Gu Qingfeng understood Huode, just as Huode understood him.
He knew very well that Huode was not someone who dared not kill an Upper Immortal bearing the Immortal Path Edict Fate. On the contrary, when this old fellow's temper flared up, he was the type who would risk everything to pull the emperor off his horse.
This old fellow had beaten Yuanwu into such a state precisely to vent anger on Gu Qingfeng's behalf.
The reason he hadn't killed him was likely also for Gu Qingfeng's sake, not wanting to stir up any trouble over such a trivial matter.
The reality was indeed as Gu Qingfeng had thought. Though Huode usually appeared slovenly, carefree, and boisterous, he was actually a very meticulous person at heart. Moreover, his attack on Yuanwu wasn't solely to vent Gu Qingfeng's anger; more importantly, he wanted to intimidate the people present, lest some foolhardy individuals provoke Gu Qingfeng.
After all, Huode had roamed the Great Desolate for nearly ten thousand years and had some understanding of the people and affairs of the Present-Ancient Era. He knew that those old-timers who had cultivated for many years were very cautious and careful, generally not seeking trouble proactively. But the young ones were different, especially those with some family background and the status of an Immortal or Edict Fate.
Relying on their family backgrounds and their Immortal Path Edict Fate, they had always acted tyrannically and arrogantly in the Great Desolate. If you didn't show some real capability, these brats wouldn't know what fear was, nor would they take you seriously.
Therefore.
A proper display of might and intimidation was indeed necessary.
And it must be said.
Huode's move was quite effective. At the very least, after witnessing him shatter Yuanwu's Radiant Great Sun Creation with one palm and pierce through Yuanwu's Minor Creation Rainbow Piercing the Sun with one sword, no one present dared to look down on Huode anymore. Moreover, Huode's addressing Gu Qingfeng as 'Grandpa' and 'Ancestor' and throwing Yuanwu before him for disposal clearly signaled to everyone: whoever dares to anger this lord must first ask if this old man agrees.
In the scene.
Yuanwu had been beaten by Huode not only to the point of being covered in blood and severely injured but also had fallen unconscious. The senior cultivators from the Wuling Immortal Realm didn't even dare to utter a peep. Only after Huode nodded did they hurriedly take Yuanwu and leave.
As for Old Lady Jin Hua and Lixin Xianzi, they looked back and forth, unable to discern who Huode was, who Gu Qingfeng was, or what relationship the two shared. What puzzled them even more was that Yuanwu had been beaten by Huode for insulting You Di. They didn't understand what this had to do with Gu Qingfeng or why Huode said Yuanwu had offended Gu Qingfeng and let Gu Qingfeng decide Yuanwu's fate.
And just then.
A soft, indifferent voice suddenly came.
"What happened?"
Everyone turned to look, seeing a figure flying over from that exquisite Xuantian Vessel.
It was a woman.
A woman dressed in light cyan robes.
The woman's face was exquisitely beautiful, as stunning as a celestial being, like a lotus blooming amidst the cold wind and heavy snow atop a heavenly mountain—beautiful beyond the mundane, untainted by a speck of dust, giving off a sacred and pure feeling.
Seeing this woman, everyone present was startled, their expressions filled with awe, their eyes gleaming with admiration. Especially Mo Baiyu, Yunzhou, Fuying, Mufeng, and others—when they saw the woman, each was as if witnessing a celestial maiden descending to the mortal world, utterly captivated.
For this woman was none other than the Upper Immortal Qingqing, whom they admired and adored.
She was both the direct disciple of Fusheng Dijun and a disciple of the Eternal Life Pavilion. Simultaneously, she was one of the Ten Great Upper Immortals of the Great Desolate, the Peerless Upper Immortal bestowed by the Nine Heavens, and a goddess in the hearts of many young people of the Present-Ancient Era. It could be said that Upper Immortal Qingqing was a heaven-favored daughter of her generation, showered with boundless affection.
After Upper Immortal Qingqing appeared, Mo Baiyu, Yunzhou, and others immediately rushed over to pay their respects and greet her.
And Upper Immortal Qingqing nodded in response to each one. To show respect, she would return greetings to anyone whose name she could recall.
Receiving Upper Immortal Qingqing's greeting and returned courtesy was, for most present, an immense honor that made their hearts bloom with joy. Some had even chased after her from thousands of miles away; just being able to see Upper Immortal Qingqing once and receive her greeting made their journey worthwhile.
"So that's Upper Immortal Qingqing?"
Gu Qingfeng glanced over, shook his head, and said somewhat disappointedly, "She doesn't look all that impressive. I thought she was truly so beautiful as to drive people mad with infatuation."
Hearing Gu Qingfeng say this, Huode couldn't help but roll his eyes. If anyone else had uttered such words, he would have been utterly contemptuous, mocking and ridiculing them first.
But since it was Gu Qingfeng who said it, Huode really couldn't retort. He also knew that Gu Qingfeng absolutely had the qualification to say such a thing.
In this lifetime, what kind of woman hadn't this kid seen? What kind of woman hadn't he dallied with? Those he should have hooked up with, those he shouldn't have—damn it all, this kid had hooked up with them all. Even a woman like the Holy Maiden Empress, this kid damn well couldn't be bothered with.
Huode mused that in all the heavens and earth, there probably wasn't any woman who could catch Gu Qingfeng's eye.
"This kid really talks without feeling the strain, the well-fed don't know the pangs of hunger. A woman like Upper Immortal Qingqing might be nothing in your eyes, kid, but in the eyes of these brats, she's absolutely a goddess-like existence. Just look at how these brats acted when Upper Immortal Qingqing appeared—each one damn well looked like they'd eaten honeyed bee droppings, smiling with such fawning obsequiousness, practically ready to tear out their hearts to confess their feelings to Upper Immortal Qingqing."
In the scene.
After Upper Immortal Qingqing had greeted everyone and returned their courtesies, she finally came to Old Lady Jin Hua and Lixin Xianzi's side. Before she could speak, Qiao’er cut in and said, "Senior Sister, Senior Sister, do you know?
I've met the benefactor who saved me last time!"
"Benefactor?
You mean the senior who saved you last time in the Yanwu Secret Realm?"
Qiao’er nodded emphatically, pulling Upper Immortal Qingqing to the deck and pointing at Huode as she introduced, "See, this is Senior Huode, the benefactor who saved me last time in the Yanwu Secret Realm."
Upper Immortal Qingqing doted greatly on her junior sister Qiao’er. Moreover, like Old Lady Jin Hua, she had always been deeply troubled and particularly remorseful about what happened last time in the Yanwu Secret Realm. Upon hearing that the old senior before her was the one who had saved Qiao’er in the Yanwu Secret Realm back then, Upper Immortal Qingqing immediately bowed slightly to express her gratitude.
"What happened last time was merely a trivial effort. Upper Immortal Qingqing mustn't stand on ceremony with this old man. I believe anyone who encountered such a situation would not stand idly by."
In front of Gu Qingfeng, Huode was a thoroughgoing old bachelor and rogue. But now, before Upper Immortal Qingqing, with one hand behind his back and the other stroking the few strands of beard on his chin, he put on a sanctimonious appearance. Those unaware of this old fellow's true nature would damn well think he was some lofty senior expert who had emerged from nowhere.
Just as Upper Immortal Qingqing was about to speak, suddenly, her expression changed drastically, her exquisitely beautiful face instantly turning pale.