104: Chapter 104 Deep Waters

However, facing this fatal blow, Gao Feng did not dodge or evade.

He simply raised his right hand slowly.

Then, he threw a punch!

An unremarkable punch!

Yet, this simple punch seemed to carry the supreme power of the entire world!

Before the fist arrived, the wind rose first!

A domineering and incomparably violent, terrifying gale from the punch instantly blew away all the black air currents surrounding the Ghost-Faced Man!

"What?!" For the first time, there was a trace of extreme shock in the Ghost-Faced Man's hoarse voice!

He wanted to change his move, he wanted to retreat! But it was already too late!

Gao Feng's fist, in a strange posture that seemed slow but was actually extremely fast, struck after him but arrived first, slamming fiercely onto his ghost claw!

"Boom—!!!"

A deafening, terrifying roar! A visible wave of white air exploded from the center of the two, stripping away a layer of the surrounding ground!

"Crack... crack..."

A dense sound of shattering bones! In the horrified gazes of Gong Qianxue and the others, that mysterious and powerful Ghost-Faced Man's invincible ghost claw, along with his entire arm, was actually shattered inch by inch by Gao Feng's simple punch, starting from the fingertips, finally turning into a sky full of flying flesh and blood powder!

"Pfft—!"

The Ghost-Faced Man spat out a mouthful of black blood, and his whole body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily dozens of feet away! He struggled to crawl up from the ground, but just as his only remaining left hand propped up his body, with a "pfft" sound, it also exploded into a mist of blood!

The terrifying force of Gao Feng's punch had actually passed through his body, destroying all his vitality!

"Who... exactly... are you..."

The Ghost-Faced Man used his last breath to squeeze out these words from his throat, then his head tilted, and he died completely.

Until his death, he could not understand how such a terrifying monster could exist in this world! One punch! Just a single punch! It had shaken this top-tier assassin, who was enough to make the entire Hanyang Prefecture tremble with fear, to death!

Gao Feng slowly withdrew his fist, walked to the Ghost-Faced Man's corpse, and removed the hideous ghost mask. Beneath the mask was the unremarkable face of a middle-aged man; the only distinguishing feature was a blood-colored scorpion mark tattooed on his neck.

Seeing this mark, Gao Feng's pupils constricted slightly.

"Blood Scorpion Tower..." He softly spat out these three words.

That was the name of the most mysterious and powerful assassin organization in the Great Qian Dynasty. He hadn't expected that to kill him, these people would have even hired a gold-ranked assassin from the Blood Scorpion Tower. It seemed the waters behind this were even deeper than he had imagined.

He didn't look anymore, turned around and returned to Gong Qianxue and Xu Changqing, who had already been scared silly, and said calmly, "Let's go."

"This is just the beginning."

When the main force of Tingfeng Academy arrived at this fork in the road that evening, they only saw a miserably dead, armless corpse and a huge "Death" character drawn on the ground in blood.

Everyone felt a chill down their spines.

Liu Xuanfeng looked at the corpse, so scared that he couldn't even speak. Because he knew that this miserably dead Ghost-Faced Man was the legendary top-tier assassin his Liu Family had spent a huge price to hire!

Now, he was dead here. And the target he was supposed to kill was long gone.

In an instant, an unprecedented, icy chill shot from the soles of Liu Xuanfeng's feet straight to his skull!

He finally realized what kind of terrifying existence he had provoked!

Three days later.

Hanyang Prefecture's capital, Wangjiang City.

This massive city, perched on the banks of the great river, was a hundred times more prosperous than the Hanyang Prefecture government. The towering city walls, ten zhang high, were like a crouching black Dragon, full of solemnity and majesty.

On the wide moat, the drawbridge was slowly lowered, and countless merchants and commoners poured into the city like a swarm of ants.

Gao Feng and his group of five, leading their horses, blended into the crowd, appearing completely unremarkable.

However, when they reached the city gate, a squad of city guards wearing fine iron armor and holding long halberds blocked their path.

The leader was a captain with a fleshy face and arrogant eyes; his gaze swept over the slightly dusty appearance of Gao Feng and the others, carrying a hint of undisguised contempt.

"Stop!"

"Looking at you, you must be refugees from the north, right?"

The captain tapped the ground with the handle of his halberd, making a dull thud.

"The city is under martial law now; those with unknown identities are strictly forbidden from entering! Men, take them aside and search them carefully!"

As soon as he finished speaking, more than a dozen city guards gathered around with a clatter, their gleaming halberd tips pointed at Gao Feng and the others.

The surrounding commoners saw this and quickly avoided them, fearing to get into trouble.

Wulu and Gong Qianxue's expressions darkened instantly, their hands already pressed against their weapons.

Big Fool's eyes widened, and the Aura of a wild Vicious Beast on his body made the surrounding air feel a bit heavy.

However, Gao Feng just raised his hand slightly, stopping their actions.

There was no anger on his face; he remained as calm and indifferent as before.

He dismounted, slowly took out a gold-stamped document with a vermilion seal from his bosom, and handed it over.

"Great Qian Martial Examination, Hanyang Prefecture Top Scholar of the Martial Examination, Gao Pan, here by order to participate in the Prefecture Examination."

His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

Top Scholar of the Martial Examination?!

These three words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand waves!

The surrounding commoners and merchants, looking at Gao Feng, instantly changed their expressions from sympathy and pity to shock and awe!

The captain's face also changed slightly, a flash of astonishment in his eyes.

He clearly hadn't expected that this young man, who looked no different from a refugee, would be the number one Top Scholar of the Martial Examination in the prefecture test!

But he quickly resumed his arrogant expression, took the document, glanced at it casually, and sneered, "Top Scholar of the Martial Examination? Heh, who knows if it's real or fake."

"Even if it's real, so what? These are extraordinary times; even royalty and nobles must follow the rules of my Wangjiang City!"

"Men, take them down and search them carefully! If it's a forged document from a northern spy, this captain cannot afford the responsibility!"

This was blatant harassment!

The Killing Intent in Wulu's eyes could no longer be suppressed!

Just as he was about to explode, Gao Feng's calm voice sounded again.

"I will say this again."

"Great Qian Martial Examination, Hanyang Prefecture Top Scholar of the Martial Examination, Gao Pan."

This time, his voice was still calm, but an Aura, a hundred times more terrifying than when he had killed the Ghost-Faced Man with one punch that day, exploded like a primordial Vicious Beast waking up!

"Boom—!"

That Aura condensed into substance, like a towering sacred mountain, pressing fiercely onto the captain and the dozen city guards!

"Thump! Thump!"

The dozen city guards felt as if their chests had been fiercely struck by an invisible giant hammer; they could no longer hold their long halberds, and they all fell to the ground! Their faces were pale, their legs went weak, and they uncontrollably knelt down in a row!

The captain, who bore the brunt of it, felt as if his throat had been gripped by an invisible giant hand; even breathing became extremely difficult!

His eyes were filled with endless fear, and cold sweat poured down from his forehead!

He had no doubt that with just one thought from the other party, he would be crushed into meat paste by this terrifying Aura!

"Now, can I enter the city?"

Gao Feng's voice, like the whisper of a demon from the Nine Underworlds, clearly rang in the captain's ears.

"Ye... yes... Master Scholar... p-please... please enter..."

The captain used all his strength to squeeze these words from his throat, his voice trembling violently.

Upon hearing this, Gao Feng slowly withdrew that terrifying Aura.

He didn't look at the group of city guards, who were like weaklings, again; he led his horse and the others, walking straight into the city gate.

Until their figures completely disappeared at the end of the long street.

The captain collapsed onto the ground as if exhausted, gasping for air, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

Inside Wangjiang City, it was bustling with traffic and prosperous.

Compared to the apocalyptic scene outside, where the land was barren for thousands of miles and corpses lay everywhere, it seemed like two completely different worlds.

Gao Feng and his group found a seemingly clean inn to stay in.

After settling in, he went out alone, preparing to find a pharmacy to buy some medicinal Materials.

There was a pharmacy nearby; the storefront was not large, even a bit dilapidated, and the plaque had three large characters written in a vigorous, sweeping style—"Baicaotang".

As soon as Gao Feng walked into the pharmacy, he smelled a rich medicinal fragrance.

However, the scene he saw was not the harmonious scene of a doctor consulting and patients seeking treatment.

He saw that the pharmacy's main hall was in a mess.

Several strong men dressed as Liu Family servants were pressing a middle-aged man in ragged clothes and reeking of alcohol firmly to the ground.

"You old drunkard! How dare you steal our Renhe Hall's century-old ginseng! Today, I'm going to break your dog legs!"

A fat man who looked like a manager was pointing at the middle-aged man and cursing.

Although the middle-aged man was pressed to the ground, he still stiffened his neck and cursed with drunken eyes: "Bullshit! You call that century-old ginseng? It's nothing but rotten radish roots smoked with sulfur! Eating it won't save lives, it will kill people instead!"

"You... you still dare to spout nonsense!"

The fat manager was touched on a sore spot and immediately became angry from embarrassment; he picked up a wooden stick from the side and wanted to smash it down fiercely!

"Stop!"

At this moment, a cold shout came.

Gao Feng walked in slowly, his gaze sweeping over the wooden stick in the fat manager's hand and the middle-aged man on the ground known as the "Old Drunkard".

"Who are you? How dare you meddle in the Liu Family's business?!" the fat manager shouted, trying to sound tough but failing.

Gao Feng ignored him and walked straight to the counter, picked up the so-called "century-old ginseng," and sniffed it gently at his nose.

Immediately, a cold sneer curled up at the corner of his mouth.

"Fumigated with sulfur, then soaked in Polygonatum juice to color it. The technique is not bad, but unfortunately, the heat was a bit off, leaving a trace of scorched smell that cannot be removed."

He said indifferently and tossed the "rotten radish" onto the ground.

As soon as these words were spoken, the fat manager's face instantly turned deathly pale!

And the old drunkard on the ground, within those murky, drunken eyes, suddenly shot out a terrifying gleam of brilliance! He stared fixedly at Gao Feng, as if wanting to see right through him!

"You... who exactly are you?!" The fat manager's voice began to tremble.

Gao Feng slowly turned around, his eyes, deep as an abyss, quietly watching him.

"Who I am is not important. What is important is that I am in a good mood today, and I do not want to kill anyone."

"Take your things and get out."

His voice remained as calm as ever.

But that bone-chilling Killing Intent made the fat manager feel as if he had instantly fallen into an ice cellar!

He dared not say another word of nonsense, and scrambling to his feet, he fled the pharmacy with his underlings.

The disturbance was thus quelled.

Gao Feng turned around to look at the old drunkard who had already climbed up from the ground and was brushing the dust off his body.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

That old drunkard, who was none other than Du Kang, took a deep look at Gao Feng. The gleam in his eyes had long since faded, and he had returned to his drunken, bleary-eyed appearance.

He let out a hiccup and chuckled.

"I won't die. But you, kid, are quite interesting. Not only could you tell the authenticity of that thing, but you also dared to offend people from the Liu Family."

"My name is Du Kang. What about you?"

"Gao Pan."

"Gao Pan..." Du Kang smacked his lips, seemingly savoring the name. "You saved me once. Speak up, what kind of reward do you want? Let's get this straight first: I don't have any money."

Upon hearing this, Gao Feng smiled faintly.

"I don't need a reward from you."

"I just feel that a good physician should not die an untimely death."

Having said that, he said no more and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Du Kang suddenly called out to him.

He walked up to Gao Feng in a few strides, his eyes, which had seemed murky, now becoming unusually bright.

"How did you know I was a physician?"

Gao Feng's footsteps paused slightly, but he did not turn back.

"Your hands have the smell of medicine that cannot be washed away. Under your fingernails, there are traces left by crushing herbs."

"Most importantly, the webbing between your thumb and index finger has thick calluses from years of using silver needles."

"Someone who understands pharmacology and acupuncture—if not a physician, then what are they?"

After saying this, he did not linger and walked straight out of the pharmacy.

Leaving Du Kang alone, standing there in a daze, his eyes filled with endless shock and disbelief!

This young man... who exactly is he?!

...After leaving the Hundred Herbs Hall, Gao Feng did not immediately return to the inn.

He walked slowly through the streets of Wangjiang City, appearing to stroll aimlessly, but in reality, he was observing the veins and Aura of this massive city.

He discovered that beneath the prosperity of this city lay a strict order. The City Guard patrolling the streets were equipped far better than those in the prefecture, with almost everyone being a Martial Artist at Force Cultivation Stage One.

And the guards at the gates of the grand estates included many skilled experts at the Second Stage of Skin Tempering, and he could even occasionally sense the powerful Aura of those at the Third Stage of Tendon Tempering.

Not to mention the young Disciples wearing Sect badges with arrogant expressions; they moved in groups of three or five, naturally carrying an air of superiority as they walked.

"It seems the waters of this Prefecture City are much deeper than I imagined," Gao Feng thought to himself.

He recalled the iron spear he had casually bought in Black Wind Gorge; after throwing it at the assassin from the Blood Scorpion Tower, the shaft was already covered in cracks and could no longer be used.

As for the weapons of Big Fool and Wulu, they were merely ordinary hundred-refined steel sabers; they were sufficient for dealing with common bandits, but if they were to face these well-equipped aristocratic guards and Sect Disciples, they would definitely be at a great disadvantage.

Especially with the upcoming Prefecture Examination, where his opponents would be all the top Geniuses from the thirteen prefectures.

These people were all from famous families and held Sharp Weapons.

To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools.

To gain a foothold in this dragon's den of a Wangjiang City, and even to emerge as the champion, upgrading his equipment was already an urgent matter!

Having made up his mind, Gao Feng asked passersby for the location of the best weapon smithy in the city and headed straight for it.

Divine Weapon Pavilion.

The name sounded imposing, but the storefront was surprisingly deserted. Compared to the bustling shops around it, this place could simply be described as desolate.

Gao Feng pushed the door open and entered; a scorching, metallic stench mixed with the smell of coal ash rushed towards him.

A one-eyed man, stripped to the waist with muscles knotted like the roots of an old tree, was hammering away at a piece of red-hot iron, sending sparks flying with every "clang, clang, clang."

He seemed completely immersed in his own world, not even raising his eyelids at Gao Feng's arrival.

Gao Feng did not speak, only watching quietly.

He could feel that every strike the man made was perfect in force and angle, as if he were not forging iron, but performing a sacred ritual.

This was a true Great Master of weapon forging!

Not until the iron billet in his hands took the shape of a long sword did the one-eyed man stop his work, tossing the hammer into a bucket of water beside him, which hissed and sent up a cloud of white steam.

He picked up a wine skin and took a deep gulp, then glanced at Gao Feng with his one eye and asked in a hoarse voice, "What is it?"

"I want to have some weapons forged, as well as a few sets of armor," Gao Feng said calmly.

The one-eyed man, who was Qin Fang, sneered upon hearing this, a look of disdain appearing in his eyes.

"This shop only takes business from regular customers, and the prices are very high."

"If you don't have money or good Materials, go to the blacksmith shop next door."

This was an order to leave.

Gao Feng was not annoyed; he slowly took an object wrapped in thick cloth from the pack on his back and placed it gently on the forging table.

When he unwrapped the thick cloth to reveal an Ore the size of a human head, pitch-black all over but with strange blood-colored patterns on its surface.

A brilliant, unprecedented gleam suddenly erupted from Qin Fang's single eye!

His rough, large hand reached out to stroke the Ore, trembling slightly as if he were caressing the skin of a peerless lover.

"This... is this... Century-Old Dark Iron Ore Core?!"

His voice became extremely shrill due to excessive excitement!

Dark Iron was already precious and an excellent material for forging Sharp Weapons. A Century-Old Dark Iron Ore Core was the essence that could only be born from a Dark Iron vein after being tempered by subterranean fire for a hundred years!

It could be said that the value of this one piece of Ore core was enough to buy this entire street!

"Now, am I qualified to talk business?" Gao Feng asked calmly.

"Yes! Absolutely!"

Qin Fang's attitude did a 180-degree turn; his eyes were filled with fanaticism as he looked at Gao Feng.

"This customer! No! This Lord! What would you like to have forged? As long as you can name it, I, Qin Fang, will definitely forge it for you, even if I don't sleep for three days and three nights!"

Gao Feng smiled slightly; what he wanted was not just a few weapons.

He took out several drawings he had already prepared from his bosom and spread them out on the forging table.

"I want you to forge according to the drawings here."

Qin Fang picked up the drawings with suspicion, but after just one glance, he was struck as if by lightning and froze completely in place!

His single eye widened, and his mouth hung open, wide enough to fit an egg!

For on those drawings were several terrifying creations he had never heard of or seen before!

One set was a suit of full-body armor with a complex structure, made of countless small iron plates layered and joined at special angles, labeled "Composite Plate Armor." Its defensive concept completely overturned everything he had learned in his life!

Another item was a replaceable spearhead, shaped in a strange, spiral tri-hedral form with a blood groove at the base, labeled "Armor-Piercing Cone." Its design was so vicious that even this Old Blacksmith felt his scalp tingle just looking at it!

"These... these... are all things you thought of?!" Qin Fang asked with a trembling voice.

"You just focus on forging; can you do it?" Gao Feng countered.

"Yes! I definitely can!" Qin Fang's face flushed red with excitement. "As long as the Materials are sufficient, give me one month, and I can make these things a reality!"

"Good." Gao Feng nodded, then revealed his true purpose.

"This Dark Iron Ore Core is the deposit."

"After it is done, I will not only pay you double the price, but I will also help you completely break free from the control of the Liu Family."

"Furthermore, I will provide you with a continuous supply of rare Materials like this."

These words were like heavy hammers, striking hard at Qin Fang's heart!

He looked at the young man before him, who was overly calm, and a storm had already been stirred up in his heart!

He knew that he had met a true benefactor!

With a "thump"!

This Great Master of weapon forging, who was known for his aloof and arrogant personality, knelt on one knee without the slightest hesitation!

"Qin Fang is willing to serve you, Young Master!"

...Three days later, Wangjiang Tower.

The most prestigious restaurant in Wangjiang City had been completely booked out for the day.

The Liu Family's Young Lord, Liu Xuanfeng, had set up a trap banquet here, widely inviting all the Geniuses who had come to participate in the Prefecture Examination.

When Gao Feng walked into this resplendent banquet hall with Big Fool and Wulu, he instantly attracted everyone's attention.

There was curiosity, there was scrutiny, but more than that, there was undisgu hostility and contempt.

Liu Xuanfeng sat at the head of the table, and beside him sat a young man wearing a cyan sword robe with a cold expression.

It was none other than the Chief Disciple of the local number one Sect, the Xuan Yue Sword Sect, Zhao Shentu!

Seeing Gao Feng enter, Liu Xuanfeng raised his wine cup with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"Yo, isn't this Top Scholar Gao from our Hanyang Prefecture? Come, please take a seat!"

His voice was not loud, but it was enough for everyone to hear.

A young man, also from an aristocratic family, immediately chimed in with a sarcastic tone:

"I've long heard that Top Scholar Gao was born with Divine Power and could shatter a strength-testing stele with one punch. Seeing you today, you are indeed... burly and strong!"

"Hahaha..."

Inside the hall, a burst of mocking laughter immediately erupted.

In the eyes of these aristocratic Sect Disciples who considered themselves members of the upper class, Gao Feng's pure brute force was nothing more than the crude and unbearable conduct of a boor, unfit for high society.