"This kid Gu... he's... he's become a true monster, hasn't he? And what an outrageously big mouth he has."
Wine Immortal Zhen Yang took a fierce swig of wine and asked, "Senior Brother, what do you think of this kid Gu's words... how much of it is true?"
True Court Immortal Master looked at Gu Qingfeng sitting in the master's recliner, furrowed his brow, and shook his head. He couldn't see through Gu Qingfeng, not even a tiny bit. Naturally, he couldn't tell how much truth lay in Gu Qingfeng's words.
Perhaps because Gu Qingfeng's words were too arrogant, the previously quiet scene immediately erupted into a clamor. Everyone started talking all at once.
"This Monarch Chixiao really hasn't changed at all. In fact, he seems even more rampant than he was in the Ancient Times Era, utterly without bounds."
"Indeed! Has he even looked at what era this is? The Ancient Times Era that belonged to him is long gone. The Present-Ancient Era is an age where Fortune runs rampant and Heaven's Mandate reigns supreme. What right does he, Monarch Chixiao, have to be so arrogant?"
"If we were still in the Ancient Times Era and he still possessed his Peerless Immortal-Demon Throne, his arrogance would be somewhat understandable. But he doesn't even have the Peerless Immortal-Demon Throne anymore, so why is he still so wild? What's his basis? Could it be just that so-called physical body of his?"
"Exactly! A body is just a body in the end. Not to mention an ordinary one, even if it were an Immortal-Demon physique, or one of the Five Great Fortune Bodies, what difference would it make?"
"It seems Monarch Chixiao is still living in his Ancient Times Era. He hasn't recognized the reality of the Present-Ancient Era at all."
Inside the pavilion.
After hearing Gu Qingfeng's arrogant words, the proud sons of Shangqing Sect's inner disciples like Liuguang Bing, Long Qi, and Wang Ba were all filled with indignation and disdain. They desperately wanted to charge over and compete with him. Although Wuya didn't say anything, the look in his eyes clearly showed he was full of doubt. He asked, "Ghost Elder, do you believe his words?"
Ghost Elder's expression remained as profound as ever. Ever since Gu Qingfeng had appeared, he had been frowning. It took a long moment after Wuya's question before he finally shook his head and said in a dazed tone, "This old man does not know."
He truly did not know. He didn't know whether to believe or not.
Similarly, the proud sons from the Immortal Court's Purple Gold Hall and the Crimson-Letter Sect's Zixiao Pavilion shared the same indignation and disdain as Liuguang Bing. They also couldn't help but want to charge over and test him.
Of course, indignation was indignation, disdain was disdain.
Whether it was Shangqing Sect's inner disciples, the Immortal Court's Purple Gold Hall, or the Crimson-Letter Sect's Zixiao Pavilion, these were not second-rate talents, nor were they blindly arrogant. They were the proudest sons among the proud sons, the dragons among men among dragons. Without a clear understanding of their opponent's strength, they would not act rashly. Especially when that opponent was Monarch Chixiao from the Ancient Times Era.
Whether they admitted it or not, deep in their hearts, they all harbored a profound wariness towards Monarch Chixiao.
Like Wuya, the great Destiny Star Children, Yu Long Feixing and Wan Huayu, perhaps did not show indignation or disdain in their expressions, but they were both filled with doubt.
"This man..." Yu Long Feixing gazed at Gu Qingfeng and said softly, "really does seem as fearless and arrogant as the legends say."
Wan Huayu wasn't looking at Gu Qingfeng. Instead, she lowered her head, fiddling with something in her hand, and said indifferently, "Arrogance requires capital."
"Brother Wan, do you think he possesses that capital?"
Wan Huayu smiled slightly. "Perhaps. Heaven knows."
"Brother Wan, aren't you tempted to test him a little?"
"I've said it before. I'm only here to watch the spectacle, nothing more."
"Is that so..." Yu Long Feixing chuckled.
"Brother Yu Long, are you tempted to test him?"
"Me? Hah, I also said I'm just here to join in the fun."
"Ha! It seems we share the same purpose."
"In that case, let's make things lively for him later."
"Fine."
Under the great tree.
Gu Qingfeng reclined in the master's chair, basking in the sun, toying with the Buddhist beads left by Da Fuzi. He leaned to one side, crossed his legs, tilted his head slightly, looking utterly languid. He picked up a cup of wine, drained it in one gulp, and continued in a bored tone, "As I said before, I don't want to die, and I'm too lazy to kill anyone else. Plus, I'm still a bit weak lately. I stretched my limbs a bit yesterday, and got up early today. I really don't feel like moving much."
"However... since so many of you have come today, I imagine you won't leave easily without achieving something, right?"
Gu Qingfeng looked at the crowd again and said, "So, let's think of a two-win solution, try to settle the grudges from back today. Only... what kind of solution should we think of?"
Gu Qingfeng rubbed his chin, pondered for a moment, and said, "How about this? Today, I'll let you all have a solid beating at me. How's that?"
"You all, those with vendettas can seek revenge, those with grievances can air them. Feel free to unleash your attacks. I'll just sit here, absolutely won't fight back. I'll let you beat me to your heart's content, until you're full. Vent all your hatred and grievances."
"If you manage to beat me to death, that's your skill. I'll have no regrets, and deserve to die."
"If you've had enough beating, vented enough, then consider our old grudges settled, alright? You won't trouble me in the future, and I'll absolutely let bygones be bygones. We can even be friends from now on. How about it?"
As soon as Gu Qingfeng finished speaking, the place exploded.
No one had expected Gu Qingfeng to propose such a condition to settle the old grudges.
Not fight back?
Let everyone take revenge to their heart's content?
If beaten to death, he deserves it?
Where did his confidence come from, to utter such arrogant words that showed no understanding of the immensity of heaven and earth?
One must know that nearly every figure of note in the Divine Continent was gathered here. Looking around, True Immortals and Superior Immortals were everywhere. Scattered Immortals of the Nine Tribulations, Twelve Tribulations, and even Twenty-Four Tribulations were numerous. Great powers who had reincarnated were among them. Besides, there were Shangqing Sect's inner disciples, the Immortal Court's Purple Gold Hall, the Crimson-Letter Sect's Zixiao Pavilion—Fortune of all kinds abounded. There were Immortal Dao Edicts, Great Nature Edicts, Human Dao Edicts, as well as Immortal-Demon Treasure Bodies, Five Great Fortune Bodies. Even three great Destiny Star Children had come.
And these were only the ones visible. No one knew how many great powers lurked in the shadows.
Yet he said he would sit there, letting everyone attack, while he wouldn't fight back.
Across the entire world, who would dare do such a thing?
The answer was definite.
No one dared!
Because there were simply too many Immortal-level experts present. No one could withstand a siege from so many powerful individuals. No one.
This wasn't a question of cultivation level, nor a question of Fortune, nor even a question of strength.
No matter how high your cultivation, how abundant your Fortune, how formidable your strength, you might withstand ten, a hundred opponents, but you absolutely could not withstand a thousand, ten thousand, or even more experts besieging you.
As the saying goes, enough ants can devour an elephant, and dripping water can wear through stone. No matter how strong or resilient you are, you cannot endure blow after blow.
Moreover, these people weren't ants, nor drops of water. They were experts from various great sects and clans who had cultivated for thousands upon thousands of years.