At Crimson-Letter Manor, the crowd stirred.
Gu Qingfeng had vanished.
No one knew where he had gone or what he had gone to do.
The surrounding people whispered among themselves, looking at Old Sen who still knelt there.
Compared to Gu Qingfeng's whereabouts, they were more curious about why Old Sen had knelt, and why he was so reverent towards Gu Qingfeng—so reverent that when True Person Yubing had merely cursed him as a 'little beast', Old Sen had slapped her to death with a single palm strike.
They did not know who Gu Qingfeng was, nor what his identity was.
But one thing was certain: if anyone present knew, that person would be Old Sen.
Old Sen knelt there for a long time. Only after his emotions had settled did he slowly rise to his feet. He glanced at the night sky, then with a wave of his hand, he re-deployed a formation, enveloping the mountain villa and isolating the crowd outside.
Turning around, he looked at the corpses on the ground, the flesh and blood, the severed limbs, and those half-dead people. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said solemnly, "Have someone clean this up as soon as possible."
Second Master Hai beside him nodded, opening his mouth as if wanting to say something but hesitating. Then, as if mustering great resolve, he dared to ask softly, "Master, that person just now... who is he?"
This question had been on Second Master Hai's mind the whole time, but no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure out who that person was.
He also didn't understand why his master had knelt, or why he had been so agitated.
"I don't know."
Old Sen replied with these words.
This answer made Second Master Hai freeze in place. He wondered if he had misheard. He asked again, "Master, what did you say... you don't know who that person is?"
"I don't know."
Old Sen replied again, very definitively.
This time, Second Master Hai was completely dumbfounded.
What did he mean, he didn't know?
He didn't even know who that person was, yet he knelt?
Wasn't that foolish?
Had his master's mind gone awry?
If it were anyone else, Second Master Hai would have thought them a fool. But he knew his master absolutely could not have lost his mind, nor could he be a fool. On the contrary, his master must have had a reason for kneeling. When he inquired further,
Old Sen closed his eyes, as if reminiscing about something, and murmured, "Although I don't know who that person is, I recognize the Profound Mystery of the seal token he manifested."
Profound Mystery of a seal token?
Second Master Hai clearly remembered that the white-robed man had seemed to manifest some kind of mystery earlier. What exactly it was, he didn't know and couldn't discern. Now, hearing his master call it the Profound Mystery of a seal token, this was the first time he had heard such a name.
"That was the Chi-Shang Seal Token of the Chixiao Sect."
Chi-Shang Seal Token?
Second Master Hai hadn't even heard of the Profound Mystery of a seal token, let alone something called the Chi-Shang Seal Token.
"You wouldn't understand. Only those of us from the Chixiao Sect understand what the Chi-Shang Seal Token is. And only those of us from the Chixiao Sect know the meaning it represents."
"Master, what does the Chi-Shang Seal Token represent?"
"It represents a person."
"Represents a person? What person?"
When Second Master Hai asked again, Old Sen did not respond. He merely closed his eyes, as if lost in memory. The agitation that had just settled in his heart gradually resurfaced, and his murmuring voice began to tremble: "Chi-Shang Xiao, the seal is supreme, its command over the world, none dare disobey..." Beside him, Second Master Hai listened to Old Sen reciting this phrase, but he did not understand its meaning.
He did not ask again.
Having followed his master for many years, he knew that if his master wanted to tell him, he would speak. If he didn't want to, asking was futile.
Old Sen continued to murmur, the agitation in his expression growing increasingly intense, until tears actually streamed from the corners of his eyes.
"Master, you... what's wrong?"
"Ah!"
After a long while, Old Sen sighed heavily, wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, shook his head, and asked, "That person... what was his name again?"
"I heard he's the Heir Apparent Disciple of the Yunxia Sect, named Gu Qingfeng."
"Surname Gu?"
"Surname Gu."
"Surname Gu?"
Old Sen repeated the question several times, a flicker of pleasant surprise flashing in his eyes, but it soon faded. He shook his head again and sighed, "Impossible... impossible. Chi-Shang cannot have returned. Impossible..."
...
Crimson-Letter Manor was once again enclosed by Old Sen's formation. The people gathered near the manor had not left, still clustering in small groups, whispering among themselves.
The Spirit-Capital Sect, the largest cultivation sect in the Liujin region, had been nearly annihilated.
The Bingxuan Sect, the largest sect across the surrounding ten regions, had suffered countless casualties.
The Murong Family of the Nine-Hua Alliance, a hegemon ruling the borderlands and commanding over a hundred regions, had been wiped from the records.
Crimson-Letter Manor, which governed the underground order of this world, had been half-destroyed.
This was absolutely a major event. Everyone was discussing what the outcome of this matter would be.
In the distance.
On a sand dune.
Wei Qing stood, gazing at the night sky, at the firmament.
When Gu Qingfeng left, he did not give chase. He knew the person Gu Qingfeng was pursuing was the Bearer of the Immortal Edict.
Although he very much wanted to know the outcome.
Very much wanted to know how Gu Qingfeng would deal with the Bearer of the Immortal Edict, or how the Bearer of the Immortal Edict would deal with Gu Qingfeng.
Yes.
He very much wanted to know.
But he did not give chase. It wasn't that he lacked the ability.
But that he dared not.
He was a cautious man, clearly aware that some things were better left unknown. Knowing too much could bring about a fatal disaster.
Although he was also very curious about Gu Qingfeng's identity.
But it was only curiosity.
Now, even if someone were willing to tell him, Wei Qing no longer wanted to hear it.
He no longer wanted to know Gu Qingfeng's identity. If possible, he never wanted to know again.
What was the point of trying to learn the identity of someone who dared use the Slaughter Way to test the Heavenly Edict, Buddhist Edict, Immortal Edict, and Demon Edict?
What could you do even if you knew?
He didn't know why Gu Qingfeng had gone after that Bearer of the Immortal Edict either.
But was that question important?
No.
What was important was that he dared to pursue that Bearer of the Immortal Edict. That alone spoke volumes.
Suddenly.
A figure seemed to fall from the sky—perhaps 'fall' wasn't quite right; it was more like stumbling and staggering.
It was a woman.
A woman in red robes with red hair, enchantingly beautiful.
It was Liu Piaopiao.
Liu Piaopiao came from the void, as if frightened by something, appearing panicked and flustered, seemingly unable to stand steadily. Her beautiful face was deathly pale and ashen. She collapsed directly onto the ground.
Seeing this scene,
Wei Qing's heart jolted, and he blurted out, "You... don't tell me you chased after him just now!"
Upon seeing Liu Piaopiao, Wei Qing realized a serious problem: his thoughts had been too chaotic earlier, so chaotic that he had forgotten about Liu Piaopiao. Seeing her arrive from the void now, and in such a terrified state...
Could it be that she...
"Did you really chase after him?"
Liu Piaopiao looked utterly lost, collapsed on the ground as if she hadn't heard, not saying a word.
"Speak! Did you chase after him or not!"
Wei Qing shouted sharply, employing the Profound Mystery of a powerful sonic technique to stimulate Liu Piaopiao's dispirited mind. Liu Piaopiao jolted violently, looked up at Wei Qing, and murmured, "He... he... he killed... he killed the Bearer of the Immortal Edict."
Boom!
Hearing these words, Elder Hui beside them was so startled he couldn't catch his breath. His mind received a fright, and he collapsed on the spot.
As for Wei Qing, he felt the heavens and earth spin. *Thud, thud.* He retreated two steps, staggered, and nearly collapsed to the ground himself.