The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned. Chao Fei was already close to Shen Haoran, and when he unleashed his full power, he appeared before him in the blink of an eye!

"Die!" Chao Fei roared, his face a ferocious snarl as he thrust his palm toward Shen Haoran’s chest! The vicious gust of wind from the attack made Shen Haoran’s robes whip about violently.

As a Spirit King, Chao Fei’s movements were so swift that Shen Haoran couldn’t even react. The only person present who could was Yang Zhentian.

"You dare!" Yang Zhentian bellowed, lashing out with a palm strike of his own toward Chao Fei!

However, Chao Fei completely ignored Yang Zhentian’s attack. His eyes were fixed on Shen Haoran—the man who had cost him everything!

THUD... THUD... Two muffled impacts rang out. Just as Chao Fei struck Shen Haoran, Yang Zhentian’s palm slammed viciously into Chao Fei’s back. In the next instant, both figures were sent flying.

Shen Haoran’s body shot back like a cannonball, smashing clean through the mourning hall’s wall and into the stronghold beyond, raising a cloud of dust. His fate was unknown. Chao Fei, meanwhile, landed in the plaza outside the hall. He staggered to his feet a moment later, shot Yang Zhentian a venomous glare, then turned and shot out of the stronghold!

Chao Fei had cleverly used the momentum from Yang Zhentian’s blow to escape the surrounding crowd. A wily old fox, indeed.

"Yu’er, go help Nephew Shen! Yang Family Army, I’m leaving this to you. When I return, I don’t want to see any of Chao Fei’s accomplices still here! I’m going after him!" Yang Zhentian quickly rattled off the orders, then his figure shot off, chasing in the direction Chao Fei had fled.

Upon receiving their orders, the Yang Family Army moved swiftly. Chao Fei’s subordinates were captured before they even had a chance to resist. Meanwhile, Yang Yu ran toward the direction Shen Haoran had been sent flying.

When Yang Yu reached the back of the stronghold and saw the human-shaped crater in the rock wall, his expression instantly darkened. ’That vicious bastard Chao Fei... He knew to pick on the weakest one. Shen Haoran is only a Spirit Pupil. He couldn’t possibly have survived a full-force attack like that! He’s more likely dead than alive!’

At that thought, Yang Yu cursed Chao Fei viciously in his heart. Black Wind Stronghold owed Shen Haoran an immense debt of gratitude. ’I don’t know how he saved Father, or how they staged that whole act together, but he truly saved Black Wind Stronghold. He’s our savior!’

Yang Yu moved to pull Shen Haoran from the crater, but just as he was about to act, a series of coughs came from within. Then, a dust-covered hand extended out from the hole.

"COUGH COUGH..." Shen Haoran staggered out of the human-shaped crater, his face ashen.

’I was watching Chao Fei and knew he was going to make a move on me, but the power gap is just too vast. Even though I saw it coming, this sluggish body couldn’t react in time. If Elder Yan hadn’t protected me, that palm strike from Chao Fei would have killed me outright!’

"Dammit!" Shen Haoran cursed under his breath. Chao Fei’s palm strike had nearly shattered his bones.

"Brother Shen, are you all right...?" Seeing Shen Haoran actually walking, Yang Yu stared as if he’d seen a ghost. ’That palm strike from Chao Fei... even I would have been half-dead if I’d taken it. But Shen Haoran just seems to have suffered some internal shock. Did Chao Fei hold back? No, that’s impossible!’

"Cough... PTUI!" Shen Haoran coughed, spat out a mouthful of blood, and said, "I’m fine. Where’s that old bastard Chao Fei?" ’He remembered Chao Fei had also been hit by Yang Zhentian. Was he alive or dead?’

"He escaped, but my father has already gone after him. He’s heavily injured, so he won’t get far. But Brother Shen... are you sure you’re all right?" Yang Yu said.

"I’m fine! That old bastard wanted to kill me? He’s not skilled enough for that yet!" Shen Haoran replied coolly. He then sat down cross-legged to calm the roiling qi and blood within him.

A while later, Shen Haoran finally recovered. Other than a lingering paleness in his face, he was largely unharmed.

"Brother Yang, let’s go back to the mourning hall!" Having recovered, Shen Haoran and Yang Yu hurried back to the mourning hall.

When Shen Haoran reappeared before them, seemingly unscathed, the people in the mourning hall stared in utter disbelief. They had all felt the terrifying power of Chao Fei’s palm strike—it was undoubtedly a full-force blow from a Spirit King. How could Shen Haoran, a mere Spirit Pupil, have withstood it?

’He must have a Protective Spiritual Artifact!’ they all thought. ’Is he a young master from some great clan, out gaining experience?’ At this realization, the way they looked at Shen Haoran changed. ’Ignoring the terrifying Nether Poison mist, possessing a Protective Spiritual Artifact capable of blocking a Spirit King’s full-force attack... that’s standard issue for the scions of great clans!’

Shen Haoran was oblivious to the fact that his image had suddenly grown immense in the eyes of the Black Wind Stronghold members. All he cared about right now was whether that old bastard Chao Fei was dead.

Before long, Yang Zhentian’s figure appeared in the distance. He soon landed inside the mourning hall.

"Father, what about Chao Fei?" Yang Yu hurried forward to ask.

"He got away!" Yang Zhentian said, his voice laced with frustration. But then he seemed to remember something and quickly asked, "Oh, right. Nephew Shen, is he all right?"

"Thanks to you, I’m all right!" Shen Haoran said, stepping forward with a cupped-fist salute.

Yang Zhentian couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath when he saw Shen Haoran standing before him, completely unharmed. His senses told him that other than some minor disruption to his qi and blood, Shen Haoran had no serious injuries.

Yang Zhentian studied Shen Haoran closely. ’In fact, just as Chao Fei’s attack was about to land, I sensed a terrifying power burst from Shen Haoran’s body. It was so strong that even I felt a tremor of apprehension. He must have used that power to block the attack!’

’This young man is becoming more and more mysterious.’ Yang Zhentian considered himself lucky to be his friend, not his enemy.

In Yang Zhentian’s mind, Shen Haoran was already labeled a peerless genius. Exceptional Talent, sharp perception, an unyielding will—Yang Zhentian could see almost every admirable quality in him. A genius like that, as long as he didn’t meet an untimely end, was destined to become a titan. And Shen Haoran did not seem like the type to fall by the wayside.

Shen Haoran met Yang Zhentian’s gaze without flinching, looking directly into his eyes. An unspoken understanding spread between the old man and the youth.

"As long as you’re all right, that’s what matters! Yu’er, take Nephew Shen to get some rest. I’ll thank him properly once I’ve dealt with matters here."

In the next moment, Yang Zhentian’s demeanor shifted, becoming stern and authoritative. Now, he was the Village Chief of Black Wind Stronghold, and there was much to be done.

Yang Yu led Shen Haoran away. They weren’t needed for what came next; the Yang Family Army and Yang Zhentian could handle it on their own. Shen Haoran considered his part of the deal with Yang Zhentian complete. ’All that’s left is to receive the Thousand Illusion Jade Marrow. After that, I can finally break through to the Spirit General Tier!’

He grew excited at the thought of finally breaking through to Spirit General. ’Ling Xuan, wait for me!’...

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