Chapter 834: Demented Madness

Xuanyuan Wentian’s words made the three men stiffen, a sudden chill gripping their hearts.

“Sword Master Xuanyuan, your joke isn’t funny at all,” Feng Zukui said, his face darkening, his calm gaze betraying impatience. “A hundred jin of Purple Vein Divine Crystals? Even your Heavenly Might Sword Region might not be able to produce that much. Yet you come to my Phoenix Divine Sect to borrow it? Is Sword Master Xuanyuan amusing himself at our expense?”

“Heh heh, how could I dare?” Xuanyuan Wentian said, a smile playing on his lips. “Whether I’m joking or not, you all know perfectly well. I just praised Brother Zukui for his directness and frankness, just as he always was, so why the sudden change in tone? The crystal mine you plundered from Flowing Cloud City in the Azure Cloud Nation half a year ago was just refined last month, yielding a total of one hundred thirteen jin of Purple Vein Divine Crystals. They are stored in the Phoenix Fire Serene Realm beneath your Phoenix City. So, has this hundred-plus jin of Purple Vein Divine Crystals suddenly vanished just because I arrived?”

When Xuanyuan Wentian first mentioned a hundred jin of Purple Vein Divine Crystals, Feng Hengkong and the other two were already inwardly shocked, though they managed to maintain their composure. But now, Xuanyuan Wentian had described the refining time, quantity, and storage location of these Purple Vein Divine Crystals with absolute precision!

This left them all utterly aghast. It was absolutely impossible for this to be a coincidence!

Feng Hengkong, Feng Tianwei, and Feng Zukui exchanged glances, their hearts filled with terror. This matter, like the death of the Phoenix God, was one of two vital secrets they had to protect at all costs. Exposing either would bring disaster upon their sect. Besides the four members of their royal lineage, everyone else aware of this secret had been placed under a Soul Lock! They couldn't reveal it in any form; even if someone attempted to search their souls, the relevant memories would immediately vanish upon contact.

“Oh? Why have the three of you suddenly fallen silent?” Xuanyuan Wentian chuckled leisurely. “Did I say anything incorrectly?”

With Xuanyuan Wentian having spoken to such an extent, further denial was meaningless. Feng Zukui let out a heavy breath and asked, “Sword Master Xuanyuan, how did you come to know this?”

“I am under no obligation to answer that question,” Xuanyuan Wentian said, arms crossed over his chest, his demeanor arrogant, as if everything was already under his control. “Brother Zukui simply needs to lend me that hundred jin of divine crystals for a while. Such abundant resources should only be used by my Heavenly Might Sword Region to avoid being wasted. And I, of course, will remember this kindness in our time of need. What do you say, Brother Zukui?”

“Heh,” Feng Zukui sneered indifferently. “And what if I don’t give them to you?”

Xuanyuan Wentian shrugged. “That would be a great pity. Currently, only I know about this matter, but what if I accidentally told the other three Sacred Grounds one day... Heh, what do you think would happen, Brother Zukui?”

A chill ran through Feng Zukui’s heart, but his face showed deep disdain and arrogance. “If Sword Master Xuanyuan is interested, then feel free! Although my Phoenix Divine Sect’s power may be limited, we are the only divine descendants on the Profound Sky Continent! Throughout generations, we have been protected by the Phoenix God and favored by the Heavenly Way! We fear no one, no power, including your Four Sacred Grounds!”

“Father is right,” Feng Tianwei said, his face also hardening. “While my Phoenix Divine Sect may not match your Heavenly Might Sword Region, we have never been pushovers! Sword Master Xuanyuan, your Heavenly Might Sword Region has just suffered a ‘great calamity’; it would be better for you to remain calm for now! Although our Phoenix God rarely appears and is unwilling to display divine power unless absolutely necessary, if Sword Master Xuanyuan insists on provoking the Phoenix God, I fear you will be unable to bear the consequences!”

“We treated you as an honored guest and extended all courtesies. But if you came here to provoke us, humph, we will not entertain you! Hengkong, show him out!”

“Hahahahaha!” Far from being deterred, Xuanyuan Wentian burst into laughter, scoffing dismissively as he roared, “You call yourselves descendants of a divine race, yet your capabilities aren’t very impressive. However, this acting talent is certainly inherited, and it truly is an eye-opener for me, absolutely marvelous, hahahaha...”

“Sword Master Xuanyuan!” Feng Zukui’s voice grew increasingly furious. “Don’t go too far! I can tolerate your insults to my sect, but we, who inherit the Phoenix God’s bloodline, will absolutely not permit anyone to insult the Phoenix God—even if you are the master of a Sacred Ground!”

“Oh? Is that so? Did I say anything wrong?” Xuanyuan Wentian’s laughter gradually subsided. “Feng Zukui, it seems you’re still living in your own fantasy, completely unaware of your true situation. Then allow me to remind you of a few things... Four generations of your Phoenix royal family are present, yet only three are putting on a show. Haven’t you wondered why there’s one person missing?”

“Hmph, what do you mean by that, Sword Master Xuanyuan?” Feng Zukui sneered. Then, his voice abruptly cut off. Feng Tianwei’s and Feng Hengkong’s expressions also froze, and all three simultaneously looked at Feng Ximing.

They suddenly realized that since Xuanyuan Wentian’s arrival, Feng Ximing had not uttered a single sound! As they focused entirely on dealing with Xuanyuan Wentian, they had almost forgotten his presence.

Facing the simultaneous stares of Feng Zukui, Feng Tianwei, and Feng Hengkong, Feng Ximing revealed sheer terror. He instinctively stumbled backward, nearly falling to the ground in panic.

His unusual behavior and reaction, combined with Xuanyuan Wentian’s words... a sudden “boom” echoed in all three of their minds. Feng Hengkong raised his arm, pointing at Feng Ximing, his finger trembling uncontrollably. “Ximing... you... could it be you...”

Within the Phoenix Divine Sect, only these four knew about the hundred jin of Purple Vein Divine Crystals and had not been subjected to a Soul Cage. After all, using a Memory Cage carried immense risks; a single mistake could cause irreparable soul damage, potentially even turning someone into a living dead. Therefore, as members of the Phoenix royal family, they absolutely could not and did not need to take that risk... because as the Phoenix Divine Sect’s Old Sect Master, Grand Sect Master, Sect Master, and Young Sect Master, they were the least likely people in the world to leak such a monumental secret. Even if a second “Feng Feiyan” were to appear within the sect, it was utterly impossible for it to be one of them.

But...

“Impossible!” Feng Tianwei’s pupils constricted slightly, but he shook his head firmly. “Ximing is gradually becoming a pillar of our sect; it’s impossible, and he has no reason to commit such a shameful act that would bring disaster to the entire sect and leave a stain for ten thousand years! Ximing, quick... tell us you haven’t done anything to betray the sect or the Phoenix God!”

“Heh heh heh,” Xuanyuan Wentian’s mocking laughter came from behind them. “Divine Phoenix Crown Prince, at this point, do you still have any reservations? Don’t forget what you desire most. Your entire clan cannot give you what you desire most, but I can!”

Xuanyuan Wentian’s words made Feng Ximing’s pupils tremble. He gritted his teeth; although his face was still trembling, his eyes shifted from terror to maliciousness. “Imperial Father... you don’t have to hide it anymore. Sword Master Xuanyuan already knew about the Purple Vein Divine Crystals, and about the Phoenix God’s death, five months ago!!”

Feng Hengkong’s vision went black, his mind exploding with a “boom,” and almost all the blood in his body rushed to his head in an instant. “You... you... you... what... did you say...”

“You... you bastard!”

“Beast... you beast!!” Feng Zukui, who had remained expressionless even before Xuanyuan Wentian, now trembled all over, flames flickering in his hair and eyebrows. His fists clenched tightly; he could barely restrain himself from personally destroying this closest relative of his.

*Smack!!*

With a loud crack, Feng Hengkong, consumed by extreme rage, struck before Feng Zukui, slapping Feng Ximing across the face, sending him flying sideways, spitting blood.

Before Feng Ximing even landed, Feng Hengkong, whose anger was far from sated, abruptly charged forward, gripping Feng Ximing’s chest tightly. His eyes, wide to the point of bursting, were bloodshot. “You... you unfilial son! What you just said... say it again! Say it again!!”

Feng Hengkong’s head throbbed with rage, and his chest felt like it would explode. Ever since the incident with “Feng Feiyan” years ago, he had become even more cautious about the sect’s secrets, even risking the use of “Memory Cages.” He never imagined that a second “Feng Feiyan” would emerge, and this time, it wasn’t a sect elder, but his own son, his most trusted eldest son, whom he had chosen as his successor!

The patron they had just barely managed to connect with had suddenly vanished, and Feng Xue’er’s power was in the most critical period of rapid awakening. The deceased Phoenix God had been the Phoenix Divine Sect’s last barrier, and the hundred jin of Purple Vein Divine Crystals would allow them to rapidly increase their strength in the shortest time possible to cope with potential calamities. Yet precisely at this time, Xuanyuan Wentian had learned about the hundred jin of Purple Vein Divine Crystals and about the Phoenix God’s death...

He almost dared not imagine the consequences.

He couldn’t fathom how Feng Ximing could do such a thing, nor could he understand why he would do it!

With the words out, and the three most respected figures in the sect present, Feng Ximing had no retreat. His fear actually lessened, and his expression turned sinister and distorted. “Imperial Father... this is all... because of you!!”

“I forced you!?” Feng Hengkong trembled all over. “I have indeed been strict with you! But... but you are the Divine Phoenix Crown Prince, the future Divine Phoenix Emperor, the Phoenix Sect Master! How could I not be strict with you!! Even if I were ten times stricter... how could you commit such an act of betrayal against the sect, an act worse than a beast!!”

“Yes! Even if you were ten thousand times stricter with me, I would have no complaints, but...” Feng Ximing’s eyes widened, all fear gone, replaced by an almost pathological madness. “But why did you promise Xue’er to that bastard Yun Che!!”

“You... what?!” Feng Hengkong could barely believe his ears.

Feng Ximing panted, gritting his teeth. “Seven years ago, I swore that Xue’er would either belong to me or to no one! If I could have Xue’er, I would pay any price. What’s a Crown Prince, what’s a Sect Master? I can give it all up! But you, you want to give her to...”

“Shut up!!” Feng Hengkong’s entire body seemed to ignite, his chest like a furiously erupting volcano. “You... you... you beast!!”

*Thud!!*

Feng Hengkong fiercely punched Feng Ximing in the chest, sending him flying again. Then, his vision went black, his legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees, every part of his body trembling violently.

He had long noticed Feng Ximing’s obsession with Feng Xue’er... and it wasn’t just Feng Ximing; almost all of his sons were the same. He had warned Feng Ximing several times. Although it was a distorted obsession, subconsciously, he didn’t view it as a major problem. After all, Feng Xue’er possessed a heavenly beauty and was hailed as the Profound Sky Continent’s foremost beauty. Even for a biological brother, while such thoughts were improper, they were, from a physiological standpoint, somewhat understandable.

But he never imagined that Feng Ximing’s obsession with Feng Xue’er would be so twisted! It was utterly deranged!