Chapter 407 Midway Ambush

Jiu Yao appeared on the steps below.

This was the passage leading to the next level, but his sudden appearance made it clear—he had been watching Wang Fang from the shadows.

After all, Wang Fang had gone through two trials and five forbidden gates.

It was likely he had acquired something valuable enough to incite greed.

And reality confirmed it.

Even without counting everything else, just that spirit treasure—a luxury even among peak Heaven Gate cultivators—was worth killing for.

Jiu Yao had deliberately circled back… and just happened to witness Chen Fei collecting the spirit treasure.

Naturally, he made his move.

With narrowed eyes and a frosty expression, Jiu Yao barked in a commanding tone:

“Hand over the spirit treasure, and I’ll spare your life.”

Chen Fei let out a short laugh, gaze mocking:

“And should I thank you for that generous offer?”

“Don’t think just because you won the Ghost King Token on the arena stage that you can act with impunity!”

Jiu Yao’s face darkened.

“That only happened because you didn’t face me.”

Chen Fei curled his lip, then casually raised his hand—

Thumb up.

Then flipped it down, gesture obvious.

Jiu Yao began descending the steps slowly.

“You’re bold. Daring to defy the Demon Emperor himself… I was going to save you for later, but now I’ll just deal with you here and now.”

His tone was cold and deadly.

He was tall and lean, dressed in a pale grey robe embroidered with golden sun patterns.

With a small shake of his sleeves, he straightened up and glared down at Chen Fei.

“Let’s see what you’ve really got.”

Suddenly, a sharp burst of air tore through the silence—

Jiu Yao had already appeared beside Chen Fei, throwing a punch aimed directly at his skull.

Compared to Wang Fang, Jiu Yao was clearly stronger.

Not necessarily in cultivation rank, but in control and precision of his power.

Chen Fei traded blows fluidly with him, feeling increasingly grateful for the experience in the Body Refinement Arena.

If not for the torment he endured there, he would’ve had no chance against Jiu Yao, forced to rely only on qi force or the Void Heaven Cauldron.

But now?

Now things were different.

Jiu Yao frowned, surprised.

His impression of Chen Fei was still rooted in the arena battles—

Chen Fei was brute force, all about overwhelming power.

Even his physical combat was more about momentum than mastery.

That’s why Jiu Yao never took him seriously.

In his mind, there were only three real threats in this Ghost King Hall trial:

Xing Zheng, Yin Tianfeng, and Ji Wugou.

Everyone else was beneath notice.

But now—Chen Fei was matching him blow for blow.

If Chen Fei used to be an unpolished stone, now he was a refined jade.

In both speed and strength, he was equal to Jiu Yao!

“Well well… So we were all fooled by you.”

Jiu Yao’s face darkened, retreating quickly.

Chen Fei didn’t care to explain. He didn’t owe anyone that.

Jiu Yao gave a cold snort.

The robe behind him fluttered without wind.

“Then I’ll show you something real.”

“Come on.”

Chen Fei lifted a hand, excitement in his eyes.

Jiu Yao was indeed a solid opponent.

A demon cultivator with a powerful body and fast strikes—he was the perfect sparring partner!

Seeing Chen Fei’s eager expression, Jiu Yao’s eyes flickered with malice.

Arrogant bastard…

With another burst of speed, Jiu Yao’s fist surged forward—

accompanied by blazing heat.

His bloodline originated from the Golden Crow.

Contact with his flames was no less intense than any true fire.

Chen Fei didn’t take the blow head-on.

He wrapped his arm in qi and deflected two punches, but quickly frowned.

Jiu Yao’s flames could burn through qi, and this burn was persistent.

“Golden Crow Sacred Flame!”

Jiu Yao suddenly barked out.

A white-gold flame exploded between them, surging outward.

He was sure Chen Fei wouldn’t be able to dodge.

But to his shock—

Chen Fei instinctively stepped back, narrowly avoiding direct contact.

“Interesting.”

This was Chen Fei’s first time fighting someone who fused physical combat with high-level magic so seamlessly.

That alone showed how refined Jiu Yao’s technique was—

he could launch deadly attacks on instinct, not needing chants or buildup.

Now that his opponent had made the first move, Chen Fei wasn’t about to hold back.

Qi burst under his feet with a loud boom, and he struck forward.

Lightning crackled around his fists.

“Lightning arts?”

Jiu Yao sneered, clearly unimpressed.

But then—just as the attack closed in, the qi suddenly shifted.

“Finger of the Evil God!”

Chen Fei invoked it mentally.

Swap techniques mid-move?

Jiu Yao’s face changed.

That putrid, corrupting aura made his pupils contract sharply.

Demon cultivators had strong bodies, but they were especially vulnerable to decomposition-type forces—and this felt exactly like that.

Jiu Yao surged his flames, cloaking his fist in burning gold.

But the curse marks on Chen Fei’s Evil God Finger moved like living things,

slipping through the flames and embedding into Jiu Yao’s fist.

No time to hesitate—Jiu Yao tried to retreat.

But Chen Fei gave him no chance.

“Thunder Palm!”

The bolt struck squarely on Jiu Yao’s face.

CRACK!

His hair stood on end—electrocuted straight up.

The actual damage wasn’t serious, but the humiliation was devastating.

“RAAAHHH!”

Jiu Yao roared in fury.

“GREAT SUN GOLDEN CROW—BEGONE!”

Behind him, a blazing golden crow manifested.

Its wings spread wide, surrounded by holy and noble patterns,

while red lines flickered ominously, heat rolling off it in waves.

“Chen Fei…”

Jiu Yao’s voice dripped with hate and disgust.

Especially recalling how Chen Fei had dared challenge the Sky Fiend Demon Emperor,

Jiu Yao’s fury became uncontrollable.

“Immortal Truefire! Let’s see you dodge this!”

He floated into the air.

A golden flame domain rapidly expanded, sealing Chen Fei inside.

Fire blazed around him.

Golden flames licked at his skin, draining his qi at terrifying speed.

Even his consciousness felt the sting—golden flames burned within his sea of spirit!

Chen Fei reacted immediately.

The Void Heaven Cauldron appeared, shielding his body.

“Golden Crow Tears the Sky!”

Jiu Yao wasn’t done.

Enraged to the extreme, he launched another fierce attack.

The golden flames beneath Chen Fei’s feet condensed rapidly,

forming a razor-sharp fiery talon—and it lunged at him like a predator.