"If Wen Xue really does something to harm you, could you kill her?" Chu Feng asked Zi Ling.
"If anyone dares to harm you, I will kill them."
"Not just Wen Xue — everyone, without exception," Zi Ling answered with utter seriousness.
Even though Wen Xue had just helped heal her injuries and she felt she owed Wen Xue a favor, if anyone truly dared to act against Chu Feng, she would show no mercy.
"Chu Feng, do you think Wen Xue hasn't changed at her core?" Zi Ling asked.
"No, I was just asking." Chu Feng paused. "Actually, I think Wen Xue really has changed."
"Changed for the better?" Zi Ling asked.
"Mm," Chu Feng said.
"I think so too. She's not that bad anymore," Zi Ling agreed.
"Enough thinking."
"Let's go — we have business to attend to."
With that, Chu Feng and Zi Ling set off.
The journey was far from short, but Chu Feng moved with great caution. After all, the opponent they faced was the Seven Realms Holy Palace. He worried that the Holy Palace might have set up obstacles along the way — if they were discovered, the consequences would be dire.
Yet, the entire route was completely clear, with no formations or defensive measures whatsoever. And as they drew closer to their destination, Chu Feng noticed more and more figures all heading toward the same place.
These were people who had heard the news and were rushing over to see the spectacle.
Apparently, an entire clan had been massacred.
Upon hearing this, Chu Feng abandoned his cautious pace and followed the crowd forward at speed.
Sure enough, a vast city came into view, its fires blazing toward the sky. Though they were still quite distant, the stench of blood already hit them like a wave.
And the city stood precisely at the spot where the key fragment had landed.
The city belonged to a clan bearing the surname Tan.
Right now, figures milled about both inside and outside the city walls, but most were spectators whispering among themselves — few showed genuine grief.
They were all there to watch the show.
As for the members of the Tan clan, every last one of them was inside the city. Not a single survivor.
It was a true slaughter — not even chickens or dogs were left alive.
The horror within the city was enough to ignite fury and heartbreak in even complete strangers.
"Who could be so devoid of conscience?" Zi Ling bit down on her lower lip, her rage written plainly across her face.
Since ascending from the Lower Realm, she had witnessed countless acts of slaughter. But every time she saw children — young and innocent, who had barely gotten a glimpse of the world before being ruthlessly snuffed out — she could barely contain her wrath.
"Could it be the Seven Realms Holy Palace?" Zi Ling looked to Chu Feng.
It was her guess, but she hesitated as she said it. The Seven Realms Holy Palace certainly had motive, but would a power of that stature really stoop to something so despicable?
"That possibility can't be ruled out," Chu Feng said.
Whether it was the Seven Realms Holy Palace or any other Heavenly River overlord — the so-called righteous sects and dominant powers had all clawed their way to their thrones through countless storms of bloodshed. The ruthless methods of some "righteous" factions were no softer than those of the demonic path.
"That's too cruel. I never heard that the Tan clan had offended anyone. How could they suddenly be wiped out?"
At that moment, a portly man flew over, his brow furrowed as he took in the scene.
"All the valuables are gone — it must have been looted. Looting doesn't need a reason; if they wanted to take it, they took it. The vast cultivation world has always been a place where the strong devour the weak," his companion replied.
"But the Tan clan — I never heard they had any great treasures."
"Who said they didn't?"
"Don't you remember the Tan clan's formation?"
Listening to this exchange, Chu Feng and Zi Ling both paid close attention.
From the rest of the conversation, they learned that despite the Tan clan's modest strength, it boasted an extremely long lineage. There was a rumor that far, far back — in the early days of the current era — a distinguished guest had once visited the Tan clan. Under that guest's guidance, the clan had enjoyed a brief period of prosperity, and that distinguished guest had also left behind a formation.