Chapter 136: Chapter 134: So What About the Meridian Passage Realm?

"Brother Feng?"

"Brother Feng?"

"What are you thinking about?"

Gao Fei nudged him with his elbow.

"Jealous of Young Master Li’s good luck?"

"It’s nothing."

Han Feng snapped back to his senses and deactivated his [Spiritual Vision].

"Just thought it was an eye-opener."

Li Wei was still gesturing excitedly.

"Once I break through to the Meridian Passage Realm and awaken my Talent, let’s team up and go outside the city for a big score!"

"Equipment and resources won’t be an issue then!"

"Sure."

Han Feng agreed with a smile.

"It’s a deal, then!"

Li Wei checked the time on his terminal.

"I can’t. I have to get back and find a place for secluded cultivation. I can’t waste a single second of this Potion’s effects."

"Gotta go. See you at school!"

With that, he and his bodyguards left in a hurry.

Even his departing back seemed to radiate impatience.

Watching Li Wei’s retreating figure, Gao Fei heaved a long sigh.

His face was a mask of envy, jealousy, and hate.

"Sigh. Comparisons are odious."

Gao Fei said sourly.

"We’re here working our butts off, scrounging for deals to make money, and he just downs a Potion and is about to awaken his Talent."

"This world is so unfair."

"Alright, enough with the sour grapes."

Han Feng patted his shoulder.

"Everyone has their own path. You can’t be envious of that."

"The money he spent is enough for us to cultivate for several years." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"That’s true."

Gao Fei instantly felt better about himself.

"Let’s go, to the Celestial Pride Pavilion!"

"You’re treating today! We have to get a good meal, or else I’ll feel all bottled up inside!"

Han Feng smiled and didn’t refuse.

The air in the Black Market was as murky as ever, buzzing with the roar of the crowd.

But Han Feng’s mood was exceptionally light.

The money had been spent and transformed into tangible strength.

It was a reassuring feeling.

The two followed the flow of people, heading out of the air-raid shelter.

"Brother Feng, I’ll help you get that ’Ghost Bat’ Wingsuit tuned up later, and I’ll add some camouflage while I’m at it."

Gao Fei was still excited about the top-tier Wingsuit.

"Your luck is too conspicuous. It’s just asking for thieves."

However, the unease in Han Feng’s heart from being targeted by a "Sheep Selection Official" had not dissipated.

He discreetly activated his [Spiritual Vision], warily scanning his surroundings.

Just then, a faint but extremely condensed Energy fluctuation appeared at the edge of his Perception range.

A Meridian Passage Realm Martial Artist.

He was about sixty meters away, tailing them from a moderate distance.

What was even stranger was that in his [Spiritual Vision], a mosquito-sized black insect was circling above the person’s head.

It seemed to be guiding him.

Han Feng glanced down at his right hand.

After shaking hands with Qian Ming, he had smelled a faint, sweet fragrance.

At the time, he had assumed it was the other man’s cologne.

’Thinking about it now, that scent was probably a tracking marker.’

Qian Ming was the "Sheep Selection Official," responsible for finding targets.

And the Meridian Passage Realm Martial Artist behind them was the "Butcher," responsible for doing the deed.

’With that, Li Wei is no longer a suspect.’

’That guy just finished lording his superiority over me. It’s unlikely he’d make a move so soon; it doesn’t fit his hypocritical style.’

’If it’s not Li Wei, then it can only be Qian Ming.’

Han Feng’s gaze turned cold.

"Fatty, you take the south exit. I’ll take the west. Let’s split up on the way back."

Han Feng suddenly stopped walking.

Gao Fei froze.

"Why? We can watch each other’s backs if we go together."

"Just listen to me. You go first. I have some personal business to take care of."

Han Feng’s tone was calm.

Gao Fei looked at Han Feng’s serious expression, recalled the mention of the "Sheep Selection Official" earlier, and immediately understood.

His face instantly turned pale.

"Brother Feng, are you being followed?"

"Don’t do anything rash! Let’s go back to Uncle Long’s place!"

"It’s just one person at Meridian Passage Third Layer. I can handle it myself."

Han Feng patted the "Sand Python" pistol at his waist.

’It’s loaded with Armor-Piercing Bullets.’

"You go first. Otherwise, you’ll just get in my way."

’So what if he’s at Meridian Passage Third Layer and has converted his Qi Blood into Inner Qi?’

’My bullets, enhanced with Spiral Force, can shatter the Blood Energy Shield of a Tier Two Late Stage Evil Cultist in a single shot.’

’Can a mere Meridian Passage Early Stage Martial Artist be tougher than that Blood Gu Evil Cultist?’

’I have [Spiritual Vision], a gun, and Sword Qi Release.’

’The only complication is Gao Fei, who’d just be dead weight.’

Seeing that Han Feng had made up his mind, Gao Fei gritted his teeth.

"Fine! Then you be extremely careful!"

"I’ll go find Uncle Long as soon as I get out!"

Without another word, he wasted no time, immediately turning and squeezing into another fork in the path, rushing toward the south exit.

Han Feng watched Gao Fei leave before turning around and heading toward the less crowded west exit.

As expected, the point of light in his Perception followed him.

’Good. I’m the target.’

He didn’t look back, his steps steady.

But in his mind, he was rapidly calculating.

’Private fighting is forbidden within a five-hundred-meter radius of the Black Market. That’s an ironclad rule.’

’I need to find a suitable "slaughterhouse."’

「Meanwhile.」

Gao Fei sprinted all the way back to the One-Eyed Dragon’s firearms stall.

"Uncle Long! Uncle Long! Something’s happened!"

Gao Fei was out of breath and drenched in sweat.

Uncle Long, who was in the middle of cleaning a gun barrel, opened his eyes and frowned.

"So reckless. Has the sky fallen?"

"My brother! Han Feng! He’s been targeted by one of the Black Market’s dirty hands!"

Gao Fei stomped his feet in anxiety.

"Who?"

Uncle Long’s gaze instantly sharpened.

"I don’t know his name, but his Cultivation is at Meridian Passage Third Layer!"

"My brother went to lead him away by himself and told me to leave first!"

"He left through the pipes in the West District!"

Uncle Long shot to his feet.

The scar on his face twisted, looking rather terrifying.

"Meridian Passage Third Layer? And he’s alone?"

He looked at Gao Fei.

"What’s your brother’s Cultivation?"

"Body Tempering Tenth Layer!"

"Nonsense!"

Uncle Long cursed, then directly dragged a heavy weapons case out from under his stall.

He opened it and pulled out a short-barreled shotgun.

"That reckless brat doesn’t know his own limits!"

He deftly tucked the gun into the back of his waistband.

"Go, lead the way! I’ve been wanting to deal with that bunch of bastards for a long time!"

...

「Meanwhile.」

Han Feng walked out of the Black Market’s underground entrance.

He didn’t look back.

But in his [Spiritual Vision], the Meridian Passage Realm aura clung to his back like a maggot, staying at a constant, moderate distance.

The distance was always maintained at just over fifty meters.

This was right at the edge of his Perception range.

’If not for the Sword Bone Transformation greatly increasing my Perception Power, I wouldn’t have noticed him at all.’

’What a professional.’

Han Feng snorted coldly in his mind.

He pretended to be oblivious, got his bearings, and headed toward a more remote, abandoned factory district.

With its dense collection of factory buildings and crisscrossing pipes, it was an excellent place to make a move.

Five hundred meters—the safe distance designated by the Black Market.

Once you crossed that line, you were responsible for your own life and death.

When Han Feng stepped into a dilapidated factory building, the footsteps behind him also stopped.

The factory was spacious and dim.

Only a few rays of moonlight filtered through the damaged roof, illuminating several thick concrete pillars.

Han Feng didn’t linger, immediately ducking behind one of the concrete pillars.

Almost at the same time, a figure walked unhurriedly into the factory.

The newcomer was a sallow-faced, middle-aged man, none other than Qian Ming’s accomplice.

He knew he had been discovered, yet there was no tension on his face, only the playful amusement of a cat toying with a mouse.

He took the round backpack off his back and flicked it with one hand.

The backpack instantly unfolded, transforming into a dark brown shield the size of a wok lid, covered in strange patterns.

"Kid, you’re pretty sharp. You even knew to pick out a ’Treasure Land’ for yourself."

The middle-aged man chuckled, his voice hoarse.

At the same time, he poured his Inner Qi into the shield.

"BUZZ!"

A layer of milky-yellow light lit up on the shield’s surface, spreading rapidly along its patterns.

Immediately after, a thin Energy Barrier extended out from the shield’s edge.

In the blink of an eye, it became a massive, curved Light Shield, protecting his entire body.

A Tier Two Spiritual Energy Armor, the Profound Turtle Shield.

Hiding behind the pillar, Han Feng was also taken aback by the scene.

’This thing is way cooler than the Energy Shields in video games.’

’But my [Spiritual Vision] could see it more clearly.’

’This Light Shield might look intimidating, but its Energy Intensity is far weaker than the Blood Energy Shield of that Tier Two Late Stage Evil Cultist from before.’

’It won’t hold!’

"In your next life, be a little smarter about who you mess with."

The middle-aged man said with a smile, advancing step by step with his Light Shield raised.

Before his voice had even faded, Han Feng moved!

A black shadow flashed out from behind the concrete pillar!

What greeted him was the deafening roar of a gunshot!

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

Three Armor-Piercing Bullets, infused with Han Feng’s Qi Blood and Spiral Force, trailed faint red flames as they slammed into the same point on the curved Light Shield in a triangular pattern!

"CRACK!"

The Light Shield let out a crisp sound and was instantly covered in cracks.

Then it exploded into a shower of light motes!

"What?!"

The smile on the middle-aged man’s face froze.

’My Profound Turtle Shield can block a full-power blow from a Tier Two Early Stage Demon Beast!’

’What kind of bullets is this kid using?!’

Before he could figure it out, another gunshot rang out!

"BANG!"

This shot accurately struck his left leg, now unprotected by the Light Shield.

The middle-aged man screamed, his body faltered, and he dropped to one knee.

But he was a ruthless character himself.

Instead of retreating despite the excruciating pain, he roared and charged forward.

He actually pulled a pistol from his own waist and began firing wildly in Han Feng’s direction!

"BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!"

Sparks flew as bullets slammed into the concrete pillar.

But the middle-aged man’s every move—the angle of his raised hand, the direction his muzzle was aimed—was crystal clear in Han Feng’s [Spiritual Vision].

He could always use the darkness and the concrete pillar to effortlessly dodge every bullet half a second in advance.

"My turn."

Han Feng’s icy voice sounded from the middle-aged man’s unexpected rear right.

The middle-aged man’s soul nearly fled his body as he spun around abruptly.