Everyone had seen arrogant, swaggering Nouveau Riche types before.
But a Nouveau Riche who, even when surrounded by over a hundred members of the Jinwu Li Clan with death looming, showed not a shred of repentance, still acting this overbearing and smug—this was absolutely the first time they'd encountered such a sight.
"A Nouveau Riche who doesn't know his own mortality!
How dare you put on airs even with death at your doorstep!
Get down here and kowtow to this young lady!"
Li Jingya clenched her fists, seething with anger.
"Jingya, don't be impulsive," Ding Da said. "Since we agreed to Young Lord Xuan Yun's request to discuss this calmly, we must keep our promise. He's just a petty Nouveau Riche; why lower ourselves to his level?"
He continued, "Moreover, I believe Young Lord Xuan Yun will certainly give us a satisfactory resolution."
Xuan Yun nodded at Ding Da, then glanced at Qiānlíng. "I truly can't understand why you insist on protecting such a clueless, utterly inflated Nouveau Riche. If it weren't for you, someone like him—I wouldn't even spare a glance."
"Young Lord Xuan Yun, please don't say it's for me," Qiānlíng replied. "I never asked for your help from the start. I've also said I don't need assistance and don't wish to implicate anyone."
A trace of pride flashed across Xuan Yun's handsome face. "Heh, if I weren't helping you today, all of you would die here. Believe me?"
"Whether we die here or not is none of your concern, Young Lord. Regardless, I will remember your kindness in my heart. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will repay it twofold."
Having said that, Qiānlíng ignored him further and walked toward the Firecloud Grand Chariot.
Watching Qiānlíng depart, Xuan Yun gave a scornful laugh, shook his head, and sighed. "The ignorant truly are fearless."
On the Firecloud Grand Chariot.
Qiānniǎo, her throat tight, whispered urgently, "Little Drunkard!
Have you gone mad?
The fire is literally singeing our eyebrows, and you're still putting on airs!
Do you really think you're some grand lord?"
"What's wrong?" Gu Qingfeng exhaled a wisp of Spiritual Tobacco. "Don't I look like a grand lord?"
"You!
Cough!
Cough!"
Qiānniǎo was choked by the Spiritual Tobacco and started coughing.
At that moment, Qiānlíng walked over and stared at Gu Qingfeng. "How do you plan to handle this?"
"Sister Ling'er, look at him now!" Qiānniǎo interjected. "He's so puffed up with pride he doesn't even remember his own place anymore. Why even ask him?
What can we do besides offering compensation?"
Seeing Xuan Yun approaching, Qiānniǎo quickly added, "Brother Xuan Yun, could you please speak to the Jinwu Li Clan? Ask them not to make Little Drunkard kowtow. We're willing to compensate a bit more instead."
"This...
I'm afraid that won't be possible," Xuan Yun said. "As I've said, the Jinwu Li Clan is, after all, an Immortal Family, a force with face and reputation in the Dual-Pole Celestial Domain. If they aren't allowed to vent their anger and recover their face, this hurdle simply cannot be passed."
He then looked at Gu Qingfeng. "If you don't want to die here, you'd best go and kowtow to apologize immediately. Otherwise..."
"Kowtow my ass!"
The moment Gu Qingfeng uttered these words, Xuan Yun's handsome face instantly darkened, a flicker of killing intent flashing in his eyes.
Qiānniǎo beside him was terrified. "Little Drunkard! How can you be so rude to Young Lord Xuan Yun? Hurry up and apologize! Don't you know it's Young Lord Xuan Yun who has been pleading on our behalf? If it weren't for him, we... we probably would have been killed by the Jinwu Li Clan long ago!"
"Oh, really?" Gu Qingfeng took a sip of his wine. "Young Lord Xuan Yun's face sure carries a lot of weight. Thanks. I'll buy you a drink another day."
Xuan Yun stared at Gu Qingfeng and said coolly, "Unnecessary. I wasn't helping you; I was helping Ling'er, that's all. If it weren't for Ling'er's sake, believe me, I would never help a clueless Nouveau Riche."
"Is that so?" Gu Qingfeng replied with a smile still on his face. "Whether you're helping Ling'er or helping me, regardless of who, I thank you all the same. However, this lord currently doesn't need any help. So, you can take a rest for now. Or, sit down and have a drink with us."
Xuan Yun's expression was very poor, quite ugly, to be precise. The smile at the corner of his mouth gradually vanished, replaced by visible anger. He narrowed his eyes, staring at Gu Qingfeng. After a moment, he finally sneered, "It seems this young lord was being overly sentimental today."
"Young Lord Xuan Yun, don't be angry," Gu Qingfeng said. "This lord means no offense. I just genuinely don't need help. If I don't need help, what are you helping with? Isn't that logical? Of course, I appreciate your good intentions. Another day, if you need help, this lord will definitely lend you a hand."
"Heh! Heh! Heh!
Fine!
Fine!
Very well!"
Young Lord Xuan Yun's face was livid. He took a deep breath, as if suppressing the fury in his heart.
At this moment, Qiānniǎo felt like killing Gu Qingfeng. Her face was crestfallen, and she had no heart to scold him further. She looked at Xuan Yun with an apologetic expression. "Brother Xuan Yun, I'm truly sorry. Little Drunkard, he..."
Before she could finish, Young Lord Xuan Yun gave a cold snort, flicked his sleeve, and left. "No! Sense! Of! Mortality! Today, this young lord will see exactly what capabilities a mere Nouveau Riche has to dare be so insolent!"
Arriving opposite, Xuan Yun said with an impassive face, "Brother Ding, I retract everything I said earlier. I've also decided to no longer involve myself in this matter. You should proceed as you see fit."
Xuan Yun's words caught Ding Da somewhat off guard.
Indeed.
Their Jinwu Li Clan had come today to extort money.
But extortion wasn't exactly a glorious affair. If they demanded compensation themselves, it would seem too direct. Having Young Lord Xuan Yun act as mediator not only didn't anger them, but actually pleased them. Because Xuan Yun's mediation would both put the Jinwu Li Clan in his debt and allow them to naturally, justifiably bring up compensation. It was supposed to be an ideal situation.
Yet, the Jinwu Li Clan members never expected that Young Lord Xuan Yun, after mediating for so long, would withdraw midway. This left them truly at a loss for a moment.
That was their reaction.
As for the Xiaoluo Secret Realm group?
Seeing Xuan Yun angered and explicitly stating his withdrawal from the matter dashed the hope they had been clinging to, plunging them from heaven straight into hell in an instant.
Little Qiānniǎo was dumbstruck. Horse King was dumbstruck. Everyone was dumbstruck. They couldn't understand or fathom why, since Young Lord Xuan Yun was willing to mediate, Little Drunkard wouldn't accept the favor?
Could he really have won 1.8 billion in one go and gotten so puffed up with pride that he actually thought himself some grand lord?
What to do now?
Who knew?
No one knew.
In the entire scene, only Qiānlíng appeared relatively calm. And only she knew that Gu Qingfeng absolutely had not become so swollen with pride that he forgot his own surname.
She just didn't know—and wanted to know—what exactly Gu Qingfeng was relying on to dare be so fearless and unafraid.