"Young Master, are we really just giving those to them?"
Huangfu Jiangyao and Huangfu Shangyang staggered over to Huangfu Shengyu's side, their bodies riddled with grievous wounds.
"What else would you have me do? Do you two useless fools want me to go back on my word?"
Huangfu Shengyu shot the pair a vicious glare.
"We're sorry, Young Master. We underestimated them," the two said with deep remorse.
"It wasn't underestimation. You're simply too weak."
"Even if I gave you another chance, you'd still lose."
Huangfu Shengyu looked at them with undisguised contempt, then turned his gaze toward Xian Haishaoyu.
Those words struck Huangfu Jiangyao and Huangfu Shangyang silent. They hung their heads, unable to argue.
Indeed, even they knew their defeat was no injustice. Even given another chance, they had no confidence they could win. Feng Ling and Yuwen Yanri were simply that strong.
By now, Chu Feng and the others had also made their way to the chest.
With the keys in hand, it was time to open it.
"Brother Chu Feng, why don't you do the honors?"
Xian Haishaoyu offered both keys to Chu Feng.
Chu Feng didn't take the keys. Instead, he smiled and asked, "What did you figure out?"
The chest was enormous, its surface covered in ornate carvings — but those carvings were more than mere decoration. They held meaning. Even with the keys, opening the chest would not be easy.
"I figured out some of it, but I couldn't piece the whole thing together. That's why I'm asking you. You must have studied it already, right?" Xian Haishaoyu said.
"I did."
Without further hesitation, Chu Feng took both keys. He had not only watched the earlier contest but had also been carefully observing the chest the entire time. He already knew the correct method of opening it.
At that moment, Ling Xiao and Jie Baobao drew closer as well. The two of them had also studied the chest. While they had gleaned fragments of the mechanism, neither had managed to figure out the complete procedure. But they both knew that Chu Feng's mastery of barrier arts surpassed theirs, so they wanted to see exactly how he would do it.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present...
Chu Feng first inserted the left key, then the right.
Boom— The moment the keys were fully seated, a pillar of light erupted from the chest and shot straight up into the sky. The pillar was a dark purple hue, and it merged with the grand hall itself.
Almost simultaneously, every wall of the grand hall was engulfed in that dark purple energy.
The barrier gate was sealed shut.
Those outside could no longer get in, and those inside could no longer get out.
Most terrifying of all, a bone-chilling killing intent now permeated the entire hall.
It was the kind of killing intent that made every single person present feel a cold dread grip their souls.
This was clearly a killing formation — one powerful enough to annihilate them all. Once it activated, there would be no chance of survival.
Sensing the killing formation's true power, the geniuses furrowed their brows in grim concentration.
But Huangfu Shengyu, far from being afraid, actually broke into a grin.