Chapter 281: Ranked Among the Top Ten

Jinling City was very large.

Chu Feng and his companions arrived discreetly, without alarming anyone. Many still believed they were in Jiangxi.

At this time, the outside world was abuzz with discussions about Chu Feng, and the fervor continued. His daring confrontation with the sea race was considered a major event.

Many debated Chu Feng's strength, as his combat achievements were outstanding, surpassing those of typical king-level beings who had broken through the sixth genetic lock.

Otherwise, how could he have killed Hei Teng, defeated Qian Yue, and slain the Nine-Lives Cat King?

Ultimately, some believed that Chu Feng might now be among the top ten masters in the East. This was an astonishing ranking, though not universally accepted.

The old lama from Kunlun, the mountain turtle from Kongtong, and the Golden-winged Great Peng from Mount Hua were all considered top-tier masters, possessing extremely high levels of strength.

Relatively speaking, Chu Feng was too young; his rise had been incredibly swift compared to those ancient beings who had lived for hundreds or even thousands of years.

Regardless of the veracity, the mere mention of Chu Feng being among the top ten Eastern masters sparked widespread discussion, which in itself was a form of recognition.

This led to explorations into the secret of his rise. Unsurprisingly, many speculated it was connected to the breathing technique he had mastered.

However, no one dared to act rashly now. He was a demon king who had devoured the Black Dragon Prince of the South Sea over a disagreement and even dared to challenge financial magnates.

Heavenly God Biological, the Lin family.

Xu Wanyi had been alternating between joy and worry recently. She was naturally pleased when Chu Feng was gravely injured and on the verge of death, feeling a sense of relief. However, his return left her in a foul mood.

Her sister, Xu Wanqing, and the young master of the Mu family had teamed up against Chu Feng, but both died in the Taihang Mountains. This had once filled her with hatred for Chu Feng, and she sought every means of revenge.

Yet, with Chu Feng's ascension to a king, she no longer dared to make a move.

"He's clashing with the sea race and has offended the Old Dragon King of the South Sea," Xu Wanyi chuckled, feeling her troubles might soon disappear.

The Old Dragon King of the South Sea possessed 1,500 years of cultivation and was currently deep in the ocean searching for the Dragon Transformation Fruit. Otherwise, he might have already appeared on land.

"Oh, why is it so lively up ahead?" Xu Wanyi asked, surprised.

The Lin family was large and influential, owning many villas in this area. The commotion now drew her attention.

"Young mistress, it's bad news! We've heard that Demon King Chu is here!" her confidant reported.

"What?! Wasn't he in Jiangxi?!" Xu Wanyi panicked. Having targeted Chu Feng several times, even involving his parents, she greatly feared the demon king's retaliation.

Soon after, she received word that Chu Feng had specifically asked to see her, and immediately.

Xu Wanyi's face turned ashen, and with a thud, she collapsed to the ground, fainting from fright.

Meanwhile, several important members of the Lin family personally welcomed Chu Feng into the reception hall. Even a few elderly patriarchs appeared to accompany him.

They had not expected Chu Feng to arrive in Jinling so quickly and visit the Lin family directly.

Lin Luoyi was not present, but she had already received the news and would return within a day or two.

The Lin family members felt a mix of apprehension and relief. In the past, they had never imagined Chu Feng could reach such a level in so short a time.

They acknowledged Chu Feng's strength; after the world's transformation, such individuals were precisely what all factions needed most.

However, in their internal discussions, they had reservations, believing Chu Feng was not discreet enough, that his methods were too extreme, and that he had earned a notorious reputation among financial groups by offending too many people.

Some among them understood the true nature of the world's changes and recognized the terrifying power of financial conglomerates, as they themselves were one.

"Chu Feng, you and Luoyi are classmates and have a good relationship," an elder began. "We don't consider you an outsider, so please don't mind if some of our words are direct."

He was one of Lin Luoyi's granduncles, very old but with a ruddy complexion and robust spirit.

"Currently, this is only the early stage of the transformation; no one can predict what will happen next."

He had just subtly advised Chu Feng that continuing to kill in this manner was not advisable, emphasizing that no one in this world could be invincible and that future implications should be considered.

Chu Feng listened humbly, nodding without any rebuttal.

Overall, the atmosphere remained pleasant, with no unpleasant incidents occurring, as Chu Feng had confirmed that the Lin family had indeed not sent any king-level experts to oppose him.

Furthermore, the Lin family informed him that the Mu family likely hadn't done so either.

This surprised Chu Feng.

In fact, his primary reason for coming to Jinling was to target the Mu family. He believed that with Lin Luoyi involved, Heavenly God Biological's Lin family wouldn't oppose him, but the Mu family was different, having always harbored hostility towards him.

"The Mu family is seeking stability at this stage, waiting for the world to transform again; they probably haven't interfered," the elder explained.

Eventually, Xu Wanyi arrived, forcing a smile. Even within the Lin family's Heavenly God Biological compound, she was deeply worried, fearing Chu Feng might kill her over a trivial disagreement.

By now, Chu Feng was almost demonized among financial magnates. He had overthrown two major financial groups in a single day, causing heads to roll. Who wouldn't be afraid?

As someone with an old grudge against Chu Feng, she was now terrified to the extreme, especially since her husband, Lin Ye Yu, was conveniently absent.

Some members of the Lin family, somewhat aware of the situation, tried to smooth things over, hoping Chu Feng would let the matter go.

Chu Feng stared at her intently, genuinely wanting to end it with a single slap. But after some consideration, he refrained from acting on the spot, though he showed no sign of amusement.

He directly brought up Xu Wanyi's extreme methods, which had involved his family. He admitted that he had more than once wanted to visit the Lin family in Jinling personally.

This caused the Lin family's expressions to change. The "visit" the demon king spoke of was no pleasantries; it carried a heavy implication. Both the Tonggu Alliance and the Extraterrestrial Civilization Institute had been "visited" by him, and everyone knew their fates.

Some members of the Lin family looked at Xu Wanyi with displeasure, while others showed sympathy.

Ultimately, Xu Wanyi collapsed with a thud, fainting again.

Chu Feng felt helpless. He genuinely hadn't intended to decapitate her in what was a relatively harmonious atmosphere, but she turned out to be so easily startled.

At his level, killing this woman was too easy; he didn't even need to do it himself, simply pressuring the Lin family would suffice.

But he didn't want to do that today.

"I hope she stops having any malicious intentions," Chu Feng stated.

In the end, he couldn't leave. The Lin family was very hospitable, arranging a meticulously decorated villa for him to stay in.

The Lin family informed him that Lin Luoyi would be back soon, acknowledging that there was a history between the two.

"What are your thoughts?" In a secret room, several important Lin family members conversed. The building materials here were unique, capable of blocking external detection and impervious to the sharp senses of king-level beings.

"His strength is extraordinary, and his rise has been rapid. He truly might grow into a formidable power, but that's only considering his evolution."

"Excessive rigidity makes one prone to breaking. Even if he can protect himself, his future path will be very difficult."

The Lin family discussed, affirming Chu Feng's evolutionary talent but believing he lacked discretion, suggesting his future might not be bright.

Setting aside what might happen when the full power of financial conglomerates is unleashed, he might not even overcome the sea race. Did they truly think the Old Dragon King of the South Sea's 1,500 years of cultivation was a lie?

"Some within the clan hope Luoyi can be with him."

"They don't understand anything. Tell them to shut up!"

Chu Feng stayed at the Lin family residence for a day, then left to find the Black Ox, the Northeast Tiger, and their companions at a hotel.

Ultimately, they made their way to the Mu family.

The Mu family sought stability, and their direct descendants were absent, evidently fearing Chu Feng would take the opportunity to attack them. The defeat of two major financial groups had already rattled their nerves.

Those who remained assured Chu Feng that the Mu family had absolutely not made a move this time.

Afterward, he contacted Lin Luoyi to inquire and verify, receiving confirmation that the Mu family genuinely seemed to have refrained from acting.

Chu Feng was quite surprised. The Mu family, with whom he had a feud, had not acted rashly, while the Tonggu Alliance and the Extraterrestrial Civilization Institute, with whom he had no prior grievances, had actively intervened.

"Life's affairs are truly unpredictable," he sighed lightly.

"When are you coming back?" Chu Feng asked Lin Luoyi.

"I should arrive in Jinling tomorrow."

Chu Feng's presence in Jinling City eventually leaked, causing quite a stir.

Now, more and more people believed he truly deserved a place among the top ten masters.

Many had thought he would attack Heavenly God Biological, but it turned out peaceful, with no signs of major conflict.

"Could he be about to become the Lin family's son-in-law?" some people, who had hoped for a big battle, remarked sourly.

At noon, as the blazing sun beat down, something unusual occurred in Jinling City: dozens of vines descended from the sky, reaching into the city.

Similar events also happened in Shuntian, Gusu, Hangzhou, and other cities.

Subsequently, strange vines also appeared above some major cities in the West.

People everywhere were astonished. What was happening?

In the past, plants had grown in space, even endangering satellites, but they were eventually destroyed by missiles. Was something similar happening again?

This time, however, after high-altitude photography and satellite monitoring, people were shocked to discover it was not the same at all.

These vines seemed to sprout abruptly from mid-air, rooting themselves in the void, with no visible stems or roots.

Chu Feng immediately had the Golden Condor King carry him into the sky to investigate. The Yellow Ox also followed, his expression grave.

The vines resembled ropes; some descended from tens of thousands of meters high, while others fell from hundreds of meters up. Their colors also varied.

Some were vibrant green, others glistening purple, but all were remarkably sturdy.

Chu Feng found a blue vine descending from three thousand meters. From top to bottom, the vine was uniformly arm-thick, without change, its blue intoxicating.

They reached its origin and discovered a one-meter-diameter mist.

As Chu Feng was about to approach, the Yellow Ox grabbed him, saying, "Don't go near it."

They observed carefully and noticed that the origin of every vine was a not-very-large mist.

Finally, Chu Feng summoned his flying sword and sent it towards the mist. Soon, a clanging sound emanated from the crimson sword body, as if it had struck something.

His expression changed. With a whoosh, he instantly recalled the sword and examined its body closely, finding no abnormalities.

"Has another world transformation truly arrived?" Chu Feng murmured to himself.

That day, some daring extraordinary individuals climbed the vines, and a few disappeared directly into the mist!

"A ladder to heaven, connecting to the immortal realm!"

A rumor thus began to spread.

Most people dared not move rashly, unwilling to take the risk, but a portion still climbed up and vanished into the mist.

This caused immense sensation, and everyone waited, wanting to see if those people would return and how they might have changed.