C5 Are You Willing to be My Youngest Junior Brother?

Inside the Magic Array, Ye Feng managed to awkwardly dodge two successive sword strikes, gaining a better grasp of the second level in the process.

The Black Puppet's speed and strength were significantly greater than those of the first level, presenting a formidable challenge.

Ye Feng realized that mere evasion was futile within the array's mechanics; a counterattack was the only viable strategy.

Despite the Black Puppet's rapid sword swings and formidable strength, Ye Feng identified a vulnerability—it moved too slowly!

Capitalizing on this flaw, Ye Feng launched a counterattack. After evading a fierce strike from the Black Puppet, he forcefully shoveled at its leg with his spade.

"Ding!"

The sound of metal striking stone echoed, leaving Ye Feng feeling as though he had shoveled a mountain, his arm numb from the impact.

"It's incredibly tough..."

After muttering about the Black Puppet's defense, Ye Feng inspected his hand and spade and made a surprising discovery.

There was a layer of dirt-like dust on the spade, and upon closer examination of the Black Puppet's leg, a distinct scratch was visible—the mark of Ye Feng's recent assault.

This revelation bolstered Ye Feng's confidence. He wasn't concerned about the Black Puppet's resilience; it was the possibility of it being impervious to damage that truly worried him.

Now aware that he could inflict harm, Ye Feng showed no mercy, swinging his spade in a relentless barrage against the Black Puppet.

One hit!

Two hits!

A hundred hits!

A thousand hits!

After what seemed like an eternity, a sweat-drenched Ye Feng, with trembling wrists, looked at the Black Puppet he had reduced to a monstrous form, feeling an immense sense of satisfaction.

"Come on, keep it up! I refuse to believe I can't take you down!"

Ye Feng bellowed as he charged at the Black Puppet, but the figure before him suddenly became motionless. Then, as if made of sand caught in a gust of wind, it disintegrated into a mound of dust.

"That's it? I... I was just getting started!"

Staring at the heap of sand on the ground, Ye Feng felt no triumph. Instead, he was somewhat disappointed. The longer he fought the Black Puppet, the more he wanted to continue, as if he could never tire.

No sooner had Ye Feng finished speaking than his wish was quickly granted!

A stone door began to rumble and slowly opened, revealing a three-headed giant snake that slithered out, its massive body undulating.

The giant snake shimmered with a crystal-clear sheen, measuring six meters in length and as thick as a barrel, resembling a sculpture carved from ice.

Yet, the menacing look of the creature made it clear to Ye Feng that he wasn't facing a static ice sculpture, but rather a formidable Devil Beast.

"Kan hexagram, the Gate of Rest is open..."

With the giant snake articulating human speech, Ye Feng braced himself, having already encountered the Black Puppet. As soon as the snake finished speaking, it shot out an ice spike with a velocity surpassing that of the previous adversary.

Inspecting the hole in his clothing, Ye Feng cautiously held the pot in front of his chest, trusting the system's claim that this pot boasted the greatest Defense Power in the world.

"Bang!"

The moment he positioned the pot, an ice arrow struck, the immense force clanging against the pot with a resounding noise.

Propelled by the impact, Ye Feng was hurled over ten meters back. Scarcely recovering, he saw several more ice spikes hurtling toward him.

Catching a glimpse of the impending danger, Ye Feng quickly rolled to the side, narrowly escaping harm.

Assessing speed, strength, and ranged attacks, Ye Feng weighed the Devil Beast's attributes while seeking the right moment to strike.

Yet, each tentative charge was repelled by the snake's barrage of ice spikes.

Observing the scattered ice spikes on the ground, a spark of insight flashed in Ye Feng's eyes. He noticed something that had previously eluded him!

The closer he was to the giant snake, the denser the field of ice spikes. Conversely, the farther away he was, the fewer spikes there were.

This observation, coupled with the snake's behavior during his charges, led Ye Feng to a swift conclusion.

Approaching the snake meant the spikes lost some speed and force but increased in number. From a distance, the spikes were fewer but launched with greater speed and power.

This meant the giant snake was intent on keeping him at bay, unleashing a multitude of attacks at close range solely to drive him back.

"Heh... Since you're so scared of me getting close, I'm going to make sure we fight hand-to-hand. I'll turn you into nothing but ice shards!"

With a strategy in mind, Ye Feng sprang into action, darting forward...

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

As a barrage of ice spikes came hurtling towards him, Ye Feng didn't press on. Instead, he stepped back, allowing the spikes to embed themselves in the ground, creating a series of protective barriers.

After countless circles around the giant snake, Ye Feng's plan finally came to fruition!

The giant snake had unwittingly built an ice shield with its spikes. All Ye Feng had to do was stay behind the shield, moving forward as the snake unwittingly attacked its own defenses. What remained was a battle of attrition against the monstrous serpent.

The two combatants advanced and retreated in turn, locked in countless exchanges until Ye Feng finally struck the giant snake.

Yet with that single touch, the snake shattered like glass, breaking into innumerable fragments before dissolving into a puddle and evaporating into thin air...

Having dealt with another adversary, Ye Feng had no time to rest. He turned his attention to the remaining six doors, his senses heightened, but despite a lengthy wait, there was no movement from the doors...

Outside the Magic Array, the old man, who had been relaxed, was taken aback to see Ye Feng dispatch two Black Puppets on the second level so swiftly.

The sect's rules allowed disciples to rest for a day after passing a level, especially at the Body Tempering Stage, where the challenges were considerable.

Yet, what the old man hadn't anticipated was that his deliberate test would reveal Ye Feng's true nature: the more he fought, the braver and more composed he became—a veritable weapon of war.

In that moment, the old man's perception of Ye Feng shifted entirely.

After a moment's thought, the old man gestured, and the Magic Array began to dissipate slowly...

As the old man appeared before him, Ye Feng looked on in confusion. He was about to test the old man with his spade to see if he was a puppet when the old man spoke up, interrupting him.

"No need for further tests—I've lost this game!"

Ye Feng was initially baffled by the old man's sudden concession, but he quickly began to boast.

"Old man, did you concede because you realized the depth of my strength is immeasurable?"

Unfazed by Ye Feng's smugness, the old man retorted sharply, "Young man, I lost on a technicality, not to your so-called strength. At your Body Tempering Stage, I could easily take you down with a mere wave of my hand!"

"Keep talking big!"

Ye Feng looked skyward, leaving the old man staring at the back of his head...

But then, the old man dropped a bombshell that Ye Feng found utterly unbelievable.

"Young man, would you consider becoming my youngest junior brother?"