At the foot of Shangqing Sect Mountain.
It was a scene of bustling noise and excitement. No one knew exactly how many people had gathered. Everyone was stunned by Gu Qingfeng's earth-shattering, heaven-startlingly arrogant words. They clustered together, discussing animatedly, all feeling that Gu Qingfeng was far too arrogant—arrogant to the point of not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth, even arrogant to the point of having lost himself. Any normal person probably wouldn't utter such utterly preposterous words.
The big shots from the various major sects and clans were already filled with hatred for Gu Qingfeng. Now, hearing him speak such arrogant words again only made them even more furious and humiliated.
Because Gu Qingfeng's words were simply too arrogant. They were so arrogant that he didn't put them in his eyes at all. This was no longer mere contempt; it was outright, thorough humiliation.
That's right.
Humiliation.
Each and every one of them was an expert who had cultivated for thousands upon thousands of years. They were either high-level immortals of the Luo Heaven Immortal Realm with ten to twenty-something layers, or loose immortals who had weathered ten to twenty-something tribulations. Their cultivation journeys had not been easy. Although the Present-Ancient Era was an age of destiny and fortune, with their rich experience, solid cultivation bases, and profound strength, they each had their own place to stand in this world. Wherever they went, they were respected senior experts of high virtue and prestige.
Yet now, before Gu Qingfeng, they had been reduced to mere ants.
Yes.
Ants.
Gu Qingfeng's crazy words were simply an insult to the cultivation they had painstakingly accumulated over ten thousand years!
Even these old seniors thought this way, let alone those proud and arrogant sons of heaven. They had long been seething with rage from Gu Qingfeng's words. Even Wuya, Jade Dragon Flying Star, and Ten Thousand Flowers Rain—the three Star-Son prodigies bearing great destinies who had always been calm and unruffled—could no longer sit still. They rose to their feet one by one, glaring fixedly at Gu Qingfeng, their eyes also burning with a kind of anger. It was an anger born of self-respect, of pride.
Under the great tree.
Gu Qingfeng still lay lazily reclined on the master's chair, leisurely drinking his wine.
"Kid Gu..." Wine Immortal Zhen Yang walked over, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart, and said in astonishment, "Are you joking, or... or are you serious?"
To tell the truth, he was also a fellow who had cultivated for thousands upon thousands of years. He had experienced all sorts of scenes, big and small, and had seen no shortage of rare and exceptional prodigies. Looking at the countless people present, whether they were the big shots from the major sects or the destiny-endowed geniuses of the Present-Ancient Era, if it were a one-on-one fight, Wine Immortal Zhen Yang feared no one.
But to speak of withstanding a joint assault from everyone, and not even fighting back... Wine Immortal Zhen Yang knew very well that with his own abilities, forget withstanding it, forget resisting it—he probably wouldn't even be able to escape. He'd be reduced to ashes on the spot.
He also couldn't imagine what kind of person would dare to do such a thing, or what kind of person would have the capability.
This had already completely exceeded his understanding, completely exceeded his knowledge.
"Of course I'm serious."
Gu Qingfeng said indifferently with a smile, "Do you think I'm so bored my balls ache that I'd come here to spout nonsense for no reason?"
"I say... I say, kid, have you really become a spirit?"
"More than a spirit, I'm almost a god."
Having said that, Gu Qingfeng couldn't help but burst into loud laughter himself.
Wine Immortal Zhen Yang stood there with his mouth agape, watching the guffawing Gu Qingfeng, truly at a loss for words.
He couldn't see through Gu Qingfeng.
Nor did he know what level Gu Qingfeng's strength had reached today.
Three hundred years had passed. Perhaps this kid's existence had already surpassed his imagination.
But no matter how much it surpassed his imagination, could it really be to the extent that he could withstand a joint assault from everyone with just his physical body?
Had this kid really become a god?
Wine Immortal Zhen Yang's mind was a bit muddled.
At that moment, Su Hua also walked over and advised, "You really intend to do this?"
Su Hua wasn't worried about Gu Qingfeng's safety. She was perhaps the only person present who knew that Gu Qingfeng had both the capability and the qualification to do this. The only thing that worried her was that if these people kept fighting and somehow managed to truly anger Gu Qingfeng, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Gu Qingfeng shrugged. "What else?"
"Can you really manage not to fight back?"
"What's so difficult about that?"
"From what I know of you, you've never been one to take a beating without hitting back."
"That was before. I said it, people change."
Su Hua looked at Gu Qingfeng. It wasn't that she didn't believe him. In her mind, if Gu Qingfeng said he wouldn't fight back, then he definitely wouldn't. She just felt this matter was too crazy. If some situation arose later, firstly, it would be uncontrollable; secondly, it would be irreparable. Most importantly, she was worried this matter might invite even greater trouble.
"Is there really no other way?"
"Sister Su, do you think I like getting beaten up? There's just no other choice. Of course, if you have a way to resolve today's matter, that would be even better."
Resolve today's matter?
Su Hua shook her head. If she had a way to resolve today's affair, she would have stepped forward to resolve it long ago, not waited until now.
She had the ability to persuade the big shots of the Three Thousand Great Daos of the Great Desolate Heavenly Realm, but she had no ability to persuade these ignorant people of this world.
The reason was simple. The big shots of the Three Thousand Great Daos all knew how high the heavens were and how thick the earth was. They knew even more clearly how extraordinary Gu Qingfeng's existence was.
But the people of this world were like frogs at the bottom of a well. They simply didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, nor did they know that Gu Qingfeng's existence was something they absolutely could not afford to provoke.
It wasn't that she hadn't tried to persuade them. On the contrary, yesterday she had used an avatar to visit the major sects to advise them, warning them very seriously and earnestly that Gu Qingfeng's existence was not something they could afford to provoke. But what was the result? No one believed her. Everyone was half-convinced, half-doubting.
And Su Hua realized that if she didn't let these people witness Gu Qingfeng's terror with their own eyes, they would never believe.
"Alright, no need to worry about me. Today's matter is something I absolutely cannot avoid. Even if I could avoid the old grudges, I couldn't avoid some people's curiosity. If I don't let them test the waters today, these little bastards won't let the matter rest."
Gu Qingfeng said lazily, "Since that's the case, let them open their eyes a bit. It'll also save them from wandering around in front of me for no reason in the future."
Hearing Gu Qingfeng say this, Su Hua thought carefully. It seemed this was indeed the case. Gu Qingfeng's existence held great significance for this world. From the moment his identity was exposed, it was destined to cause a sensation across the world and attract endless trouble. Some of this trouble might stem from old grudges, but more of it probably came from those people lurking restlessly in every corner of the world, as well as the big shots of the Three Thousand Great Daos of the Great Desolate Heavenly Realm.
Thinking of this.
Su Hua suddenly felt a pang of guilt in her heart. Looking at Gu Qingfeng, she said sincerely, "I'm sorry."
Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng was taken aback and asked in confusion, "Why are you saying sorry out of the blue?"
"If I hadn't unintentionally revealed your identity back in Yanluo... it wouldn't have... brought so much trouble."
"Oh ho."
Gu Qingfeng laughed. "So you know all this trouble is because of you? I thought you didn't know."
"I... at the time... I never imagined... you could still be alive. So when I saw you in the Yanluo Kingdom, I unintentionally said it... I'm really sorry."
"Don't just say it with your mouth."
Gu Qingfeng said with a playful smile, "You need to show it with actual actions for me to feel your sincerity."
"What actual actions?"
"Come here."
Gu Qingfeng patted his leg, gesturing for Su Hua to sit over. He smiled and said, "Keep this lord company for a drink and have some fun."