NOVEL WEB Chapter 54: Killing With a Smile
Feng Fan might sound arrogant, but he wasn't a fool. His confidence came from the number of meridians he had awakened.
Currently, he had already awakened 40 meridians and was certain he could awaken even more inside the pocket dimension.
Compared to most participants, this was no small feat. For instance, someone cultivating a low-tier Earthly-grade manual would only awaken up to 54 meridians at the peak of the 9th stage.
In the Qi Gathering realm, the number of awakened meridians directly correlated to a cultivator's strength.
Take Huang Xue and Xue Qiang, for example. Even though they were only at the 5th stage, their high-grade cultivation manual allowed them to awaken up to 120 meridians. So far, they had awakened between 54 and 66, making them stronger than most 9th-stage cultivators from low-tier sects.
Furthermore, Feng Fan's body was far stronger than any Qi Gathering realm cultivator here, as he also practiced body cultivation. This dual cultivation path was the foundation of his confidence.
After the wager was set, the crowd fell silent, awaiting the pocket dimension's opening.
Moments later, a spatial rift appeared in the center of the clearing. It began as a thin, knife-like cut in the air but gradually widened until it was several meters in diameter, large enough for multiple people to enter simultaneously.
"The pocket dimension will remain open for a month," Elder Peng explained. "After that, you'll be automatically teleported back. Even if you don't manage to find any treasures, use this chance to cultivate. The spiritual qi inside is far denser than in the sect."
"Also, take these," Elder Peng said, handing each of them two identical pills. "These are Tier 2 healing pills. If you get injured, use them. They're potent enough to heal almost any injury for Foundation Establishment realm cultivators."
He gave his final instructions, and the three disciples nodded in unison before stepping forward. Walking together, they entered the portal without hesitation, disappearing into the swirling void.
Feng Fan soon found himself standing in a vast pasture. Despite entering the portal alongside Huang Xue and Xue Qiang, neither of them was anywhere nearby.
Glancing upward, he noticed something unusual—two suns shining brightly in the sky.
"Interesting," he muttered to himself. "I wonder where this pocket dimension is located. Are these suns even real? Red Pole only has one sun."
Curiosity aroused within him as he began to observe his surroundings more closely.
Feng Fan activated his cultivation technique, channeling his spiritual qi vision to scan the area for heavenly treasures with high spiritual qi density.
Ahead of him lay a dense forest, and beyond it, a mountain range stretched across the horizon.
Among the peaks, one mountain immediately caught his attention due to its exceptionally high concentration of spiritual qi. However, it wasn't just the mountain that surprised him.
'What's this?' Feng Fan thought, his brows furrowing.
Beneath his feet, he noticed a peculiar phenomenon. A steady stream of spiritual qi flowed underground, resembling an underground river heading toward the mountain.
'An underground qi flow? Interesting… That mountain must hold the best treasure in the region. Let's see what it has to offer,' he decided, his lips curling into a confident smirk.
With his destination set, Feng Fan prepared to dash toward the forest, but just as he took his first step, a sudden wave of danger pricked at his senses.
His body reacted on instinct. Without hesitation, he summoned the Suppression Relic from his storage ring, spinning around to intercept the threat.
Clang!
The sharp sound of metal meeting metal echoed across the clearing as the relic blocked a sword.
"Oh, impressive. How did someone like you block that? Your strength seems way too high for a 3rd-stage cultivator," said the sword-wielding man who had just launched an ambush on Feng Fan.
Not waiting for a response, the man lunged again, swinging his sword diagonally toward Feng Fan's chest.
Feng Fan tracked the sword's trajectory with ease and raised his brick to deflect the attack.
'This guy's at the 8th stage of Qi Gathering, but he's not that strong,' Feng Fan thought, his movements steady and fluid.
Frustration etched itself onto the sword cultivator's face as none of his strikes landed.
'I'll feint at his head, then thrust toward his abdomen. That should catch him off guard,' the swordsman thought.
Hearing the man's thoughts loud and clear, Feng Fan couldn't help but smirk.
Feigning vulnerability, Feng Fan deliberately moved his brick as though he'd fallen for the head feint.
'Got you!' the swordsman thought triumphantly.
But just as the blade moved toward Feng Fan's abdomen, he sidestepped with fluid precision, dodging the thrust completely.
'Impossible! How did he—'
The swordsman's thoughts were cut short as Feng Fan closed the distance, raising his brick in one swift motion.
Thud!
The solid impact reverberated as the brick met the man's skull with bone-crushing force.
"Argh!" The swordsman cried out, collapsing to the ground. Blood seeped into the soil, staining his clothes as he clutched his head in agony.
"Pl-please, don't kill me," the man begged, his voice trembling with desperation.
Feng Fan flashed a warm, almost gentle smile. "Alright, I won't."
The swordsman exhaled a shaky sigh of relief—only to have Feng Fan's brick descend upon his head once more ruthlessly, his smile never leaving his face.
Crunch!
The skull gave way, leaving his head a mangled mess.
"This guy must've been an idiot," Feng Fan muttered, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "He wanted to kill me and actually thought I'd let him walk away? What a fool."
Without sparing another glance at the lifeless body, Feng Fan placed his brick into his space ring and continued on his way.
—
In another part of the pocket dimension, Xue Qiang and Huang Xue stood by the edge of a serene lake.
For a moment, their gazes locked in silence before Xue Qiang took the initiative to speak.
"Huang Xue, let's stick together and search for Feng Fan," she said, her voice laced with concern. "There are too many people who might try to kill him. He could be in danger on his own."
Xue Qiang might feel jealous of Huang Xue with Feng Fan, but she knows how to set priorities.
Huang Xue didn't need to think twice. She nodded firmly. "Alright, let's go."
Without another word, the two moved.