While Chu Feng and Gu Mingyuan dove into Mirror Sea, risking everything to seize the Deep Sea Eye…
In another part of the Ancestral Martial Starfield, a different scene was unfolding…
The Linghu Heavenly Clan had a forbidden area.
This area was sealed year-round, accessible only to the clan leader. Even the clan’s Supreme Elders were barred from entry.
But today, the forbidden area was opened.
Five individuals entered.
Three were elders: Supreme Elder Linghu Wentai, Supreme Elder Linghu Yuhua, and Supreme Elder Linghu Boyuan.
The Linghu Heavenly Clan had eight Supreme Elders in total. Five were at the peak of the Venerable Realm, while only three had reached the Supreme Realm.
These three Supreme Realm elders—Linghu Yuhua, Linghu Wentai, and Linghu Boyuan—were present, the clan’s strongest forces beneath the clan leader.
Besides them, there was a middle-aged man.
He exuded an extraordinary aura, his handsome features undeniable despite his age. His snow-white hair cascaded to his feet, paired with a flowing white robe, giving him an ethereal presence.
Standing before the three Supreme Elders, he showed no trace of fear.
Instead, the elders stood respectfully behind him.
This man was the strongest of the Linghu Heavenly Clan…
The current clan leader, Linghu Zhishi.
Alongside him and the three Supreme Elders was a junior.
This junior was the clan’s greatest genius, Linghu Hongfei.
“Clan Leader, I mean no disrespect,” Linghu Hongfei said, his voice tinged with frustration. “I could have dealt with Chu Feng immediately, yet you urgently recalled me. I thought something major had happened in the clan.”
“But it’s just because this formation is opening?”
Linghu Hongfei was clearly displeased.
That day outside the Chu Heavenly Clan, he was confident he could defeat Chu Feng.
Yet the clan leader issued an urgent recall order, demanding his immediate return and instructing him to set a duel with Chu Feng three months later.
He thought a crisis had struck the clan, so he hurried back.
Only to find it was merely for this formation, to cultivate within it.
“Hongfei, you need to understand, I prepared this formation for you,” the clan leader countered. “Its activation window is limited. How could we miss this opportunity?”
“Clan Leader, I know it’s for my benefit, but Chu Feng humiliated me. I can’t swallow that,” Linghu Hongfei said.
“As long as you’re strong enough, why rush to deal with him?” the clan leader replied. “Unless you’re afraid—afraid that in three months, you won’t be his match.”
“Afraid of him? I just want to teach him a lesson as soon as possible,” Linghu Hongfei retorted.
“If you’re not afraid, you can deal with him in three months. For now… enter the formation,” the clan leader said.
Linghu Hongfei turned his gaze to the so-called grand formation.
It was a cave entrance, glowing with blood-red light.
Faintly, terrifying wails echoed from within, chilling to the bone, yet the cave’s interior remained obscured.
Even Linghu Hongfei felt a twinge of fear facing such a formation.
“Clan Leader, what’s inside this formation?”
“You say it’s beneficial, but you’ve never told me what kind of benefit,” Linghu Hongfei asked.
The three Supreme Elders also cast curious glances.
Like Linghu Hongfei, they wanted to know what was hidden in this heavily guarded forbidden area.
But facing Linghu Hongfei’s curiosity, the clan leader only smiled faintly, “Don’t ask too much. When you come out, you’ll thank me.”
Hearing this, Linghu Hongfei felt helpless. It was the first time he’d seen the clan leader be so cryptic.
“Linghu Hongfei!”
Suddenly, a furious shout rang out, followed by three figures approaching swiftly.
Leading them was Linghu Yueyue, accompanied by two Linghu Heavenly Clan elders.
“Clan Leader, Supreme Elders, we’re terribly sorry. We couldn’t stop Princess Yueyue,” the two elders knelt in apology, their faces filled with fear.
They knew they weren’t allowed in this forbidden area.
“Leave,” the clan leader waved his hand.
The elders bowed hurriedly and fled as if escaping a tiger’s den.
“Yueyue, what’s wrong?” Linghu Hongfei stepped forward to ask.
“Linghu Hongfei, you’ve really outdone yourself. I have no issue with you targeting Chu Feng, but why did you gouge out Chu Lingxi’s eyes?”
“I heard she’s a girl. Gouging out a girl’s eyes in public—isn’t that too much?” Linghu Yueyue demanded, indignant.
“Yueyue, you should know that girl insulted our Linghu Heavenly Clan. Not killing her was already merciful,” Linghu Hongfei said.
“Even so, you shouldn’t have done that. Your actions will make the world mock you, saying you’re barbaric and unreasonable.”
“The old you would never have done such a thing,” Linghu Yueyue continued.
Roar—
Suddenly, a piercing howl erupted from the formation.
The terrifying sound startled Linghu Yueyue, who paled and hid behind the clan leader.
“Hongfei, ignore Yueyue. Go in, don’t miss the optimal time,” the clan leader said.
Though Linghu Hongfei felt some fear, he steeled himself and stepped into the formation.
Rumble—
As he entered, the cave sealed shut.
“Father, what’s in there?” Linghu Yueyue asked the clan leader.
His face was alight with excitement, “It’s a place that will transform your brother Hongfei again.”
“When he emerges, he’ll be the greatest genius in the history of the Ancestral Martial Starfield.”
“Forget Chu Feng—even Chu Xuanyuan and Chu Hanxian will be relics of the past.”
The clan leader’s words brimmed with confidence.
Hearing him, the three Supreme Elders and Linghu Yueyue, though still unaware of the formation’s nature, realized its extraordinary significance.
