Chapter 25: An Assassination in the Dead of Night

Jiang Feng was on the run, hoping to distance himself from the battlefield. Yet the combatants—colossal beings locked in mortal struggle—had expanded the war zone to unimaginable breadth. Still, he had managed to escape immediate danger, though safety was far from assured. These two enormous creatures, suspected to be Nether Demon Beasts, were fighting to the death. There was no chance for retreat; for once a magical beast ascended to the higher ranks, it awakened intelligence akin to that of humans—judgment, reasoning, and so on.

A Nether Demon Beast was equivalent to the legendary realm of human cultivation—the Divine Nether Sovereign. It was said that at this stage, one could harness world-level power, create personal domains, and traverse freely between one's world and the cosmos beyond.

Such Nether Demon Beasts belonged to the stuff of myth; among mortals, it was uncertain if any humans of equal prowess existed, and even if they did, they had not appeared for countless years. Possessing extraordinary wisdom, every action they took was calculated, every occurrence rooted in reason.

Thus, once battle commenced, it would inevitably become a fight to the death.

Although Jiang Feng had moved beyond the reach of their conflict, the area was rife with ninth-level magical beasts lying in wait, eager to seize advantage should the two Nether Demon Beasts destroy each other.

A ninth-level demon beast was already the apex of this world, but with human intelligence, none were easy to deal with. Should one succeed in usurping power, it too would ascend to the unruly ranks of the Nether Demon Beasts.

So, unwilling to become prey, Jiang Feng chose to keep fleeing.

Suddenly, a sharp sound pierced the air, like a blade slicing through the atmosphere—a black, disc-shaped shadow hurtled toward the running Jiang Feng.

As it closed in, Jiang Feng left a faint afterimage, deftly dodging its path. The shadow flew through the lingering illusion and sped onward.

Instantly, a cold murderous aura pressed upon him, chilling him to the bone and making his whole body tremble unnaturally.

With a dull thud, the black shadow struck a tree trunk.

Jiang Feng turned to look—the impact had burned a hole in the tree, smoke curling from the wound.

“What powerful corrosive force!” was Jiang Feng’s first thought. “If that had struck me instead, I’d be sporting a hole in my body right now.” The notion sent a wave of dread through him.

Peering toward the direction from which the shadow had come, he spied a massive figure waiting, its ghostly gaze fixed upon him—eyes like those of the gods of the underworld, radiating icy energy. Just a glance made his skin crawl with cold.

Suddenly, the black shadow lunged at him again, carrying a foul wind in its wake.

Jiang Feng launched himself forward, unleashing the Ninefold Collapsing Palm, then began an action he dubbed “running.”

He ran all night, not knowing how far he’d gone, blindly fleeing in a single direction.

At dawn, the murderous intent that had pursued and locked onto him vanished.

This was his innate sense, a gift that had saved him from death many times in his previous life. Otherwise, in this world where the weak are prey, how could an ordinary person with no strength survive across the continent?

At that moment, Jiang Feng felt exhaustion deep in his bones; every cell in his body seemed drained, all potential tapped—the weakness radiated from his very soul.

While he had not felt it during his frantic flight, when he finally stopped, the overwhelming fatigue hit him all at once.

It was a strange sensation.

Jiang Feng quickly scanned his surroundings, searching for a safe place to rest.

Towering trees loomed around him, each so thick that five or six men could barely encircle the trunk. Their branches soared skyward, and looking up, he could see only layers of tangled foliage. The crowns were lush, the leaves so dense not a single ray of sunlight penetrated.

The roots, sprawling above ground in tangled webs, covered the earth around the trees. Between trunks lay thick, damp, and spongy layers of half-rotted leaves; stepping on them made movement difficult, and an unwary traveler could easily trip and be ensnared beneath the roots.

Yet Jiang Feng felt something strange here, an indefinable sensation compelling him to search the area for the source of this oddity.

When he reached a tree hollow, he knew this was the place that had summoned such a powerful feeling.

He stepped inside, entering the hollow, and immediately lost consciousness.

When Jiang Feng awoke, he found himself surrounded by a realm wavering between reality and illusion. Everything that appeared tangible was now distorted, imbued with a peculiar allure that threatened to overwhelm him.

All around was darkness, but Jiang Feng could see his own warped, misshapen body, lacking any point of reference. This bizarre situation sparked a nameless emotion called fear, and within this seemingly shattered world, that feeling gradually spread, intensifying the sense of gloom and despair.

Trapped in this lonely world, Jiang Feng could only occupy himself, lest he lose himself entirely. First, he began recalling his past, reflecting on his experiences; all the reality of before now seemed a fleeting illusion, everything ephemeral, unable to withstand the relentless passage of time and history.

Jiang Feng enjoyed these quiet moments, where he could settle his mind, heighten his senses, and gain clarity. He replayed his life like a film, examining his past, analyzing his successes and failures, pondering the life he truly desired, and the meaning of his existence. In that instant, Jiang Feng felt he understood what he had long sought but never grasped.

Then, he began to methodically practice his martial skills, gaining deeper insight into his abilities and refining the complex techniques he had learned. Gradually, he mastered their principles and forged his own distinctive methods.

During this period, the Ninefold Collapsing Palm reached its highest level—ninth rank.

The Shadow Dance Soul-Stepping technique also broke through to the ninth rank.

All his martial arts advanced to the ninth level.

At this moment, Jiang Feng began to create his own martial techniques.