69: Chapter 69 Hero Saves the Beauty
"Do you think you're a match for me with that half-baked Phoenix Secret Method? I am at the Half-step Void Refining cultivation level; you are no match for me!" Li Fenglei said with a smile.
However, in the face of Li Fenglei's words, Tao Yao surprisingly had no intention of refuting him. She knew very well how terrifying the strength of Li Fenglei, the number one person below Void Refining in Nanzhou, truly was!
Boom!
Surging Phoenix flames spread across the sky, and the temperature between heaven and earth skyrocketed because of it.
"That is still no reason for me to surrender without a fight!" The Phoenix's eyes looked coldly at Li Fenglei, her words filled with determination.
"Since that's the case, I'll just knock you unconscious and take you back. It's all the same!"
Li Fenglei smiled indifferently and reached out his hand, which transformed into a giant sky-propping hand that pressed down toward Tao Yao, as if he were catching a small bird.
Boom! Boom!
The Phoenix flames raging through the world crashed wildly against the sky-propping hand, but the latter remained as motionless as a reef in the sea.
As wave after wave of attacks proved useless, the Phoenix's eyes grew increasingly crimson, and her attacks became more frenzied, showing a desperate stance of risking everything.
With a sudden flap of the Phoenix wings, a gale abruptly rose between heaven and earth, and a tornado containing Phoenix flames whistled toward the sky-propping hand.
Crash!
The tornado swept up countless stones and soil, but they were burned to ashes in an instant and dissipated into the air.
"Not enough!"
However, facing the fire tornado that terrified countless Cultivators, Li Fenglei shook his head and spoke indifferently. The sky-propping hand then gently clenched.
Bang!
In the sky, the tornado formed of Phoenix flames gradually crumbled and dispersed under the grip of the sky-propping hand, like blooming fireworks, before slowly fading away.
"Are you coming again?" Li Fenglei said calmly. His surrounding Aura was peaceful, forming a sharp contrast with the unstable Aura of the Phoenix Tao Yao had transformed into; the difference in their strength was immediately apparent.
"Again!"
Phoenix flames once again swept through the world, and the Phoenix's crisp, melodious voice was filled with a refusal to admit defeat.
Boom!
As the Phoenix's voice fell, the Phoenix flames suddenly condensed together, forming a massive Phoenix fireball. It was then continuously compressed until it was the size of a human head, before hurtling toward Li Fenglei at high speed.
"Wind-Thunder Seal!"
Li Fenglei looked calmly at the rapidly approaching Phoenix fireball. With a wave of his hand, a force of wind and thunder suddenly condensed in his palm, transforming into a brilliant palm print.
Bang!
The Wind-Thunder Palm Print struck the Phoenix fireball heavily, but it couldn't cause the slightest obstruction and exploded directly, turning into countless flying sparks.
But this time, the Wind-Thunder Palm Print did not dissipate; instead, it pressed directly toward the Phoenix. Under this suppressive force, the Phoenix appeared so tiny, like an ant looking up at the vast blue sky.
"Li Fenglei! Even if you take me back, I will never submit to you!"
Looking at the Wind-Thunder Palm Print pressing down, bloodshot streaks spread in the Phoenix's eyes, and even her body trembled violently.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Phoenix continued to condense Phoenix fireballs to strike the palm print, but not even a single crack appeared; it was all in vain.
Moreover, the power of the Phoenix fireballs was gradually weakening, and the Phoenix form was slowly dissipating, as Tao Yao's figure began to emerge.
The duration for the Phoenix Secret Method had run out!
Tao Yao couldn't help but feel a hint of despair. She knew very well what kind of situation she would face next, and a strong emotion immediately welled up in her heart—a resolve to die rather than submit.
She had been adopted and raised by the previous Pavilion Master since childhood, taught how to Cultivate, how to protect herself, and how to handle the affairs of the Pavilion... During this time, due to her outstanding cultivation talent, she was designated as the successor to the Pavilion Master after surpassing all her peers in the Pavilion.
Because of her beauty, she was often coveted by others who tried every possible means to possess her, and she had encountered danger more than once or twice.
At the same time, because of her beauty, she also had to face exclusion and suppression from people within the same Pavilion who were constantly at odds with her. If her Master hadn't protected her, she might not have survived until now.
After her Master passed away and she became the Pavilion Master, the suppression against her intensified. She was completely marginalized, becoming a Pavilion Master in name only.
She also had to face harassment from the outside world. This situation of being besieged from both within and without left her exhausted and miserable.
Perhaps dying now would be a good choice; at least she wouldn't have to face these troubles anymore, and maybe she could see her Master again in another world.
Bang!
However, just as Li Fenglei's palm print was about to press down and Tao Yao herself was prepared for death, a startling Aura suddenly surged between heaven and earth. A figure then appeared beneath the Wind-Thunder Seal and shattered the palm print with a single punch.
"Is this... a void refining puppet?"
The sudden turn of events caused Li Fenglei's expression to turn ugly. Seeing that success was within reach only for complications to arise, a thick killing intent immediately welled up in his eyes.
"This..."
Tao Yao was equally shocked as she watched this scene, her eyes filled with disbelief. She hadn't expected that someone would actually step in to save her at this critical moment.
"I am taking Tao Yao under my protection! You cannot take her away today, and you won't be able to in the future either!"
While everyone was still reeling from the shock of this scene, two figures—a man and a woman—suddenly appeared on the field, and a leisurely male voice echoed between heaven and earth.
"Arrogance! If you think you can play the hero and save the beauty with just a single void refining puppet, then you underestimate me, Li Fenglei, too much!" Li Fenglei shouted sharply, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Ning Yuan.
Ning Yuan first looked at Tao Yao and found that she was only suffering from the backlash of her secret method and was in a temporarily weakened state. Her injuries weren't too serious, so he breathed a sigh of relief before saying in a deep voice:
"So you're saying you refuse to let this go? In that case, we'll just have to settle this with a fight!"
"Hahahaha!"
Li Fenglei couldn't help but burst into laughter, his body trembling as if he had heard a massive joke. Then, he retracted his smile and said with a face full of frost:
"Kid, playing the hero requires actual skill. A mere void refining puppet can't do anything to me. Do you really think my reputation as the number one person below Void Refining was just for show?"
"Since we can't reach an agreement, then let's fight! Whoever wins gets to call the shots!" Ning Yuan sneered.
Swoosh!
As soon as he finished speaking, the void refining puppet charged toward Li Fenglei like a bolt of lightning, a faint but extremely powerful pressure radiating from its body.
"Come then!"
Li Fenglei showed no fear and met the void refining puppet head-on. He swung his fist, and a force of thunder permeated it as he smashed it directly toward the Puppet.
Boom!
The void refining puppet naturally showed no fear either, throwing a straight punch that collided with Li Fenglei's fist. A violent surge of spiritual power erupted, sweeping out in all directions.
If they hadn't been far from the combatants, the shockwaves from the battle alone would have been enough to knock everyone present back quite a distance.