Chapter 80: Thunderous Measures

“Heh, when you all sought me out at the Celestial Mechanism Mu family and had me travel all the way to the Wind and Thunder Stone Cavern to help you dissolve the Wind and Thunder Tribulation, would you not call that meddling in the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall’s internal affairs?” Chu Feng retorted with a cold laugh.

Liu Shenghua, ever the shrewd one, smiled at these words and said, “Young Master Chu, rest assured. Since you have helped the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall dissolve the tribulation, both I and the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall will certainly reward you handsomely! I guarantee you’ll be satisfied with my gratitude.”

“Oh? Are you trying to fool me, Chu Feng, or perhaps the people of the Thunder Sect you’ve just coaxed into surrendering? I’ve just killed Liu Yue, Meng Daotong, and Cui Zhengkun, three of your hall masters, yet you offer me such deference instead of demanding justice for them? Is this the fate that awaits those Thunder Sect defectors of yours—treated as if their lives are worthless?” Chu Feng’s words struck home, and many of the Thunder Sect’s hall masters and disciples exchanged uneasy glances.

Liu Yue, Meng Daotong, and Cui Zhengkun had died violently before Liu Shenghua’s eyes, yet he hadn’t so much as spared their corpses a glance, as if they were no more than stray dogs. This left the Thunder Sect’s hall masters and disciples deeply unsettled—their own fate might well be no better than those three.

Liu Shenghua’s face darkened at once. “Chu Feng, I have already shown respect both to you and the Celestial Mechanism Mu family. Don’t press your luck or overstep your bounds! If you make an enemy of the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall, you’ll gain nothing. If you befriend us, I will not treat you poorly. Friend or foe, the choice is yours—think carefully!”

Wen Lie quickly added, “Chu Feng, perhaps you don’t know—before you ever set foot in the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall, the Bear Clan of the Terror Gate approached us, proposing an alliance against you, but Master Liu refused them outright!”

“Heh, who are you trying to fool?” Chu Feng laughed. “Back when I was with the Celestial Mechanism Mu family, the Bear Clan found me troublesome, but they weren’t desperate enough to seek an alliance with you against me! If anything, it was Master Han Mo who, unafraid of offending the Bear Clan, stood up for me and mediated with their people!”

Zhao Dongqiang snorted. “So, Chu Feng, are you saying you simply must meddle in the affairs of the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall?”

“Obviously! I’ve killed three of your people already—do I look like I’m here for fun?” Chu Feng shot back coldly.

“Very well. Since that’s the case, don’t blame me, Liu Shenghua, for answering in kind!” Liu Shenghua’s voice grew fierce. “Hall Masters Wen, Xu, Zhao, Zuo, and Feng—take him down!”

At his command, Wen Lie, Xu Ye, Zhao Dongqiang, Zuo Qianshan, and Feng Xiyan, five hall masters in all, drew their weapons and leaped to surround Chu Feng.

“Shameless! Five on one?” Hall Master Wang cursed aloud.

“Heh, Liu Shenghua, your Wind and Thunder Martial Hall truly knows no shame! Why not simply have all two thousand disciples attack at once?” Chu Feng sneered.

Liu Shenghua showed no reaction. “Sending more people against you is a sign of respect, is it not? Chu Feng, you dared stir this hornet’s nest—are you afraid now of being stung?”

“Well said. At least you’re confident.” Chu Feng smiled coldly, then suddenly spun around.

A sharp, dragon-like roar split the air, echoing to the heavens.

With that cry, a strange dragon-shaped beast, slightly larger than a warhorse, appeared abruptly at Chu Feng’s side. The instant it appeared, the atmosphere grew frenzied and violent.

Even more unbearable, the beast began to swing its head and tail, strutting about proudly. Its not-so-thick hind legs stomped upon the floor, making the great hall tremble and hum as if the land itself shook.

“Ah!” A disciple of the Wind Sect suddenly shrieked, blood spurting from his mouth. He had merely been a bit too close to the beast and, overwhelmed by its violent aura, his organs shattered—he died on the spot.

“That’s... the Thunder Convergence King-Beast!” Liu Run recognized it and, upon calling out the name, hurried to cower behind his father, Liu Shenghua.

“What? Thunder Convergence King-Beast?” Liu Shenghua stared warily, unfamiliar with the creature.

“Father, the Thunder Convergence King-Beast is the sovereign of its kind. Its physical strength is terrifying—it’s nearly invincible, whether in attack or defense. I nearly died from its thunder breath last time!” Liu Run’s voice shook with fear.

The sudden appearance of the Thunder Convergence King-Beast had shocked Liu Run, but what shook him even more was that Chu Feng had actually tamed it and made it his personal war beast, carrying it with him in a storage pouch. Liu Run had no idea how Chu Feng had achieved this, nor could he fathom his true strength—perhaps, he thought, Chu Feng truly possessed some kind of sorcery. How else to explain it?

A greedy glint flickered across Liu Shenghua’s face. “Chu Feng, had you not summoned this beast, I might have spared your life. But now that you’ve brought it before me, I am resolved to destroy you!”

“We’ll see if you have the skill!” Surrounded by five hall masters and threatened by Liu Shenghua, Chu Feng remained calm, showing not a hint of fear.

Suddenly, the Thunder Convergence King-Beast thrust its head forward and spat out a stream of blue-violet lightning straight at Liu Run behind Liu Shenghua.

A blood-curdling scream rang out. Sizzling sounds erupted from Liu Run’s face and the stench of charred flesh filled the air.

Liu Shenghua turned to look and nearly cried out in horror. Half of Liu Run’s head was blackened to charcoal, and streaks of lightning, like tiny tadpoles, still danced across his face. His lips had curled and blistered as though branded by a red-hot iron.

His entire face was ruined beyond recognition, a ghastly sight.

Chu Feng smiled faintly—he understood one trait of the Thunder Convergence King-Beast: it would always prioritize attacking targets imprinted in its memory.

Back in the Wind and Thunder Stone Cavern, Liu Run had provoked the beast and, although he escaped at the time, he’d been marked as an enemy ever since. Now, upon meeting him again, the King-Beast immediately struck.

Another anguished scream—Liu Run collapsed heavily to the ground.

“My son, are you all right?” Liu Shenghua cried out in shock, hurriedly checking for breath. But his heart chilled—his only son was dead.

“Run’er? Run’er!” Liu Shenghua shouted, but his son’s body was stiff as stone, unmoving.

“Chu Feng! You killed my son—I’ll tear you limb from limb!” Liu Shenghua roared like a beast.

“Enough useless words!” Chu Feng snapped, and with a light pat on the King-Beast’s back, it grew even more ferocious.

Blue-violet lightning crackled visibly over its entire body. Suddenly, it spread its two fleshy wings and began to lash out at the surrounding five hall masters.

Wen Lie, caught off guard, was struck head-on by a funnel-shaped wind column, sent flying to the front pillar of the hall with a heavy crash. He spat blood and lost consciousness.

Meanwhile, Zuo Qianshan and Feng Xiyan, though not flung away, were forced back, unable to keep their footing.

Only the Wind Sect’s Zhao Dongqiang and Xu Ye, leveraging their superior footwork, narrowly dodged the beast’s sweeping attack.

Seizing the moment, Chu Feng brandished his Overlord Shadow-Piercing Spear. Dodging the combined assault of Zhao Dongqiang and Xu Ye, he stepped left, pivoted right, and with a sudden turn, appeared before Zuo Qianshan.

“Young Master Chu, I was forced into this—spare me—”

“Die first!”

With a piercing sound, Chu Feng’s spear plunged through Zuo Qianshan’s chest, cutting off his plea. His internal energy drained, Zuo Qianshan was defenseless against the oncoming wind column. With two whooshing gusts, his body was reduced to mince, bones and all shattered and scattered.