Chapter Twenty-Three: Women

"Everyone, don't let your guard down yet. The danger hasn't passed. Guizuka hasn't left," Xiaomeng warned, her expression grave.

"What? Xiaomeng, are you joking? We just drove him off. Unless he knows some kind of duplication technique, how could he still be here?" Shuangning asked, puzzled.

"Shuangning, how could I possibly joke about something like this? I really sense Guizuka's presence nearby. It's faint, but it's definitely the same aura he released when he first appeared. My ability to sense the environment, especially snowy places, is something even Huafeng admits is better than his. Isn't that right, Huafeng?"

"That's right... Xiaomeng is correct. Just to be safe, everyone should stay alert. Don't give Guizuka any chance," Huafeng said, his smile vanishing as he spoke with seriousness.

"In terms of cultivation, Xiaofeng and Xiaomeng are the strongest among us. I believe your judgment. Let's all act according to the situation, stay together, and avoid splitting up, especially not moving alone. Now, let's return to the cave, gather our equipment, and continue our journey," Wang Yue, ever steady and experienced, spoke with measured wisdom. Everyone felt admiration for him, but also a rising tension.

Snowflakes continued to fall tirelessly, the Antarctic snow resembling the Arctic snowscape from memory. Xiaomeng suddenly had this thought, settled her mind, and followed Huafeng's pace, catching up with Wang Yue and Shuangning as they walked southward to the cave. After collecting their weapons and supplies, they prepared to set out directly for their destination—the secret base of the Japanese Main Station faction: Cold Mountain Snow Valley. Just moments ago, Huafeng and Captain Wang Yue had spoken of that familiar sensation.

That feeling of being watched crept over Huafeng once more. He resolved to eliminate this potential threat before departing, even though the enemy's cultivation surpassed his own. But the Feilong lineage had always thrived in the face of adversity.

Wang Yue's cultivation was only at the Yuan King level, just one rank below Huafeng, but even that single step formed a difficult chasm to cross. Huafeng had reached his level through talent and relentless training. Wang Yue knew that while he was outstanding among his peers, compared to Huafeng—several years younger and advancing with almost monstrous speed—he was still lacking. The recent battle made Wang Yue, as captain, feel a pang of dejection for not being the main force.

If anyone could understand Wang Yue's disappointment, it was Shuangning, who clung to his arm, a touch of anxiety in her eyes. As Wang Yue's confidante and lover, she understood his hardships better than anyone and felt a deep ache for him now.

Her stubborn insistence on joining the mission despite her lack of strength was mostly because she couldn't bear to leave Wang Yue's safety to chance. At that moment, his well-being mattered more than her own. It was as if—if he was well, then so was she. Strange, yet with a naive certainty.

Perhaps none of them expected that a ninja in this world could actually become invisible, but fortunately, the moment they entered the cave, Huafeng and Xiaomeng noticed something unusual.

"Yue, Shuangning, Xiaomeng—everyone, get behind me. That guy's in the cave. I'll force him out," Huafeng said urgently. As soon as he finished speaking, he formed a hand seal, uttering, "Virtual Realm: Trap!" Instantly, the surroundings transformed, dozens of yards of space shimmering with light radiating from Huafeng, turning into a miniature ancient forest. Huafeng, Wang Yue, Shuangning, Yunmeng, and the space where Xiaomeng sensed Guizuka's aura were all enveloped within.

"Who would have thought this kid had such a trick up his sleeve? Truly a fine talent from the Feilong camp. Ha... interesting, interesting. The Snow Master summoned me, and I was worried about leaving the young lady alone here, but now I can rest easy," murmured an elderly man in white, hidden in the shadows.

Huafeng couldn't hear this, nor could he spare the attention. She was fully invested in the technique she had derived from Buddhist philosophy: "One flower, one world; one tree, one bodhi"—the Virtual Realm: Trap. With her current cultivation, she could just barely maintain this embryonic form.

Still, it was enough.

The virtual realm no longer seemed as illusory as before; it appeared almost alive. Xiaomeng, who had witnessed Huafeng use this technique at the Yuan King level, felt this most keenly. For Wang Yue and Shuangning, it was their first time, but there was no time for questions—only to ready themselves for battle.

Having successfully created the virtual realm, Huafeng shouted, "Reveal!" Less than five yards from the four of them, a humanoid figure materialized from illusion to reality. Judging by its appearance and build, it was undoubtedly Guizuka.

Guizuka, his face shocked and innocent, stared at Huafeng and the others without moving. He realized he was trapped, unable to summon a trace of energy, immobilized, and muttered inwardly in despair. This was a disaster; he was about to be defeated. If only he hadn't been so careless, he wouldn't have been suppressed by these youngsters whose individual strength was far inferior to his own. Of course, "youngsters" was just his private grumbling.

"Show your true face—what are you waiting for?" Huafeng said with an air of authority. Without waiting for a response, she used the Dragon Leap technique to close in on Guizuka, driving her fist into his chest.

The cold, gleaming fist landed squarely on Guizuka, who had no ability to resist. Suddenly, his white ninja garb began to crack. It seemed specially designed, yet even under the force of Huafeng's powerful Sky-Shattering Fist, which was said to shatter space if perfected, it did not break apart. Huafeng was astonished.

It seemed she would have to use her ultimate weapon. Among her gear was a dark golden iron rod forged from celestial meteoric ore.

Infused with true energy, its impact was comparable to a mortar shell. Huafeng had named it the Golden Light Staff, a play on the name Golden Hoop Rod—a tribute to the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, the Saint of Battle. Her mind briefly wandered, thinking of all these things and feeling a touch of melancholy, but now was not the time for distraction.

Collecting herself, Huafeng summoned the staff—a four-foot-long, dazzling golden rod. Ignoring Wang Yue and Shuangning's astonishment, she swung it down with determination, intent on forcing the enemy to speak. Since he was a formidable opponent whose strength exceeded theirs, he must know much. Huafeng thought as much.

Perhaps caught up in the moment, Huafeng suddenly leapt up, channeling all her energy, and imitated Bruce Lee's signature shout.

"I... fight... ah!"

Guizuka's protective coat finally gave way under the full-force strike from Huafeng, whose cultivation approached the advanced Yuan King level. Like shattered glass, the ancient brickwork fractured layer by layer. Along with Guizuka's coat, his entire body began to crack—like a porcelain doll dropped to the floor, splitting apart.

The scene stunned everyone present. Suddenly, a delicate voice broke the spell: "Ah... you... you're making me so angry!" The startled cry rattled Huafeng, who had just regained her composure.

"A woman?" the three exclaimed in unison.