Chapter 29 The Arrogant Shadow Cat and the Broken Sword Boy, the All-Round Team Assembles!
The howling winds of the far north swept across the snowfield, quickly the footprints that had just been left behind.
The three-person team, having just escaped death from the Misty Forest, now stood at a fork in the road leading south. If they followed this official road south, they could completely leave the sphere of influence of Northern Border City and head towards the prosperous heartland of the Heavenly Dou Empire.
However, Ye Feng stopped in his tracks.
He carried the Thousand Chance Umbrella, which had just drunk blood, on his back. His gaze did not fall on the south, which represented safety, but was fixed on the north—the direction of the Northern City, which was also the center of the vortex of crisis
"Boss, are we going the wrong way?" Hu Yanli, carrying a huge bag of luggage that looked like a small mountain, was panting heavily, his head steaming, and he looked bewildered. "Tian Dou City is in the south. If we go back, aren't we just walking into a trap? Even though I'm thick-skinned, I don't want to go back and become a target for those two old geezers."
Mingyue frowned, a hint of worry flashing in her clear, cold eyes. She walked to Ye Feng's side and whispered, "Ye Feng, don't be impulsive. Northern City is definitely under martial law now. If the Elephant Armor Sect and the Snow Demon Sect can't find us, they will definitely lay a trap. In our current state—a Soul Emperor whose soul power has not recovered, and two Soul Venerables (although Ye Feng is actually a Great Soul Master)—going back would be a nine-out-of-ten chance of death."
"I know." Ye Feng's voice was calm, as calm as the undercurrent surging beneath the snowfield. "If it were for my own sake, I would definitely run faster than a rabbit. After all, as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn."
He turned his head to look at Mingyue, his eyes filled with an unwavering determination: "However, there are still people I must take with me. The words 'betraying teammates' do not exist in the dictionary of a master."
Two figures appeared in Ye Feng's mind.
One is Ye Shaotian, the childhood friend who always carries a sword in his arms. Although he only has level 15 soul power, he always shouts in the academy that he wants to surpass me, but he will definitely stand in front of me in critical moments.
The other is Leng Qianqian, a prominent figure at the Northern Junior Soul Master Academy and the eldest daughter of the powerful Leng family in the Northern Territory.
She was not only Ye Feng's classmate, but also the typical "tsundere" type. On weekdays at the academy, she always acted high and mighty, saying things like "Ye Feng, a commoner, should stay away from me." But every time Ye Feng was punished by the academy for skipping class or causing trouble, she was the one who quietly smoothed things over behind the scenes. Every time Ye Feng was injured during cultivation, an expensive bottle of Leng family's secret healing medicine would mysteriously appear on his desk the next day.
"If those two old bastards can't catch me, they'll definitely target the people closest to me." Ye Feng clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "That stubborn guy Shao Tian definitely won't run away, and as for Qian Qian… although she's the eldest daughter of the Leng family, in the face of this kind of sect struggle, the Leng family might not be able to protect her."
"I can't leave."
Mingyue looked at the young man before her. The cold wind tousled his black hair, but his slender figure appeared incredibly tall at that moment.
"But…" Mingyue hesitated for a moment, but still said, "That Leng Qianqian is the only daughter of the Leng family, and also a genius student in our academy's graduating class. If something happens to her, the Leng family won't just sit idly by, will they?"
"Teacher Mingyue, you don't understand the Leng family's situation, let alone the Snow Demon Sect's methods." Ye Feng sneered, "They're capable of anything to annex the Northern Territory. Let's go, teacher. Since you're going to go crazy with me, let's go crazy to the end."
Mingyue sighed helplessly, but a smile of appreciation appeared on her lips. She unfolded her folding fan with a "whoosh": "Alright. Since you're the captain, I'll listen to you."
"Hehe, rescuing people? Count me in!" Hu Yanli threw his luggage on the ground, rubbing his hands together. "I've had a bad feeling about that Snow Demon Sect for a long time. Perfect opportunity to test my new defense!"
"Let's go! Destination: Thirty Mile Slope, outside Northern Border City!"
...
Outside the northern city, at Thirty Mile Slope, lies an abandoned earth god temple.
This place, once a resting spot for traveling merchants, is now filled with a heavy stench of blood. Amidst the ruins, the cold wind howls, as if countless wronged souls are wailing.
"bite--!"
A crisp, yet despairing sound of metal snapping rang out.
Ye Shaotian was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the dusty altar, shattering the clay statue of the Earth God into pieces.
"Pfft!" He coughed up a mouthful of blood. The Ice Rain Sword in his hand had broken in two, and a deep, bone-revealing claw wound on his chest was gushing blood. But he still gritted his teeth, using the broken sword to support his body, trying to stand up again.
"Qianqian...run...don't worry about me..." Ye Shaotian's voice was hoarse, and his vision was already blurred.
In front of him, a dark-skinned figure was kneeling on the ground, panting heavily.
It was a young girl. She wore a black combat skirt specially made by the academy, which outlined her figure, which, though still somewhat immature, was already quite graceful. A few drops of blood were now stained on her originally delicate and aloof face, making her appear even more tragically beautiful.
Above her head, a pair of fluffy black cat ears trembled slightly, and behind her, a phantom black cat tail swayed uneasily—this was her martial spirit, the Netherworld Shadow Cat.
"Shut up, you idiot."
Leng Qianqian snorted coldly without turning her head. Although her breathing was disordered, her tone was still as arrogant as a queen. "The word 'run away' does not exist in my dictionary. Besides, we are classmates. If I leave you behind, that bastard Ye Feng will definitely laugh at me for not being able to protect even his lackey."
Although she said that, Leng Qianqian's hands were trembling slightly.
Surrounding them were five Soul Masters dressed in the attire of the Snow Demon Sect. The leader was a level 53 Soul King, and the other four were all Soul Venerables.
"Oh, so this is the genius student from the Northern Academy? He's quite capable."
The leading Soul King chuckled sinisterly, toying with an ice blade in his hand. "I must say, the Shadow Cat Martial Soul is indeed troublesome. A Great Soul Master who's only a little over level 20 actually managed to injure two of my subordinates with her speed. But... Miss Leng, your soul power is almost exhausted, isn't it?"
His greedy gaze swept over Leng Qianqian's taut thighs and cold, beautiful face: "Tsk tsk, such a top-quality little wildcat, it would be a waste to just kill her. I heard you're very arrogant in the academy? You never even look men in the eye? Today, I'll teach you what submission really means!"
"Shameless! Vulgar!"
A hint of disgust flashed in Leng Qianqian's eyes. She forced herself to stand up, her hands transforming into sharp claws, her fingertips gleaming with a chilling black light.
"Want to touch me? You think you're worthy?" Leng Qianqian sneered, but out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the exit not far away—it had been sealed off.
"If you won't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences! Charge! Capture them alive!" the Soul King commanded.
Four Soul Masters charged forward with sinister smiles.
"First Soul Skill: Netherworld Thrust!"
Leng Qianqian's figure flashed, turning into a black afterimage, and she instantly appeared behind a Soul Venerable, slashing down with her sharp claws.
"puff!"
The Soul Master screamed in pain as three bloody gashes appeared on his back. But at the same time, attacks from the other three Soul Masters arrived.
"boom!"
An ice wall appeared out of nowhere, blocking Leng Qianqian's retreat. Immediately afterward, the Soul King's attack followed.
Fourth Soul Skill: Snow Demon Hand!
A gigantic, icy hand emerged from the void, possessing unparalleled power, and grabbed Leng Qianqian's slender waist, slamming her violently to the ground.
"Bang!"
Leng Qianqian crashed heavily to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood. She felt as if all the bones in her body were about to shatter, but she still stubbornly raised her head, staring intently at the Soul King, her eyes filled with no pleading, only a chilling coldness.
"Hmph, quite the temperament." The Soul King sneered as he stepped forward, raising his foot to stomp on Leng Qianqian's delicate face. "I'd like to see if you'll still be so arrogant when I'm stepping on you."
despair.
Ye Shaotian, standing nearby, was furious and tried to rush over, but was kicked over by another Soul Master.
Leng Qianqian closed her eyes. She didn't want to see this disgusting scene.
"Ye Feng...you bastard...if you were still alive, why didn't you come to save me..." she murmured to herself, and two lines of tears finally slid down her cheeks.
Just as that dirty foot was about to land, at the critical moment...
"Get your dirty feet off me."
A detached voice suddenly rang out above the dilapidated temple. The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling killing intent.
"Who?!" The Soul King paused, then looked up abruptly.
"The ones who will send you to hell."
"Splash—!"
The roof of the dilapidated temple suddenly exploded.
A black figure descended from the sky like an eagle hunting a rabbit, carrying an incomparably fierce aura! Accompanying it was a long chain scythe that gleamed with a faint blue light.
"Ninja Tool: Flying Scythe!"
The scythe, like the Grim Reaper's snare, instantly wrapped around the Soul King's ankle.
"Get out of here!"
Ye Feng, mid-air, suddenly pulled the chain. Using the momentum of the fall and the terrifying power of the upgraded Thousand Chance Umbrella, the level 53 Soul King was actually pulled backward and sent flying, slamming into the wall like a sandbag!
"boom!"
The walls collapsed, and smoke and dust billowed up.
Ye Feng, holding an umbrella in one hand, landed tall and straight in front of Leng Qianqian. His black trench coat fluttered in the cold wind, his back like a mountain, blocking out all the wind, snow, and killing intent.
"Sorry, there was some traffic on the way, I'm late."
Ye Feng tilted his head slightly, revealing that familiar, slightly roguish smile.
Leng Qianqian opened her eyes.
When she saw that familiar figure, her previously icy gaze flickered for a moment. But she quickly suppressed the tears welling up in her eyes, turned her head away, and spoke with her usual haughty and disdainful tone.
"Hmph, so slow. I thought you were long gone and had died in some rat hole. I was just about to burn paper money for you."
Although she said that, her trembling hand, reaching out to grab Ye Feng's clothes, betrayed her inner excitement.
"Boss?! You're not dead?!" Ye Shaotian was so excited he almost cried.
"Ye Feng?!" The Soul King crawled out of the ruins, his face covered in blood, his eyes filled with terror. "You...you actually dare to come back?!"
"What's there to be afraid of?" Ye Feng flicked his Thousand Chance Umbrella, retracted the scythe, and transformed it into a battle spear. "You can touch me, but you can't touch my people."
"Arrogant! Everyone attack together! He's all alone!" the Soul King roared.
"Alone?" Ye Feng's lips curled into a mocking smile. "You know nothing about the team composition of 'The King's Avatar'."
Before he could finish speaking...
"boom--!!!"
The walls of the dilapidated temple shattered again.
A humanoid mammoth, gleaming with diamond-like luster, charged in like an out-of-control tank, directly knocking away two Soul Masters who were rushing towards Ye Shaotian.
"Who dares to touch my boss! Take this mammoth charge!" Huyanli roared, his massive body blocking the center of the battlefield like a wall of sighs.
Immediately afterwards, a terrifyingly cold aura descended.
A tall, aloof figure slowly walked into the dilapidated temple. With each step she took, a layer of frost formed on the ground beneath her feet.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black.
Six spirit rings pulsed beneath her feet, and the pressure of the Spirit Emperor was released without reservation, instantly making the Spirit King feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
"Soul...Soul Emperor?!" The Soul King was utterly desperate. "You are..."
Leng Qianqian stared at the figure that walked in, her eyes widening suddenly, and blurted out:
"Teacher Mingyue?!"
Indeed, the person who came was Mingyue, a well-known teacher at the Northern Academy, and whom the students privately called the "Iceberg Goddess".
Mingyue gently waved her folding fan, her gaze sweeping over the chaotic battlefield before finally settling on Leng Qianqian and Ye Shaotian, a complex look flashing in her eyes.
"Leng Qianqian, Ye Shaotian. Skipping class is against school rules, but considering the special circumstances, we'll let it go this time," Mingyue said calmly.
"Mingyue? How come you're with Ye Feng?" Leng Qianqian was completely dumbfounded.
She looked at Ye Feng, then at Mingyue.
"That's a long story." Ye Feng interrupted Leng Qianqian's rambling thoughts, pointing his spear at the Soul King. "Let's deal with this trash first."
The battle ended without any suspense.
With Soul Emperor Mingyue providing cover, Ye Feng didn't let his teacher take action. Instead, he used this group as a whetstone, cooperating with Hu Yanli's tank cover to showcase the dazzling form switching of the Thousand Manifestations Umbrella.
Finally, with a close-range bombardment from an "anti-tank gun," the Soul King died with resentment.
...
The crisis is over.
Ye Feng put away the Thousand Chance Umbrella, walked up to Leng Qianqian, and extended his hand: "Can you still stand up, Miss?"
Leng Qianqian looked at the hand extended in front of her but didn't immediately grasp it. She struggled to stand up on her own, brushed the dust off her skirt, and despite wincing in pain, she still held her chin up, maintaining her haughty posture.
"I don't need your help, I can walk by myself." Leng Qianqian snorted, but her body swayed and she almost fell.
Ye Feng smiled helplessly, took a step forward, ignored her resistance, and put his arm around her waist, making her lean against him.
"You! What are you doing! Let go of me!" Leng Qianqian's pretty face instantly turned red, like a cat with its fur standing on end, baring her teeth and claws as she tried to push him away. "Don't you know that men and women shouldn't touch each other? Besides, Teacher Mingyue is watching right here!"
"Save your energy." Ye Feng didn't loosen his grip; instead, he tightened it even more, and whispered, "Weren't you so tough just now? Why are your legs shaking now?"
"Who...who's trembling! It's because of that soul skill that it froze!" Leng Qianqian said stubbornly, but when she felt the warmth and familiar aura emanating from Ye Feng, her struggling movements gradually subsided.
She glanced furtively at Mingyue beside her and noticed that Mingyue was watching the scene with a half-smile.
A sudden, inexplicable sense of crisis rose in Leng Qianqian's heart.
Back in the academy, Teacher Mingyue was a high and mighty elder, but now… why did she feel that Teacher Mingyue's gaze towards Ye Feng wasn't like that of someone looking at a student, but rather like that of someone looking at…
"Cough cough."
Mingyue lightly closed her folding fan, her voice cool yet tinged with amusement: "Ye Feng, isn't it inappropriate to hug and cuddle like this in front of the teacher? Should I give you a major demerit?"
Ye Feng felt a chill run down his spine; this feeling was even more dangerous than facing a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast.
He quickly let go (but still held on), and said awkwardly with a smile, "Teacher is joking. This is called mutual assistance among comrades."
"Hmph." Leng Qianqian broke free from Ye Feng's embrace, tidied her hair, and gave Mingyue a somewhat awkward student's salute. "Hello, Teacher Mingyue. Thank you for saving me. But... why did you leave the academy, Teacher? And with Ye Feng..."
"We can't go back to the academy." A hint of sadness flashed in Mingyue's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. "Now, I'm just like you, a fugitive on the run. But…"
She glanced at Ye Feng, a slight smile playing on her lips: "I'm now the mentor of this 'full-time team'."
"A full-time team?" Leng Qianqian was stunned for a moment, then looked at Ye Feng, "What kind of lousy name is this? It sounds awful."
"If you don't like it, you don't have to join. I'll just take you back to the Leng family." Ye Feng said deliberately.
"Who said I'm not joining!" Leng Qianqian exclaimed, grabbing Ye Feng's sleeve. "I can't go home now, and the Leng family is definitely being monitored. I'm going to stay with you! You can't get rid of me!"
After saying that, she gave Mingyue a defiant look. Although she was a student, the young lady would never back down when it came to vying for "the spot next to Ye Feng."
Mingyue looked at the student who was in a bad mood and found it amusing, but she didn't say anything. However, there was a hint of doting in her eyes.
"Alright, stop arguing." Ye Feng interrupted the tense and tense situation that was about to erupt. "We can't stay here any longer! We must leave the Northern Territory immediately. Let's talk in the car!"
"A car? Where did this car come from?" Ye Shaotian was supported by Hu Yanli, looking completely bewildered.
Ye Feng pointed to the official road not far from the temple, where there was a luxurious carriage that Mingyue had just borrowed with her "persuasion through virtue"—it was the royal caravan of the Barak Kingdom.
"Let's go, that's our new car."
...
Fifteen minutes later.
The carriage sped across the snow-covered plains, heading south towards Tiandou City.
Inside the carriage, it was warm and cozy.
Ye Feng was treating Ye Shaotian's wounds, while Leng Qianqian sat in the corner, sipping hot water and secretly observing Ye Feng and Mingyue.
"Shaotian, your Ice Rain Sword is broken. This is a fatal injury for a weapon-type spirit master." Ye Feng frowned slightly as he looked at the two broken sword sections.
Ye Shaotian's eyes dimmed: "Am I... crippled? Will I have to go back to the village to farm from now on?"
"What do you mean 'useless'?" Ye Feng rolled his eyes at him, annoyed. "Don't forget who I am. I can build my Thousand Manifestations Umbrella, so what's so difficult about fixing your broken sword?"
He pulled the piece of cold iron and refined gold from his pocket, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism: "Not only can I repair it, I'll upgrade it. Shaotian, wouldn't you like to give your sword the ability to freeze a thousand miles?"
"Yes!" Ye Shaotian's eyes lit up instantly.
"And you, Leng Qianqian." Ye Feng turned to look at the young lady who was in a daze.
"What?" Leng Qianqian turned her head away haughtily. "Call me by my full name. You're so disrespectful."
"Your Shadow Cat Martial Soul is fast, but lacks explosive power and is too fragile. That last attack almost broke your back." Ye Feng ignored her attitude and analyzed seriously, "When we get to Heaven Dou City, I will design a set of 'Night Walker' equipment for you, including Silent Boots and Shadow Claws. At that time, even a Soul Master won't be able to catch you."
Leng Qianqian's ears twitched. Although her face still showed a "who cares" expression, her heart felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey.
"Hmph, mind your own business... But since you're begging me to accept it, then I'll reluctantly agree."
Mingyue watched this scene from the side, shook her head helplessly, and took a sip of tea.
This strange team has finally assembled.
Ye Feng, the all-around captain (a free agent).
Aloof and in control of the situation, Mingyue (Mage/Sub-DPS, also a teacher).
Hu Yanli, a kind-hearted and reliable tank (also serving as a driver).
The agile assassin Leng Qianqian (also known as Yingmao, who is also a proud and arrogant young lady).
Ye Shaotian, the powerful swordsman (warrior, also known as the witty commentator).
"Everyone," Ye Feng said, his eyes burning with ambition as he gazed at the rapidly receding snowscape outside the car window, "our goal is Heaven Dou City, the Continental High-Level Soul Master Elite Tournament. I want the name 'All-Round Team' to resound throughout the entire Douluo Continent!"
"Tch, chuunibyou (middle school syndrome)." Leng Qianqian retorted, but her hands unconsciously tightened their grip on the hem of her clothes.
"Hehe, I think it's great!" Hu Yanli chuckled.
"I'll do anything to become stronger." Ye Shaotian gripped the broken sword tightly.
"Then let's go, Captain." Mingyue chuckled softly, her gaze gentle.
The carriage rolled south, carrying the dreams of five young people, breaking through the snowstorms of the North.
Gentlemen, do you prefer Cat-eared Qianqian or Teacher Mingyue?