Had Chu Feng been here, he would have been overwhelmed with excitement — for this elderly woman was none other than his grandmother, the one he had been searching for everywhere yet had been unable to find.
However, Huangfu Zhantian did not recognize Chu Feng's grandmother, and even if he had, he would not have changed his attitude.
He had discovered that this old woman was no ordinary figure.
"No wonder I haven't seen a single barrier along the way."
"Perhaps she broke through them all."
Huangfu Zhantian eyed Chu Feng's grandmother warily, trying to gauge her cultivation level.
But he couldn't read a thing.
That only made him more anxious, and a thought of retreat began to stir within him.
Yet he didn't leave.
His talismans could no longer sustain him in searching for a new place to hide treasures.
This location was his only chance.
Though his observation failed to pierce her cultivation, he did notice that Chu Feng's grandmother was cultivating — and deeply focused.
And so, Huangfu Zhantian conceived a bold plan. He first produced a talisman, pinching it to activate a concealment formation that shrouded him from sight. Then he took out a clay jar and, creeping stealthily to the edge of the lava, began channeling a series of hand seals.
The molten power of the lava began flowing into the jar.
The lava spread so far and wide it had formed a boundless, crimson ocean. The entire surface churned and rolled ceaselessly, so the area was already deafeningly loud. The noise Huangfu Zhantian made was practically negligible — impossible to notice.
BOOM— But suddenly, a streak of flame shot toward him, not only piercing through his concealment barrier but shattering the clay jar into pieces. The lava he had just collected poured back down, though a small splash landed on his body.
It was a substance meant for cultivation, so it didn't injure him.
Still, this humiliating display sent fury roiling through Huangfu Zhantian's chest.
He knew that flame had come from the old woman.
But he swallowed his anger and held it back, even cupping his fists toward her in a respectful salute.
"I address you as 'senior' because you look older than me — but that doesn't mean your standing exceeds mine."
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Huangfu Zhantian, a member of the ancient Huangfu Heavenly Clan. The name is Huangfu Zhantian."
"You've surely heard of the Huangfu Heavenly Clan, but what the world has seen is merely the tip of the iceberg."
"Our clan has produced powerhouse after powerhouse, and our true strength has yet to be revealed. As for me — Huangfu Zhantian — I am the second-greatest genius since the founding of the Huangfu Heavenly Clan."
"That said, I am a reasonable man."
"Since you arrived first, I won't fight you for this. How about this — give me thirty percent of the remaining cultivation resources here, and we'll call it even?"
When these words left his lips, Chu Feng's grandmother — though she kept her eyes closed in cultivation — responded nonetheless.
She said a single word: "Scram."
Hearing this, Huangfu Zhantian's expression froze. He then placed a hand on his forehead and chuckled softly.
"Your earlier attack was at the Third Grade of Heavenly God — that's indeed remarkable. In this day and age, even among the ancient races, that would place you at the very peak."
"But I, Huangfu Zhantian, am only at the First Grade of Heavenly God. However, my bloodline is of the legendary Celestial General grade."
ZZZAP— As his words reached their end, bolts of lightning erupted from within him, coalescing into resplendent lightning armor that clung to his body. At the same time, he lowered the hand resting on his forehead, revealing a thunder rune of breathtaking dominance.
BOOM!!!
His aura exploded outward, instantly flooding the vast cavern world. Even the enormous sea of lava was roiled by that presence, whipped into towering waves.
The might on display was enough to annihilate heaven and earth.
"I'll ask you one more time."
"I take thirty percent of the resources here. Do you agree?"
BOOM—