By the time the Old Daoist realized what was happening, he had already appeared in another place.
This place had no sky above and no earth below.
Could this be the Great Desolate?
Wait!
No.
Although the Great Desolate was vast and boundless, like an endless void, it contained the myriad heavens and worlds, which floated quietly within it like stars in the night sky.
The Old Daoist looked up and around, but he did not see any of the myriad heavens and worlds.
Not even a single world.
Looking again.
Opposite him, Gu Qingfeng sat with his legs crossed on a wide, comfortable master's chair, which rocked gently in the void like a small boat.
"What is this place?"
The Old Daoist swallowed hard, gripping the peachwood sword in his hand tightly, his expression tense.
"Never mind what place it is."
Gu Qingfeng sat leisurely in the chair, took out a small jug of wine, and sipped slowly. He glanced at the Old Daoist and said, "Come on, let this master see what you're capable of."
"This..." The Old Daoist was momentarily stunned, at a loss.
Actually.
Back in the dock, the moment he kicked open Gu Qingfeng's door, he had already begun to regret it.
He regretted being so reckless and impulsive. This kid's existence was not only mysterious and bizarre, but his methods were also extremely sinister. He was definitely a terrifying figure. He should never, ever have provoked him.
What to do now?
Fight?
The Old Daoist had no confidence at all.
Facing Gu Qingfeng here, he felt a deep-seated fear, especially since he had been dragged to this inexplicable place in an instant, which made the Old Daoist even more nervous and somewhat scared.
Since he couldn't win.
Should he just admit defeat?
Although admitting defeat was a bit humiliating and shameful, it was still better than losing his life.
Besides, there was no one else here, so admitting defeat wouldn't really be shameful.
Thinking this.
The Old Daoist quickly put away the peachwood sword in his hand, forced an awkward smile, and said, "This...
Great Old Master, isn't there some misunderstanding between us?
This humble Daoist never intended to fight you. Moreover, my meager, third-rate skills are nothing to speak of. How would I dare to fight you, venerable sir?"
Gu Qingfeng laughed. "Just now you were an 'old' Daoist. How come you're a 'humble' Daoist now?"
"Oh, Great Old Master, please don't humble me. In front of you, how could this humble Daoist bear the title 'old'?"
The Old Daoist's face, distorted from his swollen eyes, looked comically obsequious as he said, "Besides, this humble Daoist remembers clearly. You, Great Old Master, are the greatest under heaven, the 'old' of the ancestral patriarchs, the 'master' of the heavens. Even if you gave me ten thousand times the courage, I wouldn't dare call myself an 'old' Daoist in your presence."
Seeing Gu Qingfeng lower his head to drink in silence.
The Old Daoist continued to explain, "Earlier on the deck, this humble Daoist was just joking around, having a bit of fun. I absolutely had no intention of offending you, Great Old Master, and I certainly wouldn't dare fight you. As for...
inside the inner dock..." The Old Daoist grinned. "This humble Daoist didn't mean to spy on you either. Initially, I just wanted to apologize for what happened on the deck. I never expected...
that you, Great Old Master...
would be... engaging in intimate affairs with that Demon Monarch. It was a complete accident! And when that Demon Monarch was taking off her clothes, this humble Daoist was already planning to leave. I didn't want to disturb your good time, but who knew I'd be caught red-handed by you, Great Old Master? I really didn't mean it, and I didn't see anything!"
"Hehe!
To be honest, this humble Daoist admires you immensely, Great Old Master! That Yunyan Xianzi is a genuine Demon Monarch, with an aloof and cold nature, ruthless and unfeeling. Yet when she meets you, she becomes as docile as a kitten. What I admire most is your methods, Great Old Master. They are truly...
as miraculous as they come. With just a casual flick of your finger, that aloof Demon Monarch immediately became more wanton than a brothel girl. Impressive!
Truly impressive!"
"This humble Daoist admires you from the bottom of my heart, Great Old Master. Please accept my bow!"
With that, the Old Daoist really knelt in the void and kowtowed to Gu Qingfeng.
"Didn't expect you, old fellow, to be so good at trimming your sails to the wind. Nothing's even happened yet, and you're already admitting defeat?"
Gu Qingfeng tilted his head, looking at him with a faint smile, and said nonchalantly, "Weren't you quite fierce back in the dock? Not only did you kick down my door, but you also said you'd stake your old life to make sure I die a miserable death?"
Gu Qingfeng beckoned to the Old Daoist. "Come on, come on. Let this master see how you plan to stake your old life and how you plan to make me die a miserable death."
"Great Old Master!"
The Old Daoist looked as if he wanted to cry but had no tears. Kneeling in the void, he begged for mercy. "Please, for the sake of this humble Daoist's youthful ignorance and inexperience, spare me this once. I really don't dare anymore."
"Youthful ignorance?
Inexperience?"
Looking at the Old Daoist kneeling in the void, pretending to be pitiful, Gu Qingfeng was speechless. "You old fellow really know how to spin a tale. If you count as youthful and ignorant, then there are no old-timers left in this Great Desolate."
"Great Old Master, it's a misunderstanding!
An absolute misunderstanding! This humble Daoist has looked like this since childhood. To put it bluntly, I just look old, aged prematurely. Although I've cultivated for over ten thousand years, which might sound like a lot, compared to those old seniors in the Great Desolate who cultivate for a hundred thousand or even several hundred thousand years, this humble Daoist is absolutely youthful and ignorant!"
"Hahaha!"
Gu Qingfeng was amused by the Old Daoist's words. "Originally, I was wondering whether you, old fellow, were actually from the Wu Dao Age. Now it seems you probably aren't. Anyone who survived from the Wu Dao Age definitely wouldn't be as cowardly as you."
Hearing the words "Wu Dao Age," the Old Daoist's expression stiffened slightly. After a moment of thought, he looked up blankly. "What Wu Dao Age? What does the Great Old Master mean?"
"Oh ho, still playing dumb with me, using that old trick."
Gu Qingfeng laughed. "I must say, you old fellow are quite cunning. What are you afraid of?"
"Great Old Master, this humble Daoist really isn't playing dumb! I truly don't know what the Wu Dao Age is. No!
It's not that I don't know about the Wu Dao Age. I have heard people mention it. But when you, Great Old Master, talk about people from the Wu Dao Age, I really don't know. Are there people from the Wu Dao Age in our Great Desolate?"
"Old Daoist."
Gu Qingfeng said softly, "I don't want to fight you, and I can't be bothered to. I just want to ask you a few questions. Answer them honestly, and I won't do anything to you."
His tone shifted. "Of course, if you continue to play dumb, then this master will have to stretch his limbs a bit today."