Chapter Fifty-Seven: Rescuing the Clan Members

Faint starlight shimmered around Yun Yufeng, while the little Greedy Wolf twitched his nose and drew streams of energy into his body, closing his eyes in bliss as he continued to absorb the abundant, tangled energy surrounding Yun Yufeng. Yu Rou and Bi Xuan opened their eyes, exchanged a glance, and simultaneously began circulating their internal techniques with full force. They quickly realized that cultivating beside Yun Yufeng was like cheating—the energy here was several times richer than outside.

Their family also possessed such blessed cultivation grounds, but the cost was immense and access was reserved for the family head or elders, a rule rarely broken except for great merit or special favor. At this moment, Yun Yufeng’s identity appeared even more enigmatic; both of them suspected he was a prodigy from some great clan, perhaps even from a reclusive lineage.

Everyone focused on their cultivation, except for little Zhen, who looked ready to cry. Poor as he was, barely below the fourth tier, his greatest woe was his innate fire attribute. The motes of fire energy in the air were all being drawn into Yun Yufeng’s body and vanished without a trace. He could only absorb the unaligned energy of the world, making his progress worse than usual; he grew despondent, watching the dense elemental energy enveloping Bi Xuan and his elder sister, practically drooling as he imagined the benefits they would gain this night.

Time flew by; a whole night’s cultivation passed in what seemed the blink of an eye.

Dawn broke in the east, the sun’s face half veiled as it peeked over the horizon.

Bi Xuan opened his eyes, delight written across his face. He cultivated the essence of Geng Metal, something Yun Yufeng had no need for; after one night, the accumulation of metallic energy was generous indeed.

Yun Yufeng was well aware of what had happened the night before, but he did not mind others knowing. Since he understood the significance of bloodlines, he no longer feared others coveting his techniques—without the Yun clan’s blood, they would be useless, and most crucial of all, everything depended on the purity of one’s bloodline.

“Brother Ma You, you truly surprise me. Anyone would envy the days spent at your side.”

“Heh, the blessings of my ancestors,” Yun Yufeng replied with a smile. “But you’re wrong about one thing—fire-element cultivators absolutely hate being near me.”

He turned to look behind, and as expected, Yu Zhen’s face clearly read, “I’m not happy.” Bi Xuan shook his head, lamenting what a pity it was, which only made Yu Zhen’s expression even more forlorn.

After breakfast, the group continued deeper into the mountains. Now that the thick fog had lifted, Yun Yufeng realized the summit was not far off. Perhaps, at the very peak, a sixth-tier magical beast might not even appear.

“Look, there’s a body here!” Bi Xuan called from ahead.

Yun Yufeng walked over, his expression darkening. Judging by the clothes, it was a member of the Yun clan, likely one sent to excavate the secret chamber.

Bi Xuan pointed at a charred wound. “A fifth-tier fire-element swordsman.”

Yun Yufeng examined it: a sword wound piercing the chest armor, blackened at the edges—a single, fatal strike. There were few other traces at the scene, as if both sides had withdrawn after a brief, deadly encounter.

“Look here,” Yu Rou pointed to a large tree nearby. The trunk was splattered with fragments of flesh, broken bones embedded deep in the wood. A longsword was driven to the hilt, its tassel dangling silently outside.

Yun Yufeng’s brow furrowed. That must have been the swordsman who dealt the killing blow, but after striking, he had no time to escape before being blasted apart midair. The attacker must have been at the peak of the sixth tier.

Could it be that, besides the clan leader, there were other powerful figures in the family? Such thoughts flashed through his mind. Indeed, to reach the summit of these mountains, one needed sixth-tier masters for protection; this was likely an elder who had long remained outside.

“Let’s go take a look,” Yun Yufeng said.

Bi Xuan and Yu Rou exchanged glances, gritted their teeth, and replied, “Let’s go!”

They followed the traces at a steady pace. The incident had occurred before yesterday, so there was no need to rush; hurrying would help nothing if trouble arose now.

The trail grew more chaotic, but fortunately, there were no more corpses. Signs of combat became more frequent, all evidencing battles between sixth-tier powerhouses.

The tracks did not lead straight to the summit, but veered at an angle, continuing for nearly ten miles.

Along the way, they occasionally encountered fifth-tier magical beasts blocking their path. The three joined forces to slay them, suffering minor injuries at times, but nothing serious. With Yun Yufeng present, they recovered in no time.

Suddenly, Yun Yufeng heard sounds ahead. Cautiously, he rounded a low hill and saw a small mountain valley. Steep cliffs enclosed it on three sides, with only a narrow gap, barely wide enough for a single person to pass.

A single warrior could hold this pass against thousands; it was a natural stronghold. Inside, defenders could endure for a while, but cut off from supplies, they could not last long.

At that moment, members of the Yun clan were trapped within the valley. Their leader wielded a Green Dragon Crescent Blade, standing alone to guard the entrance against their enemies.

Blood had already soaked the ground at the mouth of the valley—some from Yun clansmen, some from unknown assailants.

The Green Dragon Crescent Blade trembled slightly, its tip dripping blood in a steady rhythm. The wielder’s hand bulged with veins, exhausted to the extreme, yet determined to hold out until the very end. Otherwise, dozens of clansmen would perish at once.

From the moment Yun Yufeng had first seen the corpse, he had suspected the Gu family’s involvement. Now, seeing the attackers’ attire matched those who had ambushed him days before, his suspicions were confirmed.

The Gu family—were they truly so eager to seize control of the encircling mountains? What was it they sought? Black clothes could hardly conceal their identity, nor was there any attempt to hide.

“Gu Sichen, come fight me like a man! Hiding behind your minions—how does it feel to be a turtle cowering in its shell?”

“Yun Feikong, don’t worry. I’ll give you satisfaction soon enough, but not just yet. You must be hungry by now, right? Exhausted? Can you even eat?” Gu Sichen sneered, his face twisted with malice.

Yun Feikong’s eyes blazed with fury. The clan leader had entrusted him to deliver these people safely, but now, it seemed they would all perish in this valley.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you off easy either,” Yun Feikong snarled, his eyes bloodshot.

“Stop resisting. Once you’re dead, the fight is over. As for your clansmen, I could wipe them all out with a single hand.”

“Hmph! Then you’ll have to step over my corpse first.” The people behind him were only here to excavate a chamber, but they were still his kin—no one would be allowed to disgrace them.

A long whip lashed out like a dragon, winding through the air. Black shadows snapped toward Yun Feikong, the sound of air splitting sharp and thunderous.

Where the whip struck, the earth was gouged with deep furrows. Though Yun Feikong’s Green Dragon Crescent Blade was matchless in power, it was ill-suited to parry the pliant whip.

He was forced to expend his energy to little effect. Though Yun Feikong could challenge opponents of higher rank and stand against late sixth-tier enemies, against Gu Sichen—a sixth-tier initiate—he held no advantage. The two seemed evenly matched, but the whip was his fatal weakness.

Gu Sichen was already certain of victory. It would take less than half a day for Yun Feikong to fall; then the mission would be accomplished perfectly, and he might even be rewarded—every prize from the family was a treasure.

Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure descended upon Gu Sichen’s head. A spiritual force like a tsunami struck him, filling his soul with terror. His pupils lost focus in an instant, and the whip fell uselessly from his grasp.

Yun Feikong would not let such an opportunity slip by. He spun his blade, hooked the whip, yanked it free, and with a furious roar, swung the Green Dragon Crescent Blade—over a yard in length—through the air toward Gu Sichen.

Just as the blade was about to strike, Gu Sichen snapped out of his trance. The spiritual shock had no direct offensive power; it merely provoked a primal fear that momentarily shattered his focus, allowing Yun Feikong to seize the opening.

With a metallic clang, accompanied by the clear sound of bone breaking, Gu Sichen raised his right arm to block the blade. Sparks flew as the blade struck his bracer, but his arm was instantly shattered. The blade continued down, hacking into his clavicle and sending him flying backward.

Terrified beyond words, Gu Sichen barely touched down before preparing to flee. He knew some of his men would be slain by Yun Feikong, but the rest could scatter and escape—Yun Feikong could not pursue them all.

“Retreat!”

He pushed off with both feet, ready to bolt, but a pale hand appeared from the side. Energy pierced through his defenses, exploding at his heart.

With a bloody spray, fragments of viscera mixed with blood shot from his mouth. Eyes wide, Gu Sichen pointed straight at Yun Yufeng, but died before he could speak, collapsing backward.

Bi Xuan opened his mouth, and after a long moment managed to say, “What happened to him? He had the absolute advantage, but was killed in an instant. Yu Rou, pinch me—are we dreaming? How can this be real?”

Yu Rou, ever the observant one, pursed her lips and replied, “I don’t know either, but it’s clear Ma You knew exactly where to intercept the man in black, as if the whole thing had been rehearsed. Isn’t that so?”

Bi Xuan fell silent, unwilling to say more. Every word only made him feel more like a supporting character in someone else’s story.

Yun Yufeng grinned in the direction they had come. “Would you care to help clean up the aftermath?”

Bi Xuan and Yu Rou were no pampered flowers. At Yun Yufeng’s words, they both leapt into the fray. “As you wish.”

The remaining men in black ranged from the peak of the fourth tier to late fifth tier. With Yun Feikong in pursuit and Yun Yufeng and the others blocking their escape, they were swiftly dispatched. Watching Yun Yufeng cut them down as easily as slicing melons, Bi Xuan and Yu Rou were deeply shaken—never had they imagined a youth at the late fourth tier could so effortlessly slaughter fifth-tier warriors.

The thrill of survival electrified the Yun clansmen, their triumphant shouts echoing through the small valley. Yun Feikong approached Yun Yufeng, his face solemn. “Thank you, young master, for your assistance. Without you, these dozens of lives would have been lost.”

Yun Yufeng waved it off lightly. “It was nothing. I already had a grudge with the men in black.”

“Ma You, who are these people?” Bi Xuan asked, his curiosity piqued ever since they’d discovered the corpse; Yun Yufeng had shown clear concern.

Yun Yufeng smiled faintly. “Kinsmen of an old acquaintance. Since I met them, I decided to lend a hand—otherwise, I’d be scolded if I ran into them again.”

Yun Feikong shook his head. “Such a great kindness cannot go unacknowledged. May I ask your esteemed name, young master? I am Yun Feikong, of Encircling Mountain Town. If you have the time, please visit the manor and allow me to show you proper hospitality.”

“No need for that, elder. Once you return to your clan, you’ll naturally learn who I am. Since everything’s settled, we’ll take our leave now.”

Feikong tried to persuade him to stay, but in the end, could only call out to Yun Yufeng’s retreating back, “Remember, you must come to the Yun estate and let me repay your kindness!”

Waving his hand, Yun Yufeng did not look back as he disappeared behind the hill.