The mountains and forests before dawn were shrouded in a pale blue mist, and even the birds had not yet awakened. Han Feng stood atop the mountain, behind him stood the elite troops of the Dongfang and Zhang families, lined up in neat rows—two hundred experts at least at the Innate Realm, silent as stones, even controlling their breathing to a minimum.
There was no pre-battle mobilization, no grand pronouncements. When Han Feng simply uttered the word "Depart," two hundred figures, like ghosts receiving a command, instantly dispersed and merged into the mountains and forests, rushing towards the Shangguan family's secret realm.
"Captain Chen, we..." A young member of the Longyuan team had just started to speak when Chen Feng raised his hand to stop him.
"Maintain distance, follow covertly." Chen Feng checked the energy readings on his tactical goggles. "Wait until they break through the entrance to the secret realm before you move in. Remember, your mission is to clean up the mess."
The team members nodded in agreement, the optical camouflage on their black combat suits activated, and the dozen or so people quickly blended into the forest.
Meanwhile, the Shangguan family's secret realm remained peaceful. Disciples stretched their limbs in the training grounds for morning exercises, maids carried morning tea through the corridors, and several elders leisurely sipped tea in the council hall—completely unaware of the impending catastrophe.
"The clan leader went to the Nangong family yesterday for an appointment, why haven't we heard from him yet?" An elder with a white beard put down his teacup, his brows furrowed slightly.
The red-faced elder beside him didn't seem to mind: "Perhaps they got along well and had a few too many drinks. That old fellow Nangong Wentian may be stubborn, but we are, after all, one of the three great families. Besides, the patriarch now has that person's help."
Amidst the light laughter of the crowd, a sharp sound like shattering glass suddenly echoed from above the secret realm!
"What's that sound?" The white-bearded elder suddenly stood up.
Before the words were even finished, a figure descended from the sky like a meteor, crashing through the glazed roof of the council hall! Amidst the flying rubble, the figure slammed heavily onto the mahogany table in the center of the hall, shattering the precious sandalwood tea set to pieces.
"Enemy attack!" a guard's scream came from outside. "Someone's breaking in—"
The shouting stopped abruptly, as if someone had grabbed its throat.
The elders in the hall hurriedly brushed away the dust, and when they saw the figure on the table, they were all struck dumb—Shangguan Ce, bound hand and foot and with a bruised and swollen face, was writhing like a fish out of water, the gag in his mouth making a "woo-woo" sound.
"Clan leader?!" The red-faced elder was horrified and hurriedly stepped forward to untie him.
Just then, a tall, slender figure gracefully descended through the hole, landing lightly on a pillar in the hall. Morning light shone through the broken roof, casting a pale golden outline on the figure.
"Good morning, everyone." Han Feng squatted on the beam, his smile as bright as a neighbor's boy coming to visit. "Sorry, going through the main gate was too much trouble, so I took a shortcut."
The entire Shangguan family was instantly in an uproar. Alarm bells rang, and hundreds of guards surged in from all directions, completely surrounding the council hall. But strangely, not a single person dared to step forward—not only because the clan leader had been captured, but also because of the terrifying pressure emanating from the young man crouching on the beam.
One of the elders mustered his courage and asked, "May I ask who you are, and why you have intruded into my Shangguan family?"
As soon as he finished speaking, two figures appeared beside Han Feng, namely Dongfang Lin and Zhang Jingcheng!
Han Feng did not answer the elder's question, but Zhang Jingcheng snorted coldly: "Shangguan Mu, this is the Lord of Star Souls! Now you know why he came to your Shangguan family, right?"
"The Star... Lord of Star Souls?!"
Shangguan Mu's lips trembled as he uttered this taboo title, his old face instantly draining of all color. The other elders in the council hall were also struck dumb, with several of the more timid ones even collapsing into their seats.
Dongfang Lin crossed his arms and sneered: "What, has the Shangguan family forgotten their own ancestral precepts? Is this the attitude you have towards the Star Lord, treating him like a god?"
Zhang Jingcheng stomped on Shangguan Ce's back, who was bound like a dumpling, causing the unconscious clan leader to cough up another mouthful of blood: "You Shangguan fellows are colluding with the Nangong family to form an extraterritorial alliance! Shangguan Ce is attempting to seize the Star Mirror for himself! How dare you, the Shangguan family!"
Shangguan Mu's legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees. Several elders behind him followed suit, kneeling and pressing their foreheads against the cold floor tiles. Outside the council hall, the Shangguan family members who had rushed to the scene were frozen in place—the elders, usually so high and mighty, were now kneeling before a young man like criminals!
"Star Lord, spare us!" Shangguan Mu's voice trembled with tears. "This was all done by the clan leader... no, by Shangguan Ce alone! We had no idea about any extraterrestrial forces!"
"Bullshit!" Dongfang Lin roared, a golden light flying from his sleeve, slapping Shangguan Mu across the face, leaving a bloody welt. "When Nangong Wentian brought Mu Xiaoxiao to your Shangguan family, all your elders were present!"
Shangguan Mu covered his face and dared not utter a sound, but his heart was filled with shock and turmoil—how could the Dongfang family know so much about such a confidential matter?
Dongfang Lin grinned: "Want to know how we know all this? Nangong Wentian is dead. How do you think we know that?"
At this moment, Han Feng nimbly leaped down from the beam, landing without even disturbing a speck of dust. He slowly walked to Shangguan Ce's side and used his toe to turn the unconscious clan leader over: "Pretending to be asleep?"
Seeing that Shangguan Ce did not react, Han Feng suddenly slapped Shangguan Ce across the face, and a crisp sound echoed in the hall.
Han Feng chuckled: "So you can tolerate this? Fine, enough talk, let's kill them all!"
Before he could finish speaking, Shangguan Ce suddenly attacked! The Binding Immortal Rope snapped inch by inch, and a chilling energy burst forth from his palm, heading straight for Han Feng's heart!
"Watch out!" Zhang Jingcheng exclaimed.
Han Feng didn't even lift his eyelids. He simply waved his hand casually, as if brushing away an annoying mosquito.
\"Bang!\"
Shangguan Ce was sent flying backward at an even faster speed than when he launched his attack, crashing through three stone walls before finally coming to a stop. Even more terrifying was that the chilling energy he had released during his sneak attack now seemed to be alive, coiling around his body and instantly condensing into a layer of blue ice crystals!
"The Nether Crystal Clan's 'Bone-Corroding Frost Mist'..." Han Feng slowly walked towards Shangguan Ce, who was embedded in the wall. With each step, the oppressive aura emanating from him intensified. "Do you still think you can kill me with power like this?"
The entire Shangguan family was deathly silent. Everyone stared wide-eyed at this mind-blowing scene—their invincible patriarch was as powerless as an infant before this young man!
"No...impossible..." Shangguan Ce struggled to break free from the wall, half his body already covered in blue ice crystals. "You've already reached the Great Dao Realm?!"
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