CHAPTER 246: DU YA FEI’S SCHEME!

"Ah, forgive me! I forgot we had to act like strangers..."

As everyone heard that, their gazes turned into a glare that seemed to be asking for an explanation from Du Ya Fei.

From everyone’s perspective, it seemed odd for a king realm cultivator to bring so many spirit beasts and a Zhuji tribe cultivator just to lie.

No one would go through this much hassle unless it were for a friend or a loved one.

Moreover, by participating in this battle, the old cultivator was putting his life on the line. It wouldn’t make sense for him to do this without something to gain.

It made more sense if Du Ya Fei was the one who asked for his help.

In everyone’s mind, Du Ya Fei was being consolidated as the mastermind of this whole scenario—the hidden serpent behind this elaborate trap.

Du Ya Fei, feeling wronged, cursed the old man, his voice cracking with fury and disbelief:

"Y-You old bastard! Why do you keep framing me??"

However, Ashen, disguised as an old man, wasn’t an easy opponent for him.

He nodded at Du Ya Fei as if understanding the hidden meaning behind his words before announcing:

"Everyone! I and Du Ya Fei are not friends. You all can trust him!"

Finishing his announcement, a sinister smirk revealed itself on Ashen’s disguised face that instilled an uneasy feeling in others.

Trying to deduce the sinister scheme of Du Ya Fei, Wang Biao came to a conclusion.

She announced the plan of Du Ya Fei to Qin Feng:

"Qin Feng! Don’t believe them! This is all a ploy of this villain, Du Ya Fei!"

She reminded: "Just now, the old cultivator nodded to Du Ya Fei. They must have communicated through glances. This is all an act to make you trust him, and when you lower your guard, he will stab you in the back!"

The reason for this thinking was due to Ashen’s choice of words. He requested them to trust Du Ya Fei, meaning Du Ya Fei wanted to gain their trust, which would benefit him.

To the onlookers, it only made Du Ya Fei appear guiltier.

Qin Feng, fed up with dealing with Du Ya Fei’s schemes, screamed furiously:

"Du Ya Fei! Stop scheming if you want a painless death! Just how low will you crawl before you’re done!?"

Du Ya Fei’s heart twisted in despair. He wanted to explain, to clear his name—but before he could utter a word, the prefecture lords on his side erupted in cheers, misreading everything.

"With these many spirit beasts, aren’t we the obvious winners?"

"Lord Du Ya Fei is truly cunning. Waiting for the right moment to reveal his full strength!"

"Let’s crush Qin Feng today!"

Their confidence blazed, but Du Ya Fei only felt the noose tighten around his neck.

At the same time, Ashen ordered the spirit beasts to attack: "Attack and tear them up!!"

These eleven spirit beasts were caught by Ashen during the time he spent in the forest. He didn’t bring the five tiger kings with him and instead brought these diverse spirit beasts of different species.

Five of the spirit beasts went to help the prefecture lords on Du Ya Fei’s side in killing the prefecture lords on Qin Feng’s side.

The remaining six went after Qin Feng, surrounding him before barraging him with different kinds of attacks.

Seeing no way out, Du Ya Fei clenched his teeth. He had no choice. If Qin Feng lived, he would die regardless.

He summoned his army of Blood Bats, dark shapes pouring out from his sleeves and cloak, their wings slicing through the wind like a crimson tide. They swarmed toward Qin Feng, screeching like the cries of the damned.

But Qin Feng did not retreat. His expression hardened as his blood qi surged, turning the air thick with the metallic scent of iron.

This, however, was just the appetizer that Ashen had prepared for Qin Feng.

Ashen’s eyes gleamed beneath the old man’s disguise.

"Han Wuji," he said in a low, commanding voice. "It’s your turn."

At that moment, the dark-robed man standing silently behind him raised his head.

The seal on Han Wuji’s cultivation by the Scarlet Blood Schine came undone, releasing the suppressed cultivation, and an overwhelming aura erupted—the presence of an Emperor Realm cultivator.

The world itself seemed to bow under the pressure.

Gasps rippled across the battlefield as even the spirit beasts faltered for a heartbeat.

Sensing the sudden presence of the Emperor realm cultivator, everyone stopped for a moment to glance at Han Wuji.

"You need to hurry and finish Qin Feng before the Blood Demon Lord can notice your presence and come here!" Ashen reminded.

He knew that time was of the essence here. It wasn’t possible to hide the emperor realm cultivator’s presence once he attacked.

It would take only a minute for the Blood Demon Lord to come here.

They had to finish this in under a minute.

"I’ll use my strongest attack to finish him!" Han Wuji muttered, deciding to use his best attack.

Tempest Tornado!

He pressed his palms together, then drew them apart, channeling the roaring essence of wind and lightning between them. The qi at the center condensed, spinning faster and faster until it became a miniature storm.

The small vortex expanded, devouring Han Wuji’s qi like a hungry beast. In moments, it had grown into a swirling cyclone that screamed toward Qin Feng, tearing apart the earth in its wake.

Qin Feng’s eyes narrowed. The ground around him pulsed with bloodlight as he slammed his hand down.

A colossal spike of crystallized blood erupted upward, thrusting straight into the tornado’s heart.

The two forces collided. The spike shuddered—then shattered, crushed by the storm’s ferocity. The cyclone devoured it whole, spinning even faster, roaring like a dragon in the sky.

Its suction force dragged everyone on the field, pulling them toward its eye.

"W-What a monstrous cyclone..." one of the prefecture lords gasped in horror. "It’s like a pillar that pierces the heavens!"

But Qin Feng stood unmoved, defiance burning in his gaze.

He thrust both arms forward, manifesting walls of crystallized blood that formed a barrier, lessening the pull of the wind. Then, with a furious gesture, he crossed his arms, summoning two more spikes from the earth.

Then four. Then ten. Then twenty.

Each spike slammed into the cyclone with earth-shaking force, piercing its churning body and slowing its advance.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

The battlefield quaked beneath the violent dance of blood and wind.

Han Wuji let go of his tornado, sending it towards Qin Feng.

But as Qin Feng focused every ounce of strength on holding it back, he failed to notice Han Wuji conjuring another attack.

The tornado was merely the lure. The true attack was only beginning.

Lotus Tempest Pagoda!

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(A/N - Thanks for reading. ^..^)