Nine Nether Heavenly Emperor
Chapter 172: A Formidable Enemy Approaches

Chapter 172: Chapter 172: A Formidable Enemy Approaches

To Shi Feng, matters such as the Long Family’s thousand-year reign or the world’s chaos were irrelevant. As long as his loved ones and friends were safe, that was all that mattered.

As he thought of Little Long Meng who once sweetly called him "Brother Shi Feng," memories of her quirky charm came to mind. He recalled how she once said she’d take him to a fun place, only to lead him to the Royal Forbidden Land. Despite her own fear of ghosts, she had tried to scare him with ghost stories—only to end up scaring herself.

Whatever lay ahead on the path, he was determined to rescue her.

"I’m going to the Imperial City!" Shi Feng said to Long Chen.

"This..." Upon hearing Shi Feng’s words, Long Chen hesitated briefly before responding, "Since Young Master Feng is insistent on going to the Imperial City to rescue my royal sister, then I, Long Chen, should certainly go as well! I will accompany Young Master Feng."

"Alright!" Shi Feng nodded.

"I’ll go to bid farewell to the Northwest Lord. Young Master Feng, please wait for me here," Long Chen said.

"Go ahead!" Shi Feng replied.

After Long Chen left with Yee Wuxie, Shi Feng’s gaze fell on Wu Xiaoyun as he asked, "Since you come from the Heavenly Mist Empire, how much do you know about the Floating Void Sect?"

Shi Feng had reached Martial Sect battle power and it was high time to understand the situation of the Floating Void Sect; Ling’er was still trapped in that damned sect.

"At your service!" Wu Xiaoyun responded to Shi Feng’s question with a fist-and-palm salute and began to reply.

Shi Feng quickly gestured for Wu Xiaoyun to stop, saying, "Enough with the formalities. When I ask you something, just speak freely."

"Yes, Master," Wu Xiaoyun straightened up and said, "The Floating Void Sect is the first Great Sect of the Heavenly Mist Empire, having dominion over all sects within the empire. The Sect Master, Piao Xueyan, is the most powerful individual in the empire, with a Martial Arts Cultivation at the peak of a Nine-star Martial Sect. Besides Piao Xueyan, there are seven other Martial Sect Realm experts and twenty-one Martial King Realm experts."

"Good, now I know," Shi Feng said with a slight nod after listening to Wu Xiaoyun. Such a sect was indeed an insurmountable force for him at the moment. However, once the matters in Yunlai Empire were settled, the Heavenly Mist Empire could be a suitable place for his cultivation. The current him, with the Power of Death, Soul Power, and blood of Martial King Realm Martial Artists, was no longer satisfied.

"Young Master Feng!" A call from behind interrupted his thoughts. Shi Feng turned around to see Long Chen and Yee Wuxie had returned, and with them was Elder Changqing, the Northwest Desert King.

"Young Master Feng, I’ve just received news," Long Chen relayed, "Skywind Sect Master Fengg Qianyu has learned of the demise of the Skywind Sect disciples and the Holy Maiden, Fengg Xinyan, here in the Northwest. Enraged, he has set out personally to the Northwest to execute you. The Purple Thunder Sect Master Lei Gang, Blood Fiend Gate Sect Leader Xue Tu, and Ice Snow Valley Valley Master Xueh Yiyi have all headed out together as well."

"Finally, the big shots are making a move after dealing with the small fry?" Shi Feng said with casual indifference, "Let them come then. For each that comes, I’ll send one packing to the netherworld."

Upon seeing Shi Feng’s indifferent expression and hearing his words, Long Chen hastily advised, "Young Master Feng, Feng Qianyu is just like my master, having already entered the Martial Sect Realm, and you’ve also met the Sect Masters of the Three Major Sects before, each a peerless expert of the Martial King Realm. Take the opportunity to hide in the wasteland while they are not here. With your Martial Arts talent, it wouldn’t be too late to come out after a few more years and settle scores with them."

The Martial Sect Realm, within the Yunlai Empire, was already mythically powerful. Long Chen subconsciously believed that no one could contend against it, unless it was his own master—Nalan Yuan— who had also entered the Martial Sect Realm.

"No need!" Shi Feng waved his hand, "Constant fleeing and cowering will destabilize my Martial Arts heart, how can I ever reach the peak of the Martial Arts! So what if he, Feng Qianyu, has entered the Martial Sect Realm, or add three Martial King Realm experts to that, I’ll just wait for them right here!"

"Young Master Feng! But..."

"Enough, there’s no need to say more!" Shi Feng declared, then with an instructive tone, he surveyed the three Martial King Realm experts present and addressed them, "The path of Martial Arts requires boldness and strength in the face of the mighty. With a firm Martial Arts conviction, one can step by step reach the peak! To bully the weak and fear challenging the strong, your Martial Arts journey will end here."

Shi Feng’s few sentences, firm as iron, were like a bewitching sound. Those few words, imbued with the Soul Power that Shi Feng impressed upon their minds containing Martial Arts Intent, invisibly opened for them another dimension of Martial Arts world, which immediately resonated with the three Martial King Realm experts. Elder Changqing took the lead in bowing to Shi Feng and expressed his gratitude with the most sincere martial artist’s salute, "Elder Chang has learned! Thanks to Young Master Feng’s guidance! It was said that Young Master Feng is the number one talent in the Yunlai Empire, and Elder Chang once doubted this. Now, having listened to Young Master Feng’s teachings, I’ve had an epiphany."

"Thank you, Master, for your teaching!" Wu Xiaoyun then thanked Shi Feng.

Following this, Yee Wuxie exclaimed, "I never expected, you kid, to have reached such a level of Martial Arts Enlightenment! In my entire life, I’ve admired no one, and you’re the first!"

"You guys..." Long Chen had only heard Shi Feng’s words. Shi Feng had not impressed the Martial Arts Intent into his brain, and he did not understand what had just transpired. They were just a few simple sentences about Martial Arts, ones that he had heard before and never found particularly special.

Some words, perhaps known to everyone and understood by all, are only seen on the surface by many without grasping their true significance and depth. But the Martial Arts Intent that Shi Feng had imprinted in their souls was to let them see Martial Arts more profoundly and elevate their Martial Arts Enlightenment to a higher level.

"Elder Chang, in gratitude to Young Master Feng, is willing to stand alongside Young Master Feng in facing Feng Qianyu!"

"Wu Xiaoyun is willing to campaign alongside the Master!"

"And add this old man to the mix!"

Then, Shi Feng nodded to the three and said, "Okay! You three help me delay those three Martial Kings for a moment. Old Man Yee, you’ve just broken through recently and entered the Four-star Martial Sovereign Realm. Your Dantian isn’t sufficiently charged with Primordial Power yet, and you won’t be able to break through again in the short term. Elder Changqing and Wu Xiaoyun, the two of you have been stuck at a bottleneck for many years. In a moment, I will help you break through!"

"Really?" Hearing Shi Feng’s words, Elder Changqing’s face lit up with joy. He had been stuck in the Three-star Martial Monarch Realm with no hope of breaking through for a long time, but now, having received Shi Feng’s Martial Arts Intent, he knew that although this person was young, his understanding of Martial Arts was already beyond his own.

"It’s just a matter of helping you from Three-star to ascend to Four-star. If this Young Master can’t even do that, then all these years of my Martial Arts Cultivation might as well have been spent on a dog," Shi Feng declared disdainfully.

"This..." Elder Changqing, upon hearing Shi Feng’s remark, was at a loss for words. Having been stuck at a bottleneck for many years and unable to break through, didn’t that mean all his years of Martial Arts Cultivation were as good as wasted?

This person...