"Chu Xuanyuan actually has a son?"
"And his son dares to come to our Three Saints Monster Clan?"
"Wait — if Chu Xuanyuan's son is here, does that mean Chu Xuanyuan himself has come too?"
The crowd buzzed with discussion. At first, their tone was one of disdain and resistance, but soon other emotions crept in.
The younger generation felt a touch of fear.
Even the elders grew somewhat tense.
Clearly, they had no knowledge of what had been happening outside, nor did they know anything about Chu Feng.
But they were certainly afraid of something.
"It is Chu Xuanyuan's son alone," the Sacred Elder said.
Hearing this, everyone — men and women, young and old — let out a collective sigh of relief, and the tension on their faces dissipated.
"However, even though he is Chu Xuanyuan's son, this visit is of his own volition."
"Everyone, do not treat him with a biased eye. Simply follow the usual rules and handle things according to protocol."
The Sacred Elder added.
"Sacred Elder, if we're following the rules, wouldn't that mean we can challenge him and take his high-grade pills?" someone asked.
"You may issue a challenge, but Chu Xuanyuan's son is still a member of the younger generation. According to the rules, only fellow juniors may challenge him," the Sacred Elder replied.
"Sacred Elder, then I should be qualified, shouldn't I?"
A white-haired man spoke up — the very same one who had clashed with Chu Feng earlier.
His name was Sansheng Fengliu.
His complexion was now ruddy and radiant; his injuries had clearly healed for the most part.
That was to be expected, since the wounds Chu Feng had inflicted on him weren't life-threatening to begin with.
"You may, but since we are following the rules, you must also prepare a hundred high-grade pills before the challenge."
"If you lose, you will have to hand them over," the Sacred Elder said.
A palm opened, and in an instant, a hundred pills brimming with the energy of heaven and earth materialized above it.
A rich, intoxicating fragrance instantly pervaded the air.
It was the scent of spirit pills — from that aroma alone, one could tell these were no ordinary pills.
But the one who had presented them was not the white-haired man. It was a black-haired man named Sansheng Hongliang.
"The high-grade pills are ready."
"I'm just afraid Chu Xuanyuan's son won't even make it inside."
Sansheng Hongliang said.
"That's entirely possible. What kind of place is our Three Saints Monster Clan? In the current era, only Chu Xuanyuan himself has ever entered."
"Chu Xuanyuan's son doesn't represent Chu Xuanyuan. It's all too common for a hero father to have a useless son."
"Would it really be strange if Chu Xuanyuan's son couldn't get in?"
"True enough."
The crowd chattered on. Despite knowing nothing about Chu Feng — having never even laid eyes on him — their opinion of him was decidedly low.
Hummmm— Just then, a surge of barrier power manifested at the center of the stone gate, forming a gateway of light.
"Oh? He actually made it through?"
Seeing this, both Sansheng Fengliu and Sansheng Hongliang exchanged meaningful smiles.
They were not panicked in the slightest. If anything, their anticipation only grew.
Anticipation for what?
Naturally, the chance to prove themselves.
If they could defeat the intruder, that title alone would be worth bragging about for quite a while.
The two of them descended from the sky, landing before the barrier gateway.
But before long, several thousand more figures swooped down.
All of them were juniors, but not a single one was mediocre. Every one was either a God Cloak Spirit World Master or a half-God realm martial cultivator.
Yet these people seemed to have reached a prior understanding, because every last one landed behind Sansheng Fengliu and Sansheng Hongliang.
"What are you doing, trying to cause trouble?" Sansheng Hongliang glanced at them.
"We wouldn't dare, we wouldn't dare."
"But why use a butcher's knife to kill a pig?"
"Where would a small fry like this need the two young masters?"
"Just leave it to us."
The juniors said with eager servility.
"Heh, forget it. If he made it in, he's clearly no pushover. I'm afraid you'd just end up losing your high-grade pills."
"After all, pills like those aren't easy to accumulate," Sansheng Hongliang said.
"Young Master Hongliang is absolutely right — anyone who can get in is no fool. But neither are we."
"Why not give us a chance, young masters? If we can't handle him, then the two of you can step in?" a long-faced man said.
"Well..."
Sansheng Hongliang hesitated for a moment. On second thought, if the juniors failed first and then he stepped in to win, he'd be the hero of the Three Saints Monster Clan.
Wouldn't that be wonderful?
But it was a gamble.
He worried that if the intruder was too weak — if some random genius junior of the Three Saints Monster Clan could defeat him easily — then there would be no opportunity for him to shine.
Rumble rumble rumble— Just then, the plaza began to tremble, and formation light surged up from the earth.
On the ground beside the golden stele carved with Chu Xuanyuan's great name, the power of a formation began to materialize.