The man in gray robes stared fixedly at the black-robed youth sitting cross-legged, his eyes so thick with venom and fury they could not be dissolved.

"Qin Feng!"

"Excellent. It seems fate has brought us enemies together!"

The gray-robed man let out a harsh laugh. A cruel, blade-like killing intent appeared in the depths of his eyes. With a flick of his gray sleeve, an exceptionally sinister and bizarre blade appeared in his hand, and he started walking toward the black-robed youth.

"Wait, little one! Don’t act yet!"

His steps halted. A trace of resentment showed in Qian Kai’s eyes as he roared in a low, deep voice, "Venerable Elder, why?"

Qian Kai was very respectful of this voice. Without its help, he would not have had such a smooth-sailing journey, encountering many fortuitous opportunities and achieving his current level of Cultivation.

An ancient voice resounded in the gray-robed man’s mind, offering a reminder. "Little one, don’t be so reckless. This Qin Feng is extremely strange! Don’t think you’re the only one who hates him. I wish I could flay this little bastard who has repeatedly defied me, tear out his tendons, and slice him into a thousand pieces right now!"

"But there’s something wicked about this kid. I just feel that something isn’t right!"

The ancient voice was extremely wary of Qin Feng.

The ancient voice had suffered a great loss at Qin Feng’s hands. It would never forget the experience of being ruthlessly stomped on deep within Qin Feng’s Spirit Platform—that feeling of helplessness and despair.

Qian Kai gritted his teeth. The sheer volume of his hatred for Qin Feng could not be washed clean by all the water in the rivers and lakes.

Qian Kai could never forget the humiliation this black-robed youth had dealt him!

Such a golden opportunity right before him was a chance that came once in a thousand years!

A vicious glint flickered in Qian Kai’s eyes.

As if it had seen right through Qian Kai’s thoughts, the ancient voice spoke with a sliver of majesty that pierced straight into the depths of his soul.

"Little one, the Green Water Golden Lotus is the most important thing right now. As long as you get it and gather the other few Spirit Medicines, I will be able to revive. With me here, why should you worry about this Qin Feng!"

"Besides, just think about it. Once you take this Green Water Golden Lotus, what kind of fate will befall Qin Feng as the Cave Master of Bishui Cave? When that time comes, you won’t even have to kill him. The Medicine King Hall will take care of him!"

"Making him suffer for a hundred years and regret it for the rest of his life—wouldn’t that be far more satisfying than killing him outright!"

The ancient voice’s last sentence moved Qian Kai.

"Fine!" Qian Kai said coldly, his gaze on Qin Feng venomous. "Qin Feng, I won’t kill you today. I won’t let you die so easily. I want you to know what it feels like to fall from the heavens to the earth!"

"I will torture you bit by bit, until you’re in a state where you’ll be begging for death but unable to find it!"

’Very good, Qian Kai. I was right about you!’ the ancient voice praised inwardly.

’You truly are someone destined for great things. You are ambitious, adaptable, and able to endure temporary setbacks!’

’Rest assured, what is Qin Feng? With me here, you will sooner or later shine brightly and become a powerful expert watched by all.’

’As for this Qin Feng, he may be smug for now, but someone like him is destined to be trampled under your feet. When that time comes, you can deal with him however you please!’

Nodding, Qian Kai gave the black-robed youth one last, deadly stare. Venom and coldness flashed in his eyes. After a moment, his gaze fell upon the Green Water Golden Lotus in the Lotus Pool. Qian Kai casually pulled a verdant Spirit Pearl from his robes, which emanated a faint glow.

"Hurry up! Use the Forbidden-Breaking Pearl! We don’t have much time!" The ancient voice sounded a little anxious.

"Alright!" A fierce look flashed in Qian Kai’s eyes. He glanced over, his gaze landing on the black-robed youth.

’Qin Feng, just wait until I take the Green Water Golden Lotus. Let’s see how you’ll explain yourself to the Medicine King Hall then!’ Qian Kai thought to himself, a vicious look flashing repeatedly in his eyes.

’This time, not only will I take the Green Water Golden Lotus, but I will also make sure not a single blade of grass grows on Heavenly Red Peak! I’ll make it so even if you work as an Indentured Servant for All Stars Academy for the rest of your life, you’ll never be able to repay the debt!’

With a venomous and triumphant gleam in his eyes, Qian Kai activated the Forbidden-Breaking Pearl and sent it flying toward the layers of invisible Prohibitions by the edge of the Lotus Pool.

The Forbidden-Breaking Pearl emitted an eerie, verdant light. In the Void, the stacked layers of invisible Prohibitions melted away like ice, gradually revealing a large opening for a person to enter.

Qian Kai gazed at the Green Water Golden Lotus, his eyes filled with delight.

Just as the Forbidden-Breaking Pearl broke through the Green Water Golden Lotus’s Guardian Prohibition, Qian Kai failed to notice that the black-robed youth sitting cross-legged not far away had suddenly opened his eyes.

One hand gripping the Beiming Divine Water Sword, his figure flashed. Like a Flood Dragon from the Nine Heavens, he shot forward violently. Silently, a flash of sword light that pierced the darkness burst forth, aimed straight at Qian Kai’s back.

"Not good! Watch your back!" The ancient voice was the first to sense the abrupt change.

A look of horror flashed through his eyes. Enveloped by the sword light, Qian Kai felt as if he were being swallowed by a thick aura of death, unable to breathe.

Forcefully suppressing the fear in his heart, Qian Kai slid a strange, pale gray Sharp Blade out from his sleeve and into his hand.

A savage glint flashed in his eyes. Qian Kai actually didn’t dodge the sword stabbing at his back. Instead, he straightened the strange Sharp Blade in his hand and thrust it back toward the incoming sword.

"I’ll take you down with me!" Qian Kai’s voice was exceptionally venomous.

From the shabby-looking gray shortsword in Qian Kai’s hand, Qin Feng sensed a trace of sinister threat.

’There’s something strange about this shortsword!’

Qin Feng unleashed his Clear Wind Refining God Step. His body moved like a Spiritual Serpent, dodging the shortsword’s trajectory. His gaze fell upon the Forbidden-Breaking Pearl, and a piercing cold light slashed across.

PSST!

Along with a pained scream, a blood-stained finger flew high into the air, accompanied by a verdant Treasure Pearl.

Qin Feng’s eyes shifted. His body moved like a swimming dragon as he snatched the verdant Treasure Pearl into his hand.

"The Forbidden-Breaking Pearl. Good stuff! It’s mine now!" Qin Feng casually put the Treasure Pearl away, his gaze falling on the gray-robed man, who was clutching his bleeding, severed finger, his face ashen.

"Qin Feng!" Gritting his teeth, the venom in Qian Kai’s tone was so thick that all the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands could not wash it away!

Qin Feng said, "Qian Kai, if I recall correctly, you were that abandoned lackey of Liu Canyang’s. Then it seems you were picked up by Xiao Yuchan, only to be abandoned again. I never thought you’d be like an unkillable cockroach, actually making it this far!"

"What’s most surprising is that you actually dared to steal a Spiritual Object from All Stars Academy. You’ve really got some nerve! But you shouldn’t have, you really shouldn’t have tried to steal from me. That’s like lighting a lantern in a latrine—you’re just looking for shit!"

Qian Kai was trembling with rage, but more than that, he was shocked. Qin Feng hadn’t been paralyzed by the time incense after all.

And he had been faking it the whole time, just waiting for the right moment to strike!

Cold sweat broke out on Qian Kai’s forehead. He was incredibly thankful that he had listened to the Venerable Elder just now. If he had gone to kill Qin Feng directly, he would have likely been disemboweled by a single strike of Qin Feng’s sword.

’Damn you, Qin Feng! So treacherous!’ Cursing inwardly, Qian Kai’s eyes darted around, looking for a way to break out of Bishui Cave, but Qin Feng was blocking his path.

Qian Kai grew anxious. "Venerable Elder, what do we do now?"

’Don’t worry. I have a way to help you escape. A mere Qin Feng is not enough to stop you.’

’Fight him now. This is a great opportunity to temper yourself. This Qin Feng is an excellent whetstone. If you can defeat him, your Cultivation will take a great leap forward!’