Something's Not Right

"Do you think you can intimidate us just by having this youngster posture and ask questions?"

"After all that commotion, you only have one junior helping you. It seems the Invincible Sword Venerable no longer has the prestige of the past. You couldn't even find a helper, so you had to resort to this desperate move!"

"This Seat originally wanted to see how much strength you had left, but I didn't expect you to play such mysterious tricks. Trying to muddle through with just this? You look down on us too much!"

"Guo Jiannan, do you think you are still the same man you were back then?!"

"Is it too late to regret? Oh, This Seat is so scared!"

"Hahaha..."

Watching Yi Feng step forward and speak, the elders of Wind Snow Island laughed continuously.

The situation was fully under their control. Unless a true powerhouse interfered, nothing would change. But the Island Master had already issued the Demon Execution Order. The mighty figures of all factions were shrewd; they surely understood the deeper meaning.

Having cultivated for tens of thousands of years to reach today, who would be willing to risk offending Wind Snow Island?

Between a defeated old man and Wind Snow Island, the world knew which weighed heavier. In the face of life, death, and profit, the so-called "friendship" spoken by empty words was not worth mentioning.

At the very least, the current Guo Jiannan did not have enough face to command such loyalty.

Unless their brains had rusted, only then would they risk coming here.

Would strong experts be so stupid?

Impossible.

Absolutely impossible!

Looking at the plain and ordinary Yi Feng, the group's faces were filled with smiles. Even if they couldn't detect his cultivation base, they wouldn't regard Yi Feng as some high expert; they treated it entirely as a ploy by Guo Jiannan.

If they were bluffed by this, wouldn't their tens of thousands of years in high positions have been lived in vain, like dogs?

Using a young man with an unfamiliar face as a front—this scheme was truly clumsy. The Invincible Sword Venerable indeed only had martial strength; his shrewdness wasn't even one ten-thousandth of the Island Master's.

The men laughed with emotion and sighs, already looking down on Guo Jiannan even more.

"Invincible Sword Venerable?"

"Hahaha..."

The laughter became increasingly presumptuous, sounding somewhat piercing in the moonlit night.

It wasn't until the leader let out a cold laugh that they restrained themselves.

"Hmph."

"Guo Jiannan, you and I are old acquaintances. I didn't expect you to have fallen so low. For the sake of your past glory, This Seat will offer one last word of advice."

"That Tree Demon is imprisoned in the Red Moon Forest, surrounded by the Ten Directions Desolate Absolute Formation we have set up. Coming here today is simply sending yourself to death. If you surrender with hands tied, This Seat might be able to plead with the Island Master to leave your corpse intact, so you don't lose your integrity in your old age and become a laughingstock for ten thousand generations!"

The cold voice was even more arrogant, and the crowd looked on with amusement.

Seeing this posture, Guo Jiannan was stunned for a moment. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, suppressing his anger. His face clearly showed a bit more gravity; it seemed the situation was very bad!

Catching that subtle expression out of the corner of his eye, Yi Feng asked quietly in confusion.

"Why are you reacting like that? Is that formation really as powerful as they say?"

To say it meant certain death right off the bat—that was boundlessly arrogant.

Brother Guo was a legendary figure, after all; how could he fall so easily? Unless the formation was truly terrifying...

If that were really the case, then this was a great opportunity to seek death!

Yi Feng felt a little anticipation in his heart.

Hearing this, Guo Jiannan hurriedly leaned in and transmitted his voice.

"Brother Yi."

"To tell you the truth, the leader and the ones in the front are all elders of Wind Snow Island. Their cultivation is indeed not weak. In my current state, facing them brings considerable pressure, though it's not like I have no chance of winning."

"That Ten Directions Desolate Absolute Formation is certainly formidable, enough to seal the Tree Venerable's entire cultivation base, but I am confident I can break it."

"Neither of these two tasks is too difficult on its own. But if I have to face them simultaneously while trying to rescue the Tree Venerable, it would be as hard as ascending to the heavens. Even I could not retreat unscathed. Just as they said, it is highly likely I would perish here!"

Hearing this, Yi Feng cursed inwardly.

Damn it...

I thought the formation was something impressive, but I got my hopes up for nothing!

Looking at his younger brother's grave and troubled expression, he nodded slightly and transmitted his voice.

"So that's how it is."

"However, this isn't difficult."

"Since you know how to break the formation, you just go in. Leave these people to me to deal with. We'll split up, and we should be able to rescue Brother Tree."

Hearing these steady words, Guo Jiannan's confidence surged.

At the same time, Yi Feng asked the crucial question.

"How confident are you, and roughly how long will it take?"

Guo Jiannan pondered briefly before answering conservatively.

"If I can have an hour, I should have a seventy percent chance of breaking the formation."

His tone was a bit nervous, lacking his usual confidence.

Halfway through, he hurriedly explained.

"Brother Yi, please forgive me."

"I know that stalling these people for an hour is truly difficult. Leaving you alone to fight against all the elders is indeed unjust of me. But that formation is too complex; I need to find the source of the formation eyes one by one and dissolve the ten profound desolate ancient forces..."

His voice grew fainter as he spoke; Guo Jiannan felt too ashamed to face him.

Although these were facts, they sounded like excuses even to his own ears. He valued loyalty above all else in his life, yet now he had to leave Brother Yi alone to face the encirclement of strong enemies. He truly felt uneasy at heart.

Even if Brother Yi's cultivation was profound, two fists could hardly match four hands!

Facing the siege of so many elders and holding out for an hour—the difficulty of this battle could be imagined. Regardless of victory or defeat, as long as Brother Yi could hold on, it would absolutely shock the world when word got out!

It was only because Brother Yi had suggested it that Guo Jiannan, forced by the situation, brazenly agreed. If anyone else had proposed this, he would rather die than agree!

Seeing his younger brother looking so nervous, Yi Feng nodded faintly to comfort him.

"Mn, go ahead."

Although an hour was a bit long, his patience was decent. To save Brother Tree, waiting a bit was no problem.

This understated remark moved Guo Jiannan even more.

Brother Yi was about to fight a multitude of heroes, yet he offered no excuses or evasions. His righteousness truly reached the clouds! Such unfathomable bearing—the chosen geniuses and mighty figures he had seen in the past couldn't compare to even one ten-thousandth of him!

To be able to know Brother Yi in this life, all past sufferings were worth mentioning.

Hearing this, Guo Jiannan cupped his fists. A thousand words transformed into a resolute gaze. He immediately stomped his foot and charged straight toward the Red Moon Forest!

Bang!

After a muffled sound, his lightning-like figure vanished into the woods!

It all happened too suddenly; the Wind Snow Island elders watching quietly didn't react in time.

They saw the two standing still and thought they were watching a show of shirking responsibility to survive. They didn't expect Guo Jiannan to be so decisive, not hesitating in the face of life and death, and actually charging into the Red Moon Forest.

This surprise attack really lacked martial ethics!

By the time the leader reacted, the figure was already gone.

He immediately shouted, pointing angrily!

"Bastard!"

"Quick! Chase down Guo Jiannan! We absolutely cannot let him rescue the Tree Demon!"

The crowd was also jolted awake, circulating their cultivation to give chase!

However.

Yi Feng, whom they had not taken seriously, leisurely stepped forward at this moment.

"Hold it."

"Your opponent is me."

One sentence startled everyone, and they looked back with surprise in their eyes.

They saw Yi Feng walking over unhurriedly, hands clasped behind his back, speaking with a calm face.

He strolled idly, his voice clear as pearls.

To be able to speak so calmly in such a situation, and even planning to block so many experts single-handedly—courage alone probably wasn't enough to do such a thing.

That bearing wasn't something just anyone could fake.

Suddenly.

The leader narrowed his eyes, his heart filled with uncertainty and suspicion.

Guo Jiannan had always valued loyalty; he couldn't possibly abandon this person and let someone else pay with their life to create an opportunity for him to escape. That absolutely did not fit Guo Jiannan's style.

And this person performed remarkably, showing no fear at all...

Something was wrong.

Something was terribly amiss!

After scrutinizing the figure before him for a moment...

The expression of the leading Pavilion Elder turned grave. He looked the man squarely in the eye and questioned him in a deep voice!

"Who exactly are you? From which faction do you hail!?"

His words boomed out like thunder. Behind him, the group of experts locked their gazes forward. The disdainful smiles they wore earlier had vanished, replaced by sheer solemnity. The atmosphere suddenly grew several times more oppressive, as if they had realized they were facing a formidable enemy.

A massive battle was on the verge of erupting!