Translator: AnubisTL
Yu Ying and the others stared at Gu Feng in shock, never expecting him to act so decisively, killing Shen Wei before the truth of the matter had even been clarified.
The elders from various sects remained expressionless, but their gazes towards Gu Feng held a newfound respect. After all, not every Qi Refining Realm disciple had the courage to kill someone right in front of the elders.
"Elder Bai, no need to thank me. I was merely helping your Unwavering Sect rid itself of a scoundrel!" Gu Feng's gaze met Elder Bai's directly, his demeanor calm and composed. As he grinned, a row of bright white teeth was revealed.
Then, he lowered his head, muttering regretfully, "What a pity. I didn't control my strength properly and ended up ruining a perfectly good robe!"
Zhu Tao, standing beside Elder Shang, was utterly dumbfounded, his eyes filled with fear. He stood there like a wooden statue, his mind completely blank.
Shen Wei was dead. He was really dead. So, how far behind could he be?
This thought kept hammering at his mind, and his body trembled even more violently.
"This is too much, too much!" Elder Bai's face turned red with humiliation at being mocked by a junior, and he was on the verge of losing his temper.
"Elder Bai, calm down. If Gu Feng made a mistake, our Sunset Glow Sect will certainly not let him off lightly," Elder Shang glanced at Elder Bai, a hint of amusement in his eyes. Gu Feng's actions had greatly boosted the reputation of the Sunset Glow Sect.
Seeing Elder Bai's furious expression, he couldn't help but feel quite pleased.
"Gu Feng, where is the head of the evil cultivator?"
"Right here!" Wu Qi quickly responded, taking off a storage pouch and walking briskly to Gu Feng, who gave him a disdainful look and motioned for him to hand it over to Elder Shang.
What a grand gesture!
Elder Shang and Elder Liu were on good terms, essentially allies, so he wasn't angered by Gu Feng's behavior, merely offering a slight, wry smile.
"Elder Shang, Gu Feng has a fear of blood, so he asked me to bring the head!"
At this, Elder Shang glared at Wu Qi. Was he being taken for a fool? Fear of blood? What nonsense! Just moments ago, when Gu Feng crushed Shen Wei, there was no sign of him fainting!
Taking the head, Elder Shang displayed it to the surrounding elders.
Different cultivators had distinct scents, and the spiritual power they cultivated also had subtle differences. It was easy for them to discern that the head did not carry the aura of Zhu Tao or Shen Wei.
The answer was obvious—the two had been lying.
From the head, the elders could tell that the evil cultivator had reached the peak of the seventh level of Qi Refining. Given that, the loss of so many disciples seemed almost inevitable.
Only Elder Shang was deeply shocked. He knew that Gu Feng had only advanced to the Qi Refining Realm about a month ago!
While it wasn't unheard of for the weak to defeat the strong, the sheer disparity in their cultivation levels made this victory seem almost unreal.
He gave Gu Feng a deep, appraising look, shaking his head with a bitter smile. This kid was hiding his true capabilities deeply. Even Elder Liu and the others probably didn't know the full extent of Gu Feng's abilities.
With such an exaggerated rate of growth, it was likely that no one would be a match for him in the upcoming outer sect competition at the end of the year.
But... would the inner sect elders allow someone with the Myriad Tribulations Physique, deemed to have no cultivation potential, to enter the inner sect?
This was something he needed to discuss with Elder Liu and the others upon returning.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Elder Shang's gaze sharpened like a hawk's, locking onto Zhu Tao beside him, and he roared, "Zhu Tao, what do you have to say for yourself?"
The latter shuddered, collapsing to the ground.
"Elder, spare me! I lost my mind..." Zhu Tao wept bitterly, his head banging against the ground.
"You scoundrel! Framing Gu Feng was losing your mind? Killing a fellow disciple was losing your mind? Harming cultivators from other sects for no reason was losing your mind? If your mind is so lost, then you don't need it anymore!" Elder Shang's body trembled slightly, releasing a wisp of spiritual power that pinned Zhu Tao to the ground, rendering him immobile.
"Elder Shang, let me handle this!" Gu Feng said with a smile, quickly stepping up to Elder Shang. He lifted the terrified Zhu Tao like a chicken, ensuring his head hung down, then spread his fingers and gripped the man's throat, giving a gentle squeeze.
Crack—
Zhu Tao's legs jerked a few times before he fell completely still. Drops of blood dripped down, yet they didn't stain the robe.
This method of killing left the elders somewhat bewildered. But when they saw Gu Feng's next actions, their eyelids twitched incessantly.
This kid, right in front of everyone, began stripping Zhu Tao of his clothes and boots, leaving him only in a pair of flowery underpants.
Elder Shang felt his cheeks burn, his lips twitching uncontrollably. "Kid, which merchant guild are you planning to sell these clothes to?"
"Huh—is that important?"
"Very important. Because I'm going to blacklist that guild. At the very least, I won't be buying any clothing items from them in this lifetime, lest I end up with dead men's clothes!" Elder Shang retorted with a pout.
"Everyone, this matter is concluded. Any objections?"
At this point, even Elder Bai of the Unwavering Sect had nothing to say. He snorted heavily, flicked his sleeve, and with no face left to stay, turned to leave. As he did, he shot a fierce glare at Gu Feng.
Gu Feng remained unfazed. The elders of the Unwavering Sect had nothing to do with him. If he offended them, so be it.
"Young friend Gu Feng, thank you for avenging my disciples!"
These elders were all shrewd individuals. Even knowing that Gu Feng possessed the Myriad Tribulations Physique, they didn't resort to harsh words. After all, who could say that Gu Feng wouldn't surpass them in cultivation one day? There was no need to mock him without cause.
Next, Elder Shang invited the elders from other sects to inspect the site where Gu Feng had battled the evil cultivator.
Gu Feng could only smile wryly at this. Everyone knew that Elder Shang was using this opportunity to show off.
The other elders, understanding the situation, didn't refuse. The martial world wasn't just about fighting and killing—it was also about human relationships and social graces.
Today, you help someone rise; tomorrow, they might do the same for you. All of them were in Cloud Prefecture, where they would inevitably cross paths again. There was no need to spoil the mood.
After all, they weren't from the Unwavering Sect, nor did they have the strength to challenge the Sunset Glow Sect's position as the number one sect in Cloud Prefecture.
Thus, the group of elders, with great fanfare, entered the mountain range.
Gu Feng, as the protagonist, had to follow. As for Yu Ying and the others, being key supporting characters, they were also indispensable.
"Elder Shang, it was here that we left the mark and waited for Gu Feng!"
"Zhu Tao abandoned us at this spot, but fortunately, we ran into Chao Yuan and the others..."
"At that time, we were all in despair, but Gu Feng remained calm and even asked us to pay more..."
"..."
Everyone chimed in, the conversation lively and cheerful.
Under the bewildered gazes of the elders, Gu Feng felt a bit embarrassed.
The valley where the bloody battle had taken place still exuded a ferocious aura. As the elders listened to Yu Ying and the others vividly recount the events, an image of Gu Feng formed in their minds.
Honestly, no ordinary eighth-level Qi Refining cultivator could have achieved such a feat under those circumstances.
Yet Gu Feng had done it, despite being vastly outmatched in cultivation level and fighting alone.
This young man was extraordinary!
His will and character were impeccable. The only shortcoming was his physique. Even so, they believed that in the near future, Gu Feng would stir up storms in Cloud Prefecture—or even the entire Chu Kingdom!
"Let's part ways here. We'll meet again when there's time!" After showing off, Elder Shang was in high spirits, bidding farewell to the other elders.
"Elder Shang, could you take me with you?" Seeing that Elder Shang was about to take off into the air, Gu Feng quickly approached.
"Alright. You are injured after all, so I'll take you back early for treatment," Elder Shang thought Gu Feng wanted to return to the Sunset Glow Sect sooner to heal.
However, Gu Feng's next words nearly caused him to stumble, and his expression turned odd.
"My injuries aren't that serious. I just want to get back early to make some money!" Gu Feng scratched his head, sheepishly admitting.
(End of the Chapter)
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