Level Up in Martial World

"You will attack from the front while I take the rear. My strength lies in long-range attacks with my whip. My attack is several times stronger…"

"Sect leader Feng, you don't have to be so worried about their strategy. With two of us mid-first-stage martial artists and our strongest army created personally by our alchemist, there is no way we can be beaten," the cloaked male figure replied with an uncaring tone.

"Besides, those fools fought among themselves, and the Lu family came out on top. But the entire Phoenix City's power has rapidly decreased with the death of the three major families."

Sect leader Feng looked coldly at the male figure. "It doesn't hurt to be careful, Yang Jiang. I have been taught since young to never underestimate our enemy," she said while looking at the huge wall in the distance.

"Not bad, their city wall quality isn't bad. Some early first-stage martial artists would find it difficult to destroy these gates if they attack," she muttered, admiring the city gates from a distance.

"So is it decided that I will take charge, Sect master?" Yang Jiang took a long yawn with a carefree expression.

To which Feng nodded her head, and Yang Jiang immediately shot forward, increasing his flight speed and cutting through the air. He easily broke the sound barrier, reaching the walls in the distance.

Feng watched the departing figure until she could only see some shadows of him in the distance. She smirked with her eyes, as if looking at an idiot.

"That fool will take the full brunt of the attack. Even an injured rabbit will fight back when cornered enough!" Feng didn't think that this mere town, which was in the middle of nowhere and had barely any connection to the outside world, could pose any threat to a mid-first-stage martial artist.

Although the forest here provided noteworthy resources, the town was too isolated from the outside world because of the large forest.

Even though they had to travel for many months to reach here, which dignified how long of a distance one had to cover.

The outside world had long forgotten that these cities even existed; only the older generation somewhat knew of them.

If it weren't for some connection with the Hei family, which was one of the major families in the city, they wouldn't have even known that there was an inheritance cave.

"This is the chance for our force to become a first-class powerhouse in the world if we can capitalise on the entire inheritance…" she thought with narrowed eyes. "Maybe even a supreme force would be possible if we can raise a separation and formation realm martial artist."

While she was contemplating, Yang Jiang had already reached the wall.

"Oh, they have a formation set-up?" Yang Jiang curiously looked at the wall with amusement.

"No matter. In front of absolute strength, nothing can be stopped," he laughed aloud, then directly punched the barrier.

Boom!

The formation trembled under the might of the man, but it instantly recovered from the damage.

"Oh, there is such a formation master here?" Yang Jiang thought with amusement.

Just as he was about to attack again, he suddenly saw a shadow emerge from inside the city wall and directly outside the formation.

As the shadow enlarged in his vision, it revealed a youth with a businesslike smile on his face.

Yang Jiang's eyes narrowed when he sensed the person's aura; however, he remained calm and collected.

"I didn't know these isolated places could produce a middle first-stage martial artist," he mused, as a huge vine hurled towards him. He watched calmly.

Dong!

As if a bell was ringing, the vine was blocked by a barrier that surrounded him.

"Hahaha, let's fight to our hearts' content," Yang Jiang's expression twisted with battle-crazed intent as his body started to emit a dark aura, which continued to rise, and a sabre appeared in his hand, slashing at the young man.

Lu Ming's expression changed slightly, sensing the aura however he was undeterred.

"Fellow martial artists, who dare attack my city, are you willing to face the consequences?" a voice thundered from the city walls.

"Ha, consequences!?" Yang Jing sneered.

Just as his attention shifted, Lu Ming had already disappeared from his place.

"Huh?" Yang Jing was stunned as he suddenly felt an ominous feeling, hurriedly cancelling his attack.

Without looking back, he dodged to the left, narrowly avoiding ten-centimetre-thick thorns.

Although the thorns appeared ordinary, the aura they emitted stirred his heart.

Before he could recover, a sharp sensation struck his neck, as if it would mercilessly behead him. This premonition was clear, as if he were inches away from it.

Yang Jing widened his eyes in sheer horror as he decisively destroyed a ring on his finger.

Boom!

A terrifying explosion ensued the moment he did, causing the entire sky to blaze with fire, as if heaven itself were burning, creating an apocalyptic scene.

Lu Ming observed the aftermath of the explosion with a calm expression from the ground, as a figure landed nearby, coughing slightly in the process.

"That bastard really self-destructed an artefact just to save himself," Fang Ying muttered, his tone laced with displeasure and pity.

"Even, you were injured?" Lu Ming inquired, his expression curious looking at the bruises and scalded skin in his body.

You have to know that a first-stage martial artist's physique is naturally stronger due to the intent they can create, which slowly strengthens their physique to reach a level that a lower realm martial artist could never dream to achieve even with body cultivation.

"Of course I was injured. That artefact is a failed intent-grade product, comparable to half of the first-stage martial realm. Although it's several realms lower for us, its self-destruction is still terrifying," Fang Ying explained, his tone firm.

As the dust settled, Yang Jing revealed himself, coughing up blood. Two of his fingers were missing, and his right arm was scorched by flames.

With a bitter smile, Yang Jing assessed the damage, feeling the injuries in his internal organs caused by the explosion.

Without so much as a glance at Lu Ming and Fang Ying, he turned and fled with his tail between his legs.

Just as he was distancing himself from them, a wall entirely made up of vines appeared in front of him, entirely blocking his route.

"Don't go too far!" Yang Jing roared as his aura rose again, withdrawing his saber filled with a domineering aura.

A sharp aura appeared as well; Fang Ying emerged in the sky with a calm expression, drawing his katana.

Yang Jing's expression twisted when he saw Fang Ying and the sharp aura he had felt before.

"So you were the one who gave me a sense of crisis," he muttered under his breath.

Without any words spoken, both of them slashed at each other with full strength, their domineering and sharp auras colliding.

Although the domineering aura had slightly greater strength, the sharp aura had an elegant feeling to it, slightly weakening the power of Yang Jing's saber slash.

But there wasn't a victor as both of their attacks cancelled each other out.

Just then, thorns twenty centimetres in thickness shot towards Yang Jing from behind, giving him a sense of crisis once again.

Suddenly, a long whip came from the distance at terrifying speed, deflecting the thorns.