Chapter 113: Northern Moon Vs Mists Ridge And Thunderclap

Jiang Feng's grip on Ji Moran's hand tightened as they stepped through the glowing door, emerging into a chamber that was a stark contrast to the icy realm they had just left. The air here was thick with heat, oppressive and unrelenting, as if the very atmosphere were alive with fire. The ground beneath their feet stretched into a long, narrow road flanked by walls of roaring flames.

Tongues of fire lashed out like serpents, their heat searing and relentless. Ji Moran winced slightly, the intense warmth making her uncomfortable, much like Jiang Feng had felt in the icy chamber. She instinctively moved closer to him, seeking solace in his presence.

Jiang Feng's eyes scanned the fiery road, his mind racing with questions. "How could the battleground form a road like this?" he wondered aloud, his voice barely audible over the crackling flames. "Is it an illusion, or is there some spatial dimension at play?" He knew that spatial stones could create expanded spaces, much like spatial rings, but this felt different—more deliberate, more alive.

Ji Moran nodded, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon. "It could be," she replied, her voice tinged with curiosity. "The Obsidian Waterfall Realm is full of mysteries. This might be another test of our endurance and comprehension."

As they looked ahead, their eyes caught sight of six shining objects at the far end of the road. The objects glimmered faintly, their light barely visible through the haze of heat and flame. "Could those be the rewards for this level?" Ji Moran asked, her voice filled with a mix of surprise and anticipation.

Jiang Feng frowned, his instincts warning him that something was off. In the icy chamber, the treasure had only appeared after they passed the trial. Here, the rewards were already out in the open, almost as if they were being taunted. "This doesn't feel right," he muttered, his eyes narrowing.

Before he could ponder further, the sound of glowing doors opening echoed through the chamber. Two more doors materialized along the fiery road, one not too far from them and another a little further ahead. From the first door emerged a young man dressed in a tight-fitting blue robe, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings with a predatory gaze. From the second door stepped another cultivator, this one clad in yellow robes, his presence crackling with an undercurrent of lightning.

Jiang Feng's frown deepened as he recognized the two newcomers. The blue-robed cultivator was Zhan Huito from Mist Ridge City, and the yellow-robed one was Gao Zhenlei from Thunderclap City. The two were well-acquainted, their cities bound by a secretive alliance. Their camaraderie was evident as they greeted each other with broad smiles and hearty laughter.

"Brother Gao, we meet again!" Zhan Huito exclaimed, clapping Gao Zhenlei on the shoulder. "I've had my fill of rewards for now, so I won't fuss over this level's prize. But you must let me claim the next one, haha!"

Gao Zhenlei chuckled, his voice warm but laced with cunning. "Brother Zhan, you treat me too well. Once we get to the next level, we'll work together to secure the next reward for you."

Their conversation was cut short as they noticed Jiang Feng and Ji Moran standing further down the road. The atmosphere shifted instantly, the camaraderie between the two men replaced by a palpable tension. Zhan Huito's eyes narrowed, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his saber. Gao Zhenlei's expression darkened, his fingers tightening around the shaft of his spear.

"It's you!" Zhan Huito spat, his voice dripping with venom. "The bastard who killed so many of our people!"

"This is bad," Ji Moran whispered, her grip on Jiang Feng's hand tightening. She could feel the hatred radiating from the two men, their auras flaring with unchecked rage.

Gao Zhenlei's eyes flicked to Ji Moran, and a cruel smile spread across his face. "Brother Zhan, look at this woman. She's not bad at all. After we kill this fool, how about we have some fun with her?" His voice was laced with malice, his gaze lingering on Ji Moran with a predatory gleam.

Zhan Huito's eyes lit up as he took in Ji Moran's appearance. Her long black hair cascaded like a waterfall, her slender legs and icy aura making her stand out like a jewel amidst the flames. "Haha, brother Gao, you read my mind," he said, his voice thick with desire. He raised his saber, pointing it directly at Jiang Feng. "Any last words before you die?"

Jiang Feng's expression darkened, his eyes turning cold as ice. The men's words ignited a fury within him, a deep rage that threatened to consume him upon hearing their words. The thought of what could have happened if Ji Moran had encountered these men alone made his blood boil, this was the second time he'd seen men act in this manner, were all cultivators like this?. Ji Moran's face mirrored his anger, her icy aura intensifying as she glared at the two cultivators.

"I have sentenced the both of you to death," Jiang Feng said, his voice low and filled with an unshakable rage that clouded his eyes.

Without warning, the Celestial Dagger shot forward, its runic lines glowing with a fierce light as it tore through the air like a furious dragon. The dagger moved with blinding speed, its trajectory aimed straight at Zhan Huito. The Mist Ridge cultivator reacted quickly, his saber flashing as he swung it in a wide arc. "Saber Breaking the Ocean!" he shouted, his attack accompanied by waves of twisting water that surged forward to meet the dagger.

BOOM!!!

The collision was explosive, the force of the impact sending shockwaves rippling through the fiery chamber. Zhan Huito was forced back several steps, his eyes widening in shock. Jiang Feng, too, staggered slightly, but his expression remained calm and focused. Zhan Huito's mind raced. He had already formed his Golden Core, yet this Essence Condensation cultivator had managed to match his strength. "How is this possible?" he muttered, his voice filled with disbelief.

Straightening his back he lifted his saber once more as his eyes locked onto Jiang Feng once more. This time, he would take the young man seriously, he then lowered his body, getting into a fighting stance as a branch formed around his hand that held his saber, locking it in place.

Gao Zhenlei stepped forward before Zhan Huito could attack again, his spear crackling with lightning. "Maybe he got lucky," he said, though his tone betraying his surprise. With a roar, he transformed into a bolt of lightning, his spear thrusting forward with devastating speed. "Thunder Striking the Fields!" he bellowed, his attack aimed directly at Jiang Feng.

"I've got this one!" Ji Moran shouted, her voice firm and unwavering. She stepped forward, her sword gleaming with a crystalline light as she met Gao Zhenlei's attack head-on. The air around her froze, her blade encased in a layer of ice that shimmered faintly. At the tip of her sword was a snow flake that caused that air to freeze as it passed through. "Deepfrost!" she cried, her sword clashing with the lightning-infused spear.

BANGGG!!!!

The collision was deafening, the clash of ice and lightning sending sparks and shards of frost flying in all directions. Ji Moran held her ground, her icy aura flaring as she pushed back against Gao Zhenlei's attack. The Thunderclap cultivator's eyes widened in surprise yet again, though his confidence remained wavering as he realized that Ji Moran was far stronger than she appeared.

Jiang Feng watched the battle unfold, his grip tightening on the Celestial Dagger. The flames around him seemed to burn brighter, their heat fueling his rage as if mocking him. He turned his attention back to Zhan Huito, his eyes cold and unyielding. "You made a mistake," he said, his voice calm but filled with menace. "And now, you'll pay for it."

A large twisting vortex of blue flame soared behind Jiang Feng's back, as the Skyforge vortex spun like a beast opening its mouth to swallow the world. Soon after, black scales started to cover his body, taking the place of his skin, his muscles instantly got stronger, firmer and much more powerful. He could feel the overwhelming power flowing through his meridians like a wild tempest.

The battle had begun, and the fiery chamber echoed with the sounds of clashing weapons and roaring flames. Jiang Feng and Ji Moran stood side by side, their resolve unshakable as they faced their enemies. The road ahead was fraught with danger, but they were ready to fight—for their survival, for their future, and for each other.

Zhan Huito's laughter echoed through the fiery chamber, a cold, mocking sound that seemed to reverberate off the walls of flame. "Haha, you think you could possibly match us with this much strength?" he bellowed, his voice dripping with disdain.

He lifted his saber, the blade gleaming with a sinister light as he took a step forward. The burning road beneath his feet seemed to tremble, but Zhan Huito paid it no mind. The heat that would have scorched a lesser cultivator barely fazed him. His lips curled into a cold grin, his eyes narrowing as he locked onto Jiang Feng. "If you think this is all the strength I've got, then you're sadly mistaken."

With a roar, Zhan Huito swung his saber in a wide arc, the air twisting and distorting as the power of the Golden Core Realm surged through him. This time, he held nothing back. His spiritual energy erupted like a tidal wave, the sheer force of it causing the flames around him to flicker and dance wildly. He shot forward like a shooting star, his saber leading the charge. Behind him, a massive wave of water materialized, its surface churning with an eerie, almost spectral energy. "Wave of the Damned!" he shouted, his voice reverberating with power.

The wave surged forward, its momentum carrying Zhan Huito's saber with it. The attack was relentless, a perfect fusion of water and blade that seemed to swallow everything in its path. The heat of the chamber clashed with the cold energy of the wave, creating a chaotic mix of steam and sparks that filled the air.

Jiang Feng stood his ground, his expression calm but his eyes blazing with rising excitement, like an angry manic. He knew he couldn't afford to falter now, but see the opportunity for a fight after his breakthrough lit a spark in his soul. With a sharp exhale, he stamped his foot on the ground, the force of it causing the fiery road to crack and splinter.

Beneath his feet, blue flames erupted, their intensity almost rivaling the flames of the chamber. The infernal energy surged through him, propelling him forward with incredible speed. Above his head, the vortex of flames spun faster and faster, its rotation creating a low, ominous hum. The vortex then began to shrink, its energy condensing as it was absorbed into Jiang Feng's body.

The black scales on his right hand shimmered faintly, their surface glowing with a faint, otherworldly light. The air around him vibrated frantically, the sheer power of his technique causing the flames in the chamber to flicker and dim. Jiang Feng clenched his fist tightly, the energy within him reaching its peak. He could feel the heat of the Skyforge Flame coursing through his veins, its infernal power merging with the cold, icy energy he had absorbed earlier. The balance of opposites within him was perfect, a harmony of fire and ice that defied the natural order.

As Zhan Huito's saber descended, Jiang Feng met it head-on. His fist shot forward, the air around it distorting as it collided with the blade. "Three Sun Fists, Breaking Dawn!" he shouted, his voice ringing out like a thunderclap.

BOOOOOM!!!"

"KSSSSHHHHHH—

The impact was cataclysmic. The force of Jiang Feng's punch met the full might of Zhan Huito's saber, creating a shockwave that rippled through the chamber. The flames around them were momentarily extinguished, the air filled with a blinding light and a deafening roar. Zhan Huito's eyes widened in shock as he felt the sheer force of Jiang Feng's attack. The wave behind him faltered, its energy dissipating as it was overwhelmed by the infernal power of the Skyforge Flame.

Zhan Huito was forced back, his feet skidding across the fiery road as he struggled to maintain his balance. His saber trembled in his hands, the blade glowing faintly as if it were struggling to withstand the force of Jiang Feng's punch. "Impossible!" he shouted, his voice filled with disbelief. "How can an Essence Condensation stage cultivator have this much power?" Nothing could stop his shock but that didn't make him lose confidence but became even more excited to kill a young genius. "You'll die either way, Norther Moon will lose a treasure this time haha!"

Jiang Feng wasn't too lucky either, he was blasted backwards, with the scales of his hand pealing off with blood leaking out. Not only that but his hand felt numb like he had struck a wall of iron causing him to lose all sensation in that hand. Though he was strong, fighting someone at the Golden Core Stage wasn't idle.

Jiang Feng didn't respond. His focus was absolute, his body a conduit of raw, unrelenting energy that wanted to explode outwards but couldn't. He could feel the strain of the technique, the toll it was taking on his body, but he pushed through it. The Three Sun Fists depended on how much firepower Jiang Feng could feed it and how strong his body was to weather the impact of the punch.

Zhan Huito's cold grin had vanished, replaced by a look of grim determination to kill his enemy. He tightened his grip on his saber, his eyes narrowing as he prepared to strike again. But before he could move, Jiang Feng was already in motion. The black scales on his other hand glowed even brighter, the energy within him surging as he prepared to unleash another devastating attack.