At that moment, everyone in the plaza was filled with excitement.
The reason they had been able to pass the Chu Clan Alliance's final trial was because each of them had a story of their own.
Most had been brutalized by the Seven Realms Holy Mansion, with no path to vengeance — until the Chu Clan Alliance appeared and gave them hope of retribution.
Others had been bullied by various powers, and upon hearing Chu Feng's story, had come to admire and aspire to what he represented.
Yet among all those present, there were two people whose hearts held additional emotions beyond mere excitement.
Joy — the joy of seeing a dear friend again.
Wang Yuxian and Mo Yuhan.
Both had witnessed the days when Chu Feng was looked down upon by the world.
Both knew just how arduous his journey had been.
Wang Yuxian in particular had known Chu Feng longer and shared more of his experiences.
Though Chu Feng's name now resonated throughout the vast Martial Cultivation World and shook the Eight Heavenly Rivers, she remembered clearly that back when his reputation was still confined to the supposedly weaker Nine Soul Heavenly River, countless people had looked down on him.
Among them were her own senior martial sisters.
Chu Feng's talent was indeed extraordinary.
But his cultivation had been built step by step, and his path had been walked one stride at a time.
Today, the cultivation of far too many people was nothing compared to Chu Feng's — like ants before a dragon.
Yet once upon a time, those very cultivators had stood like towering mountains before him, blocking his path and even threatening his life.
That was why what Wang Yuxian saw in Chu Feng was not merely the glory of being surrounded by ten thousand admirers.
She also saw the person who had fought and killed his way to this point — and never once forgotten why he started.
"Oh, right — allow me to introduce two friends."
When Chu Feng said this to Bai Yunqing, no one in the crowd thought much of it.
After all, given his standing, Chu Feng knew far too many people, and the Chu Clan Alliance had no shortage of experts.
Introducing friends was perfectly routine.
But when Chu Feng turned and fixed his gaze directly toward Wang Yuxian— Wang Yuxian finally realized that she… had been noticed by Chu Feng.
Sure enough, Chu Feng began walking toward her, and the crowd wisely parted to clear a path.
Before he had even drawn close, he spoke.
"Long time no see."
Chu Feng's smile carried not a trace of unfamiliarity.
In his eyes, there was no difference in status or rank — only a friend he had not seen in far too long.
This confirmed it for Wang Yuxian: Chu Feng was still the same Chu Feng.
"Long time no see."
Wang Yuxian immediately returned the smile — but then came a moment of surprise.
Because at the exact same time she spoke those words, Mo Yuhan beside her had said them too.
When Wang Yuxian turned to look at Mo Yuhan in astonishment, Mo Yuhan was staring back at her with equal surprise.
Then both of them laughed.
They had guessed it — the other also knew Chu Feng.
"You two — how did you end up together?"
Chu Feng had arrived before them.
And his question confirmed what both women had suspected.
"Fate, I suppose," Wang Yuxian said with a bright smile.
Mo Yuhan offered a gentle smile of her own. Perhaps she had been alone for so long that having someone familiar like Chu Feng standing before her filled her with a sense of warmth.
After a few pleasantries, Chu Feng changed locations and summoned Little Yu'er, Long Chengyu, Long Muxi, and the other juniors of his generation.
He intended to introduce them to Wang Yuxian and Mo Yuhan.
Strictly speaking, Fei's age did not place him in the same generation as Chu Feng and the others.
But at that moment, Fei insisted he was the same generation — just a bit older — and refused to be left out.
Chu Feng had never cared about such distinctions, so he brought Fei along as well.