Chapter 271: Silence of Heaven and Earth

Outside the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, the atmosphere remained eerily still.The Grand Elder didn’t try to desperately fight a couple of Nascent Soul cultivators.

He knew that if he unleashed his full power, he could kill two or three Nascent Soul cultivators, but it wouldn’t be worth it.

If he went all out, he wouldn’t last long either and would inevitably fall.

By simply standing his ground, he could buy some more time.

Even at this moment, Feng Lie still held out hope for the Feng family’s ancestor.

As for Tuoba Junlin and his protectors standing in the void in the distance, Feng Lie hadn’t even glanced their way.

He was well aware of the Tuoba Clan’s intentions and knew that the disappearance of Feng Baozhao’s lineage was undoubtedly linked to them.

After all, if the Tuoba Clan truly cared about the kinship they shared as members of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, they would have intervened long ago.

They wouldn’t have waited for him to activate his secret techniques twice.

However, a bitter feeling gnawed at Feng Lie’s heart.

At this point, there was still no movement from the Treasure Gathering Pavilion. seaʀᴄh the Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

He knew his hope was probably just a fantasy.

Even if the ancestor could awaken from seclusion, it wouldn’t be so soon.

Feng Lie knew something about the poison afflicting his ancestor.

The current state was the best outcome he could achieve.

He had exhausted all his options.

What made him feel even more desolate was that this state couldn’t be maintained for long.

At most, within an incense stick’s time, his condition would inevitably deteriorate.

That would be his death knell.

Inside the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, the Second Elder, Feng Li, could naturally sense the situation outside.

A sneer curled his lips: “The First Elder has done his best.

But in at most an incense stick’s time, he’ll probably be unable to hold on any longer.

It seems it’s time for me to collect those valuable items within the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.

The Feng family’s Treasure Gathering Pavilion is destined to be conquered. Those treasures shouldn’t be left to outsiders to defile.”

Muttering to himself, the Second Elder stood up.

He intended to head towards the upper floors of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.

As the Second Elder, he was familiar with the Treasure Gathering Pavilion and knew where the valuable items were kept.

The spatial formations within the Treasure Gathering Pavilion wouldn’t be able to stop him.

However, before the Second Elder could even leave the first floor, his body suddenly stiffened.

The Second Elder felt a sharp, overwhelmingly powerful aura locking onto him.

Beads of sweat instantly covered his face.

He had a premonition that if he took another step, he would be dead right there.

The Second Elder took a deep breath, his heart filled with sudden terror.

Within the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, who could possess such a formidable aura? It was self-evident.

“This is impossible!”

However, the Second Elder still couldn’t believe it.

“Feng Li, where are you going?”

At that moment, a deep, resonant voice echoed in his ear.

His tightly wound nerves snapped.

The next instant, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

Though he hadn’t heard this voice in many years, it was all too familiar.

As the second elder of the clan, he had had many opportunities to face the ancestor.

The Second Elder swallowed hard, his mind racing, trying to figure out how to survive.

But even after considering countless possibilities, he couldn’t fathom where his salvation lay.

He never imagined that Feng Qingya had only entered the passageway a short while ago, and the ancestor had already awakened.

Moreover, he was aware of Feng Baozhao’s plan, including the ten Foundation Establishment cultivators sent in.

He couldn’t understand why the ancestor had awakened.

But regardless of the reason, the Second Elder knew that since the ancestor had emerged from seclusion today, everything would be decided.

He could deny it no longer; the ancestor’s strength was indeed capable of turning the tide.

He also knew that Feng Baozhao’s lineage was destined to lose.

“Feng Li… Feng Li pays respects to the Ancestor!”

The Second Elder turned his head and repeatedly kowtowed towards the passage.

The floor echoed with the sound of his forehead striking it.

In the next instant, Feng Xuan’s figure emerged from the passage.

Behind him, Feng Qingya, Bai Xiu, and Ye Zhiqiu followed.

Only Su Jingzhen and Xuening remained within the seclusion area.

Earlier, when Feng Qingya entered that space, she had informed the ancestor of what was happening outside.

Upon learning of everything, Feng Xuan was furious.

The killing intent radiating from him was at its peak.

If it had only been Feng Qingya’s word, Feng Xuan might have still harbored some doubts.

He had always trusted the Nascent Soul cultivators of his clan.

However, with the corpses of Liu Jinfeng and the ten others, along with the recordings Ye Zhiqiu had made using the initial sound spirit stones,

The sight of the Second Elder’s terrified expression further confirmed the truth of Feng Qingya’s words.

“Slap!”

Feng Xuan immediately slapped Feng Li across the face with a resounding crack.

The latter’s right cheek instantly caved in, and two large teeth flew out, accompanied by a spray of blood.

Feng Xuan then unleashed another palm strike, this time imbued with his Soul Formation stage aura, sending Feng Li flying again. He crashed into a stone pillar in the Treasure Gathering Pavilion’s first floor.

This blow completely drained Feng Li’s energy, leaving him lying on the ground, unable to move.

“Just stay here and reflect on your actions. I’ll deal with you after I’ve taken care of things outside,” Feng Xuan declared coldly.

While Feng Xuan was dealing with the Second Elder, Feng Qingya had already opened the Treasure Gathering Pavilion’s doors.

The formations above the pavilion had also been deactivated by her.

Outside, the various forces and cultivators of Yunmeng City turned their attention to the reopened pavilion.

“Oh? What’s Miss Feng doing back out here?”

“Is she finally seeing the situation clearly and giving up?”

“Well, that’s not necessarily the case. There’s still the Tuoba Clan who could potentially save the day.

Everyone knows about the relationship between Miss Feng and Tuoba Junlin. If Miss Feng seeks his help, the Tuoba Clan might actually intervene.

Even if they can’t turn the tide for the Feng family, saving the Elder’s life shouldn’t be difficult.”

“…”

As Feng Qingya emerged, the crowd erupted in discussion once more, their eyes filled with curiosity.

“Girl, go back! Remember what I told you, no one can harm you there!” Feng Lie’s expression darkened as he saw Feng Qingya. His time was running out.

If he fell, with these six Nascent Soul cultivators surrounding Feng Qingya, she wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Don’t worry, Elder. With Spirit Sound Valley here, no one can harm Miss Qingya,” Sikong Tingyun reassured him with a smile.

Sikong Tingyun had never forgotten his original intention regarding Feng Qingya, and perhaps his ultimate goal throughout this ordeal was Feng Qingya, along with Su Jingzhen and Xuening behind her.

Hearing this, Feng Lie cast a deep look at Sikong Tingyun.

“Then, thank you,” he said, though the bitterness in his voice was evident.

Feng Lie knew, regardless of Sikong Tingyun’s motives, Spirit Sound Valley was likely to protect Feng Qingya. This brought him a sliver of comfort.

However, thanking his enemies in this situation felt particularly bitter.

The next moment, his aura suddenly sharpened. He knew his weakened state wouldn’t last long.

Continuing this standoff wouldn’t buy him much more time.

His gaze turned fierce as he fixed it on the six Nascent Soul cultivators before him.

In this final moment, he could still take down one or two of them.

The six Nascent Soul cultivators, sensing Feng Lie’s intense gaze, felt a sudden surge of anxiety. They feared being chosen as Feng Lie’s target.

They instinctively stepped back, creating some distance between themselves and Feng Lie.

At that moment, Feng Lie’s eyes locked onto the Nascent Soul elder from Flowing Wind Sword Sect who had initiated the attack earlier.

“Even in death, I’ll drag a couple of you down with me!”

As soon as he spoke, the black spear in his hand pulsed with a menacing light.

He was about to charge towards the Flowing Wind Sword Sect cultivator.

He had made up his mind to fight to the death.

Watching Feng Lie prepare to attack, Tuoba Junlin, who had been observing from afar, smirked.

“This old man is finally reaching his limit. It’s for the best; dragging this out any longer would be unsettling. From today onwards, our Tuoba Clan might as well prepare to take over Yunmeng City’s Treasure Gathering Pavilion.”

Tuoba Junlin shared this thought with the black-clad elder beside him.

Yao Changsheng and Vice President Ouyang shook their heads and sighed.

“It had to come to this. Elder Feng has dedicated his life to the Feng family. With the demise of the Soul-Chasing Spear, Qingzhou will lose another legendary figure.”

“It’s a pity.”

Those who cared felt a sense of loss.

Meanwhile, those who had their eyes on the Treasure Gathering Pavilion grew even more excited.

Many were already itching to rush into the pavilion and loot everything once the Elder fell.

However, just as everyone was lost in their thoughts, Feng Lie suddenly felt a powerful yet gentle force enveloping him, dissolving the life-draining secret technique he had activated.

Sikong Tingyun and the others, who had been tense, were now stunned.

They watched in astonishment as the Elder’s aura rapidly receded, becoming incredibly weak.

Even a Golden Core cultivator could likely kill him now.

“What? He was just a paper tiger after all? I thought he could actually fight back and kill one or two of us.”

“Heh, the Elder’s secret technique finally couldn’t hold on any longer. Perhaps this is the end of this matter.”

“It’s a shame…”

After a moment of stunned silence, everyone felt a sense of pity.

No one dared to underestimate the Elder anymore.

However, everyone couldn’t understand why the Elder wouldn’t release Su Jingzhen and the others.

In their eyes, if the Elder had simply released them, the Flowing Wind Sword Sect and the others wouldn’t have gone this far.

“Let’s attack together!”

Seeing this, the Nascent Soul cultivator from Flowing Wind Sword Sect breathed a sigh of relief.

He had been the Elder’s target.

If Feng Lie still had strength left, he would have been killed within three moves.

“Do you think you can kill my Feng family’s Elder so easily!”

However, before the Flowing Wind Sword Sect’s Nascent Soul cultivator could reach Feng Lie, his body uncontrollably flew towards the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.

A commanding voice boomed throughout the area.

Feng Xuan’s hunched figure appeared at the entrance of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.

The aura of the late Soul Formation stage on his body was revealed without any hesitation.

At that moment, the world fell silent…