"Supreme Elder, throughout the generations of our Chu Heavenly Clan, only our Ancestor has ever ascended to the Eighth Level of the Nine Heavens Thunder Platform."
"But you merely wish to test Chu Feng's talent, yet you require him to ascend to the Eighth Level — that seems a bit..." Chu Xuanzhengfa said with a frown.
"A bit what?"
"Are you trying to say that I'm making things too difficult for that Chu Feng?" Chu Hanpeng asked.
"Um... Supreme Elder, though it may be disrespectful to say so, that is indeed the case. It's merely a talent test — there's really no need for him to ascend to the Eighth Level of the Nine Heavens Thunder Platform."
"If it were an ordinary person, there would indeed be no need to ascend to the Eighth Level. But is Chu Feng an ordinary person?" Chu Hanpeng asked.
At these words, Chu Xuanzhengfa fell silent. Strictly speaking, Chu Feng could not be treated as an ordinary clan member — after all, he was Chu Xuanyuan's son.
That identity alone should have excluded him from the ranks of ordinary clan members.
"I've said it before — Chu Feng needs to prove two things. First, his talent. And second, that he truly is Chu Xuanyuan's son."
"The second point is actually more important than the first."
"Otherwise, anyone could simply step forward, claim to be Chu Xuanyuan's son, and demand to enter our Chu Heavenly Clan and inherit our legacy. Would we have to accept all of them?" Chu Hanpeng said.
"What the Supreme Elder says is entirely correct. But if you want Chu Feng to prove he is Chu Xuanyuan's son, couldn't you simply send someone to the Ancestral Martial Lower Realm to ask Chu Xuanyuan himself?" Chu Xuanzhengfa said.
"You think you're the only clever one — the only one who could think of such a method?" Chu Hanpeng asked coldly.
"Uh..." Chu Xuanzhengfa didn't know how to respond.
"When I came out of seclusion and learned of this matter, I had already gone to the Ancestral Martial Lower Realm," Chu Hanpeng said.
"Then, Supreme Elder, did Chu Xuanyuan refuse to give an answer?"
Chu Xuanzhengfa was somewhat worried. He feared that with Chu Xuanyuan's temperament, he might not even give face to Chu Hanpeng. If that were the case, the one who would suffer would be Chu Feng.
"That Chu Xuanyuan used a formation to seal off the secret realm of the Ancestral Martial Lower Realm. I couldn't even see him," Chu Hanpeng said.
"This damned Chu Xuanyuan — truly daring beyond measure. He must be severely punished!"
"Supreme Elder, I request permission to go to the Ancestral Martial Lower Realm and punish Chu Xuanyuan severely," said the Hall Master of the Military Hall.
"The formations that Chu Xuanyuan set up — even I couldn't break them. You think you could?" Chu Hanpeng asked.
Hearing these words, the Hall Master of the Military Hall's expression turned ugly.
Not just him — even the other two Hall Masters and Chu Xuanzhengfa all showed changed expressions.
If even Chu Hanpeng couldn't break the formations that Chu Xuanyuan had set up, that was sufficient proof of just how formidable Chu Xuanyuan was.
"Furthermore, let's not hear talk of 'teaching Chu Xuanyuan a lesson' ever again. Unless... you wish to follow in Chu Kongtong's footsteps."
At these words, Chu Hanpeng deliberately glanced at the three Hall Masters — of the Military Hall, the Spirit World Hall, and the Treasure Hall.
Hearing this, all three Hall Masters shuddered.
They naturally knew about what had happened to Chu Kongtong. He had entered the Ancestral Martial Lower Realm and humiliated Chu Xuanyuan's companion, the Old Ape. As a result, Chu Xuanyuan had gouged out his eyes and severed his legs.
His cultivation had not been crippled, but it had been continuously declining ever since.
Most importantly, the eyes that had been gouged out and the legs that had been severed — no matter whom they invited to heal him, nothing worked.
The current Chu Kongtong was already nothing more than a cripple.
Only a madman would want to follow in his footsteps.
"Supreme Elder, are you simply going to let Chu Xuanyuan be?" the Hall Master of the Military Hall asked.