After hearing the news, many people rushed into the mountain villa. They all knew that the Nine-Hua Alliance, the Bingxuan Sect, and the Spirit-Capital Sect were all looking for Gu Qingfeng. It was bound to be quite a spectacle. Of course, if it were just to watch a spectacle, they wouldn't have swarmed into Crimson-Letter Manor like this.
After all, this was a manor of the Crimson-Letter Sect, where the prices were terrifyingly high. Every move cost money, reputedly a hundred steps for a hundred coins. Though somewhat exaggerated, it wasn't far from the truth. How much you spent in the manor depended entirely on where you went within it. In the end, calling it 'a hundred steps for a hundred coins' was absolutely not an overstatement.
They came here not just for the spectacle. Rumors said that Gu Qingfeng had obtained many fragments of Blue Vein Frost Crystals containing Tai Yin Spiritual Qi inside the cave dwelling. No one knew exactly how many he had found, but it was heard that he had given one to each of over a hundred people inside. Most importantly, it was said he had even seized that priceless treasure from the cave dwelling's eye—the Taiyin Seed.
This was the fundamental reason everyone came to watch the 'spectacle'.
However, when they swarmed into the manor, Gu Qingfeng had long since left the gambling house. It was said he hadn't left, but was staying in the manor's gardens.
The manor had its own rules. No one dared to act recklessly here, especially since they were just here to pick up scraps. They would wait until the Nine-Hua Alliance and the Bingxuan Sect's people arrived. Almost everyone chose to wait in the tavern.
The reason was simple: it was said Liu Piaopiao would be performing here tonight.
It must be said, this was a tremendous surprise for everyone.
Liu Piaopiao—she was the most enchanting, most alluring courtesan-musician in the surrounding regions, hailed as the Flower Queen, the siren goddess in all men's hearts. It was said a single song from her could stir the soul, a single song could lead to wild fantasies, a single song could make hearts surge, a single song could ripple through dreams.
There were far too many rumors about her. Many had long wished to hear her sing just once. However, Liu Piaopiao's whereabouts were unpredictable. Sometimes she appeared once a year, sometimes she wasn't seen for several years.
Everyone had originally come to watch the spectacle surrounding Gu Qingfeng, never expecting to coincidentally encounter the Flower Queen, Liu Piaopiao.
This was truly a rare opportunity.
An hour ago, Crimson-Letter Manor had still been somewhat desolate. But less than an hour after news of Gu Qingfeng spread, the manor was already bustling with activity, especially the manor's tavern, which was packed to the brim. People gathered in twos and threes, drinking and chatting while waiting for Liu Piaopiao to appear.
After Gu Qingfeng arrived, he casually found a seat and sat down. Fei Kui hurriedly brought wine. Gu Qingfeng glanced at the dense crowd in the tavern and listened for a while. Some were discussing Liu Piaopiao, others were discussing Gu Qingfeng, saying things like Gu Qingfeng must have many treasures on him, and when the Nine-Hua Alliance and the Bingxuan Sect made their move, perhaps they could pick up some scraps.
Hearing this, Fei Kui said with some concern, "Young Master, perhaps... this humble one should get you a private room?"
"Makes no difference," Gu Qingfeng took a sip of wine and said, "A bunch of little brats have already followed us in."
Hmm?
Fei Kui looked over and saw a group of thirty-some people swaggering into the tavern's main hall.
These people were old and young, men and women. Fei Kui recognized them at a glance—they were all from the Spirit-Capital Sect, and each was a formidable expert, either Color Spirit Prodigies or Golden Core masters.
The Color Spirit Prodigies had all opened three colors, with several having opened three golden colors. Besides them, there were a few prodigies who had opened four colors: one with two common and two golden, one with four common, one with three common and one golden. But the most eye-catching was the leader, a burly man standing as tall and straight as a mountain peak.
Fei Kui knew him. He was a direct disciple of the Spirit-Capital Sect, also a prodigy who had opened four colors, and all four were golden colors.
One of the Spirit-Capital Sect's nine great direct disciples—Luo Jinheng. It wasn't just the Spirit-Capital Sect's Color Spirit Prodigies who had come; in addition, the sect had also sent over a dozen or twenty inner sect Elders. These Elders all cultivated pure Golden Cores. The leader among them, a middle-aged man, was the famously renowned True Person Mingtao, who possessed a One-Revolutions Golden Core.
Golden Core Nine Revolutions.
One revolution, one Core Aura; one aura, nine layers of heaven.
After the first revolution of the Golden Core, spiritual power became more refined and also contained the power of Core Aura, making it extremely formidable!
The appearance of these Spirit-Capital Sect members instantly drew everyone's attention. After all, these were all experts from the Spirit-Capital Sect, each with a reputation that preceded them. Pretty much everyone in the surrounding regions knew them.
"Gu Qingfeng! Come out! I know you're hiding in here!"
Luo Jinheng's authoritative shout rolled like thunder, making the hall buzz and causing everyone's eardrums to sting.
Gu Qingfeng was here?
Everyone looked at each other, then stood up one after another, scanning their surroundings. Before long, someone shouted,
"Gu Qingfeng! That's him! He's over there!"
No one knew who shouted. At this moment, no one considered that question. All eyes turned to the table against the wall in the hall. There, a white-robed man sat with his legs crossed, a short, rotund man attending to him.
"Gu Qingfeng!"
"I saw him when the cave dwelling appeared the other day! That's the Chiyan Young Master, Gu Qingfeng!"
Clearly, quite a few people recognized Gu Qingfeng, had seen him before.
A man's reputation is like a tree's shadow.
The name Gu Qingfeng had long since spread throughout the surrounding regions. Now, there was no one who didn't know it.
Many people stared at that white-robed man, gazing in bewilderment.
At first glance, he seemed very ordinary. Apart from looking clean and neat, there didn't seem to be anything special about him. He lacked the cold arrogance of a Color Spirit Prodigy, nor did he seem like a majestic expert. The way he leaned against the wall, legs crossed, drinking wine, he looked more like an unprincipled, spoiled young master from a wealthy family.
A few days ago, when the cave dwelling appeared, some had thought Gu Qingfeng was just such a spoiled young master. But now, no one thought that anymore, because they all knew Gu Qingfeng had killed several Color Spirit Prodigies and a number of Elders from the Spirit-Capital Sect and the Bingxuan Sect inside the cave dwelling. Rumors said he had even killed Murong Fei of the Nine-Hua Alliance.
How could someone like that be a spoiled young master?
"You are Gu Qingfeng?"
True Person Mingtao led the thirty-some Spirit-Capital Sect members over. Luo Jinheng was at the forefront, glaring at Gu Qingfeng as he demanded sharply, "Was it you who killed my Spirit-Capital Sect's Mu Yulong and another, along with several Elders?"
"That's right."
Gu Qingfeng nodded, glanced at the Spirit-Capital Sect members, and replied indifferently.
"You! Are! Looking! For! Death!"
Whoosh!
Luo Jinheng's aura erupted. Colored radiance like flames blazed around his body—no more, no less, precisely four golden colors.
"Jinheng, stop! This is Crimson-Letter Sect's manor!" True Person Mingtao shouted to restrain him. Luo Jinheng didn't retract his Color Spirit, but he didn't make a move either. Of course he knew this was Crimson-Letter Sect's manor, and he was well aware of the rules here.
Just then, another group of people swaggered into the tavern's main hall, about thirty or fifty strong. Fei Kui looked up, his eyes focusing, and his expression couldn't help but change slightly. Even the muscles at the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily. He knew these newcomers were all from the Bingxuan Sect, and each was a famously renowned expert.