Chapter 711 696: Black Phoenix, Lin Yafeng

Shen Lang's reaction speed was on full display the moment the Emperor Martial Realm powerhouse appeared.

By simply sensing someone's appearance behind him through the ambient Momentum of the world, Shen Lang had determined in a thousandth of a second that the newcomer was an Emperor Martial Realm powerhouse!

And not only that...

'Taotie and its subordinates are hunting the Candle Dragon. It's impossible for them to be here, so far from the Dragon Scale Divine Hall.'

His gaze flickered to Dingdang across from him. He saw a trace of astonishment in her eyes, yet she remained relaxed and casual.

'This person is someone Dingdang knows—someone from the Demon God Hall!'

The thought flashed through Shen Lang's mind. He immediately abandoned the idea of escaping into the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron and calmly put away the Wind Howling Snow Eagle Demon Crystal in his hand.

Just then, a heavenly laugh sounded from behind. "Miss, this friend of yours is quite interesting."

Across from him, Xue Dangdang giggled and flew over. "Sister Lin, I told you not to call me Miss. Just call me Dingdang... If you call me Miss again, I'll get angry!"

'Miss? An Emperor Martial Realm powerhouse is calling her Miss Dingdang?' Shen Lang seized on this detail, his heart pounding.

He had long wanted to investigate Dingdang's amnesia, but his Cultivation was too low, and he had no idea where to start.

Even now, all Shen Lang knew was that Xue Dangdang had some connection to Lan Mengling and the Candle Dragon, and that both of them treated her very well.

But he knew nothing about just *how* well they treated her, or the nature of their relationship.

However, that single word, "Miss," from this newly appeared Emperor Martial Realm powerhouse revealed far too much.

She was snatched from the Xue Family, her memories sealed, seemingly in an attempt to completely sever her ties with them.

And now, even an Emperor Martial Realm powerhouse from the Demon God Hall called her "Miss"...

Shen Lang suppressed his shock and turned around, his face a mask of astonishment and surprise.

As he turned, even someone with Shen Lang's mental fortitude was taken aback.

After hearing such a heavenly voice, anyone would subconsciously assume it belonged to a peerless beauty.

What Shen Lang saw, however, was a woman so ugly that one glance was enough to make you never want to look again!

The woman had slanted, phoenix-like eyes, an upturned nose, thick, large lips, and a unibrow. She wore a black gauze dress that fluttered in the wind.

The killer was that she also possessed a devilish figure that would make any woman jealous!

"Dingdang, this is..." Shen Lang asked politely.

Xue Dangdang linked her arm with the woman's and smiled happily. "This is Sister Lin Yafeng. You can just call her Sister Lin like I do... Sister, this guy's name is Shen Lang. He's... he's a bad guy who likes to lie."

"Is that so? Hehehe... He is quite an interesting boy." A peculiar look appeared in Lin Yafeng's eyes as she looked at Shen Lang and started laughing, her body shaking with mirth.

She might as well have not laughed. When she did, her facial features seemed to twist together, enough to make anyone who saw it want to commit suicide.

Fortunately, Shen Lang had never been one to judge a book by its cover. Although he found her appearance shocking, his expression didn't change.

When Lin Yafeng saw that Shen Lang kept smiling, his gaze unwavering from start to finish, not reacting as if he'd seen a monster like everyone else, her favorability toward him instantly soared.

"Little brother, you're quite handsome. Our Dingdang doesn't fall for just anyone, you know? Since she likes you so much, it means you must be a genuinely good person. Don't you dare bully her, okay?" Lin Yafeng said, pointing a finger at Shen Lang with a delicate flourish.

Xue Dangdang's face flushed crimson as she hastily said, "Sister Lin, don't talk nonsense! Who said I like him? I still want to kill him!"

Lin Yafeng let out a charming laugh. "Alright, Dingdang, what's there to be shy about in front of your big sister? I've been around the block. I can tell what's going on with just one look from you. That look in your eyes..."

"Sister Lin!" Xue Dangdang let go of her hands in a huff, stomped her foot in mid-air with a grunt, and pouted.

Shen Lang quickly tried to smooth things over. "Sister Lin, you can call me Xiaolang."

Lin Yafeng nodded. "Xiaolang... Hmm, not bad."

Since meeting Shen Lang, she had already said "not bad" several times.

Little did Shen Lang know, there was basically no one else in the world who could make Lin Yafeng say "not bad" several times in a row.

Lin Yafeng's gaze shifted from Shen Lang to Xue Dangdang. She sighed and said, "Dingdang, Sister came from the Dragon Scale Divine Hall because I need your help..."

"Taotie sent people to attack inside the Yumu Cave Blessed Land. The Candle Dragon has hidden in the depths of the Dragon Scale Divine Hall. A few of Taotie's subordinates have me pinned down, and I can't be in two places at once. Only you can keep Taotie in check. Can you do Sister a favor and go mediate?"

Xue Dangdang was taken aback. "Which Taotie? That sturdy, honest-looking guy? I thought he was a nice person. Last time, he even sent people to give me lots of fun things. Why would he send people to kill the Candle Dragon?"

Shen Lang immediately perked up his ears.

Lin Yafeng heaved a long sigh. "Ask the world what love is, that it makes one pledge life and death... The word 'love,' one knows its warmth and coldness for oneself; the word 'love,' what can one do about it; the word 'love,' it brings silent sorrow; the word 'love,' once given, it's hard to take back..."

Lin Yafeng's voice was beautiful to the extreme. Paired with her melancholic tone, it was enough to make anyone's heart break just from listening.

However, watching her say such things with that face, most people would basically want to die...

At this moment, Xue Dangdang took Lin Yafeng's arm again and said softly, "Don't worry, Sister. I'll make Taotie stop. Take me there."

An indescribable gratitude appeared in Lin Yafeng's eyes. She then turned her gaze back to Shen Lang.

Shen Lang hurriedly said, "I actually have something to do as well, so let's part ways here... The Yumu Cave Blessed Land is extremely dangerous. I hope Sister Lin will take good care of Dingdang. Thank you."

"Where are you going then?" Xue Dangdang asked, a bit anxious.

Shen Lang replied without hesitation, "I'm free, so I'll wander around the Dragon Scale Divine Hall and work on my Cultivation... Aren't you trying to kill me? I have to work hard and get stronger! What if you cut me down with one strike? I'd regret it forever."

"Hehehe, Xiaolang is quite humorous!" Lin Yafeng let out another charming laugh, which made Shen Lang's hair stand on end.

Lin Yafeng added, "Let's do that, then. Dingdang, let's go. Don't worry, since he'll be at the Dragon Scale Divine Hall, you'll see each other again soon."

As soon as her voice fell, Lin Yafeng, anxious about the Candle Dragon, waved her hand. A swirl of mist enveloped her and Xue Dangdang, and they vanished from before Shen Lang's eyes.

Shen Lang's eyes flickered, and he immediately activated his Silver Eyes of Truth.

He didn't dare look at the departing Lin Yafeng. The perception of an Emperor Martial Realm powerhouse was incredibly sharp; even an ordinary glance might attract her attention.

Instead, Shen Lang examined the residual aura in the area where Lin Yafeng had just been standing.

No matter how well one concealed their aura, as long as they had been present, something would inevitably be left behind in the space.

The Silver Eyes of Truth pierced through illusion, leaving only reality.

Shen Lang scanned the small space inch by inch, searching for an aura that shouldn't exist there.

The next moment, a wisp of smoke no bigger than a fingernail appeared in his vision.

Under the gaze of the Silver Eyes of Truth, the tiny wisp of smoke slowly solidified, transforming into a strange creature with the head of a chicken, the neck of a snake, the chin of a swallow, the back of a tortoise, and the tail of a fish.

"A Black Phoenix!"

Shen Lang was shocked.

Lin Yafeng was actually the Phoenix he had detected when he first entered the Yumu Cave Blessed Land!

'How strange. Just how many of the Ten Great Divine Beasts are in the Demon God Hall? The Divine Beasts rarely appear in the world, but now I know that Taotie, the Phoenix, and the Vermilion Bird are in the Demon God Hall. I wonder about the others...'

Suppressing his shock, Shen Lang willed it so. A gale immediately whipped up around him, and he shot into the distance like a meteorite.

Without Xue Dangdang to slow him down, Shen Lang pushed his speed to the absolute limit.

Any Demon Birds that flew toward him in the air were annihilated by the light of his Immortal Celestial Saber, their corpses and Demon Crystals collected.

After flying five hundred li at this astonishing speed, Shen Lang came to a stop before an immense barrier of light.

The light barrier was so vast its edges were out of sight and so tall it pierced the clouds, seeming to envelop an entire section of the world.

Shen Lang glanced at the Light Wall before him and casually struck it with his palm.

Although he only used ten percent of his Power, the Palm Force was mighty, and the Gang Feng it generated was fierce. It instantly struck the Light Wall three meters ahead!

BOOM!

A brilliant flash erupted from the Light Wall. A Palm Wind ten times stronger than Shen Lang's attack instantly swept back toward him!

The rebound was so fast that even Shen Lang, who had been prepared for it, almost couldn't react in time!

'So strong!'

In a flash, Shen Lang crossed his arms in front of him and braced himself, forcefully receiving the incomparably fierce and domineering Palm Wind!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Like a crack of furious thunder, Shen Lang was thrown backward, plowing a long, deep trench in the ground.

Shaking his hands, Shen Lang slowly walked back.

It was only a strike with ten percent of his Power, yet Shen Lang felt as if he'd just taken a blow from his own full-strength attack. His arms were a little numb.

'Not only does it reflect attacks, but it can also gather the Energy on the Barrier in an instant, increasing the attack's power tenfold and more than doubling its speed... For just a dilapidated Barrier to be this powerful, the Pocket World Blessed Lands truly live up to their reputation.'

Activating his Silver Eyes of Truth once more, Shen Lang's eyebrows shot up!

'This powerful Barrier covers an area of more than three thousand square li, completely enclosing this space. The Dragon Scale Divine Hall is inside.'

His Silver Eyes of Truth scanned outward from the edge of the light barrier. After a long while, he finally found an entrance two hundred li away.

Shen Lang's figure blurred. He flew swiftly toward the entrance he had discovered, staying close to the edge of the massive light barrier.

When he finally arrived at the Barrier's entrance and stood before the opening that resembled a Celestial Gate, Shen Lang stood quietly for a moment.

This enormous Barrier was like a huge, abandoned castle.

The castle gates were wide open and unguarded, a lamentable sight.

Shen Lang scanned both sides of the gate and stepped inside without hesitation.

The moment he entered the space within the Barrier, Shen Lang's brow furrowed. He immediately sensed something strange.

As soon as he entered the Barrier, an invisible force faintly coiled around his entire body.

'There's a different set of Rules inside the Barrier.' A thought immediately popped into Shen Lang's head.

Sure enough, the moment Shen Lang's body lifted into the air, the strange force he had only faintly felt before immediately bound him tightly!

At the same time, high above, a bolt of lightning as thick as an arm crashed down with a deafening ROAR!