"You guessed correctly. I've already viewed this Mirror Pearl, and the surprise I personally prepared…"
"Has already been claimed," the Immortal Armament Villa Master said.
"Claimed? Someone actually claimed it? Who was it? How did they manage it?"
"Indeed, Villa Master — who could possibly possess such ability?"
At that moment, the many elders of the Immortal Armament Villa were all asking with undisguised curiosity.
They all knew what that surprise was.
It was that Spirit World Beast.
And so they also knew just how formidable that Spirit World Beast was.
For anyone to defeat that Spirit World Beast…
That person would effectively claim first place in this hunting competition.
"I only just came out of seclusion myself, so I wasn't able to see how he defeated the Spirit World Beast. However, from what others have been discussing, I learned that it was a young man named Chu Feng," the Immortal Armament Villa Master said.
"Chu Feng — could he also be a member of the Chu Heavenly Clan?" the red-haired elder asked.
At the same time, everyone present narrowed their eyes with keen interest.
From the exchange between the Immortal Armament Villa Master and the red-haired elder, it was clear that the person who had defeated that Spirit World Beast and obtained the so-called surprise was no ordinary individual.
If this Chu Feng was also a member of the Chu Heavenly Clan, then it would mean that yet another extraordinary talent had emerged among this generation's juniors.
"Not so," the Immortal Armament Villa Master shook his head and turned his gaze toward Chu Xianshuo. "Young friend Chu Xianshuo, it seems you've finally met your match this time."
At that moment, Chu Xianshuo's expression darkened. Then, his palm shot forward, and a brilliant radiance erupted from within.
It was the power of an Immortal-level formation — and at the Snake Mark rank.
"A Snake Mark Immortal-cloak Spirit World Master! Young Master Chu Xianshuo is truly formidable!"
When the crowd saw the formation power emanating from Chu Xianshuo, compliments poured forth without restraint.
But Chu Xianshuo paid no heed to those praising him.
The formation power flowed outward from his palm and quickly coalesced into a formation array. The array took shape and outlined a portrait — and that portrait was none other than Chu Feng.
"Villa Master of the Immortal Armament Villa, is this the Chu Feng you spoke of?" Chu Xianshuo asked.
"That is the one. Could it be that Young Master Chu Xianshuo knows him?" the Villa Master asked.
"Heh…"
Chu Xianshuo let out a cold laugh before speaking:
"Know him? Of course I know him. This person was disrespectful to me before, so I beat him like a dog — had him kneeling on the ground, begging for mercy."
"I was merciful enough to let him go, yet he dare be this audacious — using the power of formations inside the hunting grounds to cause trouble for my Chu Heavenly Clan juniors?"
"He must truly be tired of living."
Chu Xianshuo spoke through gritted teeth.
Hearing these words, the onlookers were all taken aback.
None of them had expected that the person called Chu Feng was not only not a member of the Chu Heavenly Clan — but that he also had such a serious grudge against Chu Xianshuo.
Inwardly, they all broke into a cold sweat for Chu Feng.
After all, anyone who offended the Chu Heavenly Clan was in for terrible misfortune.
"Young friend Chu Xianshuo, you haven't viewed the hunting grounds through the Mirror Pearl yourself — so how can you know that this Chu Feng caused trouble for your Chu Heavenly Clan juniors?" the Villa Master asked.
"A guess," Chu Xianshuo said.
"A pity that your guess is wrong," the Villa Master replied. "Though I haven't witnessed it with my own eyes either, from what your Chu Heavenly Clan juniors and others have been saying, I've learned that it was your Chu Heavenly Clan juniors who picked the fight first — and it was Chu Feng who taught them a lesson."
"You—" Chu Xianshuo's expression turned extremely ugly, a trace of fury rising to his face.
Before the Chu Heavenly Clan juniors had entered, they had already declared they would go after Chu Feng. How could he not know what had happened?
But the Villa Master had just laid out the truth in front of everyone — this was a slap to the face of both Chu Xianshuo and the Chu Heavenly Clan juniors.
After all, to bully someone only to be humiliated in return — that was a deeply shameful thing.
"Your word alone — why should I believe that?"
Suddenly, Chu Xianshuo fired back. He flatly refused to admit that his Chu Heavenly Clan juniors had attacked Chu Feng.
"My Mirror Pearl can see everything inside the hunting grounds," the Villa Master said.
"What you see isn't what I see. If you say so, then I suppose so," Chu Xianshuo said.
"Heh…" The Villa Master smiled faintly and said:
"Young friend Chu Xianshuo, I know you're upset, but arguing with me is pointless. If you have the ability, then enter the hunting grounds and defeat Chu Feng yourself."
"You don't need to tell me — I'll go in and deal with him. This hunting competition: as long as I, Chu Xianshuo, am participating, then first place will certainly be mine," Chu Xianshuo said.
"Though I'm afraid you may not be able to beat this Chu Feng," the Villa Master said.
"What makes you think I can't?" Chu Xianshuo's sharp brows shot upward in displeasure as he demanded.
"Simply because he defeated the Spirit World Beast I personally set up," the Villa Master said.
"And you dare say I can't?" Chu Xianshuo asked.
"Heh…" The Villa Master smiled faintly again, but gave no answer.
He knew very well that he had set up that Spirit World Beast precisely to make things difficult for Chu Xianshuo. So he was virtually certain that Chu Xianshuo would be unable to defeat it.
"I told you — this Chu Feng has fought me before, and in my presence he didn't even have the strength to fight back," Chu Xianshuo said.
"Martial cultivation is martial cultivation, and the art of formations is the art of formations — the two cannot be conflated," the Villa Master said.
"Then I'll show you that even in the art of formations, I can beat him like a dog and pin him to the ground," Chu Xianshuo said.
"Heh, this old man only believes what I see," the Villa Master said.
Seeing the Villa Master like this, Chu Xianshuo grew even more displeased — he could tell that the Villa Master looked down on him.
But then, an idea struck Chu Xianshuo, and a clever thought sparked in his mind. He spoke:
"You're right. You believe what you see, and I imagine everyone here is the same."
"What happened in the past — no one can easily draw conclusions about that."
"But what's about to happen… everyone here can serve as a witness."
"Since your Mirror Pearl can see everything inside the hunting grounds, why don't you make it public for all to see — let everyone witness what happens next inside those grounds," Chu Xianshuo said to the Villa Master.
"Young friend Chu Xianshuo — you mean you want everyone to witness what happens after you enter the hunting grounds?" the Villa Master asked.
"What's the matter — can't you do it?" Chu Xianshuo asked provocatively.
"It can be done, only… I advise you to think twice before you act," the Villa Master said.
"You look down on me? Fine — the more you look down on me, the more I'll show you."
"My, Chu Xianshuo's, formation art is not something a piece of trash like Chu Feng could ever compare to," Chu Xianshuo said.
"Very well. A young man should have exactly this kind of confidence."
"If you insist, then this old man will grant your wish." As the Villa Master spoke, he began arranging a formation array.
The moment he acted, winds surged and clouds churned. Blinding formation energy quickly coalesced into a massive formation.
This grand formation used the Mirror Pearl as its core — and so it could display the events unfolding within the hunting grounds.
However, it could only show a portion. The image currently displayed to everyone was of the entrance to the hunting grounds.
"This formation will track you. So everything you experience after entering the hunting grounds, everyone here will be able to see," the Villa Master said.
Hearing this, everyone present grew excited.
They had come here precisely to witness whether Chu Xianshuo would claim first place in this hunting competition.
And now, they would actually have the opportunity to see everything Chu Xianshuo experienced inside the hunting grounds — something they had never even dared to imagine before.
"All of you — every last one of you here — keep your eyes wide open."
"Watch how I, Chu Xianshuo, beat that Chu Feng into the ground."
Having said this, Chu Xianshuo launched himself forward and soared into the hunting grounds.