After that, Qiu Canfeng gave Chu Feng many more instructions, all with a single purpose—he didn't want anything to go wrong for Chu Feng in the Eastern Sea Region.
Through some of those words, Chu Feng could also tell that Qiu Canfeng not only needed him to fetch reinforcements, but genuinely cared about his safety.
It seemed Qiu Canfeng had truly accepted Chu Feng as his disciple—it wasn't just about using him to escape this place. At least, that was how Chu Feng felt.
If he was wrong and Qiu Canfeng had never intended to help him, only planning to use him to leave the Imperial Burial Ground, then it would simply mean the old man's acting was too good. Chu Feng wouldn't blame anyone else—he could only fault his own poor judgment.
After that, Chu Feng departed from the Imperial Burial Ground. Even though he knew it would be a long journey, he had still underestimated just how deep the burial ground went.
Although the mysterious man had led him to the Imperial Gate in less than half a day, when Chu Feng retraced the path alone—flying day and night—it took him more than ten days to finally fly out. That showed just how vast the Imperial Burial Ground truly was, larger even than the Nine Provinces Continent. Quite astonishing.
But thankfully, along the way Chu Feng had refined all the barrier essences and gained a decent harvest.
Just as he had predicted, he successfully broke through to Heaven Martial Third Level, and had also accumulated a large amount of Heavenly Force inside his body—he wasn't far from the Fourth Level.
Adding the power of the three layers of Divine Thunder on top of that, Chu Feng's true cultivation should be at Heaven Martial Sixth Level. That wasn't exactly formidable, but it was enough for the Eastern Sea Region—at least he had a basic foundation to stand on.
After leaving the Imperial Burial Ground, Chu Feng didn't leave right away. Instead, he carefully set up barriers to seal and conceal the entrance, preventing any unexpected incidents.
Only when everything was properly arranged did he set off on his return journey, flying toward the Azure Dragon Sect.
When Chu Feng arrived back at the Azure Dragon Sect, he found that all the main buildings had been completed. Magnificent structures stood tall across the Azure Dragon Mountain Range—a truly spectacular sight.
It was even grander than the old Azure Dragon Sect. One could even say it was the most impressive architectural complex on the entire Nine Provinces Continent outside of the Jiang Dynasty.
Moreover, the Azure Dragon Sect was bustling with activity—joy and celebration filled the air.
Chu Feng spotted not only the sect's disciples, but also a number of familiar faces: Gu Tianchen and the others from the Spirit World Guild, as well as people from the Jiang Dynasty.
He didn't need to think twice to understand what was happening. The Azure Dragon Sect had finally been rebuilt, and the founding ceremony was about to begin. All these people had come to offer their congratulations.
"Chu Feng, you rascal, you're finally back! How'd it go—did everything go smoothly?"
"Hey, Young Friend Chu Feng, your aura—you've broken through again? Looks like this trip was quite profitable!"
"Wait, Chu Feng—what about that madman who was with you? Where did he go?!"
When the Demon Monkey King and the others spotted Chu Feng, they immediately noticed that his cultivation had jumped from Heaven Martial First Level to Heaven Martial Third Level. Everyone was thrilled for him.
But they also noticed the madman was nowhere to be seen. The Demon Monkey King had told them that Chu Feng had left with the madman, and this made everyone frown—something might have happened.
"It's a long story." Chu Feng gave a slight smile. Since everyone present was trustworthy, he didn't hold much back. He recounted what had happened, leaving out only the part about taking Qiu Canfeng as his master.
"Well, whatever the case, as long as you're safe—that's all that matters." After hearing the full story, everyone felt a chill at what Chu Feng had gone through. Even though they hadn't witnessed the Imperial Might firsthand, they could sense its terrifying power just from his description.
"Oh, right—Chu Feng, since you're back, you should go see the Ancestor. He's waiting for you," Li Changqing said suddenly.
"The Ancestor? He's emerged from seclusion? Did he manage to break through?" Chu Feng asked eagerly.
"Ha, the Ancestor is in the Azure Dragon Hall right now. Go see for yourself," Li Changqing said with a teasing smile.
Seeing that, Chu Feng didn't press further. Judging by that joyful expression, he could guess that the Dragon Daoist had successfully broken through to the Martial Lord Realm.
When Chu Feng entered the Azure Dragon Hall, he found the Dragon Daoist sitting in the center of the great hall, meditating with his eyes closed. Sensing someone's presence, his eyes snapped open and a sharp, piercing aura swept toward Chu Feng.
That pressure was terrifying—it struck right to the soul. But the moment the Dragon Daoist recognized Chu Feng, he quickly retracted his gaze and broke into a wide smile. "Chu Feng, you've returned."
"Congratulations, Ancestor, on breaking through to the Martial Lord Realm and becoming a true Martial Lord!" Chu Feng immediately bowed in respect, because he could already tell—just as he'd guessed—that the Dragon Daoist had succeeded.
After that, the Dragon Daoist and Chu Feng talked at length. The first topic was the Azure Dragon Sect's founding ceremony.
It turned out the sect had been completed for several days, and guests from all directions had already arrived. The only reason the ceremony hadn't started was that they were waiting for Chu Feng.
Because none of this would have been possible without him—the Azure Dragon Sect's rebirth was entirely his doing. Even the Dragon Daoist's revival was, in many ways, thanks to him.
So they had been waiting. The moment Chu Feng returned, the ceremony would begin. The Dragon Daoist had already decided they would hold it tomorrow.
"Chu Feng, I heard you're planning to go to the Four Seas Academy in the Eastern Sea Region with Jiang Wushang and Zhang Tianyi?" the Dragon Daoist suddenly asked.
At those words, Chu Feng suddenly remembered—the day the three of them had agreed upon was approaching. They were heading to the Eastern Sea Region.
But in response to the Dragon Daoist's question, Chu Feng shook his head. "I do intend to go to the Eastern Sea Region with them, but I don't plan to join the Four Seas Academy."
"Mm, whether or not you study at the Academy, going to the Eastern Sea Region will broaden your horizons. Especially with your talent—it's much more suited for you than the Heaven Martial Continent. Staying here would be a waste of your potential."
"But the Eastern Sea Region is a place where dragons and tigers clash. To the east of the world, there are countless continents like the Nine Provinces, and on each one there are always a few extraordinary geniuses who emerge—all with their sights set on the Eastern Sea Region."
"So since you're planning to go, I'll give you a gift before you leave," the Dragon Daoist said with a smile.