Upon seeing the token in Chu Feng's hand, Elder Ning Shuang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The token Chu Feng held had been gifted to him by Xu Yiyi that day — it was indeed a death-exemption token. With this token in hand, no matter what offense Chu Feng had committed, the authorities of Luoxia Valley were not permitted to execute him.
To do so would be a direct affront to Xu Yiyi's Master.
Unless it was the Valley Master of Luoxia Valley or Xu Yiyi's Master himself, no one had the authority to kill Chu Feng.
As such, the so-called enforcement elders present clearly possessed neither the right nor the standing to execute him.
"It looks like I won't be dying today." A cold smirk tugged at the corner of Chu Feng's lips as he took in the elders' expressions — they looked as though they had just eaten shit.
When Chu Feng said that, Elder Songming's teeth ground together so hard that even though there was clearly a great distance between them, Chu Feng could hear the sound of his jaw clenching.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way." As Chu Feng spoke, he turned to leave.
"Halt!" Elder Songming bellowed. At the same time, the pressure of a sixth-grade Martial Ancestor swept across the land like a cataclysm, sealing the space and binding Chu Feng within it.
"What do you want?" Chu Feng asked coldly.
"What do I want? You killed Chu Luyang — I ought to execute you on the spot. But seeing as you carry Elder Su's death-exemption token, and out of respect for Elder Su, I will let you off for now."
"However, sparing your life today does not mean I am letting you go. I will bring you back to Luoxia Valley and hand you over to the Chief Enforcement Elder and the Valley Master for judgment."
"Men — seize this boy!" Elder Songming commanded.
The moment his words fell, the Luoxia Valley elders surged forward, binding Chu Feng tightly with special ropes.
Under these circumstances, Chu Feng naturally had no desire to submit passively. Yet Elder Songming's strength was that of a sixth-grade Martial Ancestor. Against such a master, even if Chu Feng consumed his last Immortalization Pill and raised his cultivation to the fifth-grade Martial Ancestor, he would still be no match.
Escape was impossible. Rather than struggle uselessly, he might as well go along with them.
Once in Luoxia Valley, he would clear everything up. The evidence was ironclad — Chu Luyang deserved to die. Chu Feng refused to believe that the Valley Master of Luoxia Valley was so devoid of discernment that he would execute Chu Feng over the death of a man who had it coming.
And so Chu Feng was escorted toward Luoxia Valley.
Along the way, the medicinal power of the Immortalization Pill within Chu Feng's body rapidly dissipated. In the blink of an eye, his cultivation reverted from the fourth-grade Martial Ancestor back to the fourth-grade Half Ancestor.
"Your cultivation has returned to normal. I don't know what trick you used to elevate it, but there's nothing I despise more than people who rely on cheap, underhanded methods to boost their strength," Elder Songming mocked, his voice dripping with contempt.
The other elders cast their own looks of disdain at Chu Feng as well.
But Chu Feng turned a blind eye to their scorn.
"Young friend Chu Feng, listen to me — don't reply out loud." Just then, a silent voice transmission slipped quietly into Chu Feng's ears. It was Elder Ning Shuang.
"Chu Feng, the higher-ups of Luoxia Valley already know what you did at Cloud Crane Mountain. But there is something I must tell you."
"Li Rui's Master, Elder Tuoba, is no ordinary figure within our Luoxia Valley. He is the Chief Enforcement Elder."
"Every single person here belongs to the Enforcement Department. In other words, they are all subordinates of Li Rui's Master."
"And right now, Xu Yiyi's Master, Elder Su, is in seclusion. If Li Rui's Master insists on coming after you, I'm afraid no one will be able to speak on your behalf or plead for your life." Elder Ning Shuang transmitted via secret voice.
Hearing this, Chu Feng's brows furrowed slightly.