Chapter 432: Rewalking the Ancestral Path

Chu Feng's consecutive visits to two famous mountains to meet the Holy Maiden and the Heavenly Maiden naturally drew considerable attention. For instance, upon hearing the news, Huang Tong, who had a lion's face and a human body, and his companions immediately rushed to the location. However, by the time they arrived at Mount Hua, Chu Feng had already departed.

Nevertheless, someone located Chu Feng with remarkable speed, as if consistently tracking his every move. As soon as they learned of his appearances at Mount Yandang and Mount Hua, they arrived by flying boat.

"Chu Feng, halt!"

Two evolvers, piloting a flying boat, caught up with him. Their speed was comparable to Chu Feng's green bamboo raft, at least reaching Mach 10.

Chu Feng turned, his pupils constricting slightly. These two were clearly formidable experts, far from ordinary. At that moment, Chu Feng was near the Wei River, still within Shaanxi Province. The Wei River, the largest tributary of the Yellow River, had naturally undergone significant changes since the world's transformation. Now, the river was wide and surged powerfully, a magnificent sight. Furthermore, several vast lakes lay nearby, alongside the Wei River, enveloped in mist, resembling a land of water.

Chu Feng was studying the layout of the mountains and rivers, and now, having been overtaken, he stood ready. The two gracefully descended, retracting their purple flying boat. They approached Chu Feng, observing him with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Come with us," said the middle-aged man in a gray Taoist robe. He was Tian Hong, a Taoist priest, who carried a long sword on his back and intended to take Chu Feng away.

"Go with you? Where to?" Chu Feng asked calmly.

"To Penglai Immortal Island," Tian Hong replied. He appeared to be around forty, with a slightly bronzed complexion. Dressed in a Taoist robe, he exuded an ancient presence. Indeed, the other man was also dressed in a Taoist robe. He was older, with a lean face and a wooden hairpin in his hair, giving him a somewhat ethereal and immortal air.

Chu Feng's heart gave a jolt. People from Penglai had come. These were two genuinely powerful masters, yet having just returned from the moon, he felt no fear.

"Why should I go to Penglai Immortal Island?" Chu Feng inquired.

"Young friend, you're asking the obvious," Tian Hong said. "You killed our Penglai disciples; naturally, we must take you to account for it to the families of the deceased."

"I'm busy!" Chu Feng retorted impolitely. He found it absurd. The young master of the Chen family line from Penglai had tried to kill him, sending five powerful experts to track him down to Mount Huang, only for Chu Feng to eliminate them all. Could he possibly be blamed for that? If he hadn't killed them, he would have died.

Tian Hong's expression subtly shifted. "Young friend, are you so deluded?" he said. "You insulted Penglai first, and now, even when we wish to take you to the Immortal Island, you refuse to cooperate."

Chu Feng sneered, "When did I ever insult your Penglai? Wasn't it always you who initiated the attacks? I merely acted in self-defense."

Tian Hong, clad in his Taoist robe, flared in anger. "At Mount Hua, you led an assault and killed several of our Penglai disciples. Do you genuinely believe that never occurred?"

Chu Feng was taken aback; so this middle-aged Taoist priest was bringing up that particular incident.

"Taoist priest, do you know the full story?" Chu Feng asked. "Chen Sheng, the young master of the Chen family, was incredibly arrogant. He sent a servant in a unicorn chariot to Jiangning to summon me, behaving with more pomp than a prince of an evolved dynasty. After I refused to meet him, he actually tried to eliminate me, dispatching five masters to Mount Huang to hunt me down. They were all killed in self-defense; they brought it upon themselves. That's why the incident at Mount Hua occurred later."

"Such a thing happened?" Tian Hong frowned, then looked up again. "Regardless," he stated, "you must still come with us to Penglai."

"I saw you as a kind-faced Taoist and thought you intended to reason with me," Chu Feng said, his voice growing cold. "After all this talking, it seems it was all pointless. There's no need for further discussion when encountering people like you!"

"Are you coming or not?!" Tian Hong bellowed.

"Who do you think you are, to give me orders?" Chu Feng snapped coldly.

"Because we are the true inheritors of Earth!" the older Taoist declared at that moment. His voice was not loud, yet it conveyed immense confidence and complete dominance.

Chu Feng smiled, a hint of coldness in his expression. Having just returned from the moon, he knew that the remnants of Penglai, Fangzhang, and other places were merely servants of the ancient pure-blood lineage. Yet, to this day, they declared themselves the rightful inheritors of Earth, looking down on everyone else. To what extent had their confidence swelled?

"What are you laughing at? Are you scoffing at Penglai?" the old Taoist priest demanded.

"I've heard that long, long ago, Penglai, Fangzhang, and similar places were inhabited by servants," Chu Feng replied. "What kind of mindset makes you now consider yourselves the absolute masters of Earth?"

"What is your identity, to dare spout such nonsense!" the older Taoist demanded.

"I recall that you were supposed to obey the commands of the pure-blood lineage, were you not?" Chu Feng stated.

"What pure-blood lineage? Nonsense!" the old Taoist snapped. "Who can dictate to the people of Penglai? All those self-important individuals are dead. Penglai is now the true inheritor of Earth." He then signaled Tian Hong to quickly move and capture Chu Feng.

To their astonishment, the two Taoists realized their opponent knew far too much. Such a person had to be apprehended and taken back for a thorough interrogation to uncover the truth.

"I have a question," Chu Feng asked. "If your former masters were to appear before your clan, what would you do?"

"Capture him! Bring him back for a thorough interrogation—he's a big catch!" the old Taoist declared ruthlessly. He then made the first move, drawing his long sword. It erupted like a bolt of lightning, thrusting towards Chu Feng with astonishing speed. The middle-aged Taoist also moved, his sword light like startling thunder, accompanied by an explosive sound and a terrifying aura, aiming for Chu Feng's brow.

They were indeed masters, exerting an unprecedented pressure on Chu Feng. Both had, at minimum, broken through the eleventh seal! Chu Feng now understood that within the Seal realm, breaking twelve seals generally marked the peak. While other seals might exist within the body, breaking them further would not enhance combat strength. For these two to have broken the eleventh seal already indicated immense power.

"Hm, you've already broken through twelve!" Chu Feng was moved, dodging away, realizing the old Taoist was even stronger than he had anticipated. He had currently broken nine seals, allowing him to contend with the middle-aged Taoist, but confronting the elder Taoist would be far more problematic. Should the old Taoist advance further, he would reach the Free Realm!

The old Taoist declared proudly, "When Penglai seeks to capture someone, who can possibly resist?" The sword light in his hand was like a continuous barrage of lightning, terrifying enough to cleave mountains and sever mighty rivers. One could see that after the sword light flew, it evaporated most of the water from a large lake. When the sword light struck a mountain, it directly sliced off a section of the peak.

"Empty boasts!" Chu Feng scoffed, utterly fearless. He immediately deployed numerous magnets, employing field techniques to establish a defensive domain: the Muddy Marsh. The next moment, the old Taoist was ensnared, as if sinking into a swamp, descending deeper and deeper, nearing suffocation.

"I understand the intentions of the Penglai people now; there's nothing left to say," Chu Feng declared. With that, he wielded his bronze sword and, with a swift thud, severed the head of the old Taoist trapped within the Muddy Marsh domain. A grand master who had broken all twelve seals was thus directly slain by him.

"You..." The middle-aged Taoist reacted as if he had seen a ghost. The old Taoist was at the pinnacle of the Seal realm, practically invincible among beings of that caliber, yet he had been beheaded by Chu Feng with such ease. The sight was horrifying. He turned to flee, but how could he possibly escape? Magnets floated around him, having already formed an upgraded "Ghost Wall" domain, trapping him securely. Chu Feng decapitated him with a single sword stroke, ending his life.

At this very moment, deep within a renowned mountain. A languid voice emanated: "The energy particles on this planet are quite sparse, yet there's a faint, sweet aroma. Is that an initial sign that the 'reverse kind' will successfully evolve? Hmm, I have a premonition that I will take the same step my ancestors did here."

Within a folded space deep inside the famous mountain, a young figure who had been seated in meditation for a long time opened his eyes and murmured softly. He had arrived on Earth via the star path many days ago, but like other divine sons and holy maidens, he dared not easily cross into this realm. He rarely spoke or moved, allowing his subordinates to manage everything. As he breathed, the surrounding vegetation subtly dimmed, as if a portion of its vitality was being siphoned away.

"'Star Knights'—what an ancient and glorious title. Back then, they swept across this planet, hunting down all the 'reverse kind,' unstoppable wherever they went." He sighed in admiration, seemingly lost in a sense of past glory. If Chu Feng were present, he would undoubtedly be consumed by murderous intent. On the moon, he had witnessed how those iron cavalry had mercilessly hunted down women, children, and the elderly, acting with cold brutality. Chu Feng knew that the Star Knights were merely a small contingent of the invading army, not even the main force, yet their terror was already immense.

Within the folded space, the young man rose, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. He possessed smooth, black hair, like silk, and brilliant pupils.

"The glory of my predecessors should be expanded upon by me," he mused. "In the past, knights drawn from various races underwent a baptism of blood and fire, eventually earning the title of 'Star,' sweeping across planets. What a brilliant era that was." His face was exquisitely beautiful and gentle, graced with a smile, more stunning than a woman's, yet he uttered cruel words.

"My ancestor was originally a minor leader among the Star Knights," he continued, "but he distinguished himself immensely during the assault on this planet, hunting down the 'reverse kind,' rising steadily until he became a Saint!" With a brilliant smile, he said, "It's all due to the Hundred Transformations Breathing Technique, which dissolves the Dao fruits of enemies, making one stronger with every battle. The elites and prodigies among the 'reverse kind' are the ideal cauldrons. My ancestor was fortunate enough to campaign here, suppressing geniuses, slaying prodigies, surviving countless battles, and after long years, assimilating them into a single entity, thus achieving sainthood."

"I, Yuwen Feng, am here," he declared. "As the inheritor of the Hundred Transformations Breathing Technique, the new generation Saint Son, I, too, must rise here, retrace my ancestor's path, slay the 'reverse kind,' dissolve their Dao fruits and destiny, and lay the foundation for my own sainthood!"

He smiled, his face soft and beautiful, prettier than many women, yet his words sent shivers down one's spine. He had brought numerous followers, all masters, each exuding a formidable, battle-hardened aura. They stood at a respectful distance, not daring to disturb him.

"They say the Hundred Transformations Breathing Technique can dissolve all things and is connected to one of the top-ranked planets. Is that true?" someone whispered from a distance.

"It's hard to say, don't ask too many questions," another replied. "The old master achieved sainthood through this method, and Saint Son Yuwen Feng is also evolving rapidly. This technique is destined to achieve great prominence and shake the cosmos!" His followers held the Hundred Transformations Breathing Technique in extremely high regard.

Yuwen Feng turned to them. "I will train you all as Star Knights, following my ancestor's methods," he declared. "When the time comes, we will conquer this planet!" Unfortunately, the 'reverse kind' were now too few, almost extinct, which was Yuwen Feng's greatest regret. Nevertheless, he believed there was a promising target recently.

"It doesn't matter if there are no 'reverse kind'," Yuwen Feng said, gazing at the distant mountains and rivers. With the Hundred Transformations Breathing Technique, which could dissolve all things, he had even better options. With a smile, he stated, "Hmm, I can almost smell the fragrant blossoms of this planet's resurgence. Everything is so beautiful."