"This junior, without your permission, not only presumptuously reforged Lingyu but also nurtured it for many years. Today, returning it to its original owner, I hope you can forgive my actions."
Upper Immortal Qingqing gazed at the Lingyu Sword hovering in Gu Qingfeng's palm, emitting waves of sword songs. Her eyes were filled with reluctance, as if bidding farewell to a close confidante who had accompanied her for many years; her heart was deeply saddened.
"Great Old Master!"
At this moment, Li Xin Immortal also flashed into view, cupping her fists respectfully and addressing him as Great Old Master. She said, "It's like this: the Lingyu Sword was forged by you, Great Old Master. Meeting you here today, it should rightfully be returned to you. However... Qingqing has, after all, nurtured Lingyu for hundreds of years. Back then, to reforge Lingyu, she invested countless efforts and heart's blood. To this day, Qingqing and Lingyu have long developed a deep bond. One could even say that Lingyu is not merely an Immortal Sword in Qingqing's heart, but a sister as close as flesh and blood!"
"So... this humble woman has an unreasonable request. Could Lingyu continue to stay by Qingqing's side? I know this is somewhat forcing someone's hand, but... I beg you, Great Old Master, in consideration of Qingqing nurturing Lingyu for so many years, please grant her this wish. Of course, we won't let you suffer a loss for nothing. If you are willing, please state your conditions. Whatever the conditions, we will agree."
"Martial Aunt, what are you doing? The Lingyu Sword originally belongs to the senior. Meeting him today, I should return it to him. Moreover..." Upper Immortal Qingqing wanted to say something more, but before she could finish, she was forcibly interrupted by Li Xin Immortal. "We are not forcibly seizing it. Your martial aunt is just discussing it with the Great Old Master."
"Martial Aunt, this isn't a matter of discussion or not. Please don't interfere, alright?"
"If your martial aunt doesn't interfere, who will?"
While Li Xin Immortal and Upper Immortal Qingqing were arguing here, Mo Baiyu and the others in the air also spoke up.
"Let's set aside for now whether the Lingyu Sword was forged by him. Even if it was, Upper Immortal Qingqing has no need to return it."
"That's right! Upper Immortal Qingqing picked up the Lingyu Sword from the ruins. When she found it, it was a broken sword. It was Upper Immortal Qingqing who used many resources and invested countless efforts to reforge the Lingyu Sword."
"Without Upper Immortal Qingqing, the Lingyu Sword would probably still be lying in the ruins, long since decayed and dissipated..."
"The reason the Lingyu Sword is as profound and powerful as it is now is entirely due to Upper Immortal Qingqing's nurturing, bit by bit, over these hundreds of years. Upper Immortal Qingqing is the true master of the Lingyu Sword!"
The crowd spoke one after another, sparing no effort to curry favor with Upper Immortal Qingqing, even discarding all sense of shame, just short of groveling.
However, far from pleasing Upper Immortal Qingqing, their words only filled her with intense disgust. She shouted, "This is my own private matter. Could you please stop speaking nonsense?"
"Upper Immortal Qingqing, we are not speaking nonsense but stating facts. You have a debt of rebirth towards the Lingyu Sword. By both sentiment and reason, you are its true master."
Upper Immortal Qingqing fell silent, but Li Xin Immortal could no longer contain herself. She sternly shouted, "Shut up, all of you!"
Li Xin Immortal's shout of authority was truly formidable. It instantly shook Mo Baiyu and the other Upper Immortals until their faces turned deathly pale. Many of the Immortals even sprayed blood from their mouths and noses under the force of her shout.
It was clear Li Xin Immortal was truly angry.
And indeed she was.
She feared Gu Qingfeng would take back the Lingyu Sword, forcing her to lower her stature—cupping her fists apologetically, forcing a smile, and addressing him repeatedly as Great Old Master.
For what?
Wasn't it to curry favor with Gu Qingfeng?
Although doing so was somewhat face-losing and damaging to the Eternal Life Pavilion's dignity, for the sake of Qingqing's Lingyu Sword, Li Xin Immortal could no longer care about these things.
She might not know Gu Qingfeng's identity or background.
However, with her discerning eye, she could more or less see that Gu Qingfeng's existence was absolutely not simple, perhaps even more extraordinary than she imagined.
Moreover, now that she knew the Lingyu Sword was forged by Gu Qingfeng, it further confirmed her inner suspicions.
An existence capable of forging a sword containing a Sword Spirit—could they be ordinary?
Especially a powerful Immortal Sword like Lingyu.
Others might not know, but she understood that while the Lingyu Sword's power might be somewhat related to Qingqing's nurturing over the years, it was absolutely minimal, even negligible. One must know that the power of the Lingyu Sword lay not in the sword itself, but in its Sword Spirit.
During Upper Immortal Qingqing's nurturing, the Sword Spirit of Lingyu had only awakened once by chance. Yet, that single awakening had rescued Upper Immortal Qingqing from a perilous situation, which was enough to demonstrate the Sword Spirit's immense power.
And just now, when Lingyu encountered Gu Qingfeng and its Sword Spirit awakened, both the profound mysteries it displayed and the imposing might it unleashed left Li Xin Immortal shocked and awestruck.
This further indicated that the existence of the Lingyu Sword, its power, far exceeded imagination.
The master who could forge such an Immortal Sword, even thinking with one's toes, was fathomlessly profound.
Yet, these ignorant youngsters, to curry favor with Upper Immortal Qingqing, actually claimed that the Lingyu Sword's power was due to Upper Immortal Qingqing's nurturing and had nothing to do with Gu Qingfeng, its old master. They even said Qingqing was the true master of Lingyu.
These words, at first listen, seemed to be helping Upper Immortal Qingqing, but in reality, they were of no help at all. Not only were they unhelpful, they were actually implicating Upper Immortal Qingqing.
Thus, it infuriated Li Xin Immortal to the point of swearing without regard for her image. She glared furiously at Mo Baiyu and the others, shouting, "If anyone dares to say another word, don't blame this lady for being impolite! Get lost, all of you! Get far away! A bunch of ignorant little things!"
At this, no one dared to speak further. They all stood there awkwardly, their faces alternating between green and pale.
Li Xin Immortal then turned to Gu Qingfeng with an apologetic expression. "Please forgive the laughter, Great Old Master. These youngsters truly don't know the immensity of heaven and earth."
Gu Qingfeng shrugged, smiling indifferently. "They're young. It's understandable."
"Being young is not wrong. What's wrong is they shouldn't be so ignorant, shouldn't treat ignorance as personality, and shouldn't be so ignorant as to not know the immensity of heaven and earth!"
"To please the one they adore, a little ignorance is acceptable."
Gu Qingfeng looked at Upper Immortal Qingqing, grinning as he said, "Besides, with a beauty like Upper Immortal Qingqing, who wouldn't want to please her? Any man would."
Gu Qingfeng's words were rather brazen, sounding a bit like he was being a rogue.
It caused a blush of shyness to appear on Upper Immortal Qingqing's beautiful face and made Old Lady Jin Hua and Li Xin Immortal beside her rather awkward—responding wasn't appropriate, not responding wasn't either.
"Ahem! Ahem!"
Not far away, Huode knew this rascal Gu Qingfeng's old habit was acting up again—he was starting to flirt with girls again. He quickly coughed twice, reminding Gu Qingfeng to restrain himself and not play the rogue in front of a large crowd.