High Martial: I Use Everything as Swords

Chapter 178: Chapter 173: No, He’s Flying the Demon Beast Like an Airplane

By the time Han Feng made his final descent, Zhang Hao and the others were already assembled and on guard at the designated spot.

On the other side of the cliff, the stranded teams were green with envy.

They could only watch helplessly as the ferocious Tier One Peak Wind Falcon, under Han Feng’s control, transformed into the most obedient air taxi.

It ferried people across the deadly chasm, trip after trip.

This wasn’t a trial; it was a curb-stomp!

"Bro! Don’t go!"

Just as Han Feng was about to dismiss the Wind Falcon and rejoin his team, someone on the opposite cliff suddenly shouted through a megaphone.

"Can you take us across too? The price is negotiable!"

"Yeah! We’ll pay! Fifty Spirit Coins per person! Or we can give you Tier One Upper Grade ore!"

The shouts rose and fell one after another. Faced with the threat of death, everyone had become exceptionally pragmatic.

Han Feng, standing on the Wind Falcon’s back, glanced over his shoulder.

At least forty people were still stranded on the other side.

’If I really ferry them over one by one, it’ll take until nightfall.’

He lifted his wrist and glanced at his tactical watch.

Less than an hour and a half remained before the Gloom Period began.

’There’s barely enough time to travel as it is. I don’t have the luxury of playing taxi driver.’

"No. I’m in a hurry."

Han Feng’s voice wasn’t loud, but amplified by his Sword Essence, it reached everyone’s ears clearly.

A commotion stirred through the crowd on the other side, who clearly hadn’t expected someone to turn down good money.

"Bro, do me a favor!"

At that moment, a group of people emerged from the crowd on the other side.

Their leader was a tall young man carrying a sheathed longsword, and he possessed a remarkable air.

"I’m Chen Kai from the Furious Wave Society. I’m friends with your captain, Zhang Hao."

The young man shouted across the chasm.

"There are five of us. Just get us across, and I, Chen Kai, will owe you a favor. On top of that, we’ll pay a hundred Spirit Coins per person for your trouble, cash on the spot!"

Hearing the name, Zhang Hao, who was organizing the team, paused for a moment before walking to the cliff’s edge.

"It’s Old Chen."

Zhang Hao said, turning back to Han Feng.

"He’s an acquaintance, for real. We did a mission together once. He’s a decent guy."

Han Feng looked at Zhang Hao, then back at the man named Chen Kai on the other side.

’Five hundred Spirit Coins. Not a small sum.’

’But his Spiritual Power was already heavily drained. Maintaining his suppression on the Demon Beast for so long was like being locked in a prolonged mental wrestling match.’

’Ferrying people is too time-consuming, and we need to get moving.’

Han Feng patted the restless Wind Falcon beneath his feet as a sudden idea popped into his head.

He looked at Zhang Hao. "Captain, do you want this bird?"

Zhang Hao was taken aback. "What would I do with this thing? It’s not like I know Beast Taming."

"I’m not asking if you want to raise it. I’m asking if we can sell it."

Han Feng gestured toward the opposite cliff.

"Since he’s your friend, let’s just sell this ’taxi’ to them."

Zhang Hao’s eyes lit up instantly.

’What a brilliant idea!’

’Just hand the bird over, let them deal with it, and we make money *and* save time!’

"Old Chen!"

Zhang Hao yelled to the other side.

"My teammate Han Feng said he’s not playing chauffeur. But he’s willing to sell this ’bird’ to you!"

"What?"

Chen Kai clearly hadn’t processed what he’d just heard.

"Sell the bird?"

"This Wind Falcon. Six hundred Spirit Coins, or materials of equivalent value."

Han Feng took over, his voice cutting through the wind.

"Pay up, and the bird’s yours. With it, you can ferry as many people as you want."

The other side fell silent for a few seconds, clearly stunned by the wild proposal.

Buying and selling a live Demon Beast on-site as a "vehicle" inside a Secret Realm—this had to be a first.

"Is... is that reliable?"

Chen Kai was hesitant.

"None of us knows Beast Taming. What if this thing goes berserk midway?"

"I’ve already broken its will," Han Feng explained calmly.

"For the next half-hour, it’s just a dumb bird that will only follow simple commands. As long as you don’t stab it with a knife, it’ll be enough to get everyone across."

"Six hundred Spirit Coins. Final offer." freewebnσvel.cѳm

The group on the other side huddled together for a quick, urgent discussion.

Finally, Chen Kai grit his teeth. "Fine! We’ll buy it! But I don’t have that much cash on me. How about two Tier Two Wind Element Demon Cores plus three hundred Spirit Coins?"

Two Tier Two Wind Element Demon Cores had a market value of around three hundred Spirit Coins, maybe even more if their quality was high.

"Deal."

Han Feng’s agreement was swift.

He controlled the Wind Falcon to cross the chasm one last time, landing on the edge of the opposite cliff.

Chen Kai and his men had already cleared a space, warily watching the enormous bird of prey descend.

Han Feng hopped off the bird’s back. The Wind Falcon just stood there dazedly, its once-sharp eagle eyes now looking murky and lifeless.

Chen Kai readily handed over a pouch.

Han Feng opened it and glanced inside. After confirming everything was there, he poured the three hundred Spirit Coins into his own pocket and casually tossed the two Demon Cores to Zhang Hao, who was standing nearby.

"Right now, this bird’s intelligence is about on par with a dumb chicken’s."

Han Feng walked over to the Wind Falcon’s head, patted its hard beak twice, and infused another stream of Sword Essence into it, reinforcing the temporary suppression of its central nervous system.

"Someone get on, grab the feathers tightly. Pat its left neck to fly left, right neck for right. Pat its head to accelerate, pull its tail to slow down."

The simple operating instructions left Chen Kai completely stunned.

"It’s... that simple?"

"What did you expect?"

Han Feng waved his hand dismissively.

"Hurry up. It only lasts for half an hour. No refunds after it expires."

With that said, he paid no mind to how Chen Kai and his men would wrangle the unlucky Wind Falcon. He turned, walked to the cliff’s edge, and leaped off.

The Wingsuit deployed.

Riding the updraft, he glided elegantly back to the Sixth Floating Island.

"Let’s go."

After landing and retracting his suit, Han Feng didn’t even glance back at the chaotic scene behind him.

"Time to move."

By now, the sky had grown somewhat gloomy.

As if covered by a filthy gray veil, the light was rapidly dimming.

The frenzied fluctuations of Spiritual Qi in the air were growing more and more palpable.

The Gloom Period was almost here.

"Everyone, pick up the pace!"

Zhang Hao glanced at the sky, his expression grave.

"Destination: Wind Eye Market! Full speed ahead!"

The rest of the journey was still rugged, but without the chasm blocking their way, it wasn’t too difficult for this elite team.

Guided by Han Feng’s Perception Field, the group avoided all potential Demon Beast lairs and ambush points, weaving quickly through boulder fields and thickets.

Before long, a magnificent yet dilapidated complex of buildings appeared at the edge of their vision.

It was an ancient palace suspended in the center of a massive Floating Island.

Though most of the structures had collapsed, leaving only broken walls and crumbling ruins, one could still glimpse its former glory from the remaining colossal stone pillars and exquisite reliefs.

A faint, cyan curtain of light enveloped the palace.

Like a gigantic inverted bowl, it sealed off the blood-red mist that was gradually rising from the outside world.

Wind Eye Market.

The only Safe Zone in the core area of the Suspended Mountain Secret Realm, a gathering place where all explorers could trade and rest.

"We’re here."

Seeing the faintly glowing Energy Shield, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

A dense crowd had already gathered in the plaza outside the palace.

Most of them were in ragged clothes, their faces weary, and nearly all bore injuries of some kind.

Not a single person who had made it here alive was weak.

The arrival of the Sharp Sword Society drew more than a few stares.

After all, a team like theirs—in good order, full of energy, with even their backpacks bulging with supplies—was an anomaly among anomalies here.

"First, let’s find a place to settle in."

Zhang Hao expertly led the team through the noisy plaza to an area of stone houses on the palace’s periphery.

These were originally auxiliary buildings for the ancient palace, now converted by explorers into temporary safe houses.

"This one’s empty."

Han Feng pointed to a relatively well-preserved stone house in a corner. His Spiritual Vision had already swept through it, confirming it was safe inside.

The team entered quickly.

The stone house wasn’t large, only about thirty square meters, but it had a single exit, making it easy to defend and difficult to assault.

Most importantly, the walls of the house were inscribed with ancient Defense Runes. By placing Spirit Coins into a groove by the door, one could activate an independent Protective Barrier.

"Same as always."

Zhang Hao said as he assigned people to clean the dust from the room and handed out tasks.

"Fan Jian, Gu Yun, Liu Cheng—the three of you will guard this place. Hold it down."

"Everyone else, with me to the Trading Hall."

"The Gloom Period is about to start, and the Trading Hall will close. We have to hurry and offload some of the goods we’re holding!"