Chapter 218: Brotherly Bonds

“Looks like someone already has their eyes on you,” Leng Yue said with a half-smile as she turned to glance at Chen Fei.

Chen Fei appeared completely unconcerned. Forget the Blood Cloud Sect’s young master, Wang Fang—even within Tianqing Holy Land, there were plenty who wished him dead.

“Then let them come,” Chen Fei waved his hand dismissively. “Senior Sister Leng Yue, I’m heading to the Qinling Mountains. Want to come along?”

“What else would I do?” Leng Yue replied, then looked up at the sky. “We’re about to leave Tianqing Holy Land’s territory. It’s been a while since I’ve gone outside—might be good to get some fresh air.”

Chen Fei didn’t bother probing further into who might have sent those assassins. As long as they failed, would the puppet master hiding in the shadows really be willing to give up?

Packing up quickly, Chen Fei and the Saintess Leng Yue departed straight for the Qinling Mountains.

This time, their pace had significantly improved. Perhaps it was the aftereffects of that barbecue, but the Saintess’s attitude toward Chen Fei had shifted slightly.

Only slightly, of course.

Qinling Mountains

Once home to one of the top powers in the land, Qinling had suffered greatly during the fall of Huangwu City. Only thanks to the final, desperate efforts of their Patriarch Guan Tong did they manage a successful ambush and retreat, preserving their core strength and returning to Qinling to recover.

Still, the loss was a heavy blow—one that left a stain of humiliation.

And with defeat came a ripple of consequences.

Inside the Qinling Main Hall, the air was heavy with tension.

Though Qin Heng was officially the sect master of Qinling, he lacked real support. Sitting across from him was Elder Feng Zhou, one of the most influential elders.

Feng Zhou looked at Qin Heng arrogantly. “Sect Master, all we want to know is Patriarch’s current condition. With the demonic sects running rampant, continuing to shelter the remnants of Huangwu City might bring about Qinling’s destruction!”

“That’s right! Why risk everything for a bunch of useless stragglers?”

“Watch your tongue!” Qin Heng slammed the table and stood, unable to restrain his anger.

But his strength was too limited to suppress the unrest.

Back then, when Miao Yue and Chen Fei left in haste, Patriarch Guan Tong had only managed to appoint Qin Heng as sect master. Given time and guidance, Qin Heng might have grown into the role.

Unfortunately, the invasion of the demonic sects had happened too quickly. Even with Guan Tong’s support, Qin Heng had only just reached the Xuan Realm.

That in itself was a miracle, given the lingering internal injuries he carried.

Meanwhile, the likes of Feng Zhou and others were at least Third Tier Xuan Realm—true pillars of Qinling.

“Sect Master, we speak the truth! The remnants of Huangwu City are weak and hold no strategic value. Are you protecting them simply because they were once connected to Chen Fei?”

“Qin Heng, let’s be honest. So what if Chen Fei has joined Tianqing Holy Land? He’s probably already forgotten about Huangwu City. With the chaos stirred by the demonic sects, do you really think he has the time or energy to care about them?”

“Exactly! Qinling is on the brink of life and death. If the Patriarch doesn’t return soon, we won’t fight to the death over a bunch of nobodies!”

Qin Heng’s expression darkened.

He knew too well that his current predicament was due to his own lack of strength. And the Patriarch…

Just thinking about Guan Tong brought a trace of worry to his face.

Guan Tong had been ambushed by demonic cultivators while helping their people escape Huangwu City. Now severely wounded, he was in seclusion, leaving these vultures to make their move.

It was disgraceful.

“Are you all questioning the Patriarch’s decision?” Han Lingshuang’s voice rang out, sharp with fury.

But her intervention only made things worse. Instead of backing down, the others looked at her with mocking smiles.

“Elder Han, we understand your concern—but this isn’t your place to speak.”

“Exactly. Just because the Sect Master tolerates your temper doesn’t mean we have to listen to your nonsense!”

Qin Heng stepped forward to shield her.

“Senior Brother…” Han Lingshuang trembled with anger, but Qin Heng gently shook his head at her.

After calming her down, Qin Heng looked straight at Feng Zhou. “Seventh Elder, must you really push this far?”

Feng Zhou scoffed. “What else do you expect? Qin Heng, you know better than anyone how you got the position of Sect Master.”

“But things are different now. With the demonic sects pressing in, we have to be practical. We can’t protect everyone! If Huangwu City’s people are on their wanted list, we hand them over!”

His arrogance was undisguised.

Qin Heng clenched his fists tightly, a sense of powerlessness washing over him.

They talked about Huangwu City, but this was about stripping him of his authority. The Holy Land might be mighty, but how many cultivators truly honored the past?

To most, Huangwu City was a memory—one that even Chen Fei might forget as time went on.

“Seventh Elder, are you… afraid?” Qin Heng made one last attempt to salvage the situation.

Feng Zhou spread his arms. “Afraid? Do you see these scars? I didn’t earn them by hiding! Qinling belongs to all of us. In times of crisis, we must choose survival over sentiment! You don’t understand that—you’re unfit to lead Qinling!”

The air grew thick with hostility as their standoff dragged on.

But then—

A chuckle broke the silence. “Looks like I’m not too late.”

A black shadow tore through the main hall, heading straight for Feng Zhou.

Feng Zhou snorted coldly. “Who dares attack within Qinling?! You must have a death wish!”

He raised his hand and launched a powerful strike—”Mountain-Splitting Blow!”—meeting the shadow head-on.

He held nothing back. As a peak Sixth Tier Xuan Realm expert, his presence was overwhelming.

Boom!

But the shadow crashed down, embedding itself into the stone floor.

And Feng Zhou?

He became a black blur himself, slamming violently into the beautifully decorated wall—so hard that he stuck to it like a painting!

The entire hall froze.

None of them had expected someone like Feng Zhou to be so utterly crushed.

Qin Heng’s eyes lit up with recognition.

“Brother Chen!” Then he caught himself—”No, I mean… Saint Chen, welcome!”

The others finally snapped out of their daze, all turning toward the source of the voice.

Chen Fei casually raised his hand, and the door slab embedded in the ground began to tremble. It spun through the air before landing back in his grasp.

He slung the massive, blade-like sword onto his back and strode into the hall under everyone’s stunned gaze.

“Brother Qin, let’s not go tossing around titles like ‘Saint.’ I’m just the personal disciple of the Holy Land’s Patriarch. That’s all. Let’s keep calling each other brothers, shall we?”