Stepping outside the cave, Chen Feng retrieved some nourishing provisions from his system inventory, and the master and disciple shared a quiet breakfast.
With their energy restored, Chen Feng’s objective was crystal clear: he needed to take Su Yun to a place swept by fierce, howling winds so he could guide her breathing and teach her the fundamentals of the eagle transformation technique using his inner energy.
Before setting off, Chen Feng glanced up at the sky. The old man from the carriage had told him that the darker and denser the mountain clouds grew, the deeper one was venturing into the heart of the mountain range.
For now, the clouds above were sparse and light, indicating their true journey had barely begun. However, in the distance, heavy, dark clouds loomed ominously. Without wasting a moment, Chen Feng and Su Yun began walking in that direction.
The environment and mountain scenery slowly shifted. A damp chill filled the air, accompanied by biting, forceful gusts of wind.
Fortunately, wrapped in their thick winter garments, the biting cold barely phased them. Along the way, Chen Feng kept a close eye on Su Yun, periodically handing her food to keep her stamina at its peak.
Chen Feng kept giving her food, and she kept eating. It almost seemed as though her stomach had no bottom.
After traveling for some time, they arrived at a bustling area packed with an unusually large crowd.
The people gathered here were clearly no ordinary travelers—their postures, auras, and attire revealed them to be martial artists of various backgrounds.
Chen Feng halted and activated his **Secret Seeking Eyes**, quietly scanning the crowd around him.
A stream of detailed data materialized before him—names, sects, family backgrounds, and the martial techniques they practiced. None of them posed any real threat; they were either third-rate martial artists or mediocre martial experts whom Chen Feng could safely ignore.
However, one specific figure instantly caught his attention.
The young man was dressed in pristine white martial robes, adorned with a delicate, intricate pattern of pink petals drifting in the wind near his chest—the official insignia of the **Mount Hua Sect**.
His thick black hair cascaded loosely, framing a face with sharp, piercing dark eyes. A thin white ribbon bound his brow, giving him a disciplined yet aristocratic air. A white-scabbarded sword rested securely at his waist.
When Chen Feng scanned him with his ability, the system flashed his details:
* **Name:** Zhuo Yan
* **Identity:** Senior Disciple of the Mount Hua Sect
* **Martial Realm:** Martial Master - two Crown
*** Technique:***Gale-Slicing Divine Sword Art(mid high grade)
He was by far the most powerful individual in the crowd. Having recently reached the Martial Master realm himself, Chen Feng understood how the stages within this realm worked.
Achieving the first breakthrough grants an elemental crown of enlightenment upon one’s head; a second enlightenment brings the second crown, and so forth, until five total crowns are unlocked to progress to the next major realm.
Zhuo Yan possessed just a single crown, placing him firmly at the One Crown stage. Although his wind-based sword technique was only rated at a mid-high grade, mastering it to reach the Martial Master level at such a young age proved his extraordinary innate talent.
Suddenly, a bulky, heavy-set young man stepped out of the crowd and approached Chen Feng. Dressed in blue robes, he looked to be roughly Chen Feng’s age.
Smiling warmly, he asked, "Hey, you look new around here, brother? Are you a martial expert too? I can sense a rather formidable presence coming from you."
Chen Feng scanned him with his Secret Seeking Eyes:
* **Name:** Zhu Mentian
* **Identity:** Martial Expert
* **Technique:** A heavy, bull-strength body-hardening technique.(Mid grade)
With a light smile, Chen Feng replied, "Yes, I am a martial expert."
Zhu Mentian grinned wider and asked, "So, are you here to take the trial for the Mount Hua Sect too?"
Chen Feng merely smiled and brushed it off, having no intention of taking any trials; he only wanted a secluded place to train.
Enthusiastically, Zhu Mentian continued, "People always come here hoping to get scouted by the Mount Hua Sect—if you can push 10 or 15 kilometers deep into the mountain, you might receive an invitation based on your talent. But today is a special day!The crowd is massive today because everyone came to witness the Mount Hua Sect’s elite disciple."
"See that guy in white robes over there? He is a senior disciple and a martial master of the Mount Hua Sect. Can you believe it? He’s only 26 years old, yet he has already attained the Martial Master realm! And do you see that woman standing over there...".
Zhu Mentian pointed discreetly, "...she is an Elder of the Mount Hua Sect. Zhuo Yan is going to push a full 40 kilometers deep into the mountain today! If he succeeds, that Elder will take him on as her personal disciple."
Following the direction of the gesture, Chen Feng’s gaze landed on a woman leaning against a stone slab amidst the surrounding brush.
She had been standing so quietly and effortlessly that Chen Feng hadn’t even registered her presence initially.
She possessed long, flowing black hair and captivating, luminous pink eyes. Clad in immaculate white robes, her breathtaking beauty carried an intoxicating yet dangerous allure.
Chen Feng instantly triggered his Secret Seeking Eyes upon her:
* **Realm:** Martial Grand Master - Green Essence stage
The realization sent a jolt of shock straight through Chen Feng! She was a Grand Master—a full major realm above him! But when he tried to inspect her name and technique, the system screen flashed a stark **"Error."** Chen Feng’s heart skipped a beat; not only was she vastly superior to him in power, but her true capabilities were completely unfathomable.
Right at that moment, the peerless Grand Master slowly turned her head and locked her gaze directly onto Chen Feng.
Chen Feng instantly averted his eyes, keeping his guard up. But the woman’s gaze drifted slightly, landing squarely on **Su Yun**, who stood right beside him.
As her eyes caught Su Yun, a strange, enigmatic smile crept onto her lips.
In the next fraction of a second, the woman subtly reached into her sleeve, pulled out an ancient jade token, and ruthlessly crushed it to dust right within her fist!
Out of the corner of his eye, Chen Feng caught this deeply suspicious movement. A wave of unease washed over him. He had no idea why this high-ranking Grand Master would react to Su Yun in such a manner, but he knew staying here any longer was a risk he couldn’t afford.
Leaning close, Chen Feng whispered, "Su Yun, we need to move forward now."
Taking her hand, Chen Feng strode past the gathering crowd and straight into the depths of the mountain forest. The onlookers watched in sheer disbelief, utterly shocked that a mere pair of outsiders would completely ignore the sect’s elite figures and walk away without showing the slightest bit of deference.
Zhu mentian hurriedly called out, "Hey, wait! Wait! You haven’t even told me your name! And shouldn’t we following that martial Master?"
Suddenly Zhu mentian felt as though someone was watching him.
He turned his head and saw one of the Mount Hua Sect’s elite disciple staring at him with an extremely angry expression.
Zhu mentian immediately raised his hands and hurriedly said, "I don’t know her! I don’t know her!"
Zhuo Yan felt a sudden surge of boiling anger at Chen Feng’s perceived arrogance, his eyes narrowing sharply. However, forcing himself to suppress his fury, he steadied his breath—he had a 40-kilometer trek ahead of him to secure his place as a Martial Grand Master’s personal disciple, and nothing else mattered right now.