Another matter that changes one’s journey into the core wilderness is the beast-like power surrounding them.
Beasts taking human form clearly don’t use the mist energy utilized by beasts; instead, they wield Qi, spiritual energy, and martial power. This discovery was a tremendous shock to Yan Xiaobao, as it marked the first time he fought human King-level experts.
Lan Feng refused to comment on when or how a mystical beast managed to shape a human form. He even refused to explain how energy transitions from mist energy to forms usable by humans. The only suggestion he offered was for Yan Xiaobao to ask his caretaker during their meeting. It was evident that the Phoenix was still angrily questioning their sole option for assistance.
Though furious, Lan Feng maintained control over his body and continued moving toward the city’s inner regions as directed. He realized this was their only path forward, though fraught with danger and uncertainty—there was simply no other choice.
"You are already a Saint," Yan Xiaobao asked curiously. ’Why are you so afraid of her? Might she be God?’ This question elicited a snort from Lan Feng, though he didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he spent some time pondering.
"Though I am a Saint, I am not the ninth-ranked Saint. However, she is. I also suspect this Zhong Hui to be of nine stars. In terms of power, both surpass me. Although it pains me to admit it, I cannot even manage the smallest resistance against them."
Lan Feng’s voice sounded both dejected and enraged as he focused on a group of travelers blocking the path ahead of him.
Lan Feng frowned slightly, sensing something amiss. He halted before reaching them. Both Yan Xiaobao and Lan Feng remained on high alert, as the surrounding atmosphere near the group triggered a visceral sense of foreboding for man and bird alike. They paused to observe the group, only to find that the group was watching a solitary individual without any companions.
The group consisted of seven men. Some wore finely tailored clothes made of costly materials, while others donned simple attire woven from durable yet inexpensive fabric. Their weapons, too, varied widely in quality and material. Their eyes narrowed, their unshaven faces showing none of a traveler’s weariness.
Gazing at these men, Lan Feng and Yan Xiaobao immediately understood—they were not lost or resting travelers but bandits; bandits who preyed on any group of travelers crossing their path.
Realizing this, both Lan Feng and Yan Xiaobao sighed deeply. They had encountered multiple groups of bandits before. Most would either retreat upon sensing the aura of a Saint-ranking expert or perish in swift and painless exchanges.
The group before them appeared formidable, featuring three King-level experts and an Emperor, while the others ranked as Dukes. As for why experts of such caliber had fallen to become thieves and raiders, Yan Xiaobao didn’t know. He pondered this briefly before realizing he had little interest in the answer.
Lan Feng acted as he had countless times before when facing adversaries. He released his aura, yet this group—with their Emperor and three Kings—failed to recognize the aura of a Saint. What they felt was overwhelming pressure, though their party included three King-level experts and an Emperor. Having never encountered someone as strong as the experts within their own ranks, they immediately began hurling insults at Lan Feng.
The King-ranked experts followed suit, their expressions souring, as the four leaders of the group fixed cold and indifferent gazes upon Lan Feng. They decided this was their best chance—a full-scale attack. They believed their numerical advantage would prevail, and having never met a true Holy Name Expert, their hubris blinded their judgment.
But their arrogance proved fatally flawed. They had neither encountered nor understood the power of a Saint. As the four men raised their weapons and charged at Lan Feng, a radiant golden light suddenly flared. A moment later, the sharp scent of blood filled the air. Muffled gurgling followed as the heads of the four experts were severed cleanly, blood gushing forth from their necks.
Lan Feng, reluctant to draw fully on his martial power, nonetheless refused failure. Thus, he used the bare minimum force necessary to obliterate the entire group of bandits.
The remaining Duke-ranked bandits, witnessing the ease with which their far stronger comrades were slain, dared not linger. They fled at full speed, legs carrying them as fast as possible.
Lan Feng didn’t pursue them. They bore no connection to him and were now too terrified to attempt revenge. Among thieves, there was no honor—only survival.
Shaking his head, Lan Feng suppressed his aura once more and continued toward the core of the forest. Yan Xiaobao spent days cultivating, steadily accumulating astonishing amounts of Qi and spiritual energy. His body felt stronger, his Qi vortex and spiritual energy sea continuously expanding. Soon, his spiritual energy sea neared saturation, signaling his body was almost ready for another breakthrough—an advancement Yan Xiaobao had long awaited.
It was now midnight. Though they had traveled day and night in an effort to reach the Divine Domain’s capital faster, humans and beasts alike remained silent about their progress. That night, they halted their journey. Under the shade of a sprawling tree, Yan Xiaobao seated himself cross-legged, diving deep into his Dantian Cave to focus on cultivation while keeping a watchful eye on Lan Feng.