Zhenbei Marquis Manor.
When Chu Feng returned with an unconscious burly man and a body filled with killing intent, all the servants in the manor fell silent, not daring to ask a single question.
“Settle him in the side courtyard and find a doctor to take a look,” Chu Feng instructed Qingniao. “Also, from now on, he belongs to me.”
“Yes, Heir.”
Looking at the unconscious Dali, Chu Feng’s thoughts stirred. He asked, “Ling’er, how can we fully awaken his Innate Divine Strength?”
“Hehe, Master, I just happen to have an ancient ‘Divine Strength Awakening Elixir’ formula passed down from antiquity,” Ling’er said cheerfully. “As long as you prepare the ingredients and let him soak in a medicinal bath, within seven days, his bloodline will begin to awaken, and his strength will increase a hundredfold!”
Chu Feng’s eyes lit up.
He quickly fetched paper and brush, wrote down the formula as Ling’er dictated, and handed it to Qingniao. “Follow this prescription. Go to the treasury for the materials. If anything is missing, buy it outside—no matter the cost. Gather everything as soon as possible.”
The prescription listed rare treasures such as Dragon Tendon Grass and Tiger Bone Flower. For ordinary people, obtaining even one would be nearly impossible, but for the Zhenbei Marquis Manor, it was nothing out of the ordinary.
“Yes.”
Qingniao took the prescription and was about to leave when Chu Tianlong appeared.
“You’re injured?”
His voice was cold, yet a trace of concern flickered deep in his eyes. His sharp gaze landed on the gruesome wound on Chu Feng’s chest, and a terrifying killing aura instantly surged upward.
“Qingniao, what happened?!” he demanded sternly.
Qingniao immediately dropped to one knee, lowering her head. “This subordinate failed in her duty. Please punish me, Marquis.”
“It’s not her fault.” Chu Feng waved his hand dismissively. “I just got into a fight. Minor injury. Won’t die.”
“Who did this?!” The killing intent in Chu Tianlong’s eyes almost solidified, and the temperature in the courtyard seemed to drop several degrees.
“A 5th stage Innate Realm expert from the Yang family. I already killed him,” Chu Feng said lightly.
The air froze instantly.
Chu Tianlong’s hawk-like eyes locked onto Chu Feng. His expression shifted from cold to stunned, then to utter disbelief.
“What did you say? You… killed an Innate Realm expert?”
He stepped forward abruptly, grabbing Chu Feng’s wrist. A stream of pure True Qi flowed into his body.
In the next moment, Chu Tianlong’s pupils contracted sharply.
1st stage Meridian Opening Realm!
Though his aura was still somewhat unstable, there was no doubt—he had opened a meridian and stepped into the Meridian Opening Realm!
But just last night, the royal physician had examined him. He had clearly been nothing more than a weak, ordinary person with unstable blood! This chapter was taken from novelping(.)com without permission.
In just one day, he had leaped from a useless cripple to the Meridian Opening Realm… and even killed a renowned Innate expert across realms?
Chu Tianlong felt his entire worldview shatter.
He released his grip and stepped back twice, staring at Chu Feng with an extremely strange expression, as if looking at a complete stranger. After a long moment, he forced out a sentence through clenched teeth.
“You… are you really my son?”
Chu Feng’s heart skipped a beat. Not good… he had shown off too much.
But outwardly, he remained calm. Rolling his eyes, he replied seriously, “Of course. Genuine article. If fake, I’ll compensate tenfold.”
Chu Tianlong fell silent.
He stared at Chu Feng’s face—seven parts similar to his own, yet now carrying an unprecedented confidence and composure. The shock in his heart refused to settle.
This rebellious son… seemed to have truly been reborn.
“Good. Very good.” Chu Tianlong took a deep breath, suppressing the storm in his heart. His gaze turned extremely complex. “Since you have such strength, then in one month’s Heavenly Dragon Ranking Tournament… I’ll be watching.”
With that, he turned and strode away. However, his departing figure carried an indescribable change.
Chu Feng watched him leave, then let out a breath of relief. Turning around, he yawned and headed back to his room.
…
The next day.
A shocking piece of news, like an eighteen-level superstorm, swept through the Capital City of the Great Qian Empire within a single hour, then spread across the entire Empire at an alarming speed.
At the Beast Arena of the Misty Rain Pavilion, a mysterious masked 1st stage Meridian Opening Realm fighter had publicly killed an Innate Realm expert from one of the Five Great Aristocratic Families—the Yang family!
The news threw the entire city into an uproar!
“Fake, right? Meridian Opening killing Innate? And a Yang family expert at that? How is that possible?!”
“It’s absolutely true! Thousands of people saw it last night! It was brutal—the Yang family expert had his chest pierced through by a single punch!”
“My heavens! Where did this monster come from?!”
“Investigate! We must find out who he is! If such a prodigy can be recruited, his future is limitless!”
In an instant, every major force in the Capital City—royal princes, nobles, and aristocratic families alike—sprang into action, desperately trying to uncover the identity of the masked fighter.
Protector Duke’s Manor.
Dressed in red, Ye Hongluan stood quietly by the window, listening to the report. For the first time, a trace of surprise appeared in her phoenix-like eyes, usually as cold as eternal ice.
She herself was a once-in-a-generation Martial Path genius, yet even she knew that at the Meridian Opening Realm, she could never achieve such a shocking feat.
“Who exactly is he?” she murmured, an unprecedented curiosity rising within her toward this mysterious masked man.
At that moment, Ye Tianxiong entered, his expression solemn. “Luan’er, there’s news from the Chu family.”
Ye Hongluan turned around.
Ye Tianxiong said in a low voice, “That old man Chu Qingcang has declared that Chu Feng will participate in this Heavenly Dragon Ranking Tournament… and will enter the top ten.”
“What?” Ye Hongluan frowned slightly. “Him? That prodigal?”
“Correct.” Ye Tianxiong nodded. “Luan’er, with the Chu family’s methods, what if… that boy really gets lucky and enters the top ten? Then you…”
“Impossible.” Ye Hongluan cut him off immediately, her tone calm yet firm. “Grandfather, you underestimate the Heavenly Dragon Ranking. Those who enter the top ten are all dragons among men—monsters among monsters. As for Chu Feng?”
A trace of mockery curled at her lips.
“Entering the top ten is not so easy.”
…
Zhenbei Marquis Manor, Chu Feng’s bedroom.
After a night of cultivation, Chu Feng felt refreshed, his strength clearly having improved again.
He looked at Shuang’er, sleeping peacefully in his arms with a faint smile on her lips, and felt a softness rise in his heart.
The Profound Yin Physique truly had endless uses.
This wasn’t a maid—this was a portable, top-grade charging treasure!
Just as he was about to start another round of “morning cultivation” to consolidate his strength—
Bang!
The door was kicked open from the outside.
A fiery red figure rushed in, accompanied by a crisp, pleasant voice filled with urgency.
“Xiao Feng!”
Chu Feng was startled so badly he almost went limp on the spot.
“What the hell?! Who is it? It’s early morning—can’t a man even sleep?!”
He shot upright, glaring toward the door in irritation—only to freeze on the spot.