NOVEL WEB Chapter 346: Green
After wrapping everything up, Feng Fan turned to Xue Feng. "Let's head to Green. They know I'm here and have already made a move. The sooner we act, the less chance they have to succeed with whatever they are planning."
Xue Feng nodded. Before leaving, he glanced at the five guards tasked with protecting Feng Fan's wives.
"Return. Don't let anything happen while I'm gone. I'll be back as soon as I can."
The guards saluted, but the women didn't share their calm. Xue Qiang stepped forward, her eyes fixed on Feng Fan.
"Fanfan, if you're taking a risk, then we shoul—"
Feng Fan didn't let her finish. He took her hand and pressed his lips against hers. Xue Qiang blushed at the bold public gesture, her protest stalling on her tongue.
"Just wait for me, alright?" he said with a cheeky smile. "There's nothing here that can hurt me. Even Transcending Tribulation experts aren't enough to take down your man."
When Feng Fan smiled, Xue Qiang's heart raced, but her eyes still held doubt. If it were really that simple, would he be this serious?
She parted her lips to speak again, but closed them with a sigh and nodded instead. With Huang Xue, Su Xiaoli, and the guards in tow, she turned and left, heading back to the safe location they had stayed in before coming to Starlight City.
Feng Fan watched as the figures of his wives and their guards disappeared into the distance, their silhouettes eventually swallowed by the ruined skyline of Starlight City. A weary sigh escaped his lips. 'This is exactly why I should've stayed holed up in the White Crow Sect, cultivating in peace... Away from war, politics, and unnecessary attachments.'
"Senior Feng, shall we depart?" Xue Feng asked, cupping his hands respectfully, though his voice held a trace of urgency.
Feng Fan didn't answer immediately. His gaze lingered on the desolation around them.
"Wait a moment," he said at last. "There's something I need to check before we leave."
Without another word, Feng Fan turned and began flying toward the northwest corner of Starlight City, the place where he had sealed away the concentrated mass of dark spiritual qi. Xue Feng remained behind, his hands moving nervously.
As Feng Fan moved, he looked at the city below. The once-bustling streets of Starlight City had become a graveyard. Half of the city lay in ruins, smoke curling up from collapsed homes and cracked buildings. Fires still smoldered in some places. The air smelled of ash and blood.
His eyes swept over the survivors. Some sat amid the wreckage of their homes, rocking back and forth in silence. Others wept openly, their wails sharp and broken. A child screamed for his mother. Men shouted names into the chaos, hoping someone would respond.
Whether the people cried from heartbreak, physical pain, or a hopeless mix of both, Feng Fan only continued to stare. Soon, he reached the designated area and retrieved the Suppression Relic from his space ring.
"Little Brick," he said in a low voice, "absorb this spiritual qi and store it away. Don't interfere with it, no matter what."
The relic pulsed once in acknowledgment, emitting a soft hum before darting forward like a predator unleashed.
The moment it neared the swirling mass of dark spiritual qi, the malevolent energy reacted violently. It writhed and recoiled as if in fear, surging in every direction in a desperate attempt to escape. But there was no place to escape.
The array Feng Fan had constructed allowed him to seal a small area like a cage. The dark spiritual qi slammed against invisible walls. It was like watching a cornered beast being devoured by something.
Feng Fan set aside his curiosity about the dark spiritual qi for now; there would be time to study it later. His priority was going to Green.
He made his way back to the city's array core, where Xue Feng stood waiting. Without delay, the two of them departed for the distant planet.
Green, like Red, was named for the dominant hue of its native flora and fauna. However, while Red still preserved much of its natural beauty, with vast forests and thriving ecosystems, Green told a different story.
The region Feng Fan arrived in resembled more of a wasteland than a lush world. The air was dry, the soil cracked, and what little vegetation remained was withered and sparse.
'Cultivators fight over resources and beliefs, only to destroy the very things they're fighting for. Ironic, really… almost laughable,' Feng Fan mused as he flew silently through the ruined landscape.
He followed Xue Feng through the entrance of a massive fortress. Its exterior was built with thick slabs of dark stone, worn but sturdy, standing in quiet defiance against the desolation around it. As they moved deeper into the structure, guards moved aside, cupping their hands respectfully toward Xue Feng.
"Senior Xue!"
Their gazes never lingered on Feng Fan. Despite the rumors of a tier 9 Array Master, few knew the identity of the man walking right beside Xue Feng.
Xue Feng led Feng Fan down a winding corridor deep within the fortress, the air growing heavier with every step. Eventually, they reached what seemed like an ordinary chamber—dusty, unadorned, and empty to the untrained eye. Only two plain-looking men stood inside, calm and observant.
But Feng Fan could sense the faint pulses of formation energy that whispered from the walls. He could also tell with a single glance they were fellow Array Masters, likely the ones tasked with maintaining the stronghold's defensive array.
Xue Feng stopped inside the chamber. "Senior Feng, this fortress is Green's most vital stronghold. If we're going to reinforce the defenses, this is where it must begin."
Feng Fan nodded. He moved toward the center, lifting a hand to begin weaving the first layer of adjustments. But before his fingers could form the initial seal, a blaring alarm pierced the air, sharp and shrill.
Frantic voices followed from the corridors beyond.
"Enemy attack! All four Demon Venerable cults are launching a joint assault!"
The expressions on the two Array Masters shifted instantly, from quiet professionalism to grim determination. They moved into position, hands glowing as they pressed against the array's core.