Martial Arts Overlord-Chapter 609 - 607: Overbearing Yuan Qi

Xu Cheng gave Xu Ying a few words of advice. Xu Ying glanced in Luo Feng’s direction, nodded, and then left the banquet.

Qing Yun noted this scene, the corners of her rosy lips curving into a helpless smile, and she shook her head slightly, remarking, "This City Lord of Crack Stone City is indeed quite shrewd. No wonder he can hold the position of City Lord. Unfortunately, sometimes cleverness can lead to one’s own downfall."

"What?" Luo Feng was puzzled.

Qing Yun smiled faintly. "Nothing. After dinner, focus on your training. We will depart early tomorrow morning, so don’t be late."

"Okay." Luo Feng nodded, saying no more.

The banquet continued until nightfall. Crack Stone City’s survival, unscathed despite the attack of one hundred thousand Underground Demons, was a significant victory. Coupled with the relief of having survived, everyone drank until their eyes were hazy with intoxication. After Luo Feng had eaten, he left the banquet with Yue Haitang and the others. What puzzled him was that Xu Ying, the Commandery Princess of Crack Stone City, never reappeared after she left.

「Late into the night, the innermost hall of the City Lord Mansion was brightly lit.」

"City Lord, I find that Luo Feng, despite his youth, already possesses a killer’s aura. He is no ordinary talent. Moreover, Miss seems to have quite a liking for him. Why did you send her away midway through the banquet?" The captain of the City Lord Mansion guard stood to the left of the main hall, looking at Xu Cheng with a puzzled expression.

Halfway through the banquet, Xu Cheng had asked Xu Ying to investigate the casualties within the city. However, since others were already handling this, his order was clearly just a pretext.

Xu Cheng heaved a sigh, a faint glint in his small eyes. "How could I not know that Luo Feng is an extraordinary talent, one in ten thousand? Sadly, the man is not long for this world..."

"Why...?" 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Xu Cheng waved his hand. "I received news that Luo Feng has a feud with Yi Tian, the Princely Heir of Qingyun Mansion. They have agreed to a duel to the death in the Imperial City three months from now."

"Yi Tian, the Princely Heir of Qingyun Mansion!" The guard captain’s expression changed dramatically, utterly shocked by the revelation.

"Indeed." Xu Cheng nodded with resignation. "Yi Tian ranks forty-sixth on the New Dragon List; he’s an elite Martial Artist. Luo Feng stands no chance of defeating him in just three months. It’s just that my Little Ying doesn’t have the fortune."

The guard captain remained silent, apparently agreeing with Xu Cheng’s assessment.

Xu Cheng said, "Go to the storeroom and fetch two thousand second-grade Yuan Stones for Luo Feng. Consider it a small token of my appreciation."

"Yes." The guard captain assented and turned to leave.

Xu Cheng watched the guard captain depart, his face etched with regret. He shook his head and whispered, Such a pity...

「Luo Feng’s room was located within a bamboo grove on the southern side of the City Lord Mansion, a place called Green Bamboo Residence.」

Luo Feng had overheard some of the mansion’s servants mentioning that this place used to be Xu Ying’s training ground, which made him feel a touch grateful. The courtyard was immaculate, the flowerbeds meticulously tended, clearly by someone who cared for them regularly. A faint floral scent hung in the air. The night breeze rustled the bamboo leaves, creating a soothing sound that enhanced the deep tranquility of the place.

This is surely a young lady’s place for cultivation. Luo Feng chuckled and shook his head. His residences usually ended up completely wrecked whenever he trained. The difference was night and day. However, it couldn’t be helped. The martial arts he practiced, whether the Shocking Thunder Saber Technique or the Eight Wildernesses Dominating Flame Fist, were both incredibly domineering and destructive.

After enjoying the scenery for a moment, just as Luo Feng was about to begin his training, a knock sounded at the courtyard gate. Luo Feng was a bit surprised that someone was looking for him so deep into the night.

"Coming." Calling out, Luo Feng opened the gate to see the guard captain he had met earlier in the day.

"Luo Feng, the City Lord asked me to deliver something to you." The guard captain handed a Qingtan wooden box to Luo Feng.

Luo Feng opened the box, and a dense wave of Yuan Qi washed over him. Inside were second-grade Yuan Stones, nearly two thousand of them.

What is this...? Two thousand second-grade Yuan Stones was no small sum.

The guard captain chuckled. "This is a small token of the City Lord’s appreciation. Young Hero Luo Feng, please accept it."

"Alright, please thank the City Lord for me." Luo Feng closed the Qingtan wooden box.

As the guard captain was about to take his leave, he recalled Xu Cheng’s words and couldn’t help but ask, "Young Hero Luo Feng, is it true about your deathmatch with Yi Tian, the Princely Heir of Qingyun Mansion, three months from now?"

"Yes." Luo Feng nodded in acknowledgment. There was no need to hide this matter; besides, with so many people present at the time, it would be impossible to conceal anyway.

The guard captain sighed, cupped his hands, and said, "I wish you success in your duel, Young Hero Luo Feng!"

"Thank you." Luo Feng nodded.

After the guard captain left, Luo Feng closed the courtyard gate. He looked at the Qingtan wooden box in his hand with a faint smile. With these two thousand second-grade Yuan Stones, he now possessed nearly ten thousand second-grade Yuan Stones. He wouldn’t have to worry about Yuan Stones for the time being.

After stowing the box safely, Luo Feng sat cross-legged and took out the Red Coagulation Pill Qing Yun had given him.

BUZZ!

As soon as the Spirit Pill appeared, the entire courtyard rippled with crimson light, and the air grew noticeably warmer. The Red Coagulation Pill was a fifth-grade Spirit Pill that could help Martial Artists refine their flesh and blood, strengthen their physique, and even had some healing effects on internal injuries. Luo Feng wanted to seize this opportunity to refine its medicinal properties.

Swallowing the Red Coagulation Pill, Luo Feng initiated the Chi block and slowly circulated the Yuan Qi within his body.

BOOM!

As the Red Coagulation Pill entered his stomach, a loud rumble echoed from within his body. The pill transformed into a torrent of majestic Yuan Qi, which surged through his meridians, infusing his entire being. At this moment, Luo Feng’s entire skin turned crimson, and steam rose from the top of his head.

What potent medicinal effects! Luo Feng felt as if all the blood in his body was boiling like lava, surging so intensely it seemed he could spew flames with a single breath.

Facing such potent medicinal power, Luo Feng dared not be careless. He prepared to concentrate fully on refining it. Just then, an abnormality occurred. The red Yuan Qi in the Four Spirit Rotations within his body suddenly rushed into his meridians and began to devour the medicinal power of the Red Coagulation Pill. With every bit of medicinal power it devoured, the red Yuan Qi grew stronger.

What’s going on...? Luo Feng was greatly surprised. At that very moment, a terrifying heat erupted from within his body, ten times more violent than before!

HUM!

A strange fluctuation spread from Luo Feng’s body. His clothes, and the flowerbeds beside him, instantly withered and were incinerated to ash.

Feeling the terrifying heat raging within him, Luo Feng was shocked. He immediately discarded all distracting thoughts, held fast to his core, and steadfastly maintained a sliver of clarity in his mind. After an unknown period, Luo Feng felt the burning sensation within him gradually subside. He opened his eyes, and a brilliant light flashed within them, seeming to pierce through the void.

Finally, it’s over... Slowly exhaling a turbid breath, Luo Feng felt a lingering fear. Even with his mental fortitude, he had almost failed to endure. An ordinary person facing such terrifying heat would surely have gone mad.

What on earth happened? Thinking of the changes in his body from the previous night, Luo Feng’s eyes gleamed, and his consciousness sank back into his body.

The terrifying medicinal power of the Red Coagulation Pill had vanished completely. The red Yuan Qi had returned to the awakened Four Spirit Rotations, enhanced in both quality and quantity, filling his Dantian and Yuan Guan Acupoint with a scorching aura. What surprised Luo Feng most was that his entire body, down to his meridians and even his flesh, now emanated a faint crimson glow. His meridians were several times tougher than before and pulsed with a palpable sense of power.

A moment later, a look of elation appeared on Luo Feng’s face. Although he didn’t know what had happened, his physique had clearly been greatly tempered, and the growth far exceeded his expectations. If he were to confront Yi Tian now, he certainly wouldn’t be as battered as he was last time.

Let’s see what changes there are to my strength... Luo Feng muttered to himself, standing up. He subtly channeled his power, and his muscles instantly tensed, his body straightening like a sword, filled with an indescribable sense of strength.

BOOM!

He threw a punch through the air. A thunderous CRACK! echoed in the courtyard, and the very space there trembled violently as ripples, almost tangible, spread outwards.

WHOOSH WHOOSH...

The fierce wind generated by the punch caused the bamboo grove a hundred paces away to sway violently, emitting creaking sounds as if it would snap at any moment. These bamboos, known as Refining Bamboo, were as hard as refined steel—a testament to the punch’s ferocious power.

So strong! Luo Feng was somewhat astonished. This punch was purely from his physical strength, without employing a shred of Yuan Qi. Yet, its force could reach a hundred paces—something utterly impossible for him before, unless he had reached the fifth stage of the Spiritual Rotation Realm.

Retracting his aura, everything calmed. A smile touched Luo Feng’s lips. In terms of strength alone, I’m probably only slightly inferior to a fifth-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm expert!

That a single night’s cultivation could yield such a significant leap in strength both surprised and slightly alarmed Luo Feng. The medicinal power of the Red Coagulation Pill alone could never have such a remarkable effect. All these changes had to be attributed to the red Yuan Qi within the Four Spirit Rotations.

After pondering for a while without discerning the reason, Luo Feng decided not to dwell on it. As long as this red Yuan Qi could enhance his strength, that was enough.

「At this moment, the eastern sky was showing the first hint of dawn, and the City Lord Mansion, quiet all night, gradually began to stir with activity.」

Luo Feng looked around and saw the flowerbed reduced to ashes. He smiled wryly, thinking, How am I going to explain this to Xu Ying...?

Shaking his head, Luo Feng quickly washed up, changed his clothes, and then opened the door and walked out. He hadn’t gone far when he saw Xu Ying and Qing Yun approaching, accompanied by Yue Haitang and Xin Wuyue.

"Good morning." Luo Feng greeted them as they neared.

Qing Yun’s beautiful eyes landed on Luo Feng, a hint of surprise in her delicate features. "Luo Feng, did you take the Red Coagulation Pill?" As a fifth-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm Martial Artist, Qing Yun’s perception was naturally extraordinary. She could tell at a glance that Luo Feng was not only completely healed, but his aura was even stronger than at his peak. She immediately deduced he had taken the Red Coagulation Pill.

"Yes." Luo Feng nodded.

A flicker of astonishment crossed Qing Yun’s beautiful eyes. The Red Coagulation Pill was a fifth-grade Spirit Pill, its medicinal power incredibly potent. If a Martial Artist couldn’t withstand it, it wouldn’t just be unhelpful; it could cause injury. She had initially planned to remind Luo Feng to be well-prepared before taking it, never imagining that he would refine all its medicinal power in just one night.

Perhaps his agreement to Yi Tian’s life-and-death duel wasn’t an impulsive act. This thought flashed through her mind, and Qing Yun found herself looking forward to the life-and-death duel three months later. She then said, "Let’s go then."

"Alright." Luo Feng agreed, then turned to Xu Ying and explained what had happened in the courtyard.

Xu Ying smiled breezily, unconcerned. "It’s just a flowerbed. If it’s ruined, we can replant it. Compared to the debt our City Lord Mansion owes you, it’s nothing at all."

"Then, until we meet again." Luo Feng quite admired Xu Ying’s character. Though a woman, she was remarkably decisive in her actions.

"Let’s depart," Yue Haitang suddenly interjected.

The group activated their Qinggong and leaped into the air.

"Luo Feng, consider practicing at the Jade Hall!" Xu Ying waved and called out to him.

"I will consider it." Luo Feng nodded and, together with Yue Haitang and the others, soared away through the sky.