Fighting: I am Han Feng, I respect my teacher

Han Feng at that time must have had great ambitions.

Han Feng's personality has changed repeatedly; there must be a reason for it!

Yao Chen only regretted that his cultivation was not high enough to help Han Feng.

Even if you wanted to help, you wouldn't know where to start.

"So what should we do now?"

Xiao Yan asked.

Yao Chen fell silent for a moment.

The master and apprentice appeared very lonely in the night.

Yao Chen suddenly regretted telling Xiao Yan what had happened.

Now that things have come to this, it's just one more person worrying.

"Teacher, I'll go talk to my senior brother!"

Xiao Yan suddenly looked up and said.

His eyes shone with hope for the arduous challenges ahead.

Yao Chen stared blankly at Xiao Yan, and suddenly a realization dawned on him.

Is this the will to forge ahead without hesitation?

He seemed to see Han Feng from back then.

Even if there are countless difficulties and obstacles ahead, we will remain steadfast in our determination.

Back then, the Soul Clan was an unattainable existence for them.

But today, they have defeated the Soul Clan and thwarted the Soul Emperor's plan to destroy the Central Plains.

Feng'er's will back then is the same as Xiao Yan's will now!

Perhaps the road ahead is not completely dark yet!

The flame of light still flickers!

Chapter 521 Accountability

The morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the bamboo leaves, dappling the tranquil courtyard of Fengcheng.

Han Feng was sitting leisurely in a rattan chair, closing his eyes to rest and enjoying a rare moment of peace, as if the heavy burdens of yesterday had nothing to do with him.

The footsteps approached from afar, carrying the unique determination of young people.

Han Feng didn't open his eyes; his lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

"Senior brother."

Xiao Yan's voice stopped a few steps away.

Han Feng slowly opened his eyes, his eyes, which had once been as bright as divine fire, then as cold as ice, and now seemed somewhat lazy, looked at Xiao Yan.

A knowing smile appeared on his face, tinged with a hint of helplessness: "It seems the teacher already told you."

Xiao Yan took a deep breath and nodded heavily.

He looked at his senior brother, whose strength was unfathomable yet seemed to have shed all burdens, and felt a complex mix of emotions, but more than anything, an unwavering determination: "Yes, my teacher told me about the extraterrestrial evil race, about... the disaster facing the continent."

Han Feng sighed softly. There was no fear or anxiety in his sigh, only a kind of detached regret: "Alas... what good will it do to know? It will only add to your troubles. If you didn't know about this, perhaps you could have happily spent the last two peaceful years and enjoyed the prestige of a Dou Sheng."

He spoke in a flat tone, as if stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.

Xiao Yan clenched his fist quietly at his side, his knuckles turning white.

Looking at Han Feng's "lying flat" posture, a surge of passion rushed to his heart, and his voice unconsciously rose, carrying the sharpness of youth and an unquestionable belief:

"Senior brother! I don't want to sit here and wait to die! I, Xiao Yan, have cultivated until now, overcoming countless obstacles, coming all the way from Wutan City to where I am today, what for?!"

"It's so that when danger strikes, I'll have the ability to protect those I want to protect! To protect my teachers, my family, and this continent that gave me birth and nurtured me!"

"It's to become the strong person I aspire to be! Just like you taught me, with unwavering resolve and never backing down!"

"Moreover, it is to put into practice the principles in my heart! The way of the strong is never about protecting oneself, but about daring to step forward when the building is about to collapse, even if the hope is slim!"

His words resonated powerfully, echoing through the bamboo forest in the early morning, brimming with vibrant vitality and an indomitable will.

This voice formed a stark contrast to Han Feng's calm and indifferent demeanor at that moment.

Han Feng quietly looked at Xiao Yan, at his eyes burning with a fiery fighting spirit.

Xiao Yan's words were once the pillar of his beliefs.

However, at this moment, these words fell on his heart, which had been reshaped after being "severed from good" and overturned after being "severed from evil," without causing the slightest ripple.

There was no surge of passion, no empathy, and not even a hint of displeasure at being questioned.

He just felt... it was a bit noisy.

He understood Xiao Yan's feelings, just as he understood a naive child shouting at an unshakeable mountain.

But he won't try to dissuade them, just as he is now—he neither wants to bother saving this doomed continent nor bothers to educate others on how to make a choice.

"Ok."

Han Feng's voice remained calm, even somewhat perfunctory. He leaned back in his rattan chair, closed his eyes slightly, as if Xiao Yan's impassioned declaration was merely a gentle breeze brushing past his ears.

"Then I wish you success."

These five seemingly insignificant words were like a bucket of cold water, yet they couldn't extinguish the fire in Xiao Yan's heart.

Instead, he sensed Han Feng's near-desperate surrender in this calm demeanor.

He stepped forward, his eyes fixed intently on Han Feng: "Senior brother! Tell me, is there any hope we have? Even if it's just a sliver of hope, a tiny possibility! Please tell me! I will do everything in my power, even risk my life!"

Han Feng opened his eyes again, looking at the almost stubborn plea and burning fighting spirit in Xiao Yan's eyes. He was silent for a moment, and then a very complicated emotion flashed in his eyes, like pity, or like some kind of... reminiscence that he himself could not explain.

"Hope?"

Han Feng's voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself, "In my opinion, this thing no longer exists."

He clearly stated his judgment, coldly and directly.

Xiao Yan's eyes dimmed for a moment, but his stubbornness immediately supported him to straighten his spine.

Looking at Xiao Yan's expression, Han Feng suddenly felt a little...familiar? And a little...bored.

He shifted his gaze to the lush bamboo grove outside the courtyard and said in an almost casual tone:

“However…” He paused, seemingly considering how to get rid of this persistent junior brother, “if you want to do something to put your mind at ease…”

Xiao Yan immediately held his breath.

"...Let's travel around the mainland." Han Feng's tone returned to its usual lazy casualness. "Wandering around, looking around, maybe...we'll find something?"

This statement is full of uncertainty and perfunctoriness, like telling a child who is begging for candy, "Go for a walk on the street, you might find some."

After Han Feng finished speaking, he closed his eyes completely, no longer looking at Xiao Yan, clearly indicating that he was seeing the guest out.

Sunlight fell on his calm face, as if he were truly just taking a short rest in the morning light, and the world's troubles were no longer his concern.

Xiao Yan stood there, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms.

Looking at Han Feng's completely "let go" attitude, he felt a mix of emotions: disappointment, confusion, but more than anything, anger and resentment at being looked down upon.

However, Han Feng's last, almost mocking remark was firmly etched into his heart.

"Go travel around different parts of mainland China...maybe you'll find something there?"

"Senior brother, I will find hope!" Xiao Yan's voice was deep and firm, as if he were making a solemn vow, or even a declaration of war against Han Feng's negative attitude.

"I will fight to the end and will never surrender without a fight! Even if the road ahead is an abyss, I will still brave it!"

After saying that, he didn't linger and turned to leave.

That young figure stood out exceptionally tall in the morning light, exuding a resolute determination that said, "Even if there are thousands of people against me, I will go." This contrasted sharply with the languid figure on the rattan chair in the courtyard, creating two completely different worlds.

On the rattan chair, Han Feng's eyelashes seemed to tremble slightly, but he ultimately did not open his eyes.

Only a barely audible sigh dissipated in the fresh morning breeze.

----------

On this day, Maple City welcomed two distinguished visitors.

The space rippled slightly, and Gu Yuan and Zhu Kun's figures quietly appeared above the City Lord's Mansion.

They concealed their presence, but their auras were not hidden from Han Feng.

"Han Feng, you seem to be having a very leisurely time these days."

Gu Yuan's calm voice came through.

Deep in the bamboo forest, Han Feng smiled and took out two cups, pouring two cups of tea.

"What brings you here today, two seniors?"

"Having heard you've returned to the mainland, of course we had to come and see you!"

Gu Yuan said.

The two entered the courtyard and walked up to Han Feng.

Gu Yuan looked at Han Feng, his eyes flashing with golden light, seemingly testing him.

However, the next second, an aura that was unfathomable and as vast as an abyss surged back!

The sheer power of that aura far exceeded his expectations, giving this Dou Di a suffocating sense of pressure!

A hint of horror flashed in Zhu Kun's enormous dragon eyes.

As a Dou Di who comprehends the laws of time, his perception is even more acute and clear.

The aura of Han Feng before them was more profound and refined than when they fought in the void turbulence two years ago, as if he had already touched a higher level!

That was a feeling... that surpassed that of an ordinary Dou Di!

"Han Feng..."

Gu Yuan's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement and shock, "Two years have passed, and your cultivation... has actually improved to this extent?!"

The flame of hope in his heart was instantly ignited! With such a powerful Han Feng, fighting against the extraterrestrial evil race no longer seemed like an unattainable fantasy!

Zhu Kun also said in a deep voice, "Your aura is unfathomable. It seems you have gained a great deal from this trip. Our chances of winning against the evil race have greatly increased!"

Faced with the astonishment and expectations of the two top experts on the continent, Han Feng simply took a leisurely sip of tea.

"Oh? So this is what you two seniors came for?" His tone was so flat that it revealed no emotion. "Then I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."

Gu Yuan's excitement froze instantly: "Disappointed? What makes you say that?"

Han Feng picked up a warm towel and wiped his hands casually: "I have no intention of interfering with the matter of the extraterrestrial evil race anymore. You two seniors should enjoy life and not worry about it anymore."

"What did you say?!"

Gu Yuan could hardly believe his ears, and a nameless anger suddenly surged up from his heart!

He stepped forward, his voice rising several decibels: "Han Feng! What are you saying?! You were the one who told us about the threat of the extraterrestrial evil race, you were the one who told us to unite all races, stockpile resources, and reinforce the space! You were the one who told us we had to fight to the death! Now that your strength has greatly increased, you're the first to say you want to give up? What about the billions of lives on the continent?!"

Zhu Kun frowned, his dragon eyes filled with incomprehension and scrutiny.

He keenly sensed that Han Feng's current state was completely different from the cold, rational, and law-exploring demeanor he displayed two years ago when they discussed Dao in the Ancient Dragon Palace.

Now, he seems more like... a state of emptiness and indifference after being completely emptied.

Han Feng's expression remained unchanged in the face of Gu Yuan's questioning, as if he were simply stating a fact: "I made a mistake in my judgment back then."

"Misjudgment?" Gu Yuan almost laughed in anger. "You think one sentence, 'misjudgment,' is enough to make the entire continent give up resistance and offer its neck for slaughter?!"

“That’s right.” Han Feng’s answer was crisp and clear, even carrying an almost cruel honesty. “I have a deep understanding of the strength of the extraterrestrial evil race. It’s a gap that can’t be bridged by fighting spirit and sacrifice. Struggling will only increase the pain. It’s better to enjoy the last moments now.”

"you!"

Gu Yuan was furious, and his powerful fighting spirit almost burst out uncontrollably.

He couldn't understand or accept it! How could Han Feng, who once worked tirelessly for the mainland and planned for its future, have become like this?

Just as the atmosphere was about to become tense, a cold figure quietly stood in front of Han Feng.

Ye Qingyun's expression was calm, but her eyes held an undeniable firmness. She bowed slightly to Gu Yuan and Zhu Kun, saying, "Senior Gu Yuan, Senior Zhu Kun, our master needs to rest. If there are no other important matters, please return today."