"Thank you? Why are you thanking me?"
At that moment, everyone was puzzled by Chu Feng's words of gratitude.
Just then, Chu Feng smiled, closed his eyes, and began to gather the martial force within his body, channeling it along a unique pathway that circulated through his body.
That cultivation pathway was precisely the diagram Chu Feng had pieced together.
However, this cultivation diagram was not something ordinary people could comprehend — yet Chu Feng had managed to do so.
Following the diagram, Chu Feng began to cultivate. Inside his dantian, a vortex actually formed.
As the vortex spun, not only did the cold energy within Chu Feng's body begin surging into it, but even the cold energy inside the grand formation started desperately rushing toward Chu Feng's dantian, toward that very vortex.
In the blink of an eye, all the cold energy in the entire formation had been absorbed into the vortex. At that moment, the vortex began to transform, turning into a crystal covered in frost and radiating piercing cold — yet this crystal contained incredibly dense heaven and earth energy.
Roar—
As if sensing the presence of heaven and earth energy, the slumbering Thunder Beast inside Chu Feng's dantian suddenly opened its eyes. With a wide gulp, it swallowed the crystal whole.
In the next instant, Chu Feng felt an enormous surge of heaven and earth energy rushing through his body, then pouring into his dantian and merging completely with him.
So the cold energy had been heaven and earth energy all along. Though it was a violent form of heaven and earth energy, as long as one cultivated according to the special diagram, it could be absorbed and refined. And now… Chu Feng had accomplished exactly that.
Moreover, this heaven and earth energy was incredibly dense. He had been so close to breaking through. Though he ultimately fell short, it was still an excellent foundation for Chu Feng.
That was why Chu Feng wanted to thank Immortal Tongtian. Once he had deciphered the cultivation diagram, he realized that this so-called formation — where stepping inside meant life or death — was actually another trial placed before him by Immortal Tongtian.
Not only would he not suffer any damage to his cultivation from the formation, he wouldn't die in it either. He would only gain tremendous benefits.
"Young friend Chu Feng, such dense heaven and earth energy was refined by you, yet you still couldn't break through?" Immortal Tongtian looked at Chu Feng with considerable surprise.
"My inherited bloodline has always had an enormous appetite. By now, their appetite has grown to almost unimaginable levels."
"However, Senior, the cold energy within your formation truly contains incredibly dense heaven and earth energy. In fact, I was only a hair's breadth from breaking through."
"So, thank you, Senior. Without your help, I'm afraid I would have had great difficulty finding such dense heaven and earth energy in the Martial Sacred Land." Chu Feng cupped his fists and bowed formally to Immortal Tongtian.
"To sacrifice oneself for others — those who can do so are already exceedingly rare. But for one's family, some people can still manage it."
"To sacrifice oneself for strangers, however, is something truly unseen. But young friend Chu Feng, you have done it."
"You possess a heart of great compassion. Not only does the Martial Sacred Land need you — this entire world needs you as well. Only when someone like you gains power can it benefit others."
"That is why… that cold energy was yours by right."
"Besides, aside from you, I'm afraid no one else in the entire Martial Sacred Land could have refined it."
"Oh wait, I nearly forgot — that Dark Hall Master could probably do it as well. But I would never give something so precious to that sort of fellow." Immortal Tongtian said with a smile.
Hearing his words, everyone was deeply moved. First, they were astonished to learn that everything that had happened before was merely a trial for Chu Feng — and that having passed the trial, not only was he unharmed, he had actually gained considerable benefits.
But for the Elf King and Chu Feng himself, the greater surprise lay elsewhere. From Immortal Tongtian's words, they could tell that despite his years of secluded cultivation, he was remarkably well-informed about the affairs of the Martial Sacred Land.