The sudden appearance of these people drew everyone’s attention, especially Chu Feng, who hurriedly turned to look.
But upon seeing them, Chu Feng’s brows furrowed slightly, and he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: *“Of course, just when I hoped to avoid something, it shows up.”*
It turned out that these newcomers were the last people Chu Feng wanted to encounter—members of the Gong Clan.
And there were quite a few of them this time.
Aside from the younger generation he’d met at the teleportation array entrance earlier, there were also some older figures. Naturally, Gong Mingyue, the girl tied to him by a betrothal, was among them. Leading the group was the Gong Clan’s patriarch, Gong Chende—and it was he who had just spoken.
Notably, Gong Qing wasn’t present.
She was likely still by the lake.
Though Gong Qing wasn’t there, every Gong Clan member present was now staring at Chu Feng.
Their gazes were complex.
Most of the clan members looked at him with suspicion, while some—especially the men—harbored hostility.
Even Gong Mingyue, who had previously been so haughty, was now staring at Chu Feng intently, sizing him up. Her beautiful eyes flickered with a mix of emotions.
But there were also friendly looks. The Gong Clan patriarch, the clan’s most prominent figure, gazed at Chu Feng with an intensity that radiated excitement—his entire demeanor screaming two words: *thrilled*.
“Young friend, I’ve heard… you’re Chu Xuanyuan’s son?” The Gong Clan patriarch approached Chu Feng, his eyes growing even more fervent, though a hint of nervousness crept into his demeanor.
Truthfully, Chu Feng didn’t want to admit it.
But at this point, denying it seemed impossible.
“Replying to Senior, my father is indeed Chu Xuanyuan,” Chu Feng said, clasping his fists respectfully.
“Young friend, I never imagined you’d actually still be alive,” the patriarch exclaimed.
“This old man feels ashamed—I saw you before and didn’t recognize you. You look so much like Xuanyuan!”
The Gong Clan patriarch grabbed Chu Feng’s shoulders, his hands trembling as if he’d found a long-lost grandson, his excitement palpable.
“Why’s the Gong Clan patriarch so thrilled to see Chu Feng?” one onlooker whispered.
“No idea. They shouldn’t know each other, right? I’ve never heard of any connection between the Gong Clan patriarch and Chu Xuanyuan,” another replied.
The patriarch’s exuberance left the crowd baffled.
“You all may not know this, but back in the day, I made a betrothal agreement with the Chu Clan patriarch,” Gong Chende announced with a smile, addressing the onlookers.
“What? A betrothal?” The crowd stirred, their gazes shifting between Chu Feng and Gong Mingyue.
They weren’t fools—by “betrothal,” it was obvious he meant Chu Feng and Gong Mingyue.
“Grandfather,” Gong Mingyue said, stepping behind the patriarch and tugging at his robe.
She clearly didn’t want him to publicize this.
But the Gong Clan patriarch seemed oblivious to her gesture and proceeded to recount the old agreement.
However, from his telling, what had clearly been a playful pact became something far more serious.
The Chu Clan patriarch had made such betrothals with many, not just the Gong Clan.
Yet Gong Chende spoke as if the Chu Clan had solely committed to his family, as if Chu Feng was duty-bound to marry his granddaughter in a formal ceremony.
“My heavens, who’d have thought the Chu Clan and Gong Clan had such a betrothal?” an onlooker marveled.
“The Gong Clan patriarch’s got guts. Chu Xuanyuan offended the Starfield Master Realm back then, which is why the Chu Clan’s fallen so low—no one dares associate too closely with them now,” another added.
“Even if there were ties, most cut them off early. Yet here’s the Gong Clan patriarch, not only acknowledging it but proclaiming it publicly. Looks like he’s dead set on marrying his granddaughter to Chu Feng!”
The crowd buzzed with reactions to the patriarch’s words.
“Senior, I’ve never heard the clan patriarch mention this,” Chu Feng said.
“Never mentioned it? Chu Feng, what’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying you don’t want to marry our young lady?”
Chu Feng’s words instantly sparked displeasure and accusations from the Gong Clan members.
Even Gong Mingyue’s gaze flickered with surprise.
She hadn’t expected Chu Feng to say that.
All her life, she’d been the one rejecting others—no one had ever rejected her.
She was supremely confident in herself and had lofty standards for a partner.
She certainly didn’t want to honor this betrothal with Chu Feng, whom she saw as a toad unworthy of her swan-like grace.
But now, this “toad” in her eyes was implying he didn’t want her either. It caught her off guard—and irked her deeply.
“Outrageous! Who gave you the right to raise your voices at Young Friend Chu Feng?” the Gong Clan patriarch suddenly roared.
The clan members fell silent immediately. Even those still upset could only glare at Chu Feng, not daring to speak.
“Young Friend Chu Feng, how… how is your father now?” the patriarch asked, turning to him.
At those words, everyone perked up, eagerly awaiting Chu Feng’s response.
They all wanted to know: What had become of Chu Xuanyuan?
