"Alright, enough kneeling. Get up."
Gu Qingfeng sat back in his chair and said, "So many people are watching. Those who know will think you knelt on your own; those who don't will think I did something to you."
"Thank you, Great Old Master."
After expressing their gratitude, Li Xin Xianzi and High Immortal Qingqing did not hesitate and stood up.
"You've already beaten him up like this. Hurry and carry him inside. Treat what needs treating, heal what needs healing."
Only after Li Xin Xianzi thanked him repeatedly did she dare to carry Bai Ze, who had long been beaten unconscious by her, inside. When she reached the ship's cabin, she handed Bai Ze over to Old Lady Jin Hua, gave a few instructions, and then Old Lady Jin Hua led Qiao'er, taking Bai Ze back into the cabin.
With a wave of Li Xin Xianzi's hand, the Xuantian vessel's radiance bloomed. Once the formation activated, the outside could no longer see in, but the inside could still see out.
Li Xin Xianzi walked over, picked up the wine pot, and poured a cup for Gu Qingfeng. She said cautiously, "Great Old Master...
It was our negligence just now, letting an outsider disturb your refined mood. Shall I continue massaging you?
Qingqing, you should also play another piece for the Great Old Master."
"Enough. No more massaging, and no need to play any tunes. I happen to have a few questions I want to ask you two."
"What does the Great Old Master wish to ask?
We...
will certainly answer everything we know."
"How did you two figure out my identity?"
Gu Qingfeng had initially thought it was the Yunshui Sword that told them, but after thinking about it later, he felt it probably wasn't. Because he clearly remembered that back when he faced Judgment in the Tidal Secret Realm, he hadn't yet ascended to become the Nine Nethers Emperor with that particular Mandate. Naturally, the Five Elements Sword couldn't have known his identity either. He was quite curious how these two had managed to see through him.
"Great Old Master...
We...
We deduced it based on the Yunshui Sword..."
Qingqing stood obediently opposite him, head lowered, appearing quite fearful of Gu Qingfeng's presence.
"How did you deduce it?"
"This junior...
After merging with the Yunshui Sword, I entered the sword spirit's world...
and discovered many traces left by Great Dao Judgment there..."
"Is that so?"
Gu Qingfeng rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment, then asked, "Just based on those Great Dao traces, you guessed my identity? Isn't that a bit too far-fetched? Weren't there others besides me in the Ancient Era who faced Great Dao Judgment? How could you be sure it was me?"
"It's true that you weren't the only one who faced Great Dao Judgment in the Ancient Era, but...
only you ever forged the Five Elements Sword, and only you faced Great Dao Judgment in the Tidal Secret Realm. This junior heard from the Yunshui Sword that it has four siblings. Combined with the fact that I found the Yunshui Sword in the Tidal Secret Realm, so..."
"So, based on that, you guessed my identity?"
"No...
We only suspected...
We didn't dare be certain."
"So that's how it is. I see. But..." Changing the subject, Gu Qingfeng looked at Li Xin Xianzi and Qingqing and asked, "You only suspected, didn't even dare to be certain, yet you treated me so well—massaging me, playing music for me. Didn't you ever consider that by being so obsequious, disregarding your own image and reputation, even ignoring the dignity of the Eternal Life Pavilion, if I turned out not to be... wouldn't you have suffered a huge loss?"
Actually.
This was a question Li Xin Xianzi and High Immortal Qingqing had not failed to consider.
On the contrary.
They had not only considered it but had also pondered it very carefully many times.
In their minds, if Gu Qingfeng turned out not to be You Di, then their excessive flattery would indeed be a great loss. It wasn't so much their own image and reputation they cared about, but the image and reputation of the Eternal Life Pavilion. After all, as disciples of the Eternal Life Pavilion, massaging someone in public was truly damaging to the Pavilion's dignity. If word got out later, they would inevitably face criticism.
However.
In the end, they still chose to act this way.
The reason was simple: better safe than sorry. If Gu Qingfeng really was You Di, and they failed to serve him well, offending You Di, the consequences would be unimaginable.
After weighing the pros and cons, both felt that losing a little face themselves was nothing. Even affecting the Eternal Life Pavilion's dignity wasn't a big deal. But if they offended You Di, the consequences wouldn't just be about losing face or the Pavilion losing dignity.
"Also, there's one thing that really puzzles me."
Gu Qingfeng narrowed his eyes, looking at the two of them, and asked, "Even if you were absolutely certain in your hearts that I am that so-called You Di, there's no need to be this afraid, is there? Especially since you aren't even certain, only suspecting... yet you're scared to this extent?"
"In reply to the Great Old Master, we...
are afraid."
"I just don't get it. What are you afraid of? Afraid I'll kill you? That doesn't make sense either. We have no recent grievances nor past grudges. For no reason at all, why would I kill you?"
"We...
We don't even know what we're afraid of...
It's just that...
we're just afraid."
"Afraid of what? There's nothing to be afraid of. Don't be afraid, and don't believe those rumors. Rumors are mostly exaggerated, spread by some people deliberately trying to smear me. Actually, I'm a good person. Really, I'm not lying to you. Look, although we haven't known each other long, we've interacted for a while now. Do I seem like a bad person to you?"
Hearing Gu Qingfeng say this, both Li Xin Xianzi and High Immortal Qingqing felt an impulse to laugh at this moment.
Truly so.
Throughout the Myriad Heavens and Worlds, who didn't know of You Di's existence? How aloof and domineering he was!
How wildly arrogant, how cold and ruthless!
How lawless, how unrestrained, how bloodthirsty and cruel, how he slaughtered like cutting grass!
And now, this very entity from the Ancient Era who burned the Nine Heavens, slaughtered the Great Dao, severed the firmament, whose crimes were innumerable, who defied the heavens, whom everyone feared, who bore the Original Sin—this You Di was earnestly claiming to be a good person?
Would a good person overthrow the Immortal Court in the mortal realm, slaughtering countless Immortals?
Would a good person burn the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao?
Burning until bones piled like mountains across the Nine Heavens?
Would a good person go madly demonic?
Going mad and destroying who knows how many worlds?
How many living beings died?
Would a good person fly into a rage and unleash a great slaughter?
Killing his way across the great celestial domains, staining the Great Wasteland with rivers of blood?
Slaughtering until the Myriad Heavens and Worlds were filled with wandering ghosts?
A good person?
Could a good person rule the Nine Nethers?
Could a good person make those ancient demons of the Nine Nethers so afraid they hid east and west?
When a good person's killing intent erupted, would it cause the heavens and earth to shift violently?
Cause the Great Wasteland to become a sea of blood?
The Supreme Killing Domain soaring to the sky, the Supreme Silence dominating the earth, the Myriad Appearances and Floating Pagodas worshipped by all living beings, the sea of crimson flames devouring the masses—was this fucking how you described a good person?
The great sun falling, twilight enveloping, darkness striking, You Di descending, the twilight of Immortals and Demons, the end of heaven and earth...
Was this fucking how you described a good person?