Gu Fei's swift killing of the Protector stunned not only Yun Shan but also all the powerful figures in the entire Jia Ma Empire. Now, nearly all the strong fighters in the empire had gathered at the Misty Cloud Sect.
They all looked up at Gu Fei, who stood atop a massive magical beast in the sky, with expressions of respect and awe.
"We always knew he was strong, but we never realized just how powerful he truly is. Now that we've seen it, it's terrifying!"
Jia Xing Tian and Hai Bodong, who had come to see the commotion, were also serious, their eyes filled with shock.
They finally had a concrete understanding of Gu Fei's power. The Protector seemed even stronger than Yun Shan, who was a three-star Dou Ancestor, yet Gu Fei had killed him as easily as slaughtering a chicken.
"Fortunately, our Jia Ma royal family has never offended this man," Jia Xing Tian said, looking relieved. To be on good terms with such a peerless powerhouse was a blessing, but avoiding offense was an even greater fortune.
Hai Bodong, deep in thought, muttered softly, "If the opportunity arises, the entire Miteer family must do everything in its power to build a relationship with this senior."
The Protector was dead, and Yun Shan was still in shock. He hadn't expected that the mysterious Protector would fail to survive even a single move from Gu Fei.
Panic quickly arose within him. He knew Gu Fei would be coming for him next. He wanted to escape, but the moment he moved, he cried out in pain.
"Ah!"
Yun Shan suddenly clutched his head in agony, and dark, black energy appeared on the surface of his body.
Not only him, but the other elders of the Misty Cloud Sect also became motionless.
Their bodies, like puppets, were frozen in place, their faces twisted in pain and contorted into grimaces.
"What's happening? What's going on?"
Seeing this, Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran were puzzled, their beautiful eyes full of confusion at the sudden change in Yun Shan and the elders.
Jia Xing Tian, Hai Bodong, and the others were also perplexed, though their brows furrowed slightly.
They sensed that the rapid growth of the Misty Cloud Sect's power and this sudden anomaly were connected.
Seeing Yun Shan and the others in this state, Yun Yun wanted to help him, but the terrifying energy surrounding Yun Shan directly repelled her.
Yun Yun's face turned pale as she bit her lip in frustration, knowing she was powerless. All she could do was look to Gu Fei for help.
"Yun Yun, do you know how the Misty Cloud Sect's strength increased so rapidly in just three years?"
"Yun Shan, and those other elders, all received help from the Hall of Souls!"
"Dealing with such dark and sinister people comes at a cost. If I hadn't come today, when the Hall of Souls no longer needed the Misty Cloud Sect, they could have taken their souls at any time!"
Gu Fei calmly explained, "Now that the Protector is dead, the methods he used have triggered. At most, Yun Shan and the others will become mindless chaos beings and eventually die."
"Becoming chaotic beings and dying!" Hearing how severe the consequences were, Yun Yun's delicate face turned even paler, her jade-like hands clenched tightly, and she was utterly disappointed in Yun Shan.
Yun Shan wasn't leading the Misty Cloud Sect to greatness; he was leading them to destruction!
"Please, save them!"
Even though she was deeply disappointed, Yun Shan was still her mentor.
"Yun Yun, I saved you because we're friends, but I have no obligation to save these people who mean nothing to me."
"I..."
Yun Yun was at a loss for words. She knew Gu Fei had helped her so much already and had no duty to save Yun Shan and the elders.
"Yun Yun, don't beg him. Maybe I can save the Old Sect Leader and the Great Elder!"
At this moment, Gu He stepped forward.
He was a high-level sixth-grade alchemist with a stronger soul force than most. This was why the Protector from the Hall of Souls hadn't used their assistance on him, fearing he might notice something.
"You? Can you do it?"
Yun Yun instinctively doubted Gu He.
Previously, even though Gu He knew she didn't want to marry, he had still insisted, and her power had been sealed and she was kept in captivity. This made her resent him.
Moreover, Gu He was just a low-level Dou Emperor and a sixth-grade alchemist. How could he possibly save Yun Shan and the elders?
Facing Yun Yun's gaze, Gu He felt guilty, his eyes flickering as he avoided her stare.
"Believe me, I can save the Old Sect Leader!"
After a moment, Gu He's eyes filled with determination, and he walked towards Yun Shan, who was in agony and on the verge of collapse.
Gu He released his Dou Qi to protect his body, then cautiously approached Yun Shan. Once close, he reached out and pressed his hand against Yun Shan's forehead, letting his soul force spread out in an attempt to suppress the power within Yun Shan.
But the next moment, Yun Shan suddenly went berserk and struck Gu He, sending him flying. Despite being on guard, Gu He still spat out blood from the impact.
Lying on the ground, Gu He stared at Yun Shan in frustration, clenching his fists tightly.
He wanted to try again, but the terrifying force he had sensed within Yun Shan seemed to surge once more.
Finally, he sighed, the determination in his eyes fading, replaced by despair. He remained silent.
In his chaotic state, Yun Shan had no consciousness, like a walking corpse. Gu He's soul force was still far too weak to help.
Seeing Gu He's failure, Yun Yun's only remaining hope was Gu Fei.
She looked at Gu Fei with pleading eyes, her delicate hands tightly clenched. She hated her own powerlessness. Her face, once rosy, was now pale from the intense internal struggle, as fragile as the mist in the deep mountains at dawn.
"Gu Fei, if you save my master and the others, I am willing to be your servant, to serve you..."
Yun Yun spoke without daring to look Gu Fei in the eyes, fearing he would despise her for abandoning her dignity. Her already frail figure seemed even more delicate and shaky in the gusts from the Amethyst Winged Lion King's wings.
In the sky above the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Yun seemed to be alone, helplessly facing Gu Fei and the horde of zombie-like people behind her.
Seeing Yun Yun standing there, disheveled in the wind, Gu Fei finally couldn't bear it.
"Sigh... You are indeed burdened by the Misty Cloud Sect!" Gu Fei sighed, agreeing to help her.
A powerful soul force surged from within Gu Fei, instantly enveloping the entire Misty Cloud Sect.
As his soul force was released, Jia Xing Tian, Hai Bodong, and the others immediately frowned, silently marveling at how Gu Fei was not only physically powerful but also possessed an unrivaled soul force.
The dark energy that the Protector had left in Yun Shan and the others' souls was expelled by Gu Fei's soul force, floating out of their heads as a cloud of black smoke.
With a pinch of his fingers, Gu Fei shot out a stream of Heavenly Flame, burning the black smoke into nothingness.
Gu He watched all of this with growing despair, wanting to find a hole to hide in.
The man had come to take his betrothed, and he had been powerless to stop it.
Now, even the thing he was best at- soul force- was far inferior to his rival's. And to top it all off, he had just embarrassed himself in front of everyone.
"What kind of Heavenly Flame is that, so powerful!"
In the crowd, a pair of burning eyes stared intently at the Heavenly Flame in Gu Fei's hands. The gaze belonged to Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan's eyes briefly flashed with greed. Though he desired it, he knew he had no courage to covet the Heavenly Flame of someone as powerful as Gu Fei.