"You—spare me the nonsense."
"One more word out of you and I'll rip your mouth apart."
Shengguang Haoxuan pointed and bellowed.
But the embarrassment on his face was impossible to conceal.
"Oh? A real man dares to do it but doesn't dare own up to it?"
Chu Feng was unfazed, a mocking grin plastered on his face as he swept his gaze across the other men present.
"Everyone admires beauty—there's nothing wrong with looking. Looking isn't against the law. If you've got the guts to do it, you should have the guts to admit it. Am I right, gentlemen?"
"Well…"
When Chu Feng looked their way, every last one of them either turned their heads or dropped their gazes. Not a single one dared meet his eyes.
They were guilty, and they knew it.
After all, they had been among those scrutinizing Shengguang Meng Lai and Shengguang Xin Tian just moments ago.
"Come on, come on—what's the big deal? I like looking too."
"Who doesn't appreciate something beautiful?"
At that moment, Shengguang Bu Yu chimed in.
Of course, he said it in a lighthearted, joking tone.
Everyone understood he was trying to defuse the situation, so nobody said a word—indeed, quite a few of the younger generation even chuckled.
"Right, let me make something clear. From now on, you'll be traveling together as partners. Everyone is needed."
"Though young friend Chu Feng is not a member of our Sacred Valley, he is our guest. You are to get along with him peacefully."
"A bit of banter is fine, but under no circumstances are you to come to blows. Understood?"
Shengguang Bu Yu turned to Shengguang Haoxuan.
"Understood, Lord Bu Yu."
Shengguang Bu Yu held a certain standing within the Sacred Valley. With his words spoken, not only did Shengguang Haoxuan comply—even the cold and aloof Shengguang Meng Lai and the others gave verbal assent.
But though their mouths agreed, Shengguang Haoxuan's heart seethed with displeasure.
As a man of the Sacred Valley, he considered everyone beyond its borders to be nothing more than slaves beneath their notice—not even fit to carry their shoes.
And now, such a slave was not only ogling the Sacred Valley's saintess-level beauties, but doing so with brazen, unapologetic openness.
How could he possibly tolerate that?
Yet deep down, he knew that without Chu Feng, none of them would be able to enter the Sacred Lotus Tree within the valley.
Besides, Shengguang Bu Yu clearly had no desire to see him teach Chu Feng a lesson, so he had no choice but to swallow his pride.
"Haoxuan—if we make it inside, find an opportunity to eliminate this Chu Feng."
Just then, a covert voice transmission slipped into Shengguang Haoxuan's ears.
Hearing it, Shengguang Haoxuan's gaze darted straight to Shengguang Bai Mei. And when he saw the look in Shengguang Bai Mei's eyes, elation surged through him.
The sender of that voice transmission was none other than Shengguang Bai Mei.
Within the Sacred Valley, Shengguang Bai Mei stood as one of the two most powerful figures beneath the Sacred Lord. When the Sacred Lord was absent, his words carried more weight than almost anyone else's.
For Shengguang Bai Mei to issue him a directive—calling it a sacred decree would not have been an exaggeration.
"You're called Chu Feng, aren't you?"
"I'll let the matter from earlier slide."
"But once we're inside, you stick close to us and don't go wandering off. If something unfortunate happens to you, don't blame me."
Shengguang Haoxuan said to Chu Feng.
"Young Master Haoxuan, the Sacred Lotus Tree is merely a cultivation site—there is no danger within it. As long as you all coexist peacefully, nothing harmful can possibly occur."
At that moment, Shengguang Bu Yu spoke up.
His tone sounded casual enough, but in truth he was warning Shengguang Haoxuan not to make any rash moves against Chu Feng.
Because he knew full well that the Sacred Lotus Tree harbored no peril whatsoever.
"Oh? Sounds like you're threatening me?"
Chu Feng said to Shengguang Haoxuan.
"Threatening you? You're not even worth threatening."
"I'm merely giving you a heads-up, you country bumpkin."
Shengguang Haoxuan said to Chu Feng.
"Then let me give you one too—trouble comes from the mouth."