Ximen Tian wasn’t wrong; Nan Yidao really was in a bind now. His blood‑red long sword was pinched in Ling Feng’s hand, completely out of his control, and what shocked him even more was that in that instant he seemed to have lost all perception and control over the surrounding Laws.

In other words, Nan Yidao right now had already been cut off from all connection with the surrounding space. Was this also done by the man in front of him? How was that possible!

Nan Yidao was utterly horrified. To pull this off, even the Storm Sect’s strongest Great Elder shouldn’t be able to do it.

"Sir, are you really going to make an enemy of the Storm Sect?" Nan Yidao took a deep breath. With everyone watching, there was absolutely no way he could show weakness, because he was representing not just himself, but the Storm Sect.

Ling Feng shook his head and said, "Of course not. I just want you to let Qi Shanhe go. After all, openly killing someone at the Martial Arts Conference isn’t exactly something glorious, don’t you think?"

"At the Martial Arts Conference, life and death are not questioned. I don’t know who you are, sir, but why are you disrupting our Martial Arts Conference?" At this moment, a booming voice echoed through the entire Practice Field.

Ling Feng looked up and saw the Storm Sect Master arriving at the Practice Field with several people, his gaze burning as it locked onto Ling Feng.

Ling Feng said in a deep voice, "Qi Shanhe has already lost the power to resist. Why must you still eradicate him?"

"Qi Shanhe and our Storm Sect share a hatred that cannot coexist under the same sky." The Sect Master of the Storm Sect said indifferently, "Just for that alone, we must pull him out, roots and all. Is there a problem with that?"

Ling Feng frowned slightly. Only now did he remember that his physique was vastly different from before. No wonder the people of the Storm Sect and the Ximen Family hadn’t recognized him.

Ling Feng smiled and said, "Pull him out, roots and all? I’m sorry, but what if I intend to protect this man?"

"Then you are making yourself an enemy of our Storm Sect!" The Sect Master said coolly, "I don’t care who you are. If you leave now, our Storm Sect will guarantee your safety. But if you insist on getting involved... I can’t help but suspect that you’re from Heaven’s Gate!"

Because the Storm Sect Master had brought several experts at the Pinnacle of the Azure Sky Realm, he had plenty of confidence to speak this way.

Ling Feng merely chuckled when he heard this. The Sect Master was quite good at pinning labels. His hand exerted a slight force, blasting Nan Yidao back several steps, and then he said, "Sect Master of the Storm Sect, do you know who I am? You say I’m from Heaven’s Gate? What a joke!"

"I don’t need to know who you are!" the Sect Master said coldly. "I’ll ask you one last time—what is your choice?" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Ling Feng couldn’t help but frown. The Storm Sect really was overbearing. Thinking back to how he’d been hunted down by them before, Ling Feng also understood that domineering was the Storm Sect’s true nature!

"What if I choose no?" Ling Feng said blandly. "Sect Master, do you really think your Storm Sect can cover the sky with one hand now? I’d like to see who dares touch someone I’ve decided to protect!"

As he spoke, Ling Feng turned to Qi Shanhe. "Brother, do you trust me?"

Seeing the sincerity in Ling Feng’s eyes, Qi Shanhe nodded. "I trust you!"

"Good!" Ling Feng stretched out his hand, and Qi Shanhe’s figure flickered and vanished before everyone’s eyes.

"A Spatial Divine Artifact?" The fluctuation caused when Ling Feng brought Qi Shanhe into his Portable Cave Abode was clearly caught by the people of the Storm Sect.

The Sect Master said coldly, "So you really are from Heaven’s Gate. I didn’t expect you people to finally jump out for the sake of the Nectar Feast’s juvenile body!"

Ling Feng said, "I’m not from Heaven’s Gate, but..."

"You think just denying it can erase everything?" The Sect Master waved his hand. "Seize this Heaven’s Gate remnant for me!"

With a single command, all the Storm Sect experts in the Practice Field mobilized, surrounding Ling Feng in the center.

Outside, one of the Ximen Family experts beside Ximen Tian asked, "Clan Leader, should we head up and help as well?"

Ximen Tian smiled and said, "What’s the rush? The dignified Storm Sect can’t even catch a single Heaven’s Gate remnant? If our Ximen Family meddles without being asked, it’ll only incur the Sect Master’s displeasure. Let’s just sit back and enjoy the show."

"As for that guy... I do find him somewhat familiar, but I just can’t place him for the moment. Strange!" Ximen Tian rubbed his chin, lost in thought.

Of course, Ximen Tian didn’t tell the Sect Master about this, and he was also very curious just how strong this suddenly appearing fellow really was.

At this moment, the atmosphere on the Practice Field was extremely heavy. The surrounding spectators were all staring excitedly at the brewing battle inside the arena.

"Sect Master, please wait!" At this moment, Nan Yidao came to the Storm Sect Master’s side and spoke in a deep voice.

"Nan Yidao, what is it?" The Sect Master looked at him and asked.

Nan Yidao said gravely, "This fellow is very strong. I have an unreasonable request!"

"Speak!"

"I want to face him one-on-one!" Nan Yidao said in a low voice. "Just now he took advantage of my carelessness and seized my long sword. To a blade wielder, that is a humiliation. I must wash away this shame!"

The Sect Master frowned slightly. "Is that necessary?"

In the Sect Master’s view, having the many experts swarm forward and directly kill Ling Feng was the fastest solution. Why bother with such trouble?

"Sect Master, we still don’t know how strong the opponent is. If we rashly swarm him and he slips away, what then?" Nan Yidao said in a deep voice. "Let me probe his strength first, while the others surround him to prevent his escape. How about that?"

The Sect Master nodded. Nan Yidao’s strength was among the very best in the Storm Sect. Letting him strike first was naturally no problem, and what he said made sense as well!

The other side had appeared too suddenly; he definitely had some secret technique to escape. If they all rushed in at once, they might actually give him an opening to run.

"Fine, then I’ll leave this man to you!" the Sect Master said solemnly. "Yidao, don’t hold back. This concerns the dignity of our Storm Sect!"

Nan Yidao nodded. "Sect Master, I understand!"

"Done discussing?" During their discussion, Ling Feng hadn’t moved at all; he merely watched them calmly.

Nan Yidao dragged his blood‑colored long sword as he walked forward. "To deal with you, why would our entire Storm Sect need to move? I, Nan Yidao, alone am enough! Under my blade, I do not kill nameless rats. Who are you? State your name!"

Ling Feng smiled. "No need. You won’t be able to kill me anyway, and I won’t be killing you either."

"Arrogant!" Nan Yidao growled and swung his blade horizontally. "Blood Sea Slash—no shore if you look back!"

Nan Yidao stomped forward, and the blood‑red giant blade in his hand swept out fiercely. A crimson blade light tore straight toward Ling Feng, carrying the clear intent that he would not stop until Ling Feng was cut down.