"I say, Huode."
Gu Qingfeng looked at Huode, who was putting on airs, and said with great helplessness, "You old codger are now, after all, the founding patriarch of the Yunxia Sect, with two such powerful backers as the Saintess Empress and the Lady of Nature behind you. Can't you, for heaven's sake, straighten your back a bit? Don't act like the sky is falling every time you encounter some trivial matter. Even if the sky does fall, isn't there still this master of yours, who is invincible between heaven and earth? What the hell are you afraid of?"
"I...
You...
This old man..." Huode was left speechless by Gu Qingfeng's scolding, standing there dumbfounded. After a moment, he said, "Hey, I say, Gu kid, did this old man offend you or something? Why the hell are you lecturing me as soon as you open your mouth?"
"Playing dumb, are you?"
"What playing dumb? What the hell are you talking about, kid?"
"This master told you before, I don't want to see old acquaintances."
"This old man didn't tell anyone else either."
"You didn't tell anyone else? Then how did Feiyue know this master is here?"
"This..." Huode was momentarily at a loss for words, then explained, "Gu kid, you can't blame this old man for this, can you? After all, Feiyue is the aunt of the Lady of Nature, Yun Nishang. If she wants to see you, this old man doesn't dare to stop her. Moreover, she had business with you, so... that's why this old man told her. By the way, what exactly did Feiyue come to you for?"
"Nothing much."
"Nothing much?
Heh, Gu kid, you can't hide this from this old man. Out with it, did she come to you because of the Lady of Nature?"
"Well, well."
Gu Qingfeng glanced at Huode and said, "So you've become a fortune-telling witch now too?"
"What witch or not witch, Gu kid, did Feiyue come to deliver a message from the Lady of Nature? What did the Lady of Nature say to you?"
"Want to know?"
Huode nodded excitedly.
Huode had been a witness to the affair between Gu Qingfeng and Hongxiu back in the day. Being a rather gossipy person himself, he was very eager to know what Yun Nishang, whose past life memories had now awakened after two reincarnations, each connected by karma to Gu Qingfeng, would have said to him after all these years.
"Come on, let this master slap you once, and I'll tell you."
"What?
Why the hell would you slap this old man for no reason?"
"Don't you want to know what Yun Nishang said to me?"
"What do you mean?
So if this old man knows, he has to take a slap from you?"
"Nonsense, if this master tells you, shouldn't I get some benefit? Otherwise, why would I tell you?"
"Go to hell!
This old man won't listen anymore, alright!"
Huode angrily picked up the wine jar beside Gu Qingfeng and started guzzling it down. After finishing a whole jar of Hell Impermanence Wine, Huode slapped his forehead and said, "Damn it, after your scolding, this old man almost forgot the real business."
"What exactly is it?"
"Gu kid, this old man asks you, back when we were on Immortal Qingqing's Xuantian Vessel, did you get into a fight with people? Not only did you cripple Mo Baiyu and a bunch of other immortals, but you also killed a few? Even Leng Jue, a disciple of the Seventy-Two Blessed Lands' Eternal Life Pavilion, and Bai Ze, a disciple of the Dan Ding Valley, are now half-dead."
"That's right, that did happen. So what?"
Gu Qingfeng asked nonchalantly, "Have they come to seek revenge on this master?"
"Not that far yet. They don't know you're here with this old man either. However... after the major immortal realms behind Mo Baiyu learned of this, they've been searching for you everywhere. The Eternal Life Pavilion and Dan Ding Valley have also sent many experts, all wanting to settle accounts with you, kid."
"This master thought it was something serious. Just this little matter, and you think it's worth reporting to me? Even saying the sky is falling? Can't you, for heaven's sake, have a bit more backbone!"
"Gu kid, if it were just this little matter, do you think this old man would be so anxious? This old man has, after all, been wandering the Great Desolate for so many years and seen all sorts of scenes, big and small. This little matter isn't even worth this old man's attention. The key is, the situation now isn't that simple."
"What else is there?"
"Kid, back on the Xuantian Vessel, did you personally admit that you are the You Di?"
Gu Qingfeng nodded. "This master did admit it. What about it?"
"What about it?
Damn it, your heart is really big, kid. When we first arrived at the Lingluo Heavenly Domain, seeing so many people within the domain, this old man thought it was because of the Lingluo Heavenly Domain's ancestral worship ceremony. Later, after asking others in the sect, this old man found out that while some of the people gathered in the Lingluo Heavenly Domain might be there to worship the ancestors of Lingluo, many more are here because of you, kid."
Huode took a gulp of fine wine, his throat choking slightly as he said, "Do you know, kid? The news of you taking action on the Xuantian Vessel has already spread throughout the myriad heavens and worlds within the Great Desolate. The rumor of your death and resurrection is spreading like wildfire. Fortunately, though, no one can be sure whether you are truly the You Di. Now, many people are searching for you everywhere, all damn well wanting to know if the You Di has truly returned from death."
"Then let them search."
"Gu kid, aren't you worried at all?"
"Worried about what?"
Gu Qingfeng said indifferently, "With this master's abilities, I roam freely between heaven and earth, unmatched by anyone. What do I have to worry about?"
"This old man, I..." Huode was both amused and exasperated, utterly speechless. "Since when did you become so narcissistic, kid!"
"What narcissism? This is called stating facts, alright? What, in your eyes, this master's abilities aren't great enough?"
"Alright, alright, alright. Even if you, kid, roam freely between heaven and earth unmatched by anyone, fine. This old man just wonders, for no good reason, why did you admit your identity? Aren't you just bored out of your mind, looking for trouble?"
"Huode."
Gu Qingfeng poured Huode a cup of wine, motioning for him to sit down, and said unhurriedly, "Do you think this master's identity can be kept hidden?"
Although Huode didn't want to admit it, he had to acknowledge that Gu Qingfeng's identity could not be kept hidden forever. One day, everyone in the myriad heavens and worlds would know that the You Di, who ignited the Delusion of Original Sin's karmic fire, had died and resurrected ten thousand years later.
"Gu kid, even if your identity can't be hidden, you didn't have to admit it yourself, did you?"
"Do you think this master is the kind of person who's bored out of his mind and looks for trouble?"
"That's exactly why this old man is asking you why!"
Huode knew that Gu Qingfeng would never admit his identity for no reason. He also understood Gu Qingfeng's character better than anyone. This kid was inherently lazy and disliked trouble the most. Even if heaven and earth were to collapse tomorrow, he would still eat and drink his fill today. In other words, even if Gu Qingfeng's identity were to be exposed one day, Gu Qingfeng would leisurely wait for that day to come. He would absolutely not be so bored as to expose his own identity.
There must be some reason behind this.