Martial Arts Overlord-Chapter 759 - 757: Silent Vows

「The night passed quickly.」

Early in the morning, at the foot of a mountain outside the North Gate of Azure Sky City, three figures walked side by side along a road, a shared silence between them.

The two leading figures were none other than Bing Hanbai, the Young Palace Master of the North Sea Ice Palace, and Princess Bing Ruolan.

Trailing slightly behind was Luo Feng, the saber-wielding youth.

"We will stop here."

Bing Hanbai halted, breaking the silence.

He glanced at Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan, exhaled lightly, and said, "If you still have anything to say to each other, now is the time."

Luo Feng lifted his gaze, his eyes meeting Bing Ruolan’s.

Bing Ruolan looked back at Luo Feng deeply. Remembering the scene by the lake yesterday, her cheeks reddened slightly as she shook her head gently and said, "Brother, let’s go."

Luo Feng did not speak either. Anything that needed to be said had been said yesterday. No words were powerful enough at this moment.

Bing Hanbai, somewhat surprised, glanced at them both. Without asking further, he nodded, turned to Luo Feng, and said, "Luo Feng, the North Sea region is far more dangerous than the Canglang Dynasty you’re used to, and you have already drawn Nan Gong Kuo’s attention. Once you set foot in the North Sea region, danger will lurk at every step. Remember, you must at least break through to the True Yuan Realm before you can set foot in the North Sea territories."

Bing Hanbai had exaggerated somewhat. Although the North Sea region was powerful, it wasn’t to the extent that True Yuan Realm martial artists were commonplace.

He simply wanted Luo Feng to act cautiously, lest he recklessly venture into the North Sea region with insufficient strength and lose his life.

He had watched Bing Ruolan grow up since childhood and knew that while his younger sister was usually quiet, when she set her mind to something, her temperament was as fierce as fire. If any misfortune befell Luo Feng, he feared the scene from Phoenix Soaring Mountain would replay itself...

To Luo Feng, Bing Hanbai’s words carried another layer of meaning: to annul Bing Ruolan’s marriage engagement, he needed at least the strength of the True Yuan Realm, and even that might not be nearly enough!

"Thank you for the reminder, brother-in-law. I won’t be reckless. Ruolan will be in your care for these next two years."

Luo Feng took a deep breath, calmly looking at Bing Hanbai.

Bing Hanbai nodded, looking at Luo Feng, a hint of surprise and undisguised admiration flickered deep within his eyes.

Breaking through to the True Yuan Realm is no simple feat. Ordinary martial artists would likely be daunted into inaction upon hearing this condition.

Yet Luo Feng showed no hesitation. The light in his eyes was like an unsheathed peerless treasure saber, forging ahead, unstoppable.

And this kind of person was the most terrifying.

"Take care of yourself. Ruolan, let’s go."

Bing Hanbai gave Luo Feng one last glance. A cold wind swept up, and his figure soared into the air.

Bing Ruolan’s bright eyes fixed on Luo Feng. Her long, clear autumn-water eyes gradually misted over. She lightly pursed her lips, her figure transforming into a stream of light. Following Bing Hanbai, she vanished in an instant.

Watching Bing Ruolan’s figure disappear, Luo Feng stood still for a long time. After a long while, he lowered his head slightly, his gaze falling upon the transparent Demon Core in his hand.

Within the Demon Core, resplendent multicolored light glowed. The shy girl by the lake, like a green lotus, and the youth, their four lips touching, formed an exquisitely beautiful image.

"I’ll wait for you. Whether it’s two years, twenty years, or two hundred years. I will wait for you!"

As the breeze blew past, Bing Ruolan’s firm and melodious voice from yesterday echoed in Luo Feng’s ear. He felt a fiery emotion surging in his chest, like boiling magma, about to erupt.

"AH!"

The Emperor Yan’s Sky-breaking Saber suddenly leaped from its sheath, and Luo Feng let out a long roar. The almost tangible shockwave of his voice sent nearby rubble tumbling. His figure soared into the air, the saber’s edge instantly danced several times in the void.

BOOM!

The mountain several hundred meters in front of Luo Feng trembled slightly before collapsing entirely, raising a vast cloud of dust.

After this release, Luo Feng’s mood gradually calmed. Gazing at the collapsed mountain, his eyes narrowed slightly: Two years, it is enough! Ruolan, wait for me. I will come to the Ice Palace to get you! Whether it’s the Nangong family or the entire North Sea region, no one can stop me.

As Luo Feng resolved to cultivate desperately to reach the Ice Palace sooner, he failed to notice a figure a thousand zhang away.

Yue Haitang walked out from behind a piece of rubble. Gazing at the youth in mid-air, a somewhat bitter smile appeared on her lips as she murmured to herself:

This is going to be difficult... I’ve lost before the battle even began.

CLANG!

Luo Feng sheathed the Emperor Yan’s Sky-breaking Saber. His ears twitched, and he noticed Yue Haitang.

"Yue Haitang. What are you doing here?"

Landing three steps in front of Yue Haitang, Luo Feng asked.

Apart from him, no one else had been told about Bing Ruolan’s departure this morning.

Yue Haitang smiled. "I discovered it by chance. Bing Ruolan... has she returned to the North Sea Ice Palace?"

"Yes."

Luo Feng nodded.

"I never expected her to be the princess of the North Sea Ice Palace."

Yue Haitang said, then, looking at Luo Feng, she seemed to ask casually, "So, what are your plans for the future?"

Luo Feng thought for a moment. "Since the duel with Yi Tian is over, I should report to Linglong Hall. I plan to set off for Linglong Hall first thing tomorrow morning. What about you? What are your plans?"

Seeing Luo Feng in high spirits, Yue Haitang breathed a sigh of relief. Walking shoulder to shoulder with Luo Feng, she smiled and said, "I also plan to go to the Jade Hall first thing tomorrow morning."

"With your Sword Dao aptitude, you will surely become a peerless swordsman in the future."

Luo Feng smiled faintly. Remembering the Sword Heart Heaven Jade, he took it out, passed it to Yue Haitang, and said earnestly, "Haitang, thank you."

"Thank me for what? You defeated Yi Tian, and I didn’t really help with anything. If it weren’t for me back then, you wouldn’t have agreed to a life-and-death duel with Yi Tian. Perhaps then, what happened today wouldn’t have occurred..."

Yue Haitang accepted the Sword Heart Heaven Jade, pursed her lips, and murmured.

"What’s meant to be, will be."

Luo Feng gazed at the gradually rising morning sun, shook his head, and glanced at Yue Haitang. He didn’t mention what he had learned from Yingkui—that Yue Haitang had forced Yue Chongshan’s hand by threatening suicide.

This debt of gratitude, he would repay sooner or later.

"Let’s go. It’s time to cultivate."

Patting Yue Haitang’s shoulder, Luo Feng strode towards Azure Sky City.

Yue Haitang watched Luo Feng’s retreating back, a look of confusion in her eyes, but she shook her head and quickly followed.

「Night fell, and the stars sparkled brightly.」

Within the Cold Moon Marquis’s Mansion, thin wisps of mist drifted, tinted by the moonlight to a hazy, jade-like quality.

Luo Feng sat cross-legged on his bed, each hand gripping a second-grade Yuan Stone, cultivating.

After reaching the peak of the Spiritual Rotation Realm’s fifth layer and achieving Spirit and Flesh Unity, the Yuan Qi in Luo Feng’s body was nearly twenty times greater than when he battled Yi Tian. With but a slight circulation, the awakened Four Spirit Rotations immediately began to frantically absorb the Yuan Qi of heaven and earth. The Yuan Qi in his meridians surged like a great river, ceaselessly, its momentum majestic.

SNAP!

In less than a quarter of an hour, both second-grade Yuan Stones were depleted of Yuan Qi and crumbled directly into powder.

Luo Feng opened his eyes. Looking at the Yuan Stone powder in his hands, a faint, wry smile touched his lips.

As his cultivation increased, the rate at which he consumed Yuan Stones grew faster and faster. Especially after cultivating Spirit and Flesh Unity, he required nearly ten second-grade Yuan Stones every two hours!

If not for his somewhat substantial savings, an ordinary martial artist would simply be unable to sustain this rate of consumption.

It seems I absolutely must earn more Yuan Stones.

Muttering to himself, Luo Feng took more second-grade Yuan Stones from his storage ring and continued cultivating.

Right now, he wasn’t worried about the consumption of Yuan Stones. His only consideration was how to raise his cultivation as quickly as possible.

「A night passed.」

When the eastern sky revealed the fish-belly white of dawn, Luo Feng gently exhaled and opened his eyes. A sharp glint flashed past them, and a slight smile touched the corners of his lips.

A night of cultivation had consumed over fifty second-grade Yuan Stones—this was no small fortune.

However, it was all worth it. The two Dragon-shaped Revolving Spirits in Luo Feng’s lungs had grown considerably, bringing him a step closer to the sixth layer of the Spiritual Rotation Realm.

Luo Feng himself was surprised by this. The fifth layer of the Spiritual Rotation Realm was a watershed, notoriously difficult to break through. For those with outstanding aptitude, managing to break through in a year or half a year was already extremely fortunate.

Even a genius like Ling Qingwu, it was said, took nearly two months to break through from the peak of the Spiritual Rotation Realm’s fifth layer to the sixth layer.

Luo Feng had initially estimated he would need a month to break through his realm. Now, it seemed he could likely do it within ten days.

Could it be due to cultivating Spirit and Flesh Unity? My physique is now formidable, and my meridians and flesh can support more Yuan Qi, so my cultivation is naturally twice as effective with half the effort?

Luo Feng shook his head. Since he couldn’t figure it out, he didn’t waste time thinking about it. The most important thing at present was to raise his cultivation as quickly as possible; the reason wasn’t important.

Once I break through to the sixth layer of the Spiritual Rotation Realm, then I can fully cultivate the Divine Dragon Nine Changes...

Muttering reflectively, Luo Feng looked up at the sunlight streaming through the window and said to himself:

It’s time to go to Linglong Hall.

...

"Uncle Yue, I’ve troubled you during this period."

In the courtyard of the Cold Moon Marquis’s Mansion, Luo Feng said to Yue Chongshan.

Yue Chongshan shook his head and chuckled, "During this time, you’ve guided Haitang’s cultivation. I’ve seen it all with my own eyes. It is I who should be thanking you."

Luo Feng smiled faintly and asked, "Haitang... he’s left?"

Yue Chongshan paused for a moment, then nodded. "Mm, he said he doesn’t like scenes of parting, so he left a step ahead. He asked me to tell you that in the future, if you’re fated, you will naturally meet again."

This doesn’t seem like his style.

Luo Feng muttered to himself, then cupped his hands. "Alright then, I’ll take my leave as well. Uncle Yue, take care."

With that, Luo Feng adjusted his attire and walked out of the courtyard.

Not until Luo Feng’s figure had vanished did a person emerge from the corridor behind—it was Yue Haitang.

"Has he left?"

Yue Haitang gazed in the direction Luo Feng had left and asked.

Yue Chongshan nodded. Looking at Yue Haitang, he sighed and said,

"If you go after him now, you can still catch up."

Hearing this, Yue Haitang’s eyes flickered. She pursed her lips and said,

In the future... there will naturally be opportunities. Besides, I also have things I must do now...

As she spoke, Yue Haitang glanced down at the Sword Heart Heaven Jade in her hand, then immediately clenched it tightly. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Leaving the Cold Moon Marquis’s Mansion, Luo Feng looked up and immediately saw several familiar figures waiting outside the Marquis’s Mansion: Ling Qingwu and three other Linglong Hall disciples.

"Senior Brother Luo Feng."

"Senior Brother Luo Feng!"

Seeing Luo Feng, the group quickly came up to greet him.

Luo Feng looked at the group, smiled faintly, and said,

"You’re also returning to Linglong Hall, right? We can go together, it’s perfect."

"No, we’re not going back for now."

Unexpectedly, Ling Qingwu shook her head, her expression grave.