Chapter 440: Fake Child and Real Child

Yuwen Feng was in a terrible mood. The "traitor" in his eyes was now beaming, conversing happily with a divine son and a saintess, seemingly on the verge of forming a close bond. As fellow visitors from the Starry Road and outstanding individuals from their respective planets, the divine son Ji Ling and the demon race saintess Ji Xuan completely disregarded Yuwen Feng's presence, causing his eyes to turn cold.

The repercussions of his defeat were already evident. Other divine sons and saintesses had begun to treat him dismissively, no longer taking him seriously. What would the future hold? The true era of competition among divine sons and saintesses was approaching, and he might be the first to be eliminated. This was the rule of the weak: everyone wanted to trample on others, picking the easiest targets.

With these thoughts, Yuwen Feng's face turned grim. He spun around and led his followers away from the edge of the folded space.

Seeing this, Chu Feng quickly called out, "Money-Scattering Boy, please stop! Leave that yellow-haired lion-dog with me, and I'll spare your attendant's life."

At that moment, Huang Tong was terrified, his face ghostly pale. He knew that if he were handed over, he would suffer a fate worse than death, and considered ending his own life then and there.

"Holy Son, save me!" Huang Tong, a creature who aspired to be a space hunter and was known for his lack of integrity, burst into tears, pleading with Yuwen Feng not to abandon him.

"I am not one to break my word. I promised to protect your life when we first cooperated," Yuwen Feng stated coldly. He then abruptly turned back to Chu Feng and declared, "My attendant is yours!" With that, he vanished instantly, never looking back.

"My Lord!" Bai Qing cried out, on the verge of tears, overwhelmed by fear and despair at Yuwen Feng's abandonment.

"Let's talk. Tell me everything you know," Chu Feng said, smiling as he looked at her.

"There's nothing to say," Bai Qing replied, turning her head away, her expression hardening once more.

Chu Feng threatened, "White duck, you've been abandoned, so there's no need to be stubborn. Don't force me to turn you into roast duck; I happen to know Quanjude's famous recipe."

Bai Qing was furious and humiliated, as she was a true white swan yet this man constantly called her a duck. She retorted coldly, "I have nothing to say to you. If I die, the Holy Son will avenge me, eradicate your entire clan, and make your life a living hell!"

This woman was remarkably resilient and seemed fearless of death.

"Then be on your way!" Chu Feng said indifferently. He didn't need to thoroughly understand Yuwen's faction; knowing they were descendants of Starry Sky Knights was sufficient. For him, there was no alternative but to show no mercy to the descendants of those cruel, inhumane executioners who now sought to retrace their ancestors' path.

Chu Feng, wielding his bronze sword, severed one of her arms – a swan's wing – forcing her to reveal her true form. Bai Qing shrieked as Chu Feng's suppression forced her to manifest as a massive white swan. Her feathers were pristine white, but one wing was missing, leaving a bloody wound. Her eyes glowed with intense malice.

"What a shame the toad isn't here," Chu Feng mused, sighing softly as he recalled his mount. The saying "a toad wanting to eat swan meat" wasn't just an empty phrase.

Chu Feng had initially intended to turn her into roast duck and enjoy a hearty meal, but he found he couldn't bring himself to do it. It wasn't out of sympathy; her malicious gaze certainly didn't inspire compassion in him. Rather, it was because she had been in human form moments before, indistinguishable from a person. The thought of directly consuming her immediately after was truly off-putting.

Chu Feng considered letting her revert to her true form and keeping her for a couple of days to make her resemble wild game, thinking it might alleviate his psychological discomfort. However, he needed to depart for Dragon-Tiger Mountain immediately, so he quickly dismissed the idea. Ultimately, Chu Feng granted her a swift end, beheading her with a single sword stroke and then paying her no further attention.

This battle finally concluded. Ji Xuan, Ji Ling, and all other factions were utterly astonished. The Starry Sky Holy Son Yuwen Feng's resounding defeat shattered many preconceived notions. Without a doubt, this battle had a monumental impact! A native, relying solely on his own power, had so thoroughly defeated a Holy Son-level figure that the latter was forced to retreat deep into the folded space, too ashamed to show his face. This event was set to ignite a storm.

At this stage, anyone confronting this "Chosen One" among the natives would have to seriously reconsider their position. To become his enemy would likely mean suffering the same fate as Yuwen Feng. Moreover, people recalled that he had previously acted decisively in Laoshan, single-handedly forcing a prodigious prince from an evolving dynasty to retreat, which was quite astonishing. Earlier rumors had suggested that Prince Qi Yu of Great Qi retreated due to intervention from another party, and people were disinclined to believe it was Chu Feng's work. Now, however, it was clear he possessed such strength and capability!

Before departing, Chu Feng meticulously arranged and steadily activated the Lushan field in the external area of the folded space connected to Yuwen Feng's Starry Road, significantly improving it. He was certain that anyone from that Starry Road who wished to emerge would now have to pay a far greater price than before! While he still found it difficult to manipulate the field around the main peaks of the famous mountains, he could easily control and even rectify the ancient traces in this particular region.

The divine son Ji Ling and the demon race saintess Ji Xuan, who witnessed this firsthand, both gasped in disbelief. This Chu Feng was truly ruthless; he was effectively sealing off Yuwen Feng's path! At this current stage, all divine sons and saintesses would have to take this "Chosen One" among the natives seriously. Offending him could make cross-realm travel exceptionally difficult! Had they not seen the fates of Yuwen Feng and the prince from Laoshan? These were stark warnings!

An undercurrent, a massive storm, was brewing. Chu Feng had become a formidable figure whom all Holy Son-level entities would have to reckon with, and no one dared to offend him lightly. In fact, all factions now sought to win him over, as his talent in manipulating fields was truly extraordinary!

Chu Feng leisurely departed. All the arrivals who had followed him into Lushan were unnerved, showing him profound respect and quickly clearing his path.

In outer space, Yang Xuan, Hu Qingcheng, and Qing Lan were all greatly stirred and deeply shaken by Chu Feng's capabilities. Given the circumstances, Yang Xuan now suspected that the "Chosen One" he had inadvertently brought about might be real; Chu Feng was simply too formidable!

However, Qing Lan shook her head and said, "Before, I largely believed he was the Chosen One; otherwise, why would he constantly provoke you? But now, I'm beginning to doubt it. I suspect he's a 'false son,' existing to conceal and protect the true Chosen One." His perspective was novel, yet recalling certain historical records and ancient tales, Yang Xuan and Hu Qingcheng both gasped. Indeed, such occurrences had happened more than once in ancient times: false sons would divert public attention, and then, upon the true son's emergence, the world would erupt into great turmoil. The true son would gather all resources and fortune, rising with terrifying, unstoppable momentum. Any era featuring a "false son" was destined to be terrifying, for the "true son" of that period would unleash an epoch-shaking brilliance.

"This... is highly plausible!" Yang Xuan felt a chill run down his spine. He thought of this planet's past glory, once ranked eleventh. After countless eons of dormancy, its current resurgence was bound to unleash a cataclysmic torrent of power. The divine sons and saintesses from all corners had rushed here precisely to harness this surging tide. A year of cultivation here was said to be worth ten, even a hundred, years elsewhere!

"There's definitely a 'false son'!" Hu Qingcheng also concluded. They even surmised that Chu Feng, currently prominent, was a "false son" serving to draw all attention. A shiver ran down their spines at the thought: how terrifying would it be when the true son finally emerged?!

"Indeed, it is said that Earth once held a Chaos Energy Pagoda, a supreme inheritance coveted even by the top ten planets, but it has vanished. That was likely prepared for the true son. Chu Feng's astonishing mastery of fields suggests he exists to protect the true son."

"Yes, there's a theory that field researchers cannot inherit that lineage but are destined to serve it."

Yang Xuan and Qing Lan delved into some taboo subjects, matters their saint ancestors had privately discussed, of which they had only ever heard fragments.

"It appears the true son is indeed operating in the shadows," Hu Qingcheng said, a chilling realization dawning on her. The three wore grave expressions. They believed that the various divine sons and saintesses would ultimately gain nothing, having no connection to the Chaos Energy Pagoda's inheritance.

At Lushan, Chu Feng began to walk away. "Sister-in-law, thank you! This kasaya of yours is truly excellent. I'll make sure to visit your sister later!" Chu Feng looked up at the void and spoke with feigned seriousness, suspecting the woman might be watching. In outer space, the trio's discussion abruptly ceased. Hu Qingcheng's face darkened; she genuinely regretted losing that kasaya, as it was an extraordinary secret treasure.

"Brother-in-law, your bronze sword is quite ordinary. Apart from being sturdy and durable, I can't discern anything remarkable about it yet." These words from Chu Feng also caused Yang Xuan's expression to sour.

Next, people within Lushan witnessed a peculiar sight: streaks of divine light descended from the heavens, converging on Chu Feng. He, meanwhile, remained utterly calm, humming a tune as he strolled out. Not only were others stunned, but even Divine Son Ji Ling and Demon Race Saintess Ji Xuan were dumbfounded, and Princess Lin was so deeply shocked that her heart trembled. People became even more convinced that he was indeed the Chosen One! Especially given Chu Feng's demeanor, he was incredibly composed, as if accustomed to such phenomena and completely unfazed by them.

Beyond the realm, Yang Xuan and Hu Qingcheng, feeling ashamed, finally ceased their actions. They had once again broken their vows. Nearby, Qing Lan's face was grim as she warned them, "If others find out, the three of us will be in grave trouble. You can't change anything, but you're disrupting the judgment of the divine sons and saintesses from the various Starry Roads!"

At this, Yang Xuan felt a chill spread through him, and, filled with uncertainty, he whispered, "I'm starting to get uneasy. Do you think the planet's will influenced me to make those earlier moves? Was it all just to promote a false son?"

"It's possible. I... I want to leave this place!"

Chu Feng emerged from Lushan and boarded his verdant bamboo raft. He had barely set off when shouts echoed from ahead.

"Chu Feng, where do you think you're going to run? Chen Sheng is here!"

A warship appeared on the horizon, carrying Chen Sheng, the young master of the Penglai Chen family lineage. He wore a cold expression, accompanied by several masters, all radiating murderous intent. Near Lushan, the expressions of the gathered arrivals turned peculiar. Had someone really come seeking trouble with Devil King Chu, right after he had just displayed such immense power? Then they realized that the events in the mountain had just transpired and had yet to spread. This unfortunate scion of the Chen family was clearly unaware, and seemed to have a death wish!

"Heh heh... Chu Feng, try to run now!" Chen Sheng sneered sinisterly. He had brought his people to block the path and ambush Chu Feng. He had recently received news of Chu Feng's entry into Lushan and had immediately rallied his forces to personally lead a hunt.

"Young Master, flee!" At that moment, an avian king, who had emerged from Lushan before Chu Feng and encountered Chen Sheng, urgently bellowed.

"Hmm?" Chen Sheng was puzzled.

"Chu Feng has defied the heavens! He single-handedly slaughtered a Holy Son's entire retinue in Lushan, leaving rivers of blood! Flee, quickly!"

"What?!" Chen Sheng's face paled upon hearing this, his body trembling. He found this outcome hard to accept, but he was decisive. "Run! Quickly!" he yelled.

At that very moment, Chu Feng's gaze turned icy. He lunged from the distant sky, a pair of energy wings unfurling behind him, propelling him forward with lightning speed. The massive ship fled wildly, tearing through the sky. Everyone was speechless. The once arrogant young master of the Chen family, having learned the truth, was now utterly disheveled and in full flight.

"He's catching up! Initiate a void jump immediately, back to the sea region of Penglai!" Chen Sheng, the young master of the Chen family, shrieked, truly terrified and panicked.

"The warship is damaged and might not succeed. It was only recently salvaged from the ruins and has numerous issues," an elder on the warship cried out anxiously.

"Never mind that, just hurry!" Chen Sheng yelled furiously.

Finally, the void trembled slightly. The entire warship blurred, on the verge of vanishing into a hazy expanse that resembled both a quagmire and a portal. Chu Feng was enraged; he was about to catch them, but the warship was already fading. Without hesitation, he drew a bone arrow—one of the three he had taken from Bai Qing—placed it on the Great Thunder Sound Bowstring, and rapidly fired it, targeting Chen Sheng.

Finally, a burst of light erupted. Chen Sheng screamed as he desperately tried to dodge, but his arm ultimately exploded into a bloody mist, and a large hole was torn in the warship. After a brief surge of turbulence, the warship finally vanished.

Silence descended upon the surroundings. Devil King Chu was so ferociously powerful that he stunned everyone present. He had shot down the young master of the Penglai Chen family lineage with such decisiveness. Who could possibly restrain him now?

However, some people secretly sneered. "See him erect his grand mansion, see him host his lavish banquets, see his mansion crumble!" "His current dazzling success and splendor are more likely a prelude to his decline." Some individuals harbored ill will, their expressions cold.

Nevertheless, the vast majority were astonished, unanimously agreeing that Devil King Chu had officially risen, and no one could challenge his position in the short term; he was set for triumphal advance. When the news reached the outside world, major powers everywhere were shaken.

"He defeated a Holy Son's entire retinue? Devil King Chu has finally extended his demonic reach to extraterrestrials!"

"This is typical Chu Feng!"

Ordinary people, powerful syndicates, and acquaintances offered various comments. Chu Feng paid no mind to these comments; he was already approaching Dragon-Tiger Mountain.