Boom—
But just then, a massive surge of power suddenly appeared, forcibly scattering the martial force Chu Feng had been using to besiege Soulforge.
In that instant, Chu Feng's brow furrowed, because he realized with shock that a figure had materialized before Soulforge — and it was this person who had broken apart his attack.
The figure had white hair, yet wore a black robe. He was gaunt as a skeleton, his face a roadmap of wrinkles.
He was ancient. Chu Feng couldn't even begin to tell how many ages this man had lived.
He was the kind of person who, at first glance, looked like a desiccated corpse that had just crawled out of a coffin — utterly terrifying.
This was clearly someone whose lifespan had long since reached its limit — or rather, someone who had exceeded his natural lifespan long ago, kept alive only by extraordinary means.
Moreover, from this person's body, Chu Feng sensed an aura of malevolence several times denser than Soulforge's. That most likely meant he, too, was a member of the Soul Infant Sect.
But this man's strength was absolutely not to be underestimated. Through the power of the offensive formation, Chu Feng could sense that this individual was a Ninth Rank Martial Ancestor — a true peak Martial Ancestor who stood just one step away from becoming a True Immortal.
And beyond the overwhelming malevolence, this person's killing intent was even more potent. The moment he appeared, the sky turned dark and the earth seemed to fall into shadow. His terrifying killing intent blanketed the entire area, sending a chill down the spine of every person present.
"Heavens — could that be the legendary Ghostfiend Old Demon?!"
Suddenly, an older spectator pointed at the elder standing before Soulforge and cried out in alarm. His voice was trembling, and his face was filled with undisguised horror.
"What?! The Ghostfiend Old Demon? That's the legendary Ghostfiend Old Demon?"
"The Ghostfiend Old Demon is still alive?"
"Run — everyone, run!!!"
Once his identity was confirmed, many of the onlookers grew visibly tense. Quite a few were so frightened they began to tremble, turning on their heels to flee. Their reaction to the so-called Ghostfiend Old Demon was one of unmistakable terror.
"Master, Master, save me!" Upon seeing the old man, Soulforge was both astonished and elighted, crying out for help as if he'd just spotted a lifeline.
"Look at you — what a pathetic sight. What are you panicking for?"
"With me here, no one will lay another finger on you." The Ghostfiend Old Demon turned and shot Soulforge a glare, his tone carrying the frustration of a mentor disappointed in his student.
Though Soulforge's face flushed with shame under that glare, he did manage to steady his nerves, no longer as frantic as before.
"No wonder Soulforge is so vicious — he's actually... the Ghostfiend Old Demon's disciple!!!"
"Young friend Chu Feng, run! The Ghostfiend Old Demon is not someone you can afford to provoke!"
"Chu Feng, get out of here!!!"
Once the crowd learned that Soulforge was the Ghostfiend Old Demon's disciple, many began transmitting urgent voice messages to Chu Feng in secret. Even Xu Yiyi and Song Biyu privately warned him, their words heavy with anxiety and unease.
From the spectators' whispered discussions, Chu Feng had already pieced together the Ghostfiend Old Demon's background.
The Ghostfiend Old Demon was a notorious figure in the Hundred Refinements Ordinary Realm. True to his name, he was no righteous man — he was a fearsome great demon lord.
However, he had supposedly vanished for a hundred years. His reappearance now was naturally a shock.
But beyond the surprise came dread, because the Ghostfiend Old Demon's fearsome reputation was immense. He was someone of overwhelming strength who committed every manner of evil.
He was a being who stood just one step from becoming a True Immortal.
Facing such an existence, it was no wonder that some of the onlookers were scrambling to flee — they were clearly terrified of being dragged into the crossfire.
But Chu Feng was not afraid. From the spectators' discussions and his own observations, he could all but confirm that while the Ghostfiend Old Demon's cultivation was formidable, he was not someone who possessed heaven-defying combat strength.
In other words, his cultivation was at the Ninth Rank of Martial Ancestors, but his true combat power was roughly at that same level.
For Chu Feng, who harbored two crystal giants and commanded the offensive formation, a Ghostfiend Old Demon of that caliber was nothing to be feared — at the very least, he had the strength to fight.
"Chu Feng... why isn't he running?"
"Has he been scared stupid?"