"The Ranking Butcher? Butcher? Who is that?" Ye Feng asked Yue Yan, somewhat bewildered.
"If I remember correctly, he was thirty-sixth on the Earth Ranking!" Saying that, Yue Yan lightly stroked her wristband. A glow appeared, and she tapped the Earth Ranking.
"It really is him!" After a quick check, Yue Yan's brows furrowed tightly. "Xiao Xiao, I've seen that back figure before. He's the one known as the Ranking Butcher... I remember he was thirty-sixth on the Earth Ranking back then, I didn't expect him to be sixth now..."
"This person used to slaughter people on the Survival Potential Ranking frequently... then those on the Tiger Ranking... and now it's likely those on the Earth Ranking. And he probably increased his ranking by hunting other people who possessed Earth Ranking Stones, obtaining their stones..." Yue Yan quickly explained to Ye Feng.
"This person is following our tracks... How did he do it... because of the Earth Ranking Stone?"
"That shouldn't be it... I haven't used an Earth Ranking Stone for quite some time..." Ye Feng frowned, looking puzzled.
"Ye Feng, that eagle in the sky is acting strangely!" At this moment, Qiao Ying, who had been observing with binoculars from a tree, jumped down.
"Eagle?" Ye Feng took out his binoculars and looked in the direction Qiao Ying pointed. "Qiao Ying... that's just an ordinary eagle... not infected by the zombie virus... and it doesn't look like a mutated monster..."
"I saw that eagle the day before yesterday, and three days ago... I initially thought it was a coincidence, but now it seems it's probably not..."
"Especially considering that Butcher you just mentioned!" Qiao Ying quickly explained.
"Are you saying that Butcher tracked us using that eagle in the sky... and then followed us?" Upon hearing this, Ye Feng suddenly understood.
"Big Brother, that eagle is flying away, should we shoot it down?" At this moment, Xiao Xiao had already produced an AWM sniper rifle and was aiming at the distant eagle in the sky.
"Ye Feng... that eagle's target probably isn't us... but someone or something along our route..." Qiao Ying mused for a moment before speaking.
"Xiao Xiao, hold on..." Ye Feng shook his head at Xiao Xiao, who was holding the sniper rifle. "Let's see what's happening first..."
"Okay!"
...
Seven days later.
Noon.
"Big Brother, that eagle has been circling in the sky ahead for a long time. It was also circling there yesterday. There must be something or someone that the person behind the eagle is looking for!" Xiao Xiao hid under a pine tree, observing with binoculars and speaking.
"Could it be someone we're traveling to Starfall City with?" Qiao Ying voiced her guess.
"No..." Yue Yan chimed in, "We've already deviated quite a bit to find the person or thing the eagle was targeting..."
"This place is unusually remote... there are no signs of habitation nearby... and there are many black stones erected around... they seem to be hard volcanic rock... This place looks like... a good spot for tribulation transcendence!" Yue Yan observed and spoke.
"A place for tribulation transcendence?" Ye Feng turned his head, looking quite bewildered.
"Yes!" Yue Yan nodded, looking at Ye Feng somewhat speechlessly. "Not everyone is like you, able to directly withstand tribulation fire with their physical body... the tribulation fire didn't just not hurt you... you even absorbed it..."
"Normally, whether it's an Arcanist or a cultivator, when facing a heavenly tribulation, especially the first one, they need to prepare some treasures... or a suitable location to help resist the tribulation fire..."
"The volcanic rock ahead was left behind by a volcanic eruption many years ago. It's very suitable for resisting tribulation fire... especially with the porous terrain of volcanic rock..." Yue Yan quickly explained.
"Speaking of which... that guy named Butcher seems to have slowed down his pace these past few days... is he waiting for the person ahead to transcend their tribulation, so he can ambush them?" Hearing Yue Yan's explanation, Xiao Xiao couldn't help but speak.
"Possibly!" Yue Yan nodded. "Ye Feng, this Earth Ranking Stone has a very strange function. If two Earth Ranking Stones are close enough, they will resonate."
"If our guess is correct, the person ahead is highly likely a survivor holding an Earth Ranking Stone. Should we take out our Earth Ranking Stone to alert them?" After speaking, Yue Yan cast a questioning look at Ye Feng.
"Let's wait until they transcend their tribulation... I want to cultivate in the tribulation fire myself..."
"If that Butcher really comes, you guys can handle him!" After some thought, Ye Feng said.
"Okay!"
"Mm!"
"Alright!" Xiao Xiao, Qiao Ying, and Yue Yan all nodded in unison.
...
Evening.
"Big Brother, wake up quickly!" Ye Feng was sleeping soundly when suddenly, Xiao Xiao ran over and shook his body, her voice sounding a bit anxious.
"What's wrong?" Ye Feng opened his drowsy eyes and looked at Xiao Xiao.
"Big Brother, large areas of tribulation clouds have appeared in the sky. The person ahead might have already started transcending their tribulation!" Xiao Xiao spoke rapidly, pointing to the sky ahead as she spoke.
"Damn it, that fast~" Seeing this, Ye Feng couldn't help but mutter.
"Xiao Xiao, take down that eagle!" Ye Feng walked out of the tent, glanced at the sky, and saw that the eagle was flying back. He immediately gave the order.
"Bang!" As soon as Ye Feng finished speaking, Xiao Xiao's AWM sniper rifle fired. The hawk that had been scouting them fell from the sky in response...
Almost at the same time, in the center of the swirling tribulation clouds ahead, a golden flame descended like a waterfall. Ye Feng's figure flickered, rushing towards the center of the tribulation clouds... Xiao Xiao, Qiao Ying, and Yue Yan followed closely...
...
"Ugh... Ah~!"
"Hoo~ Boom!~ Boom boom!~"
"Ah~ Ah!"
As Ye Feng arrived directly beneath the tribulation clouds, he saw an old man with white hair and eyebrows screaming in pain amidst the howling golden flames, his body covered in burn marks...
Feeling the familiar aura of tribulation fire from the sky, Ye Feng's eyes sharpened. He took a step forward, and the space rippled, revealing the power of space. After the battle with Ares, Ye Feng realized he could use spatial power even without the Tang Saber...
The next second, he appeared within the tribulation fire, directly above the white-haired old man. Ye Feng's intercession caused the tribulation fire hitting the old man to lessen considerably, which greatly surprised the old man.
But in the next instant, the tribulation clouds in the sky seemed to sense something, and more tribulation fire roared down from above...
"Bang!~ Boom!~ Boom~ Hoo!~" Amidst the torrent of tribulation fire, a powerful sound like the roar of sea waves emerged, but Ye Feng ignored it. He closed his eyes, calmed himself, and carefully perceived the subtle, mysterious aura emanating from the tribulation fire.
...