The gaze shifted back and forth across Chu Feng’s body, sizing him up.
At the same time, Chu Feng could feel the Nine Dragons Saint Cloak on him faintly stirring, as if summoned, growing restless.
Rumble
The thunder in the sky grew fiercer, its roars increasingly piercing.
Crack
Then, a bolt of lightning struck down from the heavens, crashing directly onto the Nine Dragons Phenomenon Ridge.
The ridge’s twenty entrances had always stood open, accessible to anyone who wished to enter at any time.
Though the twenty hidden paths were unpredictable, the entrances’ locations never changed.
Yet now, bolt after bolt of lightning from the sky struck solely at one spot, the thirteenth entrance.
As the lightning hit, it transformed into streams of current, surging into the thirteenth entrance.
The entrance remained undamaged, instead glowing with electric energy, far more striking than the other nineteen unchanged entrances.
“What’s happening?”
The crowd exchanged glances, speculations flying.
“I understand, it’s a phenomenon of the Nine Dragons Phenomenon Ridge,” Tantai Xiangnan, patriarch of the Tantai Heavenly Clan, suddenly declared.
“A phenomenon? The Nine Dragons Phenomenon Ridge has phenomena?” Most were surprised, having never heard of such a thing.
“Patriarch Tantai, is this true? Is this really a phenomenon caused by the ridge?” Wuming Ken asked.
“I’ve only heard of the ridge’s phenomenon, never seen it myself,” Tantai Xiangnan replied. “But in my grandfather’s time, someone did witness it. The last time it appeared, lightning struck one of the ridge’s entrances, continuing for nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine strikes.”
“Phenomena often signal something, what does this one mean?” Wuming Ken inquired.
“There’s a legend that this phenomenon appears when a chosen one emerges, guiding them to the right path,” Tantai Xiangnan said.
“Does that mean the entrance struck by lightning leads to the depths of the Nine Dragons Upper Realm?” The crowd grew excited.
But Tantai Xiangnan shook his head, “That’s the legend, but my grandfather said this phenomenon has appeared multiple times, even frequently when our clan guarded the ridge. Yet every time someone followed the path it indicated, they never returned.”
“So, our ancestors realised this phenomenon does guide, but not as the legend claims, it doesn’t lead to the Nine Dragons Upper Realm, it warns that the path… is the deadliest of the death paths.”
“What? It’s like that?”
The crowd’s expressions shifted.
Moments ago, they’d looked at the lightning-struck entrance with hope and longing, now, they felt caution and rejection.
Lightning continued to fall, striking the entrance relentlessly.
After a while, it finally ceased.
Someone in the crowd had counted the strikes, confirming they matched Tantai Xiangnan’s account, proving this was indeed the phenomenon he described.
Then, the thunderclouds in the sky began to dissipate, and the world returned to normal.
Knowing what the phenomenon signified, people treated it as a spectacle, their hearts largely unmoved.
After all, it had marked the most dangerous death path, helping the juniors avoid peril, a fortunate outcome.
But at that moment, Linghu Tiemian received a secret transmission.
“Are you content letting Chu Feng take first?”
Hearing this, Linghu Tiemian instinctively glanced at Tantai Xing’er, the source of the message.
“Why should Chu Feng be first? Even if I can’t stop him, there’s still Yueyue,” Linghu Tiemian replied.
“Haven’t you heard? A Saint-cloak World Spiritist wields Venerable Realm power. Chu Feng is one, neither you, I, nor Linghu Yueyue, nor all of us combined, could match him,” Tantai Xing’er said.
“Who told you that?” Linghu Tiemian’s expression shifted, he hadn’t heard of a Saint-cloak World Spiritist’s strength, so he was skeptical, yet also fearful, if Tantai Xing’er was right, they truly couldn’t challenge Chu Feng.
“It doesn’t matter where I heard it, what matters is I wouldn’t lie to you, you know me, I gain nothing from deceit,” Tantai Xing’er said.
“It’s because I know you that I don’t trust you,” Linghu Tiemian scoffed mockingly.
Others might not know Tantai Xing’er, but having clashed with her so often, he knew her cunning and treachery all too well.
“What if we could eliminate Chu Feng?” Tantai Xing’er asked.
This time, Linghu Tiemian didn’t respond.
“If that’s the case, forget it,” Tantai Xing’er said.
“Since the phenomenon has faded, let’s resume the Ancestral Martial Ten Stars selection.”
“All juniors, enter the Nine Dragons Phenomenon Ridge and choose your path,” Wuming Ken announced loudly.
At his words, the juniors on the pinnacle pillars and the hundred who’d broken through moved, descending into the ridge.
All chose the hidden paths, none dared face the ancient beasts.
Tantai Xing’er was no exception, and… she’d already picked her path.
*Swish—*
But then, a figure landed beside her, catching her attention.
Many juniors, hoping to ride others’ coattails, followed those on the pinnacle pillars for some assurance.
Since Tantai Xing’er was from the Tantai Heavenly Clan, known for their knowledge of the ridge, she had the most followers.
This person stood out to her because… it was Linghu Tiemian.
“Tantai Xing’er, do you… have a way to deal with Chu Feng?” Linghu Tiemian asked via secret transmission.
Clearly, her suggestion had piqued more than his interest, he wanted to collaborate.
Even Tantai Xing’er stopped hiding her cards, deciding to lay them bare.
Via secret transmission, she told Linghu Tiemian, “Originally, I planned to use it against him, but now, it’s more than just dealing with him.”
“If you act now, you can kill him outright.”
