At that moment, facing Jie Shi's interrogation, Gu Tianchen stood high in the sky, brow furrowed, saying nothing. He knew that with the Spirit Realm arts Jie Shi commanded, the man could indeed deduce the location of the Spirit World Guild's teleportation array.
But right now, he couldn't admit it. If he did, it would deal a devastating blow to the guild's morale at a critical juncture before the coming battle.
"That old bastard Jie Shi isn't wrong—he did figure out the direction Vice Guild Master Gao and Brother Xu and the others fled, and he sent Jie Qingming, along with the sect masters of the four major factions and a number of powerful fighters, to cut them off." Just then, Chu Feng spoke up.
"Chu Feng, are you serious?" The moment those words left Chu Feng's mouth, the Spirit World Guild members panicked completely. The guild master and the senior elders—the higher-ups—all looked as though they were facing doomsday, their bodies trembling.
"I, Chu Feng, never lie. They had just intercepted Vice Guild Master Gao and the others and hadn't yet struck the killing blow when I, along with Zi Ling and Senior Brother Zhang, stumbled upon them."
"As a member of the Spirit World Guild, the guild's enemies are my enemies. When I saw someone daring to harm the guild's people, I naturally couldn't stand by and do nothing. So I slew Jie Qingming and every last one of the four factions' fighters." Chu Feng continued.
"Bullshit!!!"
Hearing this, the Jie Clan members and the fighters from the four major factions' expressions changed drastically, and they all began screaming and cursing at Chu Feng.
Jie Qingming and those four sect masters were indispensable fighting forces for them. If something truly happened to them, it would be a catastrophic blow.
Moreover, they didn't believe Chu Feng's claim was true. They figured he was spouting lies to shake their morale.
"You don't believe me?" Chu Feng let out a hearty laugh. He wasted no more words, simply sweeping his palm across his Universe Bag. Light flickered, and a severed head appeared in his palm. He held it high and shouted, "Take a good look—whose head is this?!"
"Qingming!!!"
When the Jie Clan's current patriarch, Jie Xingpeng, saw the head in Chu Feng's grasp, his expression changed utterly. His mouth gaped wide, and a towering fury surged in his eyes as he let out an enraged roar toward the heavens.
As a Spirit Realm Master, he could tell that the head in Chu Feng's hand was no fake. It was unmistakably Jie Qingming—the Jie Clan's future patriarch, the successor he had groomed for years, cut down by Chu Feng's hand.
"Chu Feng, I'll kill you!!!"
In that instant, every member of the Jie Clan was consumed by rage, killing intent radiating from them. No matter how powerful Jie Shi was, he was already near the end of his lifespan. He could still command the clan's affairs and wreak havoc on the battlefield for now, but everyone knew the old ancestor had only a few years left.
But Jie Qingming was different. Although the current Jie Qingming wasn't yet particularly strong and his status in the clan couldn't compare to Jie Xingpeng or Jie Shi, his potential was enormous. One could say that the present Jie Qingming was in no way inferior to Jie Shi in his youth—he was the Jie Clan's hope for the future.
And now that hope had been shattered. How could the Jie Clan accept that? Every one of them gritted their teeth, wishing they could tear Chu Feng to shreds.
"You little brat Chu Feng, I swear I'll make you pay."
It wasn't just the Jie Clan—the members of the Yuangang Sect, the Baicang Sect, the Xiaoyao Valley, and the Fire God Gate were all thrown into a towering rage, their killing intent soaring into the sky. If even Jie Qingming had been slain, they knew their four sect masters and numerous experts had most likely met the same fate.
"That brat Chu Feng, you've got some nerve, seeking your own doom."
"I, Jie Shi, swear I will make you wish you were never born. If I don't torture you until you beg for death, I've wasted all these years I've lived!!!"
Even Jie Shi himself was furious. He had emerged from seclusion only days ago and was well acquainted with the Jie Clan's current situation. He had held Jie Qingming in high regard and was preparing to devote himself to the young man's cultivation—only to learn he had been killed.
So he wasted no more words. Leading his elite army of a million strong, he launched an all-out assault on the Spirit World Guild, whose greatest protective formation had fallen. The earth-shaking battle had begun.
"Haha, Jie Shi, it seems you were wrong. After a hundred years, the junior generation of our Spirit World Guild has clearly far surpassed the juniors of your Jie Clan."
"The ones destined for destruction aren't the Spirit World Guild—it's your Jie Clan!" At that moment, the previously grim-faced Gu Tianchen was now overcome with wild elation.
He cast a meaningful, admiring glance at Chu Feng, then let out a peal of laughter. Launching himself forward, he shot straight toward Jie Shi, who was charging at them head-on.
"Boom, boom, boom—"
Two Heaven Martial Seventh Level powerhouses clashed in the blink of an eye. The sky around them was consumed by immense shockwaves of energy, and no one dared approach—they were simply too powerful. Even the residual ripples of their battle were more than an ordinary Heaven Martial realm fighter could withstand.
"Young friend Chu Feng, great kindness needs no words. From this day forward, the Spirit World Guild swears to stand with you through life and death. As long as the guild exists, your peace will be guarded. If anyone dares touch you, they'll have to destroy the Spirit World Guild first."
At that moment, the Spirit World Guild's current president secretly transmitted his voice to Chu Feng. He was equally overjoyed. Though he was already locked in combat with Jie Xingpeng, he didn't forget to express his gratitude. Chu Feng had not only done the guild an enormous favor—he had effectively saved the guild's hope for the future.
In truth, many of the Spirit World Guild's senior elders were deeply grateful to Chu Feng at that moment. Some secretly sent him voice transmissions, while others shouted their thanks aloud. Every one of them expressed their gratitude toward Chu Feng.
Because of Chu Feng's actions, the Spirit World Guild's morale skyrocketed. Even now, facing a million elite fighters gathered by the Jie Clan and the four major factions, they felt no fear. Instead, they fought with ever-increasing ferocity.
Meanwhile, Zhang Tianyi had also thrown himself into the fray. Wielding the Divine Wood Sword wreathed in blue flame, he suppressed the ancestral patriarchs of the four factions with absolute power. For a time, the Spirit World Guild actually held the advantage in this titanic battle.
"Chu Feng, what should we do? Help the Spirit World Guild win this war, or head straight for the Asura Ghost Tower?" Zi Ling hadn't joined the fight. She stood beside Chu Feng, nestled close like a little bird, waiting for his decision.
Chu Feng swept his gaze across the surroundings, taking in the battlefield that had been plunged into darkness. "The outcome of this battle is far from decided. With our cultivation, neither of us can turn the tide. Rather than fighting aimlessly, it's better to seek another way out."
"Zi Ling, come with me to the Asura Ghost Tower. As long as we can summon that mysterious demon beast, no matter how powerful the Jie Clan may be, they'll fall today." As he spoke, Chu Feng transformed into a streak of light and shot toward the Asura Ghost Tower. Zi Ling, her delicate figure flitting gracefully, followed close behind.