Chapter Sixteen: Slaying the Profound Realm Invader

From close range, the condensed edge of true energy descended from the sky, slashing toward Leng Tian’s position. The immense force shattered the trees to splinters!

With a thunderous boom, the ground was split open, leaving a gully several meters deep and many yards long. The dim Red Butterfly Forest, where sunlight rarely reached, was instantly cleared, exposing a sizeable, empty swath.

When the dust finally settled, Leng Tian emerged from the shadowy woods, walking toward the light and gazing up at Yu Fei, who floated in the air.

“Hmph... You’ve got guts, boy! For a mere Heaven-ranked martial artist, you certainly dare much. Facing my pursuit, you still stay behind to confront me. Should I praise your courage, or assume you’ve repented and wish to beg for your worthless life?”

Annoyed by Leng Tian’s calm expression and mocking gaze, Yu Fei’s heart burned with fury.

With a cold laugh, Leng Tian retorted scornfully, “Careful you don’t bite your tongue with all that bluster. With your newly acquired Profound rank, you’re already this arrogant? I’m standing right here—if you have the skill, come and take my life!”

With open contempt, Leng Tian raised his middle finger, unconsciously mimicking Zhuang Zhuang’s manner. If a certain lecherous bear were present, he would surely have applauded in delight.

Yu Fei’s expression was ashen. A dignified Profound-level master, now mocked by a junior martial artist—how could he not be livid?

“Courting death!” Yu Fei’s form vanished into thin air.

Leng Tian’s eyes gleamed gold as the Ninefold Heaven-shaking Force surged into motion. His Glass Golden Body erupted with a sharp aura, forming a golden shield that wrapped around him. His hands, like those cast from pure gold, crossed protectively over his chest.

All of this happened in a flash. As Leng Tian’s defense formed, Yu Fei’s attack struck—his palm landing square on Leng Tian’s chest!

With a muffled crash, Leng Tian was sent flying by Yu Fei’s strike, smashing through over a dozen thick trees before finally dispersing the force and steadying himself.

Yu Fei did not immediately pursue. Instead, he was taken aback. In that last attack, he had clearly sensed a faint golden aura—a body-protecting shield, the sort only Profound-level cultivators could manifest.

“A Heaven-ranked martial artist possessing a shield aura? Impossible!” Yu Fei dismissed the notion outright. “Unless this boy carries some ancient treasure...”

At the mere thought of such a relic, greed flickered in Yu Fei’s eyes. An artifact that could grant a Heaven-ranked martial artist a shield aura—anyone would covet it!

If only Yu Fei knew that Leng Tian’s shield aura was the result of a cultivation technique, not a treasure—who knows how mad he would become?

Leng Tian’s body shone with golden light, moving like a bolt of lightning. His fierce, thunderous momentum whipped the air into swirling eddies, broken branches and splinters twisting into a horizontal tornado behind him.

His golden fist, as large as a sledgehammer, exploded through the air with a series of sonic booms. Yu Fei’s gaze sharpened, but he made no move to dodge. A crimson shield aura, several inches thick, enveloped him.

Leng Tian’s fist landed solidly on Yu Fei’s chest with a muffled thud, sending Yu Fei’s body hurtling backward like a shooting star.

Leng Tian did not let up. His footwork left afterimages in the air as he instantly closed the distance, the two of them nearly pressed chest to chest.

Yu Fei’s face was grim. Just now, that strike had nearly shattered his shield aura, his blood and energy roiling wildly—his face even flushed red.

He had underestimated Leng Tian too much—who would have thought this boy’s strength was so monstrous?

This was precisely what Leng Tian wanted. At his peak, he had reached the pinnacle of the Saint Transformation realm; he understood the three stages of True Martial like the back of his hand. With his current power, breaking through this shield aura was not difficult—but he needed to seize the moment, and now was the perfect opportunity.

Yet Leng Tian was surprised as well: Yu Fei’s shield aura was infused with fire-elemental baleful energy, doubling its defensive strength compared to peers at his level—making Leng Tian’s task much harder.

His golden blood surged within him, his fists blazing with golden light as they rained down on Yu Fei’s body, each blow carefully timed.

Yu Fei could only grit his teeth as his body endured the relentless barrage. The impact on his shield aura made his internal energy turbulent and uncontrollable—he could not even summon a sliver of true energy!

Leng Tian unleashed eighteen blows in a single breath. Several times, Yu Fei’s shield aura threatened to shatter, but each time it held firm, preserving the last line of defense.

Finally, Leng Tian ceased his assault, pulling back and standing still. In just these few moments, sweat beaded his brow. Those eighteen full-strength blows had stretched him to his limits. Any further would be futile, so he decisively stopped.

Yu Fei met a similar fate: he crashed through dozens of trees before hitting the ground with a thunderous crash.

Leng Tian wasted no time. He drew a vial of spiritual essence from his storage ring and swallowed it all in one gulp.

A roar echoed through the fiery woods. “Damn you! I’ll kill you!” Yu Fei shot forth, his crimson shield aura blazing, his face twisted with rage as he charged.

Having ingested the spiritual essence, Leng Tian pushed the Ninefold Heaven-shaking Force to its utmost, his body greedily absorbing energy as his blood and energy surged, nearly bursting his body. A hint of madness flashed in his eyes—he would use this opportunity to break through to the fourth layer of the Ninefold Heaven-shaking Force and ascend to the second stage: the Platinum Sacred Body!

At his peak, Leng Tian had only cultivated the Ninefold Heaven-shaking Force to the sixth layer, the summit of the Platinum Sacred Body. Today, spurred by this fierce battle, he sought to break through in one fell swoop, perfecting his Glass Golden Body.

Facing Yu Fei’s assault, Leng Tian did not dodge but braced himself to endure. Cloaked in shield aura, Yu Fei’s crimson fist radiated searing heat as it crashed into Leng Tian’s chest.

The golden shield aura shattered instantly, and Leng Tian spat a mouthful of golden blood. Yu Fei grinned savagely, raining blows across Leng Tian’s body.

Suppressing the agony flooding every nerve, Leng Tian forced himself to remain conscious, channeling the Ninefold Heaven-shaking Force at maximum speed, frantically absorbing the vast energy of the spiritual essence.

Yu Fei had lost all reason; his fury had erupted fully. Crimson fists pounded Leng Tian’s body like a rainstorm. The golden body, unable to withstand the onslaught, began to crack and bleed golden blood.

As the damage deepened, the surging blood and energy within Leng Tian boiled even more violently, accelerating the absorption of the spiritual essence.

With one final punch, Yu Fei sent Leng Tian’s body skidding across the ground for dozens of yards, leaving a deep, straight furrow where the earth was upturned in his wake.