"Bullshit, 'well-intentioned' my ass. He's just heartless, that's all."
"Your mother didn't look after you either, but at least she sealed this queen inside your body. But your father? He genuinely left you in mortal danger without a second thought. If it weren't for your ridiculous luck, you'd probably be dead by now."
"Sigh, men… sometimes they really are terrifyingly selfish."
Just then, the Queen's voice rang out. Having learned the truth, she was nothing like Chu Feng in her composure—quite the opposite. The Queen was furious.
Hearing her rage-filled voice, Chu Feng actually smiled faintly.
He knew full well that her anger came entirely from her heartache for him.
"And you're smiling? Your father deceived you."
"Even if he couldn't keep you by his side, this old man could have raised you from a young age. But instead, your father chose to throw you into the Lower Realm of Ancestral Martial and let you fend for yourself. And you can still smile about that?" The Queen grew even angrier at the sound of his laughter.
"All right, all right, my little egg, I'm perfectly fine now, aren't I?"
"And don't hold a grudge against your future father-in-law because of this," Chu Feng said with a grin.
"Excuse me? Future father-in-law?"
"Future father-in-law—what the hell is that?" The Queen's expression shifted instantly at his words.
"You're my future wife, so my father would naturally be your future father-in-law," Chu Feng replied cheekily.
"Pah! You absolutely brazen fool—daring to take advantage of this queen? Have you no shame?" the Queen snapped furiously.
"Stop pretending, my little egg. I know you love me deeply. Don't tell me you've already decided it's me or no one?" Chu Feng pressed.
"Oh my heavens, when did you become this shameless? If I'd known you'd end up like this today, I never would have protected you all this time!" the Queen shouted with undisguised disdain.
But just as Chu Feng and the Queen were conversing in his mind, the Clan Chief of the Chu Heavenly Clan spoke up once more.
"Chu Feng, only the three of us know the truth of what happened back then—you, I, and your father."
"You must never tell anyone about this. Not even Chu Xuan Zhengfa."
"If this were to spread, not only would your life and your father's be at stake."
"Our entire Chu Heavenly Clan could face annihilation."
As he spoke these words, the Clan Chief's face was grimly solemn.
"Rest assured, Senior. This matter concerns the safety of our Chu Heavenly Clan—I will keep it secret."
Chu Feng understood that back then, many forces had conspired to drive his father to that desperate point. Powerful enemies were one thing, but internal threats were far more dangerous. Even the current Chu Heavenly Clan was riddled with both internal strife and external pressures, far from united. Many people wished for both him and his father to die. Chu Feng would never reveal the truth.
As for Chu Xuan Zhengfa—Chu Feng trusted the man's character completely. But since the Clan Chief had said as much, he knew it wasn't really suspicion of Chu Xuan Zhengfa, just an added precaution.
"There is one matter, however, Senior, where I would humbly request your help."
"What is it?" the Clan Chief asked.
"I would like to return to the Lower Realm of Ancestral Martial," Chu Feng said.
Though his strength now ranked among the very top of the younger generation across the entire Ancestral Martial Starfield, returning to the Lower Realm was not something he could decide on his own. He needed the Chu Heavenly Clan's permission.
"Actually, I already knew you wanted to go back. That is no issue at all. Our Chu Heavenly Clan has a formation that leads directly to the Heavenly Road Forbidden Zone—from there, you can return to the Great Chiliocosm Upper Realm."
"But Chu Feng, there are certain things I must warn you about first." At this, the Clan Chief's gaze turned solemn once more.
"Please, Senior, go ahead," Chu Feng said.