Martial Arts Overlord-Chapter 681 - 679: Step of Sky-Burning Monarch

Qiu Yue stood in mid-air, his body igniting a circle of golden flames twenty to thirty feet high, shimmering brightly. His momentum reached an unprecedented peak.

The martial artists of the Blood Roar Adventure Group were terrified, fleeing in all directions like panicked birds and beasts.

The woman in the blue dress looked at Qiu Yue, her heart filled with terror. They were hundreds of meters apart, but the overwhelming power rolling towards her made her feel as if she couldn’t bear it.

Seeing that Luo Feng was still in place, the woman in the blue dress’s eyes changed slightly, and she reminded him aloud, "Run quickly!"

At this moment, Qiu Yue looked at Luo Feng, a grim smile curling his lips as a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. The golden flames enveloping his body solidified and surged skyward.

"Step... of... Sky... Burning... Monarch!"

His resonant voice echoed through the entire forest, causing the mountains to tremble. Qiu Yue stood with his hands clasped behind his back amidst the golden flames, like an emperor disdainfully surveying the Eight Wastelands, as he took a step towards Luo Feng.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM...

It was a simple step, yet it contained an endless explosive force, as if a towering mountain had fallen from the sky.

BOOM!

The space within a hundred-foot radius abruptly solidified, forming a pillar of glazed gold that descended. The Blood Roar Adventure Group martial artists who hadn’t managed to escape were instantly crushed into a bloody mist by the tremendous pressure, their bones obliterated.

BOOM!

The golden pillar hit Luo Feng’s Protective Gang Qi and, without any decrease in momentum, knocked Luo Feng toward the ground.

In the deafening clash, the mountain shook. Shattered stones, whistling sharply, radiated in all directions. The martial artists watching nearby had to activate their Protective Gang Qi. Some with lower cultivation levels were struck by boulders and coughed up mouthfuls of blood.

When everything settled, the crowd looked at where Luo Feng had been standing and couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath in horror.

Half the mountain peak had collapsed, sinking over ten meters, and fresh bloodstains were everywhere.

"Is this... the power of a martial artist in the late stage of the Spiritual Rotation Realm?"

"The Martial Art Qiu Yue just used isn’t simple; it’s likely an Ultimate-grade Profound Level one!"

Looking at the collapsed mountain, the nearby Jianghu martial artists exchanged glances.

The Sky Cloud Step that Qiu Yue cultivated was even stronger than they had imagined. The power of that last strike was probably enough to instantly kill a late-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artist!

"Hahahaha... A mere mid-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artist dares to be arrogant before me! Boy, I hope you’ll be smarter in your next life!"

His wildly arrogant laughter echoed through the air. Having finally eliminated the grave threat before him, Qiu Yue felt an incomparable sense of exhilaration.

The woman in the blue dress and her three companions stared at the collapsed mountain, their expressions grim.

They had been so far from that attack, yet it still made their blood and Qi roil. Though Luo Feng was strong, he was, after all, only a mid-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artist. Taking such a direct hit, his chances of survival were slim.

The woman in the blue dress’s daimei furrowed slightly. Her teeth clenched her red lips as she stared fiercely at Qiu Yue in mid-air. The bow and arrow in her hand suddenly ignited with ferocious flames.

"Red Phoenix Cave Sky!"

Drawing her bow to its fullest, the woman in the blue dress channeled all her Yuan Qi and loosed the arrow.

A clear Feng Yin rang out as the arrow transformed into a Fire Phoenix forty to fifty feet long. Trailing a line of fire, it shot towards Qiu Yue.

Qiu Yue turned his head, a look of disdain on his face, and slashed out with his sword. "Shatter!"

A massive stream of Sword Qi struck the Fire Phoenix’s head fiercely.

The next moment, a dazzling red light bloomed. The Fire Phoenix, slashed by the Sword Qi, didn’t vanish. Instead, it split into two, becoming two Fire Phoenixes that swept towards Qiu Yue.

BOOM! BOOM!

Two loud explosions erupted, the blasts creating a zone of fire that engulfed Qiu Yue’s figure.

The power is still insufficient... Watching the sea of fire that filled the sky, a trace of unwillingness flashed in the woman in the blue dress’s eyes.

BOOM!

The sea of fire suddenly burst apart, revealing Qiu Yue’s figure.

"Since you’re so eager to die, I’ll accommodate you!" Qiu Yue’s chilling gaze landed on the woman in the blue dress as a cruel laugh escaped him. Brilliant flames ignited on his sword’s edge as he slashed down.

A massive beam of Sword Qi, tens of meters long, flashed through the sky, instantly appearing before the woman in the blue dress.

Just as everyone thought she was about to perish, a saber light suddenly streaked in from the side.

SWOOSH!

The saber light directly cleaved the Sword Qi, shattering it into nothingness.

Everyone was astonished, their gazes shifting to the side.

On the rubble, a figure had appeared out of nowhere. It was Luo Feng.

"It’s him! He’s not dead!"

"How is that possible? He took that attack head-on! Even a late-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artist couldn’t have escaped unscathed. How is he alright?"

"I don’t know. This is truly bizarre."

The nearby Jianghu martial artists stared at Luo Feng in stupefaction, their expressions filled with disbelief.

"You’re not dead!" Qiu Yue’s face filled with incredulity as he looked at Luo Feng.

His all-out Step of Sky-Burning Monarch could trample even a late-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artist to death, let alone a mid-stage one.

Yet, the truth was before his eyes, leaving him no choice but to believe it.

Luo Feng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said with a calm smile, "You thought you could kill me?"

The footwork technique Qiu Yue used just now was indeed extraordinary, Luo Feng mused. It’s probably an Ultimate-grade Profound Level Martial Art. Ten days ago, blocking that strike would have been very dangerous, but times have changed.

Hearing Luo Feng’s words, veins bulged on Qiu Yue’s forehead, throbbing violently. Overflowing with killing intent, he snarled, "This time, I’ll ensure not even your bones remain! Step of Sky-Burning Monarch!"

With a great roar, the golden flames around Qiu Yue boiled as he took a step towards Luo Feng.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM...

The simple step exuded a relentless, ferocious pressure, enveloping Luo Feng.

Luo Feng’s gaze was sharp, a cold smirk playing on his lips. His pupils suddenly changed color, seeming to brim with intense flame.

On his forehead, a crimson dragon scale appeared, shining brilliantly. Faint dragon roars echoed in the void as a vast, ancient aura permeated the air.

The nearby martial artists involuntarily held their breath, looking at Luo Feng in shock. If Qiu Yue was currently a monarch commanding all directions, then Luo Feng was the entirety of Heaven and Earth! How could a mere mortal defy Heaven and Earth? In comparison, Qiu Yue’s aura instantly diminished significantly.

"Slash!"

Executing the Divine Dragon Nine Changes, Luo Feng slashed out. His boiling Yuan Qi transformed into a dazzling, circular Saber Gang that sped towards Qiu Yue. Its speed was so immense that the surrounding Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi began to turn chaotic.

The next moment, a thunderous explosion erupted. The blinding glare of flames made it impossible to look directly, and the golden flame light was cleaved apart by the slash.

SPURT!

Qiu Yue’s Protective Gang Qi shattered. A jet of blood sprayed from his neck, shooting out several meters.

"Impossible..." Qiu Yue’s eyes widened as he stared fixedly at Luo Feng. His mouth opened as if to say something, but no sound emerged. His body slumped to the ground, decapitated.

Whew...

Luo Feng exhaled a turbid breath and reined in his aura. The crimson dragon scale on his forehead receded. He looked at Qiu Yue’s corpse on the ground, his eyes flickering slightly.

Objectively speaking, Qiu Yue’s strength wasn’t weak, far surpassing that of an ordinary late-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artist.

If I hadn’t cultivated the Divine Dragon Nine Changes, killing him would have definitely cost me a considerable price.

Now, I should be able to defeat even martial artists at the peak of the Spiritual Rotation Realm. If my Divine Dragon Nine Changes and Golden Crow Great Annihilation Saber technique improve further, even fifth-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artists won’t be able to do anything to me...

Luo Feng pondered for a moment, a smile appearing on his face. He felt more confident about his duel with Yi Tian in twenty days.

An eerie silence descended upon the entire mountain. Everyone stared at Luo Feng, their expressions dazed.

Qiu Yue, a late-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artist with considerable martial arts cultivation, had been killed so decisively. The nearby Jianghu martial artists silently wondered what their chances would have been against Qiu Yue.

The conclusion they reached sent a chill down their spines; this included several peak fourth-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artists. None of them were confident they could have withstood Qiu Yue’s Step of Sky-Burning Monarch.

"This person is too terrifying. To challenge across cultivation levels and win so easily."

"Indeed. Among fourth-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artists, there’s likely no one left who can defeat him. Only fifth-stage practitioners who have mastered advanced Cultivation Techniques could possibly prevail."

One person remarked, "In him, I see shades of Ling Qingwu. So young, yet her strength is outstanding."

"Ling Qingwu? The Martial Champion of the Six Southern Domains last year? She’s now among the top thirty on the New Dragon List. This young man is strong, but compared to Ling Qingwu, there’s probably still a significant gap."

"That’s only for now. With his potential, in half a year, or perhaps a year, he’ll definitely make it onto the New Dragon List!"

"That’s true. However, our Canglang Dynasty has many young geniuses this year. The Six Northern Domains have several talented youths who broke through to the fourth stage of the Spiritual Rotation Realm during the Golden Palace assessment. The Six Southern Domains have also seen a few dark horses emerge, especially that Luo Feng. I heard he comprehended Grand Momentum and achieved three consecutive championships in the Golden Palace assessment! This is unprecedented in the entire history of the Canglang Dynasty. The next contest for the New Dragon List will surely be intense."

Recalling the power of that slash, many still felt a lingering fear. That sense of invincibility clung to their minds like a persistent specter, impossible to dispel.

Luo Feng paid no heed to their discussions, his gaze shifting to the side.

With Qiu Yue’s death, the remaining twenty or thirty members of the Blood Roar Adventure Group ceased fighting. Seeing Qiu Yue’s corpse on the ground, their expressions became uncertain.

"He killed the Captain! Kill him and avenge the Captain!" a martial artist from the Blood Roar Adventure Group roared, glaring at Luo Feng.

SWISH! 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Before his words even faded, a saber light flashed. A line of blood appeared on the shouting martial artist’s forehead. His eyes widened, and he fell rigidly to the ground.

"Ah! I... I don’t want to die..." A man standing beside the shouter screamed in terror, dropped his sword, and turned to flee desperately.

"This kid’s too strong! Run!"

"Quick, run!"

As the first one fled, more and more of them dropped their weapons and scattered in all directions.

In moments, the dozens of Blood Roar Adventure Group martial artists had dispersed like frightened birds and beasts.

Luo Feng sheathed his Rage Flame Knife, not bothering to pursue them.

Both leaders of the Blood Roar Adventure Group are dead, and most of their experts have perished here. The group now exists in name only. Besides, I have more important things to do than hunt these people down.

With a flicker of movement, Luo Feng landed beside Qiu Yue’s corpse.

My Teng Dragon’s Step can no longer fully utilize my strength. The Sky Cloud Step Qiu Yue just demonstrated... I suspect it’s an Ultimate-grade Profound Level Martial Art. If I can obtain the Secret Manual, my strength will surely increase significantly.

Expressionlessly, he released his Soul Power and scanned Qiu Yue’s entire body. Apart from the storage ring on his hand, he found nothing else.

I hope it’s in there... Luo Feng muttered to himself. With a flick of his finger, the storage ring flew into his hand. It was surprisingly a rank-two storage ring.

He put the ring away without inspecting it immediately. With so many people around, some might be tempted by greed.

He didn’t realize, however, that after witnessing the battle, hardly anyone would dare to have designs on him.

At this moment, footsteps sounded nearby, and Lu Qing and his three companions approached.

"Young Hero," Lu Qing said, looking at Luo Feng with respect and admiration in his eyes, "I, Lu, have rarely admired anyone in my life, but today, you have my utmost respect. Wiping out the Blood Roar Adventure Group single-handedly and killing ’Bloody Foot’ Qiu Yue... once word of this spreads, you’re sure to become famous overnight!"

He had never imagined that someone Luo Feng’s age could defeat Qiu Yue.

Luo Feng offered a faint smile, noncommittal. He didn’t care much for fame.

Lu Qing cupped his fist. "I am Lu Qing, leader of the Green Flame Adventure Group. Young Hero, by killing Qiu Yue today, you not only saved the four of us but also avenged our brothers who died tragically. I, Lu Qing, will engrave this kindness in my heart! May I ask your name, Young Hero, so that I may repay this debt in the future?"

Luo Feng found it hard to refuse and cupped his own fist. "Jade Hall, Feng Luo."

The woman in the blue dress, Lanyu, studied Luo Feng, a peculiar emotion in her charming eyes. She smiled enchantingly. "So, you’re a disciple of Jade Hall. I’m Lanyu. I have friends who are also Jade Hall disciples. Logically, with your strength, I should have heard of you."

Luo Feng’s eyes flickered, and he rubbed his nose. "I’ve been training out in the world, rarely returning to the Golden Palace."

"I see." Lanyu smiled, her eyes still appraising Luo Feng, and said no more.

The other two men also introduced themselves.

Seeing that the fierce battle had concluded, the surrounding Jianghu martial artists gradually dispersed.

Then, Lu Qing looked at Luo Feng and asked, "Feng Luo, what are your plans now?"

Luo Feng replied, "I still have matters to attend to in the Red Dragon Mountain Range. I’ll likely be staying here for a while longer."

Lu Qing nodded. "With the Blood Roar Adventure Group nearly wiped out today, something big is bound to happen in Red Valley City. We must hurry back. However, there’s something I need to warn you about."

"What is it?"

Lu Qing took a deep breath. "The Blood Roar Adventure Group has a patron, a fifth-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artist. Now that you’ve killed Qiu Yue, he probably won’t let this matter rest."

"Mm. I’ll be careful." Luo Feng wasn’t overly concerned. Currently, it wouldn’t be easy for a fifth-stage Spiritual Rotation Realm martial artist to kill me.

Lu Qing took out a Spirit Mirror and handed it to Luo Feng. "When we get back to Red Valley City, we’ll inquire about the Blood Roar Adventure Group’s movements. If anything happens, I’ll notify you via this Spirit Mirror."

"Thank you." Luo Feng accepted the Spirit Mirror and infused his Yuan Qi into it.

"Alright then, we’ll take our leave. If you need anything, you can find us in Red Valley City. Take care of yourself." After these parting words, Lu Qing and his companions departed immediately.

Luo Feng watched them leave. Just as he was about to examine Qiu Yue’s storage ring, the sound of rushing wind approached from the sky, and a slender figure landed before him.