The sun had fully risen, and the morning air at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains was exceptionally crisp. Long Feng couldn't help but take several deep gulps—air like this was utterly absent in the city.
He had finally arrived here overnight, guided by a local guide. He had hired this guide at a high salary; initially, no one was willing to lead the charge to Overlord Peak on such short notice. Only after Long Feng offered ten times the usual rate did someone finally show interest.
The Wei Jiang Province was not the Southern Border; the mountain roads were treacherous. While this area had fewer paths, the journey was manageable, yet traveling at night posed risks they worried about—other dangers lurking.
The guide who agreed to take him was certainly brave, but seeing Long Feng’s Hummer, his apprehension settled somewhat.
The dangers feared at night were twofold: wild beasts and human malice. With a vehicle this large and sturdy, beasts were less of a concern; as for human trouble, caution could mitigate most of it.
The journey itself was smooth and uneventful, leading them straight to the base of Overlord Peak.
“Wait for me here. There is dry food in the vehicle. If I haven't returned by tomorrow evening, you are free to leave on your own!”
Long Feng returned to the car, retrieved a hunting rifle from the back, handed it to the guide, and then departed immediately.
The guide called out several times but could only clutch the rifle in resignation and wait in the vehicle. Fortunately, Long Feng had given him a gun before leaving, which provided much comfort in waiting alone at the mountain's base.
For him, that gun represented security.
“Overlord Peak is the Death Peak; you dare to ascend it—you must not value your life!”
Watching Long Feng’s receding figure, the guide muttered to himself, thinking of the ten thousand yuan he had already secured at home, a surge of excitement coursed through him.
Merely guiding a trip earned him this much. He could enjoy a comfortable period now. However, he felt a touch of pity for this wealthy young man who sought thrills on Overlord Peak despite his fortune.
In this guide's eyes, Long Feng was nothing more than a rich playboy looking for trouble.
At that moment, he secretly wished Long Feng wouldn't return. That Hummer was worth a fortune; even without the keys, there were other ways to move it.
Overlord Peak was indeed forbidding, demanding extreme caution even from Long Feng as he navigated its terrain.
The Tianshan range differed from the Kunlun Mountains; the environment here was significantly harsher. Long Feng lacked experience in such mountains and encountered several natural traps along the way.
Fortunately, his deep cultivation prevented any substantial harm from befalling him.
After more than three hours, Long Feng finally neared the summit. A mountain of this height in the Kunlun range would have taken him, at most, an hour.
Long Feng did not know the location of the Hu Yan family’s mountain gate, but this did not stump him.
“Is there a friend from the Hu Yan family present? Long Feng of the Long family has come to call!”
Channeling his inner energy, Long Feng called out steadily. His voice lacked the terrifying resonance of the Phantom Rat, but it carried for a thousand meters, far past the peak.
The sound echoed off the mountainside, and the entire peak seemed to instantly boil with sound reverberating everywhere.
“Long Feng of the Long family? Please wait a moment!”
A voice traveled down from the mountain, also projected by internal energy, though it didn't travel as far, it was more than sufficient for Long Feng to hear.
Judging by the voice, its source possessed no small amount of inner energy, at least at the Second Layer, though the exact strength remained unknown.
Moments later, a young man in his early twenties hurried down the mountain, studying Long Feng with curiosity.
“I am Long Feng of the Long family, here for a specific visit!”
Long Feng cupped his hands in greeting. This youth appeared similar in age to him but exhibited a slight immaturity, clearly lacking extensive experience traveling outside.
“Follow me!”
After observing Long Feng for a few moments, the young man finally led him away.
The main base of the Hu Yan family was situated near the summit of Overlord Peak, atop a vast platform where the temperature was slightly warmer than elsewhere, with considerably less snow.
It was a peculiar spot, later selected by the Hu Yan family to relocate their clan.
Their family architecture, like the Long family's, consisted of traditional ancient structures, but most of the buildings here were built of stone, unlike the palace-like grandeur of the Long family.
This was dictated by the environment; constructing a palace on such a summit was difficult, and the Hu Yan family did not place excessive importance on such displays.
What struck Long Feng most profoundly were the formations he passed through upon entry.
The platform and these buildings were invisible from the outside; Long Feng only perceived them after the young man guided him through the paths for a while.
Without the need for introduction, Long Feng recognized them as cloaking mechanisms utilizing Mystic Gate formations. It was not unusual for ancient clans to employ such formations for their gates. While the art of Mystic Gate Evasion had faded, some formations persisted, much like Zhang Yang’s Heaven Gate Formation.
“Nephew Long, what is the urgent matter that brings you here personally?”
Long Feng was greeted by Hu Yan Fu, an elder of the third generation of the Hu Yan family, who had also been part of the delegation that visited the Long family previously, meaning he had met Long Feng.
His tone was measured, neither warm nor cold. Hu Yan Fu, a late-stage expert of the Third Layer, and another Elder of the Fourth Layer, had both perished on the Long family plains, killed by Zhang Yang. Since Long Feng was close to Zhang Yang, it was impossible for Hu Yan Fu to treat him like a close friend.
“Senior, I have come seeking someone!”
Hu Yan Fu was much older than Long Feng and a mid-stage Third Layer expert, so addressing him as 'Senior' was not overly deferential. Long Feng was here to search, so he paid little mind to the formality.
“Seeking someone? Whom are you seeking?”
Hu Yan Fu appeared somewhat surprised. He had assumed the Long family sending Long Feng personally meant a matter of great importance, given Long Feng was a critical figure in the Long family—their foremost young disciple. To learn he was merely searching for someone astonished him.
In that instant, his mind raced, wondering if some disciple from the Hu Yan family had again offended someone from the Long family. However, he quickly dismissed the thought. Following the Long Family Grand Competition, the Hu Yan family had strictly prohibited disciples from leaving, as their feud with the Zhang family was not entirely settled.
“Zhang Yang!” Long Feng stated flatly.
“Zhang Yang?”
Hu Yan Fu exclaimed involuntarily, showing immense shock, which rapidly morphed into fierce anger, reddening his face with fury.
“Long Feng, what is the meaning of this?”
Hu Yan Fu dropped the term 'Nephew Long' and addressed him by name. Zhang Yang was the name most despised by the entire Hu Yan clan; it was now taboo territory for them. For Long Feng to seek Zhang Yang at the Hu Yan family’s main base felt like a direct challenge and mockery.
He even suspected this was a deliberate probing action by the Long family. Were the Longs seeking retribution for the previous alliance of three families against them? And was the weakened Hu Yan family the first target?
Having lost an Elder and a late-stage Third Layer Grand Elder, their overall strength had indeed diminished slightly.
Alas, he was completely unaware that his fears were baseless; Long Feng was purely here out of concern for Zhang Yang, genuinely searching for his friend.
“Senior, please do not misunderstand. Zhang Yang and I arrived here together. He reached Overlord Peak yesterday. I have been waiting for him, but he never returned!”
Long Feng quickly clarified. While framed as an explanation, it was also an inquiry. Zhang Yang was on Overlord Peak but hadn't returned. Since this peak was under the Hu Yan family’s jurisdiction, Long Feng sought answers here, implicitly asking if the Hu Yan family had hidden or captured Zhang Yang.
“Zhang Yang came to Overlord Peak?”
Hu Yan Fu paused slightly, then asked again, his previous anger intensifying, now laced with a killing intent.
If they had known Zhang Yang was here, and alone, the remaining Elder of their family might have confronted him, perhaps even securing the help of their Ancestor to capture Zhang Yang. Capturing Zhang Yang meant revenge and a chance for the Hu Yan family to regain its stature.
His reaction made Long Feng’s brow twitch. He nodded slightly before Long Feng continued, “Yes. Could it be, Senior, that you are unaware?”
“Unaware? If I knew, I wouldn't be speaking with you now; I would be whipping him!” Hu Yan Fu snarled, speaking what was clearly the truth. Had Zhang Yang been captured by the Hu Yan family, they would certainly employ every means to torture him for vengeance.
Long Feng’s frown deepened.
Hu Yan Fu’s reaction seemed genuine, not feigned, indicating he truly didn't know about Zhang Yang, which implied Zhang Yang had never reached the Hu Yan main base. If he had, Hu Yan Fu’s demeanor would have been entirely different.
If Zhang Yang hadn't reached the Hu Yan base and hadn't returned, where else could he be? Long Feng knew clearly that Zhang Yang came here to obtain medicine to save someone—someone very important to him—leaving no reason for him to linger elsewhere.
“I apologize, Senior. Since I am already here, might I request permission to remain here for a while longer?”
After thinking it over, Long Feng quietly added his request. He didn't completely trust Hu Yan Fu’s word, so he proposed staying to gather more information. He believed that even if the Hu Yan family had captured Zhang Yang, there would be considerable commotion. Zhang Yang was, after all, a Fourth Layer powerhouse, accompanied by three spirit beasts; no one could seize him silently.
“If Nephew Long wishes to stay, you naturally may. However, you must tell me: what was Zhang Yang’s purpose in coming to my Overlord Peak?”
Hu Yan Fu let out a cold snort but eventually nodded. The Hu Yan family had not yet broken ties with the Long family, and Long Feng was their most crucial young disciple; Hu Yan Fu dared not treat him poorly. If Long Feng wished to stay, it was acceptable.
His primary concern now was Zhang Yang’s reason for visiting Overlord Peak. He feared Zhang Yang was seeking trouble with the Hu Yan clan. While they forbade disciples from descending the mountain, they hadn't banned travel within the Tianshan range; some disciples still ventured out for herbs or other necessities. These were mostly ordinary disciples, and encountering Zhang Yang would mean certain death for them.
“It was a minor matter, just searching for something; I don't know the specifics!” Long Feng offered with a slight smile.
Just as Hu Yan Fu was about to press further, he suddenly turned back, looking outward in astonishment.
Long Feng followed his gaze. As he finished speaking, a heavy bell tone suddenly rang out from outside. The sound was incredibly loud, echoing nine times consecutively.
The Long family also possessed such an ancient bell; typically, the number of rings indicated a specific level of importance. For the Long family, nine rings signified an event of paramount significance.