Chapter 58: A Brief Parting Under the Moon

At this moment, the valley below Heartless Ravine was already shrouded in night, the air tinged with a gentle chill; moonlight danced among the shadows of the trees. Originally, Hua Feng had intended to return to the farmhouse and await the arrival of the Elders’ Council of the Celestial Fox Clan, but Nangong Li suggested that they conduct the test here instead—there were too many prying eyes at the farmhouse, which could easily cause trouble. If they happened to disturb the six Elders of the Flame Emperor’s Mausoleum, each at the Emperor level of around seventy-eight, that would indeed be problematic. Thus Hua Feng did not insist further, and quietly waited by the side of Dragon-Leap Pool.

He did not waste the waiting time either, but focused wholeheartedly on comprehending the changes brought by the Emperor level. Although he had already reached level sixty-one, he had yet to fully master such immense new power. So, with his spiritual sense, he entered the illusionary realm created by the Flame Emperor’s Mark, preparing to solidify his strength at the Emperor rank.

Nangong Li and Panda Mozart kept silent watch by his side. After eight hours of exertion, both were somewhat weary. Even though they were only a few steps away from Sainthood, the mental focus required had depleted their strength, and they too needed time to recover.

At the Elders’ Hall of the farmhouse, an elder in a gray robe spoke with some discontent, “Don’t you all think it’s inappropriate for our new Heroic Leader to simply focus on cultivation and never show himself?”

“That’s enough, Second Elder. We know you want your son to succeed as Heroic Leader, but right now, the situation is precarious; our own safety is at stake. If we do not strive for unity and strength, working together with one heart, we will all be doomed. Three years from now, the collapse of time and space will cause a fissure that will swallow us whole. Do you think, with our Emperor King strength, even the six Elders of the Mausoleum with their Emperor powers could survive such a rift?” The elder in a golden, wheat-colored robe finished, and the Second Elder, along with the others, fell silent.

“I know that the previous Heroic Leader seemed to choose a successor without our approval, and there are many grievances—some even tried to remove him in secret. But now is not the time to focus on petty, short-term interests. From what I know, Hua Feng has been diligent, breaking through from King to the peak of Emperor in a single year. Judging by his state, he may even reach the rank of Emperor today; then none of us here could rival him. Let alone your offspring—by that time, except for the elders of the Mausoleum, he’ll be the undisputed number one in the House of Farmers. We need only support him to the utmost. Our House needs a strong leader, not a shortsighted, power-hungry soul!” The First Elder’s words silenced the room; after a moment, everyone nodded in reluctant agreement, even those who were displeased.

By now, even the First Elder himself had let go of old grudges. He had once competed with the previous Heroic Leader for the position himself, and though his talent was weaker and he remained stuck at the peak of Emperor King for life, unable to break through, he had come to terms with it.

Inside the Flame Emperor’s Mark, Hua Feng’s sparring partners were the spiritual remnants of past Flame Emperor successors. Though these were but fragments, they had all once wielded Emperor-level power, and some had even reached Saint. Thus, Hua Feng could gain no advantage over them. Each bout ended with his defeat in a single blow. After being struck down more than five hundred ninety times, he felt too weary to rise again.

Damn! This was an utter one-sided crushing! Though he grumbled inwardly, he did not give up. After recovering his energy, he continued to spar with the phantoms. This time, his opponent was his master: the twenty-ninth successor of the Flame Emperor, a level seventy-six Emperor.

The spiritual space within the Flame Emperor’s Mark was virtually infinite—lush forests, swift rivers, towering snowy mountains, grasslands, deserts… the scenery shifted at will. Yet each opponent’s techniques targeted Hua Feng’s weaknesses, as if someone were patiently teaching him to master his own skills.

When the unpredictable Astral Steps of the “Taiji Fist” and “Shennong Art,” the relentless “Stone-Dripping Palm,” the invisible vital-point strikes, and the head-taking flying sickle techniques all unfolded before Hua Feng, he unconsciously mastered many things he had previously overlooked.

Time flowed by slowly; within this space, it moved many times slower than in the outside world. After tens of thousands of bouts, when Hua Feng could finally parry several of his master’s moves, his strength surged and advanced by another level—level sixty-two Emperor.

A year had passed in the Flame Emperor’s Mark, while only two hours had elapsed outside. This was one reason why anyone who obtained the Flame Emperor’s Mark could advance so swiftly. Time was conserved elsewhere, but not within the Mark. This built-in advantage was the envy of every disciple in the House of Farmers, but unfortunately, there could only be one Heroic Leader, and the Mark could be used by only one person.

Hua Feng decided to exit the Mark, rest well, and prepare for the test. When he opened his eyes, he found himself surrounded by a group of people—more than a dozen stern-faced men in white, their hair styled in the fashion of Ming Dynasty scholars, all watching him intently.

“What’s going on?” Hua Feng asked.

“Nothing to worry about. They’re the elders of our Celestial Fox Tribe’s assessment team, responsible for evaluating the potential of young clan members, as well as any young men who wish to become our partners,” Nangong Li explained, having made her way through the crowd to help Hua Feng up.

“Li is right. The chieftain sent us to assess Hua Feng. After a brief discussion, we’ve determined that advancing from King to Emperor in a single year is a sign of boundless potential. He’s just broken through to Emperor, and already gained another level. Plus, his constitution is unique—even among the many mystical realms, he’s a rare talent, and his future is limitless. Second Uncle, you can rest easy now.” The leader nodded and patted both of them on the shoulder.

“Take good care of Li, young man. Otherwise, our Celestial Fox Clan will hunt you down to the ends of the earth. That’s all—I must return now; the Demon Realm has been in chaos lately. Li, come home when you can. Your father, the clan chief, has had too many worries lately; he looks much older than before.”

“Second Uncle, I want to go back with you for a while. Once things settle down, I’ll return for Hua Feng.” Nangong Li glanced at Hua Feng beside her, thinking that soon he would travel to the Northern Snowfields to seek Yunmeng, and that following him would be inconvenient. It was better to see her father now and share his burdens; as for the one before her, perhaps they were fated to meet again in the future.

She had, in truth, planned all this long ago—today was simply the day she spoke of it.

“Take me along, too—we’re headed the same way,” Panda Mozart interjected.

“All right, Mozart. It’s been centuries, and you’re at the peak of Emperor as well—not bad! Your father will be proud. It’s getting late, let’s be off!” Second Uncle Nangong said.

“You’re leaving?” Hua Feng looked at the rows of Emperor-level Celestial Fox elders. Amid his shock, he felt a pang of reluctance, even though the test had been easily passed.

“Yes, we’re leaving. I wish you a joyful reunion with Yunmeng! I’ll come back for you—take good care of yourself.” As she was about to ride the wind away, Nangong Li suddenly turned and embraced Hua Feng deeply. She whispered softly in his ear.

Then, all that remained for Hua Feng were the fluttering white robes disappearing into the sky. He stood silently for a long time, his thoughts a tangled mess, scenes of their time together replaying in his mind. Is it possible to love two people at once? He did not know, but he felt his affection for her had grown deeper.

As she soared away, Nangong Li dared not look back—for she feared that if she saw Hua Feng, she would not have the heart to leave. In the moment of departure, tears slipped down her face.