The young Mortal Immortals and Refined Immortals within the venue might have only seen the sincere apologies from the Lotus Secret Realm, the Golden Crow Liu Family, and the Prestigious Bai Family.
However,
for the senior experts present—those who had cultivated for thousands or tens of thousands of years and were as shrewd as old foxes—they naturally could also see that behind Dan Lei and the others' sincere apology lay a plea for Tyrant's Courtesy, and the offering of Tyrant's Courtesy as compensation.
Regarding this,
they, although feeling Dan Lei and the others were not entirely honorable, did not say anything, nor would they expose or dismantle the act. In fact, many senior experts expressed understanding, because they felt that if they themselves encountered such a situation, they would probably also plead for Tyrant's Courtesy and offer Tyrant's Courtesy for the sake of their own juniors. No one wanted their own juniors to lose face, especially since the stakes were simply too high—a full ten million kowtows. If they were truly performed, their juniors would genuinely have no face left to show anyone in the future.
In their minds, that mysterious Great Old Master should also be able to see through this trickery. Not only would he see it, but he would certainly agree.
Faced with the Tyrant's Courtesy pleaded for by the three parties of the Lotus Secret Realm, there was no choice but to agree.
If he didn't agree, being called petty would be a minor matter. The key issue would be offending the Lotus Secret Realm, the Prestigious Bai Family, and the Golden Crow Liu Family. After that, he might as well forget about surviving in the Dual-Pole Celestial Domain.
No matter how mysterious or bizarre you are, Great Old Master, the fact remains that your cultivation is completely lost. No matter how powerful your strength, it ultimately has its limits. Moreover, you are alone. As the saying goes, two fists are no match for four hands. How could you possibly contend with the Prestigious Bai Family and the Golden Crow Liu Family, both teeming with experts, and the ancient, inherited Lotus Secret Realm?
If you don't agree today, forget about whether you can survive in the Dual-Pole Celestial Domain in the future—whether you can leave the Fengyue Small World in one piece would be an unknown. If you truly anger the Lotus Secret Realm, with a single message talisman sent out, experts from within the secret realm would come swarming.
Rather than risk your life and thoroughly offend the Lotus Secret Realm and the others, it would be better to quit while you're ahead. After all, the three parties have given you ample face. Why not push the boat with the current, letting the three parties owe you a favor? What's not to like about that?
Only,
what puzzled everyone was that the mysterious Great Old Master had not spoken a single word from beginning to end, not even one syllable.
He had been sitting all along on that wide, comfortable chair, occasionally taking a puff of spiritual tobacco, sipping a little wine, looking at Xuan Yun, Bai Yufei, and Liu Feng kneeling on one knee opposite him, and glancing at Dan Lei, Liu Kaiyun, Bai Teng, and the others.
But he had only looked and glanced.
Beyond that, nothing else.
Xuan Yun and the other two, kneeling on one knee, were already inwardly unconvinced. Now, having disregarded their dignity to kneel, the other party still hadn't spoken. This made the three of them increasingly unable to bear it. Not only could they not bear it, but the expressions on the faces of the elders from the three families also gradually darkened. Even Liu Kaiyun and Bai Teng were the same; they looked toward Dan Lei.
As for Dan Lei, although nothing showed on his old face, inwardly he also harbored a faint anger, though he did not display it. Seeing Gu Qingfeng remain silent, he once again cupped his fists and bowed, pleading: "Great Old Master, the three juniors have already recognized their mistake. I hope the Great Old Master, considering their youth and ignorance, will forgive them this once."
Huadiexianzi and Mu Lingyao both knew the consequences of offending the three parties of the Lotus Secret Realm. Seeing Gu Qingfeng still silent, Mu Lingyao was just about to open her mouth to persuade him when Gu Qingfeng picked up a cup of wine. After draining the cup in one go, he finally spoke.
"Truly worthy of being senior experts who have cultivated for many years."
After setting down the wine cup in his hand, Ma Wangye immediately picked up the wine pot to refill it for him. Gu Qingfeng shifted his posture, looked at them, and said with a bland tone, "Even pleading for mercy is done with such depth, making it so that I, your lord, have to agree whether I want to or not."
Dan Lei responded: "Great Old Master, please do not misunderstand. This old man and the others are sincerely offering apologies to the Great Old Master. We also hope the Great Old Master can give this old man some face. Let's just consider it making friends."
"Making friends is no problem, but..." Changing the subject, Gu Qingfeng asked with interest, "What if I, your lord, don't give you this face today?"
Instantly, with a whoosh,
the faces of the people from the three parties of the Lotus Secret Realm immediately frosted over, their expressions turning furious, their eyes becoming especially sharp. Hearing these words, Xuan Yun and the other two, already unable to bear it, instantly stood up. Xuan Yun stared at Gu Qingfeng and said in a low, intense voice, "Do you really think our Lotus Secret Realm fears you? Let me tell you, apologizing to you is giving you face. Don't be ungrateful..." Before he could finish, Dan Lei immediately shouted sternly, "Do not be rude!"
"Martial Uncle, he..." "Outrageous!"
With Dan Lei's stern shout, Xuan Yun dared not say another word.
Dan Lei walked over, stared at Gu Qingfeng, and said in a heavy voice, "If you refuse to agree today, this old man naturally will not force you. As for the bet, our Lotus Secret Realm will not deny it, nor will we be unable to accept loss. It's merely ten million kowtows. This old man will send a message talisman, summoning all the disciples of our Lotus Secret Realm to kowtow to you. Our Lotus Secret Realm has been passed down since ancient times; the disciples within our realm number far more than ten million. We will absolutely not owe you a single kowtow!"
It must be said that Senior Dan Lei's words were truly forceful and brimming with heroic spirit.
On the surface, they sounded righteous and principled, daring to act and daring to bear responsibility, able to bet and able to lose. But upon closer consideration, these words were actually a threat. The ones who lost were Xuan Yun and the others, yet he spoke of bringing all the disciples of the Lotus Secret Realm to kneel and complete the ten million kowtows. This was clearly meant to tell Gu Qingfeng: If you don't agree today, I'll send a message talisman and call all the disciples of the Lotus Secret Realm. Then you'll be in so much trouble you won't be able to handle it.
"If the Great Old Master does not agree today, our Golden Crow Liu Family will also not force the issue. The Lotus Secret Realm can afford to bet and afford to lose; our Golden Crow Liu Family is likewise able to bet and able to lose. It's just ten million kowtows. This old man will also bring all the descendants of our Golden Crow Liu Family today to finish kowtowing ten million times to you!"
Following that, Liu Kaiyun and Bai Teng also stepped forward, imitating Dan Lei's example—outwardly full of heroic spirit, but secretly threatening.
"Well, well,"
Gu Qingfeng picked up a cup of wine, looked at them, and said with a faint smile, "Is this a threat to me, your lord?
It seems that if I, your lord, don't agree today, whether I can leave this place in one piece is an unknown."
"Do not misunderstand, sir. This old man merely wishes to tell you that our Lotus Secret Realm can afford to bet and afford to lose, that is all. Beyond that, there is no other meaning."
Dan Lei stared at Gu Qingfeng and said, "However, this old man still hopes you will consider carefully. I hope you will know when to show mercy and not stoop to the level of three juniors."
"Alright then, let it be so. Let this matter end here."
Dan Lei's expression stiffened slightly, a flicker of a smile passing through his eyes. He asked, "So, you agree?"
"You first pleaded for Tyrant's Courtesy, then offered Tyrant's Courtesy as compensation, and even uttered threats. I have no choice but to agree. Besides, I, your lord, still want to live a few more years. I dare not refuse."