After Zuoqiu Youyu also became wreathed in that radiant aura…
The monster shut its mouth, immediately turned around, and departed in the direction it had come from, its footsteps shaking the earth with every stride.
Only the voice of the old monster continued to reverberate through the air.
"A person of great talent, I hope you will not disappoint my lord."
Though those words were not particularly loud, they echoed ceaselessly in everyone's hearts.
"His lord?"
"That elder's strength is already so terrifying."
"Then what manner of person must the lord he speaks of be?"
"Why would beings of such caliber exist within the Yin Yang Withered Well Realm?"
"We've never heard of those elders before."
"There really are other living beings inside the Yin Yang Withered Well Realm?"
In an instant, the disciples erupted into heated discussion.
The clues that old monster had provided were simply too shocking.
Before today, the notion that other beings existed within the Yin Yang Withered Well Realm had been mere speculation. Now it seemed to have been confirmed.
And the reality was far more terrifying than any of them had imagined.
Setting aside all others, that old monster alone was already unfathomably deep. If the lord he spoke of was even stronger, and if these beings ever left the Yin Yang Withered Well Realm — would the current Wolong Martial Sect even be able to contend with them?
A sense of crisis settled over every disciple.
"Chu Feng, that one just now — was he not an manifestation of the formation, but truly real?" Xia Yan asked Chu Feng.
She had initially assumed it was a formation, but upon closer observation, it simply did not resemble one. Everything had been far too real.
Unable to determine the answer on her own, she could only turn to Chu Feng for guidance.
"Mm, probably."
But Chu Feng's reply was absentminded, even somewhat sluggish.
Moreover, from beginning to end, Chu Feng had kept his eyes fixed on Zuoqiu Youyu. Even as he answered, he never once looked toward Xia Yan.
More precisely, he was staring at the radiant aura surrounding Zuoqiu Youyu.
"Sigh, Chu Feng seems to really care about this matter."
"Of course he does. Chu Feng has broken Lord Dugu Lingtian's record multiple times — he must have assumed that the 'person of great talent' that elder mentioned was him."
"But now he's discovered that it was Zuoqiu Youyu. He must be feeling pretty wretched about it."
The disciples murmured among themselves.
Upon hearing this, Xia Yan also compared the radiant aura around Chu Feng with the radiant aura surrounding Zuoqiu Youyu.
Only the two of them possessed auras that were utterly unique, startling phenomena reminiscent of omens.
But between the two of them, the difference in their auras was plainly visible to the naked eye.
"Something must have gone wrong," Xia Yan muttered.
"What exactly do you mean by that, Xia Yan?" Zuoqiu Yanliang asked, his face darkening with displeasure, even though Zuoqiu Youyu himself said nothing.
"A criminal who should be keeping her head down, and still you won't stay quiet. You think you can butt into everything? Do you think you're the Vice Sect Master?"
Though Xia Yan's strength did not match Zuoqiu Yanliang's, she showed not the slightest fear toward him. In fact, when she mocked him, she went so far as to drag his grandfather into it as well.
It was the first time anyone other than Chu Feng had been seen showing such an attitude toward Zuoqiu Yanliang.
And yet, despite Xia Yan's brazen demeanor, Zuoqiu Yanliang did not dare do anything about it. He could only stand there, his face flushed an iron blue with fury.
At that moment, it was Zuoqiu Youyu — who had always been cold and aloof — who finally spoke.
"Xia Yan, your background is excellent and your talent is extraordinary. Someone like you should be more careful about the company you keep."
Those words were no longer a hint but an open declaration, and everyone knew he was referring to Chu Feng.
"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Zuoqiu. But I'm afraid who I choose to be friends with is none of your business, is it?"
Though Xia Yan delivered those words with a smile, everyone could hear the sting in them — and even Zuoqiu Youyu had been thoroughly rebuffed.