Chapter 14: Ye Huai's Pursuit

Chapter 14: Ye Huai's Pursuit

At the campsite outside the Ten Thousand Woods, Ye Huai arrived with two Seventh Level Body Forging disciples from the Ye Family’s branch lineage.

The three immediately split up, searching the entire camp.

"Brother Huai, we’ve asked around, but no one knows anything."

"Brother Huai, there are quite a few disciples from our Dao Academy here for training. Finding Chen Feng won’t be easy."

Ye Huai’s expression darkened to the extreme, his narrow eyes glinting with cold light.

"Difficult or not, we must find him. Chen Feng must die."

"The Chen Feng you’re looking for—is he a swordsman around seventeen or eighteen?" A voice suddenly interrupted. The three turned to see a burly, black-clad man in his thirties staring at them.

"You’ve seen Chen Feng?" Ye Huai’s sharp gaze landed on Shi Feng’s face like a blade, instantly making Shi Feng’s expression change. He felt as if a cold edge was slicing into him, his hair standing on end.

"That’s right. A young warrior named Chen Feng just joined my team. After entering the Ten Thousand Woods, he suddenly drew his sword and killed my teammates. Luckily, I escaped in time." Shi Feng quickly twisted the truth.

"Lead the way," Ye Huai said coldly, ignoring his explanation.

"Gentlemen, Chen Feng isn’t just skilled in movement techniques—his swordsmanship is terrifying. Even Seventh Level Body Forging cultivators aren’t his match. I doubt even an Eighth Level could take him down easily," Shi Feng added. Of course, he was willing to guide them—as long as they could handle Chen Feng.

"The three of us aren’t just disciples of the Huntian Dao Academy—we’re also from the Ye Family. My brother Ye Huai is at the Ninth Level of the Body Forging Realm and ranks third among the Top Ten Disciples of the Dao Academy. With that kind of strength, who in the Body Forging Realm could stand against him?"

Shi Feng was shocked.

He clearly understood what it meant to rank among the Top Ten Disciples.

Without exaggeration, any one of them could effortlessly dominate any rogue cultivator in the Ten Thousand Woods campsite.

"So it’s the genius of the Ye Family! My apologies for the disrespect. I’ll lead the way immediately." Shi Feng immediately put on a fawning smile and took the role of guide, murderous intent swirling in his heart. Chen Feng, you killed my three teammates. This time, you’re dead.

---

A flash of sword light split a First Rank Sixth Level Flower-Spotted Python as thick as an arm into several segments, scattering them across the ground. The stench of blood filled the air.

Chen Feng kicked the snake’s head aside and carefully plucked a green fruit about the size of a longan—the rare herb, Snake Saliva Fruit. According to Shi Feng and the others, it was one of the more common rare herbs in the Ten Thousand Woods, worth the price of a single Body Forging Pill.

Demonic beasts also held considerable value, but since he was operating alone, carrying their corpses was impractical. He could only take the most valuable parts, such as the Snake Gallbladder.

"The Snake Gallbladder can detoxify and improve eyesight. Let’s try it."

Chen Feng swallowed the gallbladder, and the Divine Talisman Of Creation refined it. A cooling energy flowed toward his eyes, and he immediately felt a refreshing sensation.

After a few breaths, the cooling energy faded, leaving his eyes feeling as if they had been gently massaged. His vision sharpened slightly.

"Good effect." Chen Feng nodded. "One Snake Saliva Fruit is worth ten taels. The silver from those three Wind and Fire Team members adds up to forty taels—half the price of a Foundation Establishment Pill."

Filled with motivation, he continued his search for treasures.

Rare herbs are often of considerable value, with some even possessing the direct effect of aiding cultivation and enhancing one's strength, though such herbs are relatively scarce. Those that directly boost cultivation are not only rare but also exorbitantly priced.

...

"These were my three teammates, all killed by Chen Feng."

Shi Feng's eyes nearly burst with fury as he gazed upon the corpses of Zhu Li and the others, his face twisted in grief and rage.

"Enough talk. Keep leading the way," one of the Ye Family disciples snapped impatiently.

The dead meant nothing to them, so they felt nothing.

"Rest assured, I will avenge you," Shi Feng muttered under his breath, suppressing his anger. He quickly gathered the three bodies and placed them together before scanning the surroundings. "The three of you, Chen Feng went this way."

"You'd better be leading us right. If you're wrong, you'll regret it," another Ye Family disciple threatened.

"I guarantee it's correct," Shi Feng replied with an ingratiating smile.

Under Shi Feng's guidance, Ye Huai and the other two swiftly advanced, effortlessly slaying any demonic beasts they encountered along the way.

"Found him! Chen Feng is right there!" Following the trail, Shi Feng suddenly spotted a figure in the distance and exclaimed in a hushed tone.

"After him!" Ye Huai narrowed his eyes, locking onto the figure dozens of meters away. With a low shout, he took a single step forward, unleashing astonishing speed as he closed the distance.

Shi Feng and the two other Ye Family disciples at the Seventh Level of the Body Forging Realm also erupted into pursuit.

"The Dark Blood Grass is worth a Body Forging Pill," Chen Feng murmured as he carefully dug up a small, dark-red herb, cleaning the soil from its roots before storing it away.

He had to admit, his luck had been quite good.

Since entering the Ten Thousand Woods, he had already found three rare herbs, their total value reaching thirty taels of silver.

Just as he finished storing the Dark Blood Grass, a rapid set of footsteps approached from behind, accompanied by a chilling aura. Chen Feng turned and his pupils shrank to pinpricks.

"Ye Huai!"

"Chen Feng, this is where you die," Ye Huai declared coldly as he charged forward, his blade half-drawn. A sharp gleam of steel sliced through the dimness of the Ten Thousand Woods, radiating killing intent.

Chen Feng's gaze swept past Ye Huai to Shi Feng and the two unfamiliar youths behind him, instantly understanding the situation.

Without hesitation, Chen Feng spun around and sprinted deeper into the Ten Thousand Woods.

Against Shi Feng alone, he was confident in victory—but facing Ye Huai was another matter entirely.

"Futile struggle," Ye Huai sneered as he watched Chen Feng flee without hesitation.

Ye Huai, after all, was at the Ninth Level of the Body Forging Realm, far surpassing Chen Feng in strength. At full speed, he rapidly closed the gap.

Then, with a focused gaze, Ye Huai's legs tensed slightly. His first step carried him over two meters, increasing his speed by ten percent. His second step took him another two meters, boosting his speed by twenty percent.

Six consecutive steps later, as if treading upon waves, Ye Huai covered over a dozen meters in an instant, closing in on Chen Feng. His blade left its sheath in a ruthless horizontal slash, its cold light splitting the darkness of the Ten Thousand Woods like a tide.

The blade's pressure bore down, its sharp whistle piercing Chen Feng's ears, sending a chill down his spine.

Chen Feng activated the Nine Shadows Illusory Body, conjuring multiple afterimages to confuse Ye Huai.

But Ye Huai's blade trembled mid-swing, its light splitting into multiple phantom strikes.

Wave-Breaking Six Blades!

Six phantom shadows were instantly slashed apart under the blade.

Three more phantoms appeared beside Ye Huai, their sword shadows piercing through the air toward him.

Ye Huai was momentarily stunned before a disdainful smile curled on his lips.

His long saber gleamed coldly, its light surging like waves as he unleashed another fierce slash.

Blade met sword—Chen Feng’s weapon was instantly severed in half, the broken tip flying through the air before embedding itself deep into a towering tree.

"The quality of my sword is far inferior to his saber..."

Chen Feng cursed inwardly. This had merely been an attempt—killing Ye Huai would have been ideal, wounding him acceptable. Yet not only had he failed to injure his foe, his sword had been destroyed.

Nine phantoms materialized to confuse Ye Huai as Chen Feng immediately fled deeper into the Ten Thousand Woods.

At this moment, he could no longer heed the warnings of the Wind and Fire Team about venturing recklessly into the heart of the forest.

The depths of the Ten Thousand Woods housed many First Rank Ninth Level demonic beasts—some even Second Rank, creatures as formidable as cultivators in the Aperture Opening Realm.

"Chen Feng, you can’t escape!"

Ye Huai’s murderous voice echoed from behind.

Chen Feng’s expression darkened as he repeatedly activated the Nine Shadows Illusory Body, weaving between the towering trees to evade pursuit.

"Chen Feng, how much of your strength remains?"

Ye Huai’s taunting voice reached him again.

Chen Feng’s heart sank.

The continuous use of the Nine Shadows Illusory Body had already drained over half of his Tendon and Bone Force. If this continued, once his energy was exhausted, death would be inevitable.

How can I turn this around?

"If only I had broken through to the Seventh Level of the Body Forging Realm, tempered my organs, and cultivated Organ Force—I’d have greater endurance and resilience."

But alas, his cultivation had not progressed as he’d hoped.

As his phantoms dispersed, Chen Feng narrowly dodged another slash from Ye Huai. Just as he prepared to summon another illusion, a bone-chilling sensation exploded through his nerves.

A faint whistling sound reached his ears—his peripheral vision caught a shadowy figure pouncing from above like lightning.

At the brink of life and death, Chen Feng erupted with his remaining Tendon and Bone Force, pushing the Nine Shadows Illusory Body to its limits. Yet the moment his phantoms appeared, they were shredded apart by inky-black claws. The edges of his robes were torn to ribbons, and his skin bore several fine cuts—the icy, razor-sharp sensation sent shivers down his spine.

"Shadow Leopard!"

Ye Huai’s voice rang out, laced with shock and tension. Chen Feng’s face paled.

The Wind and Fire Team had warned him—among the First Rank demonic beasts lurking in the Ten Thousand Woods, the Shadow Leopard was one of the most dreaded. A top-tier First Rank Ninth Level beast, its obsidian form excelled in stealth, moving with near-silent swiftness. Its claws were as sharp as tempered blades, earning it the title of "Phantom Killer." Once targeted, even most Ninth Level Body Forging cultivators struggled to escape.

Had it not been for the heightened senses granted by the Divine Talisman Of Creation and his mastery of the Nine Shadows Illusory Body, he would have already been torn apart.

The Shadow Leopard, sensing Ye Huai’s stronger aura and greater threat, twisted its lithe body mid-air and lunged at him from the flank.

"Seeking death!"

Ye Huai roared, unleashing the Wave-Splitting Saber Technique in a furious horizontal slash.

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Feng cautiously retreated, careful not to draw the Shadow Leopard’s attention.