"Young friend Chu Feng, why are you not speaking? Could it be that you didn't obtain the treasure?" an expert of the Kong Heavenly Clan asked, his face lined with suspicion.
At that moment, the gazes of the crowd shifted as well, no longer as friendly as they had been before.
Clearly… none of them were willing to accept that Chu Feng had failed to obtain the treasure, nor were they willing to believe that he and his companions had returned empty-handed.
"Heh heh heh…"
However, just then, sudden bursts of cold laughter, carrying an icy chill, echoed from the entrance of the ruins.
Simultaneously, a boundless wave of oppressive aura surged toward them.
"That aura!!!"
Sensing the incoming aura, every person present had their expression change dramatically, their eyes filling with terror — even the peak Martial Ancestor experts were no exception.
Because within that aura, there was not only dense killing intent, but also a power that none of them could hope to resist.
It made people tremble with fear involuntarily.
"A True Immortal? Is that a True Immortal?"
"There's another True Immortal?"
The crowd panicked, because they knew full well that facing a True Immortal expert — even just one — none of them could possibly be a match.
Though the gap between a Martial Ancestor and a True Immortal was but a single step, that difference was enormous.
If a Martial Ancestor represented the pinnacle of the human body's power, then a True Immortal was an existence that had transcended the human body entirely — a new realm of martial cultivation, a true immortal, and no longer merely human.
And before long, the members of the Soul Infant Sect arrived with overwhelming momentum, sealing off their escape routes and trapping everyone in place.
"The Soul Infant Sect?!"
Upon seeing the Soul Infant Sect's members, many of the experts present cried out in surprise.
Clearly… these experts, compared to the other factions, were aware of this mysterious existence known as the Soul Infant Sect.
"What a coincidence. The Sword Comet Immortal Temple, the Buddha Light Heavenly Temple, the Zhou Heavenly Clan, the Kong Heavenly Clan — all four of our old rivals have gathered here today."
"Even Master Oracle has arrived. Master Oracle, it seems it wasn't that you retired — rather, you simply weren't willing to work for us," the West Hall Master said with a cold smile, fixing his gaze on Master Oracle.
"West Hall, none of us have a True Immortal among us today. Are you planning to bully the weak with your strength?" an expert of the Kong Heavenly Clan said.
"Master Kaihong's ruins — such an important place — and you didn't send a True Immortal expert to stand guard. That was your stupidity."
"Did you expect my Soul Infant Sect to be just as stupid as you?" The West Hall Protector's words brought a surge of oppressive pressure with them, and under that pressure, everyone was forced to retreat repeatedly — even the Martial Ancestors could hardly hold their ground.
At that moment, let alone anyone else, even the widely renowned Master Oracle was frowning deeply.
However, Chu Feng, Zhao Hong, and Wang Qiang showed not the slightest change in expression.
"Chu Feng, you truly aren't afraid of me. It seems you really do have a True Immortal backing you."
"In that case, let's not waste everyone's time — go ahead and summon your True Immortal backer, and we'll settle this," the West Hall Protector said to Chu Feng in his sinister, sing-song tone.
"What? Chu Feng has a True Immortal backing him?" Hearing these words, every person present reacted with visible shock.
Many among them even showed expressions of lingering fear, for these were people with ulterior motives — people who had pinned their hopes on Master Kaihong's treasure and had never intended to let Chu Feng leave safely.
But when the Soul Infant Sect's West Hall Protector suddenly made that claim, they realized they had underestimated Chu Feng.
At that moment, they could not help but feel a twinge of relief — relief that they had only questioned Chu Feng about the treasure and hadn't actually made a move against him yet, because otherwise, they would have likely met a terrible fate.
As for those who had never harbored ill intentions toward Chu Feng, they were now filled with joy. If Chu Feng truly had a True Immortal backing him, then they could ride his coattails and escape this calamity.
"Gentlemen, you are overestimating this Chu Feng. If he truly had a True Immortal as his backer, then why would he have…"