When Elder Duanmu saw the young ones, he said, " There is no need for that. You, kids, can rise now. "
When they heard these words, all of them stood up from their prior bow.
After they all stood up, Elder Duanmu suddenly asked, " Who among you is Zhong Peng? "
Zhong Peng was greatly taken aback upon hearing Elder Duanmu's words, but he suddenly recalled what Xiao Se had mentioned earlier.
Just as he remembered, Duan Jingtao pointed at him and exclaimed with great enthusiasm, "Elder Duanmu, that is Zhong Peng!"
Upon hearing the fervent tone in Duan Jingtao's voice, Zhong Peng was greatly surprised.
" You must be Zhong Peng. I have heard that you are quite formidable, perhaps even strong enough to defeat Duan Mingli, " he said while exerting control over the Wind Roc, causing it to exert pressure on Zhong Peng.
Without hesitation, the Wind Roc honed in its aura on Zhong Peng, attempting to suppress him with its overpowering energy.
Instantly, the aura emanating from the formidable Qi beast, a Pinnacle Nirvana Tribulation cultivation qi beast was revealed, Zhong Peng felt immense pressure bore down on him.
Though Zhong Peng tried to resist, the Wind roc proved to be too strong.
While the suppression wasn't as potent as the one previously experienced at the ancient battlefield, it remained considerable and pressed down upon Zhong Peng with great force.
Zhong Peng exerted all his efforts to resist the suppression but to no avail. Suddenly, he felt his blood start to boil as the Dragon Blood he had refined earlier began to stir.
Realizing that it could help him alleviate the suppression from the qi beast to some extent, Zhong Peng attempted to calm himself down.
"Elder Duanmu praises me too highly," he said, still struggling against the suppression, his back damp with perspiration.
Elder Duanmu noticed that Zhong Peng was not being as heavily suppressed by the beast, so he controlled the creature to increase its power and intensify the suppression.
Zhong Peng, who had been hiding his struggle behind a false smile, suddenly felt the aura of the beast's suppression grows even stronger.
Only Duanmu and Zhong Peng knew what was happening, as those around them remained unaware.
As the suppression grew increasingly intense, Zhong Peng began to falter and nearly kneeled under its weight.
But just as he was about to give in, Longwei suddenly appeared on his shoulder and let out a deafening roar. " ROARRR!!!! "
Immediately after the roar resounded the Wind Roc, who was proudly displaying its aura, immediately retracted it and backed away in fear.
The bystanders were taken aback by the Wind Roc's sudden change in demeanor. They did not know the conflict between Zhong Peng and the Wind Roc, and could only witness the Wind Roc retracting its aura in terror.
Elder Duanmu, who was privy to the situation, was even more astonished by what had transpired.
Zhong Peng was taken aback by the recent turn of events. While he had suspected that Longwei might be slightly stronger than the Wind Roc, he never anticipated the extent of his power.
A single roar was enough to make the Wind Roc tremble in fear and retract its aura.
As Zhong Peng continued to process his shock, it dawned on him that Longwei's sudden appearance might have been witnessed by bystanders.
A sudden feeling of fear gripped him, Zhong Peng scanned his surroundings nervously but was surprised to find that no one was paying him any mind.
All eyes were fixed on the Wind roc, who remained subdued and with its aura retracted.
Zhong Peng breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that as Longwei had said earlier, it seemed that only he could see Longwei.
If others had truly seen Longwei, it would have brought him unwanted attention that he couldn't afford with his current level of strength.
As the realization finally hit him, Zhong Peng came to the stark realization that his strength was far from adequate.
Despite possessing a wealth of valuable treasures and inheritance, his vulnerability made him a prime target for the covetous eyes of those around him, if his secret were to be exposed.
He knew that he wouldn't stand a chance against the avaricious individuals that would undoubtedly come his way.
With unwavering determination, Zhong Peng made a solemn vow to himself that he would never again allow himself to be bullied, as he had been before his transmigration into this world, A sudden surge of determination ignited within him, as his eyes blazed with an intense flame.
Zhong Peng's mind drifted back to the painful memories of Longwei's relentless taunts, mocking his supposed weakness and worthlessness.
The old man's words echoed in his mind, reminding him that his strength was still lacking. And then there was Zhou Shun, with that eerie smile etched upon his face, reminding Zhong Peng of how his current level of strength was simply not enough.
These memories served as a painful reminder of his current lack of strength and a driving force for Zhong Peng to strive for greater strength and power.