Chapter Forty-One: The Fury of the Forbidden Scale

Yinglong and the ten great demon generals clashed in a tempest of wind, thunder, lightning, and fire, their struggle locked in a stalemate. He withdrew to Hua Feng’s side, taking up a defensive stance.

A deathly silence filled the field; no one doubted the words of the youth. Perhaps provoking him was a mistake from the very beginning. Though his strength was several levels below that of any demon general, sometimes the rank of one's vital energy did not tell the whole story. Just as, in ancient times, both Yanhuang and Chi You were sages, yet it was not technique that decided Chi You’s defeat, but a lack of united support. The demon generals pondered this silently.

There is no medicine for regret in this world. Some actions, once taken, demand their price—and often, that price is life itself.

“What an arrogant brat! There must be a limit to your boasting. Aren’t you afraid the wind will twist your tongue? Hmph… Even if you, exhausted as you are, have now raised your strength to the peak of the Yuan Sovereign realm through secret means, at best you’re only equal to me. Want to devour us whole? Be careful you don’t burst!” Feeling the sudden surge of Hua Feng’s aura, now rivaling his own, Feng Mo felt threatened but not yet afraid.

He believed that power gained from outside means could never match the strength earned through one’s own effort. As Chi You’s formidable right hand and former rival of the Flame Sovereign, Feng Mo was no pushover.

The Eighteen Demon Generals, despite their name, had once all been men of righteousness. If not for Chi You falling to inner demons in his quest to defeat the Flame Sovereign, perhaps the land of China might have seen the flourishing of Chi You’s descendants as a new clan. Feng Mo himself had once made Yanhuang’s life difficult, so Yinglong could not help but worry. “Hua Feng, though your bloodline has awakened and with it a portion of the Flame Emperor’s legacy, and for now you’ve gained the resonance of the celestial energies, you’re still unfamiliar with this power and lack combat experience. It’s truly hard for you to stand against these six great demon generals. And though the four demons defeated by me and Dan Qiusheng have escaped as spirits, you must not act recklessly and risk your life in vain!”

Dan Qiusheng, standing nearby, echoed the concern. “Exactly! Feng Mo may be arrogant, but he’s a genuine Yuan Sovereign-level master!”

“Thank you for your concern, but I must avenge Xiao Meng’s wound with my own hands. Please, do not interfere. If today I cower behind you while the woman I love is nearly killed and I don’t dare to seek vengeance, I’ll have no face to claim I’ll protect Xiao Meng for life, nor any right to be the thirtieth successor of the Shennong heroes.”

“Please, I beg you to heal her for me. Leave the rest to me!” Hua Feng’s voice was taut with suppressed fury, yet carried an unshakable resolve.

“Boss, don’t be impulsive,” Shen Qiu tried to stop him, but it was clearly in vain. “Hall Master Shen, help Zhang the Celestial Master, Alliance Leader Dan Qiusheng, and watch over Yun Meng for me,” Hua Feng said. Shen Qiu nodded and stepped aside, saying no more.

“Very well… We’ll trust you this once. But do not let your emotions cloud your judgement, or we won’t stand by and watch. Yun Meng is in our care now—go, and fight without worry! I believe you won’t disappoint us, for you were personally chosen as the Flame Emperor’s successor,” Dan Qiusheng said.

In truth, if Yinglong hadn’t secretly urged him to let Hua Feng gain this experience, Dan Qiusheng would never have agreed. Such events unfolding before their eyes had already put them in a difficult position; if anything happened to Hua Feng, the elders of the Shennong clan would surely not spare him. After all, a body balanced in the five elements was rarer than any treasure—something one could only hope to encounter, never seek. It was said that the original Flame Emperor and Pangu were of this very constitution. Such power explained their legendary strength; Pangu himself transformed into all things, rivaling those fabled beings who controlled the wheels of fate among the stars.

A body of balance was always a precious thing, no less coveted than the legendary Tang Monk’s flesh.

Ignoring the six demon generals, their eyes fixed on him, Hua Feng strode into the field where Dou Mo and the others waited. With a cold, steely gaze, he raised his fist, his body shooting forward like an arrow loosed from the string. Channeling all his strength into his fists, he clashed with Feng Mo, who had just recovered, attacking like an enraged wolf. His fists rained down on his opponent, each blow straightforward and deadly, with no trace of flourish—every punch was meant to kill, paying no heed to Feng Mo’s counterattacks.

This was true close combat—no wasted movement, just the body unleashed as a weapon in its entirety. The remaining five demon generals, watched by Yinglong, dared not intervene. Against three supreme masters, even five attacking together might gain nothing—they could only glare helplessly from the sidelines.

Blood splattered across the field as the two fought back and forth, faces smeared with crimson. Even Feng Mo’s favored spear lay discarded. Slowly, Feng Mo’s body faded away—his spirit fleeing, another Yuan Sovereign lost in little more than ten minutes. The defeat darkened the faces of Dou Mo and the others, who could only mutter, “Savage brat! Rather like a ruffian. This time, we’re finished…”

Gradually, as Hua Feng fought, he began to feel something shift. While unleashing the Taiji Fist against his foes, the earlier weakness faded, his body entering a mysterious state. Now, the best training was to continue fighting, honing the Flame Emperor’s inherited power until it was fully his own.

“Ah… Hua Feng is about to break through. He’s given us quite a few surprises,” Yinglong said with satisfaction, pointing to Hua Feng.

“Yes indeed!” agreed Dan Qiusheng and Zhang the Celestial Master.

The combined assault of the five remaining demon generals was formidable—but fortunately, Hua Feng gradually held his own. Before long, Po Mo, Dou Mo, and the others fell in defeat. Of the six, only Kuang Mo remained, a high-level Yuan Sovereign struggling desperately. Unfortunately, he faced an opponent willing to risk everything; more than once, Hua Feng took a blow just to land one in return. A Yuan Sovereign should never have been reduced to such a sorry state, grievously wounded by a novice.

But Kuang Mo had harmed someone Hua Feng loved—he had touched the forbidden scale. For this, he would bear the wrath.

With a resounding crash, both men were hurled backward from a final, all-out clash. Kuang Mo could no longer rise, and Hua Feng, bloodied and exhausted, barely managed to stand.

“Xiao Meng… I’ve finally avenged you…” Hua Feng murmured wearily before losing consciousness.

“Soul Escape! I’ll be back, just you wait!” Watching the five fleeing soul shadows, Dan Qiusheng cursed, “Those little bastards! The same trick again! If my spiritual cultivation were stronger, none of them would have gotten away. Infuriating!”

“All right, enough anger. Let’s clean up the field and get everyone home to recover,” said Yinglong. Zhang the Celestial Master made no objection.

Dan Qiusheng quickly organized everyone, and they set up camp in a cave halfway up the mountain.

The moon hung high, and several figures vanished into the sky. All around, tranquility reigned, broken only by the sound of waves beating against the rocks.