Chapter 57: Wild Thunder Mountain, Storm Peak

The Gate of Terror.

Fei Xiong Mountain, Tiger Head Cliff, inside the Tiger’s Mouth Cave.

Xiong Zhan sat grandly on a tiger-skin chair, his face contorted with rage.

This time, Xiong Zhan had brought four chiefs to the Tianji Mu family, determined to kill Chu Feng. Yet, not only did Chu Feng remain unscathed, but Pan Ba—whom Xiong Zhan relied on as his right-hand man—was instead brutally slain at Chu Feng’s hand.

Losing both subordinates and face at the Mu family, Xiong Zhan returned utterly defeated.

“Father, must we really abide by the terms of the Duel Pact? Are we truly forbidden from harming Chu Feng in secret before the appointed day, three months from now?” Xiong Wei said furiously.

“That wretch Chu Feng, who knows what sorcery he used to conjure pulse needles from nothing, curing Miss Mu’s chronic pulse pain and thereby climbing the Mu family’s ranks! Now, with the Mu family fully protecting Chu Feng, we cannot oppose them openly, nor is it easy to strike from the shadows. We can only wait until the day of the duel, and then finally kill Chu Feng to our heart’s content,” Xiong Zhan said, sighing deeply despite his seething anger.

With the Tianji Mu family backing Chu Feng, the Xiong clan of the Gate of Terror dared not act rashly.

“Father, to avenge our third and fourth brothers, what are a hundred days? When the day of the Duel Pact arrives, I will personally take Chu Feng’s miserable life!” Xiong Wu declared loudly.

“Second brother, don’t be so sure of yourself! Father has said, when Chu Feng left the Gate of Terror, he was only at the first stage of Body Tempering—barely worthy of being called a martial artist. Yet in little over a month, he’s reached the fourth stage and subdued the Diamond Battle Rhino. That speed of advancement is terrifying! If he keeps progressing like this, a hundred days from now he may reach the sixth or even seventh stage!” Xiong Wei frowned, concern etched across his face.

“Brother, you’re just boosting the enemy’s morale and undermining our own! Even if Chu Feng advances by leaps and bounds, do you think we’ll stand still? By the time he reaches the sixth stage, I’ll already be at the eighth—crushing him will be a simple matter!” Xiong Wu retorted.

“Enough, both of you! No more bickering!” Xiong Zhan waved his hand. “I’ve received word these past two days—Chu Feng is headed for the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall, to help suppress the Calamity of Wind and Thunder in their stone caves. If he’s lucky enough to succeed, the Martial Hall will owe him a great debt. If not, he’ll either die there or come back empty-handed, wasting many precious days for nothing!”

“Let’s hope Chu Feng fails! If the Calamity cannot be suppressed, first, it will deal a huge blow to the Martial Hall, severely weakening their strength—giving our Gate a chance to surpass them. Second, Chu Feng might die inside, or at best be left crippled. Then we can torture or kill him as we please, and the Mu family will have no say in the matter!” said Xiong Wei.

“Exactly!” Xiong Zhan nodded. “In the next two months, you two have two tasks: First, train hard and shine at the tournament hosted by the Outer Sect of Hengshan, to bring glory to our Gate of Terror! After the tournament, the deadline for the Duel Pact with Chu Feng will arrive. Winning that duel is your second task.”

“Rest assured, Father! We’ll do our utmost and accomplish both!” Xiong Wei and Xiong Wu replied in unison.

Little did the Xiong family know, at that very moment, Chu Feng was hidden within the clouds above the Tiger’s Mouth Cave.

...

A thousand fathoms above the ground, amidst the clouds, the Brokenskies House Eagle—its body as large as a house—unfurled its vast wings, streaking through the clouds like a meteor from beyond the heavens.

Ssshh! Ssshh!

Though enormous, the Brokenskies House Eagle flew at breathtaking speed, its passage through the air marked by a piercing whistle as it cleaved the clouds.

“Uncle Han, this Brokenskies House Eagle’s flight is truly astonishing! Despite its earlier troubles, now that it’s airborne, it soars like a dragon in the sky!” Chu Feng exclaimed.

At this moment, Chu Feng and Han Mo sat in the small house atop the eagle’s back. The eagle’s back, two yards square, was broad and sturdy. During flight, several fleshy wings folded around the back, forming a structure much like a little house—thus its name.

Though the eagle flew with incredible speed, wind howling fiercely outside, within the shelter of the little house, not a breath of wind could be felt.

Han Mo smiled wryly. Earlier, atop Tianji Peak, Chu Feng had subdued the proud Brokenskies House Eagle with overwhelming force. Although the eagle had downed two barrels of wine to steady itself, only its body was calmed—its heart was still in turmoil. Han Mo secretly prayed the eagle’s strength would hold and that no trouble would arise.

For a while, they traveled on without pause.

The Tianji Mu family was some six thousand miles from the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall. The Brokenskies House Eagle, taking off from Tianji Peak, would first cross the Mu family’s territory, then pass over the Gate of Terror’s domain, and finally enter the Martial Hall’s lands.

This journey of six thousand miles would take Chu Feng three days on foot, but only three hours by eagle.

As he gazed from the little house enclosed by the eagle’s wings, Chu Feng watched the landscape of Nine Mountains and Eighteen Ridges flash by: towering peaks, mirror-like lakes, endless forests, winding rivers, unfathomable chasms, and rolling hills like waves...

All manner of wondrous, picturesque scenery passed before Chu Feng’s eyes.

Yet as they drew closer to the Martial Hall’s domain, Chu Feng noticed the wind grew ever stronger.

Now, the wind roared like thunder in his ears.

Suddenly, Chu Feng’s eyes lit up. Far ahead, several bolts of lightning flashed across the sky, accompanied by thunderous peals.

“Uncle Han, was that lightning and thunder from the Wind and Thunder Stone Caves?” Chu Feng asked curiously.

“Indeed!” Han Mo nodded. “We’ve entered the Martial Hall’s domain. The nearer we get to Mad Thunder Mountain, where the Hall stands, the stronger the wind and thunder. The lightning in the sky grows ever brighter. And within the Wind and Thunder Stone Caves, the storms and thunder are mightier still!”

Chu Feng nodded, asking no further about the force of wind and thunder within the caves. Since he had come, he would face whatever awaited him.

As the Brokenskies House Eagle sped on, just as Han Mo had said, the closer they flew to Mad Thunder Mountain, the greater the wind’s force, the louder the thunder, and the more blinding the lightning.

What Chu Feng had not expected was that, not only were the winds fierce and the thunder deafening, but below, the Martial Hall’s territory was a wasteland of yellow sand, flying dust, and tumbling stones. The air was a brownish-yellow, more like a desert than the scenic mountains and ridges he had seen before.

Seeing Chu Feng’s frown, Han Mo explained with a bitter smile, “Young Master Chu, you may not know—one hundred and twenty years ago, before the ninth Calamity of Wind and Thunder, the scenery here was beautiful. Not as lush as the Mu family’s Tianji lands, perhaps, but still green mountains and clear waters—not this wasteland of sand.”

“Oh? Then where did this desert come from?” Chu Feng asked.

“It came from the Wind and Thunder Stone Caves!” Han Mo replied. “One hundred and twenty years ago, after the ninth Calamity broke out, countless flying stones erupted from the caves. Once they landed, the relentless wind ground them to sand within a year. As the sand accumulated, this desert was formed.”

“Such violent winds!” Chu Feng gasped, imagining winds as sharp as blades.

Boom!

A thunderclap cracked directly above the Brokenskies House Eagle, the sound so immense it seemed to shake the very sky.

“Young Master Chu, we’ve passed Thunderstrike Summit and entered the Mad Thunder Mountains. See that towering peak in the distance? That is Mad Thunder Mountain, the main peak and the Martial Hall’s seat. The summit, Stormcrest, is where we’ll land.”

Han Mo pointed toward a solitary mountain far ahead, illuminated by lightning into a blue-violet glow.

At the summit, Chu Feng could just make out vast surges of white air, sweeping and crashing like waves—clearly, the raging storm.

Boom!

Just as the Brokenskies House Eagle swept by, a lightning bolt as thick as an ancient tree struck a nearby peak. With a thunderous roar, the mountaintop was cleaved in two, sending countless rocks flying.