Under Linghu Hongfei's efforts, the black flames surrounding him had already undergone a qualitative transformation, a sign that his rate of fusion was very fast.
However, no matter how hard Linghu Hongfei tried, Chu Feng's speed of fusion was always faster than his.
Even though Linghu Hongfei bore dragon markings while Chu Feng bore snake markings, Linghu Hongfei simply couldn't catch up to Chu Feng. Instead, he was being left further and further behind.
"Master Liangqiu, why is it that despite Hongfei being a Dragon-grade Honored Robe, his speed of merging with that power is still inferior to Chu Feng's? Could it be that Chu Feng truly knows some unknown secret?" Outside the formation, Linghu Yuhua asked Master Liangqiu.
"Chu Feng does know certain secrets of the great formation, but those secrets should be unrelated to this power. The reason this is happening is most likely because the power of the Sealing Swords has been brought into play. The Sealing Swords are closely connected to this power, and Chu Feng has earned the recognition of three Sealing Swords—naturally, he would be faster than Linghu Hongfei," Master Liangqiu explained.
"So that's how it is. No wonder." Linghu Yuhua nodded.
Hummm—
However, just at that moment, Linghu Hongfei suddenly opened his eyes, and from within his body, a vast and mighty power of the barrier erupted forth.
That power of the barrier surged toward Chu Feng like a tidal wave, instantly engulfing him entirely.
Once that barrier power covered Chu Feng, the black flames that Chu Feng had already begun to fuse with actually started being siphoned away by Linghu Hongfei.
"He's actually using a supreme treasure to steal the power Chu Feng has already fused with!" Seeing this, Master Liangqiu's face immediately filled with fury, and he turned toward Linghu Yuhua. "Linghu Yuhua, this descendant of yours has truly fallen short of the conduct of a gentleman."
"I'm only responsible for protecting him. Whatever he does is his own decision—there's nothing I can do about it." As an onlooker, Linghu Yuhua had naturally noticed all of this as well, but her face was also full of helplessness. It was clear that she did not approve of Linghu Hongfei's actions either.
And how could Chu Feng fail to sense that the black flames he had painstakingly fused with were being forcibly taken from him?
Chu Feng opened his eyes and looked toward Linghu Hongfei. "Brother Linghu, what you're doing here is rather underhanded."
"Brother Chu Feng, I don't know what you're talking about." Linghu Hongfei said with a look of genuine confusion on his face.
Hearing this, Chu Feng simply smiled.
He already understood now. This Linghu Hongfei, despite being the most powerful genius of the Ancestral Martial Star Domain—whether in martial cultivation or barrier techniques, he truly was blessed with extraordinary talent and deserved the title of greatest genius.
But this Linghu Hongfei was no righteous man at all. He was a thoroughgoing hypocrite.
His affability had all been an act.
The person before him now was the real Linghu Hongfei.
Faced with this version of Linghu Hongfei, Chu Feng had no intention of arguing.
Right now, everyone was merging with the black flames and trapped in agony. Not a single person had noticed what Linghu Hongfei was doing, and even his exchange with Chu Feng had most likely gone unheard by anyone.
And with no one there to serve as a witness, what was the point of arguing with such a shameless person?
Chu Feng simply stopped paying any attention to Linghu Hongfei, letting him continue stealing the black flames he had fused with without interference. He simply kept fusing with the black flames himself, and then… allowed Linghu Hongfei to keep stealing them.
"It seems that Chu Feng has given up," Linghu Yuhua remarked from outside the formation.
"Linghu Hongfei is using the supreme treasure inside his body to forcibly steal Chu Feng's results, and how powerful that treasure is—both you and I know full well. What else can Chu Feng do but submit? Can he even resist?" Master Liangqiu said indignantly.