Chapter 77

"What happened? What just happened? Why did someone suddenly throw a sword over there?"

"If I didn't see it wrong, Yun Feng seemed to have missed a drop of fire poison, which almost injured him. Fortunately, someone threw a sword to disperse the fire poison, allowing him to escape safely!"

"What? Missed a drop of fire poison? How could that happen? Wasn't everything going smoothly before? How could he miss a drop of fire poison at the end, and just happen to be discovered and saved by someone? Could this person be trying to take Yun Feng's life?"

"Take advantage of the situation to kill Yun Feng? I think it's possible. Yun Feng's cultivation talent is not weak, and he probably has many enemies. But it seems that the person who tried to kill Yun Feng looks as young as Yun Feng."

Finally, many people below reacted and followed Yun Feng's gaze toward Hu Gao. However, many did not believe that Yun Feng had made a mistake and missed a drop of fire poison. Instead, they thought Hu Gao had attacked Yun Feng.

Hu Gao didn't bother with these people. Their discussions were irrelevant to him. If it weren't for Yun Feng's strong cultivation talent, and his unwillingness to see such a genius die, he wouldn't have acted to save him.

Moreover, he had now understood why Yun Feng was willing to take such a huge risk instead of jumping down. This seemed to be the quality of a true sword cultivator—moving forward without hesitation, not retreating even in the face of a mountain of blades and a sea of fire. Knowing this, he felt even more that his action was right.

Hu Gao smiled casually, but his gaze was fixed on Yun Feng and his group, who were quickly approaching.

At this moment, although Yun Feng's aura was much weaker and he no longer had the sharpness he had at the beginning, Hu Gao felt that he had become even more formidable. Once he drew his sword, it would surely resound through the nine heavens and shake the world.

He was a true sword cultivator genius, though this aura still had a significant gap compared to Bai Xiao, whom he had encountered.

However, the life-and-death experience he had just gone through had truly transformed him.

"I am Yun Feng from the Wu Xu Sword Pavilion in Dingyu City, Longhua Kingdom. Thank you, brother, for your timely assistance, which saved my life," Yun Feng said sincerely as he approached Hu Gao.

"Master, how could you..."

The four people following him all changed their expressions, puzzled, and wanted to ask, but were stopped by Yun Feng's raised hand.

And the many people around were also shocked. Yun Feng had really been in danger just now? How could they not have noticed, while a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy did and even saved Yun Feng? They had even speculated that the boy was trying to assassinate Yun Feng.

For a moment, they all felt ashamed, but their gazes toward Hu Gao were filled with curiosity.

Hundreds of late-stage Condensation Shadow Realm cultivators hadn't fully understood what had just happened, but he not only saw it but also acted to save Yun Feng in that instant. This was simply a miracle.

"No problem, I just didn't want to see a sword cultivator die like that."

Hu Gao smiled and waved his hand. "Moreover, I should congratulate you. You have finally taken that step and become a true sword cultivator. I believe it won't be long before your cultivation advances rapidly and you reach a new level."

After saying these formal words, Hu Gao stared at Yun Feng with a smile, hoping that this guy, who was not much younger than him, wouldn't be as rusty as Zhou Long and Qi, his two guards.

"Hmm? I didn't expect you to see through it. Haha, I didn't expect myself to be so decisive just now. Perhaps it was my good fortune."

Although he said this, Yun Feng's gaze toward Hu Gao was even more grateful. However, he was not the type to express gratitude verbally. Hu Gao's appearance not only saved his life but also gave him a sudden enlightenment, like a sudden awakening, a great favor.

Such a profound favor did not need to be expressed verbally; it only needed to be remembered in his heart and repaid when the opportunity arose.

"Brother, may I ask your surname?"

Looking at Hu Gao's expression, Yun Feng was very puzzled, repeatedly asking himself if he owed him money. But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't remember borrowing money from anyone, so he decided to change the subject.

"Um, I'm Hu Gao."

Hu Gao waved his hand. Yun Feng was really too dense. He had lost interest in continuing the conversation and casually gave his name. He then asked, "You have already picked one black fire lotus. Do you plan to pick the remaining four?"

Hu Gao hadn't expected Yun Feng to give him a generous reward; he only needed the one black fire lotus. But as soon as Yun Feng picked it, he put it in a box and tucked it into his chest, leaving Hu Gao no way to ask for it.

He planned to pick the remaining four himself.

"The remaining four..."

"Forget it. You will need to rest for at least half an hour. I think you should wait a bit before looking for the black fire lotus again. Leave the remaining four for me to pick."

Hu Gao said this and walked forward.

"Brother Hu Gao, you plan to pick the black fire lotus?"

Hearing this, Yun Feng's face changed dramatically.

Many of the high-level cultivators around also changed their expressions. Knowing that even someone as capable as Yun Feng had almost fallen to the fire poison, they had almost completely given up on picking the black fire lotus. The mortality rate was too high, and with their strength, it was impossible to pick the black fire lotus; it was more about luck.

"Kid, don't be impulsive. The black fire lotus is valuable, but your life is more precious. Don't throw it away."

The old man with the pipe also advised him with concern.

"Black fire lotus? Brother Hu Gao, you want the black fire lotus?"

Yun Feng fell silent for a moment, then bit his lip and said, "Brother Hu Gao, I have collected ten black fire lotuses these days. If you need them, I can give them all to you."

"Give all your black fire lotuses to me?"

Hu Gao was somewhat surprised. He didn't expect Yun Feng to be so generous. This made him hesitate for a moment. Ten black fire lotuses would instantly reach one-tenth of his goal.

"That's right, and after three days, when the fire beast king leaves the fire beast forest, I will also enter the forest. If I am fortunate enough to obtain a black fire lotus pod, I will give it to you."

Yun Feng answered decisively and sincerely, but Hu Gao still felt a sense of regret. It wasn't directed at him but at someone else...

"Master, these black fire lotuses were meant for your brother..."

One of Yun Feng's guards said urgently, but was immediately silenced by Yun Feng's glare.

"I was about to accept, but now I can't."

Hu Gao was speechless. If Yun Feng's guard hadn't spoken, he could have pretended to accept the lotuses. But now that the guard had made it clear, accepting them would invite gossip.

He even suspected that Yun Feng and his guard had colluded. Otherwise, why didn't Yun Feng interrupt the guard earlier?

"No problem, leave the black lotuses for those who need them. It's just a few black fire lotuses. I'll go pick them now. It's also a form of training, and maybe I'll have the same good luck as Brother Yun Feng."

Hu Gao decided to do a favor for Yun Feng and not accept the ten black fire lotuses. Instead, he would pick them himself and wait three days to join everyone in the fire beast forest. If he could find a black fire lotus pod, he would soon reach the goal of one hundred black fire lotuses that Xiao Wu mentioned.

"Brother Hu Gao, don't be impulsive."

"Kid, that fire poison is not easy to deal with."

Hu Gao's decisiveness shocked everyone. Yun Feng and the old man with the pipe tried to persuade him, but Hu Gao was full of confidence and walked faster to the wind cave. Without any preparation, he jumped directly.

"He jumped, the kid really jumped. He can't be looking for death, can he?"

"That's right. Even Yun Feng, a peak ninth-stage Condensation Shadow Realm cultivator who has mastered a high-level human-grade cultivation technique, almost died."

"Not necessarily. This kid saved Yun Feng, so he might be able to pick the black fire lotus."

Hu Gao's actions instantly captured everyone's attention. They all watched in amazement. After seeing Yun Feng's dangerous situation, he still dared to jump into the wind cave, showing his confidence. Everyone was very excited.

In an instant, Hu Gao crossed the fifty-meter distance.

"These fire poisons are really powerful. The temperature is so high just by getting close. Without reaching the seventh stage of the Condensation Shadow Realm, it's impossible to withstand. Not many people dare to disperse the fire poison like Yun Feng. Even a Body Transformation Realm expert might not dare. Only a freak like Yun Feng..."

Although he himself was also very talented, Hu Gao had to admit that Yun Feng was indeed a terrifying genius. At less than sixteen years old, he had mastered a high-level human-grade cultivation technique, which even some Burst Essence Realm experts might not achieve, let alone Body Transformation Realm. Most Condensation Shadow Realm cultivators could only reach the initial stage or at most the minor completion stage, and that after a lot of hard work.

Given time, Yun Feng would definitely become a top expert in Longhua Kingdom.