Nie Wan'er and Nie Xi'er marched into the hall with aggressive intent. "Chu Feng, we sisters don't accept you. What right do you have to receive six wagers?"
"Get out!" Su Mei was furious. She shot to her feet and shouted at them to leave.
"Where did this wild little girl come from, daring to raise her voice at us?" Nie Wan'er was overbearing—she struck without hesitation.
Martial force surged forth, but in her hands it flowed gentle as water, like a fountain spraying toward Su Mei.
Yet everyone could see that this seemingly soft wave of martial force concealed deadly killing intent. Its power was formidable.
"Hmph." Su Mei was not one to be outdone. Confident in her barrier techniques, she didn't bother mobilizing martial force at all. Instead, she channeled her will, releasing golden Emperor-level barrier power that coalesced into a barrier wall in front of her.
Crack—
Nie Wan'er's martial force arrived, striking Su Mei's barrier wall. But instead of producing a thunderous impact, it clung to the surface like viscous liquid.
BOOM—
Suddenly, a tremendous explosion erupted. Every person in the hall twisted with shock, because the blast hadn't occurred outside the barrier—it had occurred inside. It was a hidden force.
Nie Wan'er's martial force had carried hidden force all along, which had invisibly penetrated Su Mei's barrier wall and was now attacking her directly.
"Not good!"
Su Mei panicked. Though she had already sensed something was wrong, at this distance she had no time to dodge.
If that hidden force struck her, Su Mei would suffer devastating injuries even if she survived. She might not even be able to participate in tomorrow's Nine Forces Hunting.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—
At that critical moment, a sharp gust of force suddenly swept past Su Mei's side. It was Chu Feng. His wide sleeves billowed outward, golden barrier power swirling in their wake to form a golden vortex. With a single, effortless motion, he neutralized the fierce hidden force that had been mere inches from her.
"This..." Both Nie Wan'er and Nie Xi'er's expressions shifted. Neither had expected that the hidden force attack—which even Su Mei couldn't evade—would be deflected by this sixth-rank Martial King, the waste in their eyes. And deflected so effortlessly, with such composure.
"Dammit." Having nearly been struck by the hidden force, Su Mei was seething and moved to strike again.
"Xiao Mei, let me handle this." Before Su Mei could step forward, Chu Feng's arm blocked her path.
Chu Feng knew that Su Mei was powerful. Her barrier techniques in particular were top-tier among their generation, with few who could rival her.
But Nie Wan'er had been able to drive hidden force through Su Mei's barrier wall. That proved she wasn't merely strong—she had cunning, she knew how to fight a Spirit World Master, and from the very first strike she had deployed a killing technique specifically designed against them. If Chu Feng hadn't intervened, Su Mei would have taken a devastating blow.
And if Nie Wan'er alone was this dangerous, how terrifying would it be with Nie Xi'er added?
No matter how powerful Su Mei was, no matter how carefully she fought going forward, she absolutely could not defeat these two sisters.
The moment those twin beauties had made their move, Chu Feng already knew that their reputation as the strongest among the Nine Forces' disciples was no empty boast.
"Be careful—they're very cunning." Su Mei didn't argue with Chu Feng. Instead, as she withdrew, she sent him a secret voice transmission urging caution. She had clearly realized just how formidable these sisters were.
"Truly unexpected. Who knew you were hiding your true strength?" Once Su Mei had stepped back, Nie Wan'er addressed Chu Feng.
"There are plenty of things you wouldn't expect." Chu Feng smiled faintly, his tone laced with sarcasm.
"Chu Feng, even if I underestimated you, I still won't admit that you're stronger than me."
"A barrier is still just a barrier. No matter how powerful, it can never match martial force."
"Even if you've become an Emperor-robed Spirit World Master at such a young age and earned the favor of many elders—I, Nie Wan'er, do not acknowledge you."
"So I have to defeat you before you'll acknowledge barrier techniques?" Chu Feng asked with a smile.
"That's right," Nie Wan'er replied.
Swoosh—
In a flash, Chu Feng swept his wide sleeve. Golden barrier power scattered like heavenly flowers, forming an enormous barrier that sealed Chu Feng, Nie Wan'er, and Nie Xi'er inside together.
"Whatever techniques you have, whatever martial arts you've mastered—use them all. Break through this barrier of mine, and I'll admit you've won." Chu Feng pointed at the barrier he had just erected and spoke with absolute confidence.