"Senior, in your memory, I shouldn't have the cultivation of a Martial Emperor — I should be at the peak of a Martial King at most, half-emperor realm at best, correct?" Chu Feng said.
Hearing those words, that clan leader narrowed his eyes once more, appearing to ponder something, but ultimately he nodded.
"If I'm not mistaken, it was Dantai Xue who mentioned me to you. In truth, a few years ago, this junior's cultivation hadn't even reached the half-emperor stage."
"But the one standing before you now is the real me. I believe Dantai Xue has only one friend named Chu Feng," Chu Feng said.
"You say you are Chu Feng, then you should know Dantai Xue quite well," the clan leader said.
"Why not ask me questions about Dantai Xue? If I answer correctly, then I'm the real one. If I can't answer, then naturally I'm an impostor," Chu Feng said.
"Ice Snow Clan Leader, stop wasting words with him! This lad is full of tricks — he's stalling for time. There's surely some kind of scheme behind this!" Seeing the situation turning unfavorable, the Dark Hall member hastily urged.
"Shut your mouth!!!"
But before that person could finish, the Ice and Snow Phoenix Clan Leader let out an angry shout, the force behind it laced with a terrifying pressure that sent the Dark Hall member stumbling back several steps before he collapsed to the ground.
As for the Dark Hall member's miserable state, the clan leader paid him no heed. Instead, he looked at Chu Feng with a smile and said, "Then listen carefully to what I'm about to ask."
Following that, the Ice and Snow Phoenix Clan Leader indeed asked multiple questions about Dantai Xue, including matters of shared experiences between Dantai Xue and Chu Feng — and Chu Feng answered every single one without hesitation.
"Young friend Chu Feng, it really is you!!!"
After the last question was answered, the clan leader's face lit up with wild joy. In a flash, he appeared before Chu Feng and grabbed him tightly by the shoulders, beaming with delight.
Seeing that the Ice and Snow Phoenix Clan Leader had not only crossed over to their side but was now clutching Chu Feng, the powerful figures of the Ancient Elves furrowed their brows and prepared to act.
But the perceptive Elf King quickly sent a mental transmission to stop them. By now, he had already realized that this Ice and Snow Phoenix Clan Leader apparently had a deep connection with that girl named Dantai Xue, and after confirming Chu Feng's identity, the clan leader bore no hostility toward him whatsoever.
He had a vague premonition that perhaps even this troublesome adversary — the Ice and Snow Phoenix clan — could be resolved by Chu Feng.
"Truly a case of the dragon king not recognizing his own temple — family not recognizing family!" Sure enough, the clan leader was extremely excited now. Looking at Chu Feng, not only was his earlier hostility completely gone, he gazed at him as though looking at his own kin — the warmth was palpable.
"Senior, it seems Dantai Xue is within your Ice and Snow Phoenix clan?" Chu Feng was also quite happy at this point.
Through their earlier exchange, he had already confirmed that Dantai Xue had not only been here before but was on good terms with the Ice and Snow Phoenix clan. Otherwise, she wouldn't have shared so many secrets with this elder.
"She is. Would you like to see her?" the clan leader said.
"That would be wonderful," Chu Feng said.
"Wait a moment." As he spoke, the clan leader removed a ring from his finger and handed it to a nearby expert who was also an eighth-rank Martial Emperor. He said in a low voice, "If they make any rash moves, kill them without hesitation."
Having said that, he turned to Chu Feng and said, "Young friend Chu Feng, come with me." With that, he turned and walked away.
"Chu Feng." Seeing that Chu Feng was truly about to follow him, the Artifact Refinement Immortal and the others were very worried.
"Rest easy, seniors. I'll be back shortly." Chu Feng made a reassuring gesture and then followed without looking back.
Led by the clan leader, they arrived inside the Ice and Snow Phoenix clan's territory — a sprawling complex of buildings nestled among snow-capped mountains.
The place where Dantai Xue resided was a heavily guarded and magnificently ornate ice and snow castle.
In Chu Feng's eyes, the castle where Dantai Xue stayed was probably the finest one in the entire Ice and Snow Phoenix clan.