"Leave."
The Head of the North Xuan Hall swept his gaze over the North Xuan Hall elders behind him.
"Head, sir—"
"We cannot protect Chu Feng."
The elders tried to persuade the Head of the North Xuan Hall.
They had not left not because they wanted to resist Nangong Chunyue, but because they did not wish to betray their Head. Still, they all knew that remaining here served no purpose.
"Indeed, none of us can stop Nangong Chunyue."
"But I am the Head of the North Xuan Hall."
"As the Head, not only must I uphold justice and maintain balance—"
"I must also protect my disciples and stand up for them."
"This is my duty. This is our duty."
"Chu Feng joined our hall as a genius—it is the North Xuan Hall's good fortune. From the very beginning, I promised to keep him safe."
"But ever since he enrolled, every trial he has faced, he resolved on his own. I never gave him any help. I am truly ashamed."
"Today, when he faces such a calamity, if I sit by and do nothing yet again, even if I live, I fear I will never find peace for the rest of my life."
As the Head of the North Xuan Hall spoke, he produced a token and held it against his chest.
"Head!!!"
Seeing that token, the elders of the North Xuan Hall wore complicated expressions.
The token was quite special—not only was it inscribed with the words "North Xuan," but it also contained a tremendous power within.
"Go quickly. If I should fall here today, the North Xuan Hall will still need you all to hold it together."
The Head of the North Xuan Hall waved his hand.
The elders, having seen the token, knew that the Head of the North Xuan Hall had made up his mind.
They hesitated no longer. One by one, they soared into the air and moved away from the area.
"Array, activate."
After the elders departed, the Head of the North Xuan Hall held the token and formed hand seals.
Hummm— In the next moment, a massive array rose from beneath the grounds of the North Xuan Hall.
Then the array rapidly contracted. What had been a vast formation shrank down to a tiny area—but one that perfectly encompassed Chu Feng's manor.
The array was extraordinarily powerful, yet once it was activated, the Head of the North Xuan Hall aged dramatically.
In just a brief instant, he appeared to have aged by several decades.
"Head, what are you doing?"
Chu Feng's eyes flickered. He knew the Head of the North Xuan Hall must have activated some kind of array, and this aging was the price.
"Chu Feng, if you don't want to leave, then this old man will stand with you."
The Head of the North Xuan Hall looked at Chu Feng with a smile.
"Head, you don't need to do this. I have my own way of dealing with this."
Chu Feng said.
"Even if you have your way, I must still do my part."
"Today, if Nangong Chunyue wants to kill you, she will have to step over my corpse first."
The Head of the North Xuan Hall declared.
"What arrogance!!!"
In the next moment, a piercing voice shook the sky.
Along with that voice, a figure swiftly approached from the distance.
Before long, she arrived outside Chu Feng's manor.
She was none other than Nangong Yuliu's grandmother— One of the ten Great Crouching Dragon Elders of the Crouching Dragon Martial Sect: Nangong Chunyue.
"The North Xuan Guardian Array?"
"Head of the North Xuan Hall, you intend to protect this Chu Feng?"
Nangong Chunyue asked in a cold, sharp voice.
"Chu Feng is a disciple of the North Xuan Hall. I—"
"Enough talk. I'll ask you one thing—are you absolutely determined to interfere in this matter?"
Before the Head of the North Xuan Hall could finish, Nangong Chunyue roared impatiently.
That roar caused heaven and earth to tremble, and combined with her icy gaze— The Head of the North Xuan Hall's body began to uncontrollably shake.
Facing someone of Nangong Chunyue's caliber, how could he not be afraid?
But still, he drew a deep breath and nodded.
"If you want to die, then I'll grant your wish."
As Nangong Chunyue spoke, she raised her palm and struck. In an instant, a torrent of martial force surged forward like an invisible, savage beast, relentlessly battering toward the manor where Chu Feng resided.
Although the North Xuan Guardian Array that the Head of the North Xuan Hall had activated blocked Nangong Chunyue's attack— Blood began to seep from the corners of his mouth. It grew thicker and thicker, his complexion turned increasingly ghastly, and before long, blood poured from his nose as well. His ears and eyes bled too.
"Elder Nangong, please stop!"
"The Head of the North Xuan Hall's cultivation is weak. Even though he controls the North Xuan Guardian Array, if this continues, he will die."
Suddenly, three more figures appeared.
Like Nangong Chunyue, these three were all Crouching Dragon Elders of the Crouching Dragon Martial Sect.
They were Li Fengxian, grandfather of Li Muzhi.
Xia Zhicheng, grandfather of Xia Yan.
And Huyan Xiaotian.
"Don't anyone try to stop me. Today… whoever dares stand in my way, I will take their life."
But Nangong Chunyue ignored all pleas and continued her assault.
Facing such a frenzied Nangong Chunyue, Li Fengxian, Xia Zhicheng, and Huyan Xiaotian exchanged glances but made no move to intervene.
They all knew how much Nangong Chunyue doted on Nangong Yuliu.
If a person has a reverse scale—that one thing they will not tolerate being touched—then for Nangong Chunyue, that reverse scale was her grandson.
Now that Nangong Yuliu was dead, knowing Nangong Chunyue's temperament, she would risk her very life to avenge her grandson.
At this moment, calling Nangong Chunyue a mad dog would not be an exaggeration.