Chapter 140: Return

The crimson flying sword contained four engraved images. There were no written descriptions because none were needed; this was a spiritual imprint inheritance. By delving into it with one's spiritual power, one could comprehend the profound and mysterious Sword Control Art.

However, within this crimson flying sword, Chu Feng sensed danger. The imprint almost ripped apart his mind and threatened to destroy his will. He had already withstood the initial assault. Any other king-level creature would likely have perished, their spirit obliterated, leaving them as mere husks even with their powerful bodies.

Chu Feng had to admire the old weasel; its species possessed inherently strong spiritual power, far exceeding that of typical beast kings. This was why it had ultimately acquired the Sword Control Art. However, Chu Feng was superior; otherwise, he wouldn't have thwarted the old weasel's spiritual invasion and ultimately slain it.

Within the crimson sword, a magnificent space seemed to exist. The four engravings glowed brightly, drawing one's attention. With a whoosh, Chu Feng plunged into the first image. Instantly, it felt as though an immortal sword had pierced his heart, causing an agonizing rending sensation. His spiritual will threatened to shatter, and the pain was unbearable. He endured, resisting the overwhelming force.

Outside, a silvery spiritual flame pulsed on his forehead. His king-level essence energy boiled, all of it surging into the red sword to provide support. Within the first engraving, Chu Feng stabilized. Immediately, both text and images surged towards him, imprinting themselves directly into his mind, like a spiritual anointing. This was the inheritance of the Sword Control Art—no scrolls, only spiritual imprints, precise and accurate! Naturally, acquiring such an inheritance was exceedingly difficult, as the threshold was exceptionally high. Only a small fraction of king-level beings, those with formidable spiritual power, were qualified to receive the imprint. Otherwise, a forced attempt would only lead to death, as the spiritual body would be obliterated.

Chu Feng silently absorbed it, meticulously comprehended it, and committed it entirely to memory. He withdrew, his spiritual form reappearing within the grand space of the crimson flying sword. Moments later, he entered the second engraving, which exuded an ancient, weathered aura. Armed with his first experience and assured of no danger, this attempt was easier. Chu Feng gave his full effort, all his spiritual power, like a silvery flame, surging inward.

Outside, Chu Feng sat motionless. He left only a fraction of his spirit in his physical body for vigilance, while the rest fully immersed itself in the crimson flying sword to earnestly comprehend the Sword Control Art. Ultimately, he conquered all four engravings, acquiring the complete Sword Control Art inheritance without any omission.

"The old weasel only managed to get two of the engravings," Chu Feng murmured to himself. "It seems the power of this inheritance is far greater than I imagined!" He detected traces of the old weasel's presence in the first two engravings, but no remnants of its spiritual power in the latter two. After incinerating the old weasel's residual spiritual power, Chu Feng withdrew and sat cross-legged on the mountain, silently absorbing it. The four spiritual imprint diagrams fully detailed all the techniques of the Sword Control Art.

He closed his eyes and pondered. The so-called Sword Control Art was not as mysterious as he had imagined; it was simply the application of spiritual energy. Just as the physical body could execute various martial arts, from the simple to the unfathomable, so too could the spirit manifest power, either through direct attack or by controlling objects to eliminate enemies. According to the records of this Sword Control Art, once one reached the mythical level, enemies could be slain from extremely distant locations. In essence, just as there were physical martial arts, so too were there "spiritual martial arts."

"So that's how it works!" Chu Feng nodded. He had most feared deifying the Sword Control Art and associating it with mythical tales, as that would inadvertently create numerous obstacles for his practice. "Body and spirit — it's not a matter of which is stronger or weaker; both are incredibly important." Having grasped the essence of the Sword Control Art, Chu Feng began practicing "spiritual martial arts," achieving remarkable results with minimal effort. His progress was smooth and extraordinary, evolving from clumsy to proficient, and then to initial object control.

As the evening glow painted the sky crimson and the entire mountain range was bathed in the last light of the setting sun, Chu Feng opened his eyes. Simultaneously, the crimson flying sword before him shot out with a clang, embedding itself in a nearby rock as if slicing through tofu. Chu Feng was pleased; his efforts had clearly yielded results. The next moment, the crimson flying sword cleaved the rock, circled in mid-air, and then struck a five-meter-tall boulder nearby. The several-meter-tall brown rock was sliced into two halves, its cross-section perfectly flat and smooth. With a whoosh, the crimson sword flew back into Chu Feng's palm. It was as translucent as red coral, vividly radiant, and utterly without blemish.

In the distance, the roar of numerous armed helicopters approached. They landed one after another at the base of Mount Pan, and many exceptional individuals disembarked, rapidly ascending the mountain. They were stunned. Along the way, they saw numerous ferocious beasts, each slain by a single blow; some were shattered, while others left mangled remains, a terrifying sight. Upon reaching the summit of Mount Pan and witnessing the devastated landscape, their hearts trembled. The mountaintop was ravaged, almost completely collapsed. Flying swords had sliced through cliffs, leaving distinct marks, and colossal boulders, tens of meters high, shattered by fist prints, were strewn everywhere, alongside numerous bloodstains. These sights profoundly conveyed the horror of the battle.

"Quick, this is a Beast King! Collect the blood, don't waste it!" exclaimed someone from a top-tier laboratory who had accompanied them. They began refrigerating the fragmented corpse of the Beast King, much to the dismay of some older experts who lamented that a more intact body would have been even more valuable. "There are two living ones here!" someone exclaimed, spotting Huang Yun and Kong Zhuo, which immediately thrilled the lab personnel. The two exotic beasts bristled, their fur standing on end. The way these people's eyes gleamed green when they saw them was chilling, sending shivers down their spines.

When Chu Feng appeared, everyone halted, overcome with immense reverence. Many also showed fervent admiration, eager to approach him and exchange a few words.

"Arrange a flight for me tomorrow morning," Chu Feng simply stated. He intended to return to Shuntian the next morning; Mount Pan had been subdued and could be left for Lu Tong to manage. This place no longer held much significance for him; acquiring the Sword Control Art made everything worthwhile. He remained there only because he had buried the seed and the stone box.

Chu Feng ate some dried rations and returned to the back mountain to guard the burial site, continuing to study the Sword Control Art, aiming to master it in the shortest possible time. Before dawn, Chu Feng opened his eyes, dug out the stone box, and examined it, letting out a soft sigh. As anticipated, the seed had shown no changes. Early that morning, he departed Mount Pan by plane. The news had not leaked, as there were still matters to be handled after the battle.

The morning glow streamed through the airplane window, bathing Chu Feng in golden light and making him appear almost divine, at least in the eyes of the few exceptional individuals in the cabin. One person had single-handedly conquered a renowned mountain; such a terrifying feat was destined to shake the world! Furthermore, they had all witnessed the carcass of the Beast King, which had been literally blasted apart! It was known that Beast Kings could effortlessly devastate cities, their king-level power unimaginably formidable, yet this quiet young man in the cabin had ultimately slain one.

Finally, unable to restrain themselves, one person bravely stepped forward, hoping to take a photo with Chu Feng. "No problem," Chu Feng said with a smile, readily agreeing to their request. After the battle, he felt completely relaxed, and his mood was especially uplifted after acquiring the Sword Control Art. He was confident he could fully master it in a short time, and his strength would surge dramatically!

Around noon, Chu Feng returned, entering Shuntian City. Returning from the mountains to the city, Chu Feng experienced a peculiar sensation. On one side, untamed mountains teemed with exotic creatures and rampant ferocious beasts, while on the other, such modernity existed; the contrast was jarring.

"Boss, where are you? We're coming to pick you up!" Du Huaijin, known as "Thousand-Mile Eye," called his communicator, extremely excited. His booming voice made Chu Feng's ears ache, so overcome with emotion was he. Even Ye Qingrou couldn't maintain her composure, her emotions fluctuating as she exclaimed, "Chu Feng, you've truly given us an enormous surprise! This news is just too thrilling, isn't it?"

The news hadn't yet widely spread, as there were ongoing clean-up operations after the Mount Pan battle to prevent any incidents. However, these few individuals had already learned the inside story from Lu Tong. Initially, they flat-out refused to believe it, thinking Lu Tong was an old swindler trying to deceive them. But when they saw several photographs, they were utterly shocked. The Beast King was torn to pieces, exploded by Chu Feng, and the entire mountaintop was almost leveled by the two masters, utterly devastated—a truly horrifying sight.

"Boss, we're going to throw you a welcome feast on the eighty-eighth floor of the Azure Cloud Building!" Ouyang Qing, known as "Wind-Hearing Ear," squawked excitedly through the communicator.

"Alright, I'll wait for you," Chu Feng said, standing by the roadside, as his friends were already en route and would arrive shortly. As he stood by a commercial street, someone immediately recognized him. "Hey, isn't that Chu Feng? He's still in Shuntian City! Oh my, this is very dangerous; I heard some exotic beings might be gathering here." "Indeed, this isn't good news. He really should lie low for a while." In an instant, many people approached him to greet him, some excitedly, and earnestly advised him to endure the current situation and seek refuge elsewhere. Fortunately, Ye Qingrou and Chen Luoyan arrived promptly, and he quickly left.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Chu Feng assured everyone before his departure. Soon, this information was reported, informing everyone that Chu Feng was still in Shuntian and had not fled, causing a significant stir!

"Boss, you're about to drop a nuclear-level bomb! Old fox Lu Tong will make the news public very soon. Forget everyone else; even the major financial groups will probably be dumbfounded." In the car, Ouyang Qing chuckled, so excited that his driving became erratic.

"Drive properly, stop messing around," Ye Qingrou warned him.

"Why this place again?" Chu Feng wondered, recalling his last blind date where he had dined here with Jiang Luoshen and Xia Qianyu, leading to all sorts of complications.

"There's no choice; the food here is the best," Du Huaijin praised. "Especially since the emergence of primeval mountains everywhere, unheard-of fierce birds and beasts have become ingredients served at tables, making this place even more renowned, truly one of a kind."

"Don't worry, I've already made arrangements," Ye Qingrou reassured him. "I chose a quiet spot where we won't be disturbed." It was a private room by the window, offering a view of the city and the primeval mountains beyond, where one could even observe flying beasts battling. This particular room was usually difficult to book due to its prime location.

"Huh, is that Chu Feng? He hasn't left yet?" Despite their low profile, they were easily recognized in such a prominent location. Chu Feng and his companions had been spotted, and many people were even taking photographs. Even after the private room door was closed, people continued to approach occasionally to greet them.

The restaurant manager arrived, looking somewhat uneasy. He quietly informed Ye Qingrou, "Some young individuals from exotic races have appeared. Do you... still wish to dine?" He meant well, knowing that Chu Feng was currently in trouble, having slain the quasi-king of the Peacock clan and the Mount Pan lineage, which put him in a very precarious position. Especially since the Beast King of Mount Pan had demanded his repentance, the situation was clearly against him. At such a critical juncture, if any young exotic beings were to encounter them, who knew what might transpire.

"No need!" Ye Qingrou shook her head. The restaurant manager was surprised; the composure of the people in the room suggested they weren't concerned at all. Naturally, he didn't press further, feeling he had done his part to warn them.

Chen Luoyan spoke up, "I've also heard that after Chu Feng became a target of the Peacock clan and the Mount Pan lineage, other factions became restless. Some even specifically traveled to Shuntian. Could these be the exotic beings you mentioned?" In fact, it wasn't long before the private room door was pushed open, and an uninvited guest appeared. The news of Chu Feng's presence here had already leaked, and many people were whispering about it; it was no longer a secret.

Evidently, he was not human. He had a striking appearance: tall, slender, with long pale golden hair, and slightly narrow eyes. Upon entering, the young man offered a false smile. Spotting Chu Feng, he said, "Chu Feng? How relaxed you are. We thought you had already left Shuntian. I didn't expect to have the honor of meeting the renowned Quasi-King Chu." His smile was artificial, and his expression was subtly complex, revealing both a hint of fear and a touch of arrogance. His demeanor easily suggested that he had significant backing; otherwise, he would never dare to provoke Chu Feng, a veritable killing machine.

"Since Quasi-King Chu is here, perhaps you'd be willing to move somewhere else for a discussion?" He gestured invitingly with his hand.

Chu Feng gazed at him calmly, not uttering a word. For some reason, the young man with pale golden hair felt a sudden surge of nervousness, his hair bristling. But he quickly grew irritated with himself; how could he be intimidated when the other party hadn't uttered a single word? He narrowed his slender eyes and raised his voice, "Since Quasi-King Chu is still in Shuntian and hasn't gone into hiding, please come over for a talk!"

"Get lost," Chu Feng retorted with a single word. Having slain even a Beast King, why would he care about these young, exotic powerhouses?

"You..." The young man with slender eyes and pale golden hair was furious. He was, after all, a direct descendant of a royal lineage, yet he was being treated with such utter contempt.

"Say one more word, and I'll kill you!" Chu Feng stared at him indifferently.