“Insane, truly valuing money over life.”
“So many have already died, yet she still wants to throw her life away?”
“Tch, since she’s so eager to die, let’s grant her wish and see how she meets her end.”
As the old woman headed straight for the lake, no one tried to stop her. Instead, jeers and mocking voices echoed from all directions.
Their twisted expressions and eager gazes revealed they were waiting for her to fall into the lake and perish.
Human hearts could be truly terrifying.
However, the old woman didn’t step into the lake. She stopped at the edge, took out a handkerchief, and crouched down.
She wasn’t planning to enter the lake; it seemed she intended to wash her face with the water.
Seeing this, Chu Feng swiftly moved, appearing before her and grabbing her wrist to prevent her hand from touching the lake water.
After all, the water was poisonous.
Swish—
But the moment Chu Feng grasped her wrist, he felt a tremor in the space around him.
Suddenly, everything seemed to change.
In that instant, Chu Feng felt as if he’d left this place and fallen into an icy cavern, surrounded by chilling cold and a dead end.
Ahead, he could see nothing, but above him, it felt like two gazes were fixed on him.
Those gazes were like two blazing suns, high above, overlooking everything.
Yet, they emitted not scorching light but a cold, murderous intent.
It was the old woman’s gaze. With just one look, she had caused Chu Feng to feel this way.
But the sensation vanished as quickly as it came.
Chu Feng could now see that the old woman’s gaze had changed. There was no killing intent, no anger, no wariness.
Instead, there was surprise, a touch of kindness, and even a hint of warmth, as if she were delighted to see him.
But what was that earlier feeling?
It was killing intent—Chu Feng was certain of it.
The moment he touched her, she had exuded murderous intent. Yet, upon seeing him, she not only withdrew it but showed joy in her gaze.
What was going on?
Even Chu Feng was puzzled.
“Granny, are you washing your face? This water can’t be used—it’s poisonous.”
“If you need to wash, use this instead.”
As he spoke, Chu Feng produced a copper basin filled with clean water.
“Granny, use this.”
He pushed the basin toward her.
The old woman glanced at him, said nothing, and began washing her face with the water he provided.
But Chu Feng noticed a shift in her gaze as she looked at him again.
The earlier warmth and closeness were gone.
It was as if she were looking at a stranger, showing no gratitude for his help.
Chu Feng didn’t mind, though.
He had acted only to prevent her from harm.
He felt her mental state seemed unstable.
What normal person would try to wash their face with poisonous water?
Yet, as he interacted with her, Chu Feng’s curiosity about her grew.
He couldn’t discern her cultivation level.
But her earlier gaze had made him realize her strength must be formidable.
Few could instill such intense pressure with a single look.
Especially now, when Chu Feng was far stronger than before, with significant progress in his cultivation.
For someone to still evoke such pressure in him meant their power was extraordinarily great.
But why did such a powerful figure seem mentally unstable?
And why was she here?
Was she after the spiritual spring?
Or had she come because of the changes here?
Chu Feng’s mind was filled with questions and confusion.
This old woman was like a riddle, sparking deep curiosity in him.
By now, she had finished washing her face. She stepped back from the lake but didn’t leave. Instead, she took out a mat, sat down, and began meditating with her eyes closed, as if cultivating.
No matter what noises surrounded her, she ignored them, unmoved.
“Forget that fool, and ignore that hypocritical do-gooder.”
“Let’s focus on solving this situation. The Cloud Spirit Clan has washed their hands of it, so we’re on our own now.”
“Everyone, think of a solution. We can’t just sit here and wait to die, can we?”
“And what’s causing these changes?”
The crowd didn’t linger on the old woman. Their earlier attention was for the spectacle, but with no show to watch, they turned their focus back to the lake.
After all, the Cloud Spirit Clan wasn’t even showing up.
They knew they couldn’t rely on them, and with no solutions, they’d have to work together if they wanted results.
Unfortunately, though they understood this, people from different factions, each with their own agendas, found true cooperation difficult.
Amid the discussions, Chu Feng’s face lit up.
The conflict within his dantian had ceased, and his cultivation was rapidly recovering.
With his cultivation and formation power restored, he felt it was time to dive into the lake and investigate.
“Everyone, a word of advice: stay away from this lake. There’s a monster beneath it. Those people earlier weren’t devoured by the poison but by the creature below.”
Chu Feng addressed the crowd.
“What monster?”
“How come we can’t see it?”
The crowd frowned, their faces full of doubt.
Though the lake was vibrant and colorful, it wasn’t murky. If there were a monster, they should at least see its outline.
But all they could make out were faint traces of the submerged palace, with no sign of any creature. Naturally, they doubted Chu Feng’s words.
“Of course you can’t see it. This guy’s a liar.”
“He’s trying to scare you all away so he can hog the spiritual spring.”
“Right, I can vouch for that. He tried to trick us earlier, but we saw through him.”
“Unbelievable, he’s shameless enough to try deceiving everyone now.”
Suddenly, a barrage of mocking voices rang out nearby.
Looking over, Chu Feng saw the speakers.
It was the bald man and his companions.
