Rein in at the Brink

Boom!

A terrifying aura surged forth!

Though it was merely a simple question, the overwhelming pressure radiated like tidal waves, instantly reducing the five women to mere flotsam in the ocean, trembling and unable to respond.

So terrifying!

Such power was far beyond their ability to contend with!

The female cultivators who had sternly protested moments ago now fell into fearful silence, as if staring at a waking tiger, frozen stiff in place!

Their eyes were filled with dread!

Seeing was believing.

This Yi Feng, who had become a distinguished guest of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion and elevated Lu Xinlan to the position of Pavilion Master, was indeed monstrously powerful. Even this glimpse of his strength far exceeded their wildest imaginations!

They dared not make a sound.

Yet Yi Feng had already begun to step forward.

"Whoosh…"

The moment his cloud-patterned boots touched the ground—

Though his figure appeared ordinary, almost mundane, it seemed to stir the very forces of heaven and earth. With his hands clasped behind his back, an inscrutable, profound aura emanated from him.

In the presence of such an existence, it felt as though no one else mattered.

The instant his foot landed—

The five women were already drenched in cold sweat, their backs soaked!

A single step was all it took to shatter their earlier resolve. Their usual air of lofty superiority had been utterly crushed!

Unconsciously, they began retreating!

In their vision—

Yi Feng, walking forward with calm indifference, seemed to stand astride the heavens and earth, a terrifying phantom looming behind him!

With every step—

The oppressive pressure grew heavier!

In mere moments—

The surroundings were thick with suffocating energy, the jade-constructed ground cracking under the strain. The five attendants staggered back, completely overtaken by fear!

One step!

Two steps!

Yi Feng advanced as if it were nothing, while the five attendants retreated in terror, now backed against the treasure pagoda with nowhere left to go!

"Thud!"

Their heels hit the barrier formation, panic overtaking them.

Seeing Yi Feng still stepping forward—

The leader gritted her teeth and bowed in salute, her voice trembling!

"Y-Yi Feng, please stop!"

"Even as an honored guest, you cannot take another step! There is no room for negotiation here. If you insist on proceeding… we… we will have no choice but to summon the Five Grand Elders!"

The veiled threat hung in the air.

Lu Xinlan and the five attendants held their breath in tension!

The Five Grand Elders wielded terrifying power and held immense authority within the island. Surely, even someone like Yi Feng would show them some respect… right?

Under their nervous gazes—

Yi Feng merely glanced down indifferently, as if entirely unbothered.

"Mm. Then summon them."

What?!

The five attendants' eyes widened in shock!

Exchanging frantic glances, the disbelief in their eyes was unmistakable!

They couldn’t believe Yi Feng would be so domineering—so intent on courting disaster that he wouldn’t even spare the slightest face for the Five Grand Elders!

What were they supposed to do now?!

The situation had escalated far too quickly. The five were utterly at a loss, their confidence and composure shattered in the face of such an overwhelming presence!

Gritting her teeth—

The leading attendant had no choice but to crush the jade slip hidden in her sleeve!

"Crack!"

With a faint, crisp sound—

Five streaks of light converged in the sky, darkening the clouds. Ancient figures materialized one after another, their oppressive auras spreading outward, shaking the entire Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion to its core.

The Five Grand Elders stood silently in the air, their eyes cold and detached.

Seeing Yi Feng standing before the pagoda and the terrified attendants backed into a corner, they finally grasped the severity of the situation, suspicion flickering in their gazes.

After a silent exchange of glances—

The leading elder clasped his hands in a cautious salute.

"Yi Feng, what is the meaning of this?"

Facing the old-timers' feigned ignorance, Yi Feng cut straight to the chase with a sharp glance.

"Nothing much."

"I'm here to save Lu Shuyao. Save your breath—no matter what you say today, I'm going in!"

The five elders instantly paled.

Against someone like him, even these seasoned veterans had little confidence. But with matters having come to this and Yi Feng's unyielding stance, they knew there was no room for negotiation.

Exchanging glances, they clasped their fists and turned to Yi Feng with solemn expressions.

"If that's the case, we must apologize in advance!"

"This matter is of grave importance. We hope you won't take offense, but the five of us will have to gang up on you!"

Their voices boomed as the five old men's beards and hair whipped wildly in the wind.

In an instant,

the power of the Great Dao gathered like brocade, painting the sky in dazzling hues. The ground trembled as gales howled, and torrents of terrifying cultivation energy surged forth like a celestial river cascading from the heavens!

Under such overwhelming might,

the maidservant and Lu Xinlan turned pale, as if facing doomsday.

Even the entire Treasure Pavilion was shaken by this spectacle, its countless onlookers frozen in awe.

In the past,

seeing such flashy special effects and the five elders' grand entrance, Yi Feng might have been intrigued.

But now,

he was already plagued by doubts about his own strength, his mind solely focused on rescuing Lu Shuyao. He had no patience left for these weaklings.

With a cold sweep of his hand and a look of utter impatience,

the result was predictable.

That single motion dispersed the dazzling spectacle into nothingness, sending the five old men tumbling to the ground, covered in dust, their faces filled with shock!

"This—!"

They had thought that even if they couldn't defeat Yi Feng, they could at least hold their own for a while—or at the very least, exchange a few blows.

Never had they imagined they wouldn't even last a single encounter.

Sigh… What a bunch of useless trash.

Yi Feng sighed inwardly, too exasperated to bother with the old men. Ignoring the stunned maidservant and Lu Xinlan, he prepared to stride forward.

But then,

the lead elder, having scrambled to his feet, gritted his teeth and called out warily,

"Hold it!"

"Your cultivation is profound, and we are indeed no match for you!"

"However, this treasure tower houses countless artifacts of our Treasure Pavilion, and its surroundings are protected by an ancient formation—the very foundation of our legacy! For tens of thousands of years, no one has so much as scratched it. Its reputation is well-earned!"

As he spoke,

the other elders also clasped their fists, their eyes regaining a trace of confidence.

"Exactly!"

"Your strength is admirable, but if you think defeating us means you can act recklessly, disregarding the safety of the islands and inviting catastrophe—you underestimate others too much!"

"Master Yi, forgive my boldness, but even with your power, you cannot enter this tower. Facing the Heavenly Dragon Merfolk would be sheer folly. It's best to turn back now, and we'll pretend none of this happened..."

"You are a man of great talent, and the saying 'there are always greater heights' needs no elaboration from us. We implore you to reconsider."

The old men grew more impassioned, their eyes gleaming with the wisdom of those who prioritized the greater good.

With just a few words,

they made it seem as though the tower before them was truly impregnable, and the Heavenly Dragon Merfolk were like the radiant moon—untouchable by mortals. To oppose them was nothing but suicide.

Yet before they could finish,

Yi Feng had already stepped forward, standing before the tower and reaching out.

Under the helpless gazes of the crowd,

a creak echoed—the legendary, unshakable ancient formation of the Treasure Pavilion might as well have not existed. The sealed gates of the treasure tower slowly swung open!

Hiss—!

The smug smiles of the five grand elders froze on their faces as they stood petrified in place!