“Why are you panicking? It’s only been five short days—what’s there to panic about?”
“Chu Feng is no ordinary person. It’s perfectly normal for him to endure the Heavenly Thunder Punishment Platform a bit longer,” Chu Hanqing said.
“Supreme Elder, you said it yourself—Chu Feng is extraordinary.”
“But isn’t that exactly why we’re worried? He’s exceptional—he climbed to the legendary tenth level of the Heavenly Thunder Platform and even activated the Bloodline Cultivation Formation, keeping all eight formations open permanently.”
“I’m genuinely afraid he could stay tied up there for a lifetime and still not die.”
“Yes, Supreme Elder, please think of something! Chu Feng can afford to drag this out, but we can’t!” the group pleaded anxiously.
“What can I do? Chu Hanpeng and Chu Xuanzhengfa have been guarding the Heavenly Thunder Punishment Platform nonstop. Even if we wanted to take direct action against Chu Feng, there’s no opportunity,” Chu Hanqing said helplessly.
“Then what do we do? If we just wait like this, the Clan Leader will eventually wake up, and when that happens, we’re the ones who’ll be in trouble!”
Hearing Chu Hanqing’s words, the group grew even more frantic.
“You lot really are a bunch of cowardly, incompetent fools.”
“No wonder a junior like Chu Feng has you all running in circles,” a voice dripping with mockery suddenly rang out.
At the same time, a figure appeared out of thin air.
Seeing this person, everyone instinctively flinched, because he looked exactly like Chu Feng.
But they quickly realized this couldn’t be Chu Feng—the real Chu Feng was still suffering under the bombardment of heavenly thunder on the Punishment Platform.
This person was, of course, the imposter who had framed Chu Feng by poisoning the Clan Leader on their behalf.
The group was already frustrated, and hearing this imposter mock them only fueled their anger. One of them, enraged, stepped forward, pointed at the imposter’s nose, and shouted, “How dare you! You’re just a puppet—what right do you have to talk to us like that?”
*Whoosh—*
But before he could finish, the imposter’s brows furrowed, and the Chu Heavenly Clan member was sent flying backward. He crashed to the ground, spitting blood, gravely injured.
“This…”
Seeing this, everyone’s expressions changed drastically. The injured clansman was a peak Martial Immortal!
Yet this imposter Chu Feng, without even lifting a hand, had severely wounded a peak Martial Immortal with just a thought.
This meant he was a Venerable Realm powerhouse.
It was beyond their expectations. Though this imposter had mimicked Chu Feng so flawlessly that it was hard to tell them apart, they had assumed it was merely due to some special disguise technique. They hadn’t imagined he possessed such formidable strength.
“What’s this? You haven’t even dealt with Chu Feng yet, and you’re already turning on each other?” Chu Hanyou said coldly.
However, while the Chu Heavenly Clan members showed fear at Chu Hanyou’s reprimand, the imposter Chu Feng didn’t care in the slightest.
He raised his hand, grabbing the injured clansman by the throat from a distance and lifting him off the ground.
“He spoke to me disrespectfully. Make him apologize, or I’ll take his life,” the imposter said coldly.
At that moment, Chu Hanqing and Chu Hanyou exchanged a glance, worry flashing in their eyes.
They knew very little about this imposter Chu Feng. Their initial cooperation with him had been a desperate move—they couldn’t wait any longer. If Chu Feng kept growing, they’d all be doomed.
But now, it seemed this imposter posed a significant threat to them as well. Most troublingly, they weren’t even sure they could eliminate him to cover their tracks—they had no confidence in their ability to handle him.
This imposter Chu Feng was not only mysterious but also unfathomably powerful.
At first, he had been compliant, but now he was openly attacking their people—clearly, he was starting to spiral out of control.
“Put him down first. How can he apologize if you don’t?” Chu Hanyou said, feeling helpless but forced to compromise.
“Hmph.” With a flick of his sleeve, the imposter Chu Feng flung the injured man back to the ground.
“I’m sorry, I spoke out of turn. Please, spare me this time,” the injured clansman hurriedly scrambled up and apologized to the imposter.
“You need to understand something: Chu Feng’s current predicament isn’t your doing—it’s mine. So I hope you figure out the nature of our relationship.”
“I’m not your puppet. On the contrary, you’re the ones who can’t do without me,” the imposter Chu Feng declared.
Hearing this, everyone’s hearts tightened. Their worst fears seemed to be coming true.
This imposter Chu Feng was far more dangerous than they’d imagined—he was outright threatening them.
“We’re all on the same boat. Now isn’t the time for infighting—we should be discussing how to deal with Chu Feng,” Chu Hanqing said.
“No need to panic. The poison your Clan Leader was struck with can only be cured by me—no one else.”
“And if I don’t cure it, within a month, he’ll rot away and die. What will you have to fear then?” the imposter Chu Feng said.
“Is that true?” Chu Hanqing, Chu Hanyou, and everyone present asked in unison.
“Absolutely,” the imposter replied.
At this, Chu Hanqing, Chu Hanyou, and the others visibly relaxed.
Though they hadn’t originally planned to kill the Clan Leader so soon, given the current situation, it seemed they had no choice but to let him die. If he didn’t, they’d be the ones in peril.
“If you need it, I can also help you deal with Chu Hanpeng and Chu Xuanzhengfa, eliminating your worries,” the imposter offered.
“Why are you helping us so much?” Chu Hanqing and Chu Hanyou asked.
The more this imposter helped them, the more uneasy they became, fearing he had ulterior motives—perhaps even from the very beginning.
The imposter clearly saw through their concerns.
He gave a faint smile before responding.
“Relax, I just don’t want Chu Feng to have it easy. As for you and your Chu Heavenly Clan, there’s really nothing here that interests me.”
“So you don’t need to worry about me plotting anything. Once this is over, I’ll leave, and no one will ever know what you’ve done,” he said.
Despite his assurances, Chu Hanqing, Chu Hanyou, and the others couldn’t shake their lingering unease.
This man’s abilities exceeded their predictions, and with their secrets in his hands, they’d never feel at peace unless he was dead.
“My Lords, something’s wrong!”
Just then, a person rushed into the hall, his face full of tension.
“What happened?” Chu Hanqing and Chu Hanyou asked simultaneously.
“The Fang Heavenly Clan, Zhao Heavenly Clan, Song Heavenly Clan, Fenghuo Gate City, and Cangjian Sect, along with many other forces, have arrived outside our clan,” the messenger reported.
“What? Them?”
“Why have they all come to our Chu Heavenly Clan together?”
At this, Chu Hanqing, Chu Hanyou, and all the Chu Heavenly Clan members present were baffled and gripped by unease.
The Fang Heavenly Clan was a known rival—the Chu Heavenly Clan and Fang Heavenly Clan were destined for a showdown.
But beyond them, the Zhao Heavenly Clan, Song Heavenly Clan, Fenghuo Gate City, and Cangjian Sect were all dominant powers in this upper realm.
None were weaker than the Chu Heavenly Clan.
For so many forces to arrive at the Chu Heavenly Clan together, it was clearly not a good sign.
“The Fang Heavenly Clan says the time for the agreement has come,” the messenger said.
“What?” Now, everyone was even more confused.
Because they had no knowledge of any agreement between the Chu Heavenly Clan and the Fang Heavenly Clan.
