"What a joke — is there anything my brother here doesn't dare do?"
"Could it be you've laced it with poison?" Wang Qiang scoffed dismissively.
Chu Feng, meanwhile, seized the purple stone directly in his hand.
"This item is not so easy to refine."
"If it were merely a failure, that would be one thing. But if you don't control it properly, you could suffer a backlash."
"And the backlash from this thing is no ordinary matter."
As Chu Feng weighed the purple stone in his palm, he glanced toward Immortal Stone.
"So you can identify the backlash — that does show some skill. But a Spirit World Master proves themselves with strength. If you don't even dare attempt the refinement, then good eyesight is all you've got," Immortal Stone said.
"I'll give it a try."
As Chu Feng spoke, he tightened his grip on the stone, and a surge of majestic formation power converged into his palm.
At the sight of this, every member of the Seven Realms Immortal Sect present fixed their gaze upon Chu Feng.
They were tense.
But it wasn't the kind of tension that came from worrying about Chu Feng's safety.
It was more like they were worried Chu Feng might actually succeed.
The purple stone erupted with violent purple flames that lashed toward Chu Feng like a nest of venomous serpents, yet his expression didn't change in the slightest.
Immortal Stone's face grew even more taut.
"No good."
After a moment, Chu Feng shook his head.
Only then did Immortal Stone let out a sigh of relief.
"No need to blame yourself — this item truly is difficult to refine."
As he spoke, he took the purple stone back from Chu Feng's hand.
His words said there was no need for self-blame, but there was an unmistakable edge of mockery in his tone.
Chu Feng pretended not to catch the barb and offered a mild smile.
"It really is tough to refine."
Hearing that, Immortal Stone's grin grew even brighter.
But Chu Feng was secretly transmitting his voice to Jie Shanxian: "Senior, these people are definitely up to something. Should we seize an opportunity to slip away, or wait for them to reveal their true colors?"
"The sect master of the Seven Realms Immortal Sect promised that if I help them refine the Purple Dream Heaven-Ascending, he would give me thirty percent of the resulting pills."
"Since we're already here, there's no point leaving empty-handed. At the very least, I want what I came for."
"Chu Feng, surely you don't distrust me?"
"Our Seven Realms Sacred Manor is far beyond this little Seven Realms Immortal Sect. If I say I can keep you safe, then I can keep you safe."
Jie Shanxian finished his secret transmission, then asked Chu Feng, "That item has some connection to the Purple Dream Heaven-Ascending. I don't know exactly how it formed, but it seems only the younger generation can attempt its refinement. Could you truly not refine it?"
"Of course I can. I just noticed that they don't genuinely want me to refine it — they're more interested in using it to test me. So I deliberately pretended I couldn't handle it."
"And I suspect their test is very likely related to the Purple Dream Heaven-Ascending," Chu Feng replied.
"Sharp little rascal," Jie Shanxian chuckled.
"Can't be too careful," Chu Feng said.
"Better than that stuttering friend of yours."
"Uh…"
"Well, no — my brother is plenty smart. He just knows he has your backing, so he doesn't bother being cautious," Chu Feng explained.
"Is that so?" Jie Shanxian sounded skeptical.
"Absolutely," Chu Feng confirmed.
Before long, the sect master of the Seven Realms Immortal Sect returned with a group of elders in tow.
"Master, everything is ready."
"Master, whenever it suits you — shall we proceed?"
The sect master addressed Jie Shanxian with great courtesy.
"Let's go now."
Jie Shanxian turned and walked outward as he spoke.
Chu Feng and Wang Qiang followed close behind.
But the sect master hurriedly spoke up: "Master, the Purple Dream Heaven-Ascending is extremely toxic. Perhaps these two young friends should rest here?"
"They'll be fine — they can handle it."
Seeing Jie Shanxian put it that way, the sect master said no more. Instead, he led Chu Feng and the others into the air, heading deeper into the Seven Realms Immortal Sect's territory.
"Brother, what do you make of that Chu Feng?" Immortal Crystal secretly asked Immortal Stone as they traveled.
"He has some ability — otherwise he couldn't have withstood the backlash from that Purple Dream Stone. But the boy doesn't seem to have much nerve. He's no real threat. It's that stutterer who doesn't look like an easy one," Immortal Stone replied.