C52 Doubletailed Water Snake

Nestled near the heart of the Jade Peak Mountain Range, Hong Xingbao and his companions gazed fervently at the Source Flowers blooming near the pond's edge.

"We've already wounded the Double-Tailed Water Snake. This time, we'll finish it off," Hong Xingbao declared.

Flanking him were two of the Hong family's elites, their faces etched with anxiety. Across from them, a Yu family elite managed a wry smile. True, the snake was injured, but at a steep cost. An elite from the Lee family had already been decapitated by the creature. What had started as a group of nearly ten, including Han Feng, had dwindled to just four.

The Yu family elite wondered if death was now stalking him. After all, for Hong Xingbao, anything—including lives—could be sacrificed for the Source Flower.

Suddenly, Hong Xingbao's face darkened, and he barked towards a direction, "Who's there?"

"It's me!" Han Lin emerged, stepping forward with measured calm.

Hong Xingbao burst into laughter. "Well, imagine that! We were about to come looking for you, and here you are, delivering yourself to our doorstep."

The other two from the Hong family harbored malevolent designs. Their family had formed an alliance with the Han family against the Changs. If Han Lin revealed today's events, their alliance would crumble, and they would face their family's wrath. To prevent this, they resolved to eliminate Han Lin and nip any future threat in the bud.

Hong Xingbao and his group had planned to seize the Source Flower before seeking out Han Lin, but to their surprise, Han Lin had taken the initiative.

Suddenly, Han Lin began to cough violently, covering his mouth with his hand. As he opened his palm, a stark smear of blood marked its center.

Seeing this, Hong Xingbao was even more convinced that Han Lin posed no real danger.

"You two, take Han Lin's life," he commanded, despite his assessment. He had no intention of dirtying his own hands.

The pair advanced towards Han Lin with menacing grins. But before they could close in, a fleeting shadow passed before their eyes, and then they knew nothing more.

Hong Xingbao was both shocked and furious.

"Damn it, he did bring backup."

The figure in the shadows was none other than Han Feng.

"Bouncing Palm!"

Hong Xingbao launched an attack without warning.

Despite Han Feng swiftly taking out two opponents, which instilled a sense of wariness in Hong Xingbao, those two had merely opened three Main Bloodlines and their cultivation realms were unstable. They were no match for him, a peak Martial Cultivator with six Main Bloodlines.

"Bone Crushing Hand!"

Han Feng evaded Hong Xingbao's palm with an uncanny agility, then immediately seized Hong Xingbao's wrist with his right hand. The Bone Crushing Hand technique was unleashed in an instant.

Hong Xingbao's bones shattered throughout his body.

Blood oozed from his nose, ears, and eyes in a gruesome spectacle.

Discarding Hong Xingbao's lifeless body, Han Feng's icy gaze swept over the Yu Family's elite.

By now, the terrified Yu Family youngster had wet himself, collapsing to the ground, paralyzed with fear.

He was a prodigy of the Yu Family, the top talent under fifteen, yet he had only opened two Main Bloodlines.

Despite his pleas for mercy, Han Feng showed no leniency and ended his life.

"Good job!" cheered Han Lin from the sidelines.

Han Lin loathed Hong Xingbao for selfishly breaking the alliance over a trivial Source Flower. If not for a stroke of luck, his life would have been wasted.

As Han Feng rejoined Han Lin, he remarked, "If this is the caliber of the Hong Family's youth, I doubt the elders are much better. I actually had some respect for the Hong Family Head's forthright demeanor."

"We'll need to warn our family to stay vigilant when we get back. We can't afford to be manipulated and then discarded."

"Absolutely!" agreed Han Lin with a nod.

Having dispatched Hong Xingbao and his group, the pair approached the Source Flower.

"With a two-tailed water snake near the peak of the Third Grade in that pond, you must tread carefully," Han Lin warned with gravity.

Han Feng gestured dismissively, signaling Han Lin to back away. "Step back a bit. You don't want to get caught in the crossfire."

"Don't worry about me. A late-stage Third Grade Devil Beast nearing its peak is nothing to fret over."

"The two-tailed water snake's signature move, Water Overflows the Mountain, is formidable indeed, but it requires the might of a Fifth Grade Devil Beast or higher to execute. Below that level, such a beast wouldn't stand a chance."

Some Devil Beasts excel at elemental attacks, yet those below Fifth Grade are limited to close-quarters combat, unable to harness their elemental powers. No matter how devastating their techniques, they're rendered useless, and their potential for destruction is greatly diminished.

Consider the two-tailed water snake and the Savage Bear, for instance.

Below the fifth level, the Savage Bear could easily rip the two-tailed water snake to shreds with a swipe of its claw.

But once it ascends to the fifth level, the two-tailed water snake can submerge the Savage Bear with a single use of Water Overflows the Mountain, preventing the bear from even approaching.

And should the two-tailed water snake attain Earth rank among Devil Beasts, one move could lay waste to an entire small city.

It's precisely because the two-tailed water snake's lethality is capped below the fifth level that Hong Xingbao and his companions have managed to survive this long.

Had they faced the Savage Bear, they would have been shredded long ago.

As Han Feng neared the Source Flower, reaching out to pluck it, the pond's surface erupted with turmoil, and two massive snake tails thundered toward him.

"Claw Condensation Technique!"

Han Feng's hands morphed into claws, piercing the oncoming tails. With a forceful yank, he hauled the two-tailed water snake out of the water.

The snake hissed furiously, coiling its head to engulf Han Feng.

"Bone Crushing Hand!"

Despite being a Devil Beast, the two-tailed water snake was, after all, a snake – a creature with a spine and bones.

In a flash, the snake crashed to the ground.

Han Feng employed the Claw Condensation Technique once more, this time targeting the snake's head.

In a moment, its skull shattered, and the two-tailed water snake met its end.

Han Lin discreetly swallowed hard, awe-struck. "I'd heard rumors of this kid taking down a Savage Bear, but I'd never seen it myself. Witnessing it now, firsthand... it's truly astounding."

"A Devil Beast nearing the peak of the third tier—Sister Rou herself wouldn't have won without breaking a sweat. Yet this kid did it with such ease!"

"What a freak!"

Han Feng turned to catch Han Lin's odd look and touched his head, "What's with that stare?"

"Just observing how a freak comes into being," Han Lin replied, his face devoid of emotion.

Han Feng was at a loss for words.

Annoyed, Han Feng shot Han Lin a glare before delicately harvesting the Source Flower.

"Han Lin, without your help, this Source Flower would be out of my reach. I'll give you four petals, and I'll take five. Fair?"

Han Lin fumbled, "That doesn't seem right. I hardly did anything!"

Han Feng dismissed the protest, "Like I said, if you hadn't tipped me off, I might not have gotten even one petal."

What Han Feng knew, and Han Lin didn't, was that the Source Flower's petals required a special method of consumption to fully tap into their power. Otherwise, their effectiveness was halved. But with the All Creatures Fire Cauldron in his possession, Han Feng could refine the petals, making the five he kept as potent as nearly ten raw Source Flowers. He was sure to come out ahead.

They were brothers by blood. And since Han Feng was already in a favorable position, why not show a little generosity?