"I said, release Tang Ying and I'll reveal myself immediately," Chu Feng spoke again.
"Ha! Do you take me for a fool? You think I can be tricked so easily?" Red Lizard said with mockery.
"You have no other choice," Chu Feng said.
"No other choice? I think you've got things confused." Red Lizard let out a cold laugh, then extended his palm and made a grabbing motion toward Tang Ying. An immense, oppressive aura descended without warning, enveloping both Tang Ying and her maid.
The moment Red Lizard made his move, everyone could feel his aura — a Rank Nine Half Ancestor. This was a peak-level Half Ancestor, a supreme powerhouse just one step away from becoming a Martial Ancestor.
Such a powerhouse could kill Tang Ying and her maid with nothing more than a thought, let alone now that he had unleashed his oppressive might.
"Reveal yourself right now, or I'll kill them on the spot," Red Lizard said viciously.
"Red Lizard, I know there are Dragon-patterned Spirit World Masters among your subordinates. But you should also be well aware that with their strength, they have absolutely no way of locking down my position."
"If you kill Tang Ying and the others, I will definitely not reveal myself. I guarantee it — you will never find me again, and you'll never be able to complete the task your master gave you for the rest of your life."
"But if you release them, I'll reveal myself immediately. I won't go back on my word."
"Today, I've already given you your chance to kill me. How you choose is up to you."
"Of course, if you insist on killing Tang Ying and refuse to let them go, then I can only say you've got no guts. The one the world will mock won't be me, Chu Feng — it'll be you, Red Lizard."
"But if you release Tang Ying and I fail to reveal myself, then the one the world mocks will absolutely not be you — it'll be me."
"Furthermore, if you choose the former today and end up unable to ever catch me again, I'm sure your master won't be too pleased about that either."
"So you should know exactly how to choose," Chu Feng said with complete confidence, as though he had already seen through Red Lizard entirely.
"Heh… you're a clever one," Red Lizard said, and to everyone's surprise, he suddenly laughed. He was no fool — he could certainly weigh the pros and cons.
In this situation, he truly seemed to have no choice but to do as Chu Feng said. Still, he couldn't help but feel reluctant, because doing so would essentially mean he had lost this game of wits to Chu Feng.
Yet he didn't want to pass up the chance to kill Chu Feng either, and he especially didn't want to be punished by his master later for missing this opportunity today — all while being ridiculed by the world.
So in the end, he simply waved his sleeve, and the thorny vine ropes binding Tang Ying and her maid were blasted apart.
Tang Ying and her maid were now free.
"Go," Red Lizard said.
Upon hearing this, Tang Ying and her maid initially looked dazed, as if they didn't know where to go or where to flee.
But in the end, they turned around and sprinted desperately into the distance, their retreating figures looking quite wretched.
"Tell your people to stop locking onto their auras," Chu Feng said.
Hearing this, Red Lizard's expression changed, but he ultimately looked toward several individuals standing beside him.
Those individuals' expressions shifted as well. Though they appeared outwardly unchanged, many present knew exactly what was going on.
Those Spirit World Masters must have used special techniques to lock onto Tang Ying and the others' auras. That way, no matter where Tang Ying and the others fled, Red Lizard's subordinates would be able to track them down.
But Chu Feng had seen through this method, which meant Red Lizard now had no choice but to call it off. As long as Tang Ying and the others fled far enough, finding them again would be next to impossible.
Sure enough, the people from the Luyang Pavilion did not give chase, and the technique for locking onto Tang Ying's aura was also discontinued.