The moment the highly compressed ice ball exploded, a sense of danger a.s.sailed Chen Feng. Sighing to himself, he finally decided to use it.

A blood-coloured sphere of light emerged to encase Chen Feng while dispelling the surrounding chilling energy.

In the end, Chen Feng was still forced to utilize the Blood Mustering Bead. Chen Feng had long since repaired the Blood Mustering Bead to its wholesome state. Rather, it had advanced to become a mid-grade Dao artefact as well. Given its present grade, it was something that only an Earthen Immortal should possess.

Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!

The blood-coloured light kept clashing against the power of ice, causing booming sounds to ring out. Even so, Chen Feng began retreating. The b.l.o.o.d.y sphere of light was constantly knocked backwards, moving back through a distance of over 10,000 metres before making its way out from the range of the power of ice.

“A Dao artefact!” The youngster was surprised. Although the magic treasures that this aborigine was constantly bringing out was nothing in his eyes, it did cause him to look upon Chen Feng with a certain level of respect.

“Very well. Let's see how many more items you have,” said the youngster, who decided to take action again. However, the two swords that he was holding in his hand abruptly burst with power and sharp sword beams successfully cut his skin. Next, the Twin Swords of Life and Death transformed into two sword beams, one black and one white, before flying away from his grasp.

That finally triggered a change in the youngster's expression. It became somewhat ugly to behold. Chen Feng's figure was rapidly moving farther away from him. Seeing that, he waved his hand and a bronze-coloured battle spear appeared in his hand.

“Since you are using a Dao artefact, don't blame me for going rough on you.” The youngster said, launching the spear in his hand forward.

By then, Chen Feng had already sent the Twin Swords of Life and Death back into their respective insight acupoints. Then, with the protection of the Blood Mustering Bead, he rapidly flew away.

Since he was no match for this youngster, Chen Feng decided against continuing the fight. Leaving was the best option.

It was true that he had yet to utilize his trump card. However, the same was true of the youngster. Not to mention, there were also the four Earthen Immortals who had yet to take action.

It was not because he was afraid of the youngster. However, it was clear from the earlier fight that he had already lost. As there were no deep grudges between them, Chen Feng did not want to reveal his trump card. Naturally, if the other party were to keep chasing him or send forth the Earthen Immortals, things would be different. If it were to come to that, Chen Feng would have to figure a way to finish them all off.

These people were from the Immortal Plane, after all. They might recognize the Longevity Tower.

I am incapable of dealing with them for now. Once I have risen up to the Human Immortal stage, I will be sure to settle this account, Chen Feng thought. As he was about to increase the power that he was channelling into the Blood Mustering Bead, an intense feeling of alarm came from beneath him.

Chi!

Before Chen Feng could even turn his head to check it out, the blood-coloured sphere of light encasing him was pierced through. The aura of sharpness caused Chen Feng's soul to tremble.

Puchi!

The youngster watched as the spear attack he executed easily pierced through the blood-coloured sphere of light. However, when the sphere disappeared, the cultivator was nowhere to be found.

Was he obliterated by my attack? That was the first thought that came to the youngster's mind. However, he was quick to dispel the thought.

The youngster's eyes shone with a brilliant light, allowing him to peer through s.p.a.ce. With that, he was able to locate Chen Feng, who was already 500 kilometres away from him.

“That fellow still has more cards up his sleeves. Could it be a high-grade Dao artefact? Or perhaps, a top-grade Dao artefact?

“Whatever! Since you can escape from my attacks, it just means you are good enough. However, you better not let me find you again.” The youngster then recollected himself.

“Let's head out!”

After the youngster decided on a direction, the four Earthen Immortals followed him and they all disappeared instantly.

“Woah!”

Chen Feng kept fleeing, only stopping after fleeing through a distance of 5,000 kilometres. During that moment of crisis, he had mobilized the Longevity Tower's power. Truth be told, Chen Feng could sense that the weapon was certainly not an Immortal artefact. Even so, it was still powerful enough to kill him. It wasn't just due to the power of the magic treasure. Another very important factor was the power of the cultivator wielding it.

Chen Feng then found himself a mountaintop. Bringing out a flying sword, he carved out a crude cave for himself. Then, after setting up some restrictive arrays, he began working on healing himself.

His divine sense swept out and he was able to clearly see the situation within every part of his body. Sighing, Chen Feng then beckoned with his hand and a clump of cyan-coloured water flowed out to hover on his palm.

It was none other than the Dawnsource Crystal Waters from the Treasured Ocean Pearl. It could scour his soul and increase his vitality. Like the waters of the Fountain of Life, it also possessed the healing function.

Next, Chen Feng blew at it softly, causing the clump of Dawnsource Crystal Waters to spread out, taking on a misty vapour state, which then enveloped Chen Feng.

Heh! There are at least 100 droplets of Dawnsource Crystal Waters here. I wonder how many spirit stones will be needed to buy them? Chen Feng shook his head. Compared to the ocean-like amount of Dawnsource Crystal Waters inside the Treasured Ocean Pearl, these 100 droplets were nothing.

As Chen Feng immersed himself in his recovery process, the surrounding mist kept seeping into his body. After just two hours, Chen Feng had finished absorbing all of the Dawnsource Crystal Waters hovering around him.

As he absorbed and refined the Dawnsource Crystal Waters, the broken internal organs, torn meridians, cracked bones and all other wounds on his body began joining up.

Chen Feng's own recovery ability had already healed up 80% of those injuries. Now, with the aid of the Dawnsource Crystal Waters, only two hours were needed for him to make a full recovery. Not to mention, it also increased his soul power somewhat.

However, Chen Feng felt somewhat dissatisfied with this rate of recovery. Looks like I will have to advance to the Human Immortal stage before I can further increase the quality of the longevity-type primary energy.

The fight against the youngster gave Chen Feng a bountiful harvest. Honing himself was only secondary. Most importantly, he had gained an intuitive understanding of the cultivation bases of the cultivators from the Immortal Plane. It also made him aware of some of his shortcomings. The utilization of worldly laws, the execution of cultivation techniques, the ability to react to enemy attacks and some other factors. Chen Feng began studying all that as he cultivated himself.

“Tower, what kind of qualifications does that fellow have in the Immortal Plane?” Chen Feng suddenly asked Tower.

“He's just average,” Tower said nonchalantly.

“Average?” Chen Feng's pupils contracted. “Are all the cultivators from the Immortal Plane that powerful? If so, what about that group with three males and one female that we encountered previously?”

During the earlier fight, every aspect of the youngster had astounded Chen Feng. In his opinion, although it was because that youngster's cultivation level was higher than him, the amount of power that the youngster could unleash would surely make him a first-rate character in the Immortal Plane. Unexpectedly, Tower would give the youngster such an evaluation. Naturally, Chen Feng did not believe Tower.

“Those fellows are even worse than the youngster,” Tower continued.

“Tower, can you tell me about the geniuses of the Immortal Plane?” Chen Feng suddenly asked with a smile.

“What's there to know? Wait until your cultivation base is high enough. Then, you can just ascend to the Immortal Plane and find out yourself.”

“It's good to be mentally prepared. See? We have cultivators from the Immortal Plane coming here, no? If it weren't for that, would I even think about asking that? Or, could it be that you have never been to the Immortal Plane before? Are you just spouting nonsense to deceive me?” Chen Feng deliberately said.

“Don't bother trying to provoke me. It's useless. Still, your cultivation base has been improving quite fast recently. I should indeed give you some information about the Immortal Plane,” Tower said after a moment's consideration.

“Truth be told, you should be able to imagine the difference between the two. Cultivators from Eternal World normally cultivate using worldly spiritual energy. Only after breaking through to the Human Immortal stage can they link up to the Immortal Plane and absorb Immortal energy.

“However, in the Immortal Plane, a baby would breathe in immortal energy from their moment of birth. Not to mention, that's high-quality immortal energy. How could those two be put on the same pedestal?”

Chen Feng grew silent. It was true. In Eternal World, even those with stellar cultivation talents would require around 100 years to cultivate up to the Human Immortal stage. Most would require over 1,000 years or even several thousand years for it. Naturally, that was only limited to those who could cultivate up to the Human Immortal stage. Amongst all the cultivators in Eternal World, there was a considerable percentage who could never break through to the Sky Human stage, despite spending all their lives striving for it. Those who could never break through to the Human Immortal stage occupy an even bigger percentage.

However, in the Immortal Plane, a baby would be able to absorb immortal energy for cultivation upon birth. In that aspect alone, that baby was already on the same starting line as a Human Immortal from Eternal World.

The higher the starting point, the higher one's achievements will be.

There was truly no way to compare the cultivators from Eternal World and the cultivators from the Immortal Plane.

“With your present level of strength, you can already be considered as an apex genius in Eternal World. You have the ability to face a mid-level Human Immortal with a cultivation base of level 8 of the Sky Human stage. However, what if you have to compare yourself with the youngster from before?” Tower said.

Chen Feng considered for a moment before saying, “If our cultivation levels are similar, I will be able to easily defeat him.”

“Oh, is that right, tough guy? And how do you know he doesn't have any hidden cards of his own?” Tower laughed.

Hearing that, Chen Feng grew silent. Tower's words made sense.

“I can tell you this with certainty. Given your present level of strength and talent, upon arriving at the Immortal Plane, you will be the most average amongst average third-rate cultivators, an insect-like character. If you continue ahead with your present rate of cultivation, even if you can ascend to the Immortal Plane, you will just be one amongst the myriad average cultivators in the Immortal Plane.

“Thus, you cannot relax. On the contrary, you must work even harder.

“In the Immortal Plane, everyone is a cultivator. Most of the locals in the Immortal Plane would break through to the Human Immortal stage before the age of 20. Some who are more talented would be able to accomplish that earlier. Breaking through to the Human Immortal stage before the age of 10! Can you even imagine that?

“It's not that I don't want to tell you about it. I am just afraid that knowing about it would traumatize you.”

Chen Feng stared blankly. After some time, he finally said, “If what you said is true, I am indeed traumatized.”

Rising up to the Human Immortal stage before the age of 20. That was not the standard of the few or the one, but the many! This was truly shocking. For someone living in a lesser world like Chen Feng, this was indeed an unimaginable scenario.

“I can only tell you this much for now. Even if I tell you more about high-levelled existences, you won't be able to understand it. All you need to know is that the Immortal Plane is hundreds and millions of times bigger than Eternal World. Likewise, the number and quality of the cultivators in the Immortal Plane are tens of millions of times higher than those from Eternal World. When you arrive in the Immortal Plane, you will be able to experience the compet.i.tion and pressure of the Immortal Plane on your own.”

After saying that, Tower went silent. No matter how much Chen Feng tried to ask, Tower refused to say anything else.

“Humph, so what? It hasn't been that long since I truly started walking the path of cultivation anyways. If I had been living in the Immortal Plane, I would have reached the Earthen Immortal stage by now,” Chen Feng said with a chuckle.

1 li = 0.5 km