Chu Feng walked over to Tuoba Cheng'an's mutilated corpse and collected his Universe Bag along with all the treasures on his body.
He did not even spare Tuoba Cheng'an's origin.
Chu Feng stored the origin away, intending to let the Queen use it for cultivation once she woke from her slumber.
Throughout the Queen's period of secluded cultivation, Chu Feng had kept to this habit.
For those whose cultivation was weak, killing them was killing them — nothing more to be done.
But for those of formidable cultivation, before striking them down, Chu Feng had always seized their origins in advance, preserving them for the Queen.
"Farewell, everyone."
After collecting Tuoba Cheng'an's origin, Chu Feng prepared to leave this place.
After all, saving these clansmen had been nothing more than a passing convenience — there was no real bond between them, so he had little concern for whatever they planned to do next.
"My Lord, please wait."
But just as Chu Feng was about to set off, an elderly figure among the Underground Iron Beast Clan suddenly spoke up.
Chu Feng turned to look and found that all the clansmen of the Underground Iron Beast Clan were still kneeling on the ground.
"I've already told you — I had a personal grudge against Tuoba Cheng'an. Even without you, I would not have let him go."
"There is no need for this. Please, rise." As he spoke, Chu Feng raised his arm.
And every last one of the Underground Iron Beast Clan's members rose to their feet in unison with the motion of his arm.
It was Chu Feng who had used his own power to force them upright.
Yet, once they had risen, the elder who had spoken before performed a shocking act.
He raised one arm and then brought it crashing down — with a wet squelch, he drove his own sharp claw into his body.
What followed was even more astonishing: every single member of the Underground Iron Beast Clan mirrored the elder's action, plunging their claws into their own bodies in the same manner.
"What are you doing?"
Even Chu Feng was stunned by the sight.
Gratitude was one thing, but was there any need for self-mutilation?
Was this some kind of custom unique to the Underground Iron Beast Clan — a way of repaying a great benefactor through self-harm?
Or perhaps they had grown angry because Chu Feng had refused to let them kneel?
And so they had resorted to this extreme measure?
No matter how he turned the thought over in his mind, none of it seemed to make sense.
"Benefactor, today you saved our clan and spared us from the catastrophe of annihilation."
"This is a debt of gratitude beyond what our clan can ever hope to repay."
"All we can offer is whatever little we have within our means. Please, benefactor — you must accept this."
Pfft—
The elder finished speaking and withdrew the blade from his own body.
Pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft—
In quick succession, every member of the Underground Iron Beast Clan pulled the blades from their bodies as well.
What Chu Feng saw next left him frozen in place once more.
He watched in disbelief as blood began to flow from the wounds of the Underground Iron Beast Clan's members.
But it was no ordinary blood — it shimmered with a green luminescence and emanated a distinctive aura.
Chu Feng recognized it at a glance: it was blood infused with the power of the bloodline.
More than mere blood, it was their unique bloodline essence itself.
As that luminous blood seeped from their bodies, every member of the Underground Iron Beast Clan seemed to suffer a devastating blow, growing visibly weakened.
Many of them collapsed to the ground outright, too feeble even to sit up.