Chapter 831: Deranged and Unscrupulous
Xuanyuan Wentian's words caused the three of them to stiffen, their hearts suddenly turning icy cold.
"Sword Master Xuanyuan, your joke is not the least bit amusing." Feng Zukui's expression was dark, his gaze flat yet tinged with impatience: "A hundred catties of Purple Vein Divine Crystal — I'm afraid even your Tian Wei Sword Domain couldn't produce such an amount, yet you come to our Fenghuang God Sect to borrow it? Are you mocking us, Sword Master Xuanyuan?"
"Heh heh, how would I dare? How would I dare?" Xuanyuan Wentian said with a beaming smile. "Whether I'm joking or not, you three know it well in your hearts. I just mentioned how Brother Zukui was always so frank and straightforward, bold and unyielding as ever — why have you suddenly changed your tune? ... Those crystal mines you plundered half a year ago from Liu Yun City in the Cang Feng Kingdom were only fully refined last month. You obtained a total of one hundred and thirteen catties of Purple Vein Divine Crystal, stored within the Phoenix Flame Langhuan Realm beneath your Phoenix City. What? Just because I, the Sword Master, have come, does that mean this hundred-plus catties of Purple Vein Divine Crystal have suddenly vanished into thin air?"
When Xuanyuan Wentian had shouted "one hundred catties of Purple Vein Divine Crystal," Feng Hengkong and the other two were already greatly shocked, but they managed to barely maintain their composure. Now, however, Xuanyuan Wentian had stated the refining time, quantity, and storage location of those Purple Vein Divine Crystals with not a single mistake!!
This caused them all to pale in fright.
Because this could absolutely not be a coincidence!
Feng Hengkong, Feng Tianwei, and Feng Zukui exchanged glances, their hearts filled with both shock and terror. Just like the death of the Phoenix God, this matter was one of the two great secrets they had to guard with their lives. Exposure of either would bring disaster upon their sect. And those who knew this secret, besides the four of them in the imperial clan, had all been placed under a Soul Lock! They could not reveal it in any form. Even if someone were to search their souls, once that memory was touched, it would immediately dissipate.
How in the world did Xuanyuan Wentian find out!?
"Oh? Why have you three suddenly fallen silent?" Xuanyuan Wentian said leisurely with a smile. "Did I, the Sword Master, say something wrong somewhere?"
Since Xuanyuan Wentian had already spoken to this extent, further forceful denial was meaningless. Feng Zukui took a deep, dark breath and said, "Sword Master Xuanyuan, where did you learn of this matter!"
"That question, this Sword Master has no obligation to answer." Xuanyuan Wentian crossed his arms, his demeanor proud, as if everything was already under his control: "Brother Zukui only needs to temporarily lend me that hundred catties of divine crystals. Such abundant resources can only be considered not squandering heaven's gifts when used in my Tian Wei Sword Domain. And I, the Sword Master, will naturally remember this timely favor. What does Brother Zukui think?"
"Heh," Feng Zukui smiled coldly, "And what if I refuse to give them?"
Xuanyuan Wentian shrugged his shoulders: "Then what a pity. Truth be told, for now, only I, the Sword Master, know of this matter. But if one day I accidentally tell the other three Sacred Grounds ... hey, Brother Zukui, what do you think will happen?"
Feng Zukui's heart turned cold, but his face showed deep disdain and pride: "If Sword Master Xuanyuan has that interest, feel free to do so! Although our Fenghuang God Sect has declined, we are the only divine descendant clan on the Tian Xuan Continent! For generations, we have been protected by the Phoenix God and blessed by the Heavenly Dao! We have never feared anyone or any power! Including you Four Sacred Grounds!"
"What my father says is correct." Feng Tianwei also turned cold-faced and said, "Although our Fenghuang God Sect is not as strong as your Tian Wei Sword Domain, we have never been easy to bully! Sword Master Xuanyuan, your Tian Wei Sword Domain has just suffered a 'great calamity,' so it would be wise to remain stable for a while! Although our clan's Phoenix God rarely appears in the world and is unwilling to display divine power unless absolutely necessary, if you forcefully provoke the Phoenix God, I fear the consequences will be difficult for you to bear!"
"We respect you as a guest and have treated you with courtesy. But if you have come to provoke, hmph, we will not receive you! Hengkong, see our guest out!"
"Hahahahaha!" Xuanyuan Wentian was not intimidated in the slightest; instead, he burst into wild laughter, laughing contemptuously as he said, "You call yourselves descendants of the gods, but while I can't see much of your ability, your acting skills are indeed passed down through generations. This Sword Master is truly enlightened and amazed, hahahaha..."
"Sword Master Xuanyuan!" Feng Zukui's voice grew increasingly angry: "Do not go too far! I can tolerate your insults to our sect, but we inherit the Phoenix God's bloodline, and we absolutely will not allow anyone to insult the Phoenix God — even if you are a Sacred Ground Master!"
"Oh? Is that so? Did I, the Sword Master, say something wrong?" Xuanyuan Wentian's laughter gradually subsided: "Feng Zukui, it seems you are still living in your own fantasies, completely unaware of the true situation. Then let me remind you of a few things... Four generations of your Phoenix Imperial Clan are present, but only three of you are acting. Have you never wondered why one person is missing?"
"Hmph, what does Sword Master Xuanyuan mean by that?" Feng Zukui snorted coldly. Then his voice suddenly stopped short. Feng Tianwei and Feng Hengkong's faces also froze, and the three of them simultaneously looked at Feng Ximing.
They suddenly realized that since Xuanyuan Wentian's arrival, Feng Ximing had not made a single sound from beginning to end! While they were fully focused on dealing with Xuanyuan Wentian, they had almost forgotten his existence.
Under the simultaneous stares of Feng Zukui, Feng Tianwei, and Feng Hengkong, what Feng Ximing showed was clearly fear. He subconsciously stepped back, and in his panic, nearly fell to the ground.
His abnormal actions and reactions, coupled with what Xuanyuan Wentian had said... The minds of the three men simultaneously exploded with a "boom." Feng Hengkong raised his arm and pointed at Feng Ximing, his fingers trembling uncontrollably: "Ximing... you... could it be that you..."
In the Fenghuang God Sect, the only ones who knew about the hundred catties of Purple Vein Divine Crystal and had not been placed under a Soul Lock were the four of them. Because placing a memory cage was, after all, a great risk. A single mistake could cause irreversible soul damage, and in severe cases, could even turn someone into a living corpse. Therefore, as members of the Phoenix Imperial Clan, they absolutely could not take this risk, nor was there any need to take such a risk... Because as the Old Sect Master, Grand Sect Master, Sect Master, and Young Sect Master of the Fenghuang God Sect, they were the least likely people in this world to leak such a huge secret. Even if a second "Feng Feiyan" were to appear in the sect, it would never, ever be among the four of them.
But...
"Impossible!" Feng Tianwei's pupils were slightly constricted, but he shook his head firmly: "Ximing has now gradually matured into a capable person. There is no possibility, and no reason, for him to commit such a heinous act that would bring disaster to the entire sect and eternal shame! Ximing, quickly... tell us that you have done nothing to betray the sect or the Phoenix God!"
"Hehehehe," Xuanyuan Wentian's mocking laughter came from behind them: "Shenhuang Crown Prince, at this point, what more do you have to fear? Don't forget what it is you desire most. And what you desire most, your entire clan cannot give you. But I, the Sword Master, can!"
Xuanyuan Wentian's words caused Feng Ximing's pupils to tremble. Gritting his teeth, his face still twitching, but his eyes shifting from terror to malevolence: "Father... there's no need for you to keep pretending. The Purple Vein Divine Crystals, and the fact that the Phoenix God is dead — Sword Master Xuanyuan has known since five months ago... for five whole months!!"
Feng Hengkong's vision went black, his mind exploded with a "boom," and all the blood in his body seemed to surge to his head in an instant: "You... you... you... what did you... say..."
"You... you damned bastard!"
"Beast... beast!!" Feng Zukui, who had never even changed color when facing Xuanyuan Wentian, trembled all over. His hair and eyebrows blazed with flames, his fists clenched so tightly that he could barely control himself from striking out and personally exterminating this close blood relative of his.
Smack!!
With a loud noise, Feng Hengkong, enraged to the extreme, struck before Feng Zukui. He slapped Feng Ximing across the face, sending him flying sideways, spitting blood.
Before Feng Ximing even hit the ground, Feng Hengkong, not at all satisfied, charged forward and grabbed his chest with an iron grip. His eyes, bulging as if about to burst, were filled with bloodshot veins: "You... you rebellious son! Say what you just said... again! Say it again!!"
Feng Hengkong's anger and hatred nearly split his head, and his chest felt as if it were about to explode. Ever since the "Feng Feiyan" incident years ago, he had been even more careful with the sect's secrets, even risking great danger to use the "memory cage." He had never imagined that a second "Feng Feiyan" would appear, and this time it was not a sect elder, but his own biological son, the one he trusted most and had chosen as his eldest son and heir!
The patron they had just barely touched had suddenly flown away. Feng Xue'er's power was at the most critical stage of rapid awakening. The already-dead Phoenix God had become the Fenghuang God Sect's final shield. The hundred catties of Purple Vein Divine Crystal would allow them to increase their strength in the shortest possible time to face any impending disaster. And precisely at this time, Xuanyuan Wentian had learned of those hundred catties of Purple Vein Divine Crystal and also discovered that the Phoenix God was dead...
He almost dared not think about what the consequences would be.
He could never have imagined that Feng Ximing would do such a thing, nor could he fathom why he would do it!
Having already spoken out, and with the three most esteemed figures of the entire sect all present, Feng Ximing had no way back. His fear instead lessened, and his expression turned sinister and ferocious: "Father... you forced me to do this!!"
"Me force you!?" Feng Hengkong trembled all over: "I have indeed been strict with you in the past... But you are the Shenhuang Crown Prince, the future Shenhuang Emperor and Fenghuang Sect Master! How could I not be strict with you!! But even if I were ten times stricter... how could you do something that betrays the sect, something worse than a beast!?"
"Yes! Even if you were ten thousand times stricter, I would have no complaints, but..." Feng Ximing's eyes widened, all fear gone, replaced by a near-obsessive madness: "But why did you betroth Xue'er to that bastard Yun Che!!"
"You... say... what!!" Feng Hengkong could hardly believe his own ears.
Feng Ximing panted heavily, grinding his teeth and saying, "Seven years ago, I swore that Xue'er would either belong to me in this life, or belong to no one! If I could have Xue'er, I would pay any price. Crown Prince, Sect Master — I would give all of that up! But you, you want to give her away..."
"Shut up!!" Feng Hengkong's body blazed with flames, his chest like a volcano erupting violently: "You... you... you beast!!"
Bang!!
Feng Hengkong ruthlessly punched Feng Ximing in the chest, sending him flying again. Then his vision went dark, his legs gave way, and he fell to his knees. His entire body, every part of it, trembled violently.
He had long noticed Feng Ximing's infatuation with Feng Xue'er... and it wasn't just Feng Ximing; almost all of his sons were like this. He had warned Feng Ximing several times. Although it was a twisted infatuation, deep down, he hadn't considered it too serious a problem. After all, Feng Xue'er possessed a heavenly beauty and was hailed as the number one beauty of Tian Xuan. Even though she was his own biological sister, having such thoughts was improper, but from a physiological standpoint, it was somewhat understandable.
But he had never imagined that Feng Ximing's infatuation with Feng Xue'er was twisted to this extent! Deranged and unscrupulous!