"Run!"
Sensing that things had taken a turn for the worse, the Heavenly Dao Palace group — who had already quietly slipped away from the crowd — quickened their pace of escape under the elder's command.
"How despicable."
Seeing that the Heavenly Dao Palace people had fled long ago, the crowd could not help but curse them inwardly. It was one thing to run, but to slink away in secret — it was truly revolting.
Hummm— However, just when everyone felt that catastrophe was upon them, a resplendent golden barrier suddenly materialized above their heads.
The barrier appeared at just the right moment. It not only blocked the attack that Zhan Qiankun had launched toward the crowd, but remained completely undamaged — truly formidable in its sturdiness.
The sight left everyone stunned, and they looked more closely. Only then did they notice that the golden barrier was not merely shimmering with golden light — there were also serpentine patterns flowing through it.
"A Snake-pattern Royal Cloak Spirit World Master! It's a Snake-pattern Royal Cloak Spirit World Master! There's still an expert among us!" The crowd erupted in excitement.
Even Big Radish wore a look of admiration, nodding repeatedly as he said, "Our Martial Continent truly hides dragons and crouching tigers — I can't believe a Snake-pattern Royal Cloak Spirit World Master has come here!"
"Where? Where? A Snake-pattern Royal Word Spirit World Master — isn't that the same rank as Chu Feng's?" Little Radish craned his neck in every direction, trying to spot the person who had acted.
Even Chili could not help but steal glances around, eager to see just who this Spirit World Master was — the mysterious figure who had saved them all.
But what none of them knew was that the person who had acted was standing right beside them. Naturally, it was Chu Feng who had taken action.
Only, this time Chu Feng had done so without anyone being the wiser. Not a soul knew it was him.
"Damn it — that was deliberate!"
But just as the crowd searched for their savior, the Heavenly Dao Palace group was cursing up a storm.
Following the source of the sound, the crowd noticed that the Heavenly Dao Palace people — having fled ahead of time — had not been covered by the golden barrier.
And it just so happened that a black dragon had crashed down nearby. The shockwave swept outward in all directions, leaving those below the Half-emperor realm either dead or grievously wounded. Their losses were devastating.
"With the means of a Snake-pattern Royal Cloak Spirit World Master, they could easily have extended the barrier to cover the Heavenly Dao Palace people. But they deliberately chose not to. Clearly, they had no intention of saving them."
"Selfish and despicable — now they're getting their comeuppance. Serves them right!"
No one in the crowd felt a shred of sympathy for the Heavenly Dao Palace's plight. Some even clapped and cheered aloud.
And if anyone were to ask Chu Feng whether he had intentionally left the Heavenly Dao Palace out — well, of course he had. The Heavenly Dao Palace people were degrading enough to publicly humify him, but their true intention had been to go after Chu Feng and claim the bounty from the four great Imperial Clans. People like that — Why on earth would Chu Feng save them?
But Chu Feng had no interest in dwelling on the Heavenly Dao Palace. His gaze was fixed unblinkingly on the sky.
Above, black demonic flames and an immense sea of fire interwove with one another, scorching the heavens and tearing through the void — a spectacle of breathtaking grandeur.
This was no longer an ordinary clash. Both sides had unleashed extremely powerful Earth Restriction martial skills.
Yan Xie and Zhan Qiankun had both resorted to their trump cards. The battle between them grew more intense by the second.
"Remarkable! That friend of Chu Feng's is actually this strong — able to fight Zhan Qiankun to a standstill. Could it be that Chu Feng truly possesses such heaven-defying abilities, just as the rumors claim?"
As the shockwaves from their battle rolled downward and struck the barrier Chu Feng had erected, the people inside once again turned their eyes toward Yan Xie and Zhan Qiankun. Seeing the ferocity of their duel, the crowd could not help but marvel — and inevitably, their thoughts drifted to Chu Feng.
As for the stories about Chu Feng, they had only heard them secondhand and never witnessed anything firsthand. Many had been half-skeptical. But now, seeing how powerful Yan Xie was, they were beginning to believe that the rumors about Chu Feng might actually be true.
"Fire Dragon Burning Heaven Thrust!"
Suddenly, the Fire Dragon Emperor Spear in Yan Xie's hand merged as one with the boundless sea of flames. He thrust the weapon toward Zhan Qiankun and roared: "First Thrust!"
ROAAAR—