Chu Feng's long hair fluttered, his robes dancing as he walked through the air like an invincible king. With each step he drew closer, even the thousands of Martial Monarch realm experts aboard that warship saw their expressions change dramatically. One by one, they involuntarily retreated, cowed by Chu Feng's overwhelming presence.
"Chu Feng, don't you dare think you're invincible. If I, the Island Master, truly wished to kill you, you'd be utterly powerless."
But who could have imagined that, facing the aggressive advance of Chu Feng, Murong Xun would show not a shred of fear? Instead, he suddenly let out a thunderous roar.
"Awoooooo~~~~~~~"
When that roar erupted, Murong Xun's eyes instantaneously turned blood-red. At the same time, a massive tide of blood-red aura surged forth from within his body like chains, piercing through the physical bodies of the thousands of Martial Monarch realm experts of the Immortal Execution Archipelago who stood behind him.
"Uwahhhhh~~~~~~~"
When those chains impaled their flesh, all thousands of Martial Monarch realm experts let out piercing wails, dropping to their knees, rolling on the ground, clutching their heads and howling as though enduring unbearable agony.
And amid their wailing, layer upon layer of power could clearly be seen flowing out of their bodies, traveling through the blood-red aura chains and merging into Murong Xun's body.
Under this infusion of power, Murong Xun's physical body actually began to recover. The most obvious sign was his hand — which had been reduced to bare white bone with all flesh gone — now regenerating flesh and blood, ultimately returning to its original state without a single scar, as though it had never been injured at all.
Moreover, under this transformation, Murong Xun's weakened aura also began to recover — not merely recover, but actually surge. In the blink of an eye, his cultivation had risen to the peak of the 9th-grade Martial Monarch realm, his powerful aura approaching the Martial King realm.
"Ughhhhhh~~~~~~"
But though Murong Xun's aura had undergone an incredible surge, those Immortal Execution Archipelago experts bound by the blood-red chains found themselves in a wretched state.
Several thousand of them, their faces now deathly pale, had aged by several decades in that single instant. Their skin had withered and lost all vitality. People who had been in the prime of their youth had all become elderly old men, each one feeble and weak.
"Heavens, what is happening?!"
"A sinister heretical art — this is absolutely some sort of demonic cultivation method! Forcibly absorbing the power of others to enhance one's own cultivation — this is a demonic art!"
"It is truly infuriating — the young master of the illustrious Immortal Execution Archipelago actually practices such a demonic art, and even uses it against members of his own forces! This is nothing short of the deeds of a demon — intolerable by the laws of heaven!"
Everyone present could discern what was happening. It was clear that Murong Xun had employed a special demonic technique to strip the cultivation and life force of those thousands of Immortal Execution Archipelago experts, absorbing them to bolster himself.
The path of martial cultivation, while having no absolute code of justice, still regarded the destruction of another's prospects to enhance one's own power as something unacceptable — even detestable.
So at this moment, everyone present aside from the Immortal Execution Archipelago members was filled with outrage and indignation. They seethed with anger that Murong Xun would resort to such despicable and cruel methods merely to defeat Chu Feng — truly despicable, shameless, cold, and ruthless.
"The young master will win! The young master will win! The young master will win!!!" But who could have expected that at this very moment, those Immortal Execution Archipelago experts who had already had portions of their cultivation and life force stripped away would drag their weakened bodies to their feet, raise their arms in unison, and cheer at the top of their lungs — having been robbed of the most precious things they possessed, they were still rallying behind Murong Xun!!!
Their manner suggested they bore Murong Xun no resentment whatsoever for what he had done. Rather, they seemed to consider it an honor.
The spectators were absolutely dumbfounded by this scene, for the behavior of the Immortal Execution Archipelago people went beyond mere loyalty — it was sheer stupidity.
"Rest assured, I will compensate you for today's sacrifice. Once we return to the Immortal Execution Archipelago, I will bestow upon you even more." Regarding his subordinates' display, Murong Xun nodded with satisfaction. Then he turned his murderous gaze toward Chu Feng.
"Chu Feng, bring out your King Armament. Today, I will personally reclaim my King Armament from your hands." Without warning, Murong Xun launched himself into the air, hurtling from the warship toward Chu Feng with terrifying momentum.
"Heh, with this level of power alone, you don't deserve to make me draw my King Armament." Yet even though Murong Xun's cultivation had risen a full grade, Chu Feng still did not take him seriously.
"Thunder Armor." With a mere thought, three colors of lightning flashed through Chu Feng's eyes. Simultaneously, bolts of lightning surged forth from his body, coalescing into a suit of Thunder Armor that enveloped his form.
And when that Thunder Armor appeared, Chu Feng's cultivation also surged at this moment, shooting directly from 5th-grade Martial Monarch to 6th-grade Martial Monarch.
"Awoooo~~~~~~~~~~"
With his cultivation enhanced, the Azure Dragon materialized beneath Chu Feng's feet. The Xuan Martial Shield around his body remained undiminished. Gripping the Dragon Mark Sword, he combined his 6th-grade Martial Monarch cultivation, the might of two secret arts, and the power of the half-finished King Armament to engage Murong Xun in battle.
"BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM"
Two formidable figures intertwined in combat, and for a time explosions rang out ceaselessly as violent ripples spread in all directions.
Murong Xun was thoroughly enraged. Though he wielded a half-finished King Armament and his combat power was already formidable, he continuously unleashed savage martial techniques, giving everything he had in a desperate attempt to kill Chu Feng.
As for Chu Feng, he relied on the Azure Dragon Swift Art and the Xuan Martial Shield Art — two secret arts offering extraordinary defense and nimble mobility — along with the versatile offensive power of the Dragon Mark Sword, running circles around Murong Xun and maintaining complete superiority.
"Chu Feng, stop dodging and weaving! Do you not dare face this Island Master head-on?!" Under Chu Feng's relentless toying, Murong Xun's attacks missed again and again, driving him to grit his teeth in fury until he was nearly driven mad.
"Bai Hu Slaying Art!!!" But just as Murong Xun's words had barely left his mouth, Chu Feng struck without warning. A devastating Bai Hu Slaying Art blasted forth, leaving Murong Xun virtually no room to react. In the blink of an eye, all of his offensive momentum was utterly dismantled.
"Uwah~~" In the end, Murong Xun could not withstand the blow. Struck squarely, he let out a miserable scream as his entire body was blasted several li away, crashing into the crowd of spectators.
"Whoosh~~~~~~" In that instant, the spectators hastily scattered, looking at Murong Xun who lay suspended in midair — his face deathly pale, his entire body drenched in blood, half of one arm completely severed. Not a single person stepped forward to help him.