"What are you all spacing out for? Can't you see I'm injured?"
"Hurry up and heal me!"
"If you don't help me now, all my cultivation will drain away. Are you prepared to bear that responsibility?"
"Quickly! Come help me!"
"You lot… you…"
"Save me! Hurry, save me! I'm begging you, isn't that enough?"
Xia Ran's desperate pleas shifted from arrogant bluster to heartbroken begging.
Yet everyone watched coldly from the sidelines, and not a single person stepped forward to help.
In truth, even if someone had intervened now, nothing could be done. Xia Ran's cultivation had already been completely destroyed.
"Sister, please save me! I know I was wrong. Don't strip my cultivation — I can't live without it. If it's gone, I don't want to live either!"
Having no other recourse, Xia Ran could only grovel before Xia Yan.
Seeing him like this, Xia Yan's expression grew somewhat pained. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
When the others saw this, they assumed Xia Yan couldn't bring herself to follow through.
That would be understandable, after all. Xia Yan had doted on Xia Ran so indulgently for so long. He wasn't even her biological brother, yet she had treated him better than one.
How could someone just let go of a bond like that?
But just as everyone believed Xia Yan's resolve was faltering, she opened her eyes and looked straight at Xia Ran.
"Xia Ran, over the years, how many despicable things have you done? I don't need to spell it out — you know perfectly well."
"I've tolerated you for far too long. That I'm sparing your life today is already more than you deserve."
"If you truly don't want to live, then take care of it yourself."
As she spoke, Xia Yan tossed a dagger down, and it landed right beside Xia Ran.
Alongside the dagger was also a pill — a lethal poison.
"You…"
Xia Ran stared at the dagger and the poison, his face contorted in disbelief.
Even now, he couldn't accept that things had turned out this way.
The others were equally stunned.
How could today's Xia Yan seem like an entirely different person? The same Xia Yan who had pampered Xia Ran so shamelessly — could she really be this cold and ruthless toward him?
Everyone agreed that Xia Ran didn't deserve sympathy. Yet seeing him in this state, they still couldn't help but think he looked pitiful.
But after Xia Yan dropped the dagger and the poison, she didn't spare Xia Ran another glance. Instead, she turned to Chu Feng. "Chu Feng, where is your residence? I'll come sit at your place."
"It's just over there. Follow me."
Chu Feng pointed in the direction of his residence.
"Let's go. Lead the way," Xia Yan said with a grin.
"Could you let go of me? This is kind of awkward."
Chu Feng said this because ever since Xia Yan had latched onto him, her arms hadn't budged an inch.
"We're good brothers — what's wrong with a little hug? Don't be so stingy. Now hurry up and lead the way. You're dawdling like a girl," Xia Yan said cheerfully.
Though she had the appearance of a cool, aloof older sister, her personality was incredibly outgoing and forthright. Especially around Chu Feng, her frank and generous nature exceeded everyone's expectations.
"Sigh. There's no dealing with you."
Chu Feng had no choice but to lead Xia Yan toward his residence.
Even as the two of them walked off into the distance, Xia Yan's hearty laughter could still be heard echoing back.
The crowd looked again at Xia Ran, who lay prostrate on the ground, sobbing and desperately begging the elders to save him — and they were now certain that the relationship between Chu Feng and Xia Yan went far beyond ordinary friendship.
Otherwise, how could Xia Yan have crippled Xia Ran's cultivation on Chu Feng's behalf — and then laugh about it so happily afterward?
"Presiding Elder, how should we handle Xia Ran?"
The elders of Northern Profound Court looked to the Presiding Elder.
"After all, he's a disciple of Southern Phoenix Court. Dump him back at Southern Phoenix Court and let their elders deal with him."
"Just relay Xia Yan's exact words to them. If they don't believe it, tell them to go ask Xia Yan themselves."
The Presiding Elder ordered.
The elders of Northern Profound Court carried out his instructions accordingly.
By now, no one feared Xia Ran anymore. With his backer gone and his cultivation destroyed, he was no longer a threat within the Wolong Martial Sect. His future was destined to be miserable beyond imagination.
"Song Xi."
The Presiding Elder waved Song Xi over from the crowd.
Song Xi promptly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Your friend — just what kind of background does he have?" the Presiding Elder asked in a low voice. Naturally, he was asking about Chu Feng.
Song Xi answered honestly: he knew virtually nothing about Chu Feng's background, but he deeply admired Chu Feng's decisiveness and spirit. Although Chu Feng's cultivation hadn't been particularly impressive when they first met, Song Xi still described him as someone he looked up to with genuine admiration.
"This Chu Feng really is unfathomable."
"No wonder he wasn't the least bit rattled even after offending Nangong Yuliu."
"It seems our Northern Profound Court has truly been blessed with extraordinary luck."
Though the Presiding Elder hadn't learned much about Chu Feng from Song Xi, his anticipation regarding the young man only grew.
If Chu Feng and Li Muzhi had merely been acquaintances, then the bond between Chu Feng and Xia Yan had already reached a level of intimacy that far surpassed ordinary friendship.
One could tell just from how Xia Yan treated Xia Ran.