Chapter 109: The Northern Faction

In truth, the straight-line distance from Hangzhou to Chengdu was less than a thousand kilometers. Had Chen Fengyun traveled at full speed, he could have arrived in under an hour. However, on that day, he had traveled leisurely to contemplate the Earth Vein Arts, familiarizing himself with its various techniques.

Yet even so, the shock in everyone's hearts was profound. This was especially true for Xie Zhihua. Previously, he had never thought much of Chen Fengyun. But after Chen Fengyun helped Feng Tianbao break through to the Grandmaster realm last night and then displayed such an incredible method of travel today—which was clearly far superior to any martial arts grandmaster—Xie Zhihua felt a chill of dread creep into his heart.

"I never imagined one could travel this way, let alone carry so many people with them. It is truly unbelievable."

"We had only heard rumors of Mr. Chen's power before, but seeing it with our own eyes today is truly awe-inspiring."

"A Great Grandmaster of Martial Arts... what a legendary realm to aspire to. I wonder how many people left in this world could possibly stand against Mr. Chen?"

Chen Fengyun naturally overheard their whispered discussions, but he paid them no mind. His purpose in cultivation was not to vie for supremacy with others; rather, having obtained the Cultivation System, he simply had to press onward.

As long as those martial arts experts did not cross him, Chen Fengyun could not be bothered to pay them any attention. He had no desire to defeat everyone under heaven to become undefeated; he simply followed his own whims.

Of course, if anyone provoked him as Qin Tianxiong's faction had, he would not hesitate to root them out entirely. When dealing with enemies, one had to eradicate them completely, root and stem; otherwise, mercy shown to a foe would only invite harm upon oneself in the end.

The mist beneath their feet surged rapidly as the wind whistled past their ears. Standing at the very front, Chen Fengyun's figure was elegant and ethereal, appearing incomparably towering in the eyes of the others.

Even Feng Tianbao, who had just broken through to the Grandmaster realm and possessed formidable strength, found Chen Fengyun more and more unfathomable, filling him with profound respect.

In the past, Feng Tianbao's deference to Chen Fengyun had been largely due to Uncle Thirteen. Although he knew Chen Fengyun was powerful in his own right, he had still felt that he could at least gauge the depth of the man's strength.

However, after Chen Fengyun helped him break through to the Grandmaster realm this morning, everything changed. Whether it was the spirit-gathering array Chen Fengyun had set up, the mysterious spiritual liquid he had given him to drink, or the supreme techniques Chen Fengyun was currently displaying, it all made Feng Tianbao feel as though the distance between them was only growing wider.

It was like an analogy his teacher had made back in his school days: drawing a circle on the blackboard, where the area inside represented one's knowledge. The larger the circle grew, the greater its contact with the blank space outside, meaning that the more one learned, the more one realized how much they did not know.

Feng Tianbao felt exactly like that. Before he reached the Grandmaster level, he assumed Chen Fengyun was likely a Grandmaster. But now that he had reached the Grandmaster realm himself, he realized he still could not fathom the limits of Chen Fengyun's power.

Before long, Chen Fengyun's mind stirred. His divine sense swept five kilometers ahead, detecting a group of people heading toward a valley. They were the members of the Northern Sect.

"Let us stop here. The Northern Sect is about a kilometer ahead. We will follow them on foot," Chen Fengyun said to the group as they landed after flying a few more kilometers.

"I will lead the way. Everyone keep up and stay alert," Feng Tianbao said, immediately stepping to the front with his GPS phone. The others followed in file, with Chen Fengyun bringing up the rear.

Unbeknownst to the others, though Chen Fengyun appeared to be walking, his feet were actually supported by a current of earth vein energy. He did not touch the ground at all, floating about three inches above the dirt.

Furthermore, no matter how fast Feng Tianbao led the way, and regardless of whether the others sprinted or leaped, Chen Fengyun simply took casual, measured paces. Yet, he kept pace with them effortlessly, remaining vigilant as his divine sense swept the surroundings.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Within the range of Chen Fengyun's divine sense, numerous figures were rapidly converging from all directions. The auras they exuded marked them as martial arts experts, with no shortage of Grandmasters among them.

*It seems the opening of the Changbai Underground Palace has drawn quite a crowd of martial arts experts,* Chen Fengyun thought to himself. *This is bound to be a lively affair. But if anyone gets in my way, they shouldn't blame me for being ruthless.* For the sake of cultivation resources, he was more than willing to fight.

"Oh no, the Southern Sect has caught up. Damn it, how are they moving so fast? Weren't they more than ten kilometers behind us?" Just then, Hong Zhongshan, a Grandmaster of the Northern Sect, grimaced and spoke.

"Indeed. They closed the distance rapidly just now, which means they must have some powerful figures with them. Hm, I sense an unfamiliar Grandmaster aura among the Southern Sect. It must be a newly ascended expert," Ma Dingdang, who was walking at the front of the Northern Sect group, remarked.

"However, I don't sense Old Monster Wu's presence. As long as Uncle Thirteen hasn't come, a newly minted Grandmaster poses no threat to us," Hong Zhongshan nodded. "Still, there are many other martial arts experts around, including several Grandmasters. I fear they might disrupt our plans."

"Elder Hong, we have Miss Ma with us. Even if a few Grandmasters show up, we have nothing to fear, right?" a middle-aged man with a powerful aura chimed in. He carried a longsword on his back, radiating a sharp sword intent. Though he was not yet a Grandmaster, his strength was infinitely close to it, comparable to Feng Tianbao's previous state.

"Brother Wan is right. With Elder Hong and Miss Ma here, the Southern Sect won't stand a chance. Besides, those other Grandmasters are unlikely to join forces. As long as we divide and conquer, driving them off will be simple," another middle-aged man holding a pair of judge's pens added.

"Still, we must not underestimate the heroes of this world. My only hope for this trip is to engage in a life-and-death battle with those Grandmasters. If I can use it to break through to the Grandmaster realm, that will be reward enough," Wan Jianlin said proudly, the sword intent radiating from him growing even more intense.

"By the look of it, Brother Wan, you could break through to the Grandmaster realm at any moment. If you can achieve that inside the underground palace, it will be a massive boon for our Northern Sect," Zhao Tingfeng said excitedly, brandishing his judge's pens.

"Uncle Wan and Uncle Zhao, you must still remain vigilant. The world is full of hidden talents, and there is no telling how many powerful experts are out there. Although I can defeat ordinary Grandmasters, I would never dare claim to be invincible under heaven."

"Take that Mr. Chen who recently appeared in Chengdu, for instance. He was able to slay Yasui Kazuo, a peak Grandmaster. His strength is almost certainly superior to mine," Ma Dingdang cautioned.

"I heard this Mr. Chen is quite young, yet he might have already become a Great Grandmaster. I truly wonder how he trains," Hong Zhongshan lamented.

"Elder Hong, very few people actually witnessed that battle. We've only heard rumors. Who knows if this Mr. Chen is actually as formidable as they say?" Zhao Tingfeng remarked dismissively.