Several days passed in the blink of an eye. Senior Xuanze had some matters to attend to and had to take his leave for the time being.
During these days, Gu Qingfeng and Old Monster Tang had done almost nothing. Apart from eating, drinking, and relieving themselves, they spent all their time drinking.
Gu Qingfeng himself was fond of wine, and Old Monster Tang was famously someone who couldn't be happy without it. The two were birds of a feather, naturally having endless topics to chat about. The only thing that annoyed Gu Qingfeng was Old Monster Tang constantly nagging him to step in and resolve the Yanluo Royal Family's calamity. The old man went on and on without end, chattering incessantly. Finally, Gu Qingfeng grew so fed up that he simply agreed.
Once Gu Qingfeng agreed, Old Monster Tang's attitude towards him did a complete one-eighty. He even specially brought out his treasured fine wines, serving up good wine and fine dishes every day.
Gu Qingfeng, for his part, was happy to enjoy the leisurely life. As for the matter of the Yanluo Royal Family, even if Old Monster Tang hadn't said anything, he wouldn't have stood idly by.
On this day, the two were drinking and chatting in the Emerald Bamboo Forest.
"What's going on? Something seems a bit off about you today."
Gu Qingfeng looked at Old Monster Tang and noticed the old fellow seemed to have turned somewhat serious today.
"Youngster Gu, to be honest, I'm really glad you agreed to help. It shows Hengshu's fondness for you back then wasn't in vain."
"I say, Old Monster Tang, why bring this up out of the blue? What act are you putting on now?"
"I'm not joking with you."
Today's Old Monster Tang wasn't his usual laughing, joking, and utterly irreverent self. When serious, he actually carried a bit of a grandmaster's demeanor. Sitting upright, he said very earnestly, "Although I've been nagging you to step in and help, it was just nagging. I didn't truly want you to get involved. You barely managed to snatch your little life back from the heavens. I don't want you to lose it again. And I truly don't want you to walk your old path again."
"Don't want me to walk my old path? What, so I should only walk the path you set, you old scoundrel?"
"I'm being very serious right now. Could you please be a bit serious too?"
Indeed.
Old Monster Tang was very serious at this moment, as serious as could be.
The truth was exactly as he said: he didn't truly want Gu Qingfeng to step in and help. The reason he kept nagging was just to find out if Gu Qingfeng was willing, nothing more. As long as he knew Gu Qingfeng was willing to help, then he would have fulfilled a wish of his heart. At the very least, it proved Gu Qingfeng hadn't forgotten Hengshu. For Old Monster Tang, that was enough.
"The Immortal Dynasty of the current era, though as strong and unshakable as heaven and earth, our Yanluo Royal Family isn't some pushover either. This time, the Immortal Dynasty's real goal is just to test our Yanluo Royal Family, to force our hidden trump cards into the open. Since they want to see them, then this old man is prepared to show them our trump cards."
The Yanluo Royal Family had been passed down for tens of thousands of years, producing so many emperors of extraordinary fortune. Plus, the founding ancestor of the Yanluo Royal Family was no ordinary person. To say they had no trump cards would be false. Although revealing these trump cards might not be enough to shake the Immortal Dynasty, it would at least make them think twice before acting rashly.
And Gu Qingfeng knew even better that in this world, any lineage with a long heritage—be it a nation, a major sect, or a great clan—had intricate connections with the immortal sects of the Nine Heavens. This was the fundamental reason why the Immortal Dynasty, whether in the ancient era or the current one, dared not move against the great nations and sects of this world. The Nine Heavens wasn't that big, nor was it that small. Many immortals there saw each other all the time and would give each other some face. The Immortal Dynasty was no exception.
"So, you don't need my help after all?"
"Having your word is enough. If you ended up walking your old path again because you helped our Yanluo Royal Family, this old man couldn't bear that responsibility. And..." Old Monster Tang continued, "I also want to advise you: don't stir up trouble anymore. Living a carefree, stable life is so much better. As for that nonsense about Zhou Taihe, I'll handle it for you."
"No need."
"What? You look down on this old man?"
"How dare I? Of course not. It's just... this is my own business. I'll handle it myself."
"Youngster Gu, the Immortal Dynasty of the current era isn't like the one from the ancient times. And in this era, besides the Immortal Dynasty, there's also the so-called Cloud End of the Immortals, known as the 'Lesser Nine Heavens.' That's where the Nine Heavens Immortal Lords reside. Do you know why the Nine Heavens created this Cloud End of the Immortals outside the Immortal Dynasty?"
"Why?"
"To prevent another fellow like you from appearing in this world!"
Gu Qingfeng smiled but said nothing.
He had heard of the Cloud End of the Immortals, but only in passing. He didn't know much about it and had no interest in it. Forget the Cloud End of the Immortals; even if the Nine Heavens descended into this world, he couldn't be bothered to spare them a glance.
"In the ancient times, when the spiritual energy in our world was so scarce, a fellow like you with heaven-defying fortune still emerged. Now, in the current era, it's a time of universal revival. Who knows how many old monsters have awakened? There's also the reincarnation storm. No one knows how many great powers have reincarnated in this world. And the Heavenly Mandates... even more so, no one knows if among these Heavenly Mandates, a terrifying existence might appear."
"I'm telling you all this just to let you know: the Immortal Dynasty of the current era is powerful beyond imagination. And the Cloud End of the Immortals above the Immortal Dynasty exists precisely to suppress the old monsters awakened by the universal revival, to suppress the great powers reincarnated by the reincarnation storm, and to suppress the Heavenly Mandate fortunes born in response to destiny. Just think with your toes, and you'll know what kind of terrifying people are inside the Cloud End of the Immortals."
"So, youngster, stop messing around. I really can't bear to see you walk your old path again. If Hengshu were still here, she certainly wouldn't want you to walk that path again either."
Gu Qingfeng could see and hear that Old Monster Tang was genuinely worried about him. He picked up his wine cup, drained it in one gulp, and said with a faint smile, "Old Monster, believe me. If I could, I'd also like to live a peaceful, stable life. Drinking a little wine every day, listening to a little music—that's the life I dream of. Do you think I don't want that? Or do you think I'm really so bored I have nothing better to do than look for trouble?"
"Then why!"
"There are many things you don't understand. They involve too much and are too complicated. It's hard to explain in a sentence or two. Let me put it this way: right now, it's not that I'm looking for trouble with others, but that others are looking for trouble with me. And this trouble... I can't avoid it."
"Does the Immortal Dynasty know you're still alive? And that you've returned?"
"Whether the Immortal Dynasty knows or not, I'm not sure. I can't be bothered to find out, and I don't care in the slightest. And when I said someone is looking for trouble with me just now, I wasn't talking about the Immortal Dynasty, nor the Cloud End of the Immortals. I'm talking about the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao. And it's not just the Immortal Dao. The Demonic Dao, and even the Heavenly Dao, the Buddhist Dao... I'm afraid all three thousand Great Daos are secretly watching me. Once they get the chance, they'll definitely make a move."