C63 Fighting Human Rank

On the sixth level of the Nine Flames Heavenly Fire Tower, within the Soulsearch Space, Hei Eight let out a terrified shout, "Where am I? What do you want to do?"

Bound to a cross, Hei Eight was encircled by a host of menacing ghosts that flitted around him. He couldn't fathom how he had ended up in such a nightmarish locale.

Han Feng materialized slowly, his voice cool and detached, "Tell me, how did you learn of my departure? Who are the spies the Han family has planted?"

The color drained from Hei Eight's face, not just from the horror of the place, but from the sheer absurdity of the situation. Yet, he remained silent.

With a slight arch of his brow, Han Feng clapped his hands. "Little devils, attend to our guest with care."

The ghosts cackled gleefully, as though toying with something amusing. But Hei Eight, the unwilling subject of their game, was far from pleased.

The ghosts reached out, pulling Hei Eight's tongue to an excruciating length. As he screamed in agony, they stretched it several meters.

Twisting in pain, Hei Eight was pinned down by the ghosts, his body quaking as large beads of sweat streamed down his face.

With another clap from Han Feng, the ghosts ceased their torment. "Will you not speak even now?" he asked.

Hesitation flickered in Hei Eight's eyes, but ultimately, he kept his lips sealed and shook his head.

Han Feng couldn't help but feel a flicker of admiration for Hei Eight. Despite the torture, he clung to his secrets.

But their fates were aligned in opposition; admiration would not sway Han Feng to mercy.

"With a word, you could have had a swift end," Han Feng said, tinged with a note of regret. "But since you choose silence, I can't be blamed for what comes next."

"Disperse."

In an instant, both the cross and the ghosts vanished, leaving the space shrouded in dimness.

Hei Eight collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Frantically, he felt for his tongue, which had mercifully returned to normal.

"Was it all an illusion?" Hei Eight wondered, his heart pounding. The vividness of the experience left him shivering with fear, despite knowing it might not have been real.

Hei Eight regarded Han Feng with the same terror one might reserve for a demon. He was petrified, unable to believe that Han Feng would simply let him go. In his mind, even more excruciating torture was likely on the horizon.

Hei Eight's intuition was spot on.

The Soul Search was the epitome of agony.

This brutal technique involved violently probing into the human brain to extract information. Throughout this invasive process, the victim retained just enough consciousness to fully experience the torment. It was a level of pain unimaginable to those who hadn't endured it.

When the search concluded, the subject would either be reduced to an imbecile or meet death.

With a slight gesture from Han Feng, Hei Eight levitated, suspended in midair. Han Feng's voice, low and ominous, uttered the command: "Soul Search!"

Hei Eight's scream that followed was nothing short of harrowing.

Twisting and writhing in the air, his face contorted in agony and veins bulging, Hei Eight clutched his head desperately.

"Kill me, I beg you, please kill me!" he bellowed through his screams.

But Han Feng was preoccupied, delving into Hei Eight's memories, indifferent to his pleas for mercy.

As Hei Eight's screams subsided to a weak whimper, he eventually lost consciousness and plummeted to the ground with a heavy thud. Meanwhile, Han Feng had unearthed some telling information.

Reflecting on his discovery, Han Feng mused, "So it's him. The Han family has over a dozen external instructors, and though that instructor hasn't been active recently, his standing within the Han family remains significant. To think he was a spy for the Chang family."

"The Chang family's ambition knows no bounds. They've been orchestrating their plans for over a decade."

"We need to make a quick escape. Above Hei Eight, there are seven others, with the mightiest among them being a five-star Human Rank master, and even the weakest is a one-star. If they capture me, it's all over."

"These individuals are the covert forces of Master Chang, unknown to most within the Chang family itself."

With caution, Han Feng departed from his previous location, making haste toward the exit.

Shortly after Han Feng's departure, Hei Seven arrived on the scene, his face twisted in rage. "Damn it, Little Eight and Little Nine have been taken out. That kid is far more formidable than we anticipated."

"Sadly, no matter how formidable you are, you're still just Mortal-rank. If you had the audacity to kill Little Eight and Little Nine, I swear I'll flay you alive and make your life a living hell!"

Hei Eight and Hei Nine were the last to be taken in by Hei Da. To Hei Da, Hei Seven, and the rest, Hei Eight and Hei Nine were like their own brothers.

The murder of a brother would naturally enrage Hei Seven.

He inspected the scene, his nose twitching slightly, and then a menacing grin spread across his face as he sprinted off.

Han Feng hadn't been running long when he felt a murderous intent targeting him.

A Human-rank expert not only experiences a surge in True Qi, but their soul also undergoes a transformation. While soul attacks were out of the question, locking onto someone's aura was still within the realm of possibility.

As a Mortal-rank Martial Cultivator, Han Feng couldn't erase the residual aura clinging to him.

His face paled. "Damn, they're on my tail already!"

He stood no chance against a Human-rank Martial Cultivator at his current level. He might scrape by against a One-star Human Rank, but against anyone higher, victory was out of the question.

Hei Eight's memories had revealed that Hei Da was a Five-star Human Rank, Hei Two a Four-star, Hei Three a Three-star, Hei Four and Hei Five Two-stars, and Hei Six and Hei Seven One-stars.

Only if he encountered Hei Six or Hei Seven would he stand a fighting chance.

As the distance between them closed, Han Feng felt every hair on his body stand on end.

A bone-chilling coldness approached from behind.

"Water Sword Slash!"

A roar of rage erupted, and Han Feng's face contorted with fear. He pushed off the ground with all his might, leaping skyward. Looking down, he saw a meter-long azure Water Sword strike where he had just been, blasting a large crater into the ground and sending wisps of cold air spiraling up.

Just then, a whooshing sound came from Han Feng's left.

In an instant, Han Feng was sent crashing to the ground by a powerful kick from Hei Seven.

Struggling to his feet, Han Feng coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood.

Hei Seven descended from above, his gaze icy as he watched Han Feng.

A slight sense of relief washed over Han Feng. "Looks like it's either Hei Six or Hei Seven. Just One-star Human Rank. My luck hasn't bottomed out completely."

Yet, Han Feng remained vigilant.

With a swift motion, Hei Seven's hands came together in a seal, and in the next breath, a new Water Sword materialized.

"Strike!"

The Water Sword Slash thundered through the air.

"Bone Crushing Hand!"

Han Feng channeled a continuous flow of Internal Strength into his right hand, which began to glow with a subtle red hue, as though enshrouded in a faint flame.

Blown back once more, Han Feng's entire arm took a devastating blow, hanging limply at his side, the intense cold freezing it solid and rendering it immobile.

Han Feng collapsed, attempting to rise but falling once again.

Hei Seven approached, step by deliberate step, the deep blue glow in his hand pulsing as he shaped the water attribute Genuine Qi into a dagger-like form.

"Kid, you killed my eighth and ninth brothers. I won't let your death be an easy one," Hei Seven snarled with a menacing look.