In an instant, everyone around turned their gazes toward the scene.
Qi Hao, Faxiang, and the others exchanged bewildered looks, completely unaware of what had transpired, as they had been engaged in polite mutual compliments moments before.
"You…"
Under the scrutiny of the crowd, Li Xun's face alternated between pale and flushed. His eyes burned with anger as he glared at Ji Changfeng. Without a word, he summoned his magical treasure, the Jade Yang Ruler, seemingly intent on reclaiming his lost dignity.
"What's this?"
"You want to fight me?"
Ji Changfeng sneered dismissively, his gaze indifferent as he looked at Li Xun, not taking him seriously at all.
Swish—
At that moment, Lu Xueqi silently drew her Tianya Divine Sword from behind him. Her face was as cold as frost, her eyes filled with disgust as she stared at Li Xun.
At the same time, a thick, foul stench wafted over, causing Lu Xueqi to furrow her brow involuntarily, a trace of revulsion appearing on her face.
Ji Changfeng calmly reached out and steadied Lu Xueqi's hand.
He gently pushed the Tianya Divine Sword back into its sheath, then turned his gaze to Li Xun and said, "I'll give you a two-hand handicap. Do you dare fight me?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ji Changfeng slowly placed both hands behind his back.
Then…
He unleashed a powerful aura, crushing down on Li Xun without hesitation.
Boom—
The oppressive might of the Upper Purity realm, laced with a dense sword intent, swept over like a tidal wave.
In that moment, everyone's expressions changed.
They stared at Ji Changfeng in disbelief, shock flickering in their eyes.
Even though this aura wasn't deliberately aimed at them, they still felt an overwhelming sense of pressure…
Upper Purity realm?!
The group looked at Ji Changfeng with stunned gazes.
"You…" Li Xun's face turned beet red. Fully targeted by this aura, he was forced to his knees right then and there before Ji Changfeng.
Boom—
The Jade Yang Ruler erupted with brilliant light.
Li Xun tried to use the treasure's power to break free from the binding pressure.
"Hmph!" Ji Changfeng let out a cold snort.
In the next instant, an even more ferocious sword intent exploded forth.
The glow from the Jade Yang Ruler was utterly crushed by this sword intent.
And Li Xun himself…
Was slammed flat onto the ground, eating a mouthful of dirt.
"Amitabha!" Faxiang chanted a Buddhist invocation and quickly stepped forward to mediate. "Why must you two brothers get so angry? We have an important mission on this trip—let's not harm our harmony over trivial matters."
Hearing this, Ji Changfeng gave Faxiang a faint glance and slowly retracted his aura. Of course…
He couldn't resist adding a mocking jab: "Brother Li? I already gave you a two-hand handicap, yet you still couldn't win? Your title as an elite disciple of Fenxiang Valley…"
"Seems a bit watered down."
"You!" Li Xun's eyes widened in fury.
He scrambled to his feet in embarrassment, glaring angrily at Ji Changfeng, but ultimately, under Yan Hong's "persuasion," he stowed his treasure.
"Hmph!"
Li Xun snorted coldly.
He deliberately avoided looking at the others, turning his gaze elsewhere.
Yan Hong smiled awkwardly, unsure of what to do.
"Amitabha!" Faxiang addressed Ji Changfeng with a tone of admiration. "Senior Brother Ji, have you truly broken through to the Upper Purity realm?!"
At these words, everyone turned their eyes to Ji Changfeng.
Qi Hao and the others had their suspicions, but they hadn't known for certain if Ji Changfeng had actually reached the Upper Purity realm.
Facing Faxiang's question, Ji Changfeng nodded slightly, saying calmly, "Just a stroke of luck."
The group was inwardly shocked.
He really did break through?
The Upper Purity realm's power, whether in Tianyin Temple or Fenxiang Valley, was at least on the level of an elder.
But how old was Ji Changfeng?
How many years had he been cultivating?
Qi Hao sighed in awe. "Junior Brother Ji has only been in the sect for five years, yet he's already reached the Upper Purity realm and claimed first place in this Seven Peaks Tournament. He's truly…"
A monster!
Qi Hao left the last part unsaid, but the shock in his tone was unmistakable to everyone.
Li Xun's mouth twitched slightly. Entered the sect five years ago and broke through to Upper Purity? Can't afford to provoke him…
Lu Xueqi stared at Ji Changfeng in a daze, pursing her lips slightly, her mind lost in unspoken thoughts.
Zhang Xiaofan looked at Ji Changfeng with eyes full of admiration.
That's my Seventh Senior Brother…
"Alright, enough idle talk," Ji Changfeng waved his hand lightly. "I deliberately spared one blood-sucking bat earlier—it flew off in that direction…"
"The Myriad Bats Ancient Cave should be around there."
Ji Changfeng pointed toward the distance.
Faxiang's expression grew serious. "Senior Brother Ji, are you saying the swarm of blood-sucking bats we encountered were raised by the Blood Refining Hall?!"
"Correct," Ji Changfeng nodded.
After a brief discussion, the group unanimously followed Ji Changfeng toward the indicated direction, searching for the exact location of the Myriad Bats Ancient Cave.
Before long, they arrived at the mountainside of Kongsang Mountain, where they indeed discovered a eerie cave.
Looking inside, the cave was filled with countless hanging blood-sucking bats, their crimson eyes staring straight at Ji Changfeng and the others…
At the sight, everyone felt a chill run down their spines.
So many blood-sucking bats guarding the entrance?! How are we supposed to get in?
Lu Xueqi paled at the sight of the endless swarm. Without thinking, she reached out and clutched Ji Changfeng's sleeve…
"Senior Brother Ji, what should we do next?" Faxiang from Tianyin Temple asked.
After Ji Changfeng revealed his Upper Purity cultivation, the group had naturally come to see him as their leader, deferring to his judgment on all matters…
Ji Changfeng glanced back at Lu Xueqi, giving her a reassuring look, before pondering and saying, "This swarm of blood-sucking bats is easy enough to deal with, but their numbers are still overwhelming. Let's wait until tomorrow…"
"We'll enter the Myriad Bats Ancient Cave at first light."
The group nodded in agreement.
They found an open spot outside the cave, sat cross-legged, and meditated while quietly waiting for dawn…
Several hours passed.
The moon set, and the sun slowly rose.
The blood-sucking bats inside the Myriad Bats Ancient Cave curled up their bodies one by one, entering a deep slumber…
Bats were nocturnal creatures, after all.
During the day, unless faced with a life-threatening crisis, they wouldn't leave their nests.
"Everyone, let's go in."
Ji Changfeng's gaze swept over the group.
They all nodded.
Summoning their magical treasures, they cautiously stepped into the Myriad Bats Ancient Cave.
Swish—
As soon as they entered the cave, Ji Changfeng wasted no time and cast an ice-based spell on the ground.
This sudden action left everyone stunned.
___
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