139: Chapter 140 If you can't beat them, just kowtow.

"Heavenly God, you..."

Little Queen Jin Xi was just about to speak, but the sound stuck in her throat.

Those eyes, which had just regained their sight, were wide open.

The Jiang Feng before her had changed.

Three days ago, his Qi and blood were surging, his sharpness was overwhelming, and his entire being exuded a wildness, like an incomparably brave warrior.

Now, however, his aura was restrained, and his temperament was refined and otherworldly. His skin was like jade, yet it radiated power.

Combined with that full head of white hair, yet without a single wrinkle on his face, he seemed untouched by time.

He was like an immortal descended to the mortal world.

He just stood there quietly, as if he were the center of this world.

"Heavenly... God..."

The tortoise-shell cane in Granny Gu's hand clattered to the ground. Her lips trembled, and her murky old eyes surged with fervor as she prepared to kneel again.

"Alright, stop kneeling. Kneeling all day long—don't your old rheumatic bones hurt?"

Jiang Feng waved his hand, walked around her, grabbed a sizzling roasted fish from a stone platter held by a tribesman, and took a big bite.

"Mmm, I'm starving. Not bad, your skills are good." He chewed heartily, speaking indistinctly.

Just this one down-to-earth action made the Black Turtle Tribe members present tear up with emotion.

"The Heavenly God ate the meat we roasted!"

"The Heavenly God even praised our skills!"

"Wuu, I can die content now..."

Listening to these whispers, Jiang Feng shook his head helplessly, muttering to himself.

The innocence of these natives—if they were in modern society, they'd definitely be dragged off to have their kidneys harvested or be scammed.

However, feeling the terrifying power within his body, enough to shatter mountains and rivers with a single punch, he inexplicably felt a bit more confident in himself.

Small Golden Body Art at Major Achievement, layered with the Yangguan Three-Fold. That Iron-Armored Golden Turtle was definitely dead today.

A few pounds of roasted meat went into his stomach in a few bites, followed by a large gulp of water.

"Hiccup~"

Jiang Feng patted his stomach comfortably and clenched his fist, causing his knuckles to crackle.

"Fed and ready. Time to work."

Under the fervent gazes of the crowd, Jiang Feng strode toward the seashore. Without a word, he dove headfirst into the deep blue sea.

...Revisiting an old haunt.

With a Water-Avoiding Pearl on his person, Jiang Feng skillfully made his way to the head of the massive turtle corpse and crawled into its abyss-like mouth.

This time, without waiting for that suction force to strike, he charged in on his own initiative.

Before long. A foul stench rushed toward him; beneath him was still that pool of bloody water mixed with bones.

"Gurgle."

In the dark corner, that slimy swallowing sound rang out once more.

Two eerie green lanterns slowly rose, and that cold gaze, even more greedy, locked onto Jiang Feng again.

But this time, a trace of vigilance, and even confusion, appeared in its beastly pupils.

The two-legged beast before it was the same one from three days ago. Sensing the aura on Jiang Feng, the Iron-Armored Golden Turtle's body actually began to retreat slowly.

It was afraid!

"Still staring? I've come to collect you."

Jiang Feng curled his lips, tapped his foot, and flashed out, leaving only an afterimage behind.

This time, he didn't even deliberately activate the Small Golden Body Art. With a completely plain punch, he smashed toward that stone-house-like turtle head.

The Iron-Armored Golden Turtle was, after all, an ancient exotic beast. Despite its trepidation, it was enraged by Jiang Feng's dismissive attitude.

It let out a low roar, neither dodging nor avoiding, and charged head-on into the fist, relying on its iron armor defense to crush Jiang Feng's confidence.

Clang!

A sound of metal clashing, ten times louder than three days ago, exploded forth.

However, this time, it was not Jiang Feng who flew backward.

"Awoo!"

The Iron-Armored Golden Turtle let out a miserable howl. Its mountain-like head jerked backward, and its massive body was actually forced back over ten meters.

On its indestructible forehead, a clear punch mark was left, sunken deep into the flesh.

"A bit painful, isn't it?"

Jiang Feng shook his hand. Without using the Small Golden Body Art, his strength was still somewhat lacking, and his wrist felt a bit numb, but his smile grew wider.

Just that casual punch alone was enough to rival the Yangguan Three-Fold second-layer state he had exerted all his strength for three days ago.

Jiang Feng held back no longer; the outcome of this battle was no longer in doubt. He activated the Small Golden Body Art, combined with the Water-Fire Dual Origin, and unleashed his full power.

"Yangguan Three-Fold."

As the four words were spat from his mouth, the Qi and blood in his body instantly boiled, and his power exploded in layered waves.

Jiang Feng's figure left trails of afterimages inside the giant turtle; at this moment, his speed was at its limit.

Clang! Clang!

He didn't give the Iron-Armored Golden Turtle any chance to breathe, continuously smashing out several punches from different angles.

The turtle shell he couldn't smash three days ago was now as thin as brittle paper under his fists. The Iron-Armored Golden Turtle's hard shell crumbled inch by inch and dislocated segment by segment.

The corrosive water arrows that had previously left him in such a sorry state were punched right back into the Iron-Armored Golden Turtle's mouth the moment they were spat out, causing its massive body to tumble in the air.

The Iron-Armored Golden Turtle finally realized something was wrong. It wanted to protect the vital punch-mark spot on its abdomen, but its speed was no match for Jiang Feng.

Suddenly, golden light surged. One punch, dead center on its lifeline!

Boom!

With that powerful, heavy blow, the Iron-Armored Golden Turtle's massive body suddenly deflated, visibly shrinking by half, as foul-smelling blood gushed wildly from its mouth.

In just a few short breaths, the behemoth that had left Jiang Feng helpless three days ago was now beaten to within an inch of its life, lying in the bloody water, twitching.

Jiang Feng stood on a protruding rock, surrounded by glowing golden light, and raised his hand to deliver the final punch to finish off the beast.

But just then, a jaw-dropping scene occurred.

The dying Iron-Armored Golden Turtle actually forced its tumbling body to stop.

Its four webbed feet paddled frantically in the water, shakily aiming that massive turtle head at Jiang Feng.

Then.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The turtle head slammed heavily against the bones below, emitting a dull thud. It kowtowed, one time after another, using all its remaining strength.

In those eerie green eyes, there was no longer a shred of greed or ferocity, only the purest fear and begging.

This beast... was actually kowtowing to beg for mercy?

Jiang Feng's ready-to-strike fist froze in mid-air. He was stunned.

What the hell? If you can't beat them, you kowtow? You can just surrender on the spot like this?

"Tsk, spineless thing."

In the Sea of Consciousness, the Purple-skirted Woman's voice rang out leisurely, carrying a hint of disdain, "I thought it was some ancient exotic species, turns out it's just a coward, just like someone else!"

"If you keep talking, I'll make it take its clothes off for you to see."

"You!"

Seeing that the Purple-skirted Woman didn't speak again, Jiang Feng watched the Iron-Armored Golden Turtle below, which was kowtowing with great enthusiasm, with interest.

It was even afraid Jiang Feng wouldn't understand, so while kowtowing, it let out "wuu" whines from its throat. Its eerie green eyes were filled entirely with fear, no longer showing a shred of the greed and ferocity from before.

This beast has truly become sentient.

Jiang Feng slowly lowered his fist. Killing an opponent who had completely given up resistance and even started begging for mercy was a bit beneath him.

Besides, his purpose for this trip was the fragment map in the Holy Tower, and incidentally, to get some essence blood for cultivation.

Now that his cultivation was complete and he had obtained the blood, the life or death of this Iron-Armored Golden Turtle was indeed not that important to him.

Moreover, with the Golden Turtle's current strength, it couldn't stir up any trouble. He decided to just leave it for the Black Turtle Tribe people to deal with. After all, some things are more exciting when you do them yourself.