Martial Arts Overlord-Chapter 416 - 414: Innate Divine Strength

Chapter 416: Chapter 414: Innate Divine Strength
So this is Black Wind Ridge...
Luo Feng stared at the dark and forbidding mountain range before him, his gaze tightening.
The mountain range was perilous, its baleful aura soaring into the sky. It was utterly malevolent. No wonder everyone turned pale at the mere mention of traveling to Black Wind Ridge.
The sound of hooves heralded Yao Qing, who rode her horse to the front of the escort, announcing, "We’ll stop to rest and recuperate. We will set off in an hour."
"Yes!"
Everyone responded in unison and immediately set up camp, taking out medicinal pills to recover their energy.
No one dared to underestimate Black Wind Ridge.
This mountain range teemed with demon beasts and its terrain was treacherous. What was most terrifying, however, was that this region was prowled by numerous bandits and highwaymen, all of them renowned figures in the martial world. The slightest carelessness could mean death, becoming mere fodder for demon beasts.
Luo Feng also took out a medicinal pill and consumed it to restore his Yuan Qi.
They were less than two days’ journey from Green Wood Peak, and he could encounter members of the Duanmu Family at any time. He had to remain completely vigilant.
An hour later, the escort set off again, heading towards Black Wind Ridge.
In the deathly silent forest, everyone proceeded quietly, their wary eyes constantly scanning the shadows among the surrounding trees.
Everyone’s nerves were stretched to the limit, braced for any danger that might suddenly appear.
WHOOSH!
"Ah! A demon beast!"
A black shadow darted past a young escort’s feet, startling him into a terrified shout as he stumbled and fell to the ground with a thud.
SHING!
The forest echoed with the sound of blades and swords being drawn. A flurry of light from the flashing steel filled the air as everyone drew their weapons, their expressions tense as they scanned their surroundings.
"Where is the demon beast?" Yu Kui asked, his voice grave.
The man who had fallen to the ground shook his head, his face ashen. "I don’t know! It just ran out from under my feet."
"Should we inform Captain Fang and the Young Miss?"
Hearing this, everyone’s expressions became even grimmer. Undetectable dangers were, indeed, the most terrifying.
"Don’t be alarmed."
Just as everyone’s nerves were stretched taut, a clear voice spoke up. Luo Feng walked out, holding something up. "This is what he saw."
All eyes turned to Luo Feng.
In his hand, Luo Feng held a black, three-eyed rabbit, which was struggling frantically.
"So it was a Three-eyed Shadow Rabbit."
Yu Kui sighed in relief and gestured. "Lower your weapons."
The Three-eyed Shadow Rabbit was merely a small creature, notable only for its speed. It posed no threat and was quite common near Black Wind Ridge.
The young martial artist who had fallen scrambled up, his face beet-red. "You scared me to death! Thanks, Feng Luo."
Luo Feng shook his head. "Let’s keep moving. Be careful."
The group continued on their way.
Black Wind Ridge truly lived up to its fearsome reputation. The party had only crossed two mountain spurs when they were attacked by demon beasts three times.
Fortunately, none of them were particularly powerful, and the group managed to deal with them, more startled than harmed.
Two hours later, the group arrived before a cliff.
The cliff was cone-shaped, with the path cutting across its middle. On one side rose a sheer rock face; on the other, a deep abyss plunged into pitch-black darkness. Even a martial artist falling into it would likely be dashed to pieces.
Gazing at the cliff ahead, Yu Kui took a deep breath and said, "Ahead is Yixian Cliff. Once we pass through here, the road beyond will be much easier. Everyone, let’s press on!"
"Yes!"
The men in the vanguard responded with excitement.
Ever since entering Black Wind Ridge, their nerves had been stretched taut, and they hadn’t dared to relax for an instant. Now, knowing they were finally about to leave this accursed place, they all felt a surge of eagerness.
Noticing Yu Kui’s solemn expression, Luo Feng asked, "Uncle Yu, what is it?"
Yu Kui looked at the cliff ahead and said, "Yixian Cliff’s terrain is treacherous. It’s a prime spot for ambushes."
Luo Feng nodded; he had noticed this as well.
If someone were to attempt to rob the escort now, there would be no way to retreat.
"AH!"
As they were speaking, a scream suddenly pierced the air from up ahead.
Yu Kui’s expression changed. His figure flashed, and he was already at the head of the column, asking sharply, "What happened?"
Luo Feng also followed Yu Kui, moving forward.
"Captain, it’s nothing! I just accidentally tripped," a young martial artist stammered, scrambling awkwardly to his feet.
The other men in the vanguard burst into loud laughter.
"Were you trying to scare us on purpose, kid?"
"You’re a martial artist in the early stage of the God Bravery Realm, yet you still trip in a place like this!"
The young martial artist, his face flushed, scratched his head. He looked at the rocky pit at his feet and frowned. "Strange, I don’t think this pit was here just now."
Hearing this, Yu Kui’s brow furrowed. He squatted down. "Let me see."
Luo Feng also approached. The pit in the ground was about two palms wide and nearly two feet long.
"Uncle Yu, this is..." Luo Feng’s eyebrows rose.
Yu Kui touched the edge of the pit, his expression grim, and nodded. "It’s just as I feared. This must be a trap meant for the carriages."
"A trap!"
Those nearby exclaimed in alarm, all understanding what the presence of a trap here signified.
"Look out! Everyone, get back!"
Luo Feng’s ears twitched. Hearing a sound, he shouted a warning and rapidly retreated.
Yu Kui grabbed the two men beside him and leaped away.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
The moment they moved, sharp whistling sounds filled the air as a dense volley of arrows rained down from the sky. The arrows embedded themselves deeply into the ground, leaving only the fletching visible.
Seeing the spot where they had just been standing now bristling with arrows, everyone sucked in a sharp breath of cold air. A chill ran straight up their spines.
A dense layer of arrows covered an area tens of feet across. If they hadn’t retreated in time, they would have been riddled like hedgehogs by now.
"Form up!" Yu Kui barked.
At his command, the terrified martial artists instantly formed a semicircle around Yu Kui, preparing to defend against incoming arrows.
Strangely, after that first volley, the arrows stopped, as if they had never appeared.
"Where were those arrows shot from? Why did they stop?" someone couldn’t help but ask, puzzled.
Luo Feng gazed down the path ahead and said gravely, "Someone’s coming."
Yu Kui nodded. "Go inform Captain Fang and the Chief Escort! We’re being ambushed!"
"Yes!"
One man acknowledged and immediately leaped away, rushing back toward the main group.
To be ambushed in a place like this... I wonder which group it is!
Yu Kui’s face was grim. Here on Yixian Cliff, the escort had no room to retreat; they were caught in a pincer.
Luo Feng looked down the road ahead and said, "We’ll know soon enough."
Seeing Luo Feng’s calm composure, Yu Kui couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration. "Feng Luo," he said, "I’ve roamed the rtiad for many years, and there aren’t many people I truly admire. You’re one of them."
The other men in the vanguard also nodded, their faces filled with respect as they looked at Luo Feng.
These seasoned veterans of the rtiad couldn’t help but feel apprehensive when facing bandits, yet Luo Feng had remained remarkably calm and collected from the start. His composure made many of them feel somewhat ashamed.
A short while later, the sound of hooves echoed from the road ahead, and a troop of riders emerged from behind a rock wall.
"It’s the Black Wind Camp!"
Seeing the riders emerge from behind the rock wall, a young martial artist cried out in alarm.
Black Wind Camp...
Luo Feng frowned slightly. Yu Kui had previously mentioned them, describing Black Wind Camp as seemingly the largest power in the vicinity of Black Wind Ridge.
Luo Feng looked ahead. A triangular flag fluttered amidst the mounted troop. The flag was pitch-black, emblazoned with two characters for ’Black Wind’ in a crimson red so vivid it seemed like a burning flame.
CLOP, CLOP, CLOP...
The disorderly, incessant drumming of hooves grew louder, and soon the two groups were close enough to make out each other’s features.
The approaching troop numbered less than thirty, yet the Yuan Qi fluctuations emanating from each rider were potent. Their eyes, like those of hawks, glinted sharply, their piercing gazes making one’s skin tingle, clearly indicating that all of them possessed cultivation at or above the seventh level of the Essence storage Realm.
Luo Feng’s gaze settled on a powerfully built man at the head of the troop, and his expression flickered.
This man wore a blood-red robe, his wild hair cascading over his shoulders. On one shoulder, he carried an enormous warhammer, its head the size of a millstone. His body rippled with knotted muscles, hard as iron and stone. His face, full of fierce flesh and dark as charcoal, presented a terrifying visage. His eyes, gleaming like those of a hungry wolf, radiated a savage, bloodthirsty aura.
Mid-stage of the ninth level, Heavenly Court Realm. This Black Wind Ridge truly harbors hidden dragons and crouching tigers!
Luo Feng discerned the man’s cultivation level, and a thought flickered through his mind.
"It’s the men from Black Wind Camp! We’re doomed!"
"Look at that dark-faced brute at the front! That must be Black Wind Camp’s Third Chieftain, ’Black-faced Wolf’ Xu Tai!"
"What? Black-faced Wolf Xu Tai is here?! Then aren’t we as good as dead?!"
"Damn it! I only just got married! I don’t want to die here!"
Seeing the approaching members of Black Wind Camp, everyone’s faces drained of color, and some of the hands gripping weapons began to tremble visibly.
No one had expected to encounter Black Wind Camp here. And among them was even their Third Chieftain, Xu Tai, the ’Black-faced Wolf’—a man notorious in the rtiad!
Yu Kui glanced at the dark-faced man, gritted his teeth, and muttered, "To think we’d run into this fellow here. Now we’re really in for it."
Luo Feng looked at Yu Kui and asked, "Is he very strong?"
"Strong is an understatement."
Yu Kui took a deep breath, his expression grave.
"Black Wind Camp has three chieftains: the First Chieftain, ’Black Wind Wolf’ Yang Xuelang; the Second Chieftain, ’White-Faced Wolf’ Liu Zixuan; and the Third Chieftain, ’Black-faced Wolf’ Xu Tai. All of them are at the ninth level of the Heavenly Court Realm. These three were once highly renowned figures in the rtiad! Their strength is unfathomable."
"Take this Black-faced Wolf Xu Tai, for example. He is at the mid-stage of the ninth level, Heavenly Court Realm. The hammer art he cultivates, ’Thousand Mountains Kill,’ is a low-grade Profound Level martial art. But the most terrifying thing about him is his Innate Divine Strength. Even when he was only at the sixth level of the God Bravery Realm, he could single-handedly lift a five-ton warhammer. One swing of his hammer could shatter a small hill! He’s incredibly formidable!"
As an escort guard, Yu Kui was very well-informed about matters of the rtiad, so he readily recounted Xu Tai’s capabilities.
Innate Divine Strength... Interesting.
Luo Feng’s eyes glinted, and a faint smile touched his lips.
He possessed eighteen Meridian Wheels, and his physique was extraordinary. Ever since he reached the fifth level of the Iron Bone Realm, he had already possessed the colossal strength of five tons.