"Good. I'm grateful to all of you who are willing to trust me. Because you've placed your trust in me, I must guarantee your safety."
He then turned to Elder Huang Guan and
"
"Even though they don't believe me, I cannot simply abandon them to their fate," Chu Feng said.
"But if the killing formation truly exists, there's nothing you can do by staying behind," Elder Huang Guan said.
"I have another method, though I can't guarantee it will be effective. Still, I have to give it a try," Chu Feng said.
"Ch-Chu Feng, they don't believe you—they're beyond hope. Even if they die, they deserve it."
"You—you—why don't you just let them die? Wh-Why bother with them?" Wang Qiang said, speaking loudly enough for the people who had stayed behind to hear—an open insult aimed squarely at them.
And indeed, the expressions on the faces of those who had chosen to remain were none too pleasant. They all felt that by refusing to listen to Chu Feng, they had somewhat betrayed his good intentions. But there was nothing to be done—they didn't want to have made the trip for nothing, after all. They harbored their own selfish desires.
"They can choose not to believe me, but I absolutely cannot abandon them. That is my responsibility," Chu Feng said with a smile. He wasn't angry in the slightest, as though he had already anticipated this outcome.
Seeing Chu Feng like this, the crowd felt even more ashamed…
"Responsibility? What a joke. It's clear he's been called out, so he's decided to just throw in the towel and refuse to leave—because he can't bear to part with the treasures here."
"So, everyone, whatever you do, don't let this fellow deceive you." Seeing the crowd's guilt, Elder Yue Ling once again tried to sow discord.
Zzz-crack—!
But the moment Elder Yue Ling finished speaking, a bolt of lightning flashed, and Chu Feng appeared before him like a specter. The Thunder Armor and Thunder Wings materialized around him, and his entire body crackled with lightning.
At that moment, Chu Feng was not only blazing with lightning—he also exuded a terrifying oppressive might that forced Elder Yue Ling to retreat step after step.
Sensing Chu Feng's killing intent, Elder Yue Ling flipped his palm and produced a half-finished Imperial Armament. He intended to strike first—to attack Chu Feng before Chu Feng could make his move.
Swish—!
Clang-clang-clang—!
However, the half-finished Imperial Armament had barely been raised when a streak of silver light flashed, and Chu Feng's Coiled Dragon Fury Slash cleaved it cleanly in two. The two halves spun rapidly through the air before clattering to the ground.
In that instant, Elder Yue Ling's face went gray as death. He stood frozen in place as though petrified, not daring to move a muscle, cold sweat pouring down his aged face.
In that brief moment, he had felt the immense gulf between himself and Chu Feng. If Chu Feng wanted him dead, he would die without question—he possessed no power to resist whatsoever.
"How dare you! How dare you be disrespectful to an Elder? Are you trying to oppose our Heavenly Dao House?" The Heavenly Dao House cultivators finally reacted, drawing their weapons and pointing them at Chu Feng.
"So what if I am?" Chu Feng swept his gaze over them, his voice cold.
When those cultivators met Chu Feng's gaze, those who had been itching to fight suddenly began backing away. Many started trembling uncontrollably, cold sweat streaming down their bodies. Some were so terrified that they collapsed straight to the ground.
Killing intent. Faced with the overwhelming killing intent radiating from Chu Feng, they suddenly felt utterly ridiculous.
Even the strongest among them—Elder Yue Ling—was no match for Chu Feng. What could they possibly do? They would only be throwing their lives away.
They all understood a fundamental truth: in the face of absolute power, numbers meant nothing. And Chu Feng was precisely that kind of powerhouse.
"Chu Feng, if you kill me, it only proves that you have something to hide. Even if I die, the Heavenly Dao House will never let you go," Elder Yue Ling threatened.
"You think I wouldn't dare kill you?" Chu Feng's expression remained unchanged, utterly fearless. At the same time, the Coiled Dragon Fury Slash in his hand drifted ever closer to Elder Yue Ling.
"You—you—you—" Elder Yue Ling stammered, too nervous to form words, rain-like sweat pouring from his brow. He was truly terrified of death.
"Killing you would take but a single strike. But I won't kill you, because doing so would only dirty my hands."
"As for what I've told everyone versus what you've told them—sooner or later, the truth will come to light. I have a clear conscience, and I'm in no rush."
After speaking, Chu Feng withdrew the Coiled Dragon Fury Slash, then walked over to the Peach of Immortality tree and sat down cross-legged, closing his eyes.
As for Elder Yue Ling, his breathing was ragged and labored, and he kept wiping the cold sweat from his face. Just moments ago, he had felt as though he had stepped through the gates of hell. Though he had managed to escape with his life, he was practically on the verge of collapse.
Thud—!
Suddenly, Chu Feng opened his eyes. Someone had sat down beside him. Looking over, he saw Wang Qiang grinning at him foolishly, baring his big teeth.