Chapter 24: One Against Three

"I let you escape with your life last time, and yet you dare to return."

"You truly do not know when you are courting death."

Xiao Ni gripped the fat man’s throat tightly, wearing a smile that did not reach his eyes, his voice dripping with murderous intent. He then looked down at Mu Feng, his eyes filled with playful mockery.

"Mu Feng, I was wondering where I might find you. I never expected you to deliver yourself to my doorstep so quickly."

"Dealing with you here today means the Great Elder won't even need to come in person."

Looking at the three men before him, Mu Feng felt a deep sense of apprehension. Xiao Ni, Xiao Ma, and Xiao Di. These three had once been the three great geniuses renowned throughout Yuanzhou City, collectively known as the Three Heroes of the Xiao Clan. Yet, several years ago, the three of them had suddenly vanished. It turned out they had been dispatched here to guard the forbidden grounds.

"Fairy, tell me, what are my odds if I face them?" Mu Feng asked silently.

"Thirty percent. Maybe thirty-five, if you're lucky."

"If you help me spot their openings, what then?"

"That extra five percent is exactly what I can provide by spotting their openings," the fairy replied honestly. It was true; even if she could help Mu Feng identify the enemy's flaws, it would not significantly raise his chances of winning. Given Mu Feng’s current combat prowess, knowing an opening was one thing, but being able to exploit it was another.

Taking a deep breath, Mu Feng looked at Xiao Ni. "Let him go, and I will stay. Otherwise, if I decide to leave, the three of you won't be able to stop me."

A cold glint flickered in Xiao Ni’s eyes, and a sneer curled his lips. "Negotiating with me? You don't seem to have the qualifications for that!"

With that, Xiao Ni tightened his grip. The fat man gasped for air, his eyes rolling back as he began to lose consciousness.

"Take your own life now, and I will spare him. Otherwise, stand there and watch as I strangle him to death, bit by bit!"

Hearing this, Mu Feng was torn. Should he save him, or not? If he tried to save him, he might lose his own life. If he did not, with the speed of his Spirit Shadow movement technique, these three would certainly be unable to catch him. But the fat man would be dead. In the end, it was his own feud with the Xiao clan that had dragged the man into this, and that did not sit well with him.

Suddenly, the fat man began to struggle violently. "Big Brother, run! If you can find the Fire Spirit Stone for me, I will have no regrets in death!"

As he spoke, the fat man pulled a bag of explosive jade talismans from his robes and pressed them against Xiao Ni’s chest.

"You fat pig! You want to drag me down with you? In your dreams!" Seeing this, Xiao Ni immediately threw the fat man toward Mu Feng.

"Watch out!" Mu Feng’s expression changed drastically. He activated his Spirit Shadow movement technique, snatched the fat man, and shielded him behind his back.

Boom!

In an instant, flames soared, painting the sky a deep, fiery red. The massive shockwave blasted the group backward, and the fierce, turbulent energy stirred up thick clouds of dust.

*Pfft!*

A mouthful of blood sprayed from Mu Feng’s lips. His face turned deathly pale with alarming speed.

"Big Brother! Big Brother!" The fat man crawled over, covered in soot. Seeing Mu Feng’s back, now a mangled mess of flesh and blood, he could not help but burst into tears. "Big Brother, why did you save me? Let's go! We'll find a doctor—we don't need the Fire Spirit Stone anymore!"

The fat man tried to support Mu Feng and leave, but Mu Feng pushed him away.

"Go, quickly!"

"Big Brother, what are you doing?"

"They aren't dead!" Mu Feng gripped his long sword and turned around.

Sure enough, three figures were slowly emerging from the thick smoke. It was Xiao Ni and his companions. The three of them were now covered in blood, suffering from grievous wounds. Xiao Ni, in particular, had lost half an arm to the blast, a truly gruesome sight.

"Mu Feng! I want to see where you can run to now!" Xiao Ni’s eyes were filled with the flames of rage; he wished he could tear Mu Feng limb from limb.

"Big Brother, run! Leave this to me!" Seeing the situation, the fat man hurriedly stepped in front of Mu Feng, raising his fists with trembling hands. He understood that only one of them could likely survive today. Since Mu Feng had promised to find the Fire Spirit Stone, he was willing to trust him.

"None of you are getting out of here!" With a furious roar, Xiao Ni and his two companions surged forward with a sudden burst of power. Despite their severe injuries, their charge as tenth-level Spirit Realm cultivators was too fast for the fat man to react!

*Clang!*

The sharp sound of metal clashing echoed through the air. Countless sparks showered the moonlight. Mu Feng had appeared in front of the fat man before anyone realized it.

Seeing this, the fairy could not help but urge him, "You idiot, run! If you don't run now, it'll be too late!"

"Run my foot!" Mu Feng swung his sword, driving the three attackers back. His gaze was fierce, showing no trace of fear. "He risked his life to save me—that is righteousness. To think of medicine for his family even before death—that is filial piety. Such a man calls me 'Big Brother'; how could I watch him die for me? I, Mu Feng, have cultivated all my life not to become some cowardly, spineless wretch!"

His words sent a shock through the fairy’s heart. Seemingly infected by Mu Feng’s resolve, her eyes ignited with a fierce, hot-blooded intensity. "Fine! Let's fight them to the death!"

"Heh-ha! Heh-ha!" Seeing the fairy waving her tiny fists, Mu Feng gave a faint smile. "Fatty, get back. Big Brother is going to kill some people, and I won't be able to look after you!"

He narrowed his eyes, suppressing the intense pain radiating from his back, and channeled his surging spiritual energy. Five sword auras silently coalesced, circling his body and emitting a whistling wind.

Xiao Ni’s expression was grim. "To be so heavily wounded and still try to take on three of us—I truly don't know if you are confident or just stupid. Don't worry, once you die, this fat man will follow you down soon enough!"

*Whoosh—*

As the words left his lips, the three figures lunged at Mu Feng, unleashing a flurry of fists, kicks, and blades. The speed was so intense it made Mu Feng’s head spin.

"Sword Form One!"

The sword aura converged. A fierce light flashed in Mu Feng’s eyes as he swung his blade toward the three men. The powerful, heavy strike collided with their combined assault, forcing them to retreat several steps.

Mu Feng himself spat out another mouthful of blood, feeling his internal organs tremble. Already severely wounded, using such a technique caused an immediate backlash on his frail body.

"A spent force! How many more times can you use that move?" Xiao Ni sneered, flipping his long blade and leaping into the air to strike at Mu Feng’s head. The other two followed suit without hesitation.

It was true; while Sword Form One was highly effective against groups, Mu Feng could not muster the strength to use it a second time. How was he to break this deadlock?

He emptied his mind, and everything around him seemed to slow down. Seeing this, Xiao Ni was filled with excitement. Mu Feng was at the end of his rope; if he could kill him, he might be rewarded with pills to break through to the Profound Yellow Realm. His current injuries would be a small price to pay!

Feeling the waves of murderous intent closing in, Mu Feng realized the only thing he could rely on was the Whirlpool Sword Technique, which could be executed even without relying on spiritual energy.

In the next instant, Mu Feng moved. He spun his body, turning into a whirlwind. The five powerful sword auras coalesced around him, further amplifying the power of the Whirlpool Sword Technique.

Boom!

A magnificent hurricane of sword energy swept out, striking Xiao Ni and his two companions with overwhelming force.

The fairy watched this, her small mouth hanging open in shock. Mu Feng had actually managed to fuse his sword technique with the Whirlpool Sword Technique in a single moment. Was he even human? Even she, with all her expertise in swordsmanship, could not fathom how to merge such distinct styles.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The fierce sword energy instantly decimated the three. Three bloody mists erupted simultaneously. Mu Feng’s form faltered, and he collapsed heavily to the ground.

The fat man rushed forward, lifting the nearly unconscious Mu Feng. He rummaged through Mu Feng’s side pocket, found a few pills, and shoved them into his mouth.

"Big Brother! Big Brother, are you alright?" Seeing Mu Feng’s breathing gradually stabilize, the fat man began to shake him frantically.

"I was fine, but if you keep shaking me, I won't be," Mu Feng said, opening his weary eyes.

Hearing this, the fat man let go, his face tear-streaked as he looked at Mu Feng. "Big Brother! From now on, you are my real big brother! Big Brother is above, please accept this younger brother’s bow!"

The fat man knelt and prepared to kowtow, but Mu Feng grabbed him by the collar and hauled him up.

"What's with this mushy behavior? Crying like that—what does it look like? Get up." Mu Feng said with a huff.

He turned and looked toward the camp, his eyes filled with anticipation. "Let's go. We'll go inside and see. Perhaps the Fire Spirit Stone you need is truly inside."

"Right!"

Wiping away his tears, the fat man supported Mu Feng, and the two walked slowly toward the camp. Upon entering, they saw no grand structures, only a few thin tents—it didn't look like there was anything of value. Only in the center of the camp was there a deep, pitch-black pit that seemed to lead into the bowels of the earth.

"Fairy, can you sense the energy of the divine fire?"

"I can. Unless I'm mistaken, it's down there."

Hearing this, Mu Feng did not hesitate and led the fat man inside.