If it were anyone else today, Immortal Li Xin would have mercilessly retorted with a single phrase: Shameless!
But facing Gu Qingfeng, facing the Ancient You Di...
Even though Immortal Li Xin found this matter utterly laughable and ironic in her heart, she dared not say anything more.
Not only did she not dare, she had to stand there obediently, grit her teeth, and utter the most insincere, most absurd, and most ironic sentence she had ever spoken in her life: "Yes, we believe...
Great Old Master, you are a good man."
Following that.
Qingqing also said: "In the past, this junior believed those rumors and thought Great Old Master...
Was aloof, domineering, bloodthirsty, and cruel. It was only during these days of contact with Great Old Master that this junior learned those rumors about Great Old Master were false...
Great Old Master is amiable, good-tempered, approachable...
Is...
A good man."
Beside them.
Immortal Li Xin stole a strange glance at Qingqing, as if she simply couldn't understand how Qingqing, with her normally aloof and cold nature, could utter such absurd, insincere words—and without blushing or panting, saying them as if they were true.
In her impression, Qingqing never lied, much less flattered or fawned. How could she now...
To curry favor with Gu Qingfeng, even say such insincere words?
Actually.
Immortal Li Xin was right.
Qingqing indeed did not lie; she had never told a lie in her life, and as for flattery, she had never engaged in it either.
Although there was a trace of insincerity in saying these words, it wasn't to curry favor with Gu Qingfeng, but rather her genuine inner feelings.
Since childhood, she had heard far too many terrifying legends about You Di. Influenced precisely by these dreadful tales, she believed You Di should be exactly as described in the legends: aloof and domineering, cold and ruthless, bloodthirsty and violent.
Aloof and domineering to the point of tolerating no defiance, cold and ruthless to the point of viewing life as worthless grass, bloodthirsty and violent to the point of unleashing slaughter and rivers of blood with every move.
It was only after meeting Gu Qingfeng this time and during their period of contact that she truly felt Gu Qingfeng and the legendary You Di were two completely different people—utterly unrelated.
This Great Old Master really did seem approachable and without any temper to speak of. Not only that, but he also wasn't very particular, very casual, just like an ordinary mortal. To call him a good man might be a bit of a stretch, but he definitely wasn't a bad man. Compared to the terrifying You Di of legend, they were as different as heaven and earth.
In Qingqing's view, either the Great Old Master before her wasn't the real You Di, or if he truly was You Di himself, then those legends about You Di were most likely false.
However.
Immortal Li Xin beside her absolutely would not agree.
Yes.
This Great Old Master indeed didn't seem as cold, ruthless, bloodthirsty, and violent as the legends described, nor as aloof and domineering, slaughtering at the slightest displeasure.
But that was only on the surface.
One must never judge a person solely by appearances.
Who knew what kind of terrifying You Di lay hidden beneath that amiable exterior?
Unlike Qingqing.
Qingqing's imagined You Di was mostly based on the legends about him.
But Immortal Li Xin had truly and personally seen You Di himself and clearly knew that the legends about You Di were not false. Far from being false, they weren't even exaggerated. The real You Di was exactly as the legends described: aloof and domineering, cold and ruthless.
Immortal Li Xin also felt that either the Great Old Master before her wasn't the real You Di, or if he truly was You Di, his seemingly amiable surface was absolutely an act.
Opposite them.
Gu Qingfeng lay reclined in his chair, listening to the words of Li Xin and Qingqing, looking quite pleased.
Perhaps it was because, since childhood, Gu Qingfeng had never been a good man in this life.
Or perhaps it was because, all along, whenever his name was mentioned, it was either as a heinous criminal or a wicked tyrant.
Or perhaps it was because every man harbored a childhood dream of being a chivalrous hero admired by all.
So, sometimes Gu Qingfeng particularly, particularly wanted to hear others say he was a good man.
As for the reason, he himself wasn't clear.
He just sometimes really wanted to hear it.
Even though he knew the words of Li Xin and Qingqing were somewhat insincere, he didn't care. To hear someone call him a good man, even if it was an insincere lie, would satisfy Gu Qingfeng and make him happy.
"Don't just stand there, keep going," Gu Qingfeng's voice came.
Immortal Li Xin and Worthy One Qingqing were both puzzled. Immortal Li Xin cautiously asked, "May we ask what Great Old Master wishes us to continue saying?"
"Say that your lord is a good man."
Hearing this, both Immortal Li Xin and Qingqing were stunned. Even the look in their eyes as they regarded Gu Qingfeng changed. They even began to doubt internally whether this fellow before them was truly You Di. This guy, viewed from any angle, no matter how you looked at him, seemed utterly unrelated to the terrifying You Di of legend. And now he was forcing them to say he was a good man?
Was there such a bizarre You Di?
Wasn't this a bit too shamelessly brazen?
Although the two had many doubts in their hearts, they dared not ask further. They could only grit their teeth and continue insincerely saying Gu Qingfeng was a good man.
On the deck of the great ship, the two repeated it over and over.
Outside the great ship, ever since Immortal Li Xin activated the formation, those outside could no longer see the situation inside. Not even divine sense could easily penetrate. Moreover, the thousands of people outside had neither the mind nor the courage to probe the ship's interior with their divine sense. At the moment, they were all discussing one matter.
Why would Immortal Li Xin and Upper Immortal Qingqing show such reverence to some so-called Worthy One?
They weren't fools; they could naturally see that if it were merely out of gratitude or to repay Gu Qingfeng for gifting the Lingyu Sword, Immortal Li Xin and Upper Immortal Qingqing would absolutely not, in full public view, so disregard the dignity and face of the Eternal Life Pavilion, and even beat Bai Ze half to death in front of everyone.
But if it wasn't out of gratitude or repayment, then what could it be?
Could it be that the existence of that so-called Worthy One was truly more terrifying than imagined?
Was that possible?
Immortal Li Xin was an ancient immortal, and Upper Immortal Qingqing was the personal disciple of Fuchen Emperor. Given their status and positions, everyone thought and thought but couldn't figure out what kind of existence could be so terrifying as to make Li Xin and Qingqing willingly play the qin for him, give him massages—actions so damaging to their own dignity and that of the Eternal Life Pavilion—and even beat Bai Ze half to death, all just to avoid offending him?
They didn't know.
No one could figure it out.
And just as they were discussing, not far away, a group of several hundred people was flying toward them with great momentum and ferocity.