After some interrogation, Chu Feng learned that in the war long ago, nearly all the top experts of the Blood-devouring Demon Clan had perished.
The current group of Blood-devouring Demon Clan members were not part of the clan’s main lineage but rather a small branch. This was why they had remained hidden and undetected.
However, the Blood-devouring Demon Clan had a deep foundation. Relying on cultivation methods passed down by their ancestors and recuperating in secret for thousands of years, the clan now boasted over a hundred thousand members and had nurtured numerous experts.
Such a Blood-devouring Demon Clan was far beyond the capabilities of the forces in the Great Thousand Upper Realm and could even hold a significant place in the entire Ancestral Martial Starfield.
This time, only about three thousand Blood-devouring Demon Clan members had come to the Void Sacred Tree, but these three thousand were the elite of the current clan.
They had followed their clan leader here with the purpose of reviving the Blood-devouring Demon Clan.
The Void Sacred Tree was closely connected to their clan, though the specifics were unknown to members of their level.
As for why they targeted the Starfall Holy Land? They provided an explanation.
It wasn’t just the Starfall Holy Land—they intended to capture everyone who entered the Void Sacred Tree.
Their plan was to refine the souls of these captives, using the souls of living people as a sacrifice to open a certain gate.
What lay beyond that gate, they didn’t know, but it was presumably tied to the revival of their clan.
Chu Feng interrogated several more Blood-devouring Demon Clan members, but their answers were nearly identical.
From his observations, Chu Feng concluded they weren’t lying—they likely only knew this much.
Afterward, Chu Feng neither tortured nor killed the Blood-devouring Demon Clan members. Instead, he used a barrier array to imprison them all.
He kept the barrier cage with him.
“Young Friend Chu Feng, we owe you greatly this time.”
“No, no, Young Master Chu Feng—I misspoke, I misspoke.”
Having watched the events unfold from the sidelines, the Ghost Sect Hall Master approached Chu Feng to talk only after he had finished handling the matter.
“Hall Master Senior, just call me whatever feels natural. There’s no need for such formalities. After all, I’m the junior, and you’re the senior,” Chu Feng said with a smile.
“I, Nangong Lingwen, Master of the Starfall Holy Land, pay my respects to Young Master Chu Feng.”
The Starfall Holy Land’s Master, accompanied by the elders, approached and bowed deeply to Chu Feng.
“Holy Master Senior, this won’t do! You’re my senior—such a gesture disrupts the hierarchy. I can’t accept it,” Chu Feng said.
“In terms of hierarchy, I indeed shouldn’t bow to a junior, even one from the Chu Heavenly Clan.”
“But Young Master Chu Feng, you’re different. Those Blood-devouring Demon Clan members said they intended to capture us for no good purpose—to refine our souls.”
“Had you not intervened, we would have been doomed. This bow hardly expresses my gratitude,” the Starfall Holy Land’s Master said.
After brief pleasantries, they began to chat casually. Naturally, they were all curious about how Chu Feng had grown to his current level.
Seeing their lofty Holy Master speaking to Chu Feng with such respect left Song Yunfei feeling uneasy, and even Xia Yun’er and the other juniors were filled with complex emotions.
After all, back then, Chu Feng had been a nobody in their eyes.
They had all looked down on him deeply.
Now, even their Holy Master treated Chu Feng with such reverence, while they could only stand by and watch, without even the right to interject.
This stark contrast left them struggling to adjust.
As for Chu Feng, he didn’t linger in deep conversation with the seniors.
Having learned of the Blood-devouring Demon Clan’s terrifying goal, he was deeply worried about his own clan members.
So, after a brief exchange, Chu Feng shared his plan.
He proposed that the people of the Starfall Holy Land and Ghost Sect Hall return to the Starfall Holy Stone.
Chu Feng would then set up a barrier array to conceal the Starfall Holy Stone, ensuring their safety.
Had they just entered the Void Sacred Tree, the Starfall Holy Land would never have agreed to hide and miss such a rare opportunity.
But after experiencing such an ordeal and learning of the Blood-devouring Demon Clan’s sinister plan, they understood how dangerous the Void Sacred Tree was.
Thus, they readily accepted Chu Feng’s suggestion.
Seeing Chu Feng about to leave, Xia Yun’er grew anxious. Having finally reunited with Chu Feng, she desperately wanted to talk to him but didn’t know how to start.
Chu Feng, noticing this, turned to Xia Yun’er. “Yun’er, got a moment?”
“What?” Caught off guard by Chu Feng addressing her, Xia Yun’er was momentarily stunned but quickly nodded. “Yes… yes, I do.”
The usually poised Holy Daughter of the Starfall Holy Land was, at this moment, somewhat flustered.
For those who knew Xia Yun’er, this was surprising, but considering she was facing a junior stronger than their Holy Master, it was understandable.
After all, her feelings for Chu Feng were something others could vaguely discern.
Not to mention, the current Chu Feng was extraordinarily exceptional.
“Holy Master Senior, if you don’t mind, I’d like to borrow your Holy Daughter for a moment. It won’t be long, and I promise to bring her back safely,” Chu Feng said to the Holy Master.
“Mind? Of course not!” The Holy Master not only didn’t mind, but his beaming smile seemed to say, *You’d best take our Holy Daughter as your bride.*
Then, Chu Feng took Xia Yun’er to a quiet place, far from the others.
Looking at the woman beside him—whose beauty could make women jealous and men enamoured—Chu Feng was filled with emotion.
Xia Yun’er was truly beautiful, in her appearance, charm, and temperament.
But Chu Feng’s emotions weren’t about her beauty; they stemmed from memories of their past encounters.
“I didn’t expect you to be so perceptive,” Xia Yun’er said.
“Oh? How so?” Chu Feng feigned ignorance.
“You must have noticed I had something to say to you but was too shy to speak up, so you deliberately brought me out here, right?” Xia Yun’er said.
“No, I had something to say to you,” Chu Feng replied.
“Really? What is it?” A hint of anticipation flickered in Xia Yun’er’s eyes.
“Thank you for looking out for me back then,” Chu Feng said with a smile.
“Pfft…” Xia Yun’er’s lips twitched, nearly bursting into laughter. She looked at Chu Feng. “Are you sure it was looking out for you and not bullying you?”
“It felt pretty good to me. They’re all fond memories,” Chu Feng said with a grin, as if he genuinely cherished the past.
Seeing Chu Feng like this, Xia Yun’er felt a sense of relief.
She had imagined many scenarios of reuniting with Chu Feng, wondering what he would be like and how he would treat her.
She wasn’t afraid of Chu Feng becoming weak or strong; her greatest fear was that he would be cold toward her.
Thus, she was relieved now. Her worst fear hadn’t come to pass. Chu Feng treated her as warmly as ever, even more so, like an old friend.
“You really are different from others,” Xia Yun’er blurted out.
