They watched as those people were dealt with by Daoist Long Six in the blink of an eye.
Everyone had now witnessed with their own eyes that there was always someone stronger beyond the strong, and a higher sky beyond the heavens.
Daoist Long Nine swept his gaze across the crowd and spoke:
"I seem to recall someone calling young friend Chu Feng a penniless wretch?"
"Who was it? If I remember correctly, it was you, wasn't it?"
The moment those words left his mouth, Zhou Shuang's face went deathly pale, because Daoist Long Nine's gaze had finally settled upon her.
However, before she could even beg for mercy, a tremendous force dragged her out from the crowd, across the trench, and planted her on her knees directly before Chu Feng.
It wasn't that she wanted to kneel — the force binding her compelled her to.
"Lowly wretch, who do you think you are?"
"How dare someone like you insult young friend Chu Feng?"
"Have you eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard?" Daoist Long Nine asked coldly — he was the one who had dragged Zhou Shuang from the crowd.
Zhou Shuang was already trembling uncontrollably, too terrified to even speak.
Thud—
Suddenly, someone dropped to their knees — it was the Zhou Patriarch.
"My lord, my daughter is clumsy and lacks skill with words, but what she said just now was never her intention. Please, my lord, spare her life."
The Zhou Patriarch, his face filled with anguish, pleaded on Zhou Shuang's behalf.
But Daoist Long Nine showed not the slightest hint of sympathy. Only a cold smirk crossed his face.
"When young friend Chu Feng was being bullied by that bunch of nobodies just now, not one of you dared to speak a word of mercy. And now you think you can beg for mercy?"
"Do you think I'm lesser than that bunch of nobodies, and therefore you have the right to plead?"
"Or do you think we're so kind-hearted that your groveling would make us forget how you disrespected young friend Chu Feng earlier?" Daoist Long Nine asked coldly.
Those words left the Zhou Patriarch utterly speechless.
"Good. Well said."
"I didn't care for this old Daoist before, but he's grown much easier on the eyes now," Her Majesty said, looking quite pleased.
Because had it been her, she wouldn't have given the Zhou family a shred of face either. They didn't deserve it.
Chu Feng understood this too, so he had no intention of pleading on the Zhou family's behalf. He simply watched.
Sensing that things were going badly, Zhou Yi also dropped to her knees with a thud. But she was clever — instead of begging the four Daoists, she turned to Chu Feng.
"Young Master Chu Feng, I know my Zhou family has done wrong, but—"
"But your mother's egg." Before she could finish, Daoist Long Nine erupted in fury.
Right after, Daoist Long Eight spoke up: "Still have the heart to plead for others? What are you thinking? Do you even deserve that?"
The moment he finished, Daoist Long Seven smiled sardonically: "Perhaps these fools still haven't realized — they're all going to die today."
"What?"
The moment those words dropped, every member of the Zhou family was struck with shock, and boundless terror spread through the entire clan.
They were all going to die?
They had assumed this matter had nothing to do with them — that even if someone died, it would only be Zhou Shuang. They never imagined they would all die too.
"My lord, this matter has nothing to do with us!"
And so, countless people began begging for mercy, desperate to sever any connection with Zhou Shuang.
"Nothing to do with you?"
At those words, Daoist Long Six's expression turned cold.
"When that wretch was insulting young friend Chu Feng just now, why didn't any of you stand up and say she had nothing to do with you?"
"And now you're playing innocent?"
"What's that supposed to mean? Do you really think we of the Nine Totem Paths are stupid, or do you think young friend Chu Feng is easygoing and therefore easy to push around?"
"A pack of mangy curs — who the hell do you think you are, to not even put young friend Chu Feng in your sights?"
At those words, an overwhelming wave of pressure descended from the heavens, and every last person on the other side of the trench collapsed to the ground — not just the Zhou family, but everyone.
In that moment, countless secret voice transmissions flooded into Chu Feng's ears.
Not only from people Chu Feng was unfamiliar with, but also from those he knew — Zhou Yi, the Zhou Patriarch, and the elder who had first recognized him.
They were all secretly transmitting their voices, begging Chu Feng for mercy.
But Chu Feng said nothing, pretending not to hear. While he didn't believe these people deserved death, their ingratitude warranted punishment.
Thud—
But suddenly, another person dropped to their knees — it was Zhou Zhi.
"Young Master Chu Feng, I beg you, please spare my clansmen."
Zhou Zhi hadn't even begged when facing Young Master Bai Yue's father, yet now he was pleading with Chu Feng for the sake of his clansmen.
"Zhou Zhi, let me ask you — are you pleading only for your clansmen, or for everyone on that side?" Chu Feng asked.
"Young Master Chu Feng, people have the instinct to cling to life and fear death. Just let them go." Zhou Zhi spoke with his head lowered, as though he too felt he had no right to plead.
Chu Feng didn't answer directly, but he pulled Zhou Zhi to his feet and then turned his gaze to the crowd across the trench.
"Remember this — the only reason you're alive today is because of Zhou Zhi."
The moment Chu Feng finished speaking, the terrifying pressure dissipated. Daoist Long Six certainly had a keen eye for the situation.
Once he sensed that Chu Feng had no intention of killing, he stopped immediately — as if Chu Feng were his master, and he had to obey every word.
"Thank you, Lord Chu Feng, for sparing our lives! Thank you, Lord Long Six! Thank you…"
In that moment, countless voices of gratitude rang out one after another. Some even wailed loudly in relief, shedding tears of remorse.
But few thanked Zhou Zhi.
Reality — this was reality. These people only feared the strong; they would never remember the one who truly saved them.
"Listen well — young friend Chu Feng is a dear friend of our Nine Totem Paths. Anyone who dares disrespect him disrespects us."
"Anyone who dares cause trouble for young friend Chu Feng causes trouble for our Nine Totem Paths. No matter who they are, we will never let them go." As Daoist Long Six spoke, his voice boomed like thunder and his eyes blazed with ferocity.
Hearing those words, every person hung their head in fear.
If they had previously wondered why the Nine Totem Paths would protect Chu Feng, they no longer needed to wonder.
The Nine Totem Paths had long been famous and feared. Among the people of the Totem Milky Way, there was no one who hadn't heard of them.
Though their individual strength was not equal, they were truly as close as brothers — and among all, only these nine shared such a bond.