The moment Chu Feng spoke those words, the crowd's eyes shifted.
Only now did they suddenly realize why Chu Feng had struck Li Anzhi so ruthlessly.
It had been deliberate — he had wanted to teach Li Anzhi a lesson.
And it all stemmed from the fact that Li Anzhi had provoked Chu Feng.
Now everyone understood: Chu Xuanyuan was Chu Feng's forbidden scale.
One that must never be touched.
…
"Chu Feng, I will remember the humiliation of today. One day, I will repay you many times over."
Li Anzhi was utterly exhausted now, his voice weak and feeble — yet it carried a thick edge of killing intent.
Everything Chu Feng had done to him, everything he had said, was nothing short of humiliation in his eyes.
At this moment, his hatred for Chu Feng was bone-deep, and he wanted nothing more than to kill him.
"Fine. If you wish to come fight, I, Chu Feng, will be ready at any time," Chu Feng said nonchalantly, looking for all the world as though he had never once considered Li Anzhi a threat from beginning to end.
Whoosh — whoosh —
At that moment, two younger members of the Li Clan Heavenly Tribe flew down onto the dueling stage and helped Li Anzhi back onto the war chariot.
The crowd watched Li Anzhi's back as he was carried into the chariot.
Then they looked at Chu Feng, standing tall and unshaken on the dueling stage, utterly unperturbed.
Waves crashed through the hearts of everyone present, churning and roiling within their chests.
The one who had just been defeated — that was Li Anzhi.
"Chu Feng, you think you've won?" Li Anzhi's younger brother, Li Tianyou, stared at Chu Feng with eyes full of resentment.
"Otherwise? Did I lose?" Chu Feng shot back.
"Today's battle was nothing more than a friendly spar. The real war — the war between our clans — I advise you to prepare yourselves."
As Li Tianyou spoke, he swept his gaze across the members of the Chu Clan Heavenly Tribe. His eyes were sharp, brimming not only with fury but with a thick undercurrent of threat.
A mere junior — threatening an entire clan.
And yet, against all expectations, his words landed.
Li Tianyou's declaration made it clear to the Chu Clan Heavenly Tribe and to the entire Great Thousand Upper Realm alike: the Li Clan Heavenly Tribe had already nocked the arrow to the string. Once the Gate to the Upper Realm fully opened, a great war was all but inevitable.
"Li Tianyou, let me ask you something. Before you came here today, did you ever consider the possibility of this defeat?" Chu Feng asked suddenly.
"It was just a spar. Why must you be so arrogant? My brother will come to collect what is owed," Li Tianyou replied.
"Heh." Chu Feng smiled faintly. "Actually, there's something I'd like to say to you."
"Today, before you came here, you never considered losing — because you were filled with confidence."
"But what I want you to know is this: what you imagine in your hearts, what you see with your eyes, may not be the truth at all."
"I would advise you to return to the Li Clan Heavenly Tribe and carefully relay my words to your elders."
"If your Li Clan Heavenly Tribe behaves itself, then even when the Gate to the Upper Realm opens, the Chu Clan Heavenly Tribe will not so much as touch a hair on your heads."
"But if your Li Clan Heavenly Tribe harbors greedy ambitions — if you dare to march your armies into Chu Clan territory without permission — then do not blame the Chu Clan Heavenly Tribe for showing no mercy." Chu Feng said.
"I must have misheard — are you threatening me?" Li Tianyou asked.
"This is no threat. It is a warning. But if your clan refuses to heed it, this warning will become reality," Chu Feng said.
"Ha ha ha ha…"
Suddenly, Li Tianyou threw his head back and erupted into laughter.
At the same time, several other Li Clan Heavenly Tribe juniors present joined in.