"Patriarch, this Chu Feng's talent truly has no bottom. That stutterer was right."
"Chu Feng's bloodline is at minimum the ancient strongest bloodline—Saint King grade. But it might even surpass Saint King grade."
"No wonder the person backing him has unfathomable strength. Someone with this kind of talent—if their background were shallow, *that* would be abnormal."
Huangfu Zhantian was doing this on purpose—deliberately bringing up Chu Feng's backing.
In truth, after Chu Feng seized the power of the Ancient Bloodline Tower, Huangfu Zhantian had immediately confessed to the Huangfu Heavenly Clan's Patriarch about his earlier encounter with Song Changsheng.
He wanted the Patriarch to understand that Chu Feng was not someone they could touch—that they simply could not afford to provoke him.
This was also why the Huangfu Heavenly Clan's Patriarch had remained so composed when Chu Feng came to negotiate. He too had his reservations.
But Huangfu Zhantian was still worried—worried that their Patriarch might think things through the wrong way.
Especially regarding the grudge between Chu Feng and Huangfu Shangyu.
He knew Huangfu Shangyu well. That boy was the Patriarch's absolute treasure, doted on since childhood, spoiled beyond measure—arrogant and overbearing to the extreme.
Huangfu Shangyu had genuinely suffered losses at Chu Feng's hands. Could he really swallow that indignation?
As long as Huangfu Shangyu couldn't let it go, his father would most likely seek justice on his behalf.
Huangfu Zhantian truly feared that this father and son pair had only let Chu Feng leave because they were wary of Jie Shanxian still having hidden means, but would in reality go back on their word.
"Father!!!"
What he feared most came to pass. The moment Huangfu Zhantian finished speaking—and before the Patriarch could even say a word—Huangfu Shangyu suddenly stood up.
"Back at the Summit of Nine Heavens, it was indeed my fault first."
"This time, the power of the Ancient Bloodline Tower—if it weren't for Chu Feng's help, forget about whether it could even be awakened, but on the matter of fusion alone, I honestly couldn't have done it myself."
"Chu Feng's talent has earned my respect."
The moment these words left Huangfu Shangyu's mouth, Huangfu Zhantian froze.
Something was off. Had this kid been possessed?
How was this completely different from his usual style? It was like he'd become a different person.
Not only was he not complaining to his father, but he was doing the same thing as Huangfu Zhantian—trying to dissuade his father from entertaining any hostile thoughts toward Chu Feng.
"You two—look at my face." The Huangfu Heavenly Clan's Patriarch pointed at his own face.
The two of them actually looked, but saw nothing unusual.
"Do I look like a fool to you?"
The Patriarch asked.
"Huh?" Both of them were stunned.
"Did I need the two of you to advise me?"
The Patriarch suddenly shot to his feet, rolled his eyes at the pair, and then continued: "Setting aside who stands behind Chu Feng, his talent, his ability, his potential—I could never regard him as an enemy."
"If not for him, Shangyu wouldn't have been able to fuse that power today. His bloodline wouldn't have been upgraded, and his cultivation wouldn't have advanced."
"And that's only the immediate benefit. In the future, he may be able to help Shangyu even more."
"Furthermore, the background behind this Chu Feng is far from simple. Never mind the man you encountered, Huangfu Zhantian—that Heavenly Dragon Spirit World Master, for instance."
"Today it was indeed we who went to rescue her, but judging by that look in her eyes, she didn't seem afraid of us at all."
"With someone like Chu Feng, how could my Huangfu Heavenly Clan possibly fail to befriend him?"
Upon hearing this, Huangfu Zhantian couldn't help but speak up: "Then why were you sitting there with such a dark face just now?"
"That was regret!!!"
"I shouldn't have let Chu Feng leave just like that. I should have given him some benefits—to show our Huangfu Heavenly Clan's sincerity in friendship!"
"A man who's held a territory as king for too long sometimes becomes a bit stubborn. Too concerned about face, and in the end it costs him his own future."
"Sigh—"
The Huangfu Heavenly Clan's Patriarch slammed his thigh in frustration.
Both of them could see it now—the Patriarch was truly regretful.
...
Meanwhile, after much traveling, the three of them had left that spatial world and returned to the true world.
Jie Shanxian, Chu Feng, and Wang Qiang stood facing one another.
"In the end, I still owe you a favor." Jie Shanxian smiled faintly.