Chapter 427: Challenging the Path of Righteousness

Su Ming’s meteoric rise was so swift, so dominant, and so inconceivable that Li Feng had naturally investigated him thoroughly.

Not just Li Feng—even the Qin Family and Old Ling, the Guardian Deity, had looked into Su Ming and uncovered many details about him.

Yet precisely because they had investigated and understood, everyone—including Li Feng—found themselves perplexed.

Perplexed by what?

Naturally, by the unresolved mysteries surrounding Su Ming.

For instance, how did Su Ming, born into an ordinary family, become a Dual Professional?

He hadn’t merely consumed some random Phantom Demon Potion, relying on sheer luck to defy the abysmal success rate and emerge as a Dual Professional.

When he became a Dual Professional, he had consumed a Nightmare Species-grade Phantom Demon Potion, supplemented with the exceedingly rare Cyan-Green Potion. Such extravagance was beyond even the Qin Family—renowned as the Royal Family and rulers of Tianfeng City’s political landscape.

Moreover, Su Ming repeatedly displayed considerable wealth. Whether it was the incredible artifacts and precious potions he used during his first duel with Crow as Ming Wang, or the treasures Wang Yue sold at the Wanbao Auction House—none were items an ordinary youth could possess.

Many influential figures, Li Feng among them, had investigated the origins of Su Ming’s resources, yet uncovered nothing.

Compounding the mystery, Su Ming had never abruptly disappeared or gone missing, deepening the enigma of how he acquired these treasures.

Had Su Ming vanished unexpectedly, people might have suspected he had some hidden, untraceable channel to obtain such treasures.

But he hadn’t. It was as if these treasures materialized out of thin air—utterly baffling.

Even more perplexing, Su Ming had repeatedly demonstrated the ability to store and retrieve specific items from nowhere.

To those with far-reaching insight, these signs pointed to something unbelievable.

Upon careful reflection, these inconsistencies became deeply unsettling.

It was for these reasons that Li Feng chose this moment to pose such questions to Su Ming.

He couldn’t help but feel wary of such an enigmatic figure.

This wariness was something even Old Ling—hailed as the Guardian Deity and humanity’s Ultimate Weapon—could not evoke.

In this world, what demands the most caution is not overt reality, but the unresolved unknown.

Old Ling was undoubtedly powerful, yet in Li Feng’s eyes, he held almost no secrets.

Thus, Li Feng harbored no fear toward Old Ling, the so-called invincible figure—he had both the means and confidence to counter him.

But Su Ming was different.

His growth was too rapid, his emergence too abrupt.

From the time Su Ming gained widespread recognition as Ming Wang to now, how long had it truly been?

Half a year?

A full year?

No!

He had risen from an unremarkable student to his current stature in less than a year!For Li Feng, who had orchestrated everything to break the “King’s” seal, established the underground organization 『Sin』 for nearly forty years, and made thorough preparations, this was truly abrupt!

Su Ming’s growth rate was abrupt.

Su Ming’s very appearance was abrupt.

It was as if he existed solely to oppose Li Feng. At the final stage of the plan’s execution, this person suddenly emerged with so many inexplicable aspects, leaving Li Feng utterly unprepared.

Thus, compared to Old Ling, Li Feng was actually more wary of Su Ming.

That was why, at this critical moment, Li Feng revealed his doubts and numerous perplexities about Su Ming.

“Are you truly just a child from an ordinary family? Or do you have another identity?”

Li Feng stared intently at Su Ming below the altar, speaking word by word.

“Are you like me, having obtained legacies from a distant era?”

Indeed, Li Feng suspected that Su Ming, like himself, had entered some ancient, unknown perilous site left behind from antiquity, gained immense benefits from it, and thus transformed his life.

Take Li Feng himself: though ambitious, he lacked the strength to support his ambitions until he accidentally stumbled into an ancient battlefield occupied by ancient cultists. There, he obtained what they had left behind, finally gaining the capital to change everything.

The Divine Artifact Great Sin Blade was found by Li Feng in the ancient battlefield.

The tale of the Terror Seed’s seal was also learned from the ancient battlefield.

Even the Sub-Divine Artifact named Soul Silence, now hanging around Li Feng’s neck—having devoured countless amounts of blood, granting him extraordinary power to rival Old Ling, and ranked first on the weapon leaderboard—was likewise acquired on that ancient battlefield.

Otherwise, how could a latecomer like Li Feng, an exile who relied on schemes and deceit to gain everything, obtain both a Divine Artifact and the strongest Sub-Divine Artifact? Even a Guardian Deity like Old Ling only wielded the third-ranked alchemical weapon on the leaderboard, and countless ancient factions struggled in vain to acquire even one Divine Artifact.

All these were treasures unearthed in the ancient battlefield.

Even the clues to the second Divine Artifact, the Demon Emperor Sword, and the potent poison Li Feng used to annihilate the entire Li Family and reap the spoils, were obtained from that ancient battlefield.

With such experiences, Li Feng naturally suspected that Su Ming, like himself, had inherited the legacy of some bygone faction, enabling his meteoric rise.

Unfortunately, Su Ming had no intention of answering Li Feng’s questions.

“You’ve successfully broken the seal, haven’t you?” Su Ming said indifferently. “That means the one gradually awakening now, hiding underground, and faintly emitting a terrifying aura, is the so-called Spirit Demon Abyss King?”

Su Ming’s query made Li Feng frown.

Then, Li Feng relaxed his brow.

“Correct,” Li Feng replied coldly. “The ancient seal has been broken by channeling the ‘Demonic Beast’s Blood’ through the medium of the ‘King’s Left Hand.’”

“Now, we only await the ‘King’s’ awakening, and the revolution will begin.”

“Everything is already set in stone.”

These words elicited not a reaction from Su Ming, but from Old Ling.

“No! It’s not over yet!”

Old Ling’s eyes blazed with Battle Intent as he stared firmly at Li Feng, declaring in a resonant voice.”As long as we capture you, the mastermind behind this, and reseal this place, we can stop all of this!”

This wasn’t Old Ling refusing to acknowledge the current reality.

In truth, although the Seal had been broken, the terrifying creature slumbering underground had not yet fully awakened.

Not only had it been sealed, but its hands had been severed, its heart gouged out, and its power had fallen into an unprecedented state of weakness. To fully awaken and break free from the Seal would still require some time.

Before that, as long as they could deal with Li Feng and capture the mastermind, 『Sin』, humanity could completely reapply the Seal, forcing that “King” to continue its slumber.

Of course, an ordinary Seal would certainly not suffice.

Only a Forbidden Art ranked above ninety in the sequence could reseal the terrifying creature in its weakened state.

This meant someone had to willingly make a sacrifice to unleash a Forbidden Art ranked above ninety and reseal the terrifying creature.

Yet, this was still far better than allowing the creature to break free and wreak havoc, leading to widespread suffering and devastation.

Old Ling had already steeled his resolve for this.

As a Dual Professional—not only a Seven-Star Hunter but also a Six-Star Peak-level Sorcerer—he had mastered a Sealing Forbidden Art.

This was a Forbidden Art Old Ling had specifically learned for the day when humanity faced an unavoidable catastrophe, a time when even he might be powerless to turn the tide.

Now, perhaps, was the moment for it to prove its worth.

“You intend to sacrifice yourself?”

Li Feng’s gaze toward Old Ling was exceptionally cold.

“Why not?” Old Ling revealed a carefree smile and said, “After all, I’ve already found a successor. Stepping down to make way for the worthy is only a matter of time. Meeting my end here might very well be a form of liberation.”

“Foolish.” Li Feng laughed as if infuriated. “In my entire life, I’ve despised people like you the most—those who self-righteously view the world as their possession, label themselves as so-called righteous figures, and put on an act of being willing to sacrifice everything.”

“Human nature is inherently selfish, without exception.”

“So-called selflessness is nothing but a facade deliberately crafted for outsiders to gain reputation, prestige, and honor.”

“Even if you truly sacrifice yourself here and save this world, I can assure you, it’s definitely not for the sake of everyone in this world.”

“You simply don’t possess such great love, Guardian Deity Ling Xiao.”

Li Feng vehemently slandered Old Ling, or rather, he vehemently slandered so-called “goodness” and “light.”

His experiences from childhood had taught him that even if true goodness and true light existed in this world, they were not things that could ever favor him.

When his parents abandoned him in the perilous wilderness to fend for himself, no one showed kindness or saved his life.

In moments of life-and-death struggle, all he witnessed was the ugliness of human nature and endless sin, with no trace of light.

It wasn’t that he didn’t believe such things existed in the world, but rather, he believed they were incapable of saving everyone.

In this world, there were many people who would never touch such things in their entire lives.

He himself was a prime example.

Such things, which could only save a portion and were utterly incapable of saving all, were undoubtedly fragile and illusory.

And why should anyone pursue something so fragile and illusory?He could not stand seeing such fragile and illusory things enjoying the status that everyone craved and worshipped in this world.

Is kindness always right?

Is evil always wrong?

Is light the Righteous Path?

Should darkness remain in the Underground?

No!

At the very least, he, Li Feng, would never acknowledge these notions.

“I will personally trample upon what you desperately defend, and show the world that what truly deserves to stand above others has never been these abstract concepts.”

“Humans can only ever rely on themselves.”

“And all of you, who gained your current status by promoting such illusory things, should all be cast down from your altars.”

Countless Ghost Shadows roared around Li Feng’s body.

“I will make this happen.”

7017k

(End of Chapter)