The morning mist of the Black Forest clung to the air like ghosts of forgotten beasts. The deeper Lin Feng walked, the quieter it became. Every few steps, strange runes flickered across the trees, remnants of ancient formations that had long lost their masters.
He moved swiftly but cautiously, the faint hum of the dragon blood inside him guiding his senses. Ahead, the ground was faintly trembling — the ancient ruins were awakening.
"The heart of the Black Forest…" he murmured. "Finally."
As he stepped over a fallen trunk, his dragon sense suddenly flared. A violent surge of qi burst through the air, followed by a muffled scream.
Without hesitation, Lin Feng blurred into motion. Trees bent in his wake; his aura sliced through the forest like a blade of wind.
He reached a clearing — and froze.
Lan Yu stood at the center, her armor cracked, blood trickling from her lips. Around her were four cultivators dressed in black-gold robes bearing the emblem of a blazing sun. Their killing intent was suffocating.
"The Southern Sun Sect," Lin Feng muttered. "What are they doing here?"
"Hand over the map fragment, Lan Yu," one of the men sneered. "You've already lost."
Lan Yu wiped the blood from her mouth, her eyes cold as ice. "Over my dead body."
"That can be arranged."
The leader raised his palm, flames igniting across his arm as a giant fiery python manifested behind him. Just as it lunged toward her, a sword aura split the air.
Bang!
The python shattered in mid-air.
A figure descended like lightning, his robe fluttering, eyes glowing faintly with golden dragon light.
"Lin Feng…" Lan Yu whispered, disbelief flashing in her eyes.
Lin Feng landed beside her, his expression calm but his aura sharp as a blade. "You attract trouble easily."
Lan Yu gave a faint smile despite her exhaustion. "And you seem to appear every time."
"Unfortunate coincidence," he said dryly, drawing his sword.
The Southern Sun disciples staggered back as the oppressive force of his battle, slaughter, and sword intents merged, turning the entire clearing into a domain of death. The wind howled. The trees groaned.
"Who dares interfere with the Southern Sun Sect!" their leader shouted.
"Someone who doesn't care," Lin Feng replied, his voice like thunder.
He vanished.
Clang!
The first attacker barely raised his weapon before a red arc of sword light cleaved through his defense, bisecting him cleanly.
The others panicked and unleashed a barrage of flame techniques, but Lin Feng's dragon aura surged outward — a blazing golden pressure that swallowed their attacks whole.
Roar!
The nine-headed dragon phantom appeared once more, its eyes burning with primordial rage. In a single breath, it unleashed a torrent of qi that incinerated everything in its path.
When the light faded, only ashes remained.
Lin Feng lowered his sword and turned to Lan Yu. "You're injured."
"It's nothing," she said softly, clutching her arm. "But… thank you."
He nodded once. "You were heading for the ruins too?"
"Yes. The Golden Core Pill is about to surface. I couldn't let those vultures take it."
Lin Feng's eyes flickered. "A pill that can create a new core even for a crippled cultivator — no wonder the geniuses of every continent are converging."
She looked at him curiously. "And you? Don't tell me you're not tempted."
Lin Feng smiled faintly. "I am. But more than the pill, I want the challenge."
Lan Yu couldn't help but shake her head. "You really are insane."
"Probably."
Together, they moved deeper into the forest. As they approached the ruins, the air grew heavier. Massive stone pillars jutted from the earth, covered in divine carvings that glowed faintly under the moonlight. Spiritual energy gathered like a storm.
Dozens of silhouettes stood waiting — prodigies from the Western, Southern, and Northern continents. The air buzzed with power and hostility.
"There it is," Lan Yu whispered.
At the heart of the ruins floated a golden pill, radiating brilliance. Its surface was engraved with the image of a dragon coiling around a sun. Even from afar, one could feel its life-altering potency.
"The Golden Core Pill," Lin Feng murmured. The energy it emitted made his dragon blood surge restlessly. It's reacting…
A booming voice echoed across the ruins. "Anyone who wants it must earn it!"
A young man in silver armor stepped forward, his aura bursting like a tidal wave. "Wang Long, third genius of the Western Continent," someone whispered. His eyes glowed with battle lust as he scanned the crowd. "Come, let's see who's worthy!"
Immediately, the battlefield erupted.
Dozens of geniuses launched attacks simultaneously. Flames, thunder, wind, and sword qi tore through the sky. The earth shook violently; craters formed as the very space trembled under their might.
Lan Yu drew her sword. "Let's go."
Lin Feng stepped forward beside her. "Stay close."
He unsheathed his sword, the blade shimmering with crimson light. The moment he released his battle intent, everything around him slowed — his senses sharpened to perfection.
"Azure Sword Art — Fourth Stance!"
Boom!
A wave of sword light swept through the ruins, sending several geniuses flying backward, blood spilling from their mouths.
"Lin Feng is here!" someone shouted. "The Eastern Continent monster!"
"Get him!"
But as they surrounded him, Lin Feng's slaughter intent erupted like a hurricane. His presence became suffocating, his eyes glinting coldly.
"You think numbers matter?"
He spun, his sword tracing arcs of crimson light. Each swing severed both attack and attacker alike. Blood mist filled the air, painting the ruins in shades of red.
Lan Yu fought beside him, her ice dragon bloodline awakening once again. Frost spread across the ground, freezing enemies mid-attack while Lin Feng's flames and dragon qi shattered them into shards of ice.
Across the battlefield, Wang Long faced them directly. "You're strong, Lin Feng — but this pill belongs to the West!"
He raised his palm, summoning a giant golden lion of qi. The beast roared, its claws crashing toward Lin Feng like a collapsing mountain.
"Let's see whose will reigns supreme!" Lin Feng shouted.
His dragon intent flared to its peak, merging with his battle and sword intents. The nine-headed dragon behind him roared in defiance.
"Nine Dragon Heaven Treading Step — Second Step!"
The ground shattered. Lin Feng shot forward like lightning, colliding head-on with the golden lion.
BOOM!
The explosion rippled for miles, tearing apart half the ruins. Dust and flames engulfed the field.
When the smoke cleared, Wang Long was on his knees, coughing blood. His armor was in pieces.
Lin Feng walked toward the hovering Golden Core Pill. "Anyone else?"
Silence.
Dozens of cultivators — the so-called geniuses of their continents — could only stare, trembling, unwilling to take another step.
The pill's light dimmed slightly, sensing the dominance of the one before it. It hovered for a moment, then floated gently into Lin Feng's palm.
Warmth spread through his veins. The dragon inside him stirred with satisfaction.
Behind him, Lan Yu approached, gazing at him with complicated eyes. "You always end up stealing the spotlight."
He smiled faintly. "I didn't steal it. I just took what was mine."
She chuckled softly, then winced from her wounds. Lin Feng handed her a spirit pill. "Recover. The real storm hasn't even begun."
Lan Yu looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"
He glanced toward the horizon. Far away, countless streaks of light were descending — reinforcements, sect elites, genius of different continent approaching
"They've noticed the golden core pill," Lin Feng murmured. "And they'll come for it soon."
The wind howled through the ruins, carrying the scent of blood and destiny.
The battle for the Golden Core Pill was over —
But the war for supremacy had only just begun.