"Young Master Chu Feng, it's all because we trusted the Linghu Heavenly Clan too much. We thought they'd really keep their word and let bygones be bygones. Who knew they'd break their promise? What are we supposed to do now?"
Everyone gazed at Chu Feng with pleading eyes.
Yet Chu Feng's expression remained cold in the face of their pleas as he said: "There's something I need you all to understand."
"Among everyone here, aside from my brothers and sisters of the Chu Heavenly Clan, I have no bond with any of you."
"In fact, just now, when the Puyang Heavenly Clan's clansman attacked me, not a single one of you even thought about stepping in to stop him. No one even said a word on my behalf."
"Had that Puyang clansman been stronger than me, I'm sure I would have been thoroughly beaten by now. And as for all of you — forget about sympathizing with me, I imagine not laughing at me would have been more than generous enough."
Chu Feng looked at the crowd and spoke with a cold sneer.
After hearing Chu Feng's words, the crowd silently lowered their heads, shame surfacing on their faces to varying degrees.
Because what Chu Feng said was, after all, entirely reasonable.
In truth, just as Chu Feng had said, if Chu Feng had truly been defeated by Puyang Han back then, most of them would have mocked him.
The reason everyone was treating Chu Feng with such deference now, following him without question, was simply because they had realized how powerful he was and that he could be relied upon.
"We never had any bond to begin with. The fact that I, Chu Feng, was willing to bring you all into the Sacred Spirit Light Formation was already more than generous of me."
"So I'll be blunt — whether the Linghu Heavenly Clan decides to target you or not, it has nothing to do with me."
"Also, let me remind you of one thing: the person who brought you all in here is me, Chu Feng. The person the Linghu Heavenly Clan hates the most is also me, Chu Feng. After that come my fellow clansmen of the Chu Heavenly Clan. In comparison, you lot aren't really that much of a target."
"So if you're not following me, you might actually be safer," Chu Feng said.
"Young Master Chu Feng, we may not have had any bond before, but we've been through life and death together now. You can't just…"
Hearing Chu Feng say this, the crowd looked panicked and began pleading one after another, even resorting to appeals for sympathy, hoping Chu Feng would change his mind and help them.
"Actually, Chu Feng makes a very good point. If the Linghu Heavenly Clan's rising stars really want to target someone, Chu Feng is number one. Following him might actually be more dangerous," Li Anzhi said at that moment.
Hearing Li Anzhi say this, the crowd was thrown into further confusion.
When only Chu Feng had said it, they figured he was just trying to shake them off. But now that Li Anzhi had spoken up as well, they were beginning to think that Chu Feng might have been telling the truth.
And upon closer analysis, it really did make a lot of sense.
For a moment, everyone was caught between a rock and a hard place, unsure of what to do.
"One more piece of advice — if you want to leave this place safely, it's best not to touch any of the cultivation resources here. If you run into clansmen of the Linghu Heavenly Clan, say a few nice words and they won't make things too difficult for you."
"But if you want to get your hands on cultivation resources, then be prepared to go up against the Linghu Heavenly Clan."
"Because that's simply how the world of martial cultivators works. Not only have we already crossed paths with the Linghu Heavenly Clan, but even if we hadn't, when various powers enter a place full of cultivation resources, conflicts are inevitable," Chu Feng said.
"Young Master Chu Feng speaks the truth. It's just… since we've already come in here, walking away empty-handed would be truly hard to swallow."