"Gong Luyun defeated your sister?!"
Chu Feng was somewhat shocked. He had witnessed Su Rou's skills before — though she was only at the first level of the Xuan Martial Realm, among those at that same level she was absolutely at the top. After all, she was someone who had nearly been named the first disciple.
And now Gong Luyun was also at the first level of the Xuan Martial Realm. The fact that he could defeat Su Rou meant at least one thing: in terms of combat ability, Gong Luyun should be stronger than Su Rou.
"He didn't just defeat my sister — even Elder Ouyang lost to him." Su Mei shifted her gaze toward Elder Ouyang not far away.
"Even Elder Ouyang lost?" Chu Feng's brow furrowed even deeper.
Many people didn't know Elder Ouyang's true capabilities, because the old man kept them well hidden. But from Su Mei, Chu Feng had learned that Elder Ouyang had entered the Xuan Wu Realm many years ago and was currently pushing toward the second level of Xuan Wu — a genuine peak expert of the first Xuan Wu level.
Su Rou and Elder Ouyang were close, and they had sparred before. Although neither had gained the upper hand, in reality Elder Ouyang had been going easy on Su Rou.
And yet Gong Luyun had defeated both Su Rou and Elder Ouyang in succession. This made Chu Feng suddenly realize that Gong Luyun was not as simple as he had imagined.
"Chu Feng, before the elders from the Core Area get here, you should leave quickly. Go to my Vermilion Bird City — I can guarantee your safety there." Su Mei leaned close to Chu Feng's ear and whispered.
"Is this your idea, or your sister's?" Chu Feng asked with a smile.
"It's my sister's idea, and also mine. Neither of us wants anything to happen to you." Su Mei's eyes were filled with a pleading look. She was truly afraid Chu Feng would be stubborn and stay here to die.
"You two really are good to me."
Chu Feng chuckled, reached out his large hand, and affectionately ruffled Su Mei's soft, glossy hair. Then he turned and strode toward the edge of the crowd.
At this moment, all the frustration that had been building in Chu Feng's heart had completely dissipated. He now knew that the sisters Su Rou and Su Mei had not abandoned the Chu Family — they had been acting out of difficult circumstances, and in the end it was all for his sake.
"Chu Feng, where are you going?" Seeing this, Su Mei grabbed onto Chu Feng, because she realized the direction he was heading was wrong.
"How can I just let that Wu Jiu go after the way he treated my Chu Family?" Chu Feng said with a calm smile.
"What? Are you crazy? You're going to the Core Area to challenge Wu Jiu?" Su Mei was stunned speechless by Chu Feng's words, but she simply couldn't hold him back. In the blink of an eye, Chu Feng had already leapt out of the crowd and was charging toward the Core Area.
"Chu Feng is trying to run! Grab him!"
"Su Rou, you deliberately shielded this boy. I will report today's matter to the Sect Master!"
Seeing this, Liu Cheng'en panicked. Within the Azure Dragon Sect, Chu Feng could be dealt with one way or another — death was inevitable. But if Chu Feng managed to escape, putting him to death again would be far from certain.
At first, Su Rou and Elder Ouyang were secretly delighted by this turn of events. Not only did they refrain from giving chase, they took the opportunity to cause chaos, ordering their subordinates to interfere with Liu Cheng'en's men and cover Chu Feng's escape.
But when they saw the direction Chu Feng was running, the joy on their faces turned into dark lines above their heads. This wasn't an escape at all — he was walking straight into the lion's den, rushing to his own death!
"Why does this guy have to be so impossible to deal with?"
Su Rou's face flushed red with anger, and she stamped her feet where she stood. After a moment's thought, she sprang into the air and dashed after Chu Feng. Elder Ouyang did the same, following close behind, wanting to see what exactly Chu Feng was planning to pull.
Chu Feng moved quickly. Before long he burst through the Inner Sect and into the Core Area. Once inside, he didn't stop — he headed straight for a large plaza.
The plaza was circular and exquisitely constructed. At its very center stood an enormous combat platform. The platform was red, as though stained with blood, making it strikingly eye-catching.
And at the center of the combat platform was a massive red bell. Hanging from the bell was a large sign, and on the sign were several bold characters: "Grudge and Life-Death Arena."
Chu Feng vaulted up onto the platform like a nimble monkey and strode to the great bell. He struck it several times in rapid succession. The bell's toll reverberated throughout nearly the entire Core Area, and soon it drew a crowd of Core Disciples, because they all recognized the sound — it was the bell of the Grudge and Life-Death Arena.
The Life-Death Arena was exactly what its name implied: settle grudges and settle lives. Although the Azure Dragon Sect had its rules, if two disciples bore a grudge so deep it could only be resolved through death, they could indeed ascend to this place — but first they had to sign a life-and-death contract.
And anyone who dared to strike the great bell on the Life-Death Arena was declaring that a fight to the death would take place. Such scenes were exactly the kind of spectacle everyone loved to see. At this moment, nearly everyone in the Core Area had gathered here, and many of the elders had come as well.
"Look — isn't that Chu Feng? Didn't he just go on a killing spree in the Inner Sect? How does he dare show up here?"
"This kid is way too reckless! First he offended Senior Brother Gong, then he slaughtered Inner Sect disciples, and now he's run up to the Life-Death Arena. What is he trying to do this time?"
Chu Feng's name had long since echoed throughout the Azure Dragon Sect. Even his portrait had been circulated, so everyone recognized him. His actions left them all baffled, and at that moment more than a few people shared the same thought: this kid is courting death.
And just as the area outside the Grudge and Life-Death Arena had become a sea of people, Chu Feng finally stopped striking the great bell. He straightened his back and bellowed toward the crowd below: "Which one is Wu Jiu? Come up here and meet your death!!!"