"You see? So many people can testify — you can't deny it. So if young friend Chu Feng can break this formation, then even if you don't eat shit, you should at least apologize."
"Everyone, am I right?" Elder Huang Guan spoke up once more.
"Right!" The crowd responded in kind, their voices even louder than before.
Seeing this, Elder Yue Ling's face turned green with fury.
No matter what, he was the presiding elder of the Heavenly Dao Palace — and Chu Feng, no matter how you looked at it, was merely a junior. To be made to apologize to Chu Feng simply because of a few words — it was utterly unreasonable, and he simply could not bring himself to do it.
"O-Old Huang Guan, now there's someone with sense — way better than that old geezer," Wang Qiang dashed over to Elder Huang Guan and heaped praise upon him, never missing the chance to take a jab at Elder Yue Ling in the process.
Seeing that Wang Qiang called him "old geezer" at every turn yet addressed the elders of the Netherworld Hall with proper respect — such an extreme contrast only rubbed Elder Yue Ling the wrong way even more.
"Fine. If young friend Chu Feng can break this formation, I will publicly apologize to him." Caving to face, Elder Yue Ling agreed.
But the moment those words left his mouth, he added: "However, if young friend Chu Feng fails to break this formation, then I want this little beast to kneel and apologize to me." Elder Yue Ling pointed straight at Wang Qiang.
"Apologize? Apologize then! Af-Af-Afraid of you or what?" Wang Qiang wore a look of complete indifference.
"Elder Yue Ling, you need not apologize to me. But if I succeed, you must apologize to my friend," Chu Feng said.
"And why is that?" Elder Yue Ling's brow furrowed instantly.
He was not the only one — many people present wore expressions of confusion. Elder Yue Ling had indeed spoken disparagingly of Chu Feng, so the apology should have been directed at Chu Feng. Why had Chu Feng suddenly made such a demand?
"Wang Qiang is still a junior — young in age. Even if he speaks without thinking, as an elder you should be understanding."
"But you hold the esteemed position of Heavenly Dao Palace elder, and yet you called a junior a 'little beast.' I find that truly inappropriate. It is an insult to the younger generation, and conducting yourself that way is beneath the dignity of an elder," Chu Feng said.
Hearing this, the crowd suddenly understood — and their admiration for Chu Feng grew. They had not expected him to care so much for his friend.
As for Wang Qiang, he was so moved he was nearly in tears, vigorously wiping at dry eyes and pretending to blow his nose. But he was not actually crying, nor was there any snot — the guy just loved putting on a show.
"Well said! Young friend Chu Feng makes an excellent point!" Elder Huang Guan clapped and praised aloud. And with his words, many others chimed in agreement. Chu Feng's conduct had truly won people over and changed how they saw him.
At that moment, Elder Yue Ling's face was ashen — utterly livid. He truly had never imagined that a mere junior like Chu Feng could wield such influence over the crowd.
Normally, wherever he went, people lined up to flatter him. If he said one, nobody dared say two.
Yet today, he had actually lost the battle of public opinion to Chu Feng. It gnawed at him, and he refused to accept it.
"Young friend Chu Feng, since you wish to stand up for your friend, I will give you that face. We'll do as you say."
"Only… I'm afraid you won't be able to do it — and you'll drag your friend down with you." Elder Yue Ling finally agreed, though he spat the words out with venom.
In truth, he had refused earlier only because he did not want to bow his head to a junior — it would have been far too humiliating.
But the reality was, he truly looked down on Chu Feng's mastery of formation arts. So he ultimately agreed, because he wanted to see Chu Feng humiliated — wanted all those who believed in Chu Feng to learn that he was not nearly as strong as they imagined.
And he wanted Wang Qiang to kneel before him in front of everyone and beg forgiveness — and he wanted everyone to know that Wang Qiang was only kneeling because Chu Feng had brought it upon him, undone by Chu Feng's own arrogance.
"Then it seems… I'll have to disappoint Elder Yue Ling." Chu Feng smiled faintly. Then he raised his palm, and with a sharp whoosh, a streak of golden light shot like an arrow into the barrier formation blocking the path ahead.
Hummm— In that instant, the barrier formation — once thought to be utterly indestructible — began to tremble violently, then started dissolving. In the blink of an eye, it vanished entirely before the eyes of everyone present.