CHAPTER 446: CHAPTER 444: I AM LUO FENG’S FRIEND

"Who are these people? To think they’d come to Green Wood Peak at a time like this."

The crowd in the square was rather taken aback by this sudden development.

"Look at that girl in the white dress! If I’m not mistaken, she must be He Qin, the ’Heavenly Fragrant Woman’ of Tianlan School! The young man beside her, the one carrying a saber, is Hu Yitian, young master of the Hu Family from Snow Valley. As for those behind them, they should be students and elders from Tianlan School and Floating Snow School."

"The Hu Family of Snow Valley, one of the Six Great Clans? Is the Hu Family going to war with the Duanmu Family?"

"I don’t know. It seems Hu Yitian is the only one from the Hu Family here."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, shocked by the sudden appearance of Hu Yitian and his group.

「At this moment」

Heavy footsteps echoed from the other end of the great bridge. In the distance, a large mass of figures could be seen rushing rapidly in their direction.

"So many people! Could they be from the Hu Family?"

The leaders of the various factions stared wide-eyed at the approaching horde. Nearby, Duanmuya and the other Duanmu Family members involuntarily held their breath; over a hundred people were approaching!

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH...

The group quickly crossed the bridge and arrived in the square. The man leading them appeared to be in his forties, clad in a green robe, with a fair, beardless face. He stood there casually, yet an imposing aura emanated from him, rising powerfully.

Beside this middle-aged man stood a youth of seventeen or eighteen, bearing a striking resemblance to Luo Feng.

"Father! Elder Brother!"

Seeing the two, Luo Feng was deeply moved and excited. Though he had only been away from home for a few months, seeing them now felt like a reunion after years of separation.

"Feng Er!"

The middle-aged man was none other than Luotian, the Family Head of the Luo Family. Joy flashed across his face upon seeing Luo Feng. His figure flickered as he dashed towards Luo Feng, his potent aura compelling the Duanmu Family martial artists to fall back continuously.

"Feng Er, are you alright?" Luotian asked, appearing beside Luo Feng.

Luo Feng shook his head. "Father, I’m fine..."

BANG!

Before Luo Feng could say more, a figure suddenly darted out from the side and embraced him tightly.

Recognizing his elder brother, Luo Xiao, Luo Feng managed a smile. "Elder Brother, I can’t breathe."

Luo Xiao released Luo Feng. His face stern, he chided him, "Second Brother, you didn’t tell me about something this important in advance! If Bing Ruolan hadn’t told me, I’d still be completely unaware."

Hearing the concern in his brother’s voice, Luo Feng felt a warmth spread through his heart and chuckled, "It all happened so suddenly..."

Just as he was about to explain the sequence of events, an furious roar erupted nearby.

"Hu Yitian, how dare you set foot on Green Wood Peak! Does your Hu Family intend to declare war on our Duanmu Family? The Six Great Clans maintain a delicate balance. Aren’t you afraid the other clans will exploit this situation?" Duanmuya stepped forward, his face grim, glaring daggers at Hu Yitian.

Facing Duanmuya’s accusation, Hu Yitian remained calm and laughed heartily. "Duanmuya, I believe you’ve misunderstood. I haven’t come to Green Wood Peak today as the young master of the Hu Family, but as a friend of Luo Feng!"

Duanmuya’s expression stiffened. With a cold snort, his sharp gaze shifted to a middle-aged man behind Hu Yitian.

"Elder Lu, our Duanmu Family and Floating Snow School have always kept to ourselves. What brings you to Green Wood Peak on this occasion?"

Luo Feng followed Duanmuya’s gaze and recognized the middle-aged man. It was the Elder Lu of Floating Snow School whom he had met once on the Blood Roar Plains.

Confronted by Duanmuya’s aggressive questioning, Elder Lu remained perfectly composed.

"Luo Feng once saved my life. Let alone this humble Green Wood Peak, even if it were a mountain of blades and a sea of fire, I, Lu, would still tread it today!"

"The same goes for me."

"And me..."

The members of Floating Snow School stepped forward one by one, their expressions resolute.

He Qin gripped her Cold Snow Sword, standing silently in place. No words were spoken, yet a glint of unwavering resolve shone in her cool eyes.

"Elder Brother, these people are dead set against our Duanmu Family! Why waste more words? Let’s annihilate them today, ensuring none escape!"

Duanmu Xiao, his face contorted with savagery and radiating a palpable killing intent, roared the command, "Archers, fire!"

SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH...

At his command, the twenty surrounding Blue Armor Guards immediately took aim at Luo Feng and his companions, unleashing a volley of arrows!

"Careful! Those are Yuan Gang arrows!" Luo Feng warned. However, before he could act, He Qin, who was beside him, stopped him.

"Luo Feng, conserve your strength. Leave this to me."

SWISH!

Before her voice had even faded, He Qin tapped the ground lightly with her toes, her figure gracefully drifting before the group.

SHING!

The Cold Snow Sword unsheathed, and in that instant, a biting chill permeated the air, seeming to freeze even the currents around He Qin. Though the sun blazed fiercely overhead, an inexplicable coldness gripped the hearts of everyone in the square.

"Thousand Mountain Covered with Snow!"

Her cool voice rang out. He Qin gazed at the incoming arrow storm, her Cold Snow Sword condensing a wave of icy Sword Qi, which she swung fiercely through the air.

FWOOSH!

The immense Sword Qi erupted instantly. Wherever it passed, sharp energy intertwined with the frigid wind, forming a Sword Qi of wind and snow several meters wide.

He Qin’s Sword Intent could freeze Yuan Qi. Before her Sword Qi, the Yuan Gang arrows, which had been lightning-fast moments ago, abruptly decelerated, sent scattering by the icy wind and snow.

"AH! AH! AH!..."

Duanmu Family guards were struck by the errant arrows one after another, their agonizing cries echoing through the square.

Luo Feng observed He Qin, a hint of astonishment in his eyes. Compared to a month prior, her Sword Intent was considerably stronger. Evidently, she had made substantial progress in that time.

"Die for me!"

Nearby, Duanmu Xiao let out a furious roar. He charged forward, his Yuan Qi surging, locked onto He Qin, who was deflecting the arrow storm, and threw a devastating punch.

"The esteemed Family Head of the Duanmu Family, stooping to a sneak attack on a junior! Utterly despicable!"

Luotian sneered. With a long battle cry, he shot forward.

"Mad Lion Furious Gang!"

Cyan Yuan Qi coalesced around Luotian’s right fist, forming a massive lion’s head. It erupted with power, bearing down on Duanmu Xiao. The ground in its path fractured, leaving a trench several meters long.

Duanmu Xiao sensed the formidable power of the fist, his expression changing dramatically. He abandoned his sneak attack on He Qin; his body vibrated as he unleashed a dazzling golden light, countering with a punch of his own.

BANG!

A deafening explosion thundered through the air. Duanmu Xiao’s fist shattered the lion-head Gang Qi. However, already wounded, he was driven back repeatedly, his Qi and blood roiling unsteadily.

"You won’t escape!"

Seizing the chance, Luotian pressed his attack relentlessly, launching another punch that sealed off all of Duanmu Xiao’s escape routes. His assault was savage and fierce.

Duanmu Xiao’s eyes turned bloodshot. Hearing Luotian accuse him of trying to flee made him nearly cough up blood from rage.

Luotian was only a mid-stage Ninth Level Heavenly Court Realm cultivator. If Luo Feng hadn’t severed his arm, inflicting such a grievous injury, he could have dispatched Luotian with a single finger. Now, he found himself at a disadvantage.

Gritting his teeth, Duanmu Xiao spat, "Luotian, you cur! A mere City Lord of Panlong City dares to oppose my Duanmu Family? I’ll see your Luo Family exterminated, root and stem!"

As he spoke, Duanmu Xiao channeled his Yuan Qi, pushing his Mountain Crush Strike to its limit as he met Luotian head-on.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM...

Both men favored a direct, hard-hitting style of combat. In the blink of an eye, they traded dozens of blows. Continuous blasts of Qi shook the air, their figures flickering relentlessly across the square.

"Huh, the two Family Heads have started fighting."

"Who would have thought the City Lord of little Panlong City was a mid-stage Ninth Level Heavenly Court Realm expert? But Duanmu Xiao is truly shameless. As the Family Head of the Duanmu Family, to think he’d try to ambush a junior in front of everyone."

"Indeed. He’s completely disgraced the Duanmu Family."

"I initially thought Luo Feng was doomed for sure. I never expected things to take this turn. Who do you think will win?"

"The Duanmu Family has numerous experts, giving them a higher chance of victory. But Luo Feng is an unknown variable. He still doesn’t appear to have used his full strength, so the outcome is truly difficult to predict."

Seeing that a large battle was about to erupt, the leaders of the other factions in the square couldn’t help but discuss the situation. This battle was no longer a mere personal feud; the losing side would undoubtedly face complete annihilation!

"Kill them! Leave no one alive!"

His face dark, Duanmuya roared, leading the Duanmu Family experts forward in a murderous charge.

BOOM!

He stomped a foot, and the ground beneath him instantly caved, forming a large pit. Then, launching himself forward, he threw a punch straight at Hu Yitian!

Hu Yitian was the young master of the Hu Family. The Hu and Duanmu Families were generational foes. Duanmuya naturally wouldn’t let such a prime opportunity slip by.

"Duanmuya, your opponent is me."

Luo Feng was prepared. His figure flashed, appearing before Duanmuya. His Rage Flame Knife lashed out, a brilliant blade aura colliding with the incoming fist.

BANG!

The blade aura shattered, and Duanmuya’s attack dissolved.

Stepping before Hu Yitian, Luo Feng faced Duanmuya and said in a low voice, "Hu Yitian, go deal with the others. Leave him to me."

Knowing he was no match for Duanmuya, Hu Yitian nodded, drew his long saber, and roared, "Everyone, charge! Let these Duanmu Family bastards taste our might!"

"Kill!"

Roars echoed from all sides as the experts from both factions instantly clashed.

For a moment, blade lights crisscrossed and sword shadows danced. Limbs flew and blood sprayed. The sheer ferocity of the scene left the surrounding onlookers breathless, afraid to even draw a loud breath.

"Luo Feng, today I will obliterate you all! Your Luo Family will be crushed, never to rise again!"

His plans ruined by Luo Feng, the killing intent in Duanmuya’s heart blazed ever stronger. As he spoke, an icy aura emanated from him, and he lunged abruptly towards Luo Feng.

"Shattered Cold Palm!"

From the outset, Duanmuya unleashed his most powerful martial art, the Cold Cloud Hand Method! It was a Profound Level, high-grade martial art with which he had never failed against an opponent.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH...

A frigid wind surged like a tide, the palm imprint bitingly cold. Within several zhang, Luo Feng was enveloped by Duanmuya’s aura; it was as if a blizzard raged, obscuring sight and sound.

What a formidable palm technique! The Twelve Golden Palaces are truly filled with crouching tigers and hidden dragons!

Luo Feng stood his ground, a chill in his heart. The power of Duanmuya’s palm technique is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before! The frigid intent within this palm technique seems to gnaw at my bones and seep into my marrow, drilling into my pores... My body is starting to stiffen!

Gripping his Rage Flame Knife, Luo Feng pushed his Grand Momentum to its absolute peak. A colossal blade shadow, imbued with boundless power, materialized around him.