AGM 351 - Mu Feng
More and more cultivators from Grand Xia gathered in Ginkou, the main topic being discussed throughout the continent were all related to the Heavenly Fate Rankings.
Only three more days remained before the start of the pilgrimage to the Ancient Kingdom. This also marked the commencement of the battle for the Heavenly Fate Rankings.
Currently, in the air space above Ginkou Continent, several demonic beast mounts and powerful experts could be seen whistling through the air. The sheer number of cultivators rushing to Ginkou was so massive that it seemed like the line of visitors would never stop.
Countless silhouettes congregated in the vast land outside the Ancient Kingdom of Grand Xia. They stared at the entrance of the Ancient Kingdom, at the sky-reaching pillars that ascended all the way to the clouds, supporting a total of ninety-nine azure dragon stone steps. They converged upwards, serving as a sacred path for the pilgrimage to the Ancient Kingdom. It exuded an imposing feeling of prestige, full of majesty. This flight of stairs was none other than the entrance to the Ancient Kingdom.
Currently, there were several talented heroic youths from the younger generation present. They stared at the ancient sacred pathway, as boundless anticipation filled their hearts. The desire they felt was so strong that they couldn’t wait to battle, right there and then, achieving fame in a single shot.
How many of the younger generations had painstakingly cultivated just for today’s battle? If they could succeed, their names would be ranked within the Heavenly Fate Rankings in a single battle. Their future would be incomparably bright, and much smoother to traverse. The various transcendent powers would also go all out to invite talented young cultivators to join them, nurturing them with effort. Among the successful ones, some might even be given the chance to become core disciples.
Naturally, there were also some who fought for no other reason than to measure themselves with other talented cultivators of the younger generation, tempering themselves to their limit, always pressing forward without looking back.
“Legend has it that within the Ancient Kingdom, there still exists the Emperor’s Destiny within. If one performs outstandingly, they may even acquire the Emperor’s Destiny, thereby changing their future fate and fortune, improving it by a huge margin.” A young man and woman stood together in discussion, with voices filled with anticipation.
Also, there were some who came for entirely different purposes. For example, Shu Ruanyu from the Moon Continent. She stood alone at an inconspicuous corner, with traces of coldness on her countenance.
Back then she’d been engaged to Yang Fan, and it was naturally because of her outstanding talent that she had been chosen to wed into the Star-Seizing Manor. But who would’ve known that after being abducted by Qin Wentian, things would begin to change. The Star-Seizing Manor suspected that her chastity had been taken and even Yang Fan began to avoid her. Under a fit of rage, she initiated their breakup, destroying the marriage agreement between them.
Even now, she had no way to unleash that turbid breath she kept suppressed. She wanted to avenge herself on Qin Wentian, yet she didn’t know where he’d gone to. Hence, she made a guess and went to Ginkou in hopes of seeing if Qin Wentian would be there as well.
Shu Ruanyu gazed at her surroundings and soon noticed two silhouettes, one old and one young, standing near her. Both of these men had an extraordinary demeanor and at this moment, the older-looking man asked, “Di Feng, are you ready for the ranking battle?”
Di Feng gazed at the Ancient Kingdom ahead, feeling a rush of hot blood. Brimming with tremendous self-confidence, a smile appeared on his face as he stated in a low voice, “I only came here to contend for the number one position.”
“You stayed hidden for so many years, all just to shock the entire Grand Xia with this one battle. The ranking battle holds extraordinary meaning to you—if you can obtain first place, your position shall henceforth be unshaken, and they will know who you are.” The older man murmured as he calmly continued, “Don’t forget your opponents this time around are monsters as well. Chen Wang, Shi Potian, both of them suppressed their cultivation to prevent themselves from stepping into the Heavenly Dipper Realm. They will be your greatest opponents.”
Di Feng nodded, yet the confidence he exuded never wavered.
“We will come again in three days,” the old man quietly stated, before leaving here with Di Feng. Their words caused a strange glow to flash past Shu Ruanyu’s eyes. What boastful words, saying that he wanted to acquire the position of number one. And that old man seemed extremely confident that only Chen Wang and Shi Potian could contend against Di Feng.
In the top few rankings of the Heavenly Fate Rankings, the #1 Hua Taixu and the #4 Jing Wu, had already stepped into Heavenly Dipper. The strongest remaining rankers were undoubtedly Chen Wang, Shi Potian, as well as Emperor Azure.
It seemed that this man Di Feng, didn’t even care about Emperor Azure.
But of course, she didn’t know that Di Feng was actually Emperor Azure. They were one and the same, the most mysterious man on the Heavenly Fate Ranking.
As Shu Ruanyu’s gaze shifted away, her beautiful eyes froze as she saw something strange occuring. Di Feng and the old man also halted their steps as they gazed to their right.
Beside them, two extremely weird-looking silhouettes appeared.
One was a female clad in ragged robes, stained with mud and a headful of coarse hair matted with dirt. Her eyes were the only thing lively about her, filled with depth and clarity. Occasionally, as she turned back to look at the person behind her, traces of worry could evidently be seen in those clear eyes.
The young woman looked to be extremely young and was currently pulling a tattered bed made of bamboo, with a person riding on top of it.
His face was mottled with a blackish hue, as though he were dying from poison and yet, the aura he exuded was chillingly sinister. For that reason, the surrounding passersby found themselves involuntarily staying away.
“A cripple like him also dares to participate in the ranking battle?” A person nearby suddenly stated. There were those in the crowd who also had expressions of disgust and mockery on their faces.
The young woman in ragged robes frowned as rage suffused her features, “You are not allowed to talk about my Feng gege [1] in this manner, he’s not a cripple.”
“This beggar girl seems pretty feisty. Feng gege? Calling him in such an affectionate manner? How old are you little girl? Are you his lover?” The person from earlier sarcastically remarked, yet the young man sitting on the bamboo bed showed no signs that he’d heard his words. He was incomparably silent, not even his eyelids twitched.
“Get lost.” That young girl couldn’t help but curse in a low voice—the person had intentionally moved to block her way.
“Yo, such a huge temper. Although you look somewhat dirty, I’m sure you’d be a beauty after a bath and a change of clothes. Why don’t you take a bath together with me?” That person who was mocking the cripple earlier burst into raucous laughter, accompanied by his two companions.
Suddenly, the eyelids of the cripple finally twitched as he opened his eyes and stared at them.
The mocking person and his companions continued teasing the young girl, when abruptly, they felt their entire bodies violently shuddering in uncontrollable spasms. Their foreheads turned dark as they gasped for air, before white froth gurgled, leaking out of their mouths as they slumped over, dead.
Such a scene caused the spectators to feel unconsciously tense. What just happened?
No hints of vitality could be sensed from the bodies on the floor, their faces had turned entirely black.
Shu Ruanyu paled as a thunderstruck expression appeared on her face. The young man on the bamboo bed was too terrifying, with a twitch of his eyes, those hooligans teasing the young girl had died, just like that?
“Feng gege, don’t be like this, okay?” When she saw what had happened, the young girl turned her head and glanced in a pitiful manner at the young man. She couldn’t help feeling pain in her heart when she witnessed the death of those men.
“I’ve already arrived. You can leave now.”
The young man finally spoke. His voice was extremely cold, and held a piercing frigidness that could chill people to the bone.
“I’m not leaving, I won’t let you drive me away.” The young girl pouted, full of unwillingness.
“Scram.” The young man lifted his head as a terrifying light flashed past his eyes. Yet the young girl held no trace of fear in her eyes when she stared back at him. “Regardless of how you’ve transformed or what state you’ve become, I will never leave you. I love you, even if you kill me I will never leave.”
The eyelids of the young man twitched, yet his countenance was as cold as ever, no one knew what he was thinking about.
“Poison, this person uses poison. He must have practiced some venom arts.”
At this moments, loud exclamations of shocks could be heard, the corpses on the ground had totally turned black—a sure sign of death by severe poisoning.
Turning their gazes on the crippled young man once again, no one else dared to mock or belittle him, there were only traces of terror in their hearts.
“Could it be him?” A memory flashed in Shu Ruanyu’s mind, her heart couldn't help but shiver when she thought of that person.
Mu Feng, the most infamous person on the Heavenly Fate Rankings, ranked #7. Rumors stated that he was one of the youngest cultivators ever to be ranked among the top thirty-six, and had an extremely high degree of attainment in the use of poison. His master was none other than the Poison Monarch, whom everyone feared, another monster on the Heavenly Dipper Rankings.
There were too many news reports and rumors regarding Mu Feng.
There were people saying that even though this man was proficient in the poison arts, there was no better friend one could make. His character was heroic and straightforward, and extremely upright, to the point that on those occasions when his master, the Poison Monarch, wanted him to kill people to practice his poison arts, he would refuse. If it weren't for the Poison Monarch being awed by his talent, he would have long died at the hands of his master. Everyone in Grand Xia knew that the Poison Monarch was an extremely ruthless man.
Yet, somehow, the crippled young man on the bamboo bed didn't match the descriptions of Mu Feng. A sinister look unceasingly flickered in his eyes, as an aura of death constantly exuded out from him. Also, allowing a girl as young as her to pull him all the way to Ginkou? This didn't fit in with Mu Feng’s character at all.
At this moment, Shu Ruanyu abruptly stiffened, her eyes narrowing as she casted her gaze over to the horizons.
It was him, that fellow finally appeared. Qin Wentian, as well as that damnable fatty who kept threatening to take off her clothes when she was a captive.
Qin Wentian and the others contemplated the ancient sacred pathway in front of them. His heart couldn’t help but feel awed. Indeed, this place was the same as his memories the damn old fogey left for him, the Ancient Empire of Grand Xia.
However at this moment, it was as though he sensed something. Turning around, he sought the source of the stare he felt, and a strange glow couldn’t help but flicker in his eyes when he noticed Shu Ruanyu.
What a coincidence, that woman actually came here too. After one year, Shu Ruanyu had already broken through to the ninth level of Yuanfu.
At this moment, Qin Wentian felt another pair of eyes staring at him. Shifting his gaze in another direction, he noticed Mu Feng sitting up on his bamboo bed. He was staring at him with eyes filled with endless malice, as though he couldn’t wait to tear him apart.
Such maliciousness, caused even Qin Wentian to feel a chill in his heart.
“What’s going on?” Qin Wentian frowned, he wasn’t acquainted with this man, this should be the first time they met, yet why was Mu Feng gazing at him as though he was looking at his mortal enemy?“Careful,” Qin Wentian warned in a low voice. Those beside him also noticed the presence of Mu Feng.
“QIN WENTIAN!”
A voice that rang from the depth of hells echoed, Qin Wentian was greatly stunned. It seemed as though the other party truly knew him. Mu Feng’s eyes, other than an icy coldness, were also filled with traces of blood. He appeared extremely fearsome to look at.
“You are?” Qin Wentian asked, bewilderment appearing on his face.
“You actually pretend not to know me? Laughable, how laughable.” Mu Feng’s killing intent shot to the skies as a terrifying black qi gushed forth from his body. Qin Wentian only felt his entire body going cold as the powerful poison of Mu Feng seeped into him.
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TL Note:
Shi Potian石破天 - Shi (surname) Po(break) Tian(heavens). Shi, Breaking the Heavens
gege 哥哥 - elder brother. I used this here instead of Brother Feng as it conveyed the tone better.