Xu Batian lowered his head.
Among the top young generation of the Azure Cloud Immortal Sect, everyone understood Chu Feng’s arrogant temperament. Aside from Xu Batian, who could endure it, almost no one else could truly get along with Chu Feng.
That was precisely why, in the original novel, Chu Feng, who possessed every advantage of timing, location, and support, ultimately ended up being killed by Xu Batian and Su Fan working together.
There were simply too many people who found Chu Feng unbearable.
Yet Xu Batian had endured for years. He had finally managed to build a good relationship with Chu Feng. Naturally, he would not allow all those years of restraint to be wasted over a mere Ying Hong.
I endure.
Keep enduring.
“Chu Feng, I swear to the heavens, you will soon pay a painful price for your arrogance.”
Xu Batian roared inwardly.
On the surface, however, he appeared to let everything go.
A bold smile tugged at his lips as he turned to Liu Mei and said, “My apologies, Junior Sister Liu Mei. I am about to break through to the Spirit Transformation Realm. An inner demon from beyond the heavens invaded, and my Dao heart became somewhat unstable. Senior Brother apologizes to you. If there is anything I can help you with in the future, feel free to ask.”
He patted his chest briskly and added, “Within this small corner of the Azure Cloud Immortal Sect, Senior Brother still has some influence.”
Liu Mei’s cheeks flushed faintly. She stole a glance at Chu Feng’s cold, expressionless face, and her face burned even hotter. Her heart was pounding so fast it felt as if it had accelerated tenfold; she could clearly hear the thudding in her ears.
Senior Brother had actually stood up for her.
This was the first time in all these years.
Not knowing how to express the turmoil in her heart, she fixed Xu Batian with a sharp glare and said, “Hypocrite. Sooner or later, I’ll get rid of you.”
That big, towering hypocrite.
Who was it that said tall, broad-shouldered men were honest and simple?
Hmph. Focus shifted.
“He can even endure this?” Chu Feng raised a brow and cast Xu Batian a meaningful glance.
He had deliberately displayed arrogance and dominance.
The original Chu Feng had always been like this, so no one would suspect anything.
In the entire Azure Cloud Immortal Sect, there were barely a few people whom the former Chu Feng regarded highly.
Only Ye Tongyao had been tolerated repeatedly.
Still, he had truly underestimated this towering Tyrant Body. After being humiliated so openly, Xu Batian could still swallow it down.
As expected, someone who survived into the later stages of the original novel and rose to the pinnacle in this golden era could not be underestimated.
In the original novel, although Xu Batian was not as formidable as Su Fan, one must not forget that Su Fan was the protagonist, blessed with the Chosen One’s advantage. He was not comparable to ordinary people.
Xu Batian, on the other hand, had climbed to the peak step by step purely through his own ability.
If Chu Feng had not known parts of the plot and known that Xu Batian was determined to kill him, he might truly have been deceived by this scheming fellow.
Let me see just how much you can endure.
Chu Feng casually waved his hand and returned to his seat, his indifference toward Xu Batian displayed without concealment.
All of this fell into the eyes of the many powerful figures and nobles from Heavenly Phoenix Royal City. They were stunned.
They could only attribute everything to Chu Feng’s terrifying strength and the formidable power backing him.
“Though both are Candidate Holy Sons and chief disciples of their respective main peaks, Xu Batian is clearly far inferior to Chu Feng,” a top noble murmured.
“Judging from the royal family’s attitude, this competition for the position of Holy Son within the Immortal Sect… our Heavenly Phoenix Royal City will likely intervene as well. We should prepare early.”
“Xu Batian and the Primordial Void Peak behind him seem to be at a disadvantage after all.”
“Primordial Void True Immortal was once a dominant figure, competing with Divine Extreme True Immortal for years. Yet his disciple turned out so weak.”
Whispers rippled among the powerful figures.
They had expected a fierce clash between the top young elites of the Immortal Sect when Xu Batian arrived. Instead, it ended like this.
Xu Batian’s face darkened as he listened. What did it mean that the kind were bullied? This was exactly that.
These people did not dare comment on Chu Feng.
Seeing him in a weaker position, they even openly discussed him in front of his face.
There was no point staying here.
“Junior Brother Chu, I have matters to attend to. I will take my leave first,” Xu Batian said before hurriedly flying away, looking very much like someone fleeing in defeat.
There was no helping it. This time, he had failed to grasp the change in Chu Feng and had suffered a crushing setback. In the past, it had always been him who toyed with Chu Feng in the palm of his hand.
Liu Mei hesitated briefly before lowering her voice. “Senior Brother, this Xu Batian is not a good person.”
Senior Brother had always disliked idle gossip.
But she felt that even if he did not like it, she still had to remind him, lest he suffer a loss.
“I know.” Chu Feng chuckled softly and ruffled Liu Mei’s hair. “Rest assured. His little schemes cannot deceive your Senior Brother.”
Liu Mei looked up in surprise, astonishment flickering in her eyes. “Senior Brother, you…”
“You want to say that I’ve always had a good relationship with him, don’t you?” Chu Feng smiled.
“Yes.” Liu Mei nodded gently. “Among the top disciples of the sect, your relationship with Xu Batian has always been good. At the sect’s highest council, you even spoke on his behalf. Otherwise, that time, he might not have been able to keep his position as Candidate Holy Son.”
“I remember that highest council meeting was planned by Master. He intended to strip Xu Batian of his Candidate Holy Son position. But because I spoke for Xu Batian, Master was furious. I even argued with him. Master was so angry that he left to travel the world for a full year before returning,” Chu Feng said, his gaze lowering.
“Back then, your Senior Brother was too young and ignorant. Too foolish. I was deceived by Xu Batian and stupidly believed in some so-called rivalry of geniuses, disdaining to use schemes. Otherwise, Primordial Void Peak should have already been stripped of its status as one of the seven main peaks.”
A cold glint flickered deep within his eyes.
The original Chu Feng had not merely been arrogant. He had been foolish. Hopelessly foolish.
He had truly believed that as long as his talent and combat power were strong enough, he could sweep aside all enemies in the world.
But without sufficient resources and background support, being schemed to death was only a matter of time.
It was not terrifying to have a genius as an opponent. It was terrifying to have a pig as an ally. That perfectly described Chu Feng and Master Liu Wudao.
If Chu Feng had not held him back, Liu Wudao would have long suppressed Primordial Void Peak. Without the position of Candidate Holy Son, Xu Batian would have been pushed to the fringes of the sect, or even secretly eliminated by Liu Wudao. He would never have had the chance to contend with Chu Feng, much less use Su Fan to kill him and ultimately drag Heavenly Summit Peak down from its main peak status.
“Senior Brother, Master never blamed you,” Liu Mei said quickly when she sensed his faint guilt.
“I know.” Chu Feng took a deep breath, killing intent flashing in his eyes. “The sect has its rules. In public, I cannot act against him. But soon, he will pay the price for his actions. Including all of Primordial Void Peak and the Primordial Void True Immortal behind him.”
His voice was laced with murderous intent. In his heart, he silently added one more figure.
And the one hidden in the deepest part of the sect.
“Senior Brother, I will help you at any cost,” Liu Mei said firmly.
“Junior Sister, I will handle Xu Batian myself. Before you do anything, you must tell me first. Understand?” Chu Feng looked at her intently, as if seeing straight through her thoughts.
In the original novel, Liu Mei had fallen because she attempted to assassinate Xu Batian.
Xu Batian was a Candidate Holy Son.
Within the Immortal Sect, Chu Feng could not simply kill him outright.
Moreover, Xu Batian had a close relationship with Su Fan. He still had value to be used.
“I understand, Senior Brother,” Liu Mei lowered her head and replied.
Chu Feng shook his head. This Junior Sister was excellent in every way, except that she was stubborn. He would have to pay closer attention to her movements.
“Enough.”
At that moment, Chu Feng’s indifferent voice echoed through the great hall, cutting off all discussions as everyone turned their gaze toward him.
“How have you all considered it? Now write the price in your hearts on a slip of paper and hand it to the maid beside you,” Chu Feng said, sweeping his gaze across the hall.
The matter of Ying Hong had merely been a small interlude. This was his true purpose in coming to Heavenly Phoenix Royal City.
The hall fell silent.
Then the many powerful figures and top nobles began writing their bids on slips of paper and handing them to the maids beside them.
They had originally been wary of the royal family’s attitude. But now that the Emperor of Tianwen had bowed his head to Chu Feng, they no longer had any scruples. Eagerly, they wanted to take a bite out of the Ye Family’s enormous cake.
After collecting the slips, the maids handed them to Liu Mei.
Liu Mei read through them all, her brows drawing together slightly. She pulled out one slip and said coldly, “Zhuge Family, Zhuge Jingyue, step forward.”
“Your subordinate is present!”
A young woman with delicate features and a spirited bearing stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Chu Feng. “Eldest daughter of the Zhuge Family, Zhuge Jingyue, pays respects to Holy Son, Fairy Miaoyin, and Liu Mei.”
“Zhuge Jingyue… that name sounds somewhat familiar.” Chu Feng frowned slightly, unable to recall clearly for a moment.
After all, in his previous life, he had read this novel in his youth. Some minor characters were hard to remember.
Liu Mei’s gaze turned icy. “Before making your bid, did you investigate how many spirit stones the Ye Family collects annually for supplying the Immortal Sect?”
“Reporting to Liu Mei,” Zhuge Jingyue answered without hesitation, clearly well prepared, “the Ye Family collects between 35 million and 50 million High-Grade Spirit Stones per year, depending on the Immortal Sect’s needs and price fluctuations.”
“Since you understand that, how dare you bid 15 million High-Grade Spirit Stones per year?”
Liu Mei’s voice carried a trace of killing intent. “Do you know the consequences of deceiving the Immortal Sect? If you fail to meet the sect’s annual supply or attempt to substitute false heavenly materials and earthly treasures, what will happen?”
Upon hearing the number, everyone inhaled sharply.
The Ye Family might have engaged in corruption, but they would never have dared to embezzle tens of millions of spirit stones outright. Otherwise, the higher-ups of the Immortal Sect would have long since eliminated them.
15 million High-Grade Spirit Stones was almost the absolute lowest price possible. There was barely any profit left. It did not even account for time costs, labor costs, and so on. It was practically working for the Azure Cloud Immortal Sect for free.
A slight market fluctuation, and even selling off the entire Zhuge Family would not cover the losses.
Had the Zhuge Family gone mad?
“Extermination of the clan,” the young woman bit her lip and answered without hesitation. “But Jingyue swears on the Zhuge Family’s honor and life that if the Immortal Sect grants the supplier qualification to the Zhuge Family, we will spare no effort to guarantee the sect’s supply at the first possible moment.”