“Lord Tantai, what should we do? Please think of a solution! We can’t just wait here to die.”
In their panic, the crowd once again turned their gazes towards Tantai Yinjian, their pillar of strength.
“Don’t panic. We must trust young friend Chu Feng,” Tantai Yinjian said.
“Lord Tantai, this is a matter of life and death! Are we truly going to entrust our lives to a junior?”
However, at this moment, Tantai Yinjian’s words could no longer calm the crowd. Many people’s anxious and restless emotions surfaced, and some even began to question Chu Feng.
“Don’t want to wait for death? Then figure out a way to break the formation yourself! What’s the point of spouting nonsense here?”
“You chose to come here. No one forced you,” came a mocking voice—it was Zhang Yanfeng.
“Who do you think you are? What right do you have to speak here?”
However, the moment Zhang Yanfeng opened his mouth, he was immediately met with harsh rebuttals from the crowd, their attitudes extremely hostile.
This was hardly surprising. After all, the crowd already harboured deep resentment towards the Blood-devouring Demon Clan, not to mention that their lives were at stake, and they were in a state of agitation.
*Wail—*
Yet, no sooner had they spoken than they all collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony, bleeding from their orifices, and seemingly on the verge of exploding.
It was the Blood-devouring Demon Clan Leader!!!
However, just as the Clan Leader’s oppressive aura was unleashed, the auras of Tantai Yinjian and the Chu Heavenly Clan Leader were released simultaneously.
Those suppressed by the Clan Leader’s aura were immediately relieved.
“Matters of the future can be dealt with later. For now, we are all in the same boat. Infighting at a time like this is hardly appropriate, is it?” Tantai Yinjian said to the Blood-devouring Demon Clan Leader.
“Tell your people to watch their words. If they dare to insult my clan again, no one will be able to protect them,” the Blood-devouring Demon Clan Leader replied coldly, his expression showing he was not joking.
Seeing the Clan Leader in this state, those who had previously clashed with Zhang Yanfeng were filled with fear. They hurriedly thanked Tantai Yinjian and the Chu Heavenly Clan Leader for saving their lives.
“What this young friend said earlier is not without reason,” Tantai Yinjian continued, glancing at Zhang Yanfeng before turning to the crowd with a stern expression.
“Since you chose to come here, you should take responsibility for your own decisions. Constantly demanding others to act is not right.”
“After all, if you gain something here, that reward will belong to you, not anyone else.”
At this, the crowd’s eyes flickered, and their faces were filled with shame.
*Buzz—*
Suddenly, the dazzling light dissipated, and everything around them became clear again.
*Rumble—*
The sound of collapse echoed continuously—it was the vast, boundless formation.
But now, that formation was collapsing, and at an astonishing speed. In mere moments, the immense formation had crumbled into nothingness.
As the formation collapsed, everything around them plunged into darkness, as if they were standing in the vast expanse of a starless void, surrounded by pitch black.
This filled the crowd with immense fear and unease, many believing their end had come.
“Wait, an hour hasn’t passed yet, has it?”
But soon, someone realised that the allotted hour had not yet elapsed.
This realisation only deepened their confusion, even as their fear and unease persisted.
*Buzz—*
Just as the crowd was grappling with their confusion, a light appeared in the distance.
It was an open clearing, and upon it stood a massive gate.
The gate appeared to be forged from gold, resplendent and majestic, radiating grandeur.
Standing thousands of metres tall, it was an awe-inspiring sight.
Before the gate stood a lone figure.
Compared to the gate, this figure was minuscule.
But the banner on their back allowed the crowd to recognise them instantly—it was Chu Feng.
“Look, it’s Chu Feng! That’s Chu Feng!!!”
“Young friend Chu Feng succeeded! Could it be that young friend Chu Feng has succeeded?”
Though still uncertain, many in the crowd began to rejoice wildly.
After all, they were still alive, and Chu Feng was alive too. Moreover, in the distance, before Chu Feng, a grand gate had appeared.
They couldn’t help but wonder if this gate was the entrance to the Divine Hall.
*Rumble—*
Amid the crowd’s cheers and hopeful gazes, the massive gate began to open slowly.
But what emerged from within was not a new world, but surging dark energy, eerie and terrifying.
This was completely unlike what they had expected.
“That… what’s inside that gate?”
The crowd, previously filled with joy, was once again enveloped in unease.
Just then, a deep, weathered voice suddenly boomed from the void.
“Young one, congratulations on reaching this point.”
“But now, you face two choices.”
“Close this Dark Gate, and you will enter the Divine Hall—but only you may enter, and all others will perish.”
“Choose to enter the Dark Gate, and you will face torment and death. But everyone else, except you, will not only survive but also gain entry to the Divine Hall.”
The voice did not belong to anyone present.
And with those words, the voice fell silent.
But after hearing this, the crowd was far from calm.
They were utterly despairing, for the choice was painfully obvious.
No one, in their right mind, would choose to sacrifice themselves to save others and forgo entering the Divine Hall.
At that moment, Chu Feng turned to face the crowd. “Esteemed seniors, if I, Chu Feng, do not return from this, I hope you will treat my Chu Heavenly Clan kindly.”
“What?” The crowd was stunned, their expressions frozen in disbelief, unable to process what they had just heard.
Could it be that Chu Feng was going to sacrifice himself to save them?
“Chu Feng, no! You mustn’t!”
Sensing the gravity of the situation, the Chu Heavenly Clan Leader hurriedly spoke, fearing Chu Feng would truly choose to enter the Dark Gate and sacrifice himself.
“Please, I entrust this to you all,” Chu Feng said. With that, he turned and resolutely stepped into the Dark Gate.
“No!!!!”
In that moment, heart-wrenching cries echoed through the air as many members of the Chu Heavenly Clan let out anguished roars.
The Chu Heavenly Clan Leader, Chu Xuanzhengfa, and others leapt forward, plunging into the darkness, desperate to pull Chu Feng back.
But it was too late. Chu Feng had already entered the Dark Gate.
The massive Dark Gate vanished instantly with Chu Feng’s entry.
And everything around them began to undergo a tremendous transformation…
