Chapter 1138: Standing on One's Own

But by the time they came to their senses, they realized that Chu Feng and the others had already disappeared — they had left.

After departing from the Stable Branch, Chu Feng and his group did not return to their respective territories. Instead, they all headed to Chu Feng's territory together...

"What? Brother Chu Feng, you've fallen out with the Transcendence Branch?"

"Brother Chu Feng, it's all my fault. If I hadn't asked for your help, if you hadn't stepped in for our sake, you wouldn't have missed the chance to join the Transcendence Branch."

"Missing out on the Transcendence Branch is one thing, but now Brother Chu Feng has made enemies of them. If they seek revenge later, what will we do? We've really dragged Brother Feng into a huge mess."

After arriving at his territory, Chu Feng told Wang Wei and the others about what had happened with the Transcendence Branch. Upon hearing the news, they were all consumed with guilt.

Although missing the opportunity to join the Transcendence Branch was regrettable, having cost Chu Feng his chance as well — and even earned them a powerful enemy — was something they could not forgive themselves for. After all, the Transcendence Branch was one of the top ten forces in the entire Core Area, and its leader, Long Chenyi, was a notorious prodigy. Even before they had set foot on Green Wood Mountain, they had already heard of Long Chenyi's name.

"There's no need to worry, fellow seniors. The Green Wood Southern Forest has already formed an alliance with the Feather Ascension Sect. Even if the Transcendence Branch has objections toward me, constrained as they are by the elders, they wouldn't dare do anything." Chu Feng reassured them.

"Really? If the Transcendence Branch truly won't cause trouble for Brother Chu Feng, that would be wonderful." Hearing this, the weight lifting from Wang Wei and the others' hearts was palpable, and the worry on their faces eased considerably.

"It's just a shame that Brother Chu Feng couldn't join the Transcendence Branch. With his talent, he would have thrived there — perhaps even surpassed Long Chenyi one day and taken over as branch leader." Still, some couldn't help but feel regret on Chu Feng's behalf.

"Master, someone has come to see you." Just then, a servant girl walked into the hall and stepped forward to report.

"Who is it?" Chu Feng asked.

"They say it's your senior brother," the servant replied.

"Senior brother?" Chu Feng looked baffled, and everyone else was equally confused. They couldn't figure out who would come looking for Chu Feng — everyone they knew was already right here. Where had this senior brother come from?

"Brother Chu Feng, it's us." Just then, a voice rang out, and six figures appeared in Chu Feng's line of sight. It turned out that these so-called senior brothers were none other than those six good-for-nothing seniors.

"You still dare to come here? Haven't you gotten beaten up enough by Brother Chu Feng?" Upon seeing the six, Wang Wei and the others spoke up in displeasure.

"Fellow junior brothers and sisters, we were in the wrong before. But we haven't come here to cause trouble — we genuinely have something to beg of Brother Chu Feng." The six good-for-nothing seniors spoke.

Chu Feng signaled Wang Wei and the others to keep quiet, then said, "What is it? Go ahead and speak."

"Brother Chu Feng, hear me out. My name is Fang Tuohai. When I first entered Green Wood Mountain, I was far from being at the bottom, and I certainly wasn't someone content with mediocrity. But because I offended someone, no branch was willing to take me in. I suffered constant oppression here in the Core Area, and even when taking missions, others would sabotage me, causing repeated failures. With no other option, I founded this Stable Branch."

"Stable Branch — as the name suggests, by that point my fighting spirit had been ground away entirely. All I wanted was a measure of peace. I hoped to build my own force and quietly spend the rest of my days at Green Wood Mountain. But a full twenty years have passed. I've had my peace, yes — but it was peace bought through swallowing my pride time and again."

"Twenty full years. The Stable Branch has been developing for twenty years, and yet to this day it has only six people. I truly don't want to keep living like this, which is why I resorted to threatening you into joining." Fang Tuohai, the leader of the Stable Branch, said with a helpless expression.

"No matter your reasons, bullying your junior brothers is simply wrong. You don't need to justify yourself — doing so only makes me respect you less," Chu Feng said.

"You're right, Brother Chu Feng. Wrong is wrong. I'm not saying this to excuse myself. I simply don't want to go on like this anymore. Today, I saw hope — I saw hope in you, Brother Chu Feng."

"So I beg you, Brother Chu Feng, to join the Stable Branch. I'm willing to give up the leadership position. Please lead us and help us grow!" At these words, Fang Tuohai suddenly grew emotional and dropped to his knees with a thud.

"Brother Chu Feng, please! Our Southern Forest disciples have long suffered under oppression, and that is the fundamental reason why it's so hard for us to rise. There are still many Southern Forest disciples who haven't joined any branch — not because they don't want to, but because no one will take them in."

"But if you became the leader of our Stable Branch, with someone of your strength at the helm, I believe those fellow brothers and sisters would be willing to join us."

"At that point, our Southern Forest disciples would no longer be wandering homeless within Green Wood Mountain. At the very least, those brothers and sisters who are marginalized and squeezed out by others would have a place to put down roots." At the same time, the other five good-for-nothing seniors also dropped to their knees, pleading with Chu Feng.

In that moment, Chu Feng was deeply moved. He studied the six of them carefully and found that their eyes were filled with a burning yearning — a fierce, pent-up longing born of years of oppression, a desperate desire to change their circumstances.

In that moment, for reasons he couldn't quite explain, his resentment toward these six good-for-nothing seniors had not only diminished but had given way to genuine pity. A surge of sympathy welled up within him.

Who lives in this world without a spine? No one is born destined to submit. But as the saying goes, when you live under someone's roof, you have no choice but to bow your head. Everyone has fought back at some point, only to be crushed by cruel reality until they were forced to submit. These six seniors were clearly that kind of people.

And from their words, Chu Feng could tell that there were many more Southern Forest disciples like them at Green Wood Mountain — only those disciples didn't even have as much courage.

At the very least, these six good-for-nothing seniors, after being pushed out by other branches, had still mustered the courage to establish a branch of their own. But the other marginalized Southern Forest disciples didn't even have that much courage. They drifted aimlessly, like homeless people, existing in a wretched half-life in the Core Area of Green Wood Mountain — truly the lowest of the low.

"Brother Chu Feng, since the Transcendence Branch won't take us in anyway, rather than joining another branch and having to watch their every mood, maybe we should..." At this point, Wang Wei and the others also turned to look at Chu Feng.

In truth, they hoped Chu Feng would establish his own branch. But at the same time, they were conflicted — after all, Chu Feng was not like them. His talent was extraordinary, and with his strength, there were surely many branches in the Core Area that would welcome him.

Starting a branch of his own, compared to joining an already powerful one, meant a much lower starting point. For them, that might be beneficial. But for Chu Feng, the benefits would be far fewer.

ps: As you all wished.