Zhou Feng was overwhelmed with emotion, almost trembling with anger. His entire life had been ruined by this seemingly ordinary string of Buddhist prayer beads. If not for them, he’d still be by his grandmother’s side. If not for them, he would never have been mysteriously thrown into this strange world. Just as rage threatened to consume him, the prayer beads that had lain quietly in his sea of consciousness suddenly trembled. The pale golden liquid that filled his consciousness surged outward, flowing into every part of his body. Wherever it went, his raging blood and chaotic energy calmed, as gentle and docile as lambs. But what truly stunned Zhou Feng was that wherever that golden light passed, his long-broken, tangled meridians were knitting themselves back together — perfectly. It was miraculous. Bittersweet emotions rose in his chest. These beads had dragged him here and stripped him of everything, yet they were also the very thing saving him now. As he wrestled with his thou

The scarred man and his companions had broken through the forest. Seeing Zhou Feng pressing deeper into Creek Mountain, the scarred man’s face twisted with anxiety. The five figures blurred and shot forward like lightning, closing the distance fast. The shout sent a cold shiver down Zhou Feng’s spine. Every instinct screamed danger — and without a second’s hesitation, he veered sharply to the right, vanishing from where he stood. BOOM! Five brutal strikes landed exactly where he’d been an instant before, tearing a massive crater into the hillside, dust and debris billowing outward. "Such power… at least the third level of Body Tempering!" Zhou Feng’s eyes widened as he glanced back. Five experts at the third level or higher had been sent to kill him? His expression hardened instantly. "Fine. If you want my life… don’t blame me for being ruthless!" He was still far from even the first level of Body Tempering. Head-on, he stood no chance. But he kept his mind sharp and his breathing

By now, Zhou Feng had crossed ridge after ridge, weaving through the terrain and deftly steering clear of every beast’s territory he knew so well. Finally, the dense forest opened up — and there it was: a tall mountain rising before him, crowned by a thundering waterfall that plunged hundreds of feet into the river below. A genuine smile touched his face. He’d made it. Suddenly, every hair on his body stood on end. He spun around — a massive shape was hurtling toward him with terrifying speed. Danger screamed in his heart. Without a moment’s hesitation, he dove straight into the rushing river. BOOM! A thunderous crash shook the bank right where he’d stood an instant before. Water and mud sprayed everywhere. Standing there was the adult demonic ape — its fur splattered dark red with the blood of the Five Ghosts. It roared in fury, watching helplessly as the human vanished beneath the churning surface. Apes were never natural swimmers, and this demonic ape, for all its power, was no

The Heart-Cleansing Grass was incredibly rare — it took ten years just to flower, and another ten to fully mature. Each decade its potency deepened. Even a great power like the Night River Sect might not possess one. This particular plant bore six fruits, meaning it had flourished for at least one hundred and twenty years. To get his hands on something like this? It would be a tremendous advantage. He wasn't about to let it slip away. The grass would do more than just shake off the demonic ape — it would purify his blood and qi, making his cultivation far more effective. But first things first: unless he washed that ape blood from his skin, that beast would never stop hunting him. He’d never safely return to Zhou City. He could have hidden down here indefinitely — the essence blood stones would keep him fed and advancing for quite some time. But he didn’t want to live trapped underground forever. And staying here carried its own danger: the longer he lingered, the greater the chance

"Damn…" Even as the warning flashed through his mind, a sudden, bone-chilling coldness shot down Zhou Feng’s spine. Instinct screamed danger — and when he turned his head, his heart nearly stopped.Hundreds of blood pythons were gliding through the dark water toward the very spot where he had been hiding, their scales shimmering eerily in the dim light, their forked tongues tasting the air. There was no time to think — only to move. Zhou Feng dove deep beneath the surface in one smooth motion, swimming hard against the powerful current and heading upstream. The instant he disappeared, streams of thick, milky venom splashed into the river exactly where he’d been.The venom hissed and bubbled as it hit the water, sending up clouds of acrid steam. The clear river instantly turned murky and black, the contaminated water swirling rapidly downstream. "That was far too close!" Zhou Feng gasped as he surfaced far upstream, wiping water from his eyes, his pulse racing. He’d never imagined th