Chapter 23: The Dead Fatty

Seeing Mu Feng marching toward him with such murderous intent, the fatty felt the flesh on his face tremble and could not help but shrink backward. With a somewhat awkward, sheepish smile, he stammered:

"Oh, come on, I didn't have a choice, brother. It's all a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding."

A misunderstanding!

Mu Feng grabbed the fatty by his collar and yanked him close. "A misunderstanding? If I hadn't had a few tricks up my sleeve, both of us would be dead tonight, and you call that a misunderstanding!"

It was no wonder Mu Feng was so enraged. Had he not unleashed the first level of his Douxuan Sword Technique and risked everything to break through the Wolf King’s belly, neither of them would have escaped.

"Brother, calm down, please, calm down. I really had no choice. If I hadn't been wounded, I wouldn't have been reduced to being chased around by that pack of beasts," the fatty said helplessly, his face pale.

Only then did Mu Feng notice the three ghastly wounds on the fatty’s back. It was clear these were injuries he had sustained earlier. It made sense; the fatty was a genuine seventh-stage Spirit-Entry Realm cultivator, two stages higher than Mu Feng himself. Had he not been injured, he would never have been run ragged by a pack of wolves.

Seeing this, Mu Feng’s expression softened. After all, the fellow hadn't abandoned him after luring the wolves over; he had even tried to help, however counterproductively.

"Brother, you're so formidable. How about you do me a favor?" Seeing Mu Feng’s mood lighten, the fatty grinned. This kid really knew how to push his luck.

"No." With that, Mu Feng turned and walked away without looking back. Mu Feng was no saint. His lack of resentment did not mean he was willing to lend a helping hand.

Seeing Mu Feng leave without the slightest hesitation, the fatty scrambled to follow him, looking anxious. "Hey, brother! You’re so skilled, helping me find something would be a piece of cake. To be honest, I came here looking for a Fire Spirit Stone. If you agree to help me find it, I’ll give you this storage ring."

With that, the fatty pulled a storage ring from his finger and shoved it into Mu Feng’s palm. "There are thirty thousand silver coins inside. As long as you help me find that stone, all of this is yours!"

"Aren't you afraid that I'll just take your things and kill you to silence you?" Mu Feng looked at the ring in his palm, eyeing the fatty with surprise. He couldn't tell if this guy was just naive in the ways of the world or simply too kind-hearted.

The fatty sighed, his eyes turning red. "I have no choice. Master Gu Xuan said that only a Fire Spirit Stone can cure my father’s strange illness. Unfortunately, my strength is mediocre, and I couldn't snatch one from those people. If I can't bring it back within three days, I'm afraid my father won't last much longer."

"What about your family?" Mu Feng asked, confused. The fatty’s attire was luxurious, he spent money lavishly, and he knew someone like Master Gu Xuan; his family background shouldn't be insignificant. They shouldn't be leaving him to fend for himself.

But at Mu Feng’s question, a look of sorrow crossed the fatty’s face. "I came here in secret. Things are very chaotic at home right now. If my sister finds out I’m running around, I’m done for. Brother, if you help me find that stone, forget thirty thousand silver—weapons, equipment, techniques, martial arts—whatever you want, I’ll get it for you!"

The fatty’s eyes gleamed as he awaited Mu Feng's decision. Mu Feng stroked his chin. It was a decent deal. To say nothing of the rest, the thirty thousand taels of silver alone would keep him from worrying about his cultivation resources for at least half a year.

"Do you know where the Fire Spirit Stone is?"

"Yes! This is the map Master Gu Xuan gave me; it marks the areas where it might be located." The fatty pulled out a map and handed it to Mu Feng. It had several locations marked on it.

"I’ve been to all of these places, except for the last one. I was ambushed by a group before I could get there. If I hadn't run fast, I would have been finished."

Looking at the final mark, Mu Feng’s expression turned to one of surprise. That mark pointed directly to the Xiao family’s restricted grounds. No wonder the fatty was so severely wounded; he must have run into the Xiao family.

"Let's go and take a look."

"Right!"

The two moved one after the other, hastening toward the direction of the Xiao family’s restricted area. About half an hour later, a camp illuminated by bonfires appeared before them.

"Brother, this is where I was ambushed," the fatty whispered. "These people are tough. They are all well-trained, and there are three tenth-stage Spirit-Entry experts guarding the place."

Mu Feng looked at the heavily fortified camp, his gaze growing solemn. A quick glance revealed at least several dozen people, and even the guards standing outside were all Spirit-Entry experts. Fighting his way in would be extremely difficult.

Suddenly, the Fairy’s voice rang out in his mind: "Boy, there is an energy fluctuation from a Divine Flame in this place."

A Divine Flame!

At these words, Mu Feng’s heart skipped a beat. Divine Flames were incredibly rare, created when worldly fires fused with different energies under unique circumstances. Such flames were without exception terrifyingly powerful. Mu Feng hadn't expected the Xiao family to be hiding a Divine Flame. In that case, he absolutely had to infiltrate these restricted grounds.

"Brother, what should we do? Should we charge in?" the fatty asked quietly, sounding impatient.

Mu Feng shook his head slightly. "They have three tenth-stage Spirit-Entry experts. Wouldn't charging in be suicide?" Even as strong as he was, it would be hard to say if he could win against so many experts at once.

"Do you still have those explosive jade talismans you used before?"

"Yes!"

"How many?"

"Dozens."

Dozens? Mu Feng was surprised. As expected of a disciple from a major power; they certainly had plenty of ways to save their own skins.

"Later, I’ll lure them out. You find an opportunity to blow them up. And remember, don't you dare hit me!"

"Got it!"

"But brother, how are you going to lure them out?"

"Because they want me dead more than anything."

Leaving those words behind, Mu Feng leaped out, deliberately exposing himself in front of the Xiao family’s restricted grounds. To the Xiao family, Mu Feng was a thorn in their side that had to be removed. Bringing his head back to the family would be a monumental achievement.

When the guards saw Mu Feng appear, their expressions changed instantly.

"Mu Feng! It’s actually you! I can't believe you dared to show your face at our Xiao family’s restricted grounds. You are truly courting death!"

As expected, in the next instant, dozens of guards gathered and charged toward Mu Feng.

*BOOM—*

A series of explosive sounds erupted. As the guards' weapons struck the spot where Mu Feng stood, they saw only an afterimage fading away.

"It’s an afterimage! Chase him!"

Under the moonlight, the crowd chasing Mu Feng’s silhouette gradually entered the fatty’s line of sight. The fatty clutched several jade talismans tightly in his hand, sweat pouring off him as he felt an intense, heart-pounding anxiety.

"Do it!" Mu Feng shouted loudly.

The fatty hurriedly hurled the jade talismans, scattering them around the group of guards. Before the Xiao family guards could react:

*BOOM!*

A surge of spiritual energy tore through the surroundings, uprooting trees and grass. The combined power of several jade talismans leveled everything within a radius of dozens of yards.

Mu Feng turned back, looking at the scene with satisfaction and a grin. This fat fool actually proved useful for once.

"Fatty, well done. Once I lure those three out, keep blasting them."

He looked up, and his expression instantly froze. A chill crept into his eyes. High above, three figures stood, watching him coldly. One of them had his hand clamped around the fatty’s throat, holding him high in the air.

*Cough, cough, cough—*

"Brother... run... run away!"