Countless bats soared through the sky at once.

The light inside the cave was extremely dim. The short boy was seized and brought face to face with his captor, but he couldn’t make out any features, nor did he recognize who it was. Jiang Feng’s night vision was far superior; with a single glance, he instantly identified the other boy.

Jiang Huaixu…

The son of Jiang Tengqing’s cousin—neither particularly close nor particularly distant within the family hierarchy. He was a little older than Jiang Huaixiao, yet had always been his shadow since childhood. Half the beatings Jiang Feng received from this group were thanks to his handiwork.

Six lost teeth, five broken bones, three times coughing up blood…

Jiang Feng’s gaze turned cold. He tightened his grip, and a scream of agony echoed through the cave’s corridor, lingering in the air.

Jiang Huaixiao and the other two boys heard it and shrank back in terror. Jiang Huaixiao even stopped in his tracks, too afraid to go any further. Li Feng, anxious, quickened his pace.

He brushed past Jiang Huaixiao without so much as a glance, rounded a corner, and reached Jiang Huaixu.

Jiang Huaixu was both cursing and writhing on the ground, clutching his leg in agony, cold sweat pouring from his forehead. Li Feng quickly examined him and visibly relaxed.

Jiang Huaixiao, sensing that nothing seemed amiss ahead, crept forward. Without lifting his head, Li Feng stated, “He’s alright. His right thigh is broken.”

Jiang Huaixiao let out a cry. “You call that alright?!”

Li Feng shot him a glance. “Compared to life and death, it’s a minor injury.”

He stood up, dusted off his hands, and said, “Although the opponent hasn’t entered the awakening stage yet, he’s still a bit stronger than you all. If you rush ahead recklessly, you’ll be picked off one by one.”

He looked down at Jiang Huaixu, hesitated, then added, “You’d best turn back. I’ll go on alone.”

“I’m going too!” Jiang Huaixiao immediately protested. “Seventh, take Fifth back. Fourth, you come with me!”

Li Feng listened to his commands with a grim face but said nothing more, only reminding them, “You remember the way we came, right? There are no high-level beasts along that path; just retrace your steps.”

These boys had, of course, already fused with the Heartseed, their bodies toughened by the refining power. The seventh nodded, hoisted Jiang Huaixu onto his shoulder, and headed back.

Li Feng watched until their figures disappeared, then continued forward with Jiang Huaixiao and the fourth boy.

Having witnessed Jiang Huaixu’s fate, the others were much more cautious. They followed closely behind Li Feng, not daring to step ahead.

In truth, Li Feng had deliberately taken a detour earlier. Otherwise, how could a dawn-stage martial artist, leading a group of uninitiated youngsters, let them get ahead of him?

Now, however, the two boys were slowing Li Feng down. He pricked up his ears and heard the faint footsteps ahead drawing further away. Turning, he said, “If we delay any longer, that boy will vanish. I’ll go ahead. Be careful and—”

Before he finished, Jiang Huaixiao interjected, “No way! There are high-level beasts everywhere. If you leave us, what do we do if we run into one?”

Li Feng took a deep breath and cursed inwardly: That’s why I wanted you to go back in the first place! If not for your family’s money and the professor’s orders, I’d never bother with such an ungrateful brat!

He steadied his breath, about to speak, when suddenly he listened intently, then brightened. “Good, that boy’s run into trouble ahead! We can catch up—let’s hurry!”

This news spurred the three of them on, and soon they rounded a bend to find a fifth-level Red Armored Lizard lying to one side, its energy core gouged out, the rest of its materials left untouched.

Li Feng surveyed the scene, crouched, and tasted a few drops of blood on the ground. He declared decisively, “That’s right. After taking out a sixth-level beast, the boy’s spent. Now he’s injured—catching up and dealing with him should be easy!”

Jiang Huaixiao was overjoyed. “Then let’s go!”

Li Feng instructed, “The lizard’s neck hide is prime for inner armor. Take it before we move on.”

Fourth didn’t need to be told twice. He went forward, and soon returned with a palm-sized piece of hide, presenting it to Li Feng.

Li Feng nodded approvingly. “Well done. Lizard neck hide is tough and flexible. Managing this much is impressive. Controlling your martial energy is a vital skill in—”

He was cut off midsentence by Jiang Huaixiao’s impatient shout, “Hurry up—he’ll get away!”

Li Feng patted Fourth’s shoulder and shot Jiang Huaixiao a cold glare. If this brat kept up his ungrateful attitude, someone would teach him a lesson sooner or later.

Footsteps sounded again—clearly one person just ahead, with another right behind. Jiang Huaixiao, excitement mounting, followed Li Feng around a corner. Suddenly, Li Feng halted abruptly and shouted, “Careful—”

He was a step too late. Before them lay a wide chamber, and Jiang Huaixiao, headlong and heedless, charged straight in.

Suddenly, thunder rumbled in the depths. Then, with a booming crash, it was as if a bolt of lightning struck the cave wall, making the ground tremble and the mountain shake!

A terrifying sight unfolded.

Points of red light flickered along the cave walls, like countless ghosts awakening from slumber. The shockwave had startled these “ghosts,” which now scattered in panic—Jiang Huaixiao, who’d just rushed in, was first in their path!

These “ghosts” were, in fact, all Blazing Bats—hundreds, perhaps thousands, of flame-wreathed beasts, at rest until the tremor disturbed them.

But these were no ordinary bats. All were fifth-level beasts, and with a single beat of their wings, their bodies erupted into fierce flame.

In an instant, the cave blazed like a thousand torches, lighting every corner.

The Blazing Bats swooped on Jiang Huaixiao. Instinctively, he lashed out, trying to drive them away. But these bats were far more agile than he imagined. One circled around and slammed into his chest!

Jiang Huaixiao staggered back three steps as if struck by a cannonball, and his clothes caught fire.

More bats descended on him, flames igniting his hair and clothes, the smell of burning flesh filling the air.

“Aaaah—!” Jiang Huaixiao had never suffered so much—he screamed in agony, rolling on the ground, desperate to put out the fire, but there were too many bats. No sooner had he doused one spot than another flared up.

Without help, he was moments away from burning alive.

If Li Feng had followed his heart, he would have gladly watched Jiang Huaixiao die.

But his position had changed; he’d brought these boys here himself. If one of them died, he’d have to answer for it.

He sighed deeply. “Stay here and don’t move!” he told Fourth.

Fourth, terrified by Jiang Huaixiao’s ordeal, nodded frantically. Li Feng charged forward, clapping his hands together. A blast of cold air erupted, and the bats shied away, retreating from the chill.

The frost quenched the flames on Jiang Huaixiao in an instant, leaving him numb and frozen, the pain mercifully dulled.

Shivering, teeth chattering, Jiang Huaixiao managed to say, “He—he lured us here on purpose!”

Li Feng snorted inwardly. Did he need to be told that?

He was about to drag Jiang Huaixiao away when suddenly a ray of red light shot from the distance, struck the ground before them, and exploded with a thunderous roar.

A surge of powerful energy swept up around them. The Blazing Bats froze midair, then, as if crazed, ignored the lingering frost and swarmed toward them!

Li Feng’s heart sank. “An energy core! He’s shattered a beast core!”

What do magical beasts crave most? The flesh of their own kind, of course—drawn by the energy within.

Magical beasts were highly sensitive to this energy, and nothing was richer in it than a beast core.

The boy had sacrificed a perfectly good core, detonating its energy to draw the bats and leave no survivors!

How decisive!

Li Feng instinctively looked toward the source of the attack, as did Jiang Huaixiao. Both saw a figure darting from a crevice, making the most of the bats’ frenzy to slip away toward the cave’s exit.

The figure was a stranger to Li Feng, but instantly familiar to Jiang Huaixiao.

“Jiang Feng! So it was you!” he shrieked.

Jiang Feng—another of the Jiang family?

The thought flashed through Li Feng’s mind, but there was no time for more. The Blazing Bats, hundreds strong, swarmed at them. Even a dawn-stage martial artist like Li Feng couldn’t hope to fend off so many.

He gritted his teeth, pulled out a thin golden object from his chest, and with a flick of his wrist, cast it outward. Suddenly, a shimmering net unfurled, enveloping him and Jiang Huaixiao.

The net seemed fragile, as if it would tear with the slightest force, but no matter how the bats hurled themselves against it, the golden glow held.

It was Li Feng’s one and only treasure: the “County-Grade Spider Silk Veil,” a gift from his master, precious beyond measure. He’d always been reluctant to use it, never imagining he’d expend it now—and for this detestable brat, no less.

From the moment Jiang Huaixiao spotted Jiang Feng, he’d lost all reason. He screamed, “Jiang Feng, just you wait! When I get back, I’ll have you cut into a thousand pieces! I’ll tell my father to expel you from the family! No, I’ll have him enforce the family law and beat you to death!”

Meanwhile, shrill screams echoed nearby.

Fourth’s hiding place had been safe enough, but now, with Li Feng and Jiang Huaixiao protected by the treasure, he was the only exposed prey. The bats swarmed him, and soon he was rolling on the ground, burning, the stench of scorched flesh filling the air.

Moments later, his cries faded, his presence extinguished—he was dead.

With no new targets, the bats gradually returned to the walls and settled down.

Once all was quiet, Li Feng flung off the Spider Silk Veil, dragging Jiang Huaixiao aside.

The bats stirred, but soon calmed.

Li Feng examined the veil and was dismayed to find it covered in countless cracks—one more use and it would be ruined. He tossed a vial to Jiang Huaixiao and said coldly, “Tend to your wounds.”

Jiang Huaixiao clutched the medicine. “What now? I won’t let him get away with this!”

Li Feng replied, “Of course not… He’s destroyed my treasure—there’s no way I’ll let him escape! That boy is as good as dead!”