Every era, whether it be the Primordial Age, the Ancient Age, the High Antiquity, or the Present Era, possesses its own Heavenly Destiny.
For example, the Imperial Seal of the Ancient Age.
For example, the Throne of the High Antiquity.
For example, the Star Mansions of the Present Era.
The so-called Heavenly Destiny means to receive the Mandate of Heaven and pioneer a new era.
Looking across past and present, without exception, those who bear the Heavenly Destiny almost always become the vanguards who forge new eras; some even end up as the overlords who dominate those new ages.
Therefore.
Although Wuya of the Shangqing Sect's inner sect, Jade Dragon Flying Star of the Immortal Dynasty's Purple Gold Hall, and Ten Thousand Flowers Rain of the Crimson-Letter Sect's Zixiao Pavilion have not cultivated for long, lack seniority, have shallow experience, and possess limited connections, their status and position are unmatched.
Do not be fooled by the fact that the big shots and even some ancestors from the various major sects and clans present, all of whom are senior experts who have cultivated for thousands or tens of thousands of years, have seniority, experience, connections, and influence. Before Wuya and the other two, who have descended as Star Mansions bearing the Heavenly Destiny, they must all greet them with smiling faces and respectfully address them as 'Young Master Star Mansion'.
Because they all know that the Sons of Star Mansions who bear the Heavenly Destiny are destined to become the pioneering overlords of the Present Era.
Given this.
Who would dare provoke a Son of Star Mansion?
The answer is obvious.
They would be scrambling to curry favor; who would dare make an enemy of them?
Unless you have a grudge against the Present Era itself.
Over at the Shangqing Sect side.
Wine Immortal Zhen Yang tilted his head back for a drink, glanced at Jade Dragon Flying Star and the others, then looked at Ten Thousand Flowers Rain and her group, sighing, "These brats today have all come with ill intentions."
"The tree may crave calm, but the wind will not cease."
Immortal Master Zhen Ting shook his head slightly, also sighing, "Ever since the news of Tianlang's return spread, this world has immediately become turbulent. Those who were lurking in the shadows before have now begun to surface one after another."
Wine Immortal Zhen Yang nodded. He had been carefully probing and discovered that those who came to Shangqing Sect today were not just the big shots from the major sects. Besides them, there were also many mysterious and unknown great powers.
There were many such great powers, over a hundred in total. Exactly who they were or where they came from, Wine Immortal Zhen Yang did not know, and neither did Immortal Master Zhen Ting.
And these were only the ones they could detect. Both Wine Immortal Zhen Yang and Immortal Master Zhen Ting were clear that at this very moment, at the foot of Shangqing Sect, there must also be many great powers hidden whom they could not detect.
Similarly.
Su Hua also realized this problem.
She knew this world harbored many mysterious, unknown great powers.
She also knew these people were likely quite curious about Gu Qingfeng's existence.
Yes.
She knew.
But when these mysterious, unknown great powers appeared one after another in quick succession, she couldn't help feeling shocked deep down. Because there were simply too many. For some of the mysterious great powers, she might be able to guess their identities. For many more, she had never even seen them before, let alone knew where they had emerged from.
What to do?
Su Hua didn't know what to do either. She hadn't even remotely imagined that Gu Qingfeng's casual remark would attract so many people.
As time passed bit by bit, more and more people gathered at the foot of Shangqing Sect's mountain.
The big shots from the various major sects were growing impatient, demanding that Shangqing Sect hand over Gu Qingfeng.
Immortal Master Zhen Ting knew that trying to persuade anyone today was meaningless. Yet, if they asked him to hand over Gu Qingfeng, he truly had no idea of Gu Qingfeng's whereabouts.
"Could it be that Monarch Chixiao ran away yesterday?
Or perhaps, not expecting so many people to come denouncing him today, he's hiding inside Shangqing Sect, not daring to come out?"
"Not very likely. What kind of hero is the Monarch?
How could he be afraid and run away?
As for him hiding in Shangqing Sect, too afraid to show himself, that's even more impossible."
"Nothing is impossible. The High Antiquity was the High Antiquity; the Present Era is the Present Era. In the High Antiquity, Monarch Chixiao stood alone, dominating the world, but the Present Era is different."
"That's true. Not to mention anything else, just the three Young Master Star Mansions bearing the Heavenly Destiny—Wuya, Jade Dragon Flying Star, and Ten Thousand Flowers Rain—are probably enough to give the Monarch a hard time."
"Rumors say that this time the Monarch has returned, already stripped of his peerless Immortal-Demon Throne, with neither cultivation nor fortune left, possessing only a formidable physical body. Even though his body is said to be incredibly powerful, capable of obliterating an immortal with a single punch, a body is, after all, just a body. No matter how strong a body is, how strong can it truly be?"
Everyone began discussing, one after another. At first, most suspected Gu Qingfeng was hiding inside Shangqing Sect, unwilling to come out. However, this was quickly dismissed because Liuguang Bing, Long Qi, and others had each led teams to search every corner of Shangqing Sect and found no trace of Gu Qingfeng.
Unable to find Gu Qingfeng, everyone finally pointed their fingers at Su Hua.
In everyone's minds, this Monarch Chixiao had been personally confirmed by Fairy Su Hua. Moreover, many had seen her enter Shangqing Sect with Monarch Chixiao yesterday. If anyone knew Monarch Chixiao's whereabouts, it must be Su Hua.
"Fairy Hua, may I ask where that Gu Tianlang is right now?" asked the Patriarch of the Liuguang Clan.
Su Hua shook her head. If possible, she too wished to know where Gu Qingfeng was now. Ever since they parted last night, she had been searching for any trace of Gu Qingfeng. But she had searched all of Shangqing Sect and even the entire Weiyang Great Domain without finding him. It was as if he had vanished from the world overnight.
"Fairy Hua, there is a question I wonder if you could enlighten me on."
At this moment, Jade Dragon Flying Star suddenly spoke up. Without waiting for Su Hua's response, he said, "Nine years ago in the Great Northwest, Fairy Hua publicly announced the death of Monarch Chixiao. Why did he reappear in the Yanyue Kingdom nine years later?"
Jade Dragon Flying Star wore a faint smile, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze, continuing, "Many say that nine years ago, you deliberately shielded Monarch Chixiao and therefore falsely announced his death. However, I don't think so. I absolutely trust Fairy Hua's character. If Fairy Hua said he was dead, then at that time nine years ago, he should have truly been dead."
"I just can't figure out how someone Fairy Hua determined to be dead managed to come back to life."
Su Hua glanced at him and replied, "You shouldn't ask me that question. You should ask him personally."
"Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be at Shangqing Sect."
"Since he said he would invite everyone to drink and reminisce today, I believe he won't go back on his word."
As soon as her words fell, a group of people came running down from Shangqing Sect's mountain, shouting, "Found him! Monarch Chixiao has been found…"
Hearing this news, the entire crowd instantly erupted.
"Where is he?"
"He's at… he's right here in our Shangqing Sect."
Shangqing Sect?
No one could believe it, especially Liuguang Bing and the inner and outer sect elders of Shangqing Sect, because prior to this, they had practically turned Shangqing Sect upside down without finding any trace of Gu Qingfeng.
"Where in Shangqing Sect was he found?"
"The back mountain… that courtyard for recuperation, the very courtyard where the Monarch lived when he cultivated at our Shangqing Sect in the past."
"That courtyard… I searched it no less than a hundred times and didn't see him."
The speaker was none other than Su Hua.
Based on her understanding of Gu Qingfeng, if Gu Qingfeng stayed overnight at Shangqing Sect, he would definitely rest in that old courtyard. She knew that using divine sense alone couldn't detect Gu Qingfeng's presence, so she had been waiting there like a fool hoping the rabbit would run into the tree stump. But she hadn't found Gu Qingfeng in that courtyard.
"The Monarch has been… he's been sleeping the whole time on that red-leaf tree in the courtyard…"
The red-leaf tree in the courtyard?
Heavens!
Su Hua suddenly slapped her forehead, inwardly cursing herself for being so careless. She only knew to wait foolishly in the courtyard; why hadn't she thought to climb the tree and look? Moreover, she clearly remembered Gu Qingfeng saying that back when he cultivated at Shangqing Sect, worried that other disciples might come looking for trouble at night, he usually slept in that tree.
"Where is he now?"
"The Monarch just woke up… he's washing up… He… told me to come ahead and inform everyone that he'll be here shortly…"