Relying on the masks Chu Feng had crafted — masks capable of tracking the aura of the Dark Hall's members — the Ancient Elves launched a full-scale counteroffensive against the Dark Hall.
Many of the Dark Hall's camps, which had been stationed outside the Ancient Elves' various territories, were breached. Those that weren't breached saw their occupants flee in haste.
In a short time, the Dark Hall's forces vanished without a trace, not daring to show themselves.
Yet the Ancient Elves did not cease their assault. After winning that turning-point battle, they set their sights on the Heavenly Dao Palace and the Human King Palace.
It was true that the Ancient Elves had promised Qing Xuantian they would not destroy the Heavenly Dao Palace or the Human King Palace. But now that the two palaces had allied themselves with the Dark Hall, even if they were not to be annihilated, they had to be punished.
However, when the Ancient Elves' army arrived at the Heavenly Dao Palace and the Human King Palace, they discovered that all of the true elites and experts from both factions had already departed.
Only a group of elders and disciples who knew nothing of the situation remained.
The Heavenly Dao Palace and the Human King Palace had essentially become empty shells, and the Ancient Elves naturally would not lay hands on those innocent people. The matter was dropped.
Still, to prevent the forces allied with them from suffering, the Ancient Elves began dispatching troops to the Four Great Emperor Clans and the Demon Serpent Royal Clan — all except the Hell King Palace — to shield them from potential Dark Hall attacks.
Yet the Dark Hall proved strangely docile. After their defeat, they remained unseen for a remarkably long time.
This led everyone to believe that the Dark Hall had grown fearful, and it restored the Ancient Elves' long-held sense of supremacy — the feeling that they were peerless and unmatched under heaven.
But Chu Feng did not dare let his guard down. He felt in his bones that the Dark Hall had not yet unleashed its full strength. All they had done was tear down some camps, kill a number of Ancient Fierce Beasts, and eliminate a small handful of Dark Hall members. That was far from enough to cripple the Dark Hall's vitality.
At this moment…
Tens of millions of miles from the border of the Elf Kingdom, a figure lay collapsed weakly on the ground. He was a Martial Emperor, and not a weak one at that — a rank three Martial Emperor.
But his injuries were grievous. His black robe and the mask on his face gave away his identity: he was a member of the Dark Hall.
Beside the Dark Hall member stood two other individuals.
One sat cross-legged on the ground with eyes closed, meditating quietly.
The other crouched before the fallen man, doing something to him.
Those two were Chu Feng and Snow-Hair Immortal.
Chu Feng had always believed the Dark Hall would not rest easy, so he had continued using the masks to track down their members. Today, he had finally found one.
However, after capturing this man, Chu Feng had not done anything to him personally. He had handed him over to Snow-Hair Immortal to deal with.
As for Chu Feng, though his body sat cross-legged on the ground, his consciousness was inside the Spirit World.
Within the Spirit World, Chu Feng likewise sat cross-legged, though in this case he was seated before Eggy.
"My Queen, when will you awaken? Though our war against the Dark Hall seems to be going our way at the moment, I just have a feeling it isn't that simple."
"If only you were here. You could help me analyze things, give me some ideas." These words of Chu Feng's were filled not only with longing for Eggy, but also with a quiet, gnawing unease.
They had to win this war. If they lost, it would be an absolute catastrophe for the Martial God Continent.
And because the Dark Hall's Master was very likely a clansman of Chu Feng's own bloodline, he felt the weight of his responsibility all the more keenly. The pressure bearing down on him now was immense.
It was, in fact, heavier than what even the Elven King carried.
"Master, I did it! Come quickly, look — I successfully removed his mask!"