"You've been marked, kid."
Suddenly, the Heaven-Devouring Qilin's voice rang out in his ear. Upon hearing this, Chu Feng immediately spread out his Mental Power.
Upon careful observation, he could indeed faintly sense what seemed to be a gaze fixed upon him.
The other party was hidden far too deeply. Had the Heaven-Devouring Qilin not warned him, Chu Feng might not have even been certain whether that gaze truly existed.
"Senior, you can sense it? What is his cultivation level?" Chu Feng asked.
"Oh, so now you remember to call me 'Senior'? No more calling me a pig?" The Heaven-Devouring Qilin sounded rather dismissive.
"Senior, we're on the same side here. Why nitpick so much?"
"And I'm not nitpicking? You tried to kill me earlier, remember?" Chu Feng said.
"Oh, you call that not nitpicking? You didn't go easy on torturing me, that's for sure."
"Kid, you've been marked. I don't have the ability to help you."
"This is what happens when you don't listen to me — suffering comes right to your doorstep."
"Loyalty has its price. You'd better pray for yourself."
With those words, the Heaven-Devouring Qilin fell silent.
So Chu Feng shifted his focus and began communicating with the Divine Deer.
"Senior?" Chu Feng called out.
"Chu Feng, I have not yet recovered. You will have to rely on yourself for now."
The Divine Deer did respond, but the response was the same as before — Chu Feng would have to depend on himself.
However, Chu Feng was not particularly panicked.
Setting aside the talisman Qin Jiu had given him, there was also his father's guardian formation.
During this period, although he had been traveling nonstop, Chu Feng had not been idle.
He had been studying how to maximize the power of the Seven-World Soul-Forging Incense.
He had also been using the Guardian Nightmare to gain deeper control over the guardian formation his father had placed inside his body.
He had confirmed that his father's martial formation was not only powerful but, in certain respects, even more formidable than barrier formations.
The only drawback was that both Qin Jiu's talisman and his father's guardian formation could each only be used once.
Chu Feng had been reluctant to use them, which was why he had asked the Divine Deer for help.
But as for fear — with these two life-saving trump cards, Chu Feng truly was not afraid in the slightest.
After passing through layer upon layer of barrier gates, Chu Feng and the others were led into a grand hall.
Upon entering this hall, Chu Feng was already fairly certain that nothing good awaited them.
Deep within the hall, there was a door. According to the map Bai Yunqing had given Chu Feng, Taishi Xingzhong's son was behind that door.
"You may wait here."
One of the elders departed, presumably to report something, while the others remained behind, watching Chu Feng and his group.
But those who had passed the examination clearly had not noticed anything amiss.
Their faces were still brimming with barely containable excitement and joy, already fantasizing about a bright future.
They did not care at all that Taishi Xingzhong had betrayed the Totem Dragon Clan Leader and participated in the rebellion.
Instead, they were eagerly anticipating becoming Taishi Xingzhong's disciples.
On both sides of the grand hall stood numerous statues, each sealed within a formation.
In truth, these were not statues but specimens created through special formations — each one had once been a living being.
"Whoa, isn't this the Ancient Fierce Beast — the Dragon Lizard Fierce Beast?"
Suddenly, a Spirit World Master approached one of the specimens.
Seeing this, the other Spirit World Masters gathered around as well.
The specimen was a lizard standing upright like a human, ten meters tall. Its scales were divided into black and dark green, with black serving as the base and the dark green standing out prominently. They clung to its body like armor, giving it the appearance of a soldier — exceedingly imposing.
Chu Feng had already noticed this specimen. At first glance, it did not seem as large or as fierce as the other Fierce Beast specimens in the hall.
But Chu Feng could sense that this beast must have been tremendously powerful in life — the strongest among all these Fierce Beasts.
"Is this really a specimen made from a Dragon Lizard Fierce Beast?" the other junior Spirit World Masters discussed among themselves.
"This is a collectible of Lord Taishi Xingzhong — how could it be fake?" one of the elders said.
"Wow, so it's real! The Dragon Lizard Fierce Beasts are said to be extraordinarily powerful. They originated from the Primordial Era and were one of the most troublesome threats for cultivators at the dawn of this age."
"But they've long been extinct. I can't believe I'm seeing one in the flesh!" a junior Spirit World Master exclaimed.
"My grandfather used to tell me stories about the Dragon Lizard Fierce Beasts. He said they were different from other Fierce Beasts — they had organization and discipline, and they were born wearing armor, which made them incredibly strong in battle."
"Never thought I'd actually get to see one in person. This is truly a priceless treasure!"
Other Spirit World Masters echoed these sentiments.
"Do you know why the Dragon Lizard Fierce Beast is called a Dragon Lizard Fierce Beast?"
Seeing the young ones so enthusiastic, the elder overseeing the hall grew interested as well and could not help but ask.