A feeling of compassion suddenly welled up within Feng Xiao.

It was as if he couldn’t bear to see everyone separated by a transparent veil called [Desire].

From his complex eyes, two clear trails of tears quietly rolled down.

At once, his ten fingers moved, intertwining and overlapping, swift to the point of blurring as he formed the [Emptiness Seal].

“Today’s cause is tomorrow’s effect!”

“As long as one follows their true heart, impermanence itself becomes constancy!”

A great wind arose.

The formless gale tore the earth asunder, instantly destroying the sea of flowers.

From the fissures in the ground, foul-smelling earth qi erupted like beacon smoke.

Everyone hovering in the air plummeted to the ground.

However, the greatest danger did not come from the fall.

After landing, everyone’s eyes gradually grew dazed and unfocused. Regardless of gender or pairing—man and woman, man and man, woman and woman—they all immediately locked onto a target.

“Something’s wrong.” Jiang Chen’s expression changed drastically.

He felt a certain part of himself swelling continuously. His breathing became heavy and ragged.

From the depths of his heart, an intense desire surged forth, threatening to tear apart the outer garment known as [Morality].

Fortunately, at that critical moment, the companion Green Lotus released waves of cooling clarity.

All the distracting thoughts and desires were cleansed away in an instant.

The problem was, while Jiang Chen was fine, everyone else—whether at Qi Condensation or Foundation Establishment—found their minds tossed like solitary boats on a vast ocean. Suffering the baptism of a storm, they were constantly swaying and unsteady.

In the end… they instinctively drew closer to Jiang Chen.

Originally, the two of them had actually been somewhat looking forward to a romantic development. But at this very moment, similar chaotic scenes were unfolding all around them.

“Yes, just like that. Do not resist. Release the desires buried deep within your hearts.” Feng Xiao’s nostrils flared continuously as he greedily inhaled the incoming decadent winds.

With each inhalation and exhalation, his heart trembled.

Both physically and psychologically, an unprecedented sense of pleasure surged forth.

From every pore on his body, wisps of black wind seeped out. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into a black net that enveloped Feng Xiao.

Sizzle!

The sound of something tearing through the air rang out.

From afar, a mass of golden light, resembling a miniature sun, surged forth violently.

The black wind tried to stop it, transforming into layers upon layers of invisible barriers. Yet, the dazzling golden light smashed through them as easily as breaking dry twigs; it simply could not be blocked.

“Preposterous!” A man’s cold, stern voice exploded like thunder.

The dazzling golden light severed the invisible hands controlling everyone.

Those who had been dazed quickly regained their senses.

Lin Yu was muddled and confused. “What happened to me?”

Lin Yan’s pupils contracted slightly. “My lust was ignited?”

Wang Bing’s cheeks flushed crimson. Her pearly white teeth lightly bit her lower lip.

“What a pity.” Jiang Chen felt both relief and a tinge of regret in his heart.

“I will make you pay a hundredfold for today’s humiliation!”

“Why are you all angry? Feng Xiao is clearly a saint!”

The recovered crowd all looked upward.

Feng Xiao’s face was extremely strange. The left side was smiling. The right side was crying.

He appeared utterly deranged. Anyone who saw him would say, “This fellow is not right in the head!”

Floating directly opposite Feng Xiao was another person.

He was dressed in white robes, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes. He was tall and handsome.

Behind him floated a massive golden sunflower.

Upon closer inspection, one would find that this sunflower did not contain seeds. Instead, it held numerous tiny short swords, each about the length of a finger, brimming with astonishing sharpness.

Wang Bing, her amorous flush gradually fading, spoke up to introduce him. “This person is none other than Qin Hao. He condensed an Earth-grade Golden Core before reaching a hundred years of age and ranks first among the core disciples of the Cloud Sea Sect—a genius of the Sword Path.”

Hearing this, Jiang Chen thoughtfully asked, “How does Chen Tian compare to him?”

No one answered that question.

After all, Qin Hao was right in front of them. Who would dare speak carelessly?

Jiang Chen realized this as well and quickly shut his mouth.

At that moment, they heard Qin Hao speak. “Feng Xiao. I originally thought you came to the Sea of Flowers simply to relax after failing to condense an Earth-grade Golden Core. I never imagined you would actually give rise to Inner Demons.”

Qin Hao continued coldly, “Look at the wretched state you’re in now.”

Feng Xiao didn’t even look at himself. Instead, he roared hoarsely, “I am the most talented young member of the Royal Clan! I am the Little Genius admired by everyone! Why should I fail at condensing an Earth-grade Golden Core? Tell me! Why?!”

Qin Hao frowned. “Not everyone can succeed.”

Feng Xiao demanded, “Why were you able to succeed?”

On the ground, Jiang Chen couldn’t help but shake his head.

He suddenly understood why Feng Xiao had become deranged.

Sometimes, being placed on too high a pedestal isn’t necessarily a good thing.

For an ordinary cultivator, failure is just failure. Is it hard to accept? Yes. But they have no choice but to accept it and move on.

But who was Feng Xiao? The Little Genius admired by many. The most talented existence among the youth of The Feng Clan. Watched by countless eyes. Nourished by endless resources.

Yet who could have imagined he would actually fail at condensing an Earth-grade Golden Core?

The blow from such a disparity between expectation and reality was enough to destroy many people. Especially someone as inherently arrogant as Feng Xiao.

Everyone finally understood why this had happened. They had thought members of The Feng Clan came here seeking Dao Companions. They never expected something this major.

Thankfully, Qin Hao had arrived in time; otherwise, a major disaster would have occurred.

At that moment, Feng Xiao shouted impatiently, “Do not hinder me! I will condense my Golden Core immediately!”

Hearing this, Qin Hao showed a disappointed expression; his gaze instantly turned sharp. “If you still refuse to awaken from this delusion… then I can only cut you down!”

The sunflower behind him trembled violently.

The tiny short swords all emitted sword hums simultaneously.

A sharp sword intent instantly enveloped the entire area. Those caught within it felt their hair stand on end without exception. Every single person’s expression changed drastically for the worse.

Fortunately… it wasn’t directed at them.

Qin Hao turned his head and said, “You all must leave quickly. The Feng Clan will provide compensation for this matter.”

“Let’s go.” Jiang Chen called out once more and regained control of the somewhat damaged Paper Crane.

But this time, everyone reacted differently.

Lin Yan clung tightly to her younger sister Lin Yu and refused to let go. Wang Bing instinctively moved to follow but stopped upon noticing that the Lin sisters weren’t moving.

As for Jin Fugui and Mo Yu? They had no such reservations. The three of them boarded the Paper Crane and left immediately without any delay at all!

For a time, everyone present fled toward Red Leaf Valley!

Those with means of transportation used them! Those without could only rely on their own two legs!

Watching as they put over ten thousand meters between themselves and the battlefield, a sudden BOOM rang out from behind!

Everyone looked back, and their pupils immediately contracted!

The golden sunflower transformed into a dazzling sun, soaring into the sky!

Countless tiny short swords radiated outward like solar rays! Their terrifying power instantly erased that entire region from existence!

Jiang Chen’s eyes widened. “Such is the might of a Golden Core!!!”