Noon.
The blazing sun hung high in the sky.
Within a separate courtyard of the Yunxia Sect, Huode paced back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back, his face etched with anxiety and his mind heavy with worry.
Lord Saint Yang's massive mobilization to search for Gu Qingfeng's whereabouts in the Primordial World was something Huode had long known about. He had been constantly worried that Gu Qingfeng would find out, fretting over how to keep this matter hidden. Although he knew he couldn't dissuade Gu Qingfeng, he still thought to delay things day by day, hoping that perhaps one day Gu Qingfeng would suddenly change his mind and decide not to provoke the Nine Heavens Immortal Path.
But later, after hearing from Xiao Jinr, he learned that Gu Qingfeng wasn't even at the Yunxia Sect. As for where he had gone, Huode didn't know. He asked Feiyue, but Feiyue didn't know either. Even Xiao Jinr wasn't sure. This left Huode's heart torn between relief and worry.
He was relieved because with Gu Qingfeng not at the Yunxia Sect, even if Lord Saint Yang really came to search, he wouldn't find anything.
He was worried because Gu Qingfeng had left without even saying goodbye. Where exactly had he gone?
He thought it over and over but couldn't come to any conclusion. He asked, "Xiao Jinr, do you really not know where that kid Gu went?"
"I don't know."
Xiao Jinr and Feiyue were sitting in the pavilion. Feiyue also wore a look of concern, while Xiao Jinr alone appeared very calm. She ate a spirit fruit and said, "Big Brother only said he was going out for a while. He didn't tell me where."
"This...
Xiao Jinr."
Huode rubbed his hands together, looking somewhat embarrassed as he asked, "Did you try to persuade your Big Brother to leave this place?"
"I didn't try to persuade Big Brother to leave."
Xiao Jinr shook her head innocently. "Why would I try to persuade Big Brother to leave here?"
"You silly girl, don't you know how dangerous your Big Brother's situation is right now? Even so, that kid still wants to provoke the Nine Heavens Immortal Path. Why didn't you try to talk him out of it?"
"Grandpa Huode, there are some things you don't know, so you shouldn't worry needlessly."
"What? What things don't I know? Don't I know more than a little girl like you? And what do you mean 'worry needlessly'? Is this needless worry? Do you know this whole thing is a conspiracy? Someone wants to use this to make that kid Gu and the Nine Heavens Immortal Path fight each other, so they can reap the benefits. The waters run deep in this matter."
Xiao Jinr rolled her eyes at Huode, her gaze like that of someone looking at an ignorant child who understood nothing. "Grandpa Huode, you should just mind your own business. What Big Brother wants to do, even Sister Hua and Sister Wuming dare not interfere, nor can they. Why are you meddling needlessly?"
"You little girl, I..." Huode was momentarily left speechless by Xiao Jinr's words, his face flushing red. He wanted to retort but truly couldn't find an excuse. Thinking it over carefully, it was indeed true. What that kid Gu wanted to do, even the damn Holy Lady, including the Heavenly Secrets Lady who is called the incarnation of karma and the messenger of fate, couldn't control. What was he doing meddling needlessly here?
At that moment.
A middle-aged man hurried into the courtyard, his expression panicked. "Master, it's bad!"
This middle-aged man was named Feng Lin, Huode's eldest disciple. Huode glanced at Feng Lin and scolded him irritably, "I say, Feng Lin, you're now the deputy sect master of our Yunxia Sect. Can't you damn well act a bit like a sect master? Don't panic and fluster at every little thing. What's so bad? Did the sun fall down? Or did the sky collapse?"
Feng Lin's expression turned grave as he replied, "It's Lord Saint Yang. He's brought people here."
"Damn it!"
Hearing that Lord Saint Yang had brought people over, Huode's anger instantly flared. He cursed loudly, "That old turtle bastard Lord Saint Yang really has the guts of a leopard, daring to pick a fight with our Yunxia Sect. That old bastard has gone too far!"
Fuming, Huode rolled up his sleeves and pointed at Feng Lin, shouting, "Go! Pass on my words! Tell everyone in the sect, from the sect head and elders at the top, down to the hall masters and disciples at the bottom—anyone who can breathe—to grab their weapons and assemble at the sect entrance for me! Form up in battle array and wait for that old turtle bastard Lord Saint Yang!"
"Mas... Master."
Hearing this, Feng Lin was greatly shocked and exclaimed in astonishment, "You... what are you planning to do? Lord Saint Yang is the ruler of the Lingluo Heavenly Domain!"
"I don't care what ruler he is! I told you to go, so go! Why waste so much breath! Hurry up!"
"Alright... alright!"
After Feng Lin left, Feiyue also asked nervously, "What are you going to do? Do you actually intend to start a fight with Lord Saint Yang?"
"Why would I start a fight with that old turtle bastard!" Huode laughed. "Besides, we're no match for him anyway."
"Then why are you gathering everyone in the sect?"
"Gathering doesn't necessarily mean we're going to fight."
Huode tilted his head back and took a swig of wine. "That Lord Saint Yang is arriving in the Great Sun Dragon Carriage bestowed by the Nine Heavens, bringing with him thousands of Celestial Domain Immortal Officials. He's putting on quite a show. That old bastard has been swaggering around the Primordial World with his people searching for that kid Gu, flaunting his authority to the fullest."
"And from what I've heard, when that old bastard Lord Saint Yang went to the Shangqing Sect earlier, he was unbearably arrogant. He even prepared to enforce Immortal Dao laws on the Shangqing Sect. Luckily, the Shangqing Sect's backing is powerful enough. Even the damn Heavenly Dao Sovereign showed up and unleashed a torrent of heavenly might. Only then did Lord Saint Yang dare not act."
"Although our Yunxia Sect doesn't have as powerful a backer as the Shangqing Sect, we still can't show weakness. At the very least, we can't back down in terms of momentum. The more you cower, the more that old bastard Lord Saint Yang will push his luck. Moreover..." Huode lowered his voice. "Although that kid Gu isn't in the sect right now, he did stay here for a while. If that old bastard Lord Saint Yang really detects something, then this matter will blow up big time."
Feiyue asked, "What do you plan to do?"
"I absolutely will not allow Lord Saint Yang to search our Yunxia Sect. That's the bottom line. Besides, if that kid Gu finds out I was so cowardly, he'll say I've embarrassed him again."
Feiyue worriedly asked, "What if Lord Saint Yang insists on searching?"
"Hehe!"
At this moment, Xiao Jinr giggled. "Grandpa Huode, if you let that Lord Saint Yang enter the Yunxia Sect to search today, you won't just be embarrassing Big Brother. You'll be embarrassing Sister Hua and Sister Ye too."
Huode nodded in strong agreement. "The little girl is right. Our Yunxia Sect is, after all, under the protection of the Holy Lady and the Lady of Nature. Why should I be afraid of that old turtle bastard Lord Saint Yang? What does he amount to? Come on, Xiao Jinr. I'll take you to see a grand spectacle today, broaden your horizons, and increase your knowledge."
"Great, great! Jinr loves watching excitement the most!"