No one expected that a disciple of the Eternal Life Pavilion, and even a junior sister of Fusheng Dijun, would step forward to say that Fusheng Dijun could not be mentioned in the same breath as You Di, and even claim that You Di was the person Fusheng Dijun admired most—without equal—and that these words had come from Fusheng Dijun himself.
Was this true?
Had Fusheng Dijun truly said such words?
Or was Li Xin Xianzi merely being modest and deliberately speaking this way out of humility?
No one knew.
No one was certain.
Yuanwu, however, was momentarily stunned, not knowing what to say, looking rather awkward.
Within the gathering.
Huode paid no mind to this. While Bai Ze, Mo Baiyu, Yun Zhou, and others had stepped forward one after another to declare You Di an Ancient Era criminal, he had been secretly observing Gu Qingfeng.
Especially when Yuanwu said that You Di wasn't even qualified to carry Fusheng Dijun's shoes, Huode's heart had leapt into his throat. In his mind, if others called You Di an Ancient Era criminal, Gu Qingfeng might endure it, might not mind. But if someone said You Di wasn't even qualified to carry Fusheng Dijun's shoes, Gu Qingfeng would definitely be unable to tolerate it.
Yet, what he never expected was that Gu Qingfeng, from beginning to end, remained reclined in his chair, sipping his wine, watching the spectacle. That ordinary, unremarkable face always wore a faint smile.
When others called You Di an Ancient Era criminal, he showed no reaction.
When Yuanwu said You Di wasn't even qualified to carry Fusheng Dijun's shoes, he still seemed to show no reaction, as if they were talking about someone else, not him.
This gradually allowed Huode's suspended heart to settle back down.
He had truly been afraid that Gu Qingfeng, failing to rein in his temper for a moment, might strike and kill these little bastards.
Killing these little bastards wasn't the main concern.
Huode didn't care, nor was he worried.
Even if these Eternal Life Pavilion brats were killed, Huode similarly wouldn't care, wouldn't worry.
What concerned and worried him was that if Gu Qingfeng took action and killed someone here—even if not someone from the Eternal Life Pavilion—it would inevitably arouse the Pavilion's suspicion. And once the Eternal Life Pavilion grew suspicious, then Gu Qingfeng's identity as You Di would not be far from exposure.
Fortunately.
Gu Qingfeng didn't mind, didn't care about these things. Otherwise, the consequences would truly be unimaginable.
Just as Huode was trembling with fear, in the distance, perhaps to cover up his earlier embarrassment, Yuanwu spoke again: "Li Xin Xianzi jests. How could a hero of the Present-Ancient Era like Fusheng Dijun be unable to be mentioned in the same breath as that Ancient Era criminal You Di? How could he possibly admire that criminal...
And..." Before Yuanwu could finish, Huode roared furiously: "You little bastard!
Giving you face, are we? You just won't let it go! If you dare utter another damn word, I'll slaughter you, you little turtle spawn!"
At this moment, Huode's aged face was utterly solemn, glaring at Yuanwu, his eyes brimming with murderous intent.
Originally, this matter could have been over. Since Gu Qingfeng hadn't gotten angry, Huode couldn't be bothered to waste more words with these brats. But he never expected Yuanwu to have the gall to step forward again and spout nonsense about You Di being an Ancient Era criminal. This finally pushed Huode over the edge.
"You?
Think you can kill this Upper Immortal?"
Huode could not tolerate it, and Yuanwu could tolerate it even less.
Huode had endured Yuanwu for a long time, and Yuanwu had similarly endured Huode for a long time.
This time, Yuanwu had provoked Huode to fury, and Huode's furious roar had likewise thoroughly provoked Yuanwu.
In an instant.
Brilliant light flashed around Yuanwu as he transformed into a radiant, domineering sun. The might of the Great Sun erupted, illuminating the surroundings brightly. The Ancient Era seniors all changed expression, not daring to hesitate, immediately retreating. The imposing might of this radiant, domineering sun was exceptionally powerful; they could not withstand it.
Transformed into the radiant, domineering sun, Yuanwu pointed majestically at Huode and roared: "Today, this Upper Immortal stands right here. Try laying a finger on me!"
"Go to your grandmother!"
Huode's body also erupted with brilliant light, like black-and-white flames intertwining and burning, akin to the interplay of Yin and Yang. With a single step, he instantly appeared before Yuanwu. Raising his right arm, as his five fingers spread, it was as if five mountain peaks erupted from the earth. His palm descended like the vault of heaven falling, its form shifting unpredictably yet possessing immense, boundless strength. Its imposing might rivaled the very authority of heaven.
What technique was this?
No one knew.
They only knew that when Huode's palm descended, Yuanwu, transformed into a radiant Great Sun, was like a sun suddenly obscured by dark clouds. His radiance instantly dimmed, his light turning to darkness.
With a thunderous *bang*.
Huode's single slap caused the radiant Great Sun surrounding Yuanwu to shatter on the spot, dispersing and vanishing.
Witnessing this scene, every single person present—whether the seniors who had cultivated for many years, Upper Immortals like Mo Baiyu, Yun Zhou, and Fuying, or Eternal Life Pavilion disciples like Bai Ze and Leng Jue—were all shocked, their eyes wide with terror, filled with utter disbelief.
Not only them, even experts like Old Lady Jin Hua and Li Xin Xianzi were stunned by this sight.
They knew Huode was unfathomable. From the first moment they saw him, they knew. Learning that Huode styled himself a Daoist only confirmed it, even making them suspect Huode might be more unfathomable than imagined.
Yet even so, they never in their wildest dreams imagined Huode could be this powerful. With just a single palm, he had forcibly shattered and dispersed Yuanwu's Great Sun Radiance Fortune.
One must know that Yuanwu's Great Sun Radiance was no ordinary acquired fortune, nor some innate fortune. It was the Great Sun Radiance Fortune bestowed by the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao! Hailed as the most sacred, most radiant, most powerful, and most domineering fortune of the contemporary era. If not for this, those seniors who had cultivated for many years wouldn't have immediately retreated when Yuanwu summoned his Great Sun Radiance Fortune earlier.
Because they all knew how formidable the imposing might of the Great Sun Radiance Fortune was. Not only did they know, many had personally experienced it. The might of the Great Sun Radiance was simply not something their mortal-immortal selves could withstand, not even these Ancient Era seniors with their years of cultivation.
Although Yuanwu's mastery of the Great Sun Radiance Fortune was still immature, even so, should it have been shattered and dispersed by a single slap from this old Daoist?
What was even more unbelievable was that Huode's slap not only shattered Yuanwu's Great Sun Radiance Fortune, it also caused Yuanwu himself to bleed from all seven orifices from the impact.
Yes.
Bleeding from all seven orifices.
Everyone saw it clearly. Yuanwu didn't even utter a groan before collapsing to the ground on the spot. His eyes, ears, nose, and mouth were all streaming blood, his face deathly pale, his expression terrified as if he'd seen a ghost or deity, his eyes filled with nothing but fear.
Was that all?
No.
Not just that.
Huode's slap also caused the dozen or so experts behind Yuanwu to grunt in pain, their bodies involuntarily stumbling backward.