Chapter 345: A Backhanded Strike!

As soon as he entered the Windstorm Realm, Ye Yuan felt the gale slicing toward him like knives, cutting his cheeks painfully.

"Master, are you unaccustomed to the gale?" Sensing Ye Yuan's discomfort, Lan Feng asked.

Ye Yuan waved his hand and released a slight aura. The gale automatically swept past him, as if filtering him out.

The power of this gale was similar to that on the Nine Heavens Road. With Ye Yuan's comprehension of the Wind Intent, this gale naturally could not harm him.

Lan Feng's expression shifted slightly: "I never expected Master's attainment in Wind Intent to be so profound. We of the Windstorm Realm have dealt with this gale since birth, yet few can reach Master's level!"

"This gale is not fierce; I can handle it. If I'm not mistaken, the gale in the Windstorm Realm should be more than this, right?" Ye Yuan waved his hand and said.

Lan Feng nodded: "Indeed. The gale in the Windstorm Realm is weakest at the central royal city. Its intensity radiates outward from the royal city—the closer to the city, the weaker the gale; the farther from the city, the stronger."

Ye Yuan nodded: "I see. How strong is the strongest gale?"

Lan Feng said: "The Windstorm Realm is divided into nine regions by the Wind Emperor based on gale intensity. Level one is the weakest, level nine the strongest. The gale in the level-nine region is extremely terrifying; even the Wind Emperor dares not set foot there."

When mentioning the level-nine region, Lan Feng's face showed deep fear, clearly indicating it was an extremely dreadful place.

Ye Yuan became interested: "With your strength, how deep can you go?"

Lan Feng said: "This old servant is weak; I can only reach the level-five region at most. Going deeper is beyond my ability."

"Oh? With your Sea Transformation realm strength, you can only reach the level-five region. It seems the gale in the Windstorm Realm is indeed formidable! What level region are we in now?"

"Most people live within the level-three region. Beyond that, ordinary people cannot go deeper; only powerful martial artists can. Thus, land disputes within the level-three region are fierce, and tribes often fight over land. Our current location is at the border between the level-three and level-four regions."

Ye Yuan said in surprise: "Your tribe has four Sea Transformation experts as far as I've seen, yet you can only stay in such a remote area?"

"Master, our Lan clan is not an ordinary tribe but a branch of the Gale Guard under the Wind Emperor. Four thousand years ago, the old Wind Emperor led the Gale Guard to attack the Boundless Realm, but the Grand Yan True Sect sealed the two-realm passage with the Six Extremities Sealing Array. Thus, the old Wind Emperor left our Lan clan here to guard the sealed land."

Ye Yuan suddenly understood: "No wonder you arrived so quickly—that's the reason! Alright, let's not delay. Hurry to your tribe. If Lan Bao discovers the problem, it will cause more trouble."

"Yes, Master."

...

About half an hour later, Lan Bao and Lan Hu returned to the passage.

They had circled the second floor but saw no one, giving them an ominous feeling.

"Did you see Lan Feng?" Lan Bao asked the guards upon returning.

The guard thought Lan Bao had returned for something else, but upon hearing it was about Lan Feng, he quickly replied: "Sir, Lord Lan Feng returned to the Windstorm Realm about half an hour ago."

Lan Bao was startled: "Huh? Why did he go back?"

The guard was also puzzled. Logically, Lord Lan Feng and Lord Lan Bao should have met. Had they crossed paths?

Sensing something amiss, the guard recounted exactly how Lan Feng had passed through the entrance.

Lan Bao's face changed drastically. He slapped the guard far away and roared: "You fool! When that brat was at the Spirit Liquid realm, the four of us together couldn't capture him! Now that he's broken through to the Crystal Formation realm, how could Lan Feng capture him alone?"

Lan Bao hadn't struck to kill. The guard spat blood and begged for mercy: "Forgive me, sir! Forgive me!"

"Hmph! I'll deal with you later! Lan Hu, let's go!"

With that, Lan Bao entered the Windstorm Realm first, followed by Lan Hu.

The guards were terrified into silence, none daring to speak.

They couldn't understand: Lord Lan Feng was escorting that brat from the Boundless Realm—what could go wrong?

...

On the road to the Lan tribe in the Windstorm Realm, Lan Bao said solemnly: "Lan Hu, what do you think? Could Lan Feng have betrayed us?"

Lan Hu shook his head: "Lan Feng and I grew up together; I know his character best. His loyalty to the tribe may surpass ours! And... he has no reason to betray!"

"But... why would he help that brat enter the Windstorm Realm? Could he really have defeated him?" Lan Bao grew more puzzled.

His understanding of Ye Yuan was limited to the sword puppet. He knew nothing of Ye Yuan's own combat power.

But even if that brat had broken through to the Crystal Formation realm, even if Ye Yuan used the sword puppet, could he have subdued Lan Feng in such a short time?

What had happened in between?

Lan Bao and Lan Hu never considered the slave seal, as they thought it impossible.

"Talking is useless. We'll know what happened when we return to the tribe," Lan Hu said.

Lan Bao nodded reluctantly: "I suppose so."

...

The Lan tribe was located at the border between the level-three and level-four gale regions, in a harsh environment.

Yellow sand filled the air, and the gale was fierce. Those of weaker strength would be cut by the wind.

Not far from the tribe, two figures appeared—Ye Yuan and Lan Feng.

"Based on what you said, I estimate Lan Bao and the others will return in at most half an hour. You have only half an hour to bring them out! Take this spatial artifact. Once you have a chance, use the incantation I taught you to put them inside. I'll meet you outside!" Ye Yuan instructed Lan Feng.

"Yes, Master!" Lan Feng said.

Lan Feng had become Ye Yuan's slave, acting entirely according to Ye Yuan's will.

Handing him the spatial artifact was naturally not a concern.

Lan Feng's identity was not yet suspected. He only needed to make up a reason to return to the tribe and bring out Mei Zhen and the others.

Using this time difference, Ye Yuan could strike a backhanded blow and return to the two-realm passage!

Although a large number of Crystal Formation realm martial artists were stationed there, with his strength, Lan Feng, and the fellow disciples, breaking out would be no problem.

That was Ye Yuan's plan!

Now, it depended on whether Lan Feng could successfully bring out the disciples of the Nethercloud Sect.

About half an hour later, Lan Feng's figure appeared in Ye Yuan's sight...