Jie Tian gripped the scepter and shot toward Chu Feng's position, while the black aura he released began to attack the chains.
Under his assault, though the chains didn't shatter, signs of corrosion became evident.
Seeing this, Long Zhuoyan shifted her hand seals, and even more scorching flames swept forth, melting the chains directly.
"What are you up to, brat?"
After breaking through the chains, Long Zhuoyan brought Chu Feng directly before Jie Tian.
Even knowing the scepter in Jie Tian's hand was no ordinary weapon, Long Zhuoyan showed not the slightest fear.
"Chu Feng, come with me."
As Jie Tian spoke, he released a mass of black aura that enveloped both Chu Feng and Long Zhuoyan. The force harbored no intent to harm them — it simply carried them into rapid flight.
"What's going on with this kid?" Long Zhuoyan glanced at Chu Feng, her expression perfectly calm as she asked.
Whether it was Jie Tianran or the Jie Tian before her now, as long as she wished to leave, she was absolutely confident she could do so.
She simply couldn't understand why this Jie Tian was helping Chu Feng, because she had heard something of the enmity between Chu Feng and Jie Tian.
In truth, Chu Feng was also surprised that Jie Tian would help him, but from Jie Tian's words, he had grasped the heart of the matter.
"What happened to my aunt?" Chu Feng asked.
Jie Tian said nothing. Instead, while traveling at great speed, he used the token to bring Chu Feng to that hidden place.
When Chu Feng saw the three figures lying on the ground, he understood everything.
Jie Shanxian, Jie Tiannian, Daoist Zhaixing.
Chu Feng recognized them at a single glance.
Jie Shanxian looked relatively intact, but when he saw the wretched state of Daoist Zhaixing and Jie Tiannian — especially Jie Tiannian — it felt as though an invisible blade had pierced straight through his heart.
"Did Jie Tianran do this?" Chu Feng asked.
"I did."
Before Jie Tian could answer, Jie Tianran's voice echoed through the air.
Looking in the direction of the sound, the path they had come from was blanketed by dazzling clouds of energy, surging toward them at tremendous speed.
Those were no clouds — they were multiple layers of formidable barrier power, and Jie Tianran was hidden within.
"Jie Tianran, you would even lay hands on your own sect siblings, your elders, your own daughter — have you truly lost every last shred of humanity?!!!" Chu Feng thundered, his voice thick with fury.
But Jie Tianran was unmoved: "Chu Feng, their fate is entirely your doing. If anyone deserves blame, it is you."
Jie Tianran's voice drifted once more from within the immense barrier power, and at the same time, that terrifying force cascaded from the void and came surging down.
BOOM— At that very moment, a torrent of flames erupted from Long Zhuoyan's body, intertwining with the oncoming barrier power and transforming into a towering inferno of flame-clouds that blanketed everything in sight. Only the space around Chu Feng and the others remained untouched.
Long Zhuoyan looked to Chu Feng: "It's time to go."
With that, a layer of barrier power enveloped the three — Jie Shanxian, Jie Tiannian, and Daoist Zhaixing.
"Take him too." Chu Feng turned to Jie Tian.
Long Zhuoyan then extended her barrier power to envelop Jie Tian as well.
But Jie Tian activated his black aura and severed her barrier force.
"I won't go with you," Jie Tian said.
"Have you lost your mind? He was capable of doing this to your own mother — he won't spare you either," Chu Feng said.
"My life was given to me by my mother. I cannot stand by when she is in danger."
"And my skills were taught to me by my grandfather. I cannot betray him either. I, Jie Tian, was born a member of the Seven Realms Sacred Palace, and in death I will remain its ghost."
With those words, Jie Tian walked over to Jie Tiannian, who had already been raised up by the barrier power.
He dropped to his knees with a thud.