Feng, sending him flying backward. Chen Feng tumbled through the air for a full ten meters before hitting the ground, where he lay limp and motionless.

Jiang Xiao immediately laughed. “He really was just a mortal! Not even a martial artist!”

He had held back some of his strength in that last strike so as not to kill Chen Feng instantly.

As Jiang Xiao landed, he immediately noticed several cylindrical objects on the ground that he hadn’t seen before. One of them was emitting white smoke—it had fallen from Chen Feng’s person when he was sent flying.

The moment he saw the white smoke, Jiang Xiao’s mind flashed back to the previous explosions. His pupils shrank. He tried to react, but it was too late. An explosion erupted from beneath his feet once more. This time, it was five explosions in rapid succession.

The powerful shockwaves generated by the blasts instantly swallowed Jiang Xiao.

“Argh!” A tragic scream ripped from Jiang Xiao’s throat.

One of his legs had been blown completely off, and his entire body was riddled with wounds. After striking Chen Feng down, Jiang Xiao had completely lowered his guard. He never expected there to be more explosions like the ones before. Jiang Xiao was only at the early stage of the Innate Realm; he simply couldn’t withstand the concentrated blast of five high-explosive grenades.

In the distance, the limp Chen Feng stood up. His face was pale, and a piercing, bone-deep pain radiated from his chest. He could tell his ribs were likely broken.

Jiang Xiao’s eyes filled with terror when he saw Chen Feng stand up. Forget a mortal like Chen Feng; even if a ninth level Post-Hearth Realm martial artist took a direct hit from his True Qi, their meridians should have been shattered.

“How… how is this possible? You took a direct hit from me, how can you still stand?!”

Chen Feng didn’t answer Jiang Xiao, nor did he give him the chance to say another word. Instead, he pulled out his handgun, aimed it at Jiang Xiao’s head, and emptied the magazine.

Chapter 14: Harvesting Gains, a Green Jade Pendant, and Innate Techniques

Chen Feng did not dare to be the least bit careless when dealing with an Innate Realm expert. If he had the chance to take them down, he had to use lethal force.

No one knew what kind of trump cards the opponent might have held; emptying the magazine was merely a safety precaution.

Chen Feng unbuttoned his clothes, revealing the bulletproof vest beneath, which had already become dented.

He had relied entirely on this bulletproof vest to block Jiang Xiao’s True Qi attack just now.

If not for the bulletproof vest, the opponent’s True Qi would have surged directly into his body.

Once True Qi entered his internal organs, even if he didn’t die, he would have been crippled.

The money spent on it was well worth it.

Chen Feng searched Jiang Xiao’s body, collecting everything he found before dragging his injured body down the mining mountain.

The bandits of the Xingfeng Sect had vanished without a trace.

Only a few corpses remained scattered about.

Wang Hu was sitting on the ground, his face deathly pale. Seeing Chen Feng approach, he immediately crawled toward him.

“Sect Master!”

Wang Hu was in even worse shape than Chen Feng. The blood had been nearly drained from his body, and his head looked slightly misshapen from the impacts.

If he weren’t a martial artist, he likely would have died already.

“Are you alright?” Chen Feng asked with concern.

Chen Feng hadn’t expected Wang Hu to be dragged into this. He had seen everything clearly through the sniper scope earlier.

This kid was actually quite loyal to him.

“I won’t die. I’ll be fine after resting for a while. More importantly, Sect Master, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Chen Feng then looked toward He Sandao, who was lying in the distance.

Only then did he realize that He Sandao hadn’t breathed his last yet; he was staring at him with wide eyes.

To still be alive after having his chest pierced by a sniper rifle—this man’s vitality was extraordinarily strong.

He Sandao spoke weakly, “I was careless. I vastly underestimated you!”

Chen Feng didn’t bother responding to He Sandao. Instead, he pulled out his sniper rifle and aimed it at He Sandao’s head.

He Sandao suddenly burst into laughter.

“Chen Feng, I’ll be waiting for you down there! You killed Jiang Xiao; the Jiang Family won’t let you off. You won’t live for more than a few days.”

He Sandao didn’t beg for mercy; he knew it would be futile.

Although he had only dealt with Chen Feng for a short time, Chen Feng’s actions clearly showed he was the type of person who would never leave a threat behind.

At this moment, his heart held only hatred and regret. He regretted underestimating Chen Feng.

If he had been just a bit more cautious, waiting in the shadows before revealing himself, he wouldn’t have ended up in this state.

His hatred was toward his subordinates; if they had been more united, Chen Feng could never have won.

But it was too late for “what ifs.”

He had been too tyrannical, resulting in few loyal subordinates; they had all fled as soon as trouble arose.

Furthermore, Chen Feng’s sniper rifle had terrified the bandits. The unknown is always the most frightening.

Ignoring He Sandao’s words, Chen Feng pulled the trigger. At such close range, He Sandao’s head was blown apart instantly. He was thoroughly and completely dead.

After killing He Sandao, Chen Feng searched his body as well.

“See which of these things can heal wounds.”

Chen Feng brought out the items he had looted from the two Innate Realm experts.

There were many small bottles and jars.

He didn’t recognize many of the pills or medicines of this world.

Wang Hu took several jars containing pills and sniffed them before saying, “These few bottles are healing pills. The others are supplementary pills for cultivation.” Wang Hu picked out a few specific bottles.

Chen Feng poured the pills out of the bottles, gave some to Wang Hu, and swallowed a few himself.

As soon as the medicine entered his mouth, he felt the pain in his body subside significantly.

He had bought many pills in the painting world before and even sold them in the modern world.

However, none of those had such an immediate effect.

The belongings of an Innate Realm expert were of extraordinary value.

Chen Feng then noticed that Wang Hu, holding the pills, hadn’t taken them.

“Why aren’t you using them?” Chen Feng asked.

Wang Hu said weakly, “Sect Master, these pills are meant for Innate Realm experts and are incredibly precious. I can just use ordinary medicine.”

Wang Hu clearly felt it was a waste for someone of his level to use them.

Chen Feng said with a stern face, “I told you to use them, so use them. Are you refusing to follow my orders now?”

Hearing this, Wang Hu finally swallowed the pills. His complexion improved visibly almost instantly.

Chen Feng began to take inventory of the items obtained from the two Innate Realm experts.

Aside from the pills, there were some technique manuals.

Two of them were Innate-level techniques: the Blood Demon Saber Technique and the Profound Yellow Technique.

The Blood Demon Saber Technique was a demonic art that relied on consuming human blood to increase the internal energy in one’s body. The Profound Yellow Technique was much more normal, being a method of breathing and meditation for cultivation.

However, this breathing method still required a foundation as a martial artist.

Chen Feng planned to try and see if he could cultivate it later. In truth, what he really wanted was an immortal’s cultivation method.

Wang Hu spoke up then, “Sect Master, the Profound Yellow Technique is a famous technique of the Jiang Family in Liuyang Town. It can be cultivated all the way to the late stage of the Innate Realm.”

Wang Hu clearly recognized the manual.

Chen Feng tossed the Profound Yellow Technique directly in front of Wang Hu.

“You take it and cultivate first. As for this Blood Demon Saber Technique, let’s forget it. It’s inhumane.”

“This…” Wang Hu was stunned.

This was an Innate-level technique. Every Innate technique was incredibly precious.

For an independent martial artist like Wang Hu, reaching the ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm was usually the limit of a lifetime.

Reaching the Innate Realm was basically impossible, primarily because they lacked an Innate-level technique.

“What, are you worried about the Jiang Family seeking revenge?” Chen Feng asked, seeing Wang Hu’s dazed expression.

Wang Hu immediately shook his head. “Sect Master, I’m not afraid of the Jiang Family’s revenge. It’s just that this technique is too precious, I…”

Wang Hu didn’t know what to say for a moment.

Chen Feng had given him such a precious technique so casually that it made him feel as if he were in a dream.

“It’s fine. Cultivate well. If you can reach the Innate Realm, you’ll be able to help me much more.”

Chen Feng patted Wang Hu on the shoulder.

Through this incident, Chen Feng had truly come to trust Wang Hu.

“Thank you, Sect Master! Wang Hu will not fail your expectations.” Wang Hu no longer refused.

Chen Feng then noticed a jade pendant among the pile of items.

This jade pendant had been taken from Jiang Xiao.

The pendant was dark green and about the size of a palm, covered in various patterns that looked quite singular.

“What is this?” Chen Feng asked Wang Hu.

“Your subordinate does not know.” Wang Hu didn’t recognize the jade pendant either.

Chen Feng began to observe it closely. He found that aside from a faint blue glow within the jade, there was nothing else.

Chen Feng put the jade pendant away; he planned to study it further after returning to the modern world.

Chen Feng said to Wang Hu, “Find a place to heal your injuries. Don’t show your face for the next few days to avoid retaliation from the Black Wind Fortress.”

The current Xingfeng Sect had no one left; the martial artists had nearly all been killed, and those who survived had fled.

Only the two of them remained of the entire Xingfeng Sect, and both were currently injured.

If the bandits from Black Wind Fortress came for revenge and they stayed here, they would just be waiting for death.

Chen Feng only had one grenade left, and his ammunition was running low.

“Sect Master, you’re leaving? Not coming with me?”

Wang Hu hadn’t expected Chen Feng to send him to heal alone.

“I need to leave for a few days. I’ll come find you in a few days.”

Chen Feng was preparing to return to the modern world. Although he had taken the healing pills, he was still uneasy.

With broken ribs, he definitely needed to go to a hospital for a checkup.

If he hadn’t spent the past year taking many pills to strengthen his physique, the broken ribs would have certainly made him faint from the pain.

“Alright, then I’ll heal nearby and wait for the Sect Master’s return!” Wang Hu didn’t press further.

He never questioned Chen Feng’s decisions excessively.

After agreeing on a meeting place and time for their next encounter, Chen Feng returned to the secret room and then traveled back to the modern world.

Chapter 15: Medical Miracle!

In the modern world, the United States.

Chen Feng stepped out from the scroll. He had emerged inside an abandoned warehouse.

After rolling up the painting hanging on the warehouse wall and putting it away, Chen Feng dialed the emergency services.

He was traveling on a tourist visa, so his identity was perfectly valid. Even if the hospitals in the United States looked into him, they wouldn’t find anything suspicious.

However, he needed to have his physical condition checked at a hospital before he could truly feel at ease.

About an hour later, an ambulance with flashing lights arrived near the warehouse.

Chen Feng walked up to the ambulance. When they saw him, the nurses appeared quite surprised.

“Are you the one who called for emergency services?”

A blonde, blue-eyed nurse frowned. To her, Chen Feng didn’t look like someone in a condition serious enough to warrant an ambulance.

“Yes, that was me. My ribs are broken. Please take me to the hospital for an examination immediately.”

Chen Feng’s revelation startled the two nurses.

“What! Your ribs are broken?”

No matter how they looked at him, Chen Feng didn’t appear to have broken ribs. Who could stand there so calmly and talk while suffering from such an injury?

“Can we skip the questions for now? Just get me to the hospital.”

The two nurses didn’t dare delay any longer and quickly helped Chen Feng into the vehicle.

The ambulance sped toward the hospital.

“Why were you in such a remote place? And how did you break your ribs?”

A doctor on the ambulance unbuttoned Chen Feng’s shirt to conduct an initial examination.

Chen Feng had left all his gear with Wang Hu. Currently, he only had a suitcase containing clothes, the painting, and that jade pendant. He was very cautious here in the United States; if weapons were found during a search, it would be quite problematic.

“I fell accidentally.”

The doctor clearly didn’t believe Chen Feng’s answer because the area below Chen Feng’s chest was almost completely caved in.

What kind of fall could cause this?

It was obvious he had sustained a very severe impact.

“There’s a risk of internal bleeding. You need a CT scan. Doesn’t it hurt?” The doctor looked at Chen Feng in disbelief.

Chen Feng’s condition indeed indicated broken ribs—and not just one or two. Yet, Chen Feng showed no signs of pain whatsoever. On the contrary, he appeared quite relaxed.

The nurses in the ambulance also watched Chen Feng with curious eyes.

“It hurts quite a bit, but I can manage.” In truth, Chen Feng wasn’t in much pain. After taking the medicinal pill, he felt much better.

The doctor and nurses continued to look at him with strange expressions.

The ambulance soon arrived at the hospital.

After the CT scan, the thoracic surgeon responsible for Chen Feng’s diagnosis stood frozen in shock.

“Oh my God! Are you a monster?”

Inside the emergency room, the attending physician stared at the CT scan results, unable to believe his eyes.

Several other doctors crowded around to look. In an instant, everyone gasped.

The scan showed that three of Chen Feng’s ribs were broken—and they weren’t just fractured; they were shattered into several pieces. If this were a normal person, they would likely be suffering from massive internal bleeding and be rushed to the ICU.

However, upon further examination, they found that Chen Feng showed absolutely no symptoms of internal bleeding.

Not only that, the scan revealed that these broken ribs were actually knitting themselves back together; new regenerative tissue had already appeared.

Had they not seen it with their own eyes, these doctors would never have believed such a thing was possible.

Looking at the CT images, Chen Feng breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed that the healing pills of an Innate Realm expert were exceptionally powerful; even broken bones could regenerate rapidly.

“I should be fine now, right?” Chen Feng asked.

The stunned doctor immediately replied, “Given this rate of regeneration and recovery, we don’t even need to perform surgery. Sir, a medical miracle is happening in your body!”

The doctor’s eyes were filled with excitement as he looked at Chen Feng, and the other doctors were the same.

They desperately wanted to know why Chen Feng’s body was behaving this way. How could he have several broken ribs but act as if nothing happened, and even self-repair? Was this still a human constitution?

“If I’m fine, then I’m leaving.” Knowing he was out of danger, Chen Feng got off the bed and prepared to go.

The attending physician called out to stop him. “Sir, could you provide us with a small blood sample for testing?”

The doctor looked at Chen Feng with pleading eyes.

Chen Feng felt a sudden chill. This reminded him of those secret foreign experiments. Even Einstein’s brain had been sliced for study after his death; one could only imagine how fanatical these research-crazed foreigners could be.

“I don’t have time!”

With that, Chen Feng quickly walked away. He had no intention of giving his blood to them. Who knew what they might discover?

Several doctors tried to persuade him to stay, but Chen Feng ignored them entirely.

He left the hospital directly and caught the nearest flight back to the Dragon Nation.

Mountain City, Dragon Nation.

After an overnight flight, Chen Feng finally returned to his homeland. Only at this moment did his mind truly relax.

After being eyed by those doctors, Chen Feng had been genuinely afraid he might be intercepted even on the plane.

He took a taxi to the Xingfeng Mining factory grounds.

The factory grounds had been completely transformed.

A new guard post had been built at the entrance, manned by two soldiers. Furthermore, the entire perimeter of the factory grounds was now enclosed in barbed wire, resembling a high-security military zone.

Upon seeing Chen Feng, the two soldiers saluted him.

“Greetings, Professor Chen.”

Chen Feng was momentarily confused. “Professor?”

Since when had he become a professor?

Seeing Chen Feng’s confusion, one of the soldiers explained:

“Professor Chen, you are now a registered professor with the Dragon Academy of Sciences. The official documents have already been sent over.”

Hearing this, Chen Feng immediately realized this must be a title bestowed by the state. Generally, once your social status rises, you don’t even need to promote yourself; someone else will do it for you.

Chen Feng chatted with the two soldiers for a bit before entering the factory grounds.

The factory was currently on a break, and the workers were all on holiday.

Entering the factory office, Chen Feng saw Li Xiaorou sitting at her desk, writing something. Today, she was wearing a white skirt suit rather than her usual work uniform.

Li Xiaorou was quite attractive. When Chen Feng chose a secretary, his first criteria was ability, and the second was looks. If someone wasn’t pleasant to look at, it wouldn’t be very comfortable for him.

Li Xiaorou, who was buried in her work, seemed to sense something. She looked up and, seeing it was Chen Feng, immediately stood up.

“Boss! You’re back from abroad. Did everything go smoothly?”

A smile bloomed on Li Xiaorou’s face.

Chen Feng nodded. “It went well enough. What are you working on?”

“This is a proposal for the factory’s production and development. I was planning to write a draft for you to review.”

“The orders the state has given us are enormous. We need to arrange for recruitment and the expansion of the factory grounds.”

Seeing Li Xiaorou’s diligent attitude, Chen Feng nodded with satisfaction. “Hmm, good work.”

For Chen Feng, he didn’t crave power. If he had to personally manage everything in the Xingfeng Sect and Xingfeng Mining, he would be worked to death. Sometimes, it was necessary to find people to help, and someone like Li Xiaorou was perfect.

Having just graduated from university, she was full of passion and lacked the calculating mind of a jaded professional. She worked exceptionally hard.

For an employee like her, a few words of praise were often more effective than money in making her work even harder.

Chapter 16: Immortal’s Cultivation Method, Future Plans

Upon hearing Chen Feng’s praise, Li Xiaorou’s face flushed slightly.

To receive her boss’s recognition made her very happy.

Chen Feng asked her, “By the way, did the people from the research institute arrive?”

Liu Mu had mentioned to him before that they would send someone to the factory grounds to set up a small laboratory. He wasn’t sure if they had arrived yet.

“They did. They just moved all the equipment in today. The person in charge of the lab is a female professor named Lin Wei. She’s over at the lab right now; I’ll take you over to meet her.”

Li Xiaorou stood up and led Chen Feng toward the eastern side of the factory grounds.

The eastern side was originally the factory’s technical department. Chen Feng had previously only hired a few college students to keep up appearances, but it had now been converted into a laboratory.

As soon as they entered the lab, Chen Feng noticed many new pieces of experimental equipment. Several staff members in white lab coats were busy at work.

Seeing Chen Feng and Li Xiaorou enter, they all stopped what they were doing.

Then, a woman in a lab coat walked toward Chen Feng. She was tall, with fair, delicate skin, wearing black-rimmed glasses that gave her an air of intellectual beauty.

“Hello, Professor Chen. I am Lin Wei, a researcher from the Dragon Academy of Sciences. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Lin Wei extended her hand to Chen Feng. She observed him closely; although she had heard that Chen Feng was young, seeing him in person still surprised her.

He appeared even younger than she was.

To be the owner of an enterprise worth tens of millions at such a young age, and to have independently developed the new metal, Blazing Sun Iron, made him nothing short of a genius.

Chen Feng politely shook Lin Wei’s hand. “Hello, Professor Lin. It’s a pleasure to meet you too. You’re from the Dragon Academy of Sciences?”

He was somewhat surprised that she came from there. Liu Mu had previously mentioned sending people from the Metal Research Institute, but now someone from the Dragon Academy of Sciences had come instead.

The Metal Research Institute could not be compared to the Dragon Academy of Sciences. An institute was a scientific research organization focused on specific projects, whereas the Dragon Academy of Sciences was a direct government body and the highest academic institution for natural sciences in the Dragon Nation. Every person inside was the elite of the elite.

“I happened to be very interested in Blazing Sun Iron, so I submitted an application to Professor Li Busheng to take charge of your factory’s laboratory,” Lin Wei explained with a smile. “I look forward to your guidance in the future, Professor Chen.”

Chen Feng nodded slightly, then looked toward the experimental bench and asked, “What are you researching right now?”

At this moment, Chen Feng didn’t quite know what to say. If he tried to discuss academic theories with them, he wouldn’t actually know what he was talking about, but staying silent felt awkward.

“We are attempting a secondary synthesis of Blazing Sun Iron to see if we can further increase its strength. Since you’re here, Professor Chen, would you like to join us?”

Lin Wei extended an invitation. She was extremely curious about how Chen Feng had developed Blazing Sun Iron. Applying to come here was partly because she wanted to interact with him and learn a thing or two.

Chen Feng immediately shook his head. “You go ahead with the research first; I have some matters to attend to. By the way, do you have a microscope here?”

Chen Feng had no intention of researching with them; he would surely blow his cover if he did. Aside from getting acquainted with Lin Wei and the others, his main reason for coming was to borrow a microscope.

He had studied the jade pendant and found that even with a magnifying glass, he couldn’t see the contents of that blue glow clearly. This led him to think of a microscope.

“Of course we do. Please, feel free to use it, Professor Chen.”

Lin Wei pointed to a nearby workbench where a microscope was set up.

Chen Feng walked over and placed the jade pendant under the lens to begin his observation. The surrounding researchers watched with curiosity, but none approached. They had received instructions from their superiors not to bother Chen Feng with research questions or interfere with his work; they were only there to assist.

Under the microscope’s magnification, the blue glow became exceptionally dazzling.

Chen Feng tried adjusting the magnification to a thousand times. Soon, he discovered that beneath the blue light, there were rows of tiny characters. Each character emitted a faint blue glow, which was quite extraordinary.

Chen Feng immediately recognized that these characters belonged to the writing system of the painting world. He quickly grabbed a pen and paper and began transcribing.

It took him a full hour to completely record the contents of the jade pendant.

In the lab, Lin Wei was busy researching Blazing Sun Iron with several other researchers. Li Xiaorou had long since left to attend to her own business.

Chen Feng put the jade pendant away and said to Lin Wei, “Professor Lin, I have to go now. Thank you for the use of the microscope.”

Lin Wei smiled. “You’re too polite, Professor Chen. We are here to assist you. If you have any needs, just let us know.”

She addressed him as “Professor Chen” because Chen Feng was now nominally affiliated with the Dragon Academy of Sciences. Originally, Li Busheng had planned to have Chen Feng’s name registered under the Metal Research Institute. However, Dean Hu from the Department of Basic Materials Science refused to back down, insisting that Chen Feng should be under his wing.

Faced with the dispute between the two, Liu Mu had no choice but to have Chen Feng directly affiliated with the Dragon Academy of Sciences. Only then did the two stop arguing. After all, no matter how large their respective institutions were, they wouldn’t dare snatch someone from the Dragon Academy of Sciences.

After bidding farewell to Lin Wei, Chen Feng returned to his room. Looking at the paper in his hand, a smile spread across his face.

The content within the jade pendant was a cultivation method—not for martial artists, but an immortal’s cultivation method called the “Qi Induction Formula.” It could be practiced all the way to the ninth level of Qi Refining and even included a few minor spells.

Chen Feng had always harbored an intense longing for the immortal’s cultivation method. Cultivating toward immortality meant longevity; a martial artist’s lifespan was a hundred years at most, so how could they compare to an immortal cultivator?

However, during his year or so in the painting world, he hadn’t found any immortal’s cultivation methods. The only information he had found was that the Yue Kingdom’s royal family possessed them. But the Yue Kingdom’s royalty was a colossus he couldn’t hope to challenge; obtaining a method from them was essentially impossible.

Now, by a stroke of luck, he had obtained one. He didn’t know where Jiang Xiao had gotten this jade pendant from, but it was certain that Jiang Xiao had no idea an immortal’s cultivation method was hidden inside. The characters were so small that no martial artist in the painting world could possibly see them. Without the aid of a microscope from the modern world, he wouldn’t have discovered it either. Jiang Xiao likely only knew the pendant was special, which was why he kept it on his person.

Chen Feng began to practice according to the contents of the “Qi Induction Formula.”

The first step of Qi Refining was to sense spiritual Qi, and this depended on whether one had the natural talent. Being able to sense spiritual Qi meant one possessed a Spiritual Aperture, and having a Spiritual Aperture meant having the talent to cultivate.

Chen Feng didn’t know if he had a Spiritual Aperture, so he could only try.

After an hour of attempting, Chen Feng ended his session. He hadn’t sensed even a trace of spiritual Qi, which left him somewhat disappointed.

However, Chen Feng didn’t give up. It might be that the modern world simply lacked such a thing as spiritual Qi. He would have to wait until his next return to the painting world to try again.

Just then, his phone rang. He took it out and saw it was a call from Liu Mu.

“Xiao Chen, I heard you’re back. When will the factory start production?”

After receiving news of Chen Feng’s return to the country, Liu Mu had called him immediately. He was still waiting for Chen Feng’s Blazing Sun Iron to produce tanks.

“Production will start in the next day or two; we’re already preparing,” Chen Feng replied.

“That’s good. Did everything go alright for you abroad?” Liu Mu asked with concern.

“Yes, everything went very well.”

After chatting briefly with Liu Mu, Chen Feng hung up the phone.

He checked his injuries and found they were mostly healed. Chen Feng planned to return to the painting world tomorrow; if he delayed too long, it would be hard to explain things to Liu Mu.

Having finalized his plans, Chen Feng lay down on his bed and fell into a deep sleep. He hadn’t had a good night’s rest in many days.

Chapter 17: Taking Over Black Wind Fortress! A Massive Harvest

In the painting world, within the Transverse Mountains.

Wang Hu was in a dense forest, surrounded by a group of martial artists from the Xingfeng Sect.

These were the survivors of the sect, numbering about a dozen. When Chen Feng had been locked in combat with He Sandao and Jiang Xiao, these martial artists had fled. However, upon hearing the news that Chen Feng had slain the Head Bandit Chief of Black Wind Fortress, they had come crawling back.

Wang Hu did not refuse their return. Normally, he would have disdained associating with such people, but they were currently short-handed, so he had no choice but to let them stay for now. He had already decided, however, that these men would never be part of the Xingfeng Sect’s inner circle; they would remain marginal figures at best.

“What is the situation?” Wang Hu asked. He was currently sitting cross-legged, tending to his injuries.

After more than a day, his wounds had mostly healed, thanks in large part to the Innate Realm pills.

A martial artist from the Xingfeng Sect reported respectfully, “Most of the bandits from Black Wind Fortress have fled. Only a few hundred remain in the stronghold. It seems some of the smaller sects in the Transverse Mountains have also received the news; several groups have already come by to ask after the Sect Master.”

Hearing this, Wang Hu let out a cold sneer.

He knew exactly what those small sects were thinking. Now that the Head Bandit Chief of Black Wind Fortress was dead at their Sect Master’s hands, the Transverse Mountains belonged to the Xingfeng Sect in all but name. Naturally, these people wanted to know what the sect’s next move would be.

Wang Hu stood up from the ground. “Leave a few people here to wait. The Sect Master will return today or tomorrow. The rest of you, follow me to Black Wind Fortress!”

Wang Hu’s intention was to take over the stronghold. He couldn’t wait for Chen Feng to arrive before taking action; he had to have everything in order first.

The martial artists of the Xingfeng Sect looked excited. If the Xingfeng Sect occupied the Transverse Mountains, their own status would rise accordingly. Furthermore, it seemed Wang Hu did not intend to punish them for their previous desertion.

Soon, Wang Hu led his men toward the main base of Black Wind Fortress.

Though there were only a dozen of them, not a single face showed fear. They had the Sect Master backing them up; Black Wind Fortress wouldn’t dare lift a finger against them now, even if they were given ten times the courage.

As Wang Hu and his group appeared, the bandits of Black Wind Fortress immediately came out to meet them, numbering several hundred in a grand display.

A man stepped out from among the bandits. He held a folding fan and appeared to be about forty years old, possessing a certain scholarly air.

“I am Liu Qian, the strategist of Black Wind Fortress. I wonder if Sect Master Chen is present?”

Liu Qian was very respectful.

He had only returned to the fortress yesterday, having been away on business recently. He never expected to return to find both the Head and Second Bandit Chiefs dead—and at the hands of a minor sect within their own territory, no less.

Despite this upheaval, Liu Qian had not chosen to flee like the others. Instead, he had stayed behind with a group of men. He planned to lead the remaining survivors to join the Xingfeng Sect. To him, it didn’t matter who he worked for. He was merely a mortal; without a powerful force to rely on, he wouldn’t be able to survive in this world.

“Our Sect Master is not here. We have come to take over Black Wind Fortress. Are you all prepared to resist?”

Wang Hu’s gaze was icy. He showed no fear even when facing hundreds of men. He hadn’t flinched before Innate Realm masters, so these people weren’t going to intimidate him.

Liu Qian waved his hands frantically. “Brother, you misunderstand. That He Sandao murdered countless innocent people. Sect Master Chen’s act of slaying him was a service to the people. We feel nothing but admiration for Sect Master Chen and the Xingfeng Sect; how could we possibly resist?”

“We have been waiting for the Sect Master to arrive so that we might follow him and join the Xingfeng Sect.”

With a few sentences, Liu Qian managed to denounce his old boss and praise the Xingfeng Sect at the same time.

Wang Hu looked at Liu Qian, sensing that the man was far too slick and likely up to no good. However, he couldn’t make a unilateral decision regarding Liu Qian’s request. Everything had to wait until Chen Feng returned.

“Take me inside first. Whether or not you can join the Xingfeng Sect will be decided by our Sect Master when he returns,” Wang Hu stated.

Liu Qian immediately smiled and said, “Of course. And you must be Brother Wang Hu.”

After learning of He Sandao’s death, Liu Qian had immediately investigated the Xingfeng Sect’s background. Aside from the Sect Master, Chen Feng, the most core figure was this Wang Hu, who was also Chen Feng’s most trusted confidant.

“Mhm,” Wang Hu nodded, saying little else. He didn’t enjoy talking to people like Liu Qian.

“Your act of loyalty that day truly earned my utmost admiration,” Liu Qian flattered him. Wang Hu had been captured by He Sandao and nearly tortured to death, yet even then, he had refused to reveal any information about Chen Feng. Such loyalty was rare.

“How much wealth does Black Wind Fortress have left?” Wang Hu asked sternly, unmoved by the compliments.

Liu Qian replied immediately, “There are approximately 50,000 silver taels and 3,000 gold taels. Various cultivation techniques and pills have also been cataloged.”

Liu Qian produced a small ledger.

Wang Hu took it and glanced through. A flash of shock crossed his face. The wealth of Black Wind Fortress far exceeded his imagination. He had never seen such a vast amount of money in his life.

Seeing the shock in Wang Hu’s eyes, Liu Qian smiled slightly. “Brother Wang Hu, the entire Transverse Mountains are currently in a state of unrest. I suggest we send people to reassure the smaller sects and let them continue their business for now. Once Sect Master Chen returns, we can summon the leaders of these small sects to discuss setting new rules for the Transverse Mountains. What do you think?”

Wang Hu thought for a moment and nodded. “Fine. We’ll do as you say.”

Inside the secret room, Chen Feng’s figure emerged amidst a shimmer of ripples.

Chen Feng had slept for a full ten hours before waking up. After explaining things to Li Xiaorou, he had immediately chosen to return to the painting world.

The injuries on his body were almost completely healed. The efficacy of the Innate Realm master’s pills had surprised him; if he took such a pill to the modern world, someone might even pay ten million for it.

Of course, he wouldn’t actually sell them. Selling them would surely lead to trouble—the effects were too miraculous to be explained away. Ordinary pills might be fine, as long as they didn’t deviate too far from modern technology.

Leaving the secret room, Chen Feng immediately saw dozens of men standing guard at the entrance. These were faces he didn’t recognize, and he instantly became alert.

The dozens of men also noticed Chen Feng. They were startled for a moment, but then they all dropped to one knee in unison.

“We greet the Sect Master!”

These men were incredibly respectful, not even daring to raise their heads to look at him.

Chen Feng asked the leader, “Who are you?” He did not lower his guard.

The leading martial artist immediately replied, “This subordinate was stationed here by Lord Wang Hu to guard the secret room. Lord Wang Hu has already led men to take over Black Wind Fortress and is currently there!”

After taking over the fortress, Wang Hu had immediately sent men to guard the entrance of the secret room. Although Wang Hu didn’t know what was inside, it was undoubtedly a place Chen Feng valued most, as he had previously been responsible for guarding it himself. Therefore, his first priority after taking the fortress was to secure this location.

The leader then proceeded to explain the current situation in the Transverse Mountains to Chen Feng.

Chapter 18: Trying to Cultivate Again! Everyone is Just a Tool.

After listening to the martial artist, Chen Feng said calmly, “Take me to Black Wind Fortress.”

Wang Hu being able to take control of Black Wind Fortress ahead of time saved him a lot of trouble.

The several martial artists quickly led Chen Feng toward Black Wind Fortress, while the rest remained behind to guard the secret room.

The people at Black Wind Fortress had already received word of Chen Feng’s return, and everyone was gathered at the entrance to welcome him. Wang Hu and Liu Qian stood at the very front of the crowd.

In contrast to the smile on Wang Hu’s face, Liu Qian was currently filled with trepidation. His fate was now in the hands of the approaching Chen Feng. If Chen Feng refused to accept him or even decided to kill him, he would have no recourse.

During this time, he had worked very hard to help the Xingfeng Sect take over Black Wind Fortress. He had arranged everything perfectly specifically to demonstrate his value to Chen Feng. However, if Chen Feng was the type of person who harbored an uncompromising hatred for evil, nothing Liu Qian did would matter. Every member of Black Wind Fortress had the blood of innocents on their hands.

Liu Qian whispered to Wang Hu, “Brother Wang Hu, could you perhaps say a few kind words for me when we see the Sect Master?”

Wang Hu replied with a stern face, “It won’t matter if I speak for you. Whether or not you are accepted depends entirely on the Sect Master’s word.”

Wang Hu had no intention of helping Liu Qian.

Liu Qian felt somewhat helpless. Over the past few days, he had discovered that Wang Hu was an utterly incorruptible man. Whenever a matter involved Chen Feng, Wang Hu showed no favor or sentimentality. Liu Qian had even tried sending a few beautiful maidservants to Wang Hu, but the man hadn’t even spared them a glance. He truly had no way to deal with someone like that.

Before long, Chen Feng appeared.

Liu Qian immediately knelt, and the crowd from Black Wind Fortress followed suit.

“Greetings, Sect Master Chen!”

Everyone was incredibly respectful. This was not just because Chen Feng was effectively the new master of the Transverse Mountains, but even more so because he had slain the mid-stage Innate Realm expert, He Sandao. Innate experts were respected figures wherever they went, and naturally, no one dared to be disrespectful.

Wang Hu ran quickly to Chen Feng’s side. “Sect Master, you’re back.”

Wang Hu’s stoic expression instantly transformed into a simple, honest smile upon seeing Chen Feng.

Chen Feng patted Wang Hu on the shoulder. “Well done. How is your injury?”

“I’m mostly recovered. Black Wind Fortress has been taken over and is just waiting for your orders, Sect Master. These people from the fortress want to join us. What is your decision?” Wang Hu reported.

If Chen Feng didn’t intend to keep them, Wang Hu would be the first to draw his blade and slaughter them all.

The hundreds of people from Black Wind Fortress waited in agonizing suspense.

Liu Qian was carefully observing Chen Feng. He was usually quite good at reading people, but his first impression of Chen Feng left him uncertain. Chen Feng looked very young, yet his eyes and manner of speaking were exceptionally seasoned, which put a considerable amount of pressure on Liu Qian.

Chen Feng looked over Liu Qian and the group. “No need to stay kneeling. I don’t care much for people kneeling before me.”

On his way here, he had already learned what he needed to know. Regarding these bandits from Black Wind Fortress, Chen Feng naturally didn’t plan to exile or kill them. He was currently short on manpower, and as for their past misdeeds, he didn’t intend to investigate them.

To him, these people were merely tools that could be discarded at any moment. It was the same as when ninety percent of the Xingfeng Sect’s martial artists were killed; Chen Feng hadn’t felt the slightest bit of grief. They were just tools he had hired with money, so there was no emotional connection to speak of.

Hearing Chen Feng’s words, Liu Qian and the others immediately stood up.

“Thank you, Sect Master!”

Chen Feng’s words were essentially an acceptance, allowing the bandits to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Chen Feng then headed inside Black Wind Fortress, with Wang Hu and Liu Qian trailing closely behind.

This was Chen Feng’s second time at Black Wind Fortress. His last visit was three months ago when he intended to establish his sect in the Transverse Mountains and had come to pay tribute. In the blink of an eye, three months had passed, and the world had changed. He was now the master of Black Wind Fortress.

Actually, Chen Feng didn’t want to be quite so high-profile. By destroying Black Wind Fortress and occupying the Transverse Mountains, the surrounding powers would certainly learn his name. Being famous was not always a good thing.

Entering the main hall of the fortress, Chen Feng took the seat of honor.

“There’s no need to cluster so many people here. Reassign them to the Xingfeng Sect, and move all the supplies over there as well.”

Chen Feng naturally couldn’t use Black Wind Fortress as his headquarters. Only the mining mountain was suitable for him, as the portal was located there; he couldn’t leave it.

Liu Qian immediately said, “Sect Master, I will arrange it at once.”

Although Liu Qian didn’t understand why Chen Feng would abandon such a fine location as Black Wind Fortress, he didn’t ask questions. Doing more and speaking less was the proper attitude when facing a new employer.

“Your name is Liu Qian, right? I’ve heard about you. Your abilities are indeed good. I don’t care about the past; just do your job well for the Xingfeng Sect from now on.”

Chen Feng’s simple words did not put Liu Qian at ease. On the contrary, they made him feel a sense of dread. The fact that Chen Feng accepted him so easily made him feel as though Chen Feng didn’t care about him at all—and that was the most dangerous stance of all.

“Thank you, Sect Master! This subordinate will do his utmost to assist you!” Liu Qian bowed deeply. Though his heart was uneasy, he didn’t let it show on his face.

Chen Feng didn’t know about Liu Qian’s internal calculations, and even if he did, he wouldn’t care. He continued, “Mining operations will resume today. Send someone to notify the mortal miners. Also, have them move the stockpiled Blazing Sun Stone onto the conveyor belt. This must be completed tonight.”

The first thing Chen Feng needed to do upon his return was to restart the ore transport. The conveyor belt back at the warehouse in the modern world was already running. They were waiting on the ore there to process it into Blazing Sun Iron.

“Sect Master, I’ll take care of it immediately!” Wang Hu promised and promptly left.

Wang Hu was very familiar with the logistics of the Xingfeng Sect’s ore transport. It was best for him to handle it, as Liu Qian was not yet clear on how the sect previously operated.

After Wang Hu left, Chen Feng asked Liu Qian a few questions regarding He Sandao. He needed to know who He Sandao’s friends were so he could prepare in case someone came for revenge.

Liu Qian replied, “Sect Master, He Sandao was cunning and sinister. Even if he had friends, they were only superficial relationships; no one would likely seek revenge for him. However, Jiang Xiao was a member of the Jiang Family. Since Jiang Xiao died at your hands, the Jiang Family likely won’t let the matter rest.”

The Jiang Family was one of the three great families of Liuyang Town, boasting several Innate Realm experts within their ranks.

Chen Feng said, “Have someone keep an eye on the Jiang Family. Notify me if there’s any news. You may go now.”

For now, he could only have people watch the Jiang Family. They likely wouldn’t retaliate immediately; they would certainly investigate before taking action, which bought him some time.

Knowing that modern weapons could take down an Innate expert gave Chen Feng much more confidence than before. In a while, he would go buy some more equipment. If the Jiang Family dared to come for revenge, he would make sure they never left.

Liu Qian nodded and withdrew from the hall.

Once all the arrangements were made, Chen Feng sat cross-legged on the spot. He intended to practice the Qi Induction Formula.

He wanted to see if he could sense spiritual Qi within the painting world.

Chapter 19: No Aptitude for Cultivation? Technology to the Rescue.

Running the Qi Induction Formula for only a few seconds, Chen Feng immediately sensed a strange power existing in the surroundings.

“This is spiritual Qi!”

Chen Feng suddenly became excited.

Sure enough, his guess was correct; the modern world had no such thing as spiritual Qi. It only existed within the painting world.

Chen Feng began to follow the instructions of the Qi Induction Formula to draw the spiritual Qi into his body. Once the spiritual Qi entered his body, it was supposed to activate his spiritual apertures.

However, after the spiritual Qi entered his body and took a single lap through his system, it all flowed right back out. He didn’t feel any special changes in his body at all.

Chen Feng immediately flashed a bitter smile. “It seems I have no aptitude!”

Chen Feng had actually considered this. In the painting world, those able to practice cultivation were likely one-in-ten-thousand existence. If everyone could cultivate, wouldn’t there be cultivators everywhere? There was a reason why even “immortals” were rarely seen throughout the entire Yue Kingdom.

Having obtained a cultivation technique yet being unable to practice it left Chen Feng feeling filled with disappointment.

“Must I really practice martial arts?”

If he couldn’t cultivate, the only path left to him now was the path of a martial artist. But in martial arts, one’s lifespan was only slightly longer than that of a mortal, and even at the limit of one’s strength, it didn’t even equal half of a cultivator’s power.

Furthermore, an Innate Realm expert was already the limit for martial artists as far as Chen Feng knew. Even if there were stronger ones out there, they could definitely be killed with modern weapons. What was the point of practicing such a martial path?

Back in the modern world, he would still be like an ordinary person, unable to control his own destiny.

“According to the description in the Qi Induction Formula, spiritual Qi entering the body should activate the spiritual apertures. The less spiritual Qi required to activate them, the better one’s aptitude.”

“My inability to activate them doesn’t necessarily mean I don’t have spiritual apertures. It might just mean the spiritual Qi I absorbed isn’t enough.”

“Not enough spiritual Qi…”

Chen Feng fell into deep thought.

If he were a person of the painting world, he would definitely choose to give up upon realizing he had no aptitude. Even if one forcibly activated their spiritual apertures, it would mean their path of cultivation wouldn’t lead very far. Therefore, the techniques created by cultivators were all designed based on the requirement of having natural aptitude.

But Chen Feng was different. He was a man of the twenty-first century with the mindset of a modern person. The conditions and resources at his disposal were incomparable to this era.

“As long as I find a way to absorb more spiritual Qi, or perhaps store spiritual Qi within my body, there’s still hope of activating my apertures.”

Chen Feng thought of modern technology. Perhaps modern scientific methods could help him solve this problem. He wouldn’t give up lightly until he reached the very end of his rope. If he couldn’t absorb enough spiritual Qi on his own, he would find a way to force the issue.

Chen Feng stood up immediately and walked out of the main hall of Black Wind Fortress.

The martial artists guarding the door immediately saluted upon seeing him.

“Sect Master, do you have any orders?” one of the martial artists asked.

Chen Feng shook his head. “Tell Liu Qian that I’m heading back to the Xingfeng Sect for a while.”

With that said, Chen Feng left directly.

Modern world, Xingfeng Mining.

It was already nine in the evening when Chen Feng returned.

The factory had started operations today. The Blazing Sun Stone had been successfully transported over, and the first batch of Blazing Sun Iron was being produced around the clock. It would be ready for shipment to the munitions factory tomorrow.

Chen Feng went to the factory’s research lab.

Although it was nine at night, the lights in the lab were still on, but there was only one person busy inside. From the silhouette, Chen Feng knew it was Lin Wei.

Chen Feng walked into the research lab. Lin Wei, who was observing Blazing Sun Iron under a microscope, looked up.

“Professor Chen? It’s so late, why are you here?” Lin Wei seemed very surprised.

“I saw you were still busy and thought I’d stop by. What are you researching?”

Chen Feng glanced at the items laid out next to Lin Wei—they were various metallic raw materials.

“I’m synthesizing Blazing Sun Iron,” Lin Wei replied, her eyes filled with ambition. “I want to make its strength even more perfect.”

“I actually came here today to ask for your advice on a few questions, Professor Lin.” Chen Feng sat down.

The only person he could ask right now was Lin Wei. As a researcher from the Dragon Academy of Sciences, her knowledge in certain areas already surpassed a search engine.

“‘Ask for advice’ is too much. What kind of academic topics would you like to discuss, Professor Chen?”

Lin Wei showed significant interest. She had always wanted to exchange ideas with Chen Feng.

Chen Feng asked, “Is there any way to make the body absorb energy faster, or perhaps absorb more of it?”

Lin Wei froze for a moment. She hadn’t expected Chen Feng to ask her such a question. Although it was slightly outside her specialty, there were many experts in various fields at the Dragon Academy of Sciences, and having been exposed to it so much, her knowledge in other areas wasn’t poor either.

Lin Wei asked, “Specifically, what kind of energy?”

“Uh… something like radiation, or maybe gamma rays?”

Chen Feng didn’t know how to describe something like spiritual Qi.

Lin Wei looked at Chen Feng in astonishment. “Professor Chen, you really have quite the wild imagination. While others avoid radiation like the plague, you’re studying how to absorb it quickly.”

Chen Feng explained, “Research in other fields is also one of my interests.”

Lin Wei nodded. She was actually the same type of person as Chen Feng, enjoying the study of peculiar subjects.

“Professor Chen, you should know about the Carboniferous period, right?”

“Of course I know.” Chen Feng wondered why Lin Wei was suddenly asking about the Carboniferous period.

The Carboniferous was a prehistoric era from about 250 million years ago. The only things left behind were some biological fossils.

Lin Wei continued, “The Carboniferous was a period representative of a great flourishing of the plant world. During that time, because plants absorbed massive amounts of carbon dioxide and emitted oxygen, the oxygen content was far higher than it is today.”

“And a sufficient oxygen supply can promote the mitochondria within biological cells to absorb energy and matter more efficiently. This is why the flora and fauna of that era were generally massive in size.”

Lin Wei then turned the conversation back: “I don’t know how to quickly absorb radiation, but if there is a way, it would definitely be to create a high-oxygen environment. This would allow the human body to maintain a rapid metabolism, thereby achieving the ability to absorb large amounts of a certain substance or energy.”

Lin Wei’s words were a sudden moment of clarity for Chen Feng.

Of course!

If his body were in a special high-oxygen environment, perhaps he could absorb more spiritual Qi.

Thinking of this, Chen Feng immediately asked, “How can I create a high-oxygen environment? What equipment is needed?”

Seeing Chen Feng’s urgent manner, Lin Wei was puzzled, but she answered nonetheless.

“A hyperbaric oxygen chamber can do it. This equipment is generally used for medical treatment—for example, treating diseases related to hypoxia.”

“It’s also used for the physical recovery of athletes. High-pressure oxygen chambers can help them quickly restore normal oxidative metabolism and promote the recovery of serum and liver enzymes.”

“Great, thank you, Professor Lin!” Chen Feng thanked Lin Wei sincerely.

Lin Wei’s suggestion had given him hope. Although he couldn’t be sure if it would work, he intended to try it no matter what.

“Um… Professor Chen, do you really plan on going to absorb radiation?” Lin Wei looked at Chen Feng with a rather strange expression.

Because the way Chen Feng acted didn’t seem like an academic discussion; it seemed like he really intended to absorb radiation.

“How could I? I was just curious. Thank you, Professor Lin, you should get some rest early.”

Chen Feng then bid farewell to Lin Wei.

Right now, he desperately wanted to obtain a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and then transport it to the painting world to give it a try.

Chapter 20: No Time to Waste! Establishing a Pharmaceutical Company.

After bidding farewell to Lin Wei, Chen Feng returned to his room. He opened his laptop and began searching for where he could purchase a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

Before long, he found several medical institutions online that sold them. Prices ranged from 400,000 to over 1,000,000 RMB, depending on the quality.

Xingfeng Mining originally had over four million in liquid capital. His last purchase of firearms had cost 200,000 USD, which converted to over one million RMB.

Although he had already established a partnership with the state, the government’s system generally meant payment was only disbursed after the first order was completed. That first payment would only be around one million RMB or so.

The current order for Blazing Sun Iron was small; they would only place a large-scale order after the tank testing was successful. Furthermore, the factory was currently undergoing expansion, which also required significant funding.

Fortunately, he faced no pressure when it came to securing bank loans, so maintaining factory operations wasn’t an issue. Even so, at this moment, Chen Feng felt quite poor.

“It seems my plan to develop other industries can’t be delayed any longer,” Chen Feng thought to himself.

Relying solely on the mining industry brought in too little money, and the returns weren’t fast enough. The painting world contained many things that didn’t exist in the modern world. Only through multi-faceted development could he ensure he never lacked money while gaining more resources to utilize.

Chen Feng eventually placed an online order for a high-end hyperbaric oxygen chamber worth one million RMB. If he was going to buy one, it had to be the best. Since it concerned his cultivation, he certainly couldn’t afford to skimp on the cost.

After placing the order, he called to inquire about the delivery time. The seller informed him that it would be shipped the next day via air freight. They also asked if he required any additional services, such as a specialized assistant physician.

Chen Feng flatly refused. He wasn’t using the hyperbaric oxygen chamber to treat an illness.

Once that was settled, Chen Feng headed to the factory’s production workshop. Xingfeng Mining operated on a 24-hour schedule, with night shift wages being double that of the day shift. Chen Feng offered excellent benefits; he had always been generous toward his workers.

The production workshop was brightly lit. Workers were feeding Blazing Sun Stones into high-temperature furnaces to refine and separate the impurities. Simultaneously, they were adding other metals into the mix.

The workshop supervisor immediately rushed over when he saw Chen Feng enter.

“Boss, what brings you here?”

The supervisor was named Old Zhang. He had been in the mineral processing business for over a decade and had joined Xingfeng Mining as soon as it was founded.

“I came to check on production. You’re on the night shift too?” Chen Feng asked as he walked.

Old Zhang replied with a smile, “We’ve been expanding production lately, and we just hired a new batch of people today. I was worried they might not do a good job, so I came to keep an eye on things. Besides, it’s still early.”

Old Zhang had a very serious work ethic, which was exactly why Chen Feng valued him and paid him a monthly salary of 20,000 RMB. Chen Feng didn’t have to worry about the workshop’s affairs; Old Zhang managed it excellently, and the output was always consistent.

“Boss, you have no idea. The workers are full of energy lately. Everyone knows the iron we’re producing is for the military.”

Pride was etched across Old Zhang’s face. In his eyes, contributing to the nation was a great honor.

Chen Feng nodded. “Have the people from the research lab been to the workshop?”

Old Zhang shook his head. “No. Whenever they need something, we deliver it to them. They requested some finished Blazing Sun Iron today. Secretary Li gave instructions that the raw ore and other materials are not to be given to them.”

“Good. If they ask for raw ore, tell them to come find me.”

Chen Feng was somewhat relieved. If Lin Wei were allowed to research the Blazing Sun Stone itself, she would surely discover that this type of ore simply didn’t exist in the modern world. Currently, the transport of the stones from the painting world to the workshop was conducted in secret. The workers didn’t know what kind of ore it was either; they simply treated it as iron ore. To the naked eye, Blazing Sun Stone looked no different from iron ore.

After completing a circuit of the workshop, Chen Feng returned to the secret room and entered the painting world.

It was late at night here as well, and like Xingfeng Mining, the Xingfeng Sect was working overtime. Mortal miners were placing the excavated Blazing Sun Stones onto a conveyor belt.

“Sect Master!” Wang Hu approached him at that moment.

He had been personally overseeing the miners in the Xingfeng Sect. This was a task he could have delegated, but Wang Hu didn’t feel at ease and chose to do it himself. He knew how important these ores were to Chen Feng.

“Has everything from the Black Wind Fortress’s treasury been moved here?” Chen Feng asked.

He had previously looked over the inventory list for the Black Wind Fortress’s treasury. It contained many items: the wealth accumulated by the fortress over the years, as well as high-quality goods plundered from passing merchant caravans.

“Liu Qian has already had people deliver it. It’s at the sect headquarters.”

“Good. Let’s go see.”

Chen Feng then followed Wang Hu to the sect headquarters, which was currently under expansion. Construction of new buildings was proceeding day and night.

Chen Feng and Wang Hu went straight to a room within the headquarters. The entrance was guarded by a dozen martial artists. Upon seeing Chen Feng, the martial artists immediately saluted.

“Greetings, Sect Master!”

These men were originally bandits from the Black Wind Fortress who had now joined the Xingfeng Sect. Chen Feng didn’t recognize them at all; he couldn’t even remember which ones were the original Xingfeng Sect martial artists. To him, they were just tools that could be discarded at any time, so he didn’t bother memorizing their faces.

Chen Feng nodded as a brief acknowledgment.

Inside the room, the space was filled with crates. On the left were several small chests filled with gold taels. On the other side were miscellaneous items. There were high-quality weapons, various cultivation techniques used by martial artists, and an assortment of bottles and jars containing medicinal pills.

Chen Feng ignored the gold and the cultivation techniques. Instead, he walked over to the cabinet holding the pills. There were over a dozen types of medicine here.

The most common were small green bottles. Chen Feng recognized these; they were Healing Pills, the most commonly used medicinal pill. They were highly effective for treating external injuries. There were hundreds of bottles stacked here.

Wang Hu then pulled out a black bottle and said, “Sect Master, these are Life-Sustaining Pills. They are the same Innate-level pills we took before. I didn’t expect to find six bottles here!”

Chen Feng took the black bottle and sniffed it; it was indeed the same as the ones they had used. Each bottle contained ten pills. These were excellent items for saving lives.

Aside from the Healing Pills and Life-Sustaining Pills, there were also pills used for martial cultivation and some for strengthening the physical constitution.

Chen Feng asked, “What is the cost of producing these Healing Pills? How are they made?”

Chen Feng already intended to create a pharmaceutical company in the modern world. He would start by selling these Healing Pills. It wouldn’t do to put out something too miraculous right away, and these Healing Pills were undoubtedly the most suitable choice, as their effects weren’t too reality-defying. With his connections to Liu Mu and the others, he wasn’t afraid of people looking for trouble.

Wang Hu hadn’t expected Chen Feng to ask such a question. He shook his head. “I wouldn’t know about that. I only recognize them. As for how to manufacture them, you’d have to ask the alchemists. I believe there are a few sects in the Transverse Mountains that specialize in alchemy and medicine for profit. We could ask them.”

“Hm. Have Liu Qian summon the masters of those sects to see me tomorrow.”

Since Chen Feng intended to do this, he would act immediately. This new industry chain had to be started as soon as possible.

Chapter 21: Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals! Selling Only One Type of Medicine

The next day, Chen Feng woke up early.

He hadn’t returned to the modern world yesterday, instead spending the night in the painting world.

Not long after he stepped out of the secret chamber, Liu Qian greeted him.

“Sect Master! The sect masters you asked me to notify yesterday have arrived. They are waiting for you in the council hall.”

The council hall was specifically set up by Liu Qian for the Xingfeng Sect headquarters.

Although it was merely renovated based on the original sect headquarters’ main hall, it looked presentable and was no longer as shabby as before.

“So early? Let’s go then.”

Chen Feng yawned and headed to the council hall with Liu Qian.

Inside the council hall.

At this moment, a man and a woman were seated. Both of them were at the eighth level of the Post-Hearth Realm.

They were the sect masters of two sects in the Transverse Mountains specializing in herb gathering and alchemy.

Yesterday, they had received a message from Liu Qian: Chen Feng, the new owner of the Transverse Mountains, wanted to see them.

This made both of them incredibly anxious, so they rushed over early in the morning.

They had been waiting here for an hour.

“Sect Master Wang, your Spiritual Spring Sect is the closest to the Xingfeng Sect. Do you know what kind of person Chen Feng is?” the woman asked.

Wang Tian gave a bitter smile.

“Sect Master Qin, to be honest, although our Spiritual Spring Sect is very close to the Xingfeng Sect, our two families have almost never interacted.”

Wang Tian was now filled with regret.

The Xingfeng Sect was established three months ago near his sect.

At the time, he had considered whether to send someone to visit, but thinking that the Xingfeng Sect relied on mining for profit and had little to do with their alchemy sect, he had abandoned the idea.

If only he had known that the Xingfeng Sect’s Sect Master had such great capabilities, he would have done anything to forge a connection with him back then.

“Alas, I wonder what his temperament is like. I hope this summons isn’t for anything bad,” Qin Yao said worriedly.

Sect Master Wang thought for a moment and then said,

“This person should be easier to deal with than He Sandao. After he took over the Transverse Mountains, he hasn’t troubled us. Let’s wait until we meet him to discuss further.”

At this moment, Chen Feng and Liu Qian walked in from outside the council hall.

Qin Yao and the man immediately stood up, their gazes falling on Chen Feng.

They recognized Liu Qian as the former strategist of Black Wind Fortress.

The handsome man standing beside Liu Qian must be Chen Feng.

Although they had long heard that the Xingfeng Sect’s Sect Master was extremely young and liked to wear unusual clothing, both were still surprised at their first meeting.

“Greetings, Sect Master Chen!” Qin Yao and Wang Tian only froze for a second before recovering and quickly bowed to Chen Feng.

Chen Feng sat down in the main seat and then said,

“Both of you, please sit. Don’t be so constrained. Today, I’ve asked you to come to discuss cooperation.”

Hearing the word “cooperation,” Wang Tian and Qin Yao exchanged a glance, a flicker of surprise in their eyes.

Qin Yao softly asked, “I wonder what kind of cooperation Sect Master Chen has in mind?”

Qin Yao had previously thought that Chen Feng might have called them over to increase their offerings.

After all, alchemy and medicine making were very profitable. When He Sandao was in charge, he hadn’t skimped on leeching off them.

Now Chen Feng was talking about cooperation, which left her a little confused.

Chen Feng took out a Healing Pill and placed it on the table. Then he said,

“What is your output for this item?”

Seeing the Healing Pill, both were a little puzzled, not understanding why Chen Feng asked this.

Wang Tian replied,

“Healing Pills are the most basic pills. Our sect’s monthly output is about one hundred pills.”

Qin Yao immediately followed up with her answer:

“Our White Mist Sect has a similar output.”

Chen Feng continued to ask,

“If you were to dedicate all your efforts to producing this pill, how many could you produce in a month?”

“This…” Wang Tian pondered for a moment before answering.

“Healing Pills are basic pills, and the refining difficulty is not high. If all the alchemists in our sect refined them with full effort, we should be able to produce around three hundred pills.”

Chen Feng nodded, then smiled faintly.

“From today onwards, the Xingfeng Sect will take all the Healing Pills produced by both your sects, and at the same price as the outside market.”

“But there’s one condition: from now on, your two sects will only refine Healing Pills.”

At these words, not only were Qin Yao and the man stunned, but even Liu Qian, who was standing by, was somewhat bewildered.

Healing Pills, consumed by martial artists below the third level of the Post-Hearth Realm, were commonplace goods.

The former Black Wind Fortress’s annual consumption of these Healing Pills was only around one hundred.

Chen Feng suddenly wanting so many Healing Pills was completely incomprehensible.

The expressions on their faces were completely within Chen Feng’s expectations, but he wouldn’t explain anything.

“How do you two feel about this cooperation? Just say directly whether you agree or not.”

Chen Feng no longer smiled.

Wang Tian quickly said, “This is naturally no problem. I will go back shortly and have the sect send over all the Healing Pills in stock.”

Qin Yao also nodded in agreement.

Although neither of them knew why Chen Feng wanted so many Healing Pills, the cooperation Chen Feng proposed was beneficial to them.

While Healing Pills were low-grade pills and not expensive, less than one silver tael per pill, they understood the principle of small profits but quick turnover. Moreover, there was no failure rate in refining these pills.

As long as the Xingfeng Sect genuinely paid for everything, they would profit.

After a brief discussion with the two, Chen Feng had them leave.

The pill matter was settled for now.

Although Chen Feng could directly go to Liuyang Town to buy Healing Pills from places that sold them, acquiring a large quantity of Healing Pills all at once would inevitably attract attention.

Having the small sects in his territory refine them was undoubtedly the best approach.

Chen Feng could only feel at ease when things were under his control, and in the future, he could have them refine other pills.

The current Xingfeng Sect was not short of money; they had hundreds of thousands of silver taels and plenty of gold taels.

Acquiring the Healing Pills produced by the two sects wouldn’t cost much.

Three days passed in a flash.

Chen Feng had been busy these three days with the preparations for the pharmaceutical company.

He had brought another conveyor belt from the modern world, specifically for transporting pills.

Chen Feng also rented a small factory building near Xingfeng Mining to serve as the pharmaceutical company’s location.

Choosing to establish the pharmaceutical company near Xingfeng Mining was to facilitate the production of pills transported from the painting world.

His pharmaceutical company didn’t need any technical personnel, just a few machines to grind the Healing Pills into powder and package them into modern-world capsules.

One Healing Pill, when ground into powder, could fill ten capsules.

Because the production process involved almost no technology, it was entirely automated assembly line work.

The pharmaceutical company’s name was Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals.

Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals was currently undergoing renovation and would be ready for production very soon.

“Boss, I’ve already sent the medicine to the drug administration for clinical trials. We should receive the first phase of experimental feedback soon.”

“I just don’t know if there will be any problems with the trial results.”

The speaker was Li Xiaorou, who was with Chen Feng at the Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals factory grounds.

Workers were still renovating the factory grounds.

Li Xiaorou had learned three days ago that Chen Feng was going to start a pharmaceutical company. She was incredibly shocked that her boss suddenly wanted to start a pharmaceutical company.

Xingfeng Mining had already become a military-grade industrial enterprise. With a period of development, Xingfeng Mining could become the leading metal processing company in the country.

Rashly venturing into other industries carried too much risk, especially in the pharmaceutical industry, which required certain technical expertise.

She knew that her boss had already borrowed ten million from the bank.

Chen Feng nodded in response, “You don’t need to worry about the drug administration. There won’t be any problems with the drug trials.”

Chapter 22: Li Xiaorou Cries, the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Arrives

Chen Feng was somewhat familiar with the experimental procedures for medication. The domestic Drug Administration required at least four rounds of trials before a drug could be approved for the market.

Some companies’ drugs even required several years of long-term experimentation to pass, but that was because all side effects and reactions needed to be meticulously recorded.

His Healing Pill wouldn’t suffer from such issues.

The Healing Pill was refined using heavenly materials and earthly treasures from the painting world, combined with the special techniques of the painting world’s alchemists.

As long as the trials showed no side effects, it should pass quickly.

If the process really proved too slow, he could only turn to Liu Mu to pull some strings.

Hearing Chen Feng say he would handle the matter, Li Xiaorou felt a sense of relief. When it came to dealing with relevant government departments, she was out of her depth.

Li Xiaorou turned to ask, “By the way, Boss, what’s the name of our new drug?”

She only knew that the drug being developed was meant for external injuries.

Regarding the drug’s research and development, she had asked Chen Feng once. His explanation was that he had developed it himself.

Li Xiaorou didn’t believe that for a second.

Chen Feng had already developed Blazing Sun Iron, which was already heaven-defying enough. Even if Chen Feng were to develop something new again, it should have been related to metals. Medicine and metallurgy were completely unrelated fields.

Chen Feng thought for a moment and said, “Let’s just call it Healing No. 1.”

“Boss, isn’t that name a bit… plain?” Li Xiaorou wasn’t particularly fond of the name.

She felt like Chen Feng’s naming skills were truly lacking.

For a pharmaceutical product, surely it needed a grand, sophisticated name to attract attention. “Healing No. 1” sounded like some health supplement from several decades ago.

“The name isn’t the key; the efficacy is. It will still be some time before Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals is officially listed. I’ll be leaving this place for you to watch over in the future.”

Li Xiaorou nodded immediately. “Understood, Boss.”

Li Xiaorou was already managing Xingfeng Mining. Although another company, Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals, had been added to her plate, fortunately, Chen Feng’s businesses were all focused on a single product. There weren’t many complex affairs, so she could handle it alone.

Looking at Li Xiaorou’s beautiful, determined face, Chen Feng suddenly spoke.

“Xiaorou, I plan to promote you to General Manager of Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals. Your annual salary will be increased to 300,000.”

“Ah?” A massive wave of surprise hit her, leaving Li Xiaorou frozen in place.

She was just a young girl who had graduated from university and entered society only a few months ago. Chen Feng was actually letting her be the General Manager of a company.

This was something she hadn’t even dared to dream of.

In an instant, Li Xiaorou’s eyes turned red.

Seeing that Li Xiaorou was crying, Chen Feng asked, “What are you crying for? Do you not want to do it? If you think it’s too much trouble, then forget it.”

Li Xiaorou immediately shook her head like a rattle.

“No… Boss, I’m just too excited. I only graduated recently, and you were the one who let me join Xingfeng Mining and gave me a job. Now you’re making me a General Manager and placing so much trust in me… I really don’t know how to thank you.”

At this moment, Li Xiaorou was at a loss for words. Chen Feng’s trust and promotion left her overwhelmed. If he asked her to bear his children right now, she would probably agree without hesitation.

“There’s no need to be so emotional. Your own ability proved your worth. I have high expectations for you.”

The reason Chen Feng made Li Xiaorou the General Manager of Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals was that he needed a public face. Xingfeng Mining was one thing; as a mineral processing plant, it rarely required public appearances. But a pharmaceutical company was different; it needed someone to stand at the forefront.

Li Xiaorou was undoubtedly the best person to represent the company. Her abilities were good, and she didn’t have any hidden agendas.

“Don’t worry, Boss. I definitely won’t let your trust go to waste!”

Li Xiaorou wiped away her tears, secretly vowing in her heart that she would never disappoint Chen Feng.

Just then, Chen Feng’s phone rang. The person on the line informed him that the hyperbaric oxygen chamber he had purchased would soon be delivered to Xingfeng Mining and asked him to come and sign for it.

A smile appeared on Chen Feng’s face. The hyperbaric oxygen chamber he had been waiting three days for had finally arrived.

Chen Feng told Li Xiaorou to stay and keep an eye on things while he rushed toward Xingfeng Mining.

Whether his grand plan for cultivation would succeed depended entirely on this hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

At the entrance of Xingfeng Mining.

A large truck was currently being held up at the factory gates by the sentries on duty.

“No entry without a pass,” a sentry said sternly.

The truck driver and the manager from the medical equipment company were both stunned.

“You didn’t drive to the wrong place, did you?” the manager asked the driver.

This place looked like a high-security military zone. Not only were there sentries on guard, but the entire factory grounds were surrounded by barbed-wire fencing.

“I didn’t! It’s right here,” the driver was also bewildered.

He had delivered goods to this area several times before and knew the factories here. When he came to this area last time, this factory didn’t look like this.

The manager stepped forward cautiously and asked the sentry, “Comrade, excuse me, is this Xingfeng Mining?”

The manager couldn’t see any signs for Xingfeng Mining anywhere, not even a single billboard.

This was simply because Chen Feng couldn’t be bothered with signs; every penny he had was spent where it mattered most.

“That’s right, this is Xingfeng Mining. What are you here for?” The sentry looked at them warily.

Hearing that it was indeed the right place, the manager quickly said, “We’re here to deliver goods. Is Mr. Chen Feng available?”

The manager was inwardly shocked. A mineral processing plant actually had soldiers on guard; his client this time was likely no ordinary person.

At the mention of Chen Feng’s name, the sentry’s expression changed.

“Wait here, I’ll make a call.”

Just as the sentry picked up the phone to dial, Chen Feng walked over from the distance.

Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals was barely a few hundred meters away from Xingfeng Mining; it took him less than a few minutes to arrive.

“Professor Chen,” the two sentries greeted Chen Feng.

Chen Feng nodded, then walked up to the manager and said, “I am Chen Feng.”

The manager immediately extended his hand with a broad smile. “Mr. Chen, I am the manager of Boai Medical Equipment. Thank you for your support of our company.”

The manager had caught the sentry’s form of address. Not just anyone could be called a “Professor.” Moreover, being called “Professor” by a soldier clearly showed that Chen Feng’s status was far from simple.

Chen Feng shook the man’s hand perfunctorily and then asked, “Where’s the item?”

“Mr. Chen, you ordered our top-of-the-line model. Its total weight is one ton. Please follow me!”

The manager walked to the back of the truck and opened the rear doors.

Chen Feng immediately saw a futuristic-looking chamber sitting in the cargo hold.

The interior of the chamber was spacious and orderly. Besides a fixed bed, it was equipped with medical devices like a ventilator—it was fully equipped.

“Mr. Chen, what kind of patient will be using this hyperbaric oxygen chamber? Do they have a specific condition? I can provide some advice on how to use it.” The manager spoke enthusiastically.

He hadn’t brought a doctor with him this time because Chen Feng had declined one over the phone. Therefore, he could only give Chen Feng a brief explanation himself.

Chen Feng waved him off. “Just tell me how to operate it, you don’t need to worry about the rest.”

“Alright, alright.” Although the manager was curious, he didn’t pry.

He then began to explain the operation methods of the hyperbaric oxygen chamber to Chen Feng. They were mostly instructions on how to adjust oxygen concentration and increase the pressure. The chamber could be individually adjusted based on symptoms, making it very convenient.

Chen Feng didn’t listen to the parts about medical symptoms at all. Once he understood the operation, he called for the factory’s forklift to move the chamber inside.

He planned to send this thing into the painting world tonight and attempt his cultivation.

After the delivery was complete, the manager departed. Before leaving, he left his number for Chen Feng, saying he could call if anything was unclear.

As for other matters, the manager didn’t dare ask too much.

He felt that Chen Feng must be a powerful figure with deep connections. Otherwise, why would there be soldiers with live ammunition guarding the gate?

Chapter 23: He Is a Kindred Spirit!

The hyperbaric oxygen chamber was delivered to the warehouse entrance, drawing a large crowd of workers who gathered around, full of curiosity.

“What did the boss buy?”

“No idea. It looks like some kind of high-tech equipment.”

“This thing must be expensive, right?”

It was currently the dinner break, so the workers had congregated there to watch the commotion.

Not far away, Lin Wei approached with a few researchers. She froze for a moment when she saw the hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

“A hyperbaric oxygen chamber!”

With her academic background, Lin Wei recognized the equipment at a single glance.

She hadn’t expected Chen Feng to actually go out and get one; she had only mentioned it to him as a suggestion.

“Professor Lin, why did Professor Chen buy this? Does he have some kind of respiratory illness?” one of the researchers asked, puzzled.

Hyperbaric oxygen chambers were generally only used for medical conditions. Chen Feng was so young and appeared to be in perfectly good health.

Lin Wei replied, “He’s not sick. He bought it to experiment with the absorption of gamma rays and radiation. Professor Chen is a researcher who dares to take bold risks. You should all learn from him.”

“Huh?” The researchers were left completely bewildered.

How did medical equipment like a hyperbaric oxygen chamber have anything to do with radiation?

Lin Wei looked at the chamber, her eyes full of anticipation. She truly hoped Chen Feng was using it to absorb radiation; scientific research required the courage to seek breakthroughs from angles that others wouldn’t even dare to imagine.

Chen Feng’s way of thinking suited her tastes perfectly. She felt that he was a kindred spirit.

Lin Wei was obsessed with scientific research, and constant innovation was her ultimate goal. Although she had joined the Dragon Academy of Sciences, the people there were too rigid. They were overly cautious in their research, refusing to even attempt something if they felt it might not work.

This was precisely why she had taken the initiative to apply for a transfer to Xingfeng Mining. It was because she saw innovation in the Blazing Sun Iron.

“Let’s go back and get to work.”

Lin Wei led the researchers away. She planned to check in with Chen Feng after a while to ask about his experimental results. Whether the outcome was good or bad, if Chen Feng actually used a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to rapidly absorb radiation, it would undoubtedly be a brand-new breakthrough.

Chen Feng had no idea that a certain scientific fanatic had already labeled him a kindred spirit.

At that moment, he was driving a forklift to move the hyperbaric oxygen chamber into the warehouse. The device was simply too large to fit into the small room inside the warehouse, so he had to bring the painting out from the room instead.

Although the painting was small, Chen Feng had already tested it—even objects larger than the scroll itself would be shrunk the moment they touched the water-like ripples of its surface.

Soon, Chen Feng drove the forklift into the warehouse alone. He shut the main warehouse doors, then took out the painting and hung it on the wall.

Starting the forklift again, he slowly moved the hyperbaric oxygen chamber toward the painting. A series of ripples appeared, and the massive chamber vanished in the blink of an eye.

The painting returned to its calm state.

Chen Feng immediately hopped off the forklift, retrieved the painting, and hung it back up inside the small office room. Then, he entered the painting world.

The moment he entered, Chen Feng nearly collided with the hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Fortunately, his secret room was large enough that accommodating the device wasn’t an issue.

Chen Feng didn’t begin his cultivation immediately. Instead, he left the secret room to find Wang Hu. He told Wang Hu that he was going into seclusion and instructed him to take men to guard the entrance of the abandoned mine, allowing no one to enter.

Hearing that Chen Feng was going into seclusion, Wang Hu immediately called over a dozen men to stand guard at the mine’s entrance.

Returning to the secret room, Chen Feng connected the hyperbaric oxygen chamber to a generator and powered it on. The indicator lights flickered to life, displaying adjustable values for oxygen concentration and atmospheric pressure.

“Let’s try turning it up to the maximum first.”

Chen Feng wasn’t worried about an accident. There were manual control buttons inside the chamber; if he felt any physical discomfort, he could terminate the process at any time.

He adjusted the oxygen content to fifty percent. This was the maximum setting. Once everything was ready, he stepped into the hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

He sat cross-legged and began to absorb the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth according to the method described in the Qi Induction Formula.

In an instant, several times more spiritual Qi than before flooded into Chen Feng’s body.

Chen Feng was instantly exhilarated. “It actually works!”

He didn’t dare waste a second, quickly guiding the majestic spiritual Qi to circulate through his body. As a massive amount of spiritual Qi entered him, Chen Feng felt something slowly emerging within.

This was the first time Chen Feng had sensed the presence of his Spiritual Aperture. It was located in the area of his Dantian, appearing grayish-black and completely devoid of luster.

According to the Qi Induction Formula, once the Spiritual Aperture emitted light, it signified the completion of the first step of cultivation—reaching the first level of Qi Refining. This realm allowed the Spiritual Aperture to store spiritual Qi, which the cultivator could then use in small amounts.

Chen Feng continued his cultivation, intending to activate the Spiritual Aperture and break through to the first level of Qi Refining in one go.

Time flowed slowly. Three hours passed.

Chen Feng had completely lost his sense of time. In this meditative state, his entire focus was poured into guiding spiritual Qi into his Spiritual Aperture. At this point, the gray portions of the aperture had mostly disappeared. However, it still required more spiritual Qi before it would emit light.

In the blink of an eye, another five hours passed, and the sky outside had begun to brighten.

It was at that exact moment that the Spiritual Aperture within Chen Feng’s body suddenly burst with light. The aperture radiated like a brilliant star, and a faint layer of purple light clung to its surface.

Chen Feng was surprised.

According to the description in the Qi Induction Formula, an activated Spiritual Aperture should emit a pale blue light, yet his was glowing like this. It made him wonder if he had done something wrong.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, a thunderous explosion rang in his ears.

The entire hyperbaric oxygen chamber was instantly blown to pieces.

Chen Feng snapped his eyes open and looked around alertly.

The hyperbaric oxygen chamber, which weighed over a ton, had been reduced to fragments scattered across the floor. Everything in the room—furniture, appliances, and all—had been destroyed as if crushed by some immense force.

“This…”

Chen Feng was stunned. He didn’t see anyone else; he was the only one in the secret room.

What surprised him most was that despite being at the center of the explosion, he was completely unharmed.

Chen Feng stood up and looked at his body. He was completely naked, his clothes having been obliterated. His skin looked somewhat translucent compared to before, and upon closer inspection, it seemed to carry a faint shimmer.

“Reaching the first level of Qi Refining brings such a massive change?”

Chen Feng was beyond shocked.

He felt that his five senses had been elevated to a new height; he could even see the tiniest specks of dust as they fell through the air. He could even hear Wang Hu calling out from outside the abandoned mine. The voice sounded as clear as if it were right next to his ear.

“Sect Master, are you alright?”

“Sect Master!”

The calls from outside continued. Chen Feng didn’t have time to examine the changes in his body in detail; he quickly threw on a set of clothes and walked out of the secret room.

Chapter 24: Did I Just Get Plastic Surgery? A Descended Immortal

Just as he stepped out of the secret room, Chen Feng felt light on his feet. His body had become incredibly nimble.

He tried pushing off with his legs. In a mere instant, his figure blurred, leaping across a distance of over a hundred meters to arrive directly at the mine entrance. It was as if he had teleported.

“Is this really Level 1 Qi Refining?” Chen Feng looked at his own body, his face filled with disbelief.

According to the Qi Induction Formula, a practitioner at Level 1 Qi Refining can only mobilize a small portion of the spiritual Qi within their spiritual apertures. Physically, there should be almost no difference between them and a mortal. In terms of combat, being able to cast one or two minor spells is already considered good, and their spiritual Qi would usually be depleted after only a few uses.

But now, not only did his skin look as if it had been smoothed over by a beauty camera’s filter, but his speed and strength had also improved to a terrifying degree.

“Sect Master, are you alright?” Wang Hu’s worried voice rang out as he led his men into the mine.

When they saw Chen Feng standing there, everyone froze in their tracks. To them, Chen Feng’s appearance had undergone a world-shaking transformation.

Chen Feng’s short hair was gone, replaced by a mane of silver hair that flowed over his shoulders like a waterfall. Each strand shimmered with a faint silver light, resembling silken threads spun from moonlight.

Chen Feng had already been quite handsome, but now his facial features looked as if they had been meticulously carved, and a transcendent aura lingered between his brows. Although they could still tell that the man before them was their Sect Master, the feeling he gave them was entirely different.

To Wang Hu, the Chen Feng standing in the distance looked like a descended immortal who had come down to the mortal realm; that otherworldly temperament was simply not something a mortal could possess.

Seeing their dazed expressions, Chen Feng immediately touched his face. Only then did he realize his hair had grown long and changed color.

“Everyone, out!” Chen Feng said calmly.

Wang Hu snapped out of it and hurriedly shouted to the men around him, “Everyone, out!”

Wang Hu’s heart was filled with shock; he wondered if Chen Feng had actually cultivated into an immortal. Just catching Chen Feng’s gaze gave him the sensation of being completely seen through—an expression he had never encountered before, full of mystery and depth.

After Wang Hu and the others left, Chen Feng returned to the secret room and found a mirror. He was stunned by the reflection staring back at him.

“Did I just get plastic surgery?”

He could hardly believe the person in the mirror was himself.

“I’ve only reached Level 1 Qi Refining. Why would there be such a drastic change? Where did I go wrong?”

Becoming worried, Chen Feng began to examine his body in detail. He soon discovered that his transformation was linked to the spiritual apertures within him. They were radiating a starlight-like glow, with a continuous stream of spiritual Qi flowing from them and permeating his entire body.

Chen Feng immediately focused on controlling his apertures to retract the spiritual Qi. As the Qi receded, his silver hair shrank back into his original short hairstyle before his eyes, and his physique returned to normal. The feeling of weightlessness also vanished.

“Could it be that absorbing too much spiritual Qi caused the spiritual apertures to mutate?” Chen Feng wondered.

Fortunately, he could return to his previous appearance. If he went back to the modern world looking like that, he’d definitely be hauled away for research.

Chen Feng glanced at the wreckage in the secret room but ignored it for now. He deactivated the teleportation channel and walked out of the mine. At the entrance, Wang Hu was reprimanding the dozen or so men.

“No one is to speak a word of what happened today! If anyone breathes a single syllable, don’t blame me for being ruthless!” A fierce look crossed Wang Hu’s face.

Although he didn’t know exactly what change had occurred, it certainly had to do with the immortals. If news spread that Chen Feng was practicing immortal cultivation, the entire Yue Kingdom would likely come looking for trouble. An immortal… that was something every martial artist yearned for.

The dozen Xingfeng Sect martial artists nodded like chickens pecking at rice. Since experiencing the last betrayal, Wang Hu’s personality had matured significantly; he no longer blindly trusted others. In this life, he would only trust Chen Feng. Thus, he had already decided that these men would be confined to the Xingfeng Sect forever. If any dared to leave, he would kill them without hesitation.

“Sect Master!” one of the martial artists exclaimed, spotting Chen Feng emerging from the mine.

Wang Hu also saw Chen Feng and was slightly surprised to see that he had returned to his original appearance. “Sect Master, are you alright?” Wang Hu asked with concern.

Chen Feng waved his hand. “I’m fine. Have someone go in and clean up the secret room.”

Wang Hu quickly arranged for the men to do the cleaning. It was then that Chen Feng noticed several Xingfeng Sect buildings had collapsed, and even some trees on the mining mountain had been snapped in half.

“What happened here?”

Wang Hu explained, “Sect Master, about an hour after you began your secluded meditation, a sudden gale swept through the entire Xingfeng Sect. A mysterious power appeared within the sect, and then everything ended up like this.”

Hearing this, Chen Feng understood that the “mysterious power” must have been the spiritual Qi. He hadn’t expected using the hyperbaric oxygen chamber would cause such a massive disturbance.

At that moment, he also realized why the hyperbaric oxygen chamber had exploded: it simply couldn’t withstand that much spiritual Qi.

Wang Hu asked hesitantly, “Sect Master… have you become an immortal?”

Seeing the expectant look in Wang Hu’s eyes, Chen Feng smiled and replied, “Not quite, but I’m working on it.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Hu broke into a wide, honest grin. “I knew the Sect Master was no ordinary man.”

In less than half than an hour, the secret room had been cleaned. Chen Feng told Wang Hu he would continue his meditation and returned inside. He planned to head back to the modern world to ask Lin Wei about his physical condition.

Lin Wei was the one who had told him about using the hyperbaric oxygen chamber to absorb spiritual Qi. He didn’t know if his current state was dangerous. After all, using modern technology to assist in immortal cultivation was something no one had ever tried before.

Modern World, Research Lab.

Lin Wei looked at the metal ingot in her hand with a satisfied expression. “Both hardness and lightness have improved significantly, but this isn’t the limit yet.”

Lin Wei had been focusing her research on Blazing Sun Iron lately; the piece in her hand was her latest successful improvement. This batch of Blazing Sun Iron was about ten percent stronger than before. Although she hadn’t fully unraveled seventy percent of the substances within the iron, the strength could still be enhanced by processing and fusing it with other metals.

“Professor Lin!” Chen Feng’s voice came from the entrance as he stepped into the lab.

Lin Wei’s eyes brightened when she saw him. She immediately asked, “Have you tried absorbing the radiation yet? How was the effect?”

Seeing the expectation in her eyes, Chen Feng was momentarily speechless. “Professor Lin, didn’t I say? I’m not absorbing radiation myself; I was just having an academic discussion with you.”

This woman actually thought he went out to absorb radiation. Who in their right mind would do that? Was she trying to shorten his life? He had no idea how her brain worked.

“I understand, I understand. So, does Professor Chen have some other business today?” Lin Wei smiled knowingly and didn’t press him further.

Chapter 25: Practicing the Fireball Spell! Transcendental State

Chen Feng sat across from Lin Wei and said, “You probably know I bought a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. I conducted my first experiment today using animals. I found that using the chamber indeed allows a living being to rapidly absorb radiation, but some problems occurred.”

Chen Feng had no choice but to use animals as a cover story. He couldn’t possibly tell Lin Wei that he was the one absorbing spiritual Qi.

Lin Wei asked immediately, “What kind of problems?”

“The radiation enhanced the animal’s physical body in every aspect, but this radiation permeated its entire body, causing it to undergo a mutation,” Chen Feng explained.

After listening to Chen Feng’s description, Lin Wei was somewhat surprised. She then said, “While I don’t know which type of radiation you exposed the animal to, I suspect it isn’t radiation at all, but rather a form of special energy.”

Chen Feng looked at Lin Wei with some surprise. This woman could tell it wasn’t radiation just from his simple description.

“I suspect two possible scenarios led to the phenomenon you described.”

“First, because the pressure and oxygen content provided by the hyperbaric oxygen chamber were too high, it caused an over-absorption of that energy. Furthermore, this absorption wasn’t localized; every part of the body was absorbing it simultaneously.”

“Do you remember when I mentioned the Carboniferous period to you? The flora and fauna of the Carboniferous were different from humans. Many creatures didn’t have lungs; they relied on other parts of their bodies to absorb vast amounts of oxygen.”

“As for the second scenario, it’s possible that the environment where you used the hyperbaric oxygen chamber already had an extremely high oxygen content, making the effects of the chamber much more potent than in a normal environment.”

Lin Wei’s answers made Chen Feng feel that both scenarios were likely.

When he was cultivating, he had felt as though his entire body was filled with spiritual Qi. This perfectly matched the state where the whole body was absorbing energy.

Generally speaking, once a cultivator reached Level 1 Qi Refining, and only their Spiritual Aperture would contain spiritual Qi.

The Qi Induction Formula contained no records of spiritual Qi permeating every part of the body.

Seeing Chen Feng deep in thought, Lin Wei continued, “As for why all aspects of the body were enhanced, it’s likely due to the unique nature of the energy combined with its excessive amount.”

“However, regardless of the energy type, if it exceeds the limits of what a biological organism can endure, it becomes dangerous.”

“You must have seen movies where the protagonist gains Superman-like powers after absorbing some energy, but once they use it for too long, they enter a weakened state or even face life-threatening danger.”

“I call this state the ‘Transcendental State.’ Of course, this is just my hypothesis. I’d need actual data to prove it.”

Chen Feng nodded slightly. “Thank you for clearing that up.”

Having said that, Chen Feng stood up. He roughly understood the changes he was undergoing.

It was because he had absorbed too much spiritual Qi.

Just as Lin Wei said, he probably shouldn’t maintain that state of being filled with spiritual Qi for long periods.

Storing spiritual Qi outside the Spiritual Aperture, where it permeated the entire body, would surely cause damage.

He still had the constitution of a mortal. Although he had taken pills to strengthen his physique, spiritual Qi was no simple substance.

In the future, he would have to use his spiritual Qi carefully. His confusion mostly stemmed from the fact that he had no other cultivators to use as a reference.

Lin Wei suddenly leaned close to Chen Feng’s ear and whispered, “Actually, if you’re working on a research project, you can invite me to join. I promise I won’t tell anyone else!”

Lin Wei was currently extremely interested in Chen Feng’s “research.” To think there was an energy that could cause mutations in animals!

It was surely a form of energy matter she had never encountered before.

Looking at Lin Wei’s expectant gaze, Chen Feng smiled and said, “I’ll let you know if the opportunity arises, Professor Lin.”

Chen Feng obviously wouldn’t tell Lin Wei he was practicing immortality. He still knew too little about this woman.

Unless she was completely under his control, he would never reveal his secrets to her.

Lin Wei said helplessly, “Fine. If you have any more questions in the future, you can ask me anytime. I’m always willing to discuss them with you.”

Chen Feng gave a slight nod and then bid farewell to Lin Wei.

He planned to go back and order another hyperbaric oxygen chamber. The previous one was gone; he figured that if he lowered the power setting next time, it shouldn’t explode.

Returning to his room, Chen Feng immediately took out the business card of the manager from Bo’ai Medical Equipment and gave him a call.

He told the man he wanted to purchase another hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

Hearing that Chen Feng wanted another one, the manager immediately guaranteed it would be delivered within three days.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.

During these two weeks, Chen Feng spent most of his time cultivating within the painting world.

After he lowered the oxygen settings on the new hyperbaric oxygen chamber, it never exploded again.

Consequently, the storm-like surges of spiritual Qi no longer appeared at the Xingfeng Sect.

In half a month’s time, Chen Feng’s realm had risen to Level 2 Qi Refining. He wasn’t sure if his cultivation speed was fast or slow.

Now, Chen Feng had begun practicing the spells recorded in the Qi Induction Formula.

The most basic among them were the Fireball Spell and the Wind Blade Spell. Both of these techniques utilized spiritual Qi to activate.

The Fireball Spell was the first spell Chen Feng learned. It allowed him to manifest a fireball in his palm to use against enemies.

According to the Qi Induction Formula, the fireball produced by this spell was different from ordinary fire; it was a type of spirit fire. Not only did it burn rapidly, but it also possessed an extremely high temperature.

In a dense forest within the Xingfeng Sect’s mining mountain.

Chen Feng, his hair now silver, stood before a large tree. At this moment, he was in the Transcendental State, his Spiritual Aperture fully activated.

A tiny flame flickered in Chen Feng’s right hand, only about the size of a thumb.

Chen Feng threw the flame toward a tree five meters away. Empowered by spiritual Qi, the flame instantly latched onto the trunk.

In a mere instant, the originally tiny flame expanded, dynamic and fierce, engulfing the trunk.

The fire burned for only a single second before the tree trunk was reduced to ashes.

Chen Feng revealed a look of satisfaction.

“Although it’s only a primary Fireball Spell, its power is likely something even the True Qi of an Innate Realm master couldn’t block!”

Now, he truly possessed the power of self-preservation.

Once his Spiritual Aperture was activated, every part of his body was suffused with spiritual Qi, granting him an all-around enhancement.

The True Qi of an ordinary Innate master could no longer harm him.

Combined with an offensive method like the Fireball Spell, he could now be considered a top-tier expert in the entire Yue Kingdom.

Chen Feng withdrew the spiritual Qi into his Spiritual Aperture, and his body immediately reverted to its original appearance.

Looking at the changes in his body, Chen Feng felt a slight headache. The Transcendental State was indeed formidable, but he couldn’t fully control it.

As long as he utilized the spiritual Qi within his Spiritual Aperture, it would flood through his body like a deluge.

Furthermore, it consumed spiritual Qi at an immense rate.

With his current Level 2 Qi Refining cultivation, he could only maintain the Transcendental State for three minutes.

Once three minutes passed, not only would his spiritual Qi be depleted, but even his internal organs would suffer from a burning sensation.

“Perhaps it will get better as my cultivation level rises,” Chen Feng consoled himself.

Ending his practice, Chen Feng walked out of the dense forest and immediately saw Wang Hu guarding the perimeter with a dozen men.

“Sect Master!”

Wang Hu and the others bowed respectfully.

The gaze Wang Hu and the others leveled at Chen Feng was filled with awe and reverence; they had seen the firelight within the forest just now.

In their minds, their Sect Master was already equivalent to an immortal.

These men were the same group who had witnessed Chen Feng’s immortal-like appearance last time.

By now, these dozen or so people formed the backbone of the Xingfeng Sect.

Chen Feng noticed that the lowest cultivation among them was the fifth level of the Post-Hearth Realm.

The highest was Wang Hu, who had already reached the ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm.

He was only a single step away from the Innate Realm.

Having reached the Qi Refining stage, Chen Feng was now able to see through the cultivation levels of these martial artists at a glance.

Chapter 26: The Medicine Is Called Healing No. 1

The reason Wang Hu and his men were able to improve so quickly was primarily due to the Profound Yellow Technique that Chen Feng had obtained from Jiang Xiao.

He had given the manual to Wang Hu.

In less than half a month of cultivation, Wang Hu had already broken through two consecutive cultivation levels. This progress alone demonstrated that Wang Hu’s innate talent wasn’t poor; he had simply lacked a good cultivation technique and sufficient resources, which was why he had been stuck at the seventh level of the Post-Hearth Realm for so long.

After taking over Black Wind Fortress, the Xingfeng Sect had become quite wealthy. They were now able to distribute some cultivation resources to the martial artists within the sect. The dozen or so men around Wang Hu had been handpicked by him to receive a portion of the Profound Yellow Technique, being groomed as the sect’s core foundation.

“Not bad, you’ve already reached the ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm. If you need any medicinal pills, feel free to take them from the treasury. Try to break through to the Innate Realm as soon as possible,” Chen Feng said to Wang Hu.

If Wang Hu could reach the Innate Realm, the sect would have a guaranteed layer of protection even when Chen Feng wasn’t personally at the Xingfeng Sect headquarters.

“Please rest easy, Sect Master. Your subordinate will not disappoint you.”

Wang Hu did not refuse. He understood that only by increasing his strength could he be of greater help to Chen Feng.

The Innate Realm—this was something he hadn’t dared to even dream of before. Although he had practiced martial arts since childhood, his resources were limited. Reaching the ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm in a single lifetime would have already been considered a success. But after meeting Chen Feng, his destiny had completely changed.

As Chen Feng looked at Wang Hu and his group, a sudden thought struck him.

These men were now quite loyal. Should he acquire some modern weapons to equip them? That would rapidly increase the Xingfeng Sect’s combat power. Improving the strength of his martial artists would also benefit him. For instance, they could sell modern technology in the painting world while helping him source rare medicinal herbs, saving him from having to take risks himself.

However, Chen Feng was currently very short on cash.

The weapons from Jack were expensive, Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals had not yet started selling drugs to make money, and he still owed the bank ten million. Although the first part of the state’s Blazing Sun Iron order was complete, the government wouldn’t make large-scale purchases until the performance tests on the newly manufactured tanks were finished.

The items in the Xingfeng Sect treasury were things he could sell for money. For example, he could auction off those rare medicinal pills. But if he put even a few Innate-level pills on the market, the entire pharmaceutical industry would likely experience a massive upheaval.

Chen Feng eventually left the dense forest with Wang Hu and the others and returned to the Xingfeng Sect headquarters.

As soon as they arrived, he saw several horse-drawn carriages loaded with goods inside the sect grounds. Liu Qian was leading a group of men to take inventory of the items on the carriages.

Among the group were two of Chen Feng’s acquaintances: Wang Tian and Qin Yao, the leaders of the small alchemy sects he had met half a month ago.

Upon seeing Chen Feng, the group immediately cupped their fists in greeting.

“Greetings, Sect Master!”

“Greetings, Sect Master Chen!”

Qin Yao and Wang Tian greeted Chen Feng with great respect. This respect was genuine. Initially, they had thought Chen Feng would force their sects to refine Healing Pills without payment. To their surprise, every time they delivered the pills, the Xingfeng Sect paid the full market price.

Medicinal pills weren’t easy to sell these days. Small alchemy sects like theirs usually had to find their own buyers. Having a stable sales channel was an opportunity they could only dream of. Furthermore, after the Xingfeng Sect took control of the Transverse Mountains, it didn’t exploit the smaller sects like Black Wind Fortress had. As long as they paid their tribute, they were left alone.

This gave them a sense of belonging to the Xingfeng Sect, replacing the constant anxiety they had felt under the rule of Black Wind Fortress.

“How many pills did you bring this time?” Chen Feng asked, noting that the two large carriages were fully loaded.

“Roughly twenty thousand in total,” Qin Yao said softly.

Chen Feng was momentarily stunned. “Didn’t you two say your sects’ combined monthly output was only three hundred pills?”

It had only been half a month, and from what Chen Feng knew, these two sects had already delivered pills several times. It started with a few hundred, then grew to a few thousand. This time, they had brought twenty thousand.

Wang Tian said with some embarrassment, “We recently recruited some new alchemists, so our output increased.”

In truth, Wang Tian and Qin Yao had initially delivered so few pills because they were afraid Chen Feng wouldn’t pay. After several successful transactions confirmed that the Xingfeng Sect truly intended to pay, they had gone all out with their refining.

Now, Wang Tian and Qin Yao were a bit nervous. If Chen Feng refused these Healing Pills, they would be ruined. Although the cost per pill was low, the sheer quantity made the investment enormous.

Chen Feng glanced at them and immediately understood their previous reservations. “Very well, take them all.”

Hearing Chen Feng’s words, Qin Yao and Wang Tian finally sighed in relief. With Chen Feng’s approval, Liu Qian paid them promptly. Afterward, Qin Yao and Wang Tian left with satisfied smiles on their faces.

Once they had departed, Liu Qian turned to Chen Feng and said, “Sect Master, we have now acquired thirty thousand pills, spending a total of approximately forty thousand silver taels.”

Liu Qian had essentially become the grand manager of the Xingfeng Sect, handling all internal and external affairs, while Wang Hu managed the martial artists. Liu Qian didn’t understand why Chen Feng wanted so many pills; in his view, wasting such a large amount of wealth on these basic Healing Pills was unnecessary.

After half a month, he had become more familiar with Chen Feng, so he wanted to offer a piece of advice. Currently, the Xingfeng Sect’s income was low, relying only on tributes from subordinate sects. They were effectively living off their reserves. This deficit couldn’t be sustained for long, and Liu Qian worried the sect might eventually go bankrupt.

“Don’t worry. These pills will be sold off in a while.”

Chen Feng didn’t provide a lengthy explanation. Once Healing No. 1 passed the Drug Administration’s trials and hit the market, these pills would be cleared out quickly.

Making money in the modern world was a hassle for Chen Feng, but it wasn’t a problem in the painting world. He only needed to bring items that didn’t exist in this world from the modern era and sell them in Liuyang Town to instantly gain a massive influx of funds.

The reason he hadn’t done this on a large scale was the fear of attracting unwanted attention. Now that he had reached Level 2 Qi Refining and had men like Wang Hu, he didn’t need to worry as much. Once the medicine was officially on the market, he intended to start pursuing that plan.

In the modern world, inside a laboratory at the Drug Administration.

Researchers were busy at their stations. This was the place where drug testing was conducted. In this country, a drug could only be approved for the market after passing clinical trials by the Drug Administration. These trials were extremely rigorous to ensure the drugs were harmless to the human body.

The head of the laboratory was named Gao Deming. He had been involved in pharmaceutical testing for decades and was a prominent figure in the domestic medical field.

At that moment, a staff member approached Gao Deming with a file. “Professor Gao, there’s a new drug that needs to undergo clinical trials.”

Gao Deming frowned. “I haven’t even finished the current batch of drugs. Why are we starting the next one already?”

The staff member hesitated before saying, “This was specifically approved by the bureau leadership.”

Upon hearing this, Gao Deming immediately understood—someone had used connections to jump the queue. Generally, drug trials required a long wait; sometimes a year or two was common. However, it was inevitable that some companies would play dirty to get ahead. Gao Deming disliked this practice intensely, but as a professor, there wasn’t much he could say.

“What drug is it? What’s it for?” Gao Deming continued with his experiment, asking nonchalantly.

The staff member looked at the file and hesitated again before saying, “The drug is called ‘Healing No. 1.’ Its clinical efficacy is stated as… treating all conditions related to external injuries, with absolutely no side effects.”

The moment those words were spoken, everyone in the laboratory looked up at the staff member who had read the file.

Chapter 27: Miracle! A True Miracle!

Gao Deming stopped the experiment he was working on and stared at the staff member in front of him.

The staff member swallowed hard and said, “That is exactly what’s written in the documentation.”

“Pharmaceutical companies these days really have no bottom line. All they know how to do is brag and boast without any shred of integrity!”

Gao Deming’s face was flush with rage, and the other staff members in the lab shared his indignation.

Treating all trauma-related conditions? Even those unscrupulous businesses pushing health supplements wouldn’t dare make such a claim.

This was an outright scam. Most importantly, it claimed the drug had no side effects whatsoever. How could such a medicine possibly exist in this world?

Seeing the anger radiating from everyone in the laboratory, the staff member asked hesitantly, “Professor Gao, should we still proceed with the clinical trials for this drug?”

Truthfully, the staff member also felt the drug was unreliable; even the name sounded like some generic health supplement.

Gao Deming let out a cold snort. “Bring it here!”

Initially, Gao Deming hadn’t been interested in the slightest, but now he truly wanted to see what kind of medicine dared to talk so big. He also wanted to know what the ingredients were; as soon as he found anything non-compliant, he would reject it immediately.

The staff member quickly handed the medicine over to Gao Deming. They were capsules.

Chen Feng had ordered people to grind the pills into powder and then package them into capsules.

Gao Deming opened one of the capsules and took a sniff. He frowned.

Having worked in the pharmaceutical industry for decades, he could usually guess the general components of a drug just by smelling it. But he couldn’t recognize a single thing about this capsule.

“You few, take these and run a lab analysis,” Gao Deming said, handing some capsules to the researchers for testing.

He then took a single capsule and walked over to a lab mouse. Gao Deming used a bacteria-laden scalpel to cut the mouse’s body and then fed the medicinal powder to the creature.

Since this drug claimed to treat all trauma-related issues, he wanted to see if it possessed any antibiotic properties. If an infected wound wasn’t treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, it would fester and become purulent within a few days.

After administering the dose, Gao Deming ignored the mouse and returned to the experiment he had been working on previously.

In the blink of an eye, three hours passed. Gao Deming remained immersed in his work.

Suddenly, several researchers came running over, clutching lab reports. Their faces were masks of disbelief.

“Professor!”

The shout was so loud it instantly grabbed everyone’s attention in the laboratory.

Gao Deming said displeasedly, “I’ve told you many times before—do not shout in the lab. Don’t you know it affects the drug trials?”

Ignoring the reprimand, one of the researchers spoke with shock in his voice: “Professor, according to our analysis, the components in Healing No. 1 are unknown. We can’t find any matches in our entire database.”

Hearing this, Gao Deming’s expression shifted instantly.

The Drug Administration’s database was a massive repository of countless medicinal components. A simple test should have been able to match the ingredients to corresponding data.

And yet, there were ingredients in this drug that they couldn’t detect. This meant that the substances in this medicine were entirely unknown to them.

Gao Deming took the report and read it in detail.

“How is this possible!”

His aged face was no longer as calm as before. Every medicine has ingredients. How many unknown substances could there possibly be on this Earth that weren’t in their database?

Gao Deming walked quickly to the lab mouse he had fed earlier.

To his shock, the wound on the mouse had already scabbed over. It had only been three hours.

“This…”

Gao Deming’s eyes widened, and the other researchers looked on with equal shock.

In just three hours, the mouse’s wound had formed a scab. Although animals have much stronger recovery capabilities than humans, a wound scabbing over in just a few hours was still hard to believe.

“Quick, send the mouse for testing!”

“Also, analyze the number of components in the drug again and conduct a second trial!” Gao Deming shouted.

All the researchers immediately dropped what they were doing and began pouring all their efforts into testing Healing No. 1. Even when it was time for dinner, the entire laboratory remained a hive of activity.

…

It wasn’t until evening that the work in the research lab finally halted.

Gao Deming and the others gathered together. Looking at the Healing No. 1 capsules before them, every face was filled with incredulity.

After several hours of testing, they discovered that this drug was effective against over thirty different types of trauma-related conditions. Furthermore, almost no side effects appeared after using Healing No. 1. There weren’t even minor allergic reactions or adverse discomfort.

Due to the limited time, they couldn’t fully determine exactly how many trauma-related illnesses the drug could treat. But the varieties they had confirmed today were already enough to defy the heavens.

“Professor, are we dreaming? Does a miracle drug like this really exist? Is someone about to win a Nobel Prize?” one researcher blurted out, breaking the silence in the lab.

Every person here had spent years conducting drug trials. Testing Healing No. 1 felt as if they were witnessing history in the making. It was just like the discovery of Artemisinin—from discovery to testing, every step was heart-pounding.

Suppreing his excitement, Gao Deming said, “Proceed directly to human trials. Go call the test subjects in!”

The tests they had conducted so far were on animals; this time, he intended to test it on a human.

As a researcher was about to run out, Gao Deming seemed to think of something and immediately called him back.

“No need. I’ll test it myself first!”

As soon as he said this, the expressions of everyone in the lab changed.

“Professor, that won’t do! The risk is too high!”

“Yes, what if something goes wrong? Let’s just have the regular test subjects come in.”

Gao Deming waved his hand. “When Professor Tu discovered Artemisinin, she also tested the medicine on herself. For a revolutionary new drug like this, I must be the one to conduct the first human trial!”

With that, Gao Deming swallowed a capsule of Healing No. 1.

Based on the previous trials, Gao Deming could already tell that Healing No. 1 would undoubtedly make history, potentially reaching a status equal to that of Artemisinin. Testing the drug on himself would be enough to ensure his name went down in history.

For a person dedicated to pharmaceutical research, this was a supreme honor.

At Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals, Li Xiaorou was busy in her office.

After this period of preparation, the Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals factory grounds had been completed, and the staff recruitment was mostly finished. Now, they were just waiting for news from the Drug Administration. Li Xiaorou was currently very anxious.

Although she had handled everything else, the question of whether Healing No. 1 could pass the Drug Administration’s tests remained a problem. After all, Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals was currently only planning to sell this one drug.

If it didn’t pass, they would be burning money every day. To speed up the testing process, she had even specifically asked Lin Wei to help by calling the Drug Administration.

Although her boss said he would handle it, Li Xiaorou had still taken the initiative to pull some strings. She hoped Healing No. 1 would reach the market as soon as possible.

Just then, the office door was pushed open, and a staff member rushed in.

“Manager, the people from the Drug Administration are here. A lot of officials have arrived.”

“The Drug Administration?” Li Xiaorou was a bit surprised.

Reasonably speaking, if Healing No. 1 had passed the trials, the Drug Administration should have just mailed back the approved paperwork. Even if it had failed, they would have informed them by phone. Why would they show up in person?

Chapter 28: No Authorization, Cannot Access This Person’s Profile

At the Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals factory grounds.

Gao Deming and a group of people arrived on the scene. After conducting human trials of Healing No. 1, Gao Deming had already confirmed that the drug was harmless to the human body.

Upon discovering the efficacy of Healing No. 1, he had immediately reported the matter.

A drug capable of treating such a wide variety of traumatic injuries was undoubtedly a monumental innovation in the pharmaceutical industry; it was a matter that had to be reported.

Following his report, representatives from the Ministry of Health and several experts had traveled with him to Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals to conduct an on-site inspection.

Everyone was eager to know how Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals had managed to develop such a drug.

“Old Gao, is this medicine truly as miraculous as you say?”

The speaker was a middle-aged man wearing glasses—Jiang Lihua, the Vice Minister of the Dragon Nation’s Ministry of Health.

Several others stood beside him.

Among them were the Director-General of the Drug Safety and Supervision Department, the Director of the Drug Administration, and a group of professors and experts specializing in medicine.

These were top figures in the pharmaceutical field, all of whom had rushed to Mountain City overnight.

Gao Deming replied, “Would I ever give you a report you couldn’t trust? This drug is incredibly effective for external traumas. Although some severe injuries cannot be treated rapidly, it still has a definitive curative effect. If this medicine hits the market, it will drastically reduce medical costs for trauma treatment in our country.”

Gao Deming’s face was flush with excitement.

Currently, treating certain traumatic injuries required a cocktail of medications; only through the layering of various drugs could treatment be successful.

Healing No. 1 undoubtedly simplified this process.

For simple external injuries, this single drug would suffice.

Moreover, he felt that once this drug was launched, it would cause an earthquake in the international community; it was even possible it could win major awards.

At that moment, Li Xiaorou approached accompanied by the management team of Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals.

Seeing the group of leaders dressed in black jackets, Li Xiaorou felt a wave of panic and nervousness wash over her.

After all, she had only just entered society and had been the General Manager of Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals for only a few days. Facing official figures of this caliber was extremely high-pressure.

“Hello, leaders. I am Li Xiaorou, the General Manager of Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals.”

Li Xiaorou gave a brief self-introduction.

She didn’t know exactly why these officials were here, but she sensed that it was definitely a significant matter.

Jiang Lihua and the others exchanged glances, somewhat surprised. They hadn’t expected the General Manager of this pharmaceutical enterprise to be such a young girl; by her appearance, she looked like she had just graduated from university.

Jiang Lihua said with a smile, “Manager Li is truly young and promising. I am Jiang Lihua, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health. These gentlemen are…”

Jiang Lihua briefly introduced the members of his party.

After hearing Jiang Lihua’s introductions, Li Xiaorou was utterly shocked.

A Vice Minister!

She had only ever seen big shots of this level on television.

“Leaders… may I ask if something has happened?”

Li Xiaorou felt a bit apprehensive. Having so many high-ranking officials rush to their newly established factory made her worry that a major problem had occurred.

“Don’t be nervous. We are here today because of the Healing No. 1 medicine. Through our trials, we’ve found that the efficacy of this drug you’ve produced is excellent. Is your technical team present? We intend to have a discussion with them.”

Jiang Lihua got straight to the point.

He represented the Ministry of Health; all domestic pharmaceutical companies fell under their jurisdiction, and he had the right to review the technology of these enterprises.

“This…” Li Xiaorou was quite happy during the first half of his statement, as it meant Healing No. 1 had gained the attention of the leadership.

However, the second half of the request left her unsure of how to respond. Where would Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals get a technical team?

Regarding Healing No. 1, Chen Feng had only given her some samples last time to send to the Drug Administration. Currently, the entire factory consisted only of workers and some clerical staff.

Seeing Li Xiaorou’s difficult position, Gao Deming spoke up:

“Manager Li, please rest assured. We aren’t here to steal your results. We simply wish to know how this drug was developed, as it can promote the development of the domestic pharmaceutical industry.”

Gao Deming assumed Li Xiaorou had reservations about their motives.

In fact, many companies had such concerns, fearing that unique technology might be acquired by others.

However, they represented the state. Even if they knew the technology, they wouldn’t allow it to leak into the market. It was strictly for research purposes, which was a different matter entirely.

Li Xiaorou immediately shook her head and said, “Leaders, that’s not what I meant. It’s just that our factory doesn’t currently have a technical department.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Jiang Lihua and the others were dumbfounded.

No technical department?

How could they develop such a drug without a technical department? It sounded like a joke.

“Then how was this medicine developed?” Jiang Lihua inquired.

Li Xiaorou explained, “This was independently developed by our boss. If you want answers, you’ll have to talk to him.”

Independently developed?

The moment those words left her mouth, Gao Deming and several other experts engaged in pharmaceutical research wore expressions of pure disbelief.

They had never heard of a single person successfully developing a drug independently—especially not a drug like Healing No. 1.

Which drug in China wasn’t developed through the efforts of a technical team?

This was because every single stage of the process required specialized personnel; it was simply impossible for one person to complete it all.

“Where is your boss now?” Gao Deming asked. He didn’t question Li Xiaorou’s statement further.

Clearly, Li Xiaorou wasn’t privy to the specific details, so they could only seek out the owner.

Li Xiaorou replied, “Our boss isn’t here. I tried to contact him just now, but I couldn’t get through.”

When she learned that leaders were coming, she had immediately called Chen Feng.

However, during this period, Chen Feng spent almost all his time cultivating inside the painting world, only returning once every few days. Naturally, it was impossible for Li Xiaorou to reach him.

“What is your boss’s name?”

“Chen Feng.”

Jiang Lihua nodded slightly, then signaled a staff member beside him to start an inquiry.

The staffer stepped outside with his phone.

Meanwhile, Li Xiaorou began leading the group on a tour of the pharmaceutical plant. Production hadn’t started yet, and the purchased machinery was all brand new.

“Is Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals only producing this one type of medicine at the moment?” Jiang Lihua asked Li Xiaorou.

“Yes. Right now, we only produce Healing No. 1. We are just waiting for approval from the Drug Administration.”

The Director of the Drug Administration smiled and said, “I’ve actually brought the approval documents with me this time. You can launch on the market in a couple of days.”

Hearing this, a smile immediately broke out on Li Xiaorou’s face. “Thank you, leader!”

Once Healing No. 1 could hit the market, Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals could officially begin operation.

“What is your current pricing for this drug?” the Director of the Drug Administration asked. He was quite sensitive to matters regarding price.

Li Xiaorou answered, “The current price is 200 per pill.”

The Director was relieved to hear this; the price was within a reasonable range.

Many drugs with exceptional efficacy are priced extremely high when they hit the market—it’s common for them to cost thousands or even tens of thousands.

This is because the pricing of a drug is generally calculated based on R&D costs rather than production costs.

…

A short while later, the staff member who went out to make the call came running back. He had a look of bewilderment on his face, clearly having received news that shocked him.

“How is it? Did you find this Chen Feng? Where is he now?” Jiang Lihua asked.

Searching for a person was normally a very simple task for them. They could find out everything there was to know in a matter of minutes.

The staff member spoke with a solemn expression. “Leader, I cannot investigate this Chen Feng. His profile has been classified as top secret by the National Security Bureau. Viewing it requires authorization from the military.”

Chapter 29: Wealth, Companions, Methods, and Land are Indispensable

“The military? How did the military get involved in this?”

Jiang Lihua’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t expected a pharmaceutical plant to have any ties to the military.

Beside him, Li Xiaorou wasn’t particularly surprised to hear this. Since Xingfeng Mining was already a military-grade industrial enterprise, Chen Feng was naturally considered someone with military ties.

The eyes of the group turned toward Li Xiaorou.

Li Xiaorou explained with a smile, “Leaders, the truth is that our boss doesn’t just run Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals; he also owns Xingfeng Mining. Not long ago, Xingfeng Mining became a military-grade industrial enterprise. As for the specific details, I cannot tell you, as I have signed a non-disclosure agreement.”

Li Xiaorou had indeed signed an NDA at the time. Essentially, every employee at Xingfeng Mining had signed one, prohibiting them from disclosing the nature of their work there.

Li Xiaorou’s words left Jiang Lihua and the others stunned.

They were no strangers to military-grade enterprises, but those requiring non-disclosure agreements were never ordinary. NDAs were typically only mandated for those possessing significant, high-level technology.

What they found most incomprehensible was that Chen Feng was clearly a man of the mining industry. How could someone in mining suddenly step into the pharmaceutical sector and develop a miracle drug like Healing No. 1?

“I’m going to make a call!”

Jiang Lihua walked off to the side alone. Since the military was involved, he had to be cautious. He needed to call and clarify the situation.

Inside the Western Military District of the Dragon Nation.

Liu Mu was currently at a testing ground within the district. Standing beside him was Li Busheng from the Metal Research Institute.

They were conducting performance tests on the first batch of tanks produced using Blazing Sun Iron.

On the parade ground, seven or eight tanks were currently speeding along. Liu Mu watched them through a pair of binoculars.

“Not bad. Their speed is significantly faster than other tanks of the same model,” Liu Mu said, a look of satisfaction appearing on his face.

Blazing Sun Iron was not only lightweight but also possessed sufficient hardness, making it ideal for the production of lightweight tank models. For instance, if tanks needed to be air-dropped onto a battlefield, those made of Blazing Sun Iron would be the first choice.

Li Busheng nodded in agreement. “I heard from Lin Wei’s side that they’ve already improved the Blazing Sun Iron, increasing its hardness by about ten percent.”

At the mention of Lin Wei’s name, Liu Mu’s mouth twitched. “I’m always a bit uneasy with her at Xingfeng Mining. She was responsible for several research accidents back in the day.”

Liu Mu knew Lin Wei; the woman was incredibly gifted in scientific research. However, she had a penchant for pursuing studies that made people nervous. Because of this, she was disliked by many at the Dragon Academy of Sciences.

Li Busheng chuckled. “She’s actually very capable; she just hasn’t found the right platform. I’ve told her not to cause any trouble, so don’t worry.”

Liu Mu nodded helplessly. Just then, his phone suddenly rang. After listening for a moment, an odd expression crossed his face.

“All right, I understand. I’ll get back to the Ministry of Health,” Liu Mu said before hanging up.

Li Busheng asked, “What happened?”

“The Ministry of Health wants to look into Chen Feng’s background. They say an emerging pharmaceutical company has developed a miracle drug, and the boss behind it is Chen Feng.”

Li Busheng was stunned. “Chen Feng?”

“That’s right, Chen Feng. Surprising, isn’t it? A man in the metal industry suddenly starts making medicine, and he makes such a massive splash right out of the gate.”

“It seems he’s hiding many secrets we don’t know about,” Liu Mu said, his expression becoming serious.

He wasn’t a fool. There were already many suspicious points when Chen Feng developed Blazing Sun Iron. Now, he had developed a revolutionary drug. Furthermore, just like the Blazing Sun Iron, this drug was developed independently. There was definitely something unusual going on.

“Is the Ministry of Health only checking his personal records?” Li Busheng asked.

Liu Mu replied, “Of course not. They want to know how the medicine was developed.” After a brief moment of thought, he added, “We can’t let the people from the Ministry of Health pressure Chen Feng. I’m going to see the Commander.”

With that, Liu Mu walked away quickly. Seeing this, Li Busheng immediately understood Liu Mu’s intent. Liu Mu was preparing to protect Chen Feng.

Inside Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals.

Jiang Lihua and the others were already seated in the reception room. Li Xiaorou was no longer there; she had gone to find Chen Feng. With so many high-ranking officials present, she was clearly a bit overwhelmed.

“I’m quite curious about this Chen Feng’s background. Not only does he have ties to the Dragon Academy of Sciences, but he’s also linked to the military,” the Director of the Drug Administration said, breaking the silence.

Gao Deming asked the Director, “I recall that when Healing No. 1 was sent for testing, it cut the line. They pulled some strings—didn’t you know about that?”

The Director immediately looked defensive. “Old Gao, what are you talking about? What strings? It was just Professor Lin Wei from the Dragon Academy of Sciences who called me. I was just doing a favor.”

“Lin Wei?” Jiang Lihua pondered. He seemed to have heard the name before.

Gao Deming said with a smile, “I know her. She’s a genius in theoretical research at the Dragon Academy of Sciences. I didn’t expect her to be involved with this medicine as well.”

“Oh, it’s her,” Jiang Lihua remembered now. Lin Wei had a certain level of influence in various fields. However, she was a theoretical researcher. She was “theoretical” because she mostly had ideas, with very few actual research results to her name.

Just then, Jiang Lihua’s phone rang. He answered it. After a moment, Jiang Lihua questioned the person on the other end, “I am the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health! Do I not even have the authority to investigate this Chen Feng?”

After a while, Jiang Lihua hung up the phone.

“Leader, what’s wrong? The military won’t let us investigate Chen Feng?” Gao Deming asked immediately.

Jiang Lihua nodded and said, “It was an order from the Commander of the Western Theater Command. Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals, Xingfeng Mining, and Chen Feng himself are all considered military secrets.”

Hearing this, everyone was shocked. No one expected the military to refuse even someone like Jiang Lihua.

It was just one person’s information, and they only wanted to look into the development technology of Healing No. 1. Was all this really necessary? It had even moved the Commander of the Western Theater Command to interfere.

Jiang Lihua said helplessly, “Let’s go. I’ll handle this matter. We won’t be seeing Chen Feng today.”

The military was an independent institution. Despite his position as a Vice Minister, he was part of the civil administration and could not interfere with the military. He could only return to the capital and ask the higher-ups.

Inside the painting world.

Chen Feng was currently cultivating inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

Ever since crossing the threshold of cultivation, he practiced for at least six hours every day. However, upon reaching the second level of Qi Refining, Chen Feng found that his cultivation speed had slowed down considerably.

This was because the surrounding spiritual Qi had become sparse. Even though the hyperbaric oxygen chamber allowed him to absorb spiritual Qi rapidly, the depletion of ambient spiritual Qi was something the chamber could not solve.

Chen Feng opened his eyes and whispered to himself, “At this rate, it might take me several months just to reach the third level of Qi Refining, and future cultivation will only become more difficult.”

Chen Feng suspected that the Transverse Mountains themselves might not be rich in spiritual Qi; it wasn’t exactly a sacred land for cultivation. Generally, cultivators achieved twice the result with half the effort by practicing in places with spiritual veins, and they also required auxiliary pills.

Wealth, Companions, Methods, and Land were indispensable to a cultivator.

If he continued to toil away in seclusion like this, reaching the ninth level of Qi Refining would take several decades.

Chapter 30: Strike First; Wipe Out the Clan

Just as Chen Feng was pondering how to increase his cultivation speed, he sensed someone calling for him from outside the secret room.

Before starting his cultivation, Chen Feng had instructed that they should only disturb him if something major occurred.

Stepping out of the abandoned mine, Chen Feng immediately saw Wang Hu and Liu Qian standing by the entrance.

Neither of them looked particularly well.

“What happened?” Chen Feng asked.

Liu Qian spoke up immediately, “Sect Master, people from the Jiang Family have arrived!”

“The Jiang Family?” Chen Feng instantly recalled that this must be the Jiang Family from Liuyang Town.

After half a month, they had finally sent someone.

They likely received news that Jiang Xiao had died at his hands. After all, many people had witnessed him killing Jiang Xiao. Although the news had been suppressed, it couldn’t be kept secret forever.

“Who came?” Chen Feng inquired.

Wang Hu replied, “It’s the Jiang Family’s young master, Jiang Chen. He is at the ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm. He’s accompanied by an Innate Realm master and a group of Jiang Family experts.”

Hearing this, Chen Feng understood that they had come with ill intent.

“Let’s go meet them.”

If it were before, Chen Feng might have been wary, but now that he had reached Level 2 Qi Refining, he felt no pressure even when facing an Innate Realm master.

The main hall of the Xingfeng Sect.

A young master dressed in brocade robes sat in the hall, with a group of Jiang Family martial artists standing behind him.

“This Xingfeng Sect is truly pathetic. They took over the Transverse Mountains, yet their sect is so small.”

Jiang Chen looked around the hall of the Xingfeng Sect with a look of disdain on his face.

An elderly man beside him spoke, “Young Master, do not be careless. The fact that the opponent could kill He Sandao and take over Black Wind Fortress means he is certainly not simple. The Family Head sent you here this time to scout the situation.”

This elder was a clan elder of the Jiang Family, and his cultivation was at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm.

“I know,” Jiang Chen replied dismissively.

Just then, Chen Feng arrived at the hall with Wang Hu and Liu Qian.

Jiang Chen merely cast a faint glance toward them and did not stand up to greet them.

Chen Feng, in turn, was sizing up Jiang Chen and the elder standing beside him. However, his attention was primarily focused on the elder.

With a single look, he saw that the elder’s cultivation was at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm, the same level as He Sandao.

“Are you Chen Feng, the Sect Master of the Xingfeng Sect?” Jiang Chen stared at Chen Feng and asked.

It surprised him that the Sect Master was so young. The man appeared to be roughly the same age as him. As the young master of the Jiang Family, Jiang Chen was a figure who countless people in Liuyang Town looked up to. Seeing Chen Feng become the head of a sect at such a young age made him feel somewhat uneasy.

Chen Feng said with a smile, “That is correct. Have our friends from the Jiang Family come for a particular reason?”

Jiang Chen spoke coldly, “My second uncle, Jiang Xiao, has been missing for over half a month. Recently, I heard rumors that he died at the hands of Sect Master Chen. I wonder if there is any truth to this?”

Jiang Chen’s eyes were icy. Jiang Xiao was the Second Elder of the Jiang Family, and though he only had an early-stage Innate Realm cultivation, every Innate Realm master was precious to a prominent family like theirs.

“I don’t know where Young Master Jiang heard such rumors. Our Xingfeng Sect has only recently taken over the Transverse Mountains; how could we possibly kill Elder Jiang Xiao?”

Chen Feng flatly denied it.

Upon hearing this, just as Jiang Chen was about to speak, the clan elder beside him preempted him, “Sect Master Chen, we heard that you killed He Sandao half a month ago. It just so happens that Elder Jiang Xiao left the Jiang Family half a month ago as well. Does Sect Master Chen truly know nothing of this?”

Chen Feng smiled faintly. “I did indeed kill He Sandao, but I have never seen Jiang Xiao. Besides, do you two really think I could handle two Innate Realm masters on my own?”

Jiang Chen sneered, “You certainly couldn’t face two Innate Realm masters alone, but I’ve heard you possess an immortal treasure. If you used an immortal treasure, then it wouldn’t be so strange.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the clan elder’s expression shifted slightly.

Meanwhile, Chen Feng’s eyes narrowed. At this moment, killing intent had already taken root in his heart.

“Those are mere rumors. How many years has it been since the Yue Kingdom has had news of immortals? If I truly had an immortal treasure, would I have lived this long?” Chen Feng said self-deprecatingly.

“Hmph. Sect Master Chen, our Jiang Family will certainly investigate this matter thoroughly. If we find that it was indeed your doing, then do not blame my Jiang Family for being merciless.”

Having said his piece, Jiang Chen stood up and led his people away. He chose not to openly clash with Chen Feng on the spot.

Watching their retreating backs, Chen Feng remained silent.

Liu Qian spoke up then, “Sect Master, I fear the Jiang Family didn’t come for Jiang Xiao’s death, but for the news that you possess an immortal treasure.”

Liu Qian was quite clever and saw through the fact that the two from the Jiang Family had come to test the waters.

Chen Feng nodded. “I know. After all, a dead Innate master isn’t worth the Jiang Family making such a massive fuss.”

Chen Feng understood one truth: once a person is dead, they lose all value. The Xingfeng Sect’s current strength was not weak; it wouldn’t be worth it for the Jiang Family to seek revenge solely for Jiang Xiao. They were clearly after the so-called immortal treasure.

This news had leaked after all, but that was inevitable. Previously, if people heard such news, they would have ignored it, as an immortal hadn’t appeared in the Yue Kingdom for many years—let alone an immortal treasure.

However, he had killed He Sandao and Jiang Xiao at such a young age. It was hard for others not to suspect whether he truly possessed an immortal treasure.

“What does the Sect Master plan to do?” Liu Qian asked with some concern. After all, the Jiang Family was a significant power; even He Sandao had been extremely polite when dealing with them.

Wang Hu chimed in from the side, “Who cares about the Jiang Family? If they dare to come for revenge, we’ll just kill them!”

Wang Hu knew that Chen Feng was already an immortal. A mere Jiang Family was nothing to be feared.

Chen Feng gave his orders, “Send men to keep an eye on the Jiang Family. Notify me of any unusual movement. I am going into seclusion for a few days.”

Chen Feng naturally wouldn’t sit around and wait for death. He would never let anyone who posed a threat to him go free. Since the Jiang Family intended to target him, he had to strike first to gain the upper hand.

The Jiang Family possessed several Innate Realm masters and hundreds of martial artists. Although killing an Innate Realm master would not be difficult if he entered the Transcendental State, his combat power only lasted for a few minutes. He was still somewhat uneasy.

He planned to acquire some modern equipment and intended to arm Wang Hu and the others this time. If he was going to take action, he had to be fully prepared—even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit.

Only by exterminating the Jiang Family would he eliminate all future troubles. Furthermore, there were benefits to wiping them out; the wealth of a martial arts aristocratic family would be far greater than that of the Black Wind Fortress.

Liu Qian noticed the coldness on Chen Feng’s face and felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine. In the half-month he had spent with Chen Feng, he felt a great deal of pressure. When he had followed He Sandao, he could more or less guess what the man was thinking. But after following Chen Feng, he couldn’t grasp Chen Feng’s thoughts at all.

After giving his instructions to Liu Qian and Wang Hu, Chen Feng returned to the secret room and crossed back to the modern world.

This time, Chen Feng planned to buy more equipment and directly assemble a squad armed with modern weaponry. He would use modern weapons to deal with the martial artists and avoid stepping onto the battlefield himself as much as possible.

Chapter 31: Liu Mu Visits, A Few Conditions

Even though Chen Feng had now reached Level 2 Qi Refining and learned the Fireball Spell, he remained as cautious as ever. If he were to be surrounded or pinned down by several Innate Realm masters, things could still become very dangerous.

However, if he had a squad equipped with modern equipment, it would provide an extra layer of security. Since Wang Hu and his men were already martial artists, equipping them with modern weaponry would allow them to rival the strength of an Innate Realm expert.

When he returned to the modern world, it was already afternoon. Chen Feng checked the room to ensure no one had entered before preparing to head out. But as his gaze swept across the painting, his footsteps halted.

He noticed that the painting on the scroll had actually changed!

Chen Feng had studied the painting world countless times and knew its contents by heart. Originally, the scroll only depicted a few small hills and some trees.

Now, the scene had transformed into a majestic, towering mountain range. Within these massive mountains were many smaller hills similar to the ones he had seen before. On the eastern side of the mountains, scenes of a few small towns had also appeared.

Although the towns were only partially depicted, Chen Feng could already tell what the painting was showing.

The place was none other than the Transverse Mountains!

At that moment, Chen Feng recalled the original hills on the painting—weren’t those the mining mountains owned by the Xingfeng Sect? He simply hadn’t made the connection before.

“Is the painting changing because I occupied the Transverse Mountains? Or is it because I reached Level 2 Qi Refining?”

Two hypotheses rose in Chen Feng’s mind. He didn’t know which of the two reasons caused the change; this was something that required further verification.

Chen Feng inspected the scroll again. He didn’t find any other differences in any other aspects.

“I’ll just have to wait for my next breakthrough in cultivation to see if there are any new changes.”

He didn’t dwell on it further and stepped out of his room, heading toward the factory grounds. Since it was during work hours, the workers were busy in the production workshops, and there were few people to be seen in the yard.

He was about to call Li Xiaorou when he suddenly noticed several military vehicles parked nearby. Chen Feng recognized them immediately—it was Liu Mu’s fleet.

“What is he doing here?”

A look of confusion crossed Chen Feng’s face as he made his way to the office. As he reached the door, he heard the sounds of Lin Wei and Liu Mu in conversation.

“I really don’t know anything about that medicine you mentioned. Chen Feng never told me about it,” Lin Wei’s voice sounded helpless.

Liu Mu asked, “Then has he looked for you recently, or asked for any favors?”

“No, I’m not that close to him.” Lin Wei sounded like she was unwilling to continue the conversation.

Chen Feng didn’t continue eavesdropping and stepped into the office.

Seeing Chen Feng appear, Liu Mu stood up immediately. “Chen, I’ve finally caught you.”

After meeting with the Chief, Liu Mu had rushed straight to Xingfeng Mining.

Chen Feng said with a smile, “I was away for a few days on some business. What brings you here, Chief? Is something wrong?”

Based on Liu Mu’s tone just now, Chen Feng could roughly guess that this visit was related to Healing No. 1.

“You tell me! Why didn’t you tell me you developed a drug like Healing No. 1? Your factory was nearly torn apart by those people from the Ministry of Health.” Liu Mu immediately recounted the events.

After hearing the story, Chen Feng was somewhat surprised.

He knew the pills from the painting world had excellent healing properties. Even the most basic Healing Pill was refined using the spiritual herbs of that world. However, he hadn’t expected it to cause such a massive stir.

It seemed he would have to be more careful when bringing things out of the painting world in the future.

However, the fact that Liu Mu was telling him this meant he had been protected. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be sitting here chatting; he would be in an interrogation room.

Chen Feng said to Liu Mu, “Thank you, Chief. I didn’t think this through. I should have informed you in advance.”

Hearing this, Liu Mu’s expression softened. “Don’t worry, I’ve already settled it for you. The Ministry of Health and those medical research people won’t come looking for you again. You are one of ours, military-affiliated. But remember, from now on, you must discuss anything significant with me first.”

Lin Wei didn’t say a word, she just looked at Chen Feng with a smile that carried a deeper meaning.

Chen Feng ignored Lin Wei’s look and turned to Liu Mu. “So, can the medicine still be released to the market?”

What Chen Feng cared about most right now was whether Healing No. 1 could be commercially available.

“There’s no problem with the release. The paperwork will be finalized within two days. However, I have a few requirements that I hope you can meet.” Liu Mu’s voice turned solemn.

Chen Feng immediately replied, “Please speak freely, Chief. There’s no need for formalities with me.”

“I won’t ask how you developed this drug, and no one else will ask you either. I only have one requirement: this drug must not be sold abroad. At the same time, it must be included in the national medical insurance system. Do you agree?”

Being included in medical insurance meant that the costs could be reimbursed, allowing patients to simply use their insurance cards for treatment. The pharmaceutical company would then settle the payments through the Bureau of Medical Insurance.

Chen Feng agreed without a second thought. “That’s definitely not a problem. Joining the medical insurance system is my way of contributing to the country.”

For Chen Feng, although settling payments through insurance might be a bit more tedious, it guaranteed a high sales volume. Liu Mu had already blocked a lot of trouble for him, so he had to show the right attitude.

Chen Feng could tell for certain that Liu Mu knew something was unusual about him, but the man didn’t press for answers—perhaps due to other considerations.

At this moment, Chen Feng felt truly at ease. With the military as his backing, he didn’t have to be overly cautious in the future.

However, he understood one principle clearly: the prerequisite for being valued by others was having value itself. He would have to continue showing Liu Mu his worth. Just providing Blazing Sun Iron alone wouldn’t be enough.

“Good, then I’m relieved. I came here for another matter as well. The tanks built with Blazing Sun Iron have passed their trials. We are preparing to purchase in bulk. The new order contract has already been given to your secretary.”

“Our requirement is for your factory to produce at least 10,000 tons of Blazing Sun Iron within a month. You must expand your production scale.”

Hearing the figure of 10,000 tons, Chen Feng was shocked.

The government’s previous order was only 1,000 tons. This time, it had jumped straight to 10,000. It seemed the tanks built with Blazing Sun Iron had highly impressed the military.

Chen Feng did a quick mental calculation. With the current mining speed of the Xingfeng Sect, it would be impossible to achieve this output within a month.

Things were fine on the Xingfeng Mining side since machines were used to refine the ore. But in the Xingfeng Sect, it was mortals doing manual mining without any mechanical assistance.

The Xingfeng Sect currently had about two hundred mortal miners. Their monthly ore output was only around 1,000 tons, and that weight would decrease significantly after refining the ore.

“Alright, I guarantee that in one month, the output will meet your requirements, Chief,” Chen Feng promised.

He planned to head back and have Liu Qian recruit more mortal miners. If that wasn’t enough, he would simply purchase Blazing Sun Stones from other sources.

“I heard you borrowed ten million from the bank to set up your pharmaceutical company. If you expand production, do you still have enough money to buy the raw materials for the Blazing Sun Iron?” Liu Mu stared at Chen Feng, a sharp glint in his eyes.

Chapter 32: The Jiang Family Meeting

Chen Feng looked into Liu Mu’s eyes and said calmly, “Don’t worry, Director. I can apply for a loan. I believe the bank will approve it for me.”

Liu Mu had just placed extra emphasis on the words “raw materials,” but Chen Feng acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing. As long as Liu Mu didn’t state it outright, Chen Feng would continue to play dumb.

Liu Mu chuckled. “You kid, acting as if we’re making things difficult for you. Knowing you’re in a tight spot, I’ve already instructed the finance department to transfer a 50-million-yuan deposit to your company’s account. Consider this an exception.”

Blazing Sun Iron sold for roughly 20,000 yuan per ton, so ten thousand tons amounted to 200 million yuan. Providing a 50-million-yuan deposit upfront was the limit of what Liu Mu could do. Usually, companies cooperating with the state followed a system where goods were delivered first and payment followed later, often after a significant delay. After all, processing the paperwork took time.

“Thank you for your trust, Director.”

Chen Feng immediately expressed his gratitude. It truly was a case of receiving exactly what he needed when he needed it. He was just worrying about the money for equipment, and now the funds had arrived.

Fifty million was more than enough to equip a modern military squad, with plenty left over. It was just a shame that foreign equipment was so expensive; it would have been ideal if he could buy it through Liu Mu. But Chen Feng only entertained the thought for a moment. Although the man was the Director of the Strategic Equipment Bureau, if Chen Feng asked to buy military gear from him, Liu Mu would likely turn hostile on the spot and take him in for interrogation.

Liu Mu might help him with other matters, but when it came to military-grade equipment, no personal sentiment would hold weight.

Liu Mu stayed for a short while longer to chat before taking his leave. Before he left, he specifically instructed Chen Feng that if anyone—specifically anyone from official channels—came looking for him, Chen Feng should call him directly, and he would handle it.

At the main gate of the factory grounds, Chen Feng and Lin Wei watched Liu Mu’s car drive away.

Lin Wei turned to him with a smile. “Professor Chen, you truly continue to surprise me. You’ve even dabbled in pharmaceutical research.”

Curiosity was written all over her face. Blazing Sun Iron was already enough to leave her in awe, and now Chen Feng had produced this Healing No. 1. It made Lin Wei wonder if Chen Feng had somehow obtained alien technology. That seemed like the only logical explanation for how he could conduct research across such different fields and achieve such massive success in both.

Chen Feng didn’t answer her question directly. Instead, he said, “I heard what you said in the office. Thank you.”

The woman hadn’t told Liu Mu about his inquiries into cultivation, which proved she was reliable.

“There’s no need to thank me. He’s a bureaucrat; he has nothing to do with us researchers,” she replied. “By the way, how is that energy absorption issue going? Have you solved it?”

Hearing her question, Chen Feng shared the difficulty he was currently facing. “A new problem has come up. I originally wanted the test animals to absorb more energy, but the energetic substance in the surrounding environment has diminished. Even using a hyperbaric oxygen chamber doesn’t allow for further absorption.”

Lin Wei thought for a moment and then asked, “Is this energy non-renewable? Does it exist elsewhere?”

Chen Feng replied, “It should be renewable, and it exists in other places, but I am currently restricted to staying in my current location.”

He estimated that spiritual Qi was indeed renewable, but it likely took a long time to recover.

“Let me go back and think about it. If I had a sample of that energy, it would be best. I could find a solution much faster,” Lin Wei said, looking at Chen Feng with expectant eyes.

Chen Feng pondered for a moment before saying, “Wait here for a bit.”

He decided to extract some spiritual Qi from his own body for Lin Wei to study. Although this move was risky, he realized he couldn’t solve the problem on his own without help. Through their interactions over this period, he had gained an understanding of Lin Wei’s personality—she was a woman obsessed only with research. She was also smart and wouldn’t run her mouth.

Furthermore, he couldn’t simply go looking for a better cultivation site within the painting world. Leaving the Transverse Mountains meant danger. The closer he stayed to the portal, the safer he was. After all, if he encountered an overwhelming enemy, he could simply abandon the Xingfeng Sect and retreat to the modern world.

“Alright, don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone about this,” Lin Wei said, her face lighting up with excitement as if she were about to explore a new continent.

Chen Feng returned shortly with a small glass bottle in his hand.

“There is some energy inside, but be careful. Once you open the bottle, the energy will dissipate very quickly.”

Lin Wei immediately took the small glass bottle and examined it closely. She noticed it appeared empty and transparent.

“This energy is invisible to the naked eye. I can only tell you that it’s in there,” Chen Feng explained.

He could see spiritual Qi, but mortals were completely blind to it unless they activated their Spiritual Apertures to sense it.

“I understand. Leave it to me! I’ll notify you as soon as I have results!”

With that, Lin Wei hurried toward the laboratory, clutching the bottle. Chen Feng watched her retreating, frantic back and gave a helpless smile.

Chen Feng then called Li Xiaorou, explaining that the matter regarding Healing No. 1 had been settled and told her to prepare for the product launch. Afterward, he headed straight for the United States. He couldn’t delay the weapon purchase; the Jiang Family’s retaliation could come at any moment.

The Painting World, Liuyang Town, the Jiang Residence.

The Jiang Family was one of the four great families of Liuyang Town. As a martial arts aristocratic family, their influence extended far beyond the town; several of the surrounding mountains were under their control.

Currently, the high-ranking members of the Jiang Family were gathered in the main hall. Seated at the head of the room was the family head, Jiang Yaotian. He was at the Peak Innate Realm, a level of strength that only a handful of people in Liuyang Town had achieved.

Several other Innate Realm masters of the Jiang Family were also present in the hall. Jiang Chen stood in the center, reporting on the situation.

“Father, that Chen Feng looks no older than me, yet he managed to kill Second Uncle and He Sandao. This person must be hiding a secret.”

As soon as Jiang Chen had returned, he had briefed his father on the events.

Jiang Yaotian spoke slowly, “Chen’er, what do you think we should do?”

The other Jiang Family experts all looked toward Jiang Chen. It was clear the family head was testing his son’s capabilities.

Jiang Chen smiled confidently and said, “I believe that even if Chen Feng doesn’t possess an immortal treasure, he must have some other precious artifact. I don’t believe someone so young could have reached the Innate Realm through cultivation alone!”

“I ask Father to dispatch three elders to accompany me. I guarantee that I will raze the Transverse Mountains within a single day.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yaotian’s face turned cold as he barked, “You fool! Are you useless for anything other than being arrogant and overbearing?”

Startled by the reprimand, Jiang Chen lowered his head, not daring to speak, though he remained unconvinced in his heart. He felt his plan served the family’s interests and couldn’t understand why his father was angry.

Jiang Yaotian continued, “Since you know Chen Feng has a secret, what if he truly does possess an immortal treasure? If you miscalculate and he unleashes it, wouldn’t you just be leading your men to their deaths?”

“Furthermore, when you asked Chen Feng directly if he had an immortal treasure, you alerted him, allowing him to become wary and prepare countermeasures. Do you realize that?”

Jiang Chen’s face stiffened. He had indeed asked Chen Feng that question. At the time, he hadn’t thought much of Chen Feng, so he had been blunt. Now he realized that he indeed shouldn’t have asked it that way.

Chapter 33: The Great Ancestor and the Daoist!

Although Jiang Chen felt he had been in the wrong, his innate arrogance still kept him from being truly submissive.

“Father, do you really believe that Chen Feng possesses an immortal treasure? Not a single immortal treasure has appeared in the Yue Kingdom for countless years; how could someone like him possibly have one? Perhaps he just has some other secret methods.”

“Besides, even if he does have an immortal treasure, so what? Our Jiang Family has so many Innate Realm masters. Dealing with one Chen Feng should be a simple matter.”

Publicly, the Jiang Family only had four Innate Realm masters, but in reality, they had eight.

This was the true depth of the Jiang Family’s foundation.

Even with Jiang Xiao dead, there were still seven Innate masters left.

Jiang Yaotian glanced at the haughty Jiang Chen and suddenly asked, “Do you know how the Great Ancestor of our Yue Kingdom rose to power?”

Jiang Chen hadn’t expected his father to suddenly bring this up. He answered without hesitation:

“Of course I know. Several hundred years ago, the Great Ancestor was nothing more than a destitute scholar. On his way to the capital for the imperial examinations, he happened upon a Daoist. The Daoist spoke only a few words to the Great Ancestor before leaving behind an immortal art and treading through the air to depart.”

“From then on, the Great Ancestor had the aid of immortal arts. He raised an army, overthrew the Jiang Nation, and thus we have the Yue Kingdom of today.”

Jiang Chen had heard this story since he was a child.

Legend had it that when the Great Ancestor met the Daoist, the man was just a ragged old wanderer who begged the Great Ancestor for food.

At that time, the Great Ancestor only had enough rations to last three days, yet he still shared them with the Daoist.

The Daoist, learning that the Great Ancestor was heading to the capital for the exams, asked, “If you fail the exams, will this journey of a thousand miles not have been in vain? What will you do if you fail?”

The Great Ancestor replied, “Unless I meet my natural end, I shall never give up.”

The Daoist greatly admired this resolve, which was why he bestowed the immortal art. This was the story widely circulated throughout the Yue Kingdom.

Jiang Yaotian, however, let out a cold laugh.

“That is merely the version the Imperial Family uses to fool the commoners. The reason the Great Ancestor obtained the immortal art was not because the Daoist valued his firm resolve.”

“The truth is that the Daoist was severely injured when the Great Ancestor found him. To help the Daoist heal, the Great Ancestor first slaughtered his entire family—young and old—to extract their blood as medicine for the immortal.”

“Later, he served as a guide for that immortal, sacrificing the lives of every living soul in three of the Jiang Nation’s Great Cities to trade for that immortal art!”

The moment these words were spoken, Jiang Chen froze in his tracks, a chill blooming in the depths of his heart.

He had never imagined the story could be so different from the legends, nor that it could be so gruesome.

“Father, is this… is this true?” Jiang Chen looked on with an expression of disbelief.

The clan elders and seniors in the main hall remained silent.

Clearly, they had known this for a long time.

Jiang Yaotian did not answer Jiang Chen’s question directly. Instead, he said, “Chen’er, while the path of the immortals is the Great Dao to longevity, they view us martial artists and mortals as no more than ants and livestock to be devoured. With a single thought, they can turn us to ash.”

“When it comes to anything involving the immortals, if our Jiang Family missteps even slightly, it will inevitably lead to the destruction of our clan.”

“But if that Chen Feng truly possesses an immortal treasure, the Jiang Family will definitely not give up. It is just that we must commit the strength of the entire clan, rather than just sending a few people as you suggested earlier.”

As soon as Jiang Yaotian finished speaking, all the elders and seniors in the hall bowed in unison.

“We shall follow the Family Head’s arrangements!”

Evidently, these elders understood this point perfectly well.

Jiang Chen looked at the elders and his father; only now did he realize how far he stood behind these old foxes.

“Father, please make the arrangements.” At this moment, Jiang Chen finally reined in his arrogance.

“I have already notified your aunt. She will arrive from the Imperial Capital in a few days. The moment she arrives, we strike!”

Jiang Chen was shocked. His aunt was a master whose power surpassed the Innate Realm.

She held an important position in the Imperial Capital and was the Jiang Family’s greatest backer. She hadn’t returned home once in over a decade.

Jiang Chen hadn’t expected his father to actually call his aunt back for this matter.

He had still vastly underestimated the value of an immortal treasure.

“I understand, Father. I will immediately go and gather our forces stationed outside. When the time comes, we will flatten the Transverse Mountains in one fell swoop!” Jiang Chen bowed respectfully.

Jiang Yaotian nodded.

“This matter must be kept absolute secret. If we truly obtain the immortal treasure, everyone involved in this operation—aside from those present here—must be silenced.”

Everyone nodded. No one felt there was anything wrong with Jiang Yaotian’s decision.

If they truly obtained an immortal treasure, it would be the chance for the Jiang Family to rise to the top.

As for anyone else, they were expendable.

This secret also had to be kept from other factions at all costs; otherwise, the Jiang Family would immediately fall into a position of extreme peril.

Modern World, United States.

Chen Feng appeared in a black market bar, a glass of whiskey in his hand.

The entire bar was filled with an atmosphere of vice—a chaotic mix of all sorts of people.

Someone like Chen Feng, who looked like a student, seemed very out of place sitting there.

However, no one in the bar came to trouble him.

The regulars knew that this Dragon Nation man was Jack’s most valued guest.

Even the waitress behind the bar was exceptionally polite to Chen Feng.

“Sir, are you free tonight?” the waitress asked, her voice soft and seductive.

As she spoke, she tugged down the collar of her shirt significantly.

Chen Feng took a glance. The Caucasian woman was indeed well-endowed, but the tattoos on her neck killed any interest he might have had.

“I’m busy,” Chen Feng rejected her outright.

He wouldn’t touch a woman like this; for all he knew, she was a walking biohazard.

The waitress’s face immediately slumped with disappointment.

She had wanted to start something with this man to make her life a bit easier around here.

But unfortunately, he didn’t seem interested in her at all.

“Chen, my friend! It’s great to see you again!”

Not far away, Jack approached with a group of henchmen. His voice reached the bar long before he did.

The music in the bar stopped as Jack arrived.

Jack walked up to Chen Feng, intending to give him a hug.

Seeing this, Chen Feng immediately waved him off. “Jack, let’s skip the pleasantries.”

Chen Feng had no desire to embrace him; the man carried that distinct, pungent smell of sweat.

Jack didn’t mind. Instead, he said with a grin:

“The amount of goods you want this time is massive—it’s no longer something I can decide on. Our boss wants to meet you.”

Chen Feng had already told Jack over the phone the quantity of equipment he needed.

The order was indeed substantial this time—enough to equip an entire special operations squad.

This was beyond what a small gang captain like Jack could authorize.

“Where is he?” Chen Feng stood up.

He didn’t want to waste time here; he wanted to get his equipment and return to the painting world as soon as possible.

As for Jack’s gang, Chen Feng had looked into them.

The gang was called the “Crips and Bloods.” They were spread across several states in the US and had ties to the Mafia.

They were considered a relatively large organization in this country.

“On a ship in the harbor. There are a few other important clients there today, so I’ll take you over.”

Jack was unable to hide the grin on his face.

Chen Feng was a client he had brought in. Once this deal was successful, his status within the gang would rise significantly.

“Fine. Take me there.”

It didn’t surprise Chen Feng that the gang leader was on a ship.

After all, gang leaders like him were top targets for the FBI.

Being on a ship was safer than being on land, as they could sail into international waters at any moment.

But conversely, the risk for anyone doing business with such a leader increased; once the ship hit the high seas, no one could predict what might happen.

Chapter 34: Blackwater Company! Gangland Firefight

Chen Feng followed Jack out of the bar, where several business vans were already waiting at the entrance.

Stepping inside a van, Chen Feng discovered that the windows were completely opaque, sealing off everything from the outside world. Even the driver’s seat was partitioned off with a thick black cloth.

Jack explained in a low voice, “Chen, please understand. These are the rules.”

Chen Feng nodded without speaking. With his current strength, he had no reason to fear a modern-day gang leader.

After an hour-long drive, the vehicle came to a stop. They had arrived at a secluded pier, where a small cruise ship was moored. Jack led Chen Feng through a special passage to board the vessel. At the entrance to the ship, specialized personnel performed a thorough body search.

Once the inspection was complete, Chen Feng and Jack were escorted to a lounge area. The entire lounge was lined with gang members dressed in black suits and sunglasses, the waistbands of their trousers bulging with concealed weapons.

Several people were already waiting in the lounge—three men and one woman. Each was accompanied by a small contingent of bodyguards.

Jack led Chen Feng to a seat on the side and whispered in his ear, “These are all major clients of our gang. Those three are from the Middle East. They possess bottomless pockets and buy a massive amount of weaponry from us every year.”

Chen Feng took a glance. Sure enough, the three men wore traditional head-wraps; they were clearly Middle Eastern clients.

“And that woman is Ms. Park from South Korea. She represents the Seven Star Society and is also one of our biggest clients,” Jack added, introducing the woman with East Asian features.

She sat on a sofa in the lounge, her curvaceous figure accentuated by a sharp white suit. She exuded the unmistakable aura of a powerful underworld figure.

Noticing Chen Feng’s gaze, the woman arched an elegant eyebrow and asked, “Are you the one from the Dragon Nation?”

Ms. Park spoke in Korean. By now, Chen Feng was considered a notable figure in the underground arms trade. After all, he had made several large-scale weapon purchases. As a member of the criminal underworld, Ms. Park was aware that Jack had a major client from the Dragon Nation.

Chen Feng had never learned Korean and had no idea what she was saying, so he chose to ignore her.

Seeing Chen Feng ignore her, Ms. Park’s expression soured instantly. However, mindful that this was not her territory, she didn’t lash out. She was just about to repeat her question in English when a group of people marched into the lounge.

They were a squad of fully armed soldiers, carrying submachine guns and equipped with various tactical gear. Their appearance created a stark contrast with the suit-wearing gangsters.

Ms. Park and the three Middle Eastern clients visibly tensed up at the sight. None of their own people had been allowed to bring weapons onto the ship.

At the front of the squad were two men. One was a large, bald man with explosive muscle definition. Next to the brute was a man in a business suit.

Jack immediately stepped forward to greet the muscular man. “Boss!”

Chen Feng had heard Jack mention his boss before; his name was Stone, but he knew little else about him.

Stone nodded to Jack, then scanned the room at the guests. “Welcome, friends, from far and wide.”

Stone wore a smile, though his polite demeanor seemed at odds with his hulking, powerful physique.

“Allow me to introduce someone. This is the head of arms sales for the Blackwater Company. You may all call him Mr. William.”

Stone introduced the man in the suit. William’s expression was cold, showing no intention of greeting anyone.

Despite his coldness, everyone present except Chen Feng stood up to greet Mr. William.

The Blackwater Company was a name that carried immense weight across the entire globe. They were a private military company—as long as you had the money, Blackwater could do anything you desired. Even toppling a small nation was within their capabilities.

The military strength of Blackwater was not something a mere street gang could compare to. Neither Ms. Park nor the Middle Eastern clients dared to put on any airs in front of him.

William and Stone sat down in the lounge and began to discuss business.

After listening for a while, Chen Feng gathered the gist of the situation. Stone’s arms supply route came through the Blackwater Company; he was essentially a middleman. For this transaction, he intended to place a massive order with Blackwater to expand his own arms business. He had brought Chen Feng and the others here to prove the strength of his clientele to Blackwater and secure the deal.

“Mr. William, these clients of mine come from all over the world. Their strength is beyond question; they can easily digest this entire shipment!” Stone spoke respectfully to William.

Even though he was a gang leader, he was nothing compared to the Blackwater Company. The organization possessed professional mercenary teams that rivaled elite special forces.

William crossed his legs and said, “Stone, we at Blackwater no longer intend to cooperate with the Crips and Bloods.”

Stone froze, his eyes filling with disbelief. “Mr. William, what do you mean by that?”

At that exact moment, the mercenaries who had entered with William raised their submachine guns and aimed them at everyone in the room. Stone’s men instantly drew their handguns.

The atmosphere turned explosive in an instant!

No one had expected things to take such a sudden turn. Ms. Park and the others turned pale with fear.

William remained seated, unmoving. He sighed and said, “You were a good business partner, Stone. But unfortunately, you’ve been flagged by the United States federal government. A Senator paid a high price for us to ‘clean’ you up. So, I’m afraid I have to apologize.”

Stone’s eyes widened at William’s words. “A Federal Senator? Why? William, I’ve worked with your company for years—”

Before Stone could finish his sentence, a mercenary opened fire.

Stone was instantly riddled with bullets, collapsing directly into a pool of blood.

Seeing their leader fall, the remaining members of Stone’s gang immediately returned fire. Continuous gunfire erupted within the lounge.

The shootout lasted only thirty seconds before falling silent. The lounge was now littered with corpses. Aside from Chen Feng, Jack, and the other clients, all of the gang members had been gunned down.

These gangsters were simply no match for the professional mercenaries of the Blackwater Company; the gap in skill was far too wide.

Ms. Park, the Middle Eastern clients, and Jack were all frozen in terror.

William looked satisfied with their fear. He smiled and said, “Rest assured, we at Blackwater do not move against our clients. Stone’s life was bought by a Federal Senator. Shortly, I will be handing all of you over to the FBI. Consider it an extra gift for that Senator.”

While the Blackwater Company was powerful, they still had to show respect to various governments. When a Federal Senator asked them to eliminate Stone, Blackwater hadn’t hesitated to agree. While destroying a gang meant losing a small bit of business, it ensured their future operations in the United States would go much more smoothly.

Chen Feng looked at Stone’s bullet-riddled body in the distance, speechless.

He had only come here to buy some weapons, and yet he had stumbled into this mess. It was truly a stroke of incredibly rotten luck.

Naturally, there was no way he was going to let these people take him to the FBI.

Chapter 35: Too Much Talk! Verifying Strength

He was now a member of the Dragon Nation military and held the status of a professor at the Dragon Academy of Sciences.

If he were taken away by the FBI, the Dragon Nation’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs would certainly be notified.

When that happened, things would get truly complicated.

For the owner of a private enterprise to be caught purchasing arms abroad multiple times was definitely a major incident.

Standing beside Chen Feng, Jack was already breaking out in a cold sweat.

He was only alive right now because he was standing next to Chen Feng.

However, he understood that even if he didn’t die, he would face at least several decades of imprisonment if he was taken to the FBI.

“Mr. William, Stone and I are only business partners. We aren’t members of his gang.”

“Furthermore, the weapons we purchased belong to your Blackwater Company. In a sense, we are your partners. Is this how Blackwater Company treats its partners?”

A Middle Easterner stood up and argued with William, desperate to avoid falling into the hands of the FBI.

Anyone buying black-market weapons was either part of a terrorist organization or a gang; none of them were clean.

But as soon as the Middle Easterner finished speaking, a mercenary standing next to William fired without hesitation.

The bullet instantly pierced the man’s head.

William pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the blood that had splattered onto the table in front of him.

“Partners? Do you think you’re worthy? The pittance you spend on weapons isn’t even enough to satisfy Blackwater Company’s appetite. Your only value is providing that Federal Senator with a bit of political merit!”

William’s words were filled with contempt, but he was telling the truth.

Blackwater Company’s business spanned the globe. Whether it was deploying mercenaries to battlefields or protecting—or assassinating—national presidents, every deal they made dwarfed the arms deals of these people.

The remaining Middle Easterners instantly fell silent, their companion’s body lying dead right before their eyes.

If they resisted, their fate would be no better.

Ms. Park could no longer sit still. She didn’t stand up; instead, she looked at William with a pitiful, pleading expression.

“Please, Mr. William, let me go. I am willing to trade anything!”

Ms. Park knelt directly on the floor and crawled towards William, looking like a flower waiting to be plucked.

She was playing her feminine advantages to the fullest.

Seeing this, William smiled slightly.

“If you can serve me well enough, I might consider it. I’ve heard that women from South Korea are very sensible. It seems the rumors are true.”

William seemed to have taken an interest in Ms. Park, but Chen Feng had grown impatient. He stood up abruptly.

As Chen Feng rose, every eye in the room fixed on him.

Jack noticed Chen Feng standing up and tried to pull him back, but it was too late.

Several mercenaries already had their rifles aimed at Chen Feng; they would fire the moment William gave the order.

Seeing Chen Feng stand, Ms. Park quickly spoke up:

“Mr. William, he is from the Dragon Nation. Just handing him over to the FBI would be enough, because the Dragon Nation has the strictest gun control laws in the world.”

“If an arms dealer appears from a country that bans guns, it will cause a massive international stir. The Dragon Nation’s gun ban would become a laughingstock.”

“If that Federal Senator uses this incident to suppress the Dragon Nation, it would be a massive political achievement!”

It had to be said, Ms. Park was very clever.

She immediately exposed Chen Feng’s identity and then inflated his value.

By doing so, she—a South Korean—became insignificant and’ disposable in comparison.

“From the Dragon Nation?” William was somewhat surprised.

Blackwater Company had clients all over the world, but clients from the Dragon Nation were the rarest.

Even their mercenaries were unable to step foot onto Dragon Nation territory.

That place was a forbidden zone for mercenaries.

William looked at Chen Feng with a smile.

“Interesting. A man from the Dragon Nation buying weapons, and a major client of Stone’s at that. I’m curious about you—”

But William’s words were cut short.

His voice stopped abruptly because a hand was currently pressing down on his head. Chen Feng had appeared in front of him at some unknown moment.

“You—” William looked at the man before him in terror.

Chen Feng’s appearance had changed drastically. Silver hair draped over his shoulders, and his eyes were cold and indifferent. At such close range, William felt as though he were looking at a legendary deity.

Chen Feng looked down at William and said coldly, “You talk too much!”

As the words fell, Chen Feng’s right hand pressed down. William’s head slammed into the table in front of him.

There was a muffled thud!

Pink and white matter splattered like spilled paint. Ms. Park, being closest to William, was sprayed across the face.

Yet, not a single drop touched Chen Feng. His spiritual Qi formed a barrier that blocked the filth.

William was now a headless corpse.

His skull had been crushed instantly. Bizarrely, the wooden table he had been slammed against wasn’t damaged at all.

Everyone in the room stared blankly at the scene.

It had all happened so fast that they thought they were hallucinating.

William had been perfectly fine a second ago, and in the blink of an eye, his head was gone.

Moreover, someone had crushed a human skull with a single hand!

Anyone with common sense knew how hard a human skull was. Could human strength really crush a skull into powder?

The atmosphere in the room froze.

It wasn’t until a scream erupted that the silence was broken.

The one screaming was Ms. Park. With her face covered in gore, she had been scared out of her wits.

“Fuck!”

The surrounding mercenaries finally reacted and immediately opened fire on Chen Feng.

Bullets swept toward him like rain. However, Chen Feng vanished from the spot like a phantom.

When he reappeared, he was behind a mercenary. He condensed spiritual Qi into his palm, turning his hand into a sharp blade, and chopped directly at the mercenary’s neck.

Squelch!

A head flew into the air.

Transitioning instantly, another head followed, then another. Heads began to fly one after another within the room.

The mercenaries couldn’t see Chen Feng’s movements at all. They could only see blurred shadows flickering through the room; their muzzles couldn’t track him.

Chen Feng didn’t use the Fireball Spell, nor did he use long-range spiritual Qi attacks.

Since becoming a Qi Refining cultivator, he hadn’t yet been in a real fight.

Taking this opportunity, he wanted to test his combat effectiveness now that his entire body was suffused with spiritual Qi.

Inside the room, the terrified screams of mercenaries and the constant roar of gunfire echoed.

In this moment, they felt as if they had encountered a demon—a demon that was systematically harvesting their lives.

Ten seconds later, the mercenaries in the room were all decapitated.

The entire room was painted red with blood.

Chen Feng stood in a pool of blood, his expression calm. In his eyes, the speed of these mercenaries was no different from a snail’s.

“The physical reinforcement from spiritual Qi is an all-around enhancement. My body should be distinct from other cultivators.”

Chen Feng muttered to himself. He looked at a mark on his arm; he had purposefully let a submachine gun bullet hit him just now.

The bullet had only left a shallow indentation on his skin, and the mark was currently disappearing at a rate visible to the naked eye.

His body had already surpassed that of an Innate Realm martial artist. Even an Innate Realm martial artist was vulnerable to bullets.

Only by using True Qi as a protective shield could they block bullets. Once the True Qi was exhausted, they were still just mortal flesh.

Inside the room, Jack and the others stared wide-eyed at the transformed Chen Feng.

What had they just witnessed?

A single man had wiped out over a dozen fully armed mercenaries in just ten seconds.

Something like this surely only happened in movies.

“Are… are you Chen?” Jack asked, his voice trembling.

He found it hard to believe that the person before him was Chen Feng, mostly because Chen Feng’s appearance had changed.

But more importantly, the power Chen Feng had displayed was simply too terrifying.

Chapter 36: Liu Qian is About to Cry! Sect Master, We’re Really Going Bankrupt

Chen Feng glanced at Jack and the others, then condensed a small flame in his right palm.

In an instant, the spark flew toward Ms. Park and the two Middle Easterners.

One second, their expressions were filled with astonishment; the next, their entire bodies were engulfed in flames. In the blink of an eye, they were reduced to ash.

Seeing Ms. Park and the two Middle Easterners burned to nothingness right before his eyes, Jack’s psychological defenses completely collapsed.

He dropped to his knees immediately, begging, “Chen, don’t kill me, my friend!”

Jack kowtowed repeatedly to Chen Feng. He knew that in the East, kowtowing was a symbol of total submission.

Chen Feng’s ruthlessness terrified him; the man killed people as easily as swatting mosquitoes.

Earlier, the way Chen Feng had slaughtered those mercenaries had already shocked him. But now, having witnessed Ms. Park and the others turn to ash before him, Jack felt that Chen Feng was no longer just a man—he was a god, a divine being.

Only a god could possess such power.

Chen Feng looked at Jack and said, “Do one thing for me.”

Chen Feng didn’t plan on killing Jack. He still needed the man to help him gather the equipment. Besides, if he killed Jack, he would lose his channel for purchasing weapons abroad.

Jack immediately blurted out, “Chen, I am willing to do anything for you! From now on, I am your loyal slave!”

Jack looked ready to swear lifelong fealty then and there.

Chen Feng waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t need you to be my slave. Just gather all the equipment from these people. I’ll come to the black market bar tomorrow to collect it from you. Do you understand?”

Currently, the only people left on the cruise ship besides him and Jack were the crew members. However, the crew had not shown their faces even now, clearly intending to stay out of the situation.

Chen Feng didn’t feel like dealing with them. His Transcendental State only lasted for a few minutes; leaving as soon as possible was the safest course of action.

“Yes! I’ll call and arrange it immediately,” Jack promised, keeping his head low.

When he received no response, Jack looked up only to find that Chen Feng, who had been standing right in front of him, had vanished without a trace.

Jack collapsed onto the floor, his pants soaked.

The terror Chen Feng inspired was so overwhelming that he had lost control of his bodily functions.

Jack looked around. He was the only one left alive in the entire room. Everything that had happened tonight felt like a living nightmare.

However, when Jack’s eyes fell on Stone’s corpse, his expression shifted to one of excitement.

Their boss was dead. The entire gang was now leaderless. This was the perfect opportunity for him to seize power.

He didn’t dwell on it for long; his priority now was to finish the task Chen Feng had given him.

Jack pulled out his phone and began contacting his subordinates at the harbor to send a boat to pick him up.

He walked over to the porthole and stared out at the vast sea shrouded in darkness, a fresh wave of fear for Chen Feng washing over him.

The cruise ship hadn’t reached the high seas yet, but it was still several nautical miles from land. Chen Feng had simply vanished into thin air. What kind of god-like technique was that?

Inside the painting world, Chen Feng appeared at the Xingfeng Sect.

After entering his Transcendental State, he had used his spiritual Qi to tread through the air across the sea surface, finally reaching land just as the state was about to expire.

If he had been any further out, he might have had to swim the rest of the way. Once on land, he used the scroll to return to the painting world.

It was also night here.

The Xingfeng Sect was quiet at night, with only the rhythmic sounds of mining echoing from the mining mountain.

Chen Feng found Liu Qian, who was currently busy with bookkeeping in his room. Upon seeing Chen Feng, Liu Qian immediately rose to greet him.

“Sect Master!”

Liu Qian had grown accustomed to his Sect Master appearing and disappearing randomly. He assumed Chen Feng was practicing some profound cultivation technique that allowed him to move like a ghost.

Chen Feng asked, “Any movement from the Jiang Family?”

“Not for now. I’ve already sent people to slip into Liuyang Town. If the Jiang Family makes any move, we will know immediately.”

Hearing that the Jiang Family was quiet didn’t make Chen Feng think they had given up. Judging by Jiang Chen’s behavior that day, the man was definitely plotting something; they were likely just in the middle of preparations.

However, as long as the Jiang Family didn’t act within the next few days, they would never get another chance.

Once his modern equipment arrived and he taught Wang Hu and the others how to use it, he would take the initiative and wipe out the Jiang Family.

“I came to see you for another matter. The number of mortal miners is still too low, and the mining output is insufficient. I plan to increase the number of mortal miners and open up new mining mountains.”

Chen Feng brought up this urgent issue.

“May I ask how many the Sect Master intends to add?” Liu Qian asked in surprise.

Truthfully, Liu Qian didn’t understand why Chen Feng was so obsessed with the mining business. Blazing Sun Iron was a low-grade ore and wasn’t particularly valuable.

Furthermore, despite mining for so long, the sect’s coffers hadn’t grown at all. Every day was nothing but expenses. Liu Qian was constantly worried that the Xingfeng Sect would go bankrupt, but he didn’t dare question Chen Feng.

Chen Feng replied, “Let’s start by adding five thousand.”

“Huh? Five thousand!” Liu Qian almost thought he had misheard.

The Xingfeng Sect currently only had a few hundred miners. Chen Feng wanted to jump straight to five thousand. That was five thousand mouths to feed—the daily overhead would be astronomical.

“Sect Master, isn’t five thousand a bit too many?” Liu Qian plucked up the courage to advise against it.

The daily wages for five thousand people would be massive. With the Xingfeng Sect’s current wealth, they would go broke in half a month at most.

“It’s not many; it’s actually direct a bit on the low side. Don’t worry about the money. We’ll have plenty soon. Just do as I say.”

Chen Feng wasn’t worried about money at all. He planned to buy some small commodities in the United States and sell them in Liuyang Town. Once he eliminated the Jiang Family, the Xingfeng Sect’s financial problems would be solved instantly.

“Very well, Sect Master,” Liu Qian nodded, yielding to the command.

Chen Feng continued, “Also, go to other regions tomorrow and help me purchase as much Blazing Sun Stone as possible. Buy as much as you can, just leave enough to maintain the sect’s normal daily operations.”

Producing ten thousand tons of Blazing Sun Iron wasn’t going to be easy. Buying extra Blazing Sun Stone was the safest insurance policy.

Cold sweat began to roll down Liu Qian’s forehead. “Understood, Sect Master. I will handle it tomorrow.”

Liu Qian did a quick mental calculation. Given the rate at which Chen Feng was spending money without any regard for cost, he feared the Xingfeng Sect wouldn’t even have enough to pay the members’ salaries by next week.

He could only pray that Chen Feng was telling the truth about coming into money soon, and he hoped that “soon” meant very soon.

After giving Liu Qian his instructions, Chen Feng returned to the secret room to cultivate.

There was still some time before dawn. He couldn’t afford to miss his daily cultivation.

Although the amount of spiritual Qi the hyperbaric oxygen chamber helped him absorb had decreased significantly, it was still better than nothing.

Chapter 37: Is This Something Humanly Possible? The FBI is Stunned

United States, Gulf Coast.

A dozen police speedboats were racing across the sea, their target being a cruise ship not far away.

Before long, the police speedboats forced the cruise ship to a halt. Dozens of officers rushed inside and began a thorough search of the vessel.

When the officers reached the cruise ship’s lounge, they were all stunned by the scene before them.

Many began to vomit uncontrollably, and some female officers even let out screams.

As police officers in the United States, they had seen plenty of corpses.

However, the scene before them was still utterly horrifying.

The entire lounge was filled with corpses, and half of them were missing their heads.

The flowing blood was like a layer of red paint, staining the entire floor of the lounge crimson.

A man wearing a leather jacket stepped out from among the officers.

He glanced at the carnage in the lounge, frowned, and ordered, “Notify the medical examiner to come over. Also, check the identities of these people.”

He was an FBI Inspector, dispatched there by a Federal Senator.

The Senator had told him that a gang shootout had occurred on this cruise ship and that several arms dealers were on board.

His mission was to arrest them.

The Inspector had originally thought this operation would be simple.

After all, it was supposedly just a gang shootout, but the scene before him told him that something major had definitely happened here.

Soon, two medical examiners arrived and began performing on-site autopsies.

A moment later, a female medical examiner, after checking several bodies, jogged over to the Inspector.

Her expression was unnatural, as if she had witnessed something inconceivable.

“Well?” the Inspector asked.

The female medical examiner said in horror, “The fatal wounds for most of these people were decapitations by a sharp blade, and their heads are quite far from their bodies.”

“There are only two possibilities for this. One is that someone deliberately threw the heads far away after cutting them off.”

“The other is that the force used by the opponent to swing the weapon was so powerful that the moment the heads were severed, inertia caused them to fly off the necks.”

The medical examiner’s words made the Inspector frown even deeper, while the surrounding officers were stunned.

The force was so great that the heads were sent flying? What kind of fairy-tale autopsy result was that?

“Are you joking with me?” the Inspector questioned aloud. He felt that perhaps this medical examiner’s skill level was lacking.

The entire room was riddled with bullet holes; by all appearances, it looked like a gunfight between two parties.

Yet this female medical examiner claimed most of the fatal wounds were decapitations by a blade—it was simply preposterous.

“My professionalism would not allow me to joke with you at a time like this. There are no other wounds on those bodies; the fatal injuries were caused by sharp blades.”

The female medical examiner spoke very seriously, clearly offended by the Inspector’s doubt.

The Inspector said in a mocking tone, “Ma’am, based on what you’re saying, a dozen men with guns were all killed by a single guy with a sword? And he even sent their heads flying!”

The female medical examiner’s face turned red, and she was unable to argue back for a moment.

the situation with the corpses in the room was indeed too strange.

An officer came over at that moment to report, “Sir, according to identity verification, these decapitated men were all members of the Blackwater Company.”

Hearing “Blackwater Company,” the Inspector’s expression changed slightly.

As an FBI agent, he was very familiar with the Blackwater Company.

Most Blackwater soldiers were composed of retired special forces members, and their strength was far superior to that of average professional soldiers.

How could Blackwater members be involved in a gang shootout, and more importantly, how were they all dead?

This made the Inspector feel that something huge had definitely happened here.

Just then, a cry suddenly rang out within the lounge.

“My God! How is this possible? Lord, is this real?!”

Everyone’s eyes turned toward the table in the lounge.

A headless corpse was slumped over the table.

A medical examiner stood beside the body, holding some unidentified red, fragmented objects in his hand.

The one who had cried out was this medical examiner.

The medical examiner’s hands were trembling, as if he had discovered something extremely terrifying.

The Inspector immediately went up to ask, “What happened?”

The medical examiner turned his head, a look of terror on his face. He held out the blood-coated fragments to the Inspector.

“Lord! This is a human skull—how could it turn into this!”

Hearing the medical examiner’s words, everyone present gasped.

If the medical examiner hadn’t said it was a human skull, they wouldn’t have even recognized what it was.

How could a human skull be reduced to tiny fragments? How was this achieved?

The Inspector glanced at the fragments the medical examiner was holding and then walked to the table to look closely.

He discovered that many of these tiny skull fragments were stuck to the table.

The medical examiner continued in a trembling voice, “This wasn’t done with a meat grinder. His head was smashed against this table, causing the skull to shatter.”

No matter how calm the Inspector usually was, he was stunned by the medical examiner’s words.

“That’s impossible, isn’t it? Did the opponent use an anti-materiel sniper rifle?”

Certain powerful heavy weapons could indeed blow a person’s head apart.

“No, only an impact produces this kind of wound surface. At the time, his head must have been like a watermelon hitting this wooden table. The most terrifying thing is… this wooden table where the impact occurred hasn’t been damaged at all. This is simply a miracle!”

The medical examiner’s explanation caused the atmosphere in the room to freeze.

No one spoke; a sense of dread rose in their hearts.

They could have dismissed the female medical examiner’s earlier findings as a joke.

But now, another medical examiner had determined that a skull had been smashed to pieces.

It was impossible for both medical examiners to be incompetent.

Everyone felt that what the female medical examiner had said earlier was likely true as well.

But how was that possible?

What kind of person could use cold weapons to deal with a dozen Blackwater Company mercenaries?

And what kind of strength could smash a human skull against a wooden table until it was pulverized, yet leave the table intact?

The various mysteries could not be explained.

“I… I’ll go report this. You all continue to secure the scene. Do not move the bodies.” Cold sweat was already rolling down the Inspector’s face.

His gut told him this was something that shouldn’t be happening.

However, the scene before him and the findings of the two medical examiners were definitely not fake.

This matter was no longer something he could handle; he could only report it up the chain of command.

The painting world.

As dawn broke, Chen Feng ended his night of cultivation.

The light of the Spiritual Aperture within his body remained the same as his last cultivation session, without any change.

Since reaching Level 2 Qi Refining, his cultivation speed had become as slow as a turtle’s pace.

Now, he could only wait and see if Lin Wei could research a solution.

If even Lin Wei had no way, he would have to risk leaving the Xingfeng Sect to cultivate elsewhere.

Putting the matter aside for now, Chen Feng stepped out of the secret room.

Not long after leaving the secret room, he saw a crowd of people gathered in a nearby clearing, numbering about several hundred.

Chen Feng guessed that these people must be the miners Liu Qian had just recruited.

Chen Feng saw expressions of joy on the faces of these mortals from the painting world.

Most of these mortals had brought their families along; there were even some children only a few years old being carried on their mothers’ backs as they stood in the queue.

For the mortals of the painting world, being able to have a job and an income to provide food and warmth was true happiness.

The wages Chen Feng offered were decent: three copper coins per day.

Other factions of martial artists who used mortal miners almost never paid them a cent, providing only food for their labor.

Capitalist exploitation did not apply to the painting world; here, it was entirely a slave system.

Chapter 38: A Massive Harvest of Weapons, Jack’s Allegiance

Looking at the smiles radiating from the faces of the mortals in the painting world, Chen Feng’s determination to grow stronger became even more steadfast.

Only by becoming stronger could he grasp his fate in his own hands. Otherwise, he would be just like these people, his life or death determined by the mere whim of another.

Chen Feng did not linger on these mortals; he returned to the secret room.

He wouldn’t act out of kindness toward these people.

This was simply how the rules of the painting world worked; it was a world where the strong were respected.

The best he could do was engage in fair and equal exchange with them.

They provided labor, he provided money—neither side owed the other anything.

The Black Market Bar.

At this moment, a crowd had gathered at the bar’s entrance, with Jack standing at the very front.

However, Jack was currently covered in wounds, and the subordinates behind him weren’t in much better shape.

Everyone looked exhausted, clearly having gone without sleep the entire night.

Jack looked extremely anxious, peering around the entrance of the Black Market Bar.

The subordinates beside him were filled with confusion.

Their boss had rushed to the bar entrance at five in the morning and had been standing there for two full hours.

They didn’t understand what Jack was waiting for.

But they didn’t dare disobey Jack’s orders, so they could only wait along with him.

Chen Feng appeared at the bar entrance at that moment.

When he saw Chen Feng, Jack immediately dropped to his knees and shouted with utmost devotion:

“Great Deity! Your servant shall remain loyal to you forever.”

Jack’s action startled Chen Feng, and the subordinates were equally stunned. Quite a few of them recognized Chen Feng.

They knew he was one of Jack’s major clients, but while Jack was usually polite to Chen Feng, he had never gone so far as to kneel and worship him.

The subordinates looked at each other, completely bewildered.

Jack suddenly turned his head and cursed at the subordinates behind him:

“Fuck! Do you want to die? Hurry up and kneel down to worship the Great Deity!”

The subordinates were startled by Jack’s angry roar. Not daring to hesitate, they all began to kneel, shouting “Great Deity” just as he did.

At this moment, they felt their boss had either gone mad or joined some religious cult.

Chen Feng looked at the rows of kneeling gang members, rendered speechless.

“Enough, everyone get up. We’ll talk inside.”

It was broad daylight and right in front of a bar. If people saw so many people kneeling and worshiping him, he might be mistaken for the leader of some cult.

Jack rose immediately and respectfully led the way into the bar.

In the office, Chen Feng sat in the main seat and looked at Jack. “Have you completed the task I assigned you yesterday?”

Jack replied with a face full of reverence, “I have brought everything you asked for!”

After saying that, Jack ran to the door and spoke to the subordinate guarding it.

Soon, seven or eight subordinates entered the room carrying various boxes and bags.

Jack then dismissed the subordinates and personally opened the boxes one by one for Chen Feng to see.

Chen Feng immediately saw over a dozen submachine guns, dozens of hand grenades, and two boxes of ammunition inside the opened containers.

The other bags contained tactical equipment, bulletproof vests, and everything else he might need.

Chen Feng stepped forward and picked up one of the submachine guns to inspect it.

He recognized the model at a glance; it was the famous MP7.

This gun used 4.6x30mm caliber rounds, featured a high rate of fire and low recoil, and was specifically designed for special forces.

Chen Feng nodded in satisfaction. Even if this thing couldn’t kill someone in the Innate Realm outright, it could provide significant suppression.

The terrifying rate of fire combined with sustained shooting could deplete the True Qi of an Innate Realm expert.

Then, Jack opened two more boxes.

Inside these boxes were square objects wrapped in yellow paper, each with electronic components on top.

Seeing these items, Chen Feng’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t expected to get these.

C4 explosives!

Moreover, the yield of each brick was enough to blow the tracks off a tank. Between the two boxes, there were thirty bricks in total.

C4, also known as “chewing gum” explosives, was world-famous.

One of the boxes contained remote-detonated C4, while the other held timed C4.

Seeing these two boxes of C4, a smile appeared on Chen Feng’s face. These were good items.

Detonating just two of these would be enough to send an Innate Realm expert to his grave.

“Where did these come from?” He didn’t recall the mercenaries with William carrying things like this.

Jack explained, “These were from Stone’s ship. There are also these.”

As he spoke, Jack opened the last large bag, which contained two RPG rocket launchers and ten rockets.

Seeing the rocket launchers, Chen Feng looked at Jack. “Don’t tell me these were from Stone’s ship too.”

If Stone really had rocket launchers on his ship, he would have used them long ago to fight to the death with the Blackwater Company mercenaries.

Jack scratched his head awkwardly. “Nothing gets past you. Actually, I took over the gang last night.”

Jack described the situation to Chen Feng. Chen Feng roughly understood what had happened.

After Stone died, the entire gang fell into chaos. Jack, as a small-time leader, took his subordinates and fought all night, successfully becoming the new boss of the “Crips and Bloods.”

These rocket launchers were from the gang’s clandestine stockpile; these two launchers were all the heavy firepower they had.

The United States was very strict about the control of rocket launchers; for a gang to have one or two was already quite impressive.

Chen Feng glanced at Jack. This man had quite a bit of ambition, seizing the gang immediately after Stone’s death.

Seeing Chen Feng watching him, Jack knelt on the ground again. “I am willing to serve the Great Deity forever!”

Chen Feng spoke indifferently:

“You don’t need to call me ‘Great Deity,’ and I’m not going to kill you.”

“Just remember that you must not tell anyone about what happened last night. Otherwise, I guarantee you’ll be joining Stone immediately!”

Chen Feng had already guessed Jack’s intentions; the man simply wanted to cling to a powerful benefactor.

But he didn’t mind. Having a foreign gang under his control would make things easier for him.

Sensing Chen Feng’s cold gaze, Jack immediately said:

“Please rest assured, Boss. Even if I, Jack, die, I will never speak a word of what happened last night!”

Chen Feng didn’t believe Jack’s words for a second; he only spared the man’s life so he could handle tasks for him.

“One more thing. Go and buy these items for me.” Chen Feng handed Jack a list.

The items on the list were all small daily commodities that he intended to sell in the painting world.

Jack looked at the list and nodded. “Boss, I’ll get right on it. I can have it done within three hours!”

Jack didn’t know why Chen Feng was buying these things, but he wouldn’t ask questions. He would simply follow Chen Feng’s instructions.

“Mhm, you may leave now,” Chen Feng said.

There were quite a lot of items here, and it was impossible for him to carry them all out of the house.

He could only open the painting here and transport the equipment into the painting world first.

Chapter 39: We Vow to Protect the Xingfeng Sect to the Death!

After Jack left the room, Chen Feng hung the painting on the wall.

He tossed all the weapons into the painting one by one before entering the painting world himself.

It would take some time for Jack to prepare those small daily commodities. Chen Feng planned to use this time to teach Wang Hu and the others how to use modern firearms.

Back in the painting world, Chen Feng quickly found Wang Hu.

Wang Hu was currently leading a group of over a dozen martial artists in training at the Xingfeng Sect’s martial arts field.

The Xingfeng Sect was now divided into an Inner Sect and an Outer Sect, a structure Wang Hu had proposed to Chen Feng. The Inner Sect was the core of the Xingfeng Sect, while the Outer Sect consisted of hired martial artists who were essentially expendable.

The dozen or so people currently training with Wang Hu were all members of the Inner Sect. They had all been taught the Innate-level manual, the Profound Yellow Technique. The resources of the Xingfeng Sect were also heavily invested in these individuals.

Seeing Chen Feng approach, the group stopped their training and bowed to him one after another.

Chen Feng beckoned to Wang Hu, who immediately ran over to his side.

“Sect Master, do you have special instructions for us?”

At the moment, Wang Hu was shirtless, his bronze muscles gleaming slightly under the sunlight. With his physique, he would have easily outperformed any bodybuilding star in the modern world.

“I do have something. I’ve refined some equipment for you, and I’m going to teach you how to use it today.”

“Equipment?” Wang Hu’s eyes immediately filled with anticipation.

He knew Chen Feng possessed methods like those of an immortal, and he truly believed the man might possess an immortal crafting method. At the same time, he recalled the weapon Chen Feng had used to kill He Sandao; its power was something he still hadn’t forgotten.

Shortly after, Chen Feng had someone bring over a bag and a crate. Inside were over a dozen submachine guns and ammunition. As for the other equipment, Chen Feng didn’t plan to teach Wang Hu and the others how to use them yet; they needed to master the guns first.

Looking at the firearms inside the bag, Wang Hu and the dozen martial artists were filled with curiosity. They had never seen weapons with such peculiar designs.

Wang Hu picked up a submachine gun and weighed it in his hand. It felt surprisingly light.

“Sect Master, what is this object?”

Chen Feng smiled. “This thing is called a gun. It fires objects called ammunition. You can think of it as a type of hidden weapon.”

Hearing the term “hidden weapon,” everyone understood immediately. Many martial artists in the Post-Hearth Realm used hidden weapons against their enemies.

Chen Feng picked up a submachine gun, chambered a round, and then unleashed a burst of fire at a wooden training stake in the martial arts field.

The rat-tat-tat of gunfire rang out. After only a few seconds of firing, the wooden stake was riddled with a dense cluster of holes.

“This…”

Wang Hu and the others stared wide-eyed at the stake, which had been turned into a sieve. They were completely shocked by the power of the submachine gun.

The wooden stakes in this training field were made from a special type of timber specifically designed for Post-Hearth martial artists to practice on; they were extremely hard. Yet, against this hidden weapon called a gun, the wood was as fragile as paper.

If this hit a person, it was likely that no one except an Innate Realm expert could survive.

“Sect Master, isn’t this object too precious…?” Wang Hu asked cautiously.

Though his eyes burned with desire for the weapon, it looked like a treasure belonging to an immortal. He felt that he and the others were unworthy of such a relic.

“No matter how precious an object is, its true value is only shown when it is used correctly. This equipment is given to you so that you can better protect the Xingfeng Sect.”

Chen Feng’s words caused the expressions of Wang Hu and the others to change instantly.

Protect the Xingfeng Sect!

These words resonated deeply in everyone’s hearts. Wang Hu immediately dropped to one knee before Chen Feng.

“Please rest assured, Sect Master! We vow to protect the Xingfeng Sect to the death! We will never let you down!”

The others also knelt on the ground, their faces filled with determination. Chen Feng had even given them immortal treasures and held them in such high regard; they felt they could only repay him with their lives.

“Everyone, get up. Don’t go kneeling at every turn. I’ll teach you how to use the guns now.”

Seeing the group so motivated, Chen Feng smiled. Loyal people were appreciated no matter where they were.

Chen Feng began to instruct them on how to operate the firearms. The use of a submachine gun was relatively simple; he only needed to teach them about the safety, loading the ammunition, and firing. As for marksmanship, that would depend on their own practice.

Chen Feng only taught them for about fifteen minutes, and Wang Hu and the others had already learned how to use the submachine guns. Gunfire continued to echo across the martial arts field. After trying their first shots, many of them were grinning with excitement.

“Practice well. I’ll be back in a couple of days to inspect your progress,” Chen Feng told the group before leaving.

Wang Hu and the others shouted in unison, “Farewell, Sect Master!”

After Chen Feng left, one martial artist immediately leaned in toward Wang Hu and said, “Elder, with these guns, we’ll have the strength to fight even against an Innate Realm expert!”

The other martial artists were equally thrilled. Wang Hu was now the sole Elder of the Xingfeng Sect, an appointment given by Chen Feng, so the martial artists all addressed him as such.

Wang Hu raised an eyebrow and looked at the crowd. “The sect’s cultivation resources are currently being poured into us, and now the Sect Master has bestowed these precious immortal treasures upon us. We absolutely cannot fail him.”

“When the Sect Master comes to inspect our progress next time, everyone must satisfy him!”

“From today on, besides your regular cultivation, all your time will be spent practicing with these guns. If anyone fails to meet the standard in a few days, you can get the hell out and join the Outer Sect!”

Hearing Wang Hu’s words, everyone nodded repeatedly, their faces full of fighting spirit.

Liuyang Town, Jiang Family Estate.

The Jiang Family had been secretly recalling their martial artists from abroad during this time. The other prominent families in Liuyang Town hadn’t noticed the Jiang Family’s movements at all. No one would have expected that a major family like the Jiangs would prepare to use their entire clan’s strength to attack the Xingfeng Sect, let alone manage to keep it so hidden.

In the Jiang Family’s main hall, the high-ranking members were all gathered. They were waiting here today for one person.

That was the Jiang Family’s greatest backer: Jiang Yaotian’s younger sister, Jiang Hong.

Jiang Hong served as a commander of the Martial Prohibition Guard in the Imperial Capital of the Yue Kingdom. Her cultivation had already reached the Transformation Realm.

Above the Innate Realm lies the Transformation Realm. Such experts have merged their Astral Qi with their physical bodies; they no longer rely on simple Astral Qi projection to fight. Their very bodies are their best weapons. Every move of a Transformation Realm expert contains immense power, and their speed and strength are several times greater than those of the Innate Realm.

“Father, why hasn’t Aunt arrived yet?” Jiang Chen asked, getting a bit impatient.

But at that moment, a cold voice rang out in the hall.

“Chen’er, do you want to see your Aunt that badly?”

A figure appeared silently in the center of the hall. It was a woman wearing light armor, seemingly around thirty years old, with her long hair tied back. She stood with one hand behind her back, and her mere presence exerted immense pressure on those around her.

Upon seeing her, everyone in the hall stood up to salute.

“Greetings, Grandmaster!”

Transformation Realm experts were also known as Grandmasters because they had reached the peak of the martial path—the limit of what a mortal could achieve. Addressing them as “Grandmaster” was a term of utmost respect.

Jiang Yaotian also rose to greet her. “Sister Hong, what took you so long?”

Chapter 40: Chen Feng Definitely Cannot Have Immortal Treasures!

“Aunt!” Jiang Chen rushed to Jiang Hong and bowed respectfully.

To Jiang Chen, his aunt was the family’s greatest protector. As long as she was there, few in the Yue Kingdom would dare to touch the Jiang Family. In the future, he would also have to rely on this aunt, who held a high-ranking position in the Imperial Capital.

“Things have been busy in the Imperial Capital. I only managed to find some time to come back today,” Jiang Hong said with a smile, patting Jiang Chen’s head. “Tell me, what’s so urgent that you had to call me back in such a rush?”

Jiang Yaotian had not specified the details in his letter to maintain secrecy.

Jiang Yaotian spoke in a heavy voice, “We have discovered someone suspected of possessing immortal treasures!”

The moment those words were spoken, the smile on Jiang Hong’s face vanished, replaced by an expression of survival and gravity.

“Brother, tell me everything in detail.”

With a mere blur of movement, Jiang Hong was suddenly seated beside Jiang Yaotian. Her speed was so incredible that the Innate Realm martial artists present couldn’t even track her motion.

The members of the Jiang Family couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. As long as they had a Transformation Realm expert like Jiang Hong, the Jiang Family would continue to flourish.

Jiang Yaotian then recounted everything regarding Chen Feng.

After hearing the description, Jiang Hong didn’t speak immediately. Instead, she tapped her fingers lightly on the tabletop, deep in thought. Everyone remained silent, waiting for her to speak.

“Brother, your information on this Chen Feng is not detailed enough,” Jiang Hong finally nói.

Jiang Yaotian said helplessly, “This is the limit of what I could investigate. This person appeared three months ago in the Transverse Mountains to establish the Xingfeng Sect, primarily dealing in mining. As for anything before that, I can’t find a trace.”

Jiang Hong nodded slightly. “I will send a letter to the Imperial Capital and have the people there look into it.”

The Jiang Family’s intelligence capabilities were limited, so it was natural they couldn’t find much. However, the Imperial Family’s intelligence network was top-tier in the entire Yue Kingdom. With secret agents in almost every corner of the country, investigating a man in the Transverse Mountains would not be difficult.

Jiang Yaotian then asked, “Sister Hong, you work in the Imperial Capital and have seen far more than us. Do you think Chen Feng truly possesses immortal treasures?”

Jiang Hong gave a scoff. “Brother, Chen Feng definitely does not have any immortal treasures.”

This statement shocked everyone. No one expected Jiang Hong to give such a definitive answer.

Jiang Hong continued, “Although I have never met a true immortal, I have learned a few things about them. Immortal treasures require spiritual Qi to be activated. Without spiritual Qi, even if such a treasure falls into the hands of a mortal or a martial artist, it is completely useless. And spiritual Qi can only be harnessed by cultivators at the Qi Refining stage.”

“In the entire Yue Kingdom, the only Qi Refining cultivator I know of is the previous generation’s Ancestral Patriarch. That man hasn’t emerged from secluded meditation in many years.”

Jiang Yaotian and the others were stunned. This was the first time they had heard about the specific realms of cultivators.

“In that case, Chen Feng really doesn’t have any immortal treasures?” Jiang Yaotian looked disappointed.

The rest of the Jiang Family shared the same expression. They had mobilized the whole family and called back Jiang Hong specifically to obtain immortal treasures and ensure the family’s rise. Now that they knew it was impossible, their disappointment was immense.

Immortal treasures needed a cultivator to work, and the only cultivator in Yue Kingdom was likely the old patriarch Jiang Hong mentioned. Chen Feng must have used some other means to kill Jiang Xiao and He Sandao.

Jiang Hong continued, “Even if Chen Feng doesn’t have immortal treasures, he must have other secrets. Since I’m already here, I’ll deal with him personally and see what those secrets are.”

Jiang Chen spoke up then, “Aunt, I’ve already gathered the men. We can strike at any time!”

Jiang Chen was itching to storm the Xingfeng Sect and force Chen Feng to crawl before him and beg for mercy. He hadn’t forgotten Chen Feng’s arrogant attitude from a few days ago, which had infuriated him.

Jiang Hong shook her head. “No rush. I’ll send out the secret letter shortly. We will move once the news from the Imperial Capital returns.”

Jiang Hong was cautious. While Chen Feng might not have immortal treasures, it was hard to say if he had some sort of background. A thorough investigation was necessary.

Jiang Chen immediately bowed. “I shall do as you command, Aunt.”

Though he desperately wanted to attack the Xingfeng Sect right now, if his aunt said so, he could only wait and let Chen Feng live a little longer.

Jiang Yaotian suddenly asked, “Sister Hong, is there any hope for our Jiang Family to move to the Imperial Capital?”

Although Liuyang Town was the largest of the surrounding towns, it paled in comparison to the Imperial Capital. Furthermore, Liuyang Town was near several large mountain ranges on the border; if war broke out, the Jiang Family would be in a precarious position.

Jiang Hong replied, “Brother, the Jiang Family is better off in Liuyang Town. Even if we moved to the Imperial Capital, we would only be a minor family. I am only a commander of the Martial Prohibition Guard; my influence isn’t enough to protect the family’s foothold there.”

Jiang Yaotian was somewhat unwilling to accept this. “Sister Hong, you are a Transformation Realm expert. Can you really not protect our family?”

Their family had stayed in this small place for centuries. No one knew that the Jiang Family had once been a prominent clan in the Jiang Kingdom, but after the Jiang Kingdom was destroyed by the Yue Kingdom, the family had fallen into decline. Restoring the family’s glory was Jiang Yaotian’s lifelong desire.

Jiang Hong gave a bitter smile. “Brother, while the Transformation Realm is the limit for mortals, there are tiers within that realm. In the Imperial Capital alone, I know of at least a dozen Transformation Realm experts. I am nothing special there. If the Jiang Family tries to settle in the capital, we will certainly be suppressed by other factions.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yaotian sighed. “If only our Jiang Family could produce a cultivator!”

At those words, Jiang Hong let out a self-deprecating laugh. A cultivator? That was something even she could only dream of. Even in the Yue Imperial Family, only the previous patriarch was at the Qi Refining stage; none of the other members had the talent for cultivation. One could only imagine how difficult the path of immortality truly was.

“I’ll go send the secret letter first. We should have a reply from the capital by tomorrow. We’ll move then.”

Jiang Hong then left the hall. she didn’t want to waste too much time, as she had taken leave from her duties to return home.

In the Yue Kingdom, messages were sent using special feathered birds. These birds could travel 500 km in a single day, and many major powers kept them as communication tools. The Imperial Capital was about 300 km from Liuyang Town, so only these birds could deliver a message and return within a day.

Inside Jack’s office, Chen Feng’s figure appeared. After teaching Wang Hu and the others how to use firearms, he had returned to the modern world.

Chen Feng opened the door, finding two gang members standing guard.

Upon seeing Chen Feng, both men bowed with deep reverence. “Lord Deity!”

Chen Feng ignored the title and asked, “Is Jack back?”

Chen Feng didn’t want to stay in the United States for too long. He needed to get the painting to Xingfeng Mining as soon as possible. Otherwise, production would remain halted, and he would never meet the 20,000-ton quota.

“The boss has been back for a while, but since you were in your room, he didn’t dare disturb you. He told us to stand guard here. I’ll notify the boss right away.”

One of the men immediately took out his phone to make the call.

Chapter 41: Jack’s Fear

Before long, Jack came trotting over.

His expression was troubled, clearly indicating that something had happened.

Seeing that Jack looked off, Chen Feng asked, “Did something happen?”

Jack immediately shooed his underlings away, then turned to Chen Feng and said:

“Boss, the cruise ship from last night was seized by the FBI. They’ve already traced the ship back to Stone, and a lot of FBI agents just came here to investigate.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Feng’s gaze instantly turned icy. For a moment, he actually considered killing Jack.

Being targeted by the FBI was not a good thing. Even though he had become a cultivator, he wouldn’t dare claim he was invincible. Against the military and weaponry of the United States, he simply wouldn’t be able to hold his ground yet.

Only by killing Jack and wiping out his gang could he eliminate any future trouble.

Yesterday, in his rush to return to the mainland, he had assumed Jack would handle everything properly. He hadn’t expected this idiot to focus solely on seizing the position of gang leader the moment they returned, failing to even properly destroy the evidence.

Jack, who was still worrying about the FBI, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were being watched by something terrifying.

When he caught sight of Chen Feng’s eyes, the hair on his arms stood on end. A wave of primal fear rose from the depths of his heart.

Jack hurriedly knelt on the ground and said in a trembling voice:

“Boss! Everyone who went on the ship with us last night has been dealt with by me just now—that includes the driver. Except for me, no one knows you were on that ship!”

Jack was filled with terror. He could tell from Chen Feng’s cold gaze that the man intended to kill him.

His body shook uncontrollably. Even though Jack was now the leader of the gang with dozens of men outside, he didn’t have the slightest thought of resisting Chen Feng. He had witnessed Chen Feng’s power with his own eyes.

Even the Blackwater mercenaries were no match for Chen Feng; his own lackeys stood no chance at all. If Chen Feng wanted him dead, he would certainly not survive.

“Get up. I told you I don’t like people kneeling,” Chen Feng spoke calmly.

As Chen Feng spoke, Jack felt the icy chill vanish. He let out a long, heavy sigh of relief.

“Keep your mouth shut. Otherwise, even if you were in the FBI’s custody, they wouldn’t be able to protect you,” Chen Feng warned, staring at him.

Jack immediately promised, “Please rest easy, Boss. I’ve been dealing with the FBI for more than a day or two; they definitely won’t find anything. Besides, I’m already preparing to take my men and leave this place.”

Seeing Jack’s terrified state, Chen Feng finally nodded. “Are the things I asked for ready?”

The main reason Chen Feng decided against killing Jack was the man’s previous answer. Jack had been smart enough to preemptively kill everyone who had accompanied them to the ship.

Furthermore, after witnessing Chen Feng’s methods, Jack wouldn’t dare to betray him easily; the abilities Chen Feng displayed were enough to keep Jack in a state of perpetual fear.

Besides, if he killed Jack, it would be difficult to buy firearms in the future. He also had other plans in mind—keeping Jack and his men around would make things more convenient for him.

While his home country was safe, the same couldn’t be said for foreign countries, and it was inevitable that he might be targeted. In the modern world, he needed more than just a massive business chain; he needed his own armed forces as well.

“Boss, everything you wanted has been placed in the warehouse. I’ll take you there.”

Jack respectfully led Chen Feng toward the bar’s warehouse.

A large hoard of items was stored there.

The most numerous items were bundles of photobooks. These were racy Western pin-up magazines with very little text, consisting mostly of photographs.

There were also various daily necessities from the modern world, such as glassware, metal tools, fabrics, and more.

The list Chen Feng had given Jack consisted of items he had previously chosen for resale—items with the lowest risk.

He had never taken electronic technology products into the painting world because such technological artifacts were far beyond the understanding of the inhabitants there, which could easily invite trouble.

However, items like these photobooks and daily necessities wouldn’t attract too much unwanted attention. As long as he told the people in the painting world that they were imported from other countries, it wouldn’t raise many suspicions.

Chen Feng didn’t know exactly how large the painting world was. However, there were many neighboring countries, and even more distant nations existed. Coupled with the fact that the painting world lacked the communication technology of the modern world, news between countries was difficult to transmit. Therefore, the origin of his goods would be impossible to verify.

Chen Feng wasn’t worried about these things not selling. Novelty brought high value anywhere. Whether it was the stimulation provided by the photobooks or the utility of the daily necessities, they could all be sold for a high price.

Jack stood respectfully to the side. In truth, he couldn’t figure out why Chen Feng wanted these things. He even began to suspect that Chen Feng had some strange collecting fetish.

These types of racy magazines had long been phased out by the era; if someone wanted to see that kind of thing, searching any website on the internet was far more stimulating.

Chen Feng turned to Jack and instructed, “Take your men and leave this place as soon as possible. It would be best if you left the United States entirely. Once you find a safe place, call me.”

“Boss, I’ll do as you say. I’ll go wherever you tell me. I have dozens of men with me right now.”

Jack knew that under the current circumstances, leaving the United States was indeed the safest bet. However, he didn’t know where to go, so he wanted to ask Chen Feng for advice.

Chen Feng thought for a moment before saying, “Go to Southeast Asia or the Middle East. Somewhere chaotic is best.”

“Understood. I’ll go arrange for the smuggling right away,” Jack agreed.

For gang members like them, a chaotic region was indeed the best choice. Jack then brought two cases and placed them before Chen Feng.

“Boss, there’s also this,” Jack said.

He opened the cases, which were filled with stacks of green US dollars. The total amount was about one million. This money had belonged to Stone, and after Jack took over the gang, this cash naturally came into his possession.

“Keep the money. You’ll need it to establish yourselves. Once you’re settled, help me acquire some powerful weaponry. I’ll have a use for it later.”

Chen Feng didn’t really want the cash because it was “black money.” It would be easily flagged back home, and laundering it was a hassle. It was better to let Jack use it to buy more weapons and equipment for him.

“Yes, Boss!”

A smile immediately broke out on Jack’s face. He knew for sure now that Chen Feng wasn’t going to kill him.

Chen Feng then dismissed Jack and began sending the supplies one by one into the painting world.

Inside a passenger plane flying toward Dragon Nation, Chen Feng sat in a first-class seat.

After sending the supplies into the painting world, he had taken the earliest flight home.

At that moment, a tall flight attendant approached Chen Feng. She poured him a glass of water and said in a gentle voice, “Sir, please have some water.”

From the moment Chen Feng boarded the plane, she had been drawn to him. Someone so handsome sitting in first class naturally caught her attention.

“Thank you,” Chen Feng replied with a smile.

Just as he picked up the glass, he noticed a small slip of paper tucked underneath it with a phone number written on it.

The flight attendant leaned toward Chen Feng’s ear and whispered, “Sir, this is my contact information. If you need to inquire about flight information, you can contact me anytime.”

The hint was glaringly obvious. How could Chen Feng not understand?

Chapter 42: The Jiang Family Moves Out!

Chen Feng smiled and set the note aside. This wasn’t the first time he had encountered something like this. The last time he flew first class, a flight attendant had given him a note as well.

He could understand their behavior. Being a flight attendant was a profession that relied heavily on youth; if they didn’t make it to purser, they would eventually have to change careers. If they could find a young and wealthy partner during their prime years, they naturally wouldn’t let the opportunity slip by.

Chen Feng checked the time on his phone. It was nine o’clock in the evening; he would likely arrive back in Dragon Nation by tomorrow morning.

But at 그 moment, something occurred to him. He suddenly sat bolt upright, his eyes fixed intently on the time displayed on his phone.

The flight attendant, who was just about to leave, saw Chen Feng’s sudden reaction and hurriedly asked, “Sir, is everything alright?”

She noticed that Chen Feng’s expression was very off—he even seemed a bit agitated.

Chen Feng waved a hand and said, “I’m fine.”

In truth, Chen Feng was staring at the time because he had realized something was wrong.

From the moment he obtained the painting, the flow of time within the painting world had always corresponded with the time in Dragon Nation. However, there was a twelve-hour time difference between Dragon Nation and the United States!

This meant there should also be a twelve-hour time difference between the painting world and the United States.

And that was exactly what was wrong.

Since arriving in the United States, Chen Feng had entered the painting world three times. Once was at night, when he went back to inform Liu Qian to prepare for an expansion of mortal miners. The other two times were during the day to deliver supplies.

By the logic of time zones, if he entered the painting world during the day in the United States, it should have been nighttime in the painting world. But during those two daytime entries, the painting world had also been in the middle of the day.

The time difference was clearly wrong. He had been so busy delivering items to the painting world at the time that he hadn’t paid attention to these Details.

“It seems the flow of time has changed,” Chen Feng thought.

He couldn’t judge exactly how much the time flow between the painting world and the modern world had shifted, but he was certain it had altered. This reminded him of the previous transformation of the painting. After he reached Level 2 Qi Refining, the image within the painting had expanded to encompass the entire Transverse Mountains. He had studied it for a long time back then and hadn’t found anything amiss.

Now it seemed the change was in the flow of time.

Chen Feng stood up immediately. He intended to go to the plane’s lavatory to enter the painting world and see exactly how much the time had shifted.

But just then, an announcement chimed through the cabin.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our aircraft is about to take off. For your safety, the lavatories will be closed during takeoff. Please ensure your seat backs and tray tables are in their upright positions, and confirm that your carry-on items are properly stowed in the overhead bins or under the seat in front of you. This is a non-smoking flight. We wish you a pleasant journey!”

Hearing the announcement, Chen Feng sat back down.

The lavatories were closed during takeoff; he would have to wait half an hour until the plane reached its cruising altitude in the stratosphere before they reopened. Waiting half an hour wouldn’t make much of a difference to him.

According to his estimation, the time dilation between the painting world and reality shouldn’t be too extreme. Otherwise, he would have noticed something was wrong the moment he returned to the Xingfeng Sect.

In the painting world, at the foot of the Transverse Mountains.

Countless martial artists from the Jiang Family had appeared. Not just here—practically every side of the Transverse Mountains had been surrounded by them.

After Jiang Hong received the letter from the Imperial Capital confirming that Chen Feng had no background there, the Jiang Family had begun their move. It was currently night, the optimal time to strike.

“Family Head, the scouting is complete. There are seven or eight martial artists guarding the entrance to the Xingfeng Sect, all of them below the fifth level of the Post-Hearth Realm. They should already know we’re here,” an Elder reported to Jiang Yaotian.

Jiang Yaotian replied, “So what if they know? We have surrounded the entire Transverse Mountains so tightly that not even a fly could escape.”

The Jiang Family had deployed over a thousand martial artists for this operation, with hundreds of them being above the fifth level of the Post-Hearth Realm. Let alone wiping out the Xingfeng Sect, they could easily annihilate every single sect in the Transverse Mountains.

Although the Xingfeng Sect had taken over the Black Wind Fortress and had several hundred members, they were mostly just bottom-tier bandits. Once the fighting started, at least half of them would flee. They weren’t worth worrying about.

Beside him, Jiang Chen spoke up, “Father, let me lead the vanguard while you command from the rear.”

Jiang Chen volunteered, eager to perform well and boost his prestige within the family.

Jiang Yaotian nodded. “Very well. Take two Elders and a hundred Post-Hearth martial artists. But remember, do not push too deep into the Xingfeng Sect yet. Wait for news from your aunt.”

Jiang Hong had not moved with the main force. Instead, she had headed toward the Xingfeng Sect alone. To capture a pack, one must first capture its leader; Jiang Hong intended to take down Chen Feng first, while also testing what trump cards he might be holding.

The Jiang Family members quickly mobilized. The dense swarm of martial artists began to tighten their encirclement, their target being the Xingfeng Sect.

Such a massive movement by the Jiang Family was immediately detected by some of the smaller sects in the Transverse Mountains. These sects promptly sealed their gates and forbade anyone from leaving, only sending out their top experts to scout the area.

On a mountain peak within the Transverse Mountains, Wang Tian and Qin Yao watched the Jiang Family martial artists approaching the Xingfeng Sect in the distance, their faces filled with worry.

“Sect Master Qin, it looks like the Xingfeng Sect is finished,” Wang Tian said, his expression grim.

Qin Yao said in confusion, “Why would the Jiang Family deploy so many people to deal with the Xingfeng Sect? Why go to such lengths?”

She couldn’t understand it. Bringing thousands of martial artists to the Transverse Mountains just to deal with the Xingfeng Sect—was such a massive fuss really necessary? To her knowledge, the Xingfeng Sect only had one Innate Realm martial artist, Chen Feng. There was no need for such an overwhelming force.

“Sigh, now isn’t the time to worry about the reason. Once the Xingfeng Sect is destroyed, we’ll have to leave as well,” Wang Tian sighed.

He didn’t want anything to happen to the Xingfeng Sect because his sect’s refined pills were all sold to them. Just as his alchemy sect was starting to thrive, this disaster had struck.

If the Xingfeng Sect was gone, their sales channel would vanish. Furthermore, once the Jiang Family occupied the Transverse Mountains, there would be no place left for them. Usually, when a great family took over a mountain range, they didn’t allow other powers to exist alongside them.

“Let’s wait and see. Perhaps Sect Master Chen has a way to deal with this,” Qin Yao remarked.

“What way could there be? The Jiang Family has sent so many martial artists that even the former He Sandao would have likely been forced to flee into exile if faced with this. I only hope Sect Master Chen can manage to escape.”

In Wang Tian’s view, the Xingfeng Sect was doomed. How could a small sect compete with a martial arts aristocratic family? The Jiang Family owned mountains far larger than the Transverse Mountains, and their foundations were beyond anything the Xingfeng Sect could hope to match.

Qin Yao fell silent, knowing that Wang Tian was telling the truth. Under these circumstances, the best-case scenario was that Chen Feng could escape. As for the rest of the Xingfeng Sect, they had no chance of survival.

The two of them watched the flickering torchlight and moving shadows in the distant forest. In less than fifteen minutes, the vanguard of the Jiang Family martial artists would reach the gates of the Xingfeng Sect.

Chapter 43: Facing the Enemy Head-on!

Inside the Xingfeng Sect.

It wasn’t until the martial artists of the Jiang Family appeared at the foot of the mountain that the Xingfeng Sect finally noticed them.

Although Liu Qian had sent many eyes and ears toward Liuyang Town, not a single one had sent back any information. This was because the Jiang Family had eliminated those scouts the moment they mobilized. As a result, the Xingfeng Sect had received no warning of the Jiang Family’s movement.

At this moment, at the entrance of the Xingfeng Sect headquarters, the sect’s martial artists were gathered. There were about three hundred of them. These men were originally bandits from the Black Wind Fortress, and their expressions were currently filled with panic.

After all, this was the Jiang Family attacking their front door. They were a major power in Liuyang Town; how could these men not be terrified?

“Elder, Steward, we’ve scouted the area. The entire Transverse Mountains have been surrounded by members of the Jiang Family. A group of about a hundred Jiang Family members has almost reached the sect’s main gate,” a martial artist reported to Wang Hu and Liu Qian.

As soon as these words were spoken, the martial artists in the courtyard began whispering among themselves, their panic visibly intensifying.

Liu Qian turned to Wang Hu and asked, “Brother Wang Hu, is the Sect Master still in seclusion?”

Not seeing Chen Feng made Liu Qian feel uneasy. He didn’t know that Chen Feng wasn’t actually at the Xingfeng Sect; he only believed the man was in seclusion.

Wang Hu, however, knew the truth—Chen Feng was away on business.

“The Sect Master is in seclusion. Everyone, stand with me to resist the enemy! Once the Sect Master emerges, he will surely drive the Jiang Family back!”

Wang Hu was holding a submachine gun, and about a dozen men standing beside him were also armed with submachine guns. In the entire Xingfeng Sect, only this small group appeared relatively calm.

Over the past two days, Wang Hu had been leading them in target practice. While their marksmanship wasn’t perfect yet, they had become familiar with how to operate the firearms. The weapons gave them an immense sense of confidence.

Furthermore, in their eyes, Chen Feng was like an immortal. What was a single Jiang Family compared to that?

But when Wang Hu finished speaking, only the dozen or so Inner Sect martial artists by his side responded. The rest of the crowd continued their frantic whispering. Clearly, Wang Hu’s words didn’t inspire much faith. No matter how strong their Sect Master was, he was just one Innate Realm expert.

The Jiang Family had several Innate Realm experts and had mobilized a thousand men. How could they possibly win?

Seeing their attitude, Wang Hu snorted coldly. “You useless trash. You take the sect’s money and resources every day, yet at the critical moment, you’re this cowardly? A single Jiang Family has scared you into this state!”

In response to Wang Hu’s scolding, one of the martial artists mustered the courage to argue. “Elder, how can we possibly hold our own against the Jiang Family? They have far more people than us, and they have several Innate Realm experts. We should just surrender!”

“That’s right! Elder, let’s surrender.”

“The Jiang Family is a prominent clan; surely they won’t kill us all. As long as the Sect Master surrenders to them, we’ll be fine.”

Several martial artists immediately proposed surrendering. These men had very little sense of belonging to the Xingfeng Sect. They were originally from Black Wind Fortress; if they were truly loyal men, they wouldn’t have defected to the Xingfeng Sect in the first place.

Wang Hu looked at them and laughed out of sheer anger. He turned to look at Liu Qian. “Steward Liu, do you want to surrender too?”

When Liu Qian met Wang Hu’s gaze, for some reason, he felt as if he were facing the most important decision of his life.

Given his cautious nature, he normally would have done exactly what he did when he joined the Xingfeng Sect: lead his men to surrender to the Jiang Family. But then he thought of Chen Feng’s various mysteries and that innate confidence the man always carried.

At this moment, Liu Qian was torn.

Wang Hu stopped paying attention to the crowd and spoke to the dozen men beside him. “Let’s go!”

He had nothing left to say to these cowards. If he didn’t need people to guard the sect while they went out to meet the enemy, he wouldn’t have wasted his breath on them at all.

The Xingfeng Sect didn’t just have martial artists; there were over a thousand mortal miners living near the mining mountain. If the enemy broke into the sect, both the mortal miners and the mining mountain would be lost.

The dozen men beside Wang Hu didn’t hesitate for a second. Gripping their guns, they followed him toward the sect entrance.

“Wait!” Liu Qian suddenly called out to Wang Hu.

Wang Hu paused in his tracks. Liu Qian turned back to the crowd and said, “Everyone, the Jiang Family will definitely not let us off. If they were willing to accept a surrender, they would have notified us in advance.”

“Why else would they send so many men? This is clearly an extermination campaign. If we don’t fight back, the only thing waiting for us is death!”

Liu Qian was clever. He wasn’t as blunt as Wang Hu; instead, he used his words to block any thoughts of surrender the men had left. At that moment, Liu Qian made his decision. He was going to gamble—he was gambling that Chen Feng could repel the Jiang Family.

The crowd fell silent upon hearing Liu Qian’s words. They still trusted Liu Qian’s judgment, as they had followed him when they first surrendered to the Xingfeng Sect.

“The strategist is right. The Jiang Family won’t let us go. Surrender is not an option!”

“Since they want us dead, we might as well go down fighting!”

“Fight to the end!”

The crowd’s attitude shifted instantly. When people realize they are facing certain death, they tend to unite.

Liu Qian spoke to Wang Hu. “Brother Wang Hu, take your men to the gate to deal with the Jiang Family’s vanguard. I will stay and hold the sect. If you fall, I’ll have no choice but to lead the rest of the men in a desperate breakout!”

Wang Hu glanced at Liu Qian and smiled. “Rest easy, Steward. A mere Jiang Family isn’t enough to wipe out our Xingfeng Sect. You hold down the headquarters; I’ll deal with them!”

Striding forward, Wang Hu led his group toward the main gate.

Watching the confidence in their steps, Liu Qian was deeply surprised. He didn’t know where Wang Hu’s confidence came from, nor did he know what the “guns” in their hands were. Wang Hu and his team had practiced in a remote area far from the sect, so very few people knew about them.

Near the entrance of the Xingfeng Sect.

Jiang Chen arrived with a contingent of Jiang Family martial artists. At his side were two Innate Realm experts, both at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm—elders of the Jiang Family.

“Young Master, someone is coming!” one of the elders warned.

Jiang Chen immediately looked toward the sect gate. He saw a dozen or so people walk out and stop about several dozen meters away from them.

Seeing only a dozen people, and noting that the highest cultivation among them was only the ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm, a look of disdain appeared on Jiang Chen’s face.

“So few people? You have a death wish!”

Jiang Chen stepped forward and shouted at Wang Hu, “Where is Chen Feng? Tell him to get his ass out here!”

But Wang Hu didn’t bother responding. He simply raised his submachine gun and opened fire instantly.

The dozen martial artists beside him raised their guns and fired simultaneously.

Da da da! A dense hail of bullets swept toward the Jiang Family members like driving rain.

“Young Master, watch out!”

The two Innate Realm experts beside Jiang Chen sensed the danger immediately. They snapped to the front, shielding Jiang Chen as pale yellow True Qi surged around their bodies.

The submachine gun bullets sparked violently as they slammed into the True Qi.

Ping! Ping! Ping! The sound of impacts echoed continuously.

The two Innate Realm experts protected Jiang Chen as they were forced back several steps.

As for the other Jiang Family martial artists, they didn’t have True Qi to protect them. The moment the submachine gun fire swept over them, they were riddled with holes like hornet nests. After all, how could mere mortal flesh and blood withstand bullets?

In just ten seconds, more than half of the hundred martial artists who had followed Jiang Chen were dead. This was only because they had been somewhat spread out; if they had been bunched together, none would have survived.

After emptying his magazine, Wang Hu immediately shouted, “Scatter! Reload!”

The men around him dispersed and began swapping magazines. In moments, they were reloaded and ready.

This time, Wang Hu had prepared six magazines for each person. They had brought almost every bullet they had for the submachine guns. Chen Feng had only given them two crates of ammunition, and this was their entire stockpile.

Chapter 44: A Bad Start! Xingfeng Sect’s Trump Card

To the martial artists of the painting world, the firearms of the modern world were something they had never witnessed before.

The members of the Jiang Family were utterly dazed by the barrage from the submachine guns.

Jiang Chen hid behind two Innate Realm experts, his heart racing as he reeled from the sheer power of the weapons.

“What on earth is that?”

Jiang Chen considered himself well-traveled and knowledgeable, yet he had never seen a weapon like this. Had it not been for the two Elders shielding him, he would have likely lost his life just moments ago.

“Young Master, their weapons are incredibly powerful. My True Qi won’t be able to hold out for much longer!” one of the Innate Realm Elders beside Jiang Chen spoke, his face slightly pale. He was currently holding a submachine gun bullet in his hand, his eyes filled with disbelief.

In those few dozen seconds, at least dozens of these metal objects had slammed into his True Qi.

“Do you mean even two Elders cannot take these people down?” Jiang Chen asked, unable to believe his ears. These two Elders were at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm.

Wang Hu and his men were at the ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm at best. Although they possessed powerful weapons, Jiang Chen believed that with the speed and reaction time of Innate Realm experts, killing them shouldn’t be a problem as long as they could evade the attacks.

“We must ensure your safety, Young Master, which means we cannot leave your side. It’s better to retreat for now!”

The two Innate Realm experts felt extremely stifled. If they didn’t have to protect Jiang Chen, they could have attempted to charge Wang Hu and the others. But with Jiang Chen present, their priority had to be his protection.

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Jiang Chen’s eyes. He gritted his teeth and spat out, “We’re leaving!”

Following his command, Jiang Chen led the remaining martial artists in a retreat.

Seeing Jiang Chen’s group flee, Wang Hu did not continue firing, nor did he lead his men in a pursuit. Their current objective was to guard the Xingfeng Sect and wait for Chen Feng to return.

They didn’t have much submachine gun ammunition left; their goal was simply to stall for as much time as possible.

“Secure the main gate!” Wang Hu left several martial artists behind and led the rest back inside the Xingfeng Sect.

Inside the sect, when Wang Hu and his team returned, the way everyone looked at them had completely changed. Even Liu Qian was filled with shock.

They had witnessed the scene at the gate in its entirety.

Two Innate Realm experts from the Jiang Family had led over a hundred people to their doorstep, yet Wang Hu had repelled them in a mere dozen seconds, killing half of their forces in the process. Such a result was simply unbelievable.

Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the weapons in the hands of Wang Hu and his team. They were desperate to know what these things were that possessed such terrifying power.

Liu Qian approached Wang Hu and asked, “Brother Wang Hu, what are these? To think they possess such immense power!”

Wang Hu laughed heartily, a look of pride on his face. “These are treasures refined by the Sect Master. Even an Innate Realm expert would find it hard to withstand them. What does a mere Jiang Family even count for?”

As soon as these words were spoken, the martial artists within the Xingfeng Sect grew excited. They saw hope—the possibility of actually standing against the Jiang Family. With such treasures, they might truly be able to drive the Jiang Family away.

Liu Qian was deeply shaken. He knew he had made the right gamble. Chen Feng not only possessed such powerful treasures but was also willing to entrust them to Wang Hu and the others. This suggested that Chen Feng had even more tricks up his sleeve that he hadn’t yet revealed.

Liu Qian immediately asked, “Brother Wang Hu, what do you think we should do now? Should we lead a breakout or hold our ground here?”

Although one group of the Jiang Family had been repelled, that was only a small portion of their total strength. The bulk of the Jiang Family’s forces had yet to appear.

Wang Hu said in a low voice, “Just hold the Xingfeng Sect. Wait for the Sect Master to finish his seclusion!”

Wang Hu naturally wouldn’t lead the people away from the sect. He knew how important the Xingfeng Sect was to Chen Feng. Even if he were to die here, he would never abandon the sect and flee.

No one questioned Wang Hu’s decision. He had already proven with strength that the Xingfeng Sect had the capacity to resist the Jiang Family.

Soon, Liu Qian began directing the Xingfeng Sect martial artists, positioning them to guard various areas of the compound. At the same time, scouts were sent out to monitor the Jiang Family’s movements.

On a peak of the Transverse Mountains.

Although Qin Yao and Wang Tian were far from the Xingfeng Sect, they still saw the retreat of the Jiang Family martial artists. They had only heard the rapid rat-tat-tat of gunfire before witnessing the Jiang Family’s withdrawal.

“The Jiang Family is retreating?” Wang Tian exclaimed in surprise.

He had expected the Jiang Family to charge straight into the Xingfeng Sect and begin a slaughter. The reality was completely outside his expectations.

“What made that sound just now? It was so loud,” Qin Yao wondered aloud.

Wang Tian spoke up, “It must be the Xingfeng Sect’s trump card. I remember when He Sandao led his men to attack them; a similar sound echoed from the sect then as well. Not long after, news broke that He Sandao had died within the Xingfeng Sect.”

Wang Tian’s sect was the closest to the Xingfeng Sect. On the day Black Wind Fortress had attacked, gunfire had indeed rung out from within the gates.

“It seems Sect Master Chen isn’t without his countermeasures. He might actually have a way to deal with the Jiang Family.” A smile appeared on Qin Yao’s face.

However, Wang Tian’s expression remained grim. He said, “I heard a rumor that someone from the Jiang Family holds a position in the Imperial Capital. While the news isn’t confirmed, it’s said that the person is a Transformation Realm expert.”

“What!” Qin Yao was visibly shocked.

A Transformation Realm expert—such a being was at the absolute limit of what a martial artist could achieve. They were existences capable of killing an Innate Realm expert in an instant. If the Jiang Family truly possessed such a martial artist, the Xingfeng Sect would have no hope of survival today.

“Are you sure?” Qin Yao found it hard to believe. If the Jiang Family had such a powerful figure, why would they stay in a place like Liuyang Town instead of moving elsewhere long ago?

“It’s just a rumor; I don’t know the specifics. For now, we can only hope the rumor is false,” Wang Tian sighed.

Elsewhere, Jiang Yaotian and the senior leadership of the Jiang Family were gathered halfway up the Transverse Mountains.

Their encirclement had been temporarily put on hold. Everyone was waiting for news from Jiang Chen and Jiang Hong. Without testing Chen Feng’s capabilities first, Jiang Yaotian would never lead the main force of the Jiang Family into a blind charge.

At that moment, a group of figures appeared in the distance. It was Jiang Chen returning with his men.

They had set out with over a hundred people, but now only a few dozen remained, and more than half of them were wounded.

“Chen-er, what happened?” Jiang Yaotian’s face darkened as he hurried forward to ask.

Looking at the state of Jiang Chen and his men, it was clear that they had met with a disastrous start. The rest of the Jiang Family members were equally stunned, never expecting Jiang Chen to return in such a pathetic state.

With a grim expression, Jiang Chen said, “Father, those Xingfeng Sect martial artists have special weapons. They are incredibly powerful; anyone below the Innate Realm simply cannot stop them.”

Jiang Chen then recounted the details of what had transpired.

Hearing his description, the members of the Jiang Family gasped in unison. Killing dozens of martial artists in just a dozen seconds! And even the True Qi of an Innate Realm expert found it difficult to withstand. What kind of treasure could possess such power?

“Patriarch, could it be some form of hidden weapon?” an Elder asked.

Jiang Yaotian frowned deeply and shook his head. “Hidden weapons cannot possibly have that much power.”

The power of a hidden weapon was closely tied to the strength of the user. The cultivation levels of those Xingfeng Sect martial artists were not high; it was impossible for hidden weapons to cause such staggering casualties based on their strength alone.

“Father, what should we do now?”

Jiang Chen felt incredibly stifled. He had wanted to show off his prowess, but instead, he had been chased away as soon as he reached the Xingfeng Sect’s gates. It made him feel as though he had lost a great deal of face.

Chapter 45: Woman, It’s Not Good to Barge Into Someone’s Home

“Is that weapon really as powerful as you say?”

Jiang Yaotian’s eyes burned with a fervent heat.

Jiang Chen nodded. “That weapon can fire metal objects from a great distance with incredible penetrating power. Unless one wears specialized armor, it is absolutely impossible for a Post-Hearth Realm martial artist to withstand it. If the two Elders hadn’t shielded me back then, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be standing here before you, Father.”

Recalling the scene from that day, Jiang Chen still felt a lingering sense of dread.

“Very well. Four Elders, come with me to take a look. The rest of you wait here!” Jiang Yaotian commanded.

The Jiang Family currently possessed seven experts at the Innate Realm. Taking four with him meant a total of five would be going, leaving two behind to guard their position, which was more than enough.

Jiang Yaotian was now brimming with curiosity regarding that weapon. He wanted to see it for himself; if it truly was as Jiang Chen described, and the Jiang Family could obtain it, their strength would undoubtedly soar to new heights.

“Father, I will go with you!” Jiang Chen volunteered again. He had no desire to stay behind.

“Fine, you may come. However, you are only to watch the battle. I won’t be able to look after you once things start!” Jiang Yaotian did not refuse.

Jiang Yaotian was only going to test the waters for now. He was still waiting for news from Jiang Hong. Only after Chen Feng was captured by Jiang Hong would he order all the Jiang Family martial artists to move in unison.

At the entrance to the abandoned mine within the Xingfeng Sect, seven or eight bodies of Xingfeng Sect martial artists lay scattered on the ground.

Standing before them was a woman in armor, her hands clasped behind her back. It was Jiang Hong.

Jiang Hong had entered the Xingfeng Sect long ago. The sect’s martial artists hadn’t noticed her arrival at all; it was nearly impossible for anyone to detect a Transformation Realm expert trying to slip in unnoticed.

“This should be where that Chen Feng is in seclusion.”

Upon entering the sect, Jiang Hong had immediately pinpointed Chen Feng’s location. She glanced into the pitch-black mine and then slowly began walking inside.

Just as she reached the entrance, she paused.

High up on the left and right sides of the mine entrance hung two strange objects emitting a faint red light, each featuring a mirror-like surface. These were the surveillance cameras Chen Feng had installed. He had placed several others around the Xingfeng Sect to keep an eye on things while he was busy with his cultivation.

“What is this?”

Curious, Jiang Hong reached out with her right hand. A burst of True Qi shot forth, and the two cameras instantly fell to the ground. She picked up a camera and examined it closely, her face filling with wonder as she looked at the electronic components inside.

Her experience was vast, having traveled through several countries neighboring the Yue Kingdom in her youth, yet she had never seen anything like this. It was completely beyond her realm of understanding.

It seems this person has far more secrets than I imagined, Jiang Hong thought to herself. She continued inward.

The mine was shrouded in darkness, but her vision was extraordinary. She spotted the door to the secret room not far ahead. The door had been reconstructed by Chen Feng using Blazing Sun Iron that was several times thicker than before.

Jiang Hong reached the entrance of the secret room. She glanced at the door, then threw a punch straight at it.

A sound like a massive bronze bell being struck echoed through the mine. The entire tunnel trembled slightly, and the door was blasted open. The iron door, nearly thirty centimeters thick, was forced inward, leaving a massive dent.

“Quite sturdy,” Jiang Hong remarked, slightly surprised. The door’s durability exceeded her expectations. Her punch hadn’t shattered it; it had only dented it.

Stepping cautiously, Jiang Hong entered the secret room. She didn’t dare be careless. When facing an unknown opponent, the only wise course of action was caution. Even as a Transformation Realm expert, she did not believe herself to be invincible.

Once inside, what she saw caused her pupils to shrink instantly.

The sight of the room made her feel as if she had stepped into an entirely different world. In particular, the massive hyperbaric oxygen chamber sitting in the center of the room was something she couldn’t identify at all.

“Just what is this person’s background to possess so many miraculous items?”

At this moment, Jiang Hong didn’t feel the same excitement Jiang Xiao and He Sandao had felt upon seeing these things. Instead, she became incredibly alert. To reach the Transformation Realm, one needed more than just exceptional talent; temperament was even more crucial. Her intuition for danger was exceptionally sharp.

Jiang Hong scanned the room. Once she was certain no one was there, she began to back out slowly. Since Chen Feng wasn’t there, she didn’t intend to touch anything haphazardly—who knew if there were traps?

Just as Jiang Hong turned to walk out of the secret room, a calm, indifferent voice sounded from behind her.

“Hey, isn’t it a bit rude to barge into someone else’s home without an invitation?”

Hearing the voice behind her, Jiang Hong was struck with horror!

She instantly lept forward, clearing dozens of meters from the door of the secret room in a single bound before spinning around to face the interior.

Inside the room, a man stood with his arms crossed, watching her. He had short hair and wore an outfit the likes of which she had never seen.

“You are Chen Feng?” Jiang Hong narrowed her eyes.

According to the Jiang Family’s investigation, Chen Feng did indeed frequently wear strange clothing. Because of this, the family had speculated that he might be from another country.

What Jiang Hong couldn’t understand was how Chen Feng had suddenly appeared inside the secret room. He had managed to bypass her senses entirely. She was certain the room had been empty just moments ago.

Chen Feng was also evaluating Jiang Hong from a distance.

As a Level 2 Qi Refining cultivator, he could immediately feel the surging blood-vitality emanating from this woman. This vigorous aura far surpassed that of an Innate Realm expert.

Beyond the Innate Realm? Good thing I wasn’t too late, Chen Feng thought.

Chen Feng had originally intended to wait half an hour before heading to the airplane’s restroom to enter the painting world. However, he felt uneasy. With the flow of time altered between worlds, there was no telling what might happen to the Xingfeng Sect while he was gone.

He had chatted with the flight attendant who had given him her phone number, and she had agreed to let him into the restroom out of turn without a second thought. She had even looked like she wanted to follow him in, but Chen Feng had declined.

The moment he returned, he saw this woman in his secret room. This made Chen Feng extremely irritated.

His “home” had been broken into twice now. After He Sandao and the others broke in last time, he had specifically reinforced the iron door. He hadn’t expected someone beyond the Innate Realm to show up this time.

Chen Feng decided then and there that he would eventually renovate this mine. He needed to build a true fortress. Otherwise, there was no telling how many people would try to barge in in the future.

“Are you from the Jiang Family?” Chen Feng asked.

The only people he could think of who would come looking for trouble were the Jiangs.

Jiang Hong didn’t answer. Instead, she lunged toward Chen Feng with incredible speed! She crossed the dozen-meter distance in less than a second, arriving right in front of him.

Jiang Hong threw a punch!

As her fist shot out, the air seemed to be dragged along with it, creating a sharp, whistling friction. True Qi and physical body became one—it was the ultimate strike a mortal could achieve. This single punch was enough to kill a Peak Innate Realm expert.

Jiang Hong gave it her all from the very first move, holding nothing back. Although the man before her showed no signs of blood-vitality and didn’t seem to be a martial artist, her instincts told her he was incredibly dangerous!

When facing an unknown and dangerous enemy, the safest path was to use full strength and kill them in a single blow.

Chapter 46: I, Jiang Hong! Slaying an Immortal!

However, just as Jiang Hong’s fist was about to collide with Chen Feng’s face, her punch came to an abrupt halt. Chen Feng had reached out and clamped his hand firmly around her fist.

Jiang Hong felt as if her hand had been locked in place by a colossal force, unable to move forward even a fraction of an inch.

“What?!”

Jiang Hong’s eyes widened, staring at Chen Feng in utter disbelief.

At this moment, Chen Feng had already entered the “Transcendental State.” Both his appearance and his aura had shifted. He looked at Jiang Hong with indifferent eyes and spoke slowly:

“Your strength is certainly impressive.”

It had to be said that Jiang Hong’s strike had nearly caught Chen Feng off guard. If he hadn’t entered the Transcendental State immediately, that punch would likely have left him heavily injured, if not dead.

Cultivators were strong because of their spells and arts; being drawn into close-quarters combat by a martial artist of this caliber was extremely dangerous.

However, Chen Feng was different from other cultivators. His spiritual Qi could saturate his entire body, strengthening him from head to toe. His physical constitution was even sturdier than that of an Innate Realm martial artist.

Nonetheless, even with that advantage, Chen Feng felt his internal organs vibrate from the impact. Without relying on spells, it seemed it would be difficult for a cultivator to kill a Transformation Realm martial artist.

Having failed her initial strike, Jiang Hong immediately leaped back. She watched Chen Feng with a gaze full of suspicion and alarm.

“That aura on you… how is it possible? Are you a cultivator?”

Jiang Hong’s eyes were filled with horror. Although she had never seen a cultivator before, she had read about them in ancient records. The soul-shuddering aura emanating from Chen Feng was exactly like the descriptions of the legendary cultivators.

Cultivators were beings who had transcended the mundane world. When a mortal faced a cultivator, they would naturally feel a sense of oppression—a suppression stemming from the difference in their very level of existence.

Jiang Hong never expected that Chen Feng would actually be a cultivator.

Not only had she underestimated him, but the entire Jiang Family had as well. For the Jiang Family to plot against a cultivator was undoubtedly a disaster that would lead to their total extermination!

“You’ve seen other cultivators?” Hearing Jiang Hong’s words, Chen Feng suddenly became interested.

He had yet to meet another cultivator in this painting world. If he could gather some information, it would be for the best.

Jiang Hong stared fixedly at Chen Feng. “How could you be a cultivator? In the entire Yue Kingdom, only the Ancestral Patriarch of Yue Kingdom is said to have attained the Dao and become a cultivator.”

The shock in Jiang Hong’s heart was beyond words. She couldn’t understand why a cultivator would choose to live in a remote place like the Transverse Mountains within the Yue Kingdom. Everywhere else, cultivators were sought after; they could become National Preceptors in any country, revered by countless people.

“The Ancestral Patriarch of Yue Kingdom, hm?” Chen Feng noted the name. He stopped wasting words with Jiang Hong, intending to take her down first.

He might as well use her to test the waters. His previous battles in the modern world were far too easy. His opponents there were just mercenaries—mortals, at the end of the day. Jiang Hong was the perfect test subject to gauge his current strength.

Chen Feng circulated his spiritual Qi, and in an instant, he appeared before Jiang Hong and struck out with his palm. His speed was not the least bit slower than hers.

Jiang Hong’s reactions were lightning-fast. Seeing the incoming strike, she threw a punch to counter.

A massive boom echoed through the mine.

Jiang Hong was sent flying out of the mine by Chen Feng’s palm strike, only coming to a stop once she hit the ground outside. When she finally steadied herself, a trace of blood leaked from the corner of her mouth.

Seeing that she had only suffered a minor internal injury, Chen Feng was slightly surprised. The strength of a Transformation Realm martial artist was greater than he had anticipated.

Given her physical durability, ordinary firearms likely couldn’t harm her anymore. Combined with her terrifying speed, it would probably take a carpet-bombing with heavy weaponry to kill her.

After being knocked back, Jiang Hong no longer had any desire to continue the fight. Her opponent was a cultivator—an existence from an entirely different level. How could she keep fighting?

Jiang Hong leaped into the air, attempting to flee toward the exit of the Xingfeng Sect.

However, she hadn’t gotten very far before Chen Feng appeared in her path, blocking her way.

“Leaving so soon?”

With those words, Chen Feng struck out again. He didn’t know any fancy techniques; he simply used raw physical power in a crude but effective manner.

Chen Feng didn’t want to use spells yet. If he used the Fireball Spell, he could probably kill her in seconds. But that wouldn’t help him test his own physical limits.

The two soon clashed, engaging in a pure display of physical combat.

If an outsider had been present, they would have been shocked beyond belief. The movements of the two were so fast that they were practically invisible to the naked eye. The only signs of the battle were the constant sounds of fists and feet colliding.

From the very beginning, Jiang Hong was suppressed. She was forced to retreat constantly. Each step she took backward left deep cracks in the ground from the sheer force redirected through her feet. Chen Feng’s power was simply too great. Every time she blocked his attacks, her body had to absorb a terrifying amount of force.

If it weren’t for the layer of True Qi protecting her body, she would have likely died at Chen Feng’s hands already.

Jiang Hong’s face was deathly pale. She was filled with regret. If only she had been more cautious, if only she had investigated Chen Feng more thoroughly, she wouldn’t be in this situation.

She knew that if this dragged on, she would certainly die. Although she had no external wounds, her internal organs were on the verge of shattering from the shockwaves of Chen Feng’s power.

At that thought, a look of ferocity appeared on Jiang Hong’s face.

The blood-vitality within her began to surge, and her skin took on a faint, golden metallic sheen.

Burning blood-vitality!

This was a desperate measure used by martial artists of the Innate Realm and above. Once one’s blood-vitality was burned, the best-case scenario was a drop in cultivation rank; the worst-case was death on the spot. However, it significantly boosted the strength of one’s True Qi.

Chen Feng was just starting to enjoy the fight when he felt Jiang Hong’s aura suddenly skyrocket. He immediately realized she was using some kind of secret technique.

He had to admit, Jiang Hong was strong. In their brief exchange, he had taken at least a dozen punches. This was largely due to his lack of combat experience. He hadn’t been practicing for long and had never truly fought a peer before.

“So what if you’re a cultivator! I may be a mortal, but today, I shall slay an immortal!”

A crazed look filled Jiang Hong’s eyes.

Her eyes were bloodshot, and her meridians were flooded with True Qi. At this moment, she had perfectly fused with her True Qi.

After their brief exchange, she realized that while Chen Feng felt powerful, he wasn’t so invincible that he couldn’t be beaten. She was now prepared to stake her life on this.

If she could truly kill Chen Feng, she would prove that the path of martial arts could stand equal to that of a cultivator. She, Jiang Hong, would shatter the nightmare that haunted the hearts of all martial artists.

“I guess the practice session is over,” Chen Feng sighed.

With Jiang Hong’s power surging like this, if he took another punch, he might actually get hurt.

Chen Feng raised his right hand, and a small flame condensed in his palm.

When Jiang Hong saw the flame manifest out of thin air, her pupils constricted instantly. At that moment, she felt an intense sense of crisis—a danger many times greater than anything she had felt before.

Chapter 47: Immortal Island in the Sea, News of the Immortals

Chen Feng flicked the tiny flame in his hand toward Jiang Hong.

Infused with his spiritual Qi, the flame moved at a speed far beyond what Jiang Hong’s eyes could track.

Jiang Hong’s heart seized with terror. She knew she couldn’t dodge the incoming spark. She immediately pushed her blood-vitality and True Qi to their absolute limits, intending to tank the blow through sheer force.

The flame reached her in an instant. Almost the second it touched her body, the True Qi protecting her skin ignited.

The boost in True Qi gained from burning her blood-vitality was as fragile as paper before this flame; it offered no resistance whatsoever.

A massive blaze instantly enveloped Jiang Hong’s entire body, and the stench of scorched flesh began to permeate the air.

Jiang Hong let out a howl of agony.

“Aaaaaah!”

Even though her willpower far exceeded that of an ordinary person, facing this spirit fire made it feel as if she were experiencing the most extreme pain in the world.

Watching Jiang Hong howl in the flames, Chen Feng felt a hint of surprise. This woman hadn’t been immediately incinerated into ash.

However, it looked like she wouldn’t last much longer. At that moment, Chen Feng changed his mind. He decided to spare her life for now to get some answers.

Chen Feng channeled his spiritual Qi and struck toward Jiang Hong. In an instant, the spirit fire covering her body vanished.

As the fire went out, Jiang Hong collapsed face-first onto the ground.

By now, her armor had long since been burned away. She looked like a piece of blackened charcoal, with hardly a single patch of intact skin left on her body.

But Chen Feng did not let down his guard. Instead, he stepped forward and systematically broke all four of her limbs. No one knew if she had any hidden trump cards left.

Once his Transcendental State ended, it would take at least several hours to recover. If he fell for any of her tricks then, it would be dangerous.

That said, Chen Feng still had his ultimate ace. From the moment the fight started until now, he had never strayed too far from the mine entrance. If things turned perilous, he could immediately return to the modern world through the teleportation passage.

As her limbs were snapped by Chen Feng, Jiang Hong didn’t even scream. The pain from the spirit fire was far greater than the pain of broken bones.

Chen Feng looked down at her with a calm expression and said, “You’re a smart person. You should know why I haven’t killed you yet.”

Jiang Hong opened her eyes and stared at Chen Feng with an expression of immense suffering. At this point, the only parts of her body that remained somewhat intact were her eyes; everything else was charred.

“Hahaha… I’ve spent decades practicing martial arts, finally reaching the pinnacle of the path. I thought I could stand a chance against a cultivator… it seems I was only deceiving myself.”

Jiang Hong laughed, her voice filled with a tragic bitterness—the resentment of a mortal martial artist who realized their efforts were in vain.

She was considered a natural prodigy. Her talent for martial arts had been exceptional since childhood, and she had reached the Transformation Realm by her thirties. Even in the Imperial Capital, she was a renowned genius.

She had always believed that while cultivators were undoubtedly powerful, a Transformation Realm martial artist like herself should at least be able to put up a fight.

And yet, Chen Feng had defeated her utterly with a single spell. Her previous ambition to slay an immortal was nothing more than a ridiculous joke.

Looking at the laughing Jiang Hong, Chen Feng felt no “pity for the fairer sex.”

“I don’t want to repeat myself,” he said coldly.

He had no patience for this woman’s self-reflection. If he weren’t a cultivator, his fate today would likely be no better than hers.

“What do you want to know?” Jiang Hong’s gaze had become somewhat vacant.

She was already crippled. The spirit fire had burned through all her meridians, and combined with the damage from burning her blood-vitality, even if she lived, she would be nothing but a vegetable.

“Who is the Ancestral Patriarch of Yue Kingdom you mentioned? What level of cultivator is he?” Chen Feng asked the question he was most interested in—information about other cultivators.

Jiang Hong replied without hesitation, “He is the former Emperor of the Yue Kingdom. I only know that he is a cultivator at the Qi Refinement stage. He stays in seclusion all year round and rarely appears before the world.”

“What about news of other cultivators?” Chen Feng asked again.

Jiang Hong was a bit confused—Chen Feng was a cultivator himself, so why was he asking her? Nevertheless, she answered:

“Regarding other cultivators, I have only heard rumors. Legend says that far to the north of the Yue Kingdom, there is a vast sea. In that sea lies an immortal island where immortals reside. However, this is only recorded in the Imperial Family’s ancient texts. I do not know if it is true or false.”

“To the north?” Chen Feng frowned. The Transverse Mountains were situated in the north of the Yue Kingdom.

He had asked Liu Qian before. According to Liu Qian, to the east of the Transverse Mountains was Liuyang Town, the largest town on the border of the Yue Kingdom. Further east was the territory of other nations. To the southwest were several other large mountains similar to the Transverse Mountains, occupied by other factions.

To the north, however, was a boundless forest. Legend had it that monster beasts lived deep within that forest.

The Black Wind Fortress had established itself here precisely because it was so close to the great northern forest. Many merchant caravans from the Yue Kingdom would send people into the forest to gather various medicinal herbs and resources. The Black Wind Fortress had primarily made its living by collecting tolls from these caravans.

Now it seemed that passing through that forest would lead to the sea Jiang Hong mentioned.

Chen Feng then asked several more questions regarding the painting world; his understanding of this world was still too shallow. Jiang Hong answered every question one by one, hiding nothing.

Through her explanations, Chen Feng finally gained some broader knowledge of the painting world.

The Yue Kingdom was part of a region called Yingzhou, but no one knew how large Yingzhou actually was. The Imperial Family’s records only detailed the areas surrounding the Yue Kingdom, mostly consisting of other nations or martial arts factions. As for the more distant regions, even the Imperial Family had no records.

At this moment, Chen Feng realized that this world was much larger than he had imagined. The place he currently occupied was likely just the tip of the iceberg.

“Immortal Master… could you please spare the rest of the Jiang family?” Jiang Hong said, her breath fading. She didn’t care if she died, but she didn’t want the Jiang family to be wiped out.

Chen Feng glanced at her. “Do you think that’s possible?”

Chen Feng naturally had no intention of letting the Jiang family go. He understood the principle of pulling up weeds by the roots better than anyone.

“Immortal Master, if I die, the Imperial Capital will certainly send people to investigate. Although I don’t know why an Immortal Master is staying in such a small place, you clearly don’t want to be discovered.”

“If you can spare my family, I am willing to send a message to the Imperial Family saying that I am traveling to another country. That way, you will have no more concerns.”

Jiang Hong spoke up at the right moment. She knew there was no point in begging for mercy from someone like Chen Feng; the only way was to demonstrate her value. His ruthless style also made her realize she couldn’t play any petty tricks with him.

Chen Feng looked at Jiang Hong. This woman was quite interesting.

He smiled and said, “I can do that.”

Hearing this, Jiang Hong’s expression visibly relaxed. But Chen Feng’s next words plunged her back into despair.

“However, I’m not sparing the Jiang family. I’m sparing you. As long as I keep you alive and maintain your contact with the Imperial Capital, the trouble from that side will naturally be resolved.”

“You!” Jiang Hong’s eyes widened as she stared at Chen Feng. She hadn’t expected him to think this way.

But, just as Chen Feng said, keeping her alone was better than keeping the whole Jiang family. Chen Feng could destroy the Jiang family and then imprison her, forcing her to send regular updates to the Imperial Capital.

Even if the destruction of the Jiang family was reported, it wouldn’t matter. She was a Commander of the Martial Prohibition Guard; the Imperial Capital valued her, not her family.

The mountains are high and the Emperor is far away; who would care about the destruction of a martial arts family in a remote border town?

At this moment, Jiang Hong’s face turned ashen, leaving her with nothing but despair.

Chapter 48: The Dawn of Hope

While Chen Feng was dealing with Jiang Hong, a different scene was unfolding outside the gates of the Xingfeng Sect.

Jiang Yaotian had arrived, accompanied by four elders and Jiang Chen. They saw no one at the entrance; the entire area was deathly silent.

“Chen’er, you stay here. We’re moving in,” Jiang Yaotian commanded. Bringing Jiang Chen along would only be a liability.

“Yes, Father!” Jiang Chen replied immediately, leaping into a nearby tree to conceal himself.

From his vantage point, he could clearly see everything happening at the main gate of the Xingfeng Sect.

Jiang Chen was brimming with confidence. This time, his father had come with four elders. Even if the enemy possessed powerful weapons, they could not possibly be a match for his father and the others.

Jiang Yaotian and the four elders quickly approached the gate.

Almost the moment they appeared, a relentless barrage of gunfire erupted. A dense rain of bullets swept toward them.

However, the five Innate Realm experts seemed well-prepared. They instantly circulated their True Qi to form protective barriers.

The bullets struck the True Qi shields and were deflected, creating a cacophony of metallic clinking and clanging.

Feeling the force of the bullets impacting his True Qi, Jiang Yaotian’s face lit up with excitement. “This weapon is truly extraordinary!”

Although the attack couldn’t wound him, it was enough to suppress his movements. Moreover, he could clearly feel his True Qi being rapidly consumed.

“I’ll draw their fire! You four, charge!” Jiang Yaotian shouted to the Jiang Family elders.

With that, he surged forward alone, his body enveloped in True Qi.

Jiang Yaotian shifted his form continuously across the battlefield. He intercepted most of the bullets aimed at the other elders, acting as a human shield.

Relieved of the pressure, the four Jiang Family elders did not hesitate. Their figures blurred as they charged toward the positions where Wang Hu and his men were hiding.

For an Innate Realm expert, even a single second of breathing room was enough to turn the tide of battle.

Seeing this, Wang Hu, who was mid-fire, was struck with horror. “Look out!”

However, his warning came too late.

One of the Jiang Family elders reached the nearest Xingfeng Sect martial artist in an instant. Before the man could even raise his gun, he was struck by the elder’s True Qi and killed instantly by the shockwave.

Wang Hu’s eyes turned bloodshot. These thirteen inner sect martial artists with guns had been following him faithfully. He had long since come to see them as his brothers. To see one die right before his eyes filled him with agonizing grief.

“Retreat! Fall back!” Wang Hu roared, continuing to fire as he barked orders.

The open area at the gate was too exposed and unsuitable for this kind of engagement. Once an Innate Realm expert closed the distance, they were almost impossible to stop. Their only choice now was to retreat into the sect grounds and use the terrain to stall them.

Seeing Wang Hu and the others preparing to flee, the Jiang Family elders moved to pursue, but Jiang Yaotian stopped them.

“No need to chase.”

Upon hearing his command, the elders abandoned the pursuit and gathered around him.

One of the elders handed Jiang Yaotian the submachine gun he had looted from the fallen Xingfeng Sect martial artist.

Jiang Yaotian took the weapon, inspecting it closely. He marveled, “The craftsmanship of this object is truly remarkable.”

Every detail of the submachine gun filled him with wonder.

But Jiang Yaotian’s excitement far outweighed his surprise. This technology would soon belong to the Jiang Family! If they could equip their martial artists with such weapons, they would be invincible. They might even be able to dominate the entire Yue Kingdom.

This weapon could bridge the gap between Post-Hearth martial artists and Innate Realm experts. The mere thought of it made Jiang Yaotian tremble with anticipation.

“Patriarch, are we not going in?” one of the elders asked.

In their eyes, the Xingfeng Sect’s only trump cards were these weapons. While powerful, the martial artists wielding them were weak. The strongest among them was only at the ninth level of the Post-Hearth Realm. Such people might stand a chance against one or two Innate Realm experts, but they were no match for five.

Jiang Yaotian glanced toward the interior of the Xingfeng Sect. He still hadn’t received word from Jiang Hong. This puzzled him; with her strength, finding Chen Feng shouldn’t have been an issue. Why was it taking so long?

“We wait for news from my sister. Let these people live a little longer. It’s not like they can run anywhere!”

Without word from Jiang Hong, Jiang Yaotian felt a lingering unease. He decided to wait for her. The Xingfeng Sect was already surrounded; there was no escape for them.

Inside the sect, Wang Hu led his men back, where Liu Qian was waiting with reinforcements.

“Brother Wang Hu, are you alright?” Liu Qian asked dejectedly.

The strongest combat force the Xingfeng Sect had left was Wang Hu’s squad. If something happened to them, all hope would be lost.

“I’m fine!” Wang Hu said, his expression grim. The death of his subordinate weighed heavily on his heart.

“I’ve already sent men to check the northern side. It’s close to the great forest. Our best chance for a breakout is there,” Liu Qian suggested.

They had all witnessed the brief clash between Wang Hu’s squad and the five Innate Realm experts of the Jiang Family. Wang Hu and his men were clearly outmatched. Now, their only option was to abandon the sect and flee into the northern forest.

The surrounding Xingfeng Sect martial artists all looked to Wang Hu, waiting for his decision.

Wang Hu looked back at them, feeling an immense pressure. The Xingfeng Sect was no longer the small group of dozens they once were. If this were the old days, he would have stayed and fought to the death without a second thought. He wasn’t afraid to die.

But now, there were too many lives to consider.

“Sect Master, where are you…” Wang Hu thought of Chen Feng. If Chen Feng were here, there would surely be a way to solve this crisis.

Although Chen Feng rarely interfered with the sect’s daily affairs, he was their backbone. As long as he was there, everyone had confidence.

Just as the martial artists were sinking into despair while waiting for Wang Hu’s decision, a figure slowly approached from within the sect.

The figure walked slowly, and it wasn’t until he was close that a martial artist noticed him.

“It’s the Sect Master! The Sect Master has emerged! The Sect Master is here!”

A disciple cried out at the top of his lungs upon seeing Chen Feng. He was so overcome with emotion that tears began to stream down his face.

Everyone’s gaze converged instantly on the figure walking slowly toward them.

Though he walked out of the darkness, it felt as though he were the dawn of hope, illuminating everyone present.

High on a peak in the Transverse Mountains…

Qin Yao and Wang Tian had watched the entire battle between the Xingfeng Sect and the Jiang Family.

“Five Innate Realm experts! The Jiang Family’s foundation is truly terrifying,” Wang Tian said, shaken.

Qin Yao noted with confusion, “The Jiang Family clearly repelled Wang Hu and the others. Why haven’t they entered the sect yet?”

She had spotted the anomaly. Wang Hu and his squad had clearly been defeated and forced to retreat. Yet the Jiang Family wasn’t pursuing; they were waiting at the gate. It was very strange.

“Regardless, the Xingfeng Sect is utterly doomed. We should head back to our sect, pack our things, and leave.”

Wang Tian spoke gloomily. He believed there was no longer any hope for the Xingfeng Sect. Even with their hidden weapons, they couldn’t handle the Jiang Family. Total destruction was the only outcome. Packing their valuables and fleeing the Transverse Mountains was the only logical move.

When Wang Tian finished speaking, he received no reply. He turned in confusion to look at Qin Yao.

He found her staring blankly toward the gate of the Xingfeng Sect.

“Sect Master Chen…” she whispered. “He’s back!”

Chapter 49: There Is No Medicine for Regret

Outside the gates of the Xingfeng Sect.

Jiang Yaotian and four elders were waiting.

Doubt clouded Jiang Yaotian’s face. Two whole hours had passed since Jiang Hong entered the Xingfeng Sect.

But she still hadn’t returned, giving him a sinking feeling in his gut.

“Patriarch, if we don’t attack the Xingfeng Sect before dawn, the other families in Liuyang Town will certainly send people to investigate. It will be troublesome then,” an elder reminded him.

The Jiang Family’s operation was sudden, and the other families in Liuyang Town hadn’t reacted yet. If they couldn’t take down the Xingfeng Sect immediately, it would surely arouse suspicion. For the great Jiang Family to mobilize so many people against a minor power—anyone would realize something was wrong.

Jiang Yaotian pondered for a moment before saying, “Let’s go in and scout a bit. Be careful.”

He intended to investigate personally; Jiang Hong’s failure to return after such a long time was far too abnormal.

However, just as Jiang Yaotian was about to lead his men into the Xingfeng Sect, he suddenly realized a man was standing at the entrance.

They hadn’t even noticed when this person had appeared. He just stood there, quietly watching them.

Jiang Chen, who was hiding in a tree in the distance, immediately recognized the newcomer and shouted, “Father, it’s that Chen Feng!”

Hearing Chen Feng’s name, Jiang Yaotian’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the figure in the distance.

“You are that Chen Feng?” Jiang Yaotian was even more confused now. If Chen Feng was here, where was his sister, Jiang Hong?

Chen Feng smiled and said, “You seem surprised to see me. Is she the one you wanted to see?”

As Chen Feng spoke, Wang Hu and other martial artists from the Xingfeng Sect ran out from inside, lining up beside Chen Feng.

In Wang Hu’s hand, he was carrying a charred person.

Most of this person’s body was covered in blackened, hardened skin, as if encased in a carbonized shell. In some places, the skin had burnt away, revealing deep red granulation tissue beneath. It was an exceptionally gruesome sight.

Jiang Yaotian’s gaze immediately fixed on the person Wang Hu was holding. At first, he didn’t even recognize who it was.

“What is the meaning of this?” Jiang Yaotian grew wary. He had a very bad feeling.

At that moment, a weak voice drifted from the person in Wang Hu’s grip. “Brother… our Jiang Family is finished…”

Jiang Hong had chosen to accept her fate. She knew the Jiang Family could not be saved. At the end of the day, the Jiang Family was merely a martial arts aristocratic family; how could they possibly be a match for a cultivator? As long as Chen Feng used those flames he had used against her, the Innate Realm experts of the Jiang Family would never be able to block them.

Hearing that familiar voice, the expressions of everyone in the Jiang Family shifted violently.

“Sister Hong!”

“Grandmaster!”

“Aunt!”

Shock was written all over their faces. They recognized the voice; the person Wang Hu was holding like a piece of refuse was indeed Jiang Hong.

But they could not believe this outcome.

Jiang Hong was a Transformation Realm expert! How could she have been reduced to such a miserable state?

In their hearts, the Transformation Realm was an invincible existence. How many Transformation Realm experts even existed in the entire Yue Kingdom?

A chilling dread rose in the hearts of the Jiang Family. They had gathered so many martial artists to attack the Xingfeng Sect, thinking they could annihilate it in an instant. Yet, at this very moment, their family’s strongest combatant had ended up like this.

The drop from heaven to hell was difficult for them to accept. It felt surreal.

Jiang Chen scrambled down from the tree and ran over, staring in horror at the charred Jiang Hong. “Aunt, you are a Transformation Realm expert! How could you lose to them? How is this even possible!”

Jiang Chen was completely distraught, bordering on madness. In his mind, his aunt was an invincible being and his greatest supporter for the future. How could a tiny Xingfeng Sect possibly defeat her?

Facing Jiang Chen’s questioning, Jiang Hong remained silent and closed her eyes.

Jiang Yaotian took a deep breath and looked at Chen Feng. “Sect Master Chen, this matter is the fault of my Jiang Family. If I had known Sect Master Chen possessed such capabilities, my Jiang Family wouldn’t have dared to move against the Xingfeng Sect even if we were given ten times the courage. How about we call it even? My Jiang Family is willing to pay compensation.”

“My Jiang Family will agree to whatever conditions Sect Master Chen sets. My sister is a Commander of the Imperial Capital. If the Imperial Capital learns of this, it won’t be good for either of our families.”

As the Patriarch, Jiang Yaotian managed to maintain his composure. In this moment, he knew the Jiang Family had lost. They had vastly underestimated the Xingfeng Sect—they had underestimated Chen Feng.

The only thing left to do was negotiate. Although Jiang Hong had been defeated, the Jiang Family still had over a thousand martial artists. Furthermore, Jiang Hong held a position in the Imperial Capital. If the Jiang Family fought to the death, even if the Xingfeng Sect wasn’t wiped out, they would lose over ninety percent of their people.

Chen Feng completely ignored Jiang Yaotian’s words. When these people were plotting against him, they never thought about letting him go. Now that the tide had turned, they immediately tried to soften their stance. But in this world, there is no medicine for regret.

If he hadn’t returned to the Xingfeng Sect in time, Wang Hu and the others would likely be dead by now.

Chen Feng waved his hand at Wang Hu and the others.

Wang Hu and the dozen or so martial artists understood immediately. They each pulled out blocks of yellow C4 explosives from their persons.

Without hesitation, the dozen men hurled the C4 explosives toward Jiang Yaotian and his group.

A distance of several dozen meters was an easy throw for martial artists like Wang Hu. They didn’t know what these things were; Chen Feng had simply handed the blocks to them earlier and told them to throw them when the time came.

Jiang Yaotian and the others were momentarily stunned as they saw the objects flying toward them. Although they didn’t know what the yellow objects were, they instinctively circulated their True Qi to defend themselves.

However, before the dozen blocks of C4 could even hit the ground, Chen Feng pressed the button on the remote detonator in his hand.

The moment the button was pressed, the dozen blocks of C4 exploded in mid-air.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The resulting shockwaves and tongues of fire instantly engulfed Jiang Yaotian and the others.

The bystanders felt their ears ringing as the heat from the blast waves washed over their faces.

A few seconds later, the explosions ceased, leaving a thick cloud of smoke lingering in the area.

Everyone stared in horror at the blast zone. Although the smoke obstructed their view, the eyesight of martial artists far surpassed that of ordinary people, and they could see the remains of the explosion site.

The figures of the Jiang Family leadership were gone. All that remained on the ground were scorched, burning pieces of flesh.

The only one with a somewhat intact body was Jiang Yaotian, but only his upper torso remained. The other four elders of the Jiang Family, including Jiang Chen, were completely gone.

With only half a body left, Jiang Yaotian’s face was filled with terror. He wanted to speak, but he couldn’t utter a single word. The shockwave of the explosion had instantly shattered his True Qi defense; he was only hanging on by his last breath.

A few seconds later, Jiang Yaotian also collapsed. Until the moment he died, Jiang Yaotian didn’t understand how those yellow blocks could produce such immense power.

“They didn’t even try to dodge; they really were hard-headed.”

Chen Feng was very satisfied with the power of the C4. It was indeed good stuff, though it was a pity he only had two crates of it. If he had more, he could just have people throw C4 whenever there was trouble.

The area was deathly silent. The martial artists of the Xingfeng Sect were so shocked by the scene before them that they were speechless.

Although Chen Feng’s appearance had given everyone great hope and confidence, they had still been worried about whether he could handle several Innate Realm experts from the Jiang Family.

However, the reality was that their Sect Master simply had Wang Hu and the others throw some objects, and those Jiang Family Innate experts were instantly wiped out.

These were five Innate Realm experts, including one at the Peak Innate Realm!

What kind of divine method was this?

Chapter 50: Dominating a Region, Fame Shakes Liuyang

Jiang Hong stared blankly at the pile of shredded meat and the lifeless body of Jiang Yaotian.

The fact that Chen Feng was a cultivator had already left her in a state of utter shock. But now, the methods Chen Feng was employing pushed her into a state of complete bewilderment.

The power unleashed by that yellow substance was something she likely couldn’t have withstood even in her prime. Yet, she had never seen nor heard of such a thing. Even the imperial records had no mention of cultivators possessing treasures like this.

Chen Feng looked at Wang Hu, who was still standing nearby in a daze, and said, “Don’t just stand there. Go and bring everything from the warehouse here.”

Wang Hu snapped out of it immediately and hurriedly ordered his men to start moving the items.

Soon, several large crates filled with modern weapons and bags were hauled out.

Originally, Chen Feng had planned to teach Wang Hu and the others how to use guns first before moving on to other modern weaponry. Now, it seemed he had no choice but to teach them everything at once. If he didn’t wipe out those thousand-plus martial artists from the Jiang Family, they would remain a constant nuisance.

He couldn’t do it himself, either. He had already been back in the painting world for nearly three hours. He was still technically in an airplane lavatory; if he didn’t get back soon, there would be trouble. If a passenger were to mysteriously vanish from a flight, such a paranormal event would likely make international headlines.

Chen Feng then began instructing Wang Hu and the dozen or so Inner Sect martial artists of the Xingfeng Sect on how to use these modern weapons. He would only teach this group; he still didn’t fully trust the other martial artists in the sect.

Wang Hu and his men listened intently to Chen Feng’s descriptions, not daring to miss a single word. They were particularly excited when they saw the crates packed with C4 explosives. They had just witnessed its power firsthand—a little over a dozen charges had blown five Innate Realm experts to bits.

Chen Feng spoke for a full ten minutes, finally finishing the explanation on how to operate the modern equipment.

“Take these and clear out those Jiang Family martial artists currently in the Transverse Mountains. Resolve the battle before dawn,” Chen Feng commanded Wang Hu.

Wang Hu immediately cupped his fists and said, “Rest assured, Sect Master! We will complete the mission!”

Wang Hu was brimming with confidence, a confidence born from this equipment. Previously, if Chen Feng had told them to face over a thousand martial artists, he would have thought Chen Feng had gone mad. But with these weapons, forget a thousand—they would dare to take on ten thousand.

With that, Wang Hu led the Xingfeng Sect martial artists away with the gear.

Chen Feng turned his gaze toward Liu Qian, who was standing not far away.

Seeing Chen Feng looking at him, Liu Qian immediately bowed. “Sect Master!”

Liu Qian was now even more respectful toward Chen Feng, and he felt a surge of relief in his heart. He was glad he hadn’t tried to lead a surrender earlier and instead chose to stand his ground alongside Wang Hu.

“Lock this woman up. Don’t let her die. I’ll leave the follow-up matters regarding the Jiang Family to you,” Chen Feng instructed.

Liu Qian was very capable when it came to handling such administrative affairs. Wang Hu was only suited for leading men into battle. Now that the Xingfeng Sect had clear divisions of labor, Chen Feng being a hands-off boss would not be an issue.

Liu Qian nodded immediately. “Please be at ease, Sect Master. I know what to do.”

After giving his orders, Chen Feng told Liu Qian he was going into secluded meditation and then departed.

After respectfully seeing Chen Feng off, Liu Qian turned to several subordinates and commanded, “Notify all the sects in the Transverse Mountains: if they do not dispatch men to join the Xingfeng Sect in dealing with the Jiang Family today, they will no longer have a place here.”

“Furthermore, send men to the Jiang Family’s estate. As soon as Elder Wang Hu finishes the battle on his end, take control of the Jiang Family immediately.”

Liu Qian began arranging affairs one by one. His heart was pounding with excitement. The Jiang Family was definitely going to be wiped out this time. The Jiang Family’s territory and wealth would all belong to the Xingfeng Sect.

This reminded him of what Chen Feng had said earlier—that they wouldn’t be short on money in a while.

“It seems the Sect Master foresaw today’s events long ago.” Liu Qian felt an even deeper sense of dread toward Chen Feng. He realized that Chen Feng had planned to destroy the Jiang Family from the start and had been completely certain of his success.

At that moment, a group of people arrived hurriedly at the gates of the Xingfeng Sect.

Leading the group were Qin Yao and Wang Tian, followed by about thirty martial artists from their respective sects.

Liu Qian looked at the newcomers and asked, “What are you doing here?”

Wang Tian spoke up immediately, sounding exceptionally righteous. “Steward Liu, I heard the Jiang Family was attacking the Xingfeng Sect, so I brought men to support you immediately. We are willing to live or die with the Xingfeng Sect!”

Wang Tian looked as if he were truly ready to die for the cause. The moment he and Qin Yao saw that the five Innate Realm experts of the Jiang Family were dead, they had gathered their men to rush over. The Xingfeng Sect’s strength had exceeded their expectations. If they could insta-kill five Innate Realm experts, then cleaning up the rest of the Jiang Family would be no problem at all. Naturally, they came at the first opportunity to show their loyalty.

Hearing Wang Tian’s words, Liu Qian sneered. “Sect Master Wang and Sect Master Qin are truly loyal to our Xingfeng Sect. However, I sent people to notify you quite a while ago. Why are the reinforcements only arriving now?”

When the Jiang Family first appeared in the Transverse Mountains, Liu Qian had sent word to these small local sects. Yet, not a single person had shown up. Now that Chen Feng had appeared and wiped out the Jiang Family’s Innate Realm core, they had suddenly arrived. It wasn’t hard to guess why.

“This…” Wang Tian was momentarily embarrassed, not knowing how to respond.

“Fine. Since Sect Master Wang and Sect Master Qin are here, take your men and move out with us.” Liu Qian didn’t press the matter further. He knew exactly what these small sects were thinking. That was just how the world worked: if you were strong, you had friends; if you were weak, you were a lone soul.

That night, the Transverse Mountains were filled with the continuous sound of explosions and the roars of battle. Almost all the martial artists of the Xingfeng Sect were mobilized. Not only that, but the other small sects of the Transverse Mountains also sent men to act alongside the Xingfeng Sect.

Led by Wang Hu and the dozen or so martial artists armed with modern weapons, the Xingfeng Sect launched a fierce counter-offensive against the Jiang Family.

Initially, the Jiang Family martial artists were dismissive of the attack. After all, the Xingfeng Sect only had a few hundred people in total, and their overall strength was significantly weaker than the Jiang Family’s.

However, when Wang Hu and his team used modern weapons to instantly kill over a dozen Post-Hearth Realm martial artists, the Jiang Family forces began to panic.

When the Xingfeng Sect members displayed Jiang Yaotian’s severed head, the Jiang Family’s morale plummeted to rock bottom. Their family head had been killed; what was there left to fight for?

The battle finally drew to a close at dawn after Wang Hu used a rocket launcher to blast the Jiang Family’s two remaining Innate Realm experts to death.

The corpses of Jiang Family martial artists were scattered throughout the Transverse Mountains.

The Xingfeng Sect had also suffered serious losses, with nearly several dozen dead. This was unavoidable; the Jiang Family simply had too many martial artists. Even with modern weapons, Wang Hu and the others couldn’t protect everyone.

Yet, the Xingfeng Sect martial artists did not feel much sorrow. On the contrary, they were mostly excited. They had won this war!

This meant that the Xingfeng Sect had completely established its footing in the border regions of the Yue Kingdom. They were no longer just a small sect occupying a corner of the Transverse Mountains. Before long, the name of the Xingfeng Sect would spread through the surrounding towns, becoming a truly dominant power in the region.

UNTITLED

1. Chapter 1: Xingfeng Mining and Xingfeng Sect

2. Chapter 2: Black Wind Fortress Comes Calling! Chen Feng, Master of the Truth.

3. Chapter 3: Returning to Reality

4. Chapter 4: National Security at the Door!

5. Chapter 5: Has the Boss Offended the Heavens?

6. Chapter 6: Going Abroad to Buy “The Real Deal”

7. Chapter 7: Just Agreed on a Deal, and You’re Fleeing the Country?

8. Chapter 8: Fully Armed Like a Special Forces Soldier

9. Chapter 9: Black Wind Fortress Mobilizes!

10. Chapter 10: The Surprised Pair, Products from the Modern Era

11. Chapter 11: The Operation Begins! Six Kills in a Row.

12. Chapter 12: Facing Two Innate Masters Alone! True Qi VS Sniper Rifle

13. Chapter 13: Slaying the Innate!

14. Chapter 14: Harvesting Gains, a Green Jade Pendant, and Innate Techniques

15. Chapter 15: Medical Miracle!

16. Chapter 16: Immortal’s Cultivation Method, Future Plans

17. Chapter 17: Taking Over Black Wind Fortress! A Massive Harvest

18. Chapter 18: Trying to Cultivate Again! Everyone is Just a Tool.

19. Chapter 19: No Aptitude for Cultivation? Technology to the Rescue.

20. Chapter 20: No Time to Waste! Establishing a Pharmaceutical Company.

21. Chapter 21: Xingfeng Pharmaceuticals! Selling Only One Type of Medicine

22. Chapter 22: Li Xiaorou Cries, the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Arrives

23. Chapter 23: He Is a Kindred Spirit!

24. Chapter 24: Did I Just Get Plastic Surgery? A Descended Immortal

25. Chapter 25: Practicing the Fireball Spell! Transcendental State

26. Chapter 26: The Medicine Is Called Healing No. 1

27. Chapter 27: Miracle! A True Miracle!

28. Chapter 28: No Authorization, Cannot Access This Person’s Profile

29. Chapter 29: Wealth, Companions, Methods, and Land are Indispensable

30. Chapter 30: Strike First; Wipe Out the Clan

31. Chapter 31: Liu Mu Visits, A Few Conditions

32. Chapter 32: The Jiang Family Meeting

33. Chapter 33: The Great Ancestor and the Daoist!

34. Chapter 34: Blackwater Company! Gangland Firefight

35. Chapter 35: Too Much Talk! Verifying Strength

36. Chapter 36: Liu Qian is About to Cry! Sect Master, We’re Really Going Bankrupt

37. Chapter 37: Is This Something Humanly Possible? The FBI is Stunned

38. Chapter 38: A Massive Harvest of Weapons, Jack’s Allegiance

39. Chapter 39: We Vow to Protect the Xingfeng Sect to the Death!

40. Chapter 40: Chen Feng Definitely Cannot Have Immortal Treasures!

41. Chapter 41: Jack’s Fear

42. Chapter 42: The Jiang Family Moves Out!

43. Chapter 43: Facing the Enemy Head-on!

44. Chapter 44: A Bad Start! Xingfeng Sect’s Trump Card

45. Chapter 45: Woman, It’s Not Good to Barge Into Someone’s Home

46. Chapter 46: I, Jiang Hong! Slaying an Immortal!

47. Chapter 47: Immortal Island in the Sea, News of the Immortals

48. Chapter 48: The Dawn of Hope

49. Chapter 49: There Is No Medicine for Regret

50. Chapter 50: Dominating a Region, Fame Shakes Liuyang