Chapter 63: Another Reason

“So what if I say it again? Even if I say it ten times, it’s the same thing—shut your damn mouth!” Chu Feng pointed the tip of his Tyrant’s Shadow Spear at Liu Run, shouting, “No one dares to point a sword at me like that. If you don’t want to die, move your sword away now!”

“I refuse! I want to see what you’ll do about it!” Liu Run roared back.

Clang!

A powerful force struck Liu Run’s longsword, sending the Silver Serpent Sword flying from his grip. The one who struck was not Chu Feng, but the tower-like Fan Qianjun.

“Brother Fan, what are you doing?” Liu Run’s face flushed red as he shouted angrily.

“What am I doing? What do you think I’m doing? You keep causing trouble for Chu Feng—if I don’t teach you a lesson, do you think I’d still side with you?” Fan Qianjun bellowed. “I call it as I see it! If you bother Chu Feng again, next time I won’t hit your sword—I’ll hit your face!”

“You… you…” Liu Run’s lips trembled with rage. “Brother Fan, I’ve always respected you as a senior! I can’t believe you’d turn against me for the sake of an outsider like Chu Feng!”

“Outsider? What nonsense! Of the five of us, you’re the real outsider! Chu Feng came all this way to help us at Wind and Thunder Grotto without a single complaint. Not only do you not thank him, you keep finding fault with him? I’m telling you, even if Chu Feng can tolerate this, I can’t!” Fan Qianjun’s temper was obvious—he waved his gleaming snowflake axe as he spoke, as if prepared to chop someone at any moment. “Sister Lei, am I right or not?”

“You’re right!” Lei Jianqin nodded at once, then said to Liu Run, “Young Master Chu is a guest of the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall, not a servant. Pointing your sword at him shames our martial hall! If Brother Fan hadn’t acted, I would’ve knocked your sword out myself!”

“Fine! All of you keep talking about the Wind and Thunder Martial Hall. I just reminded Chu Feng of something, and now I’m the villain!” Liu Run’s face was tinged with a bluish hue; having his Silver Serpent Sword knocked away was no different from being slapped. He turned to Tang Jiao beside him. “Why are you silent? Do you think I’m wrong too?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Tang Jiao blurted out. “If I’d known you’d act like this, you wouldn’t be on this five-person team! You haven’t helped at all since coming to Wind and Thunder Grotto—only caused trouble!”

“Tang Jiao, you—”

Liu Run was speechless again. With a cold snort, he said, “Fine! All of you dislike me. No matter what I say, you think I’m wrong! In that case, I’ll go my own way. I’ll handle the Thunder-Linked Beasts myself and complete this mission on my own—don’t anyone interfere!”

He retrieved his Silver Serpent Sword and strode ahead, taking the lead in hunting the Thunder-Linked Beasts along the path.

Witnessing this, Tang Jiao said, “Sister Lei, Liu Run can’t do this! He’s ignoring the team’s plan and acting on his own—it’ll ruin everything!”

“Damn it!” Fan Qianjun exploded. “Should I catch up and teach him a lesson, knock him down? If he keeps fighting recklessly, he’s just making more trouble for us!”

Lei Jianqin frowned deeply. With Liu Run splitting off on his own, her role as team leader grew much harder.

“Liu Run’s just acting out of anger—leave him be for now. Maybe he’ll calm down in a bit,” Lei Jianqin said, shaking her head. “He’s like a child who doesn’t understand anything—stubborn and unreasonable, yet convinced he’s got all the answers. If I’d known he was like this, I’d never have chosen him for this team!”

Chu Feng remained silent, so Fan Qianjun spoke up: “Don’t let it bother you, Chu Feng. Among the Four Great Powers of the Eighteen Ridges and Nine Mountains, every faction has people like Liu Run! No matter how wild he gets, I’ve got your back!”

“Thank you, Brother Fan.” Chu Feng nodded. “I have a feeling Liu Run’s hostility toward me isn’t just about the Golden Battle Python—there’s something more. It’s like he’s deliberately trying to interfere, to keep me from accomplishing anything in the Wind and Thunder Grotto.”

“You’re right, Young Master Chu. I agree completely,” Lei Jianqin said. “But what could that other reason be? If our mission fails and the Calamity of Wind and Thunder is triggered, it would be a disaster for everyone—including Liu Run. What could he possibly gain?”

“Exactly!” Tang Jiao was puzzled as well. “The Calamity of Wind and Thunder is a matter of life and death for the martial hall. No matter how reckless Liu Run is, would he really risk everything just to spite you?”

The four of them discussed, but found no answers. Besides, this wasn’t the place for talk—if one or two Thunder-Linked Beasts appeared and weren’t dispatched immediately, they’d only multiply, making things much harder for Chu Feng.

Liu Run, sword in hand, was already a dozen yards ahead. Chu Feng, Lei Jianqin, Fan Qianjun, and Tang Jiao kept together.

According to the map, the route from here to their destination for hauling stone followed the shape of the character “几”: first straight east, then turning south, then west, and finally south again. This path conveniently skirted the central core of the Wind and Thunder Grotto—the very heart of the storms and lightning.

Even traveling near the outer edge, they were still threatened by wind and lightning. The earth trembled beneath their feet, stones the size of washbasins bouncing into the air.

The raging wind battered them, hampering their movement. The gusts carried stones of all sizes, each blast slamming into them like a storm of rocks, punishing even a warrior’s body.

Roar!

Chu Feng was advancing with his spear when suddenly, a giant ape-like Thunder-Linked Beast erupted from a pile of rocks, its aura like an immortal beast returning from the grave.

“Thunder-Eyed Giant Ape! Young Master Chu, be careful—it can shoot lightning from its mouth, and its massive eyes can also emit thunderous force, attacking with a mere glance!” Lei Jianqin called out as the huge blue-violet beast appeared.

Crackle!

No sooner had she spoken than the Thunder-Eyed Giant Ape stood upright and opened its blood-red maw. A bolt of blue lightning, thick as a chopstick, shot straight for Chu Feng.

Without thinking, Chu Feng instinctively raised his spear to meet the attack, catching the lightning on his spearhead and thrusting fiercely at the giant ape’s head.

By habit, Chu Feng would have first dodged and tested the unknown power of the lightning before counterattacking. However, the fighting spirit of the Golden Battle Python within him seemed to judge the threat instantly—if there was danger, he’d know before he moved.

Howl!

The Thunder-Eyed Giant Ape, intimidating as it was, found its lightning attack ineffective against Chu Feng. Instead, Chu Feng’s spear pierced its head, and the beast let out a wretched scream.

It flailed its massive arms, trying to block the spear, its wide eyes fixed on Chu Feng.

“Chu Feng, don’t meet its gaze!” Fan Qianjun shouted.

Chu Feng gave no reply, locking eyes with the giant ape. In that instant, the creature’s aura weakened.

The Thunder-Eyed Giant Ape suddenly seemed dazed—where moments before it had been a raging monster, now it stood dumbly in place, its body trembling with terror.

Within Chu Feng’s eyes, waves of concentric ripples appeared, spreading like water across the surface of a pond, mysterious and profound, as if endless secrets shimmered in his gaze.

“Ah! The aura of the Golden Battle Python in Young Master Chu’s body is manifesting! Those ripples in his eyes have a paralyzing effect on Thunder-Linked Beasts, disrupting their minds and making them instantly helpless—ripe for the kill!” Lei Jianqin exclaimed excitedly.

As she spoke, Chu Feng darted forward, seized the ape’s head under his arm—

Crack!

A crisp snap echoed through the air. Chu Feng broke the giant ape’s neck in an instant, and its massive body was tossed aside like a heap of discarded flesh.