118: Peak showdown, the king of chess

At the summit of Chuanyun Peak, it is cold at the top.

That vast platform between the end of Befeng Slope and the true summit was like an independent stage forgotten by the world.

The biting gale, mixed with the primal energy full of Chaos and madness emanating from the "tear of the stars" at the core of the summit, howled wildly, scraping faces until they stung and unsettling the Divine Soul.

Lin Feng, Lin Shi, and Lin Tie, with their backs against the treacherous and incomparably steep Befeng Slope they had just conquered, had chests heaving violently, greedily breathing in every mouthful of thin air to recover the physical strength and Qi consumed during the extreme climb.

Before them lay the final stretch of rugged mountain path leading to that broken, hideous black summit.

That massive, blue-purple crystal, pulsing like a demon's heart, was within reach, and the eerie light emanating from it illuminated half the sky in a morbid twilight.

And behind them, at the foot of the Befeng Slope that had just put them through a brush with death, Zhao Baichuan and his elite unit from the Law Enforcement Hall, exuding an Aura of iron-blooded slaughter, had arrived.

From a great distance, Lin Feng could even clearly see that those dozen or so black-armored guards, each with a cultivation of at least the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining, were in neat formation and strictly disciplined.

The standard-issue long spears in their hands reflected a cold, soul-devouring light under the eerie glow of the summit.

And Zhao Baichuan, standing at the very front of the team, was like a drawn, sharp sword; even as a blurry figure, that sharp, overbearing, and determined Aura was enough to make any opponent feel a sense of suffocation.

The strength of both sides was completely disproportionate.

"Brother Feng..." Lin Shi gripped the black iron heavy saber tightly, blocking the path in front of Lin Feng and Lin Tie with a solemn gaze, watching the "pursuers" below.

"Stay calm." Lin Feng's voice remained calm.

He knew that at this moment, any panic would only put him at a disadvantage.

He did not choose to rush to the summit immediately, as that would only expose his back completely to this pack of hungry wolves.

He also did not choose to hide.

He simply led his two brothers to the edge of the platform and waited calmly, looking down from a height for the arrival of the others.

He wanted to declare his indisputable victory in this race with the posture of "I have been here, waiting for a long time."

Soon, Zhao Baichuan's team also began their challenge of the "Befeng Slope."

Their climbing method was completely different from Lin Feng's, yet equally shocking.

Without the soothing of "Wind Whisper" or the rooting of "Bedrock," what they relied on was the absolute, crushing "strength" and "financial power" belonging to an official force!

"Black Tortoise Battle Formation! Rise!"

At Zhao Baichuan's command, those dozen elite guards instantly formed a tight, awl-like attack formation!

They simultaneously took out heavy black iron giant shields, engraved with defensive Talismans, from their Storage Pouch!

"Combine!"

Under the activation of spiritual power, the dozen giant shields spliced together seamlessly, forming a massive, mobile barrier like a tortoise shell, flowing with spiritual light!

They were actually using this head-on approach, using a mobile "Black Tortoise Battle Formation" to push upward step by step, unyieldingly, against the "Befeng" that could tear apart the Divine Soul!

The amount of Spirit Stone consumed to drive this battle formation was likely an astronomical figure!

But the formidable discipline and execution belonging to the Law Enforcement Hall displayed by it were enough to make anyone shudder with fear!

This was the most intuitive contrast between Lin Feng's "individual heroism" and Zhao Baichuan's "collective authoritarianism"!

When Zhao Baichuan finally led his subordinates—who were all pale and had consumed vast amounts of spiritual power, yet whose formation remained intact—onto the platform, the two teams finally met formally at the top of the world.

The air seemed to freeze.

"Hehe, Hall Master Lin, trust you have been well."

Zhao Baichuan broke the silence first.

His face wore that signature, impeccable commercial smile, as if he had really run into an old friend in a foreign place.

"To be able to see Hall Master Lin's figure in such a desperate place truly surprises this Commander."

He looked around and asked with feigned surprise, "This Commander is here under the 'Jingshan Order' to clear out high-Rank Yao Beasts for our East District Market and investigate the source of the filth to ensure the safety of the trade routes."

"I wonder, Hall Master Lin, for what reason would you risk your life to come to such a barren land?"

What a clever counter-accusation!

As soon as he spoke, he placed himself on the unassailable moral and legal high ground of "performing official duties," conversely questioning the "legality" of Lin Feng's presence here.

Lin Feng sneered inwardly, but his face showed an equally respectful and sincere expression.

He bowed to Zhao Baichuan from afar: "So it is Commander Zhao in person; my apologies, my apologies!"

He pointed to the "bedrock voyage" at his feet, which was still emitting a sacred radiance, and replied neither servile nor overbearing: "In response to the Commander's words."

"My Qinglan Talisman Hall has always been dedicated to researching methods to purify filth."

"Recently, I happened to obtain an ancient book which records that this place is the source of the filth."

"Therefore, I brought my brothers here to investigate in person, hoping to find the root cause and develop a brand new Talisman or Magical Artifact that can truly cure the filth here."

"If successful, not only can we restore clarity to Qinglan Mountain, but if we can discover some new Spiritual Plants that thrive in filth, it could open up a brand new financial path for the entire market."

"Our trip here is for both 'R&D' and 'business opportunities.' Everything is for the prosperity of the market, and to better serve you, Commander!"

His words were watertight.

He cleverly packaged his "private exploration" as a "commercial R&D" act "for the prosperity of the market."

You, Zhao Baichuan, are for the "public," and I, Lin Feng, am also for the "public!"

In terms of "legality," he instantly stood on the same level as his opponent.

The smile in Zhao Baichuan's eyes faded a little.

He knew that playing this kind of "bureaucratic jargon" with the youth in front of him would yield no advantage.

He simply laid his cards on the table.

Pointing to the "tear of the stars" on the summit emitting an eerie glow, he said straightforwardly: "Hall Master Lin, you and I are both smart people."

"The secret of this place is clearly extraordinary."

"The energy of the exotic treasure on the summit is so vast that neither of us can swallow it alone."

"How about we cooperate again?"

His tone was full of temptation, "My Law Enforcement Hall will be responsible for all the guarding and assault work."

"And you, Hall Master Lin, will be responsible for using your magical 'lamp' to purify the filth and crack the Restriction."

"With our two parties joining hands, we can explore the secret of this summit together!"

"Whatever we obtain, you and I will split it fifty-fifty! How about it?"

This was his ultimate goal—to invest technology and harvest the fruits!

He wanted to make Lin Feng, the most useful "key," his own!

"Split fifty-fifty?"

Lin Tie couldn't help but want to speak upon hearing this, but was stopped by Lin Feng's gaze.

Lin Feng bowed deeply to Zhao Baichuan again, his face full of "fear and trepidation" and "extreme difficulty."

"Commander Zhao really thinks too highly of me!"

He smiled bitterly, "You may not know, but this purification method of my Lin family is an ancestral secret technique passed down through a single line."

"The casting process is extremely harsh, requiring an absolutely quiet environment without any interference from mixed spiritual power."

"Especially," he lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "this technique is closely related to the Bloodline of the three of us brothers and requires setting up a small 'blood relative formation' to exert its maximum effect."

"If there are outsiders present, with too many people and mixed Auras, not only will the secret technique fail, but the three of us brothers might even face the danger of Bloodline backlash!"

"Therefore, it is not that I am unwilling to cooperate with you, Commander; it is truly… the ancestral laws cannot be disobeyed, and our lives cannot be trifled with!"

He pushed everything onto the ethereal "ancestral secret technique" and "Bloodline Restrictions."

This kind of excuse was the most shameless, yet also the most impossible for the other party to refute.

Because you simply cannot prove whether what he said is true or false.

Looking at Lin Feng's "sincere" gaze, the last trace of a smile on Zhao Baichuan's face finally disappeared completely.

He knew he had been rejected.

Rejected by this youth whom he had always thought he could manipulate at will, in the most tactful yet firm way!

The atmosphere on the platform instantly dropped to freezing point.

The dozen guards of the Law Enforcement Hall subconsciously gripped their weapons.

A bloody battle seemed to be on the verge of breaking out!

However, at this tense moment, Zhao Baichuan suddenly laughed again.

"Hahahaha!"

He laughed up at the sky, his laughter full of indescribable complexity, "So that's it! So it is the Lin family's secret that is not to be passed on! It is I who was abrupt! It is I who was abrupt!"

He waved his hand and commanded the elite group behind him loudly: "Pass on my order! Hall Master Lin is a key protection target of our market, and the secret technique he is about to perform concerns the future of our Qinglan Mountain! My Law Enforcement Hall is duty-bound to act as his Protector!"

"All personnel, listen up! Take this platform as the boundary and establish the highest-level defensive position! Before Hall Master Lin completes his task and withdraws, not a single fly is allowed to fly onto this mountain top and disturb Hall Master Lin's 'ritual'!"

"Yes!" The dozen black-armored guards shouted in unison, their voices shaking the surroundings!

Their ability to act was astonishing; they immediately dispersed, set up camp around the platform, arranged guards, and actually became "bodyguards"!

Lin Feng's pupils shrank slightly.

He knew this was the final choice made by Zhao Baichuan, this ambitious man.

He did not choose to fight to the death.

Instead, he chose to advance by retreating!

In the name of being a "Protector," he legitimately "imprisoned" Lin Feng and the other two on this mountain top!

He wanted to wait here and see what kind of treasure you, Lin Feng, could pull out from this mountain!

When the time comes, he would decide whether to continue "cooperating" or… kill to seize the treasure!

This was a silent psychological game between kings.

Lin Feng, with "intelligence" and "strategy," won the initiative and that most precious "time."

And Zhao Baichuan, with "power" and "overt schemes," pulled back a point, placing himself in the invincible position of the "oriole behind."

Lin Feng bowed to Zhao Baichuan again from afar, his face showing a "tearfully grateful" smile: "In that case, many thanks to Commander Zhao for acting as our Protector!"

After saying this, he no longer paid attention to the aggressive team below the mountain.

He turned resolutely, and with Lin Shi and Lin Tie, took the final and most determined… step toward that broken black summit emanating endless evil and temptation!