279: Fiery Challenge

The night was deep, and Juyan City gradually fell into a slumber.

Qin Feng sat cross-legged in his inn room. The medicinal power of the Star-Reaching Meridian-Connecting Pill had completely dissolved within his body; his damaged Meridians were eighty percent recovered, and his Dantian was as stable as ever. Although his cultivation had not yet fully returned to the Mid-stage Martial King level, he could feel that the purity of his True Essence was even better than before his injury, and he could vaguely sense an opportunity for a Breakthrough.

At the zi hour, the System's light screen appeared punctually:

【Daily Intelligence Refreshed】(zi hour):

1. 【White Intelligence】: Old Man Sun of Juyan City said while drunk that he used to work under a Martial Emperor; this is actually true. However, back then he was a blacksmith specifically tasked with repairing damaged armor in the manor.

2. 【White Intelligence】: Third Miss Yan Chi's violent performance on the arena stage terrified several Young Masters from noble families who originally harbored feelings for her; they packed their bags overnight and left Juyan City under excuses like "study tours" or "visiting friends." The one who left most urgently was the Second Young Master of the Liu family; his father originally intended to propose marriage to the City Lord's Manor, but after witnessing Yan Chi nail Flower Without Intent to the protective light screen, the Second Young Master Liu claimed that night that he "suddenly gained insight and needed to enter secluded meditation," while in reality, he had already quietly headed for the Imperial Capital.

3. 【Yellow Intelligence】: Through Xia Xue and her father, Yan Chi has learned in detail about your battle records in places like Medicine King Valley, the Ancient Wood Deep Forest, and Star South City. In particular, your feat of resisting Zhongli Wu with your Martial King cultivation and joining forces with Medicine King Valley to heavily wound the Yin Demon Sect has stirred a strong Battle Intent within her. She has decided that before gifting the sun crystal stone, she wants a fair fight with you. Regardless of the win or loss, she will fulfill her promise, but if you accept the challenge, she will additionally grant you one reasonable request.

Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes, a flash of understanding crossing them.

The first two pieces of White Intelligence were just marketplace gossip and didn't require much attention. But the third piece of Yellow Intelligence was crucial—Yan Chi wanted to challenge him!

“Wants to challenge me?” A faint smile played on the corners of Qin Feng's mouth. “It seems she has prepared in advance.”

That was fine. Fighting against the strong was an essential part of martial cultivation. Moreover, Yan Chi promised to fulfill her commitment regardless of the outcome, and even grant an extra request. This deal wasn't a loss.

More importantly, after successive life-and-death battles, Qin Feng had a clearer understanding of his own strength. He needed a real, no-holds-barred fight to test his recovered combat power and to sharpen his sword's edge once more before heading to the Imperial Capital.

“Bring it on.” Battle Intent ignited in Qin Feng's eyes.

—

Over the next two days, Xiao Chun went to the City Lord's Manor every day to treat Yan Chi.

With the experience from the first day, the subsequent treatments were much smoother. On the second day, Xiao Chun used Wood Spirit Qi to nourish Yan Chi's damaged Meridians and began to harmonize the conflict between the Berserker Bloodline and the Yan family Bloodline. Although this process wasn't as painful as the detoxification, it was extremely delicate; the slightest mistake could result in all previous efforts being wasted.

Xiao Chun was fully focused. With the double support of the Myriad Medicine Body and the heart of the wood spirit, she was like the most precise physician, guiding the two violent Bloodline powers to slowly merge. When the treatment ended, Yan Chi could clearly feel that the sense of conflict within her body, which could explode at any moment, had weakened by sixty percent.

On the third day, the treatment entered its final stage—stabilizing the mind and spirit, and organizing the fire-attribute True Essence cultivated from the Blazing Sun Art.

This time, Xiao Chun not only applied needles but also used the Medicine King Valley's secret "Soul-Calming Powder." This powder was refined from nine types of spirit-soothing herbs and had miraculous effects on calming a restless mind.

Three hours later, the treatment concluded.

Yan Chi sat cross-legged on the Cold Jade Bed, her aura calm and steady. The scorching Protective Aura that had been constantly leaking out was now completely internalized, and the faint blood-colored patterns on her skin had disappeared. She opened her eyes, which were clear and bright, devoid of her previous frenzy.

“How do you feel?” Xiao Chun wiped the sweat from her forehead and asked softly.

Yan Chi stood up and moved her limbs, her face showing unbelievable joy: “Better than ever! That feeling of being ready to explode at any moment... is completely gone! And my True Essence flows more smoothly; my cultivation even seems to have improved!”

She tightly grasped Xiao Chun's hand: “Xiao Chun, thank you! I, Yan Chi, will never forget this kindness in my life!”

Xiao Chun smiled slightly: “Third Miss, you're too kind. The root of your Berserker condition has been removed, but you still need to rest for a month. During this time, you must not rashly Move your True Essence, and even more so, you must not enter the Berserker state again. I will write you a formula for recovery; just take it on time.”

Yan Di watched from the side, his eyes full of gratification. He examined his daughter's condition and confirmed that the Berserker sequelae were basically eliminated; the rest was just a matter of time.

“The Little Divine Doctor's miraculous touch has saved her; the entire City Lord's Manor is deeply grateful!” Yan Di said solemnly. “According to our agreement, the sun crystal stone...”

“Wait.”

Yan Chi suddenly spoke, interrupting her father.

She turned to look at Qin Feng, who had been standing quietly to the side, her eyes burning with intense Battle Intent: “Qin Feng, I heard you could resist Zhongli Wu with your Martial King cultivation, and even hold your own against a Martial Emperor level expert without being defeated.”

Qin Feng's expression was calm: “The rumors are mostly exaggerated.”

“No need for modesty.” Yan Chi's gaze was like a torch. “In my life, I, Yan Chi, respect true experts the most. Xiao Chun cured my illness, so I will definitely give you the sun crystal stone. But before that—”

She spoke word by word: “I want a fair fight with you. Regardless of the win or loss, the sun crystal stone will be presented. Moreover, if you accept the challenge, no matter the result, I will additionally grant you one reasonable request.”

“What do you say?”

As her voice fell, the air in the Quiet Room suddenly froze.

Yan Di's brow furrowed slightly, but he did not speak to stop her. He understood his daughter's character—warlike and a worshiper of the strong. Qin Feng's battle record had clearly piqued her interest.

Xiao Chun looked at Qin Feng with concern: “Brother Feng...”

Qin Feng met Yan Chi's gaze and slowly nodded: “Fine.”

“Splendid!” The Battle Intent in Yan Chi's eyes grew even stronger. “Tomorrow at the chen hour, at the City Lord's Manor's martial arts field, you and I shall have a fair fight!”

“I accept.” Qin Feng agreed.

---

The next morning, at the City Lord's Manor's martial arts field.

This was an open-air field spanning a hundred zhang, paved with special stone that could withstand the aftershocks of a Martial Emperor level battle. An enhanced version of a protective Formation was set up around it to prevent energy from leaking out.

Yan Di, Xia Xue, Xiao Chun, Xia Ya, Ji Ruxue, Tao Yuanyi, Cold Peach Blossom, and others stood by the field to watch. Tao Yuanyi and Cold Peach Blossom were supposed to participate in today's Artifact Refining competition finals, but after learning of the duel between Qin Feng and Yan Chi, they decided to delay their departure by an hour—they didn't want to miss this battle.

In the field, Qin Feng and Yan Chi stood facing each other, ten zhang apart.

Today, Yan Chi wore a crimson martial outfit with her long hair simply tied up, holding that twelve-foot crimson spear. After three days of treatment, her aura was internalized, but her gaze was as sharp as a blade; she was like a divine weapon sheathed, though not yet drawn, its sharpness was already faintly visible.

Qin Feng wore a cyan martial outfit with the ink plum sword on his back. His injuries were eighty percent recovered, and his cultivation was stable at the Peak of Early Stage Martial King, but the purity of his True Essence far exceeded those of the same rank. More importantly, the repair progress of his Sword Heart and Sword Bone exceeded expectations; though not fully recovered, they could already exert seventy percent of their power.

“Qin Feng, I won't take advantage of you.” Yan Chi said loudly. “My cultivation is at the Mid-stage Martial King level, and my Blazing Sun Art has reached the sixth layer. Since your injuries haven't fully healed, I will suppress my cultivation to the Early Stage Martial King level for a fair fight with you.”

Qin Feng shook his head: “No need. Third Miss, please use your full strength; I will handle it.”

“Oh?” Yan Chi raised an eyebrow. “What spirit! Then—please!”

Before her voice had even faded, she moved.

There was no testing, no holding back; her first Move was a killing strike from the Blazing Sun Art—

“Crimson Sun Piercing the Sun!”

The spear was like a Dragon, crimson flames surging, transforming into a ten-zhang-long giant spear of fire that carried the momentum to pierce heaven and earth, thrusting straight at Qin Feng's chest!

The speed, power, and momentum of this spear were even better than during the arena battle! Clearly, after the treatment, Yan Chi's control over her power was more refined; the same Move's power had increased by thirty percent!

By the field, Xia Ya gasped: “Good heavens, if this spear were aimed at me, I'm not sure I could block it even with my shield!”

Yan Di's eyes flashed with gratification—his daughter had indeed improved.

Facing such a terrifying strike, Qin Feng neither dodged nor avoided it.

He held his right hand with fingers together like a sword, his fingertips glowing with a faint blue-gold light—

“Finger Sword Among Flowers · Breaking the Momentum!”

He pointed a finger, seemingly nonchalant, but it accurately struck a point three inches from the side of the spear tip. That was the node of the power flow in this Move, and also its only flaw!

“Clang!”

The fingertip collided with the spear shaft, producing a crisp ringing sound.

Yan Chi only felt a strange force coming from the spear shaft, actually causing her sure-win thrust to deviate by three inches, brushing past Qin Feng's shoulder!

“Good eye!” A bright light flashed in Yan Chi's eyes. Before the spear's momentum faded, she followed through with a horizontal sweep, “Flame Dragon Swings Its Tail!”

The spear was like a Dragon's tail sweeping across, the flames turning into a fan-shaped wave of air, covering a ten-zhang range in front of her!

Qin Feng's figure was like the wind, his footsteps treading a mysterious path—

“Wind Spirit Illusion Steps!”

His entire being vanished from the spot like an illusion, reappearing the next instant three zhang to Yan Chi's left. It wasn't teleportation, but the combination of extreme speed and exquisite footwork, fast enough to exceed the limits of visual capture!

“Daoist Primordial Chaos Art · Primordial One Qi!”

True Essence surged within Qin Feng's body as he operated the Daoist Primordial Chaos Art to its full extent. The mysteries of this Earth Rank Advanced Cultivation Technique were fully revealed at this moment—although he had only just scratched the surface, the quality, recovery speed, and operational efficiency of his True Essence far exceeded those of the same rank. More importantly, the Primordial One Qi could encompass all things and had a natural restraint against fire-attribute Protective Aura!

He again held his fingers like a sword, and this time black and white Qi flickered at his fingertips, with a Taiji pattern faintly circulating—

“Primordial Chaos Finger!”

He thrust a finger silently, yet it carried a Concept that could dismantle all things, pointing straight at a vital point on Yan Chi's waist.

Yan Chi's expression changed slightly. She could feel the terrifying piercing power contained in this finger; if struck, her Protective Aura would surely be broken!

“Blazing Sun Body Protection!”

Crimson flames surged around her, forming a thick shield of fire outside her body. At the same time, her spear whirled, the tail end striking back to meet Qin Feng's finger sword.

“Bang!”

The finger and the spear tail collided, erupting in a dull, heavy explosion.

Qin Feng was shaken back three steps, a burning pain coming from his fingertips—Yan Chi's fire Protective Aura was indeed overbearing. But Yan Chi wasn't doing well either; the Primordial Chaos force from the spear tail was like a maggot on a bone, actually seeping through her Protective Aura into her Meridians, causing her blood and Qi to churn.

The two separated, five zhang apart, both showing solemn expressions in their eyes.

In the initial clash, they were evenly matched!

“Good!” Battle Intent blazed even brighter in Yan Chi's eyes. “Qin Feng, you really didn't disappoint me!”

Qin Feng slowly drew the ink plum sword from his back; the blade was pitch black, with lightning patterns flowing: “Third Miss, please continue.”

“As you wish!”

Yan Chi shook her spear, and the crimson flames rose again.

And as Qin Feng operated his Sword Heart, the sound of wind and thunder faintly echoed from the ink plum sword.

The true battle had only just begun!