Chapter 4778: Song Xi’s Plight

Nangong Yuliu’s heart jolted upon hearing those words. It was hard for him to keep his head up before Chu Feng after losing the bet, but his pride didn’t allow him to lower his head. He feigned composure and put on his usual high and lofty attitude.

“Chu Feng, I’m a man of my words. Zhao Shi is grounded at the moment, but I’ll pay her a visit and apologize to her once she’s out. You need not remind me of this matter,” Nangong Yuliu said.

“It’s good that you still remember that. However, I believe that our bet states that you’ll have to be slapped ten times by Senior Zhao too. If Senior Zhao is unwilling to do so, I’ll do it on her behalf,” Chu Feng said.

“You? What rights do you have to slap me on her behalf?” Nangong Yuliu bellowed with a frown.

“That’s simply how it is. I was the one who won the bet. Are you intending on reneging on the bet now? Remember, you were the one who proposed the bet in the first place. If you’re going to be a sore loser, just say so. I won’t stoop so low as to try to corner a terrified coward,” Chu Feng sneered.

This put Nangong Yuliu at a spot. There was no way he could bring himself to say that he was a sore loser before such a huge crowd.

“Nangong Yuliu, I’ve told you that I won’t pursue the matter even if I win the bet. All you have to do is to apologize to Senior Zhao, and whether she wants to slap you or not is up to her. Yet, you simply don’t know how to give it a rest. I’ve already given you a way out, but you still desperately try to bite down on me. You need to be given a taste of your medicine!” Chu Feng bellowed.

“How high and mighty you are, Chu Feng! Let me offer you some words of advice. You shouldn’t think that there’s no one who can curb you in the Hidden Dragon Martial Sect just because you got lucky once or twice. In the end, you’re still no more than a disciple,” Nangong Yuliu said.

“Nangong Yuliu, allow me to return you with some words of advice too. Don’t try to test my patience too far, or else I’ll snap back at you no matter what it takes. I’m indeed just a mere disciple, but you aren’t the emperor either. Our grudge can stop with Zhao Shi’s slaps, but if you still want to continue coming after me, I’ll make you dearly regret your decision!” Chu Feng said.

“Hahahahaha…”

Nangong Yuliu burst into laughter upon hearing those words.

“You’ll make me dearly regret my decision? I would love to see you do it!” 

Nangong Yuliu looked at Chu Feng with a contemptuous smirk on his lips, as if challenging him to his worst. Leaving those words behind, he rose into the air and left the area.

The rest of the crowd continued to loiter in the area despite Nangong Yuliu’s departure. The chief elder and the others from the North Tortoise Hall anxiously rushed up to Chu Feng once to check if he had sustained any internal traumas.

However, there was one person who particularly stood out in the group because she was not from the North Tortoise Hall but the East Dragon Hall—Tu Yuanyuan.

“Senior Chu Feng, have you really managed to grasp the Hellking’s powers?” Tu Yuanyuan asked.

“Indeed. The Hellking’s power lingers within my body. If anyone dares to cross me, be it an elder or a disciple, I’ll make sure that they drop dead before they even know what’s going on.”

Chu Feng made sure to direct a sweeping glance at the surroundings as he said those words. His eyes were so chilling that even the elders felt shivers running down their spine.

“Chu Feng, what do you mean by that? Are you saying that you were able to kill those disciples not because of the Hellking’s power you planted in their bodies but that… the Hellking’s power is currently in your body and you can control it freely?” an elder from the East Dragon Hall asked. 

The horrified expression on his face showed that he was not trying to provoke Chu Feng here, but that he was genuinely asking out of fright.

The death of the personal disciples was so inexplicable that it was doubtful that Huyan Xiaotian could have done anything even if he had known about it in advance. From that, it could be seen just how powerful the Hellking’s means were. 

If Chu Feng was able to freely tap into this strength, it would mean that he could easily kill anyone present except for the elders guarding the Hidden Dragon Prison.

This was indeed a huge issue.

“That elder over there, please watch your words. The deaths of those personal disciples have nothing to do with me. Of course, if anyone who crosses me in the future dies of inexplicable reasons in the future, I can only say that it’s a coincidence,” Chu Feng remarked with a smile.

There was no way he would be so foolish as to admit to killing those personal disciples, but such a response only served to further evoke the crowd’s fears.

There were many in the crowd who harbored doubts whether Chu Feng really wielded such great powers, but they weren’t willing to risk it. From now onward, anyone who wished to provoke Chu Feng would have to really think twice before making a move.

“Chu Feng, have you really managed to grasp the Hellking’s power?”

Yu Sha’s voice echoed in Chu Feng’s ears. She was surprised to hear that too.

“Silly girl, how could I have possibly grasped the Hellking’s power? I was indeed able to tap into it back at the Vicious Beast Hellworld, but the connection was severed once I left the area. To be honest with you, even though I planted the Hellking’s power in everyone back at the Vicious Beast Hellworld, I’m only able to kill ten of the personal disciples who had weaker souls,” Chu Feng said.

“And they are the ten who died earlier on?” Yu Sha asked.

“That’s right,” Chu Feng replied.

“What about Zuoqiu Yanliang and Song Qian?” Yu Sha asked.

“The Hellking’s power indeed lurks within their bodies, but it’s not enough to take their lives. It’s only there to scare them,” Chu Feng said.

“You rascal!” 

Yu Sha widened her eyes in realization.

It turned out that Zuoqiu Yanliang and Song Qian survived not because Chu Feng didn’t want to kill them but he was unable to do it! Yet, he still managed to intimidate Zuoqiu Yanliang and Song Qian by making them believe his lies.

Even the disciples and elders were convinced of his means.

“Oh right, why don’t I see Song Xi around?” Chu Feng suddenly asked.

He had taken a look around earlier on, but Song Xi was nowhere to be found. There was a conflict between the two of them a while back, but they had already managed to clear the air. Based on his understanding of Song Xi, the latter was not the type to avoid him.

Astoundingly, everyone fell silent upon hearing the question.

Chu Feng immediately realized that something was amiss, so he quickly asked, “What happened to Song Xi?”

“Chu Feng, you must remain calm. This is not a matter which you can get involved in,” the chief elder of the North Tortoise Hall said.

“Chief elder, hurry up and tell me what happened to Song Xi!” Chu Feng exclaimed.

… 

The prison cells of the Hidden Dragon Martial Sect’s Law Enforcement Hall were rather unusual. There were different cells for criminals of different sins.

Of them, Song Xi was caged inside one that was filled with thorns.

His neck, hands, and legs were tied with vines filled with crimson thorns, and he was hung in mid-air. His body was a complete mess of blood and flesh, a result of constant whipping.

“Song Xi!”

A person suddenly called out to him. It was no other than Chu Feng.

He stood by the entrance of Song Xi’s cell, accompanied by the chief elder. He had already learned of what had happened.

It turned out that Song Xi had committed the major crime of forcing himself on a female disciple, and for that, he was sentenced to the cell of thorns for ten days, and after which, he would be put to death!

“Chu Feng? Am I dreaming? Is it really you?”

Song Xi’s consciousness was very faint, such that he couldn’t tell whether he was seeing things or not.

“Song Xi, it’s me. You don’t need to worry about me, I’m fine. What happened to you? Were you framed? Who was it?” Chu Feng asked.

He felt that no matter how reckless or immature Song Xi was, there was no way he would do something as vile as forcing himself on a female disciple. There was no doubt in his mind that Song Xi was framed.

“I… I… Wuahhhhh!”

Looking at Chu Feng, Song Xi’s lips began quivering in agitation before suddenly breaking out in tears. The indignance in his voice was clear for everyone to hear. 

“Don’t cry. Tell me what’s going on!” Chu Feng said.

Song Xi continued to sob, his tears and snot flowing down ceaselessly. Nevertheless, he still managed to fill Chu Feng in on the series of events.

It turned out that Song Xi received an invitation from a female disciple from the East Dragon Hall named Li Jiaojiao to visit her palace. The two of them did end up having a one-night stand later on, and it was indeed a forced one. 

However, it was not Song Xi who forced himself on Li Jiaojiao but the other way around.