The moment those words left his lips, it was like ten thousand peals of thunder striking at once.
The roar was incredibly powerful, shaking heaven and earth.
Yet what it shattered was not the ears of the crowd, but their hearts.
Chu Xuanyuan—those three words needed no explanation. Everyone already knew what they meant.
In an instant, countless gazes converged on Chu Feng alone.
At the same time, a question erupted in every mind.
Was Chu Feng truly the son of Chu Xuanyuan?
In truth, everyone had wondered about this before.
After all, Chu Xuanyuan's son was named Chu Feng. Chu Xuanyuan had cultivated the Divine Punishment Mystic Art, and even their appearances were strikingly similar.
But Chu Feng had never once claimed to be Chu Xuanyuan's son.
There were even rumors that Chu Feng had publicly declared he was not a member of the Chu Heavenly Clan, nor was he a citizen of the Great Thousand Upper Realm.
Moreover, long-standing reports had it that Chu Xuanyuan's son had died long ago.
For precisely these reasons, people had convinced themselves it was all mere coincidence—that Chu Feng, however extraordinary his background might be, must have come from somewhere else entirely.
Yet now, even Chu Xuan Zhengfa himself had said that Chu Feng was Chu Xuanyuan's son. So was he, or wasn't he?
Faced with the crowd's desperate hunger for an answer, Chu Feng felt conflicted deep inside.
Sooner or later, he would have to acknowledge that he was Chu Xuanyuan's son. But… he didn't feel the time was right. At the very least, he didn't yet possess the strength to earn the Chu Heavenly Clan's recognition.
"Chu Feng, give everyone their answer."
"Tell them who you are. Tell them you belong to the Chu Heavenly Clan, and that your father is Chu Xuanyuan."
"From this day forward, the Chu Heavenly Clan will protect you. No one will ever be able to harm you again," Chu Xuan Zhengfa said.
In truth, Chu Xuan Zhengfa was just as eager to hear Chu Feng's answer. As long as Chu Feng didn't speak, even he couldn't be completely certain that Chu Feng really was Chu Xuanyuan's son.
Seeing Chu Feng still hesitating, the Queen spoke up: "Chu Feng, just admit it. You truly do need a force like the Chu Heavenly Clan to shield you right now."
She was right. Chu Feng had already offended so many powerful figures. If he didn't acknowledge himself as Chu Xuanyuan's son today, it would be tantamount to denying that he was a member of the Chu Heavenly Clan.
That would mean losing the Clan's protection—and those who wanted to come after Chu Feng would become even more brazen and unscrupulous.
"I, Chu Feng, am indeed the son of Chu Xuanyuan."
At last, before the assembled crowd, Chu Feng spoke the words aloud, declaring his identity.
And the moment those words left his mouth, the uproar erupted all over again. Though the crowd had already braced themselves, hearing Chu Feng personally confirm that he was Chu Xuanyuan's son still sent waves of barely contained excitement through every heart.
So Chu Xuanyuan's son hadn't died after all. Not only was he alive—he had inherited his father's Divine Punishment Mystic Art and his extraordinary talent.
"No wonder Young Hero Chu Feng's talent is so heavens-defying. So he's Chu Xuanyuan's son!"
"That explains it all. Nothing strange about it at all!"
The crowd erupted completely. Even those who had known Chu Feng for some time, like Xia Yun'er and the others, found their gazes shifting.
It was for no other reason than those three words—Chu Xuanyuan. They carried extraordinary weight.
He had been the mightiest being in the Great Thousand Upper Realm, and arguably the most brilliant genius the realm had ever produced in its entire history.
Though the events of the past had made many people reluctant to utter Chu Xuanyuan's name in the open, his legend continued to circulate in whispers.
Even Chu Xuan Zhengfa—a figure of his stature—now had an irrepressible glow of joy shining in his eyes.
"However, I, Chu Feng, am not a member of the Chu Heavenly Clan."
Chu Feng added.
"What?!"
The moment those words came out, the crowd's expressions shifted once more, full of shock.
What was Chu Feng saying? That he wasn't a member of the Chu Heavenly Clan?
He'd just admitted to being Chu Xuanyuan's son—how could he possibly not belong to the Chu Heavenly Clan?
"Young Hero Chu Feng, that joke isn't very funny."
Amid their bewilderment, someone ventured with a half-joking tone.
"This is no joke." Chu Feng offered a faint smile, then pointed to his own forehead.