“Do you also think that back then, when we were separated, someone was deliberately helping us?” Chu Feng asked.
“If no one was helping us, everything we went through simply wouldn’t make sense,” Zhao Hong replied.
“I’ve thought the same, but I don’t know who could be helping us.”
In truth, Chu Feng had long suspected that the force separating them wasn’t mere chance but someone deliberately aiding them.
He had a guess in his heart.
He felt that the person helping him might be his father, Chu Xuanyuan.
Of course, this was purely Chu Feng’s speculation and intuition, so he didn’t mention it to Zhao Hong.
“Since you don’t know either, it seems it’ll be hard to figure out who this mysterious benefactor is,” Zhao Hong sighed.
“If they want us to know, we’ll find out eventually. If they don’t, we shouldn’t bother guessing,” Chu Feng said.
“Mm.” Zhao Hong nodded in agreement.
“By the way, why are you hiding your identity?” she asked, looking at Chu Feng curiously. “If I hadn’t recognised your voice, I would’ve been fooled.”
“I’ve returned to my clan, but right now, both me and my clan are too insignificant in this Heavenly River. You know me, I’m always stirring up trouble, so I don’t want to bring problems to my clan or friends. That’s why I’m using another identity. It gives me more freedom,” Chu Feng explained.
“That’s a smart choice. Even so, you should keep up the disguise. The world only knows I’m friends with Xiuluo. If I cause trouble, they’ll come after Xiuluo, not your Chu Clan,” Zhao Hong said.
After that, they talked about their future plans.
Chu Feng’s goal was to stabilise his clan’s position. Only when the Chu Clan’s status was secure could he leave this Heavenly River to search for his mother.
Zhao Hong, on the other hand, had no plans to rebuild the Reincarnation Sect. She would stay with the Red Robe Holy Land, aiming to make it the overlord of the All-Heaven Starfield.
In truth, their plans were similar: Chu Feng wanted to help the Chu Clan, while Zhao Hong wanted to help the Red Robe Holy Land.
And both needed to improve their cultivation.
Inevitably, their conversation turned to the battle at All-Heaven Sect.
“I knew Bloodmist Heavenly Sovereign escaped, but I didn’t expect Tuoba Chengan to slip away in the chaos too. That old fox, I thought he was loyal to All-Heaven Sect, but he was cunning enough to flee when things went south,” Zhao Hong said.
Through their talk, Chu Feng learned that after Zhao Hong’s killing spree, besides Bloodmist Heavenly Sovereign, another had escaped: Tuoba Chengan, the Supreme Elder of All-Heaven Sect.
“Tuoba Chengan is strong and extremely cunning and ruthless. If we don’t eliminate him, I won’t feel at ease. I’m worried he’ll retaliate against the Red Robe Holy Land,” Zhao Hong said.
“With you around, he probably wouldn’t dare. Besides, Sect Leader Han can handle him. Still, he’s done much evil and should be dealt with,” Chu Feng said.
“Oh, one more thing. Your friends have left,” Zhao Hong said, handing Chu Feng a letter.
It was a simple farewell note from the Secret Cave Group Saints.
They were leaving the All-Heaven Starfield, but the letter didn’t say where they were going.
Chu Feng knew they carried their own grudges, so the note’s “until we meet again” might truly mean never.
The world of martial cultivators was vast. After this parting, it was uncertain if they’d ever meet again.
Given Chu Feng and Zhao Hong’s relationship, meeting again naturally called for catching up.
But to recount all of Chu Feng’s experiences in detail would take days, and he had pressing matters to attend to. After a brief catch-up, he prepared to leave the Red Robe Holy Land.
Chu Feng was headed to the Seven Suns Mountain Range to find Master Tang Chen.
After all, his original purpose in coming here was to break Master Tang Chen’s formation.
He wouldn’t forget such an important task.
Of course, he also needed to tell Yuan Shu and Master Tang Chen about what happened in Elephant Valley.
This time, upon returning to the Nine Suns Mountain Range, Chu Feng finally saw Yuan Shu again.
However, he still didn’t meet Master Tang Chen.
Still, Chu Feng told Yuan Shu about the events in Elephant Valley.
Through their talk, Chu Feng learned that the mysterious expert who helped the White Robe Convent’s leader was Master Tang Chen.
Moreover, Tang Chen and Yuan Shu had later gone to Elephant Valley.
All the ancient creatures there had been wiped out.
Master Tang Chen deduced that a martial cultivator had eradicated them.
This shocked Chu Feng.
He had witnessed the annihilation of those ancient creatures and assumed it was a catastrophe.
To think it was a martial cultivator’s doing.
Chu Feng had sensed the power of those ancient creatures, so he could imagine the kind of existence capable of wiping them out.
“I didn’t expect you were at Elephant Valley during that calamity, Brother Chu Feng. Did you notice anyone particularly powerful?” Yuan Shu asked.
The scene at Elephant Valley had been gruesome, impacting even someone like Yuan Shu.
Coupled with his master’s speculation, Yuan Shu was deeply curious about the expert who eradicated the ancient creatures.
Though he knew such a figure was likely beyond Chu Feng’s reach, his curiosity drove him to ask, hoping for even a slim chance.
“I didn’t notice anyone like that, but if I had to say, I did meet a strange old woman,” Chu Feng said thoughtfully.
“A strange old woman? What kind of person was she?” Yuan Shu, sensing something significant, pressed for details.
Chu Feng recounted his encounter with the old woman.
To save Linghu Yueyue, he had returned alone to Elephant Valley.
Later, he learned that the old woman had followed him there.
If he had to pick a suspect, she was the only one who came to mind.
“Did you see her again in Elephant Valley?” Yuan Shu asked.
“No,” Chu Feng shook his head.
“Has anyone else seen her since?” Yuan Shu asked again.
“No,” Chu Feng shook his head again.
“Hiss—” Yuan Shu gasped. “Then this old woman might not be simple.”
“Brother Chu Feng, draw her appearance for me,” Yuan Shu said, producing a blank scroll.
Chu Feng complied, sketching the old woman’s likeness on the scroll.
“Brother Yuan Shu, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave,” Chu Feng said.
“Where are you going?” Yuan Shu asked.
“Back to the Ancestral Martial Starfield. It’s time to return,” Chu Feng replied.
“In that case, before you go, why not try breaking that formation?” Yuan Shu suggested.
At the mention of the formation, Chu Feng’s face lit up. “That formation? The one Master Tang Chen left?”
“Yes. Though my master isn’t here, he told me where it is. You can now challenge the grand formation he meticulously set up,” Yuan Shu said.
