"The Martial Rune Wonderland?" Upon hearing those words, Chu Feng grew even more curious.
"Junior Brother Wujing, didn't I tell you that this Ethereal Fairy Peak is quite special? The Martial Rune Wonderland is one of its defining features," Jiang Wanshi said with a smile.
"Senior Sister Jiang, stop keeping me in suspense. What exactly is this Martial Rune Wonderland that it's drawn so many young-generation geniuses here? I'd say every genius from the Eastern Ocean has shown up!"
Standing at his vantage point, Chu Feng had already spotted numerous talented individuals with impressive cultivation. He believed such geniuses would be considered top-tier anywhere in the Eastern Ocean. The fact that so many of them had gathered here told him one thing: the Martial Rune Wonderland must offer tremendous benefits to young cultivators.
"The Martial Rune Wonderland is another world, and its entrance is located right here on the Ethereal Fairy Peak. However, the gate only opens once every six years, and no one over the age of thirty can enter."
"Inside the Martial Rune Wonderland, there are mysterious martial runes. Those who enter can collect these runes, and based on the number collected, they can exchange them for corresponding martial arts at the Martial Art Hall on the Ethereal Fairy Peak."
"The weakest martial art available in that hall is a seventh-rank Martial Art. If you collect enough runes, you can even exchange them for a Forbidden Martial Art."
"A Forbidden Martial Art?!" Those four words instantly piqued Chu Feng's interest. He had once witnessed a Forbidden Martial Art in Ya Fei's possession and knew that while they carried the risk of backlash, they also wielded extraordinary power.
Though the secret techniques Chu Feng currently possessed were formidable, they required gradual growth. Forbidden Martial Arts were different — once mastered, they granted immense power immediately. Chu Feng had a keen interest in such arts.
"That's right, Forbidden Martial Arts. They are priceless treasures. In the entire Eastern Ocean, those who have mastered a Forbidden Martial Art are exceedingly rare. Even the Immortal Slaying Archipelago only allows its most exceptional geniuses to learn them. The value of a Forbidden Martial Art is truly immense."
"Since the Martial Rune Wonderland offers the opportunity to obtain a Forbidden Martial Art, it naturally makes every faction envious. That's why whenever the Wonderland opens, every faction sends its most outstanding juniors here."
"Unfortunately, to this day, very few have managed to obtain a Forbidden Martial Art. Last time the Martial Rune Wonderland opened, only Murong Xun, the young island lord of the Immortal Slaying Archipelago, succeeded in obtaining one," Jiang Wanshi explained.
"Murong Xun?" The name made Chu Feng's eyes narrow slightly. Since arriving in the Eastern Ocean, he had heard this name more than once, and he knew exactly who this Murong Xun was — the man who intended to take Zi Ling as his wife.
"Junior Brother Wujing, you know of Murong Xun too? Speaking of him, he really is quite the figure. Despite his young age, his cultivation is practically heaven-defying, capable of contending with veteran powerhouses. He's universally recognized as the number-one genius of the Eastern Ocean."
"Some even say that Murong Xun's talent has long surpassed that of Huangfu Haoyue, the once-in-a-generation genius who shook the Eastern Ocean."
"However, Murong Xun turned thirty this year, so he's passed the age limit for entering the Martial Rune Wonderland."
"Otherwise, with his current cultivation, if he entered the Wonderland again, he would surely gain even greater rewards. After all, six years ago he was already that formidable." As she spoke of Murong Xun, Jiang Wanshi couldn't stop singing his praises, her face full of admiration.
Chu Feng simply smiled faintly at her reaction, feeling no ill will. Though Murong Xun was his great enemy, that had nothing to do with Jiang Wanshi. Besides, girls naturally admired outstanding men, and Jiang Wanshi was no exception. There was nothing wrong with that.
"Run! Keep running! Let's see how far you can go! Once I catch you, I'll cripple you!!!"
But just then, shouts suddenly rang out from the direction of the Ethereal Fairy Peak. Looking toward the sound, Chu Feng saw several figures rushing toward them at breakneck speed.
Leading the group was a woman dressed in ragged clothes, looking much like a beggar. She was extraordinarily filthy — her hair was disheveled, her body caked in mud, and it was impossible to tell how long it had been since she'd last bathed. Were it not for the reasonably decent curve of her chest, no one would have recognized her as a woman.
Though this woman looked like a grimy little beggar, her cultivation was at the ninth level of Heaven Martial — actually a full stage above Jiang Wanshi.
At this moment, she was employing a remarkably peculiar movement technique, sprinting wildly toward Chu Feng and Jiang Wanshi.
Behind her, five men gave chase. These five were no weaklings — all five had reached the Martial Lord realm. Four of them were first-grade Martial Lords, and one portly man among them was a second-grade Martial Lord.
The five moved at tremendous speed, especially that portly second-grade Martial Lord, whose velocity far outstripped the other four. He was also deploying a formidable movement technique of his own.
Under his relentless pursuit, even though the dirty woman's movement technique was quite exceptional, the vast gap between the Martial Lord realm and Heaven Martial realm was insurmountable. She was steadily being overtaken.
"Still running? Let's see where you can run to now!" Suddenly, the second-grade Martial Lord bellowed. A torrent of thick, purple energy erupted from his body.
It was a barrier. The power of the barrier swept over the sky and earth, instantly enveloping the woman and transforming into a cage that trapped her inside.
At first, the woman attempted to use a martial art to break the barrier, but how could a barrier deployed by a Martial Lord powerhouse possibly be shattered by a mere Heaven Martial cultivator? Helpless, she began shouting curses:
"Damn it! Let me out! You five bastards — what right do you have to arrest me? I came here to enter the Martial Rune Wonderland! Treating me like this violates the rules of the Ethereal Fairy Peak! Aren't you afraid the Fairy of the Ethereal Peak will punish you?!!!"
"Hmph, enter the Martial Rune Wonderland? With your Heaven Martial cultivation, you think you're worthy? Besides, not only did you create those fake Ethereal Fairy Tokens, you dared to sell them to us and made us look like fools in front of all our peers! If we don't teach you a lesson, you'll really think we're pushovers!" The second-grade Martial Lord held up a peculiar token in his hand and roared.
"I only said it was an Ethereal Fairy Token — I never said it was the same as the real tokens from the Ethereal Fairy Peak! And it's not like I forced you to buy them; you lot were the ones who shamelessly pestered me to sell! What does that have to do with me?" The girl planted her hands on her hips and argued self-righteously.
"You little brat, you still dare to talk back? Today I'll beat you to death, you daughter of a bitch!" Seething with rage, one of the first-grade Martial Lords swung his hand and launched a slap through the air.
"Whoosh!" Yet to everyone's surprise, facing the attack of a first-grade Martial Lord, the woman tilted her body just slightly and dodged it effortlessly. She then began channeling her Heaven Force and screaming at the top of her lungs: "Help! Five men are hitting a woman! Everyone, come and see!!!"