After confirming that he could no longer enter the secret realm, Chu Feng began to regulate his emotions.
He knew that excitement would achieve nothing.
Finally, Chu Feng calmed down.
He also sorted out the general course of events and formed his own guesses.
Back then, his grandfather had risen as a genius, shocking the entire Ancestral Martial Star Region while simultaneously alarming the overlord of the Ancestral Martial Star Region at that time, the Nameless Clan.
The Nameless Clan naturally would not allow anyone to threaten their dominant position, so they secretly sent people to deal with Chu Hanxian.
Although Chu Hanxian escaped with his life, he also realised the Nameless Clan’s intentions. Instead of choosing revenge, he left the Ancestral Martial Star Region while he was still rising, before he became truly powerful.
He planned to cultivate elsewhere, free himself from the Nameless Clan’s surveillance, and only return to the Ancestral Martial Star Region once his cultivation was complete, to single-handedly revive his family.
Chu Feng deduced that not long after his grandfather Chu Hanxian left the family, he had, by some twist of fate, arrived at that secret realm.
After entering it, for reasons unknown, his grandfather had lived inside for many years.
Very possibly, a full nine thousand years or so.
It was only about a thousand years ago that his grandfather finally gained freedom and could leave the secret realm.
Yet when he could finally depart, he had important matters, or rather, things he absolutely had to do.
This was very likely the reason why, even though ten thousand years had passed since he left the family, his grandfather had never once returned to the Chu Heavenly Clan.
His grandfather simply never had the chance to return to the family.
All the signs indicated that his grandfather not only carried unspeakable burdens, but very possibly had danger following him everywhere.
This was extremely bad news.
According to this information, his grandfather’s chances of survival now seemed slim.
However, after calming down, Chu Feng felt that his grandfather might not actually be dead.
Because when his father had left, he had once left a message for Chu Feng in the forbidden area of the Chu Heavenly Clan.
At that time, his father had said one thing to him.
His father had told Chu Feng: he and Chu Feng’s grandfather would be waiting for Chu Feng deep beyond the heavens.
And his father must have searched for his grandfather’s whereabouts.
Since he could tell Chu Feng that he would be waiting together with his grandfather deep beyond the heavens, that meant his father had at least confirmed that his grandfather was still alive.
It was even highly possible that he already knew exactly where his grandfather was, or had even met him.
And the place where his grandfather was located was most likely deep beyond the heavens.
In any case, this was good news.
No matter what, as long as the person was still alive, that was enough.
“Grandfather, rest assured. Your grandson will definitely cultivate diligently.”
“If something truly is binding you, your grandson will certainly help you break free from those bonds.”
“Whether it be cultivators of the current era or ancient monsters, your grandson will never allow any existence to restrict your freedom.”
Chu Feng silently swore in his heart.
Although his cultivation was still weak, his determination to save his family remained utterly steadfast.
This was Chu Feng’s path of martial cultivation.
He did not cultivate diligently to become a hegemon of the vast martial cultivation world.
He cultivated diligently to protect his family, to safeguard them.
After that, Chu Feng stood up and left the area.
He no longer concealed his figure. Instead, he strode openly through the mountain range, heading straight towards the exit.
The reason he dared act so boldly was naturally because he knew that the Black-White Evil Pair who had been secretly protecting Zhao Yuzhuo were already dead.
The remaining members of the Zhao family were extremely weak and basically beneath notice.
Finally, Chu Feng left the mountain range and returned to where everyone was gathered.
When Chu Feng emerged, even more people had assembled than before.
Everyone was staring in the same direction, the crowd noisy with discussion. Something had clearly happened.
Chu Feng followed their gazes and immediately felt his heart tighten.
He saw that what everyone was looking at was high up in the void.
Two figures stood in that void.
One was a young man. He was fairly good-looking, but his face was full of evil. At first glance, he clearly was not a good person.
His arrogance and tyranny were practically written on his face.
In that young man’s hand, he was tightly grasping a young woman.
Chu Feng recognised that young woman. It was Long Xiaoxiao.
Long Xiaoxiao bore some wounds on her body and was struggling with all her might.
“If you have the ability, let me go and fight me again fairly.”
Long Xiaoxiao roared angrily while struggling.
“I told you, if you obediently reveal your true appearance and let me see who you are and how you sneaked in here, fine.”
“Otherwise, I won’t be polite.”
The young man said.
Seeing this scene, Chu Feng prepared to act, but he first glanced towards a spot some distance from the crowd.
That was where the Long Clan chief and the others were.
To his shock, Chu Feng discovered that the Long Clan chief and everyone else were present.
Yet faced with Long Xiaoxiao being captured, the Long Clan chief had no intention of intervening.
Chu Feng could see that Long Xiaoxiao’s mother desperately wanted to save her daughter, but the Long Clan chief was holding her shoulder, preventing her from moving.
“What is going on?”
Chu Feng moved and appeared beside the Long Clan chief and the others.
“Young hero Chu Feng, you’re back. It’s good that you’re safe.”
“How was it? Did you manage to find the secret realm?”
Upon seeing Chu Feng, everyone sighed in relief, and many immediately began asking about the secret realm.
“I’m asking you, what is happening up there?”
Chu Feng pointed at Long Xiaoxiao, who was trapped in the void, and asked.
Seeing how agitated Chu Feng was, no one dared hesitate. They hurriedly explained what had happened.
As it turned out, the man in the void was Zhao Yuzhuo’s elder brother, the peerless genius known as Zhao Batian.
After Long Xiaoxiao had followed Chu Feng into the mountain range sealed by the treasure, she had not come out immediately.
Chu Feng guessed that Long Xiaoxiao had not actually listened to him. She had only pretended to leave, then returned later.
Because she had not left straight away, for some reason she had encountered this Zhao Batian, and her disguised appearance had been exposed.
The two of them must have fought fiercely, but judging by the outcome, Long Xiaoxiao had clearly lost.
In fact, Long Xiaoxiao and Zhao Batian had only emerged from the mountain range a short while ago.
Zhao Batian seemed intent on publicly humiliating Long Xiaoxiao.
“Let me go. If you won’t save Xiaoxiao, I will!”
After Chu Feng learned what had happened, Long Xiaoxiao’s mother struggled and shouted in fury.
She was furious, yet her voice was weak. The reason was naturally that the Long Clan chief was restraining her.
“Why are you so foolish? Can’t you see that Zhao Batian is doing this on purpose? He’s using Xiaoxiao as bait to lure us out.”
“Do you think… I don’t want to save Xiaoxiao?”
“But look at how calm and confident Zhao Batian is. Someone is definitely protecting him from the shadows. If we go out, none of us will survive.”
The Long Clan chief explained why he was not rescuing his daughter and was instead watching from the sidelines.
“Madam Long, the clan chief is right. We should observe for now and think of another way. Acting rashly is absolutely not an option.”
At the same time, others present were also persuading the Long Clan chief.
They were all afraid, terrified of Zhao Batian and Zhao Yuzhuo.
But in truth, what they truly feared was the Nine Souls Sacred Clan.
That was a colossal power capable of completely wiping out their families, the overlord of the Nine Souls Galaxy.
Chu Feng could understand why people like the Yu Heavenly Clan, the Cloudsky Immortal Sect, and the Lord of the All-Demon Sacred Palace were afraid. After all, Long Xiaoxiao had nothing to do with them, and they did not want to risk their lives for her.
Yet the Long Clan chief was Long Xiaoxiao’s own father. Even at a moment like this, he could remain so composed. Chu Feng genuinely could not understand it.
“Girl, don’t be scared. I, Zhao Batian, am definitely not a bad person.”
“I just want to see your true appearance. Be obedient, remove your disguise, and let me have a look.”
Up in the void, Zhao Batian spoke again.
“You attacked suddenly. That victory doesn’t count. If you have the guts, release me and fight me again fairly.”
Long Xiaoxiao said, clearly unconvinced. At the same time, however, Chu Feng realised that Long Xiaoxiao did not want to reveal her true appearance.
Chu Feng guessed that her stubbornness was most likely connected to her father, the Long Clan chief.
The Long Clan chief naturally did not want Long Xiaoxiao to expose her identity as a member of the Long Clan.
“You really don’t know what’s good for you.”
Zhao Batian gave a slight smile. After saying this, he grabbed Long Xiaoxiao’s sleeve.
Then he yanked hard. Rip!
Ah—
The next moment, Long Xiaoxiao let out a scream.
Her sleeve had been torn off.
Her snow-white arm was exposed for everyone to see.
Yet seeing Long Xiaoxiao’s terrified expression only made Zhao Batian lick his lips in excitement.
“If you still refuse to show your true appearance, I’ll tear off all your clothes and let everyone see your body.”
Zhao Batian declared.
