Chapter 42: Stirring Up Trouble

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Chen Fei’s Spirit Eye Serpent sensed the presence of a colossal creature, which was already less than a thousand meters away from him.

“Iron-Clawed Rock Eagle!”

“A top-tier Beast of the Spirit Condensation Realm, with claws as strong as iron and a body as tough as rock!”

A chilling sensation enveloped Chen Fei entirely. Without hesitation, he abandoned the three remaining Fire Spirit Fruits on the tree and immediately activated Phantom Steps and his Qi control abilities, dashing toward the underbrush for cover.

Boom!

The moment he left his previous spot, a thunderous crash erupted from the ground behind him, as if a cannonball had just smashed into it.

The earth trembled, and the shockwave generated by the impact sent razor-sharp energy slicing through the air, severing branches and smaller plants effortlessly. A tree branch as thick as an arm was blasted away by the force, slamming into Chen Fei’s body and shattering the protective Qi armor surrounding him.

“So this is a top-tier Spirit Condensation Realm Beast?”

A wave of turbulence surged within his Qi and blood, and a trickle of blood dripped from beneath his iron mask.

If just the aftershock alone could break his Qi armor and injure him, a direct hit from that beast would undoubtedly turn him into mincemeat!

“No wonder they say top-tier Beasts can suppress peak-level Spirit Masters. It seems that’s no exaggeration.”

Chen Fei was truly shaken. He had initially believed he was just lucky, but now he realized he had unwittingly provoked a terrifying opponent.

Against a ninth-rank Grand Spirit Master, he had confidence in at least putting up a fight. But against this ninth-rank top-tier Beast, he had no thoughts of resistance—only the urge to flee as quickly as possible from the massive creature with a wingspan of nearly ten meters.

Though the Iron-Clawed Rock Eagle was a Beast, it was not without intelligence. It was surprised to see Chen Fei evade its sudden attack.

After a brief pause, it flapped its wings and swallowed the three remaining Fire Spirit Fruits in one gulp.

Only after finishing its meal did it take off once again, searching for the human who had stolen its fruit.

“Screech!”

A sharp cry echoed through the valley, like a single drop of water hitting a boiling pan of oil, setting off an uproar.

In an instant, countless Beasts reacted in panic. The oppressive presence of the Iron-Clawed Rock Eagle caused a mass exodus of weaker Beasts, all fleeing desperately for their lives.

The previously quiet valley became chaotic, filled with frenzied movements of Beasts of all sizes, each scrambling to escape and avoid becoming prey.

High above, the Iron-Clawed Rock Eagle circled in the air, its keen eyes scanning the terrain for the human thief. It ignored the weaker Beasts, uninterested in wasting its energy on them.

Hidden in the valley below, Chen Fei’s expression turned grim. He relied on his Spirit Eye Serpent’s perception to ensure he wouldn’t be trampled or accidentally exposed by the stampede of Beasts.

However, more and more Beasts flooded the valley, turning the initial dozens into hundreds, then thousands.

Most of these Beasts were below the third-rank Grand Spirit Master level, but their sheer numbers made them an overwhelming force. Even with his keen senses, it became impossible to stay completely concealed amid the chaos.

With no other choice, Chen Fei was forced to move against the flow of Beasts, the only way to ensure he wouldn’t be accidentally revealed.

The stampede destroyed the lush vegetation of the valley, leaving behind only a barren expanse with no cover.

Hiding near a cliffside, Chen Fei cautiously evaded the fleeing Beasts while simultaneously keeping out of the Iron-Clawed Rock Eagle’s sight. His situation was incredibly precarious.

If he was spotted again, he would have nowhere to hide and would be forced into a direct confrontation with the enraged Beast.

The Iron-Clawed Rock Eagle, frustrated by its inability to locate Chen Fei, resorted to blind dives, attempting to flush him out.

But compared to the Spirit Eye Serpent’s perception, the Iron-Clawed Rock Eagle’s detection abilities were far inferior. Its reckless charges proved futile in uncovering Chen Fei’s position.

Chen Fei had no choice but to continue deeper into the valley, while the relentless Rock Eagle pursued him for over ten miles.

Just when he started wondering how long this chase would last, his Spirit Eye Serpent suddenly detected two familiar figures.

“Those two?”

“The mysterious experts who ambushed me in the alley!”

Chen Fei immediately recognized them. The young man in green robes was the very person who had attacked him with a poison-coated spirit dart infused with a Soul-Corroding Gu.

“What a small world. I never expected to run into them here.”

Back then, if not for his Void Heaven Cauldron, he would have succumbed to the Soul-Corroding Gu’s poison and died a gruesome death.

He had lacked the strength to seek revenge at the time, but now, fate had delivered an opportunity right to him.

These two were highly skilled and likely belonged to a powerful faction, both being ninth-rank Grand Spirit Masters.

Above them, the Iron-Clawed Rock Eagle—the bane of Grand Spirit Masters—was still searching for a target.

If he could lure the Beast into attacking them, the outcome, no matter what, would be to his advantage.

With that in mind, Chen Fei stealthily approached the duo, carefully maneuvering so that they would enter the Iron-Clawed Rock Eagle’s attack range.

Unaware of the approaching danger, Song Yiyun and Wei Junhao were cautiously moving through the valley. As ninth-rank Grand Spirit Masters, they were strong but did not dare to be careless in this treacherous place.

“Screech!”

It wasn’t until a massive shadow passed overhead that they realized something was wrong.

“The Iron-Clawed Rock Eagle!”

“A top-tier Beast!”

Both of them froze momentarily, their expressions darkening. Instinctively, they halted and concealed themselves.

“Senior, this thing is no joke!” Song Yiyun whispered cautiously.

“The Iron-Clawed Rock Eagle has poor eyesight. As long as we stay quiet, it won’t notice us.”

Wei Junhao confidently reassured his alluring junior.

“Mm.”

Song Yiyun showed great trust in him, visibly relaxing.

“Senior, we’ve been searching the Falling Swirl Valley for days now. We’ve combed this place nearly three times. Could our information be false? Maybe the Floating Stop Grass isn’t here at all!”

After days of searching, she was growing frustrated. For a young woman who valued her appearance, enduring such harsh conditions was highly unpleasant.

“Our intelligence should be accurate. Floating Stop Grass is a crucial ingredient for fourth-grade elixirs—it’s naturally hard to find.”

Wei Junhao remained convinced that their information was correct. They simply hadn’t found it yet.

Meanwhile, in the shadows, Chen Fei smirked as he positioned himself just right—ready to unleash chaos upon his unsuspecting enemies.