“A fragment?”

“Yes. It's a fragment. Additionally, there is no telling if you can cultivate it or not. I can, though.” After saying that, Chen Feng extended his hand and a rapidly-spinning black hole appeared on his palm.

“It is indeed the Demonic Heavengorging Art. I need to consider this. If it is just a fragment, this offer is somewhat small. I hope I can get something else.”

“How about this? I can add in a branch from the Heavensfire Tree.” Chen Feng was also of the opinion that the fragment alone was not good enough. Thus, he decided to add something else.

“Deal!” Unexpectedly, Huo Yunlong did not even bother reconsidering before agreeing to it.

“Very well. From now on, you are an ally of our East Dragon Island. I'll give this to you first. As for the cultivation technique, I will give it to you after we get out from this palace.” Chen Feng waved and a fiery-red branch fell into Huo Yunlong's hand.

“Yes, yes. This is indeed a branch from the Heavensfire Tree!” Huo Yunlong sprayed out a breath of primary flames to slowly melt down the branch before absorbing it into his body.

“Since you are so sincere, I will not slack off.” Huo Yunlong nodded. He was very satisfied.

Chen Feng's actions had managed to considerably lessen the hostility between them.

“I think we need to come up with a proper plan on how to deal with this hidden fellow. I speculate that the other party is a True Immortal. Only, due to certain reasons, their strength has yet to recover, far from it. Now is the best time to attack.”

“The fire-type energy that I cultivate can indeed counter the other party. However, defeating a True Immortal? Even if said True Immortal is already wounded, that is highly unlikely. I suggest we be prepared to run.”

“It's not yet at the level where we need to run. I am just worried about not getting the benefits we deserve.”

Next up, Chen Feng and Huo Yunlong advanced carefully, but they no longer encountered any attacks. To their surprise, they sensed formidable waves of energy fluctuations coming through the layers of s.p.a.ce at them.

“Looks like our previous estimate is slightly wrong. No wonder the hidden fellow is no longer attacking us. It turns out others have also come here.”

“Let's go check it out. We might be able to get something good.”

Bang! Bang!

Even before reaching the source of the energy fluctuations, they could already see a distant building collapsing. The walls were broken through as mighty waves of energy spread outwards.

Two thick and black-coloured vines swept forward like giant pythons, but Chen Feng and Huo Yunlong worked together to shatter them.

“There are three life signatures. Two of them are high-level Ascendant Immortals. The third one must be the hidden fellow.”

“Good, let's wait for both sides to become mutually wounded before taking action.”

“I fear it won't end that way. Brother Huo, you hide yourself first. I'll go check it out.”

“Very well.”

Utilizing his speed, Chen Feng then charged forward. Given the current situation, his stealth technique was not that useful. Moving forward felt like braving a furious and chaotic storm.

Inside a s.p.a.cious secret chamber, two cultivators were fighting non-stop against the black light around them. Sword beams slashed out and astral blades flashed forward, but they only persisted for a brief moment before the surrounding curtain of darkness engulfed them.

The curtain of darkness had been created using pure soul power. There in a corner of the secret chamber was a corpse, seated in a cross-legged posture. Only, there wasn't a single bit of flesh on the corpse. All that was left of the corpse was a skeleton that shone with hints of golden light. Black-coloured runes flashed around the skeleton, seemingly defending the skeleton.

What is going on here? Chen Feng began speculating.

The strength of this person's soul power is already far above that of the average True Immortal. Only, since he is so strong, how did his fleshly body become so damaged? He couldn't even regenerate his flesh.

Poison? Hex power? Power of destruction? It doesn't look like it. As Chen Feng was thinking about getting closer to inspect it, a stream of soul power converged to become a river before charging towards him.

Compared to the black threads from back then, this stream of power was nearly a thousand time stronger. Defending against it using soul power alone would be impossible. Not even the Soul Subduing Mantra would help.

Weng!

A b.l.o.o.d.y light rapidly shone from Chen Feng's hand to form a s.h.i.+eld. Putting the s.h.i.+eld before him, Chen Feng then slashed with the Upright Heaven Sword. It was just one slash, but that was the strongest slash that Chen Feng could muster.

The black river smashed against the blood-coloured s.h.i.+eld, causing it to flash with light, but it was quickly about to become dim. Promptly, however, a fine mote of sword light burst out from the curtain of darkness to tear the black river in half, as though it was really just a piece of black cloth.

Sou!

The split black river once again moved to wrap around Chen Feng from either side. Only, Chen Feng's figure flashed – the Longevity Wings flapping – and he instantly disappeared.

However, a black-coloured giant hand was able to closely follow Chen Feng. This proved that this person still had to energy to pursue Chen Feng earlier.

“Let me!”

A flaming lance abruptly stabbed out from void s.p.a.ce to pierce the black hand. Chen Feng then displayed a backhanded slash to cut the black hand. As a result, the black hand transformed into a clump of black energy. The clump of black energy rapidly wriggled as it attempted to converge only for Chen Feng to grasp and collect it, putting it into the Longevity Tower.

The clump of energy was simply too strong. Given his current state, Chen Feng was still incapable of devouring it in one gulp. All he could do was to suppress it inside the Longevity Tower.

“How is it?” Huo Yunlong appeared before Chen Feng.

“Two star wanderers. They are very powerful, but the one behind the black hand is even stronger. Although there is only a skeleton left of this guy, his soul power is too strong. The way I see it, even if two more fellows come, we will not be able to defeat him,” Chen Feng aired his thoughts about the situation.

“Did you see any treasures?” That was what Huo Yunlong cared about the most.

“For now, I have yet to see any. Our plan of sitting back to reap the benefits after both sides are exhausted will need to be changed. Either we charge and attack or book it right now. What do you think?”

“What do I think? I came here looking for treasures. Right now, I still have nothing to show for my efforts. I don't want to go back empty-handed.”

“Fellow friend, please help!”

One of the star wanderers sent out a distress call.

“Those two will not be able to hold on for much longer.”

“There's a Soul Acc.u.mulation Bead here!” 

“What?” Chen Feng and Huo Yunlong exchanged glances, a somewhat excited look on their faces.

“Let's ask what level it's at.”

“Is there even a need to ask? Something that a True Immortal possesses must surely be a good item. Attack!”

“Let's go and check it out. If they're lying to us, we'll kill those two fellows.”

“This skeleton is quite good. It is something left behind by a True Immortal, after all. By refining it, the toughness of our bodies will become 10 times stronger.” After arriving, Huo Yunlong saw the skeleton inside the secret chamber.

“Forget it. I'm afraid that we'll end up suffering the same fate after refining it. I'll cover you. Go find the treasure,” Chen Feng said, the sword in his hand swinging to send a Storm of Sword Beams charging into their surroundings. At the same time, the Blood Mustering Bead also appeared above his head to release a blood-coloured curtain of light to act as a s.h.i.+eld. 

“Friend, let's attack together! It's not just the Soul Acc.u.mulation Bead, there are other treasures here as well.” Due to the actions from Chen Feng's team, the pressure on the other two cultivators was instantly lessened.

Truth be told, there was no need for the two fellows to encourage them. The moment Chen Feng and Huo Yunlong decided to enter, they already had to fight the other party. Thick, surging streams of soul power were already a.s.sailing Chen Feng and Huo Yunlong.

Chen Feng brandished the Upright Heaven Sword while utilizing the Blood Mustering Bead, but the pressure on him became increasingly strong. Back then, Chen Feng had shattered one of the black crystals and devoured the opponent's soul power. Due to that, the opponent had long since wanted to kill off Chen Feng. Now that Chen Feng had chosen to come on his own, the opponent chose to divert half of his soul power to fight Chen Feng.

“Have you found the treasure? I won't be able to hold on for much longer!” Chen Feng's face became somewhat flushed. The strength of this opponent's soul power had surpa.s.sed his estimate.

“No, there is nothing here,” Huo Yunlong said.

“What? Check it properly. This is a True Immortal, could there be not a single treasure on him?”

Suddenly, Chen Feng felt the pressure on him rising, becoming several times stronger. It was such that he could no longer stop it and was forced to keep on giving ground. The Blood Mustering Bead shone with a dazzling, blood-coloured light, but it was still incapable of stopping the attacks from the soul power.

Chen Feng's sea of wisdom fell into chaos and even the Soul Subduing Mantra was beginning to fail.

“What's going on?”

“The two fellows made use of the opportunity to run away!”

“d.a.m.n it! I got careless! How did I forget that possibility?”

“What should we do? Do we leave as well?”

“It's not that simple. Coming in is easy, but leaving will be hard.”

Due to the actions of the two star wanderers who sneakily left, Chen Feng and Huo Yunlong had become enveloped by the ocean-like soul power. One glance at it would leave one dizzy, dealing a serious blow to one's combat power.

“When we get out, we'll settle this account with those two fellows. Right now, we should focus on saving ourselves!”

Huo Yunlong unleashed a mighty display of strength and a gigantic flaming dragon swirled around him as he continuously attacked with a flaming lance, attempting to carve a way out.

Compared to Huo Yunlong, the pressure on Chen Feng was greater. The power of fire that Huo Yunlong displayed could counter soul power while the sword energy that Chen Feng was unleas.h.i.+ng clearly was not too effective.

Bang!

Like a lance, a thick, black vine pierced through the defensive s.h.i.+eld that the Blood Mustering Bead created before knocking Chen Feng aside. Chen Feng shouted as he kept swinging the Upright Heaven Sword. In the end, however, a black vine managed to stab his body.

“Oh, no!”

Knowing what the opponent wanted to do, Chen Feng did not even have the time to think before activating the Demonic Heavengorging Art. He hoped that he could drain the opponent's strength instead.

Bang!

The vine – formed from soul power – abruptly exploded. Neither side managed to gain the upper hand in the exchange. However, from a certain perspective, Chen Feng was the one with the upper hand. His cultivation level was far lower compared to his opponent, after all.

“It's the Demonic Heavengorging Art!” Huo Yunlong exclaimed.

“That's right. It is none other than the Demonic Heavengorging Art! The other party wants to suck me dry, but it is impossible. On the contrary, I want to suck him dry!” Chen Feng laughed loudly. He was, however, inwardly groaning.

Given the present situation, Chen Feng could not devour the opponent's soul power at all. Even if he could, there was no time for him to refine and absorb the soul power. Rather, it would only bring him more troubles.

Weng!

A peculiar wave of energy fluctuations made its way into Chen Feng's sea of wisdom, causing him to release a pained cry. He began bleeding from his seven orifices as his heart thumped vigorously. Wave after wave of formidable power coursed through his whole body and even his pores began oozing out blood. It was a most wretched sight to behold. 

“Chen Feng, are you all right? Don't die! If you die, I won't be able to escape all on my own!” Huo Yunlong grew worried and he directed the flaming dragon forward to stop the subsequent attacks for Chen Feng.

Note: The Heavensfire Tree used to be translated as Skyfire Tree. The character in question here is '天', pinyin 'tiān'. It could mean either Sky or Heaven. Only, given the context, I think Heaven suits it better now. The branch was obtained in .