Chapter 34

A tall figure appeared beside Zhu Zequn, who had just been saved from being flattened into a meat paste by his palm. Lü Zhongyue’s face was grim as he saw Zhu Zequn, who was no longer in human form, with his internal organs in ruins. Even with miraculous elixirs, he could not be fully restored. A naked killing intent surged toward Ye Feng, and his innate qi erupted.

"Boy, you are ruthless, actually attacking an injured person!"

Lü Zhongyue approached Ye Feng step by step, ready to strike at any moment.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

Three shadows landed in front of Ye Feng, blocking his path. Three mentors from Tianling Academy appeared, one of whom was the yellow-robed elder who guarded the library. His terrifying innate qi protected Ye Feng.

"Elder Lü, didn’t you say earlier that it was just a sparring match between juniors, a mere exercise? Why take it so seriously!"

One of the mentors from Tianling Academy spoke with a mocking laugh, as if ridiculing Lü Zhongyue. When Zhu Zequn was being arrogant and overbearing, Lü Zhongyue did not stop him. Now that Ye Feng had crippled him, Lü Zhongyue was stepping in. The three mentors felt a great sense of relief and humiliation.

Seeing that the three mentors had protected Ye Feng, making it impossible to attack him, Lü Zhongyue coldly snorted and stared at Ye Feng with a deadly gaze.

"Boy, I hope you can live well!"

Lü Zhongyue picked up Zhu Zequn and left the crowd. Staying any longer would only bring more humiliation, so it was better to leave early.

"Ye Feng is becoming more and more terrifying. If he continues to grow, we might not be able to match him!"

The Three Dragons and One Phoenix stood high, watching everything quietly. Huolong Peak’s mouth was dry. Although he was unwilling to admit it, Ye Feng’s axe strike had truly shaken their hearts.

"Yes! One axe strike sent Zhu Zequn flying, truly terrifying!" Meixiaoyao put away her charm, her face solemn. She didn’t know what she was thinking after seeing that axe strike.

"A month ago, his strength wasn’t this terrifying. In less than a month, his strength has improved to such a terrifying level. How does he cultivate?" Liang Xinyu sighed.

"This isn’t the most terrifying. What’s terrifying is his character. Nothing seems to stop him, and even when facing strong opponents, he shows no fear. This is the most terrifying, his martial heart surpasses all of us."

Kou Chenlong, the top-ranked elite disciple, spoke, and the three were startled. They had overlooked this issue, focusing only on Ye Feng’s strength and not his character. What is most important for a strong person is their character, which determines how far they can go.

However, they didn’t know that Ye Feng had already held back. If he had used his full strength, the three-day flying dragon power would have already destroyed Zhu Zequn, even turning him to ashes.

Ye Feng’s name quickly spread throughout Tianling Academy, especially his punishment of Zhu Zequn, which brought joy to many. More people believed that Ye Feng’s strength had already reached the top five among elite disciples.

Ximen Xuri woke up, knowing what had happened. His mouth was bitter. After a month of intense cultivation, he thought he could catch up to Ye Feng, at least narrowing the gap. Now he realized that the distance between them was growing wider.

Ye Feng ignored the discussions around him, returned to his courtyard, and digested his recent insights. With sufficient resources, he could now focus on cultivation for a while.

This trip had been very fruitful for Ye Feng. He had exchanged the monster skins for spirit stones, and it seemed he planned to refine the Bone Washing Pill to cleanse the impurities from his bones, further enhancing his potential.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

A knock came from outside the courtyard. Ye Feng stopped his cultivation and walked out.

"Creak!" Ye Feng opened the courtyard gate, and a familiar figure appeared before him.

"Disciple greets Mentor Li!" Ye Feng was very respectful. The person standing outside was Mentor Li.

"No need to be so formal. Aren’t you going to invite me in?"

Mentor Li knew everything that had happened and looked at Ye Feng with delight. He had not been wrong about Ye Feng, who would surely rise to prominence.

"Please come in!" Ye Feng, who trusted Mentor Li the most in Tianling Academy, quickly invited him in.

The hall was not large but could accommodate four or five people. Mentor Li sat in a chair, his eyes constantly scanning Ye Feng, who was very respectful.

"You made quite a scene this afternoon!" Mentor Li said with a smile.

"You know about it." Ye Feng smiled bitterly. He hadn’t intended to make a scene; he just couldn’t stand Zhu Zequn’s arrogance.

"Very good. I’ve already reported to the Dean, who is very pleased. This time, you’ve brought honor to the academy, and the Dean has made an exception to reward you with something!"

Mentor Li spoke with admiration.

"Thank you, Dean, thank you, Mentor!"

Ye Feng expressed his gratitude.

"The Dean, knowing you use an axe, specially took out a private item and asked me to give it to you. I hope you like it."

Mentor Li held out a very exquisite axe, which shone brightly, far superior to the one on Ye Feng’s waist.

The axe blade was as wide as a palm, and the back was intricately carved. The handle and the axe were one piece, allowing qi to flow smoothly without any obstruction, making it easier to perform martial techniques.

The axe was curved, with a groove, clearly a deadly weapon.

"Great weapon!" The moment Mentor Li took it out, Ye Feng was captivated. This weapon seemed tailor-made for him.

"It’s made from deep-sea black gold, mixed with the blood of a coiled dragon, a rare and excellent weapon, the best among ordinary weapons, second only to a spirit weapon!"

Mentor Li stroked the axe, praising it.

"Is this for me?"

Ye Feng was eager. With this weapon, his strength would increase by thirty percent, and he would have a fighting chance against early-stage innate cultivators.

"Of course, it’s for you, as a reward for this time!"

Mentor Li, seeing Ye Feng’s eagerness, handed the axe to him.

"Tsk, tsk, great weapon!" Ye Feng took it, infused it with qi, and the patterns on it glowed. The qi flowed smoothly, and a beam of qi shot out from the axe blade.

"Whoosh!"

The qi beam shot through the axe and pierced the wall, leaving a long, deep mark.

"Excellent! With this weapon, my strength will be even greater!" Ye Feng gently stroked the axe, very fond of it.

"Does it have a name?"

"Qiusa!" Mentor Li said.

"Great name!" Ye Feng liked the name, which had a sense of slaughter.

"Now that I’ve given you the weapon, let’s talk about the important matter."

Mentor Li interrupted Ye Feng’s excitement.

Ye Feng put the axe into his storage ring, now that his strength had increased, he no longer feared anyone coveting it. He looked at Mentor Li with a puzzled expression.

"What is it?" Ye Feng asked.

"In about five or six days, it will be the time for the elite disciples’ training. I want you to participate, as per the Dean’s wishes."

Mentor Li slowly explained.

"You mean entering the Tianxiang Valley to gather the Purple Lotus Grass?"

"Exactly. Don’t underestimate each entry into the Tianxiang Valley. Only the strongest elite disciples can enter, and whether they can come out alive is uncertain."

Seeing Ye Feng’s nonchalant expression, Mentor Li emphasized, his face serious.

"Is there any danger?" Ye Feng, once an outer disciple, had heard some stories but didn’t fully understand.

"Danger and opportunity coexist. The Tianxiang Valley is unique. Once inside, the spiritual energy is dense, and the ground is covered with medicinal herbs. The Purple Lotus Grass can only grow in the Tianxiang Valley. It is an essential ingredient for refining the Innate Pill. In essence, it’s a training exercise, but the real purpose is to gather the Purple Lotus Grass."

Mentor Li hit the nail on the head. The true goal was to gather the Purple Lotus Grass.

"I see!" Ye Feng seemed to understand.

"The Purple Lotus Grass grows only ten plants each year, scattered throughout the Tianxiang Valley. The more you gather, the more Innate Pills you can refine, and the more innate-stage experts you can create."

Mentor Li continued to explain, and with Ye Feng’s understanding, he quickly grasped everything.

Each year, the elite disciples enter the Tianxiang Valley to gather the Purple Lotus Grass. During the gathering, battles are inevitable, as there are only ten plants, leading to some deaths.

The gathered Purple Lotus Grass will be refined into Innate Pills. When taken by peak ninth-stage cultivators, they can smoothly advance to the innate stage, a rare and invaluable elixir that cannot be bought with resources.

No sect wants to be weak, so they fight for the Purple Lotus Grass every year. This year is no different, and Mentor Li’s purpose in coming was to hope that Ye Feng would enter the Tianxiang Valley to gather the Purple Lotus Grass.

"Is there any benefit to entering?"

Ye Feng didn’t immediately agree, even though it was Mentor Li who came. He still wanted to be clear.

"Of course, there are benefits. Everything you gather inside belongs to you. Besides the Purple Lotus Grass, whether it’s monster cores or medicinal herbs, all belong to you. If you gather three Purple Lotus Grass plants, you will receive a special reward, an Innate Pill, and the academy will also give additional rewards to the disciples who enter."

Mentor Li explained the rewards, and Ye Feng’s eyes lit up.

The Tianxiang Valley is rich in spiritual energy, with countless medicinal herbs and fruits. If he could bring out a large amount, he could exchange them for more resources for cultivation. Relying on external tasks, Ye Feng didn’t know when he could gather enough resources to reach the peak of the ninth stage, let alone the innate stage, which required nine times the resources of others.

More importantly, if he could gather three Purple Lotus Grass plants, he would receive an Innate Pill. If he gave it to his father, his father could advance to the innate stage, securing his position in the family. Ye Feng pondered this.

"Alright, I agree!"

Ye Feng readily agreed. The conditions were very tempting, and he couldn’t refuse. Although it was dangerous, to reach the peak of martial arts, he needed a resilient and indomitable heart.