Shui Yunruo held an extremely high position in Jingtao's heart; he had always revered her as a goddess and had admired her for a long time.
Earlier, he hadn't made a move against Gu Qingfeng, perhaps out of some apprehension, but also because he wanted to maintain his gentlemanly demeanor in front of his goddess.
Originally, because of Gu Qingfeng, he had already been thoroughly humiliated twice in a row. Now, his goddess was actually saying right in front of him that the Crimson-Flame Young Master Gu Qingfeng had never taken anyone seriously from the very beginning?
And saying that Gu Qingfeng had been watching them all as a joke?
Even saying that Gu Qingfeng was unfathomably deep and that he should try not to provoke him if they met again?
If these words had come from anyone else's mouth, he could have ignored them, wouldn't have cared. But they came from the very goddess of his heart.
How could the always proud and arrogant Jingtao Gongzi endure this?
How could he accept it?
How could he not be furious!
He was unconvinced, utterly unconvinced.
Of course.
Facing his goddess, he couldn't very well get angry. After a laugh, he said disdainfully, "Ruo'er, your temperament is aloof. You reside in the Taixing Cave, cultivating in seclusion year-round, detached from worldly affairs. You simply don't know how splendid the outside world truly is."
Although Jingtao Gongzi didn't say it explicitly, Shui Yunruo could tell he meant she lacked experience, had seen too little of the world. To this, Shui Yunruo merely looked at him, shook her head slightly, and paid no further heed.
A look of wild arrogance appeared on Jingtao's handsome face as he said, "There are far too many self-important people in this world. After stumbling upon some fortuitous encounter by luck, their cultivation and strength advance by leaps and bounds, and they start acting as if they're the only ones that matter. They act recklessly in front of the weak, but put on an air of mystery in front of the strong, like a fox borrowing the tiger's might. When it comes to a real fight, they'll find all sorts of excuses to slip away. I've seen far too many of this sort."
Clearly.
Jingtao was mocking Gu Qingfeng.
Saying Gu Qingfeng was just lucky to have gotten some fortuitous encounters, which was why his physical body was so formidable. In front of some weaklings, he acted arrogantly beyond measure, but if he encountered true power, he could only turn tail and run. He was also referring to how Gu Qingfeng had pretended to be calm earlier, yet didn't even have the courage to stay when facing them.
"Exactly, Senior Sister, Brother Jingtao is one of the Nine Young Masters of the Fire Cloud Branch of the Red Gang. His experience and knowledge are far greater than ours."
Bai Yunfei poured wine for Jingtao, saying, "Someone like Gu Qingfeng, who borrows another's prestige and puts on an air of mystery, can only fool someone like you, Senior Sister. See, just now, before Brother Jingtao even made a move, he was so scared he fled in a hurry."
Shui Yunruo did not try to persuade them further.
She could see that no matter how much she tried today, Jingtao would likely remain unconvinced.
At that moment.
The hall suddenly grew lively. Everyone looked over to see an elderly woman slowly walking out from the inner hall. This old woman wore a luxurious robe of purplish-black, her graying hair piled high on her head. A string of emerald-green beads hung around her neck, but beyond that, she wore no other adornments.
Though simple and unadorned, she nonetheless carried an air of dignified solemnity.
The old woman was being supported by a young girl in plain blue cloth clothes. Her weathered face bore an expression that was both heavy and somewhat flustered.
Seeing this old woman, the Bingxuan Sect elders, led by Elder Yuhua, immediately bowed in greeting. At the same time, the Nine Disciples and Eighteen Chief Disciples, indeed all the disciples of the Bingxuan Sect, bowed deeply with cupped fists, performing the ritual greeting for a venerable elder, calling out in unison, "We pay our respects to the Ancestral Patriarch!"
This old woman was none other than the Bingxuan Sect's most senior, highest-status, and eldest Ancestral Patriarch, Zhu Xia.
It was rumored that Ancestral Patriarch Zhu Xia had once been a disciple of the Bingxuan Sect's founding ancestor, Yun Nishang.
And everyone knew the Bingxuan Sect had existed for three thousand years. In other words, this Ancestral Patriarch Zhu Xia had already lived for three millennia.
All along, because of its founding ancestor Yun Nishang, the Bingxuan Sect had always been shrouded in a veil of mystery.
Yun Nishang's existence was mysterious, and so was Ancestral Patriarch Zhu Xia's.
It was said Ancestral Patriarch Zhu Xia had always cultivated in seclusion, silently guarding the Bingxuan Sect.
It wasn't until after the Great Calamity that everyone learned the Bingxuan Sect still harbored such an Ancestral Patriarch who had lived for three thousand years.
Although no one knew exactly what level of cultivation Ancestral Patriarch Zhu Xia possessed, nor her true strength.
Absolutely no one dared to doubt it.
Everyone knew the saying of the Ninety-Nine Longevity Tribulations, with one tribulation every nine hundred years. Ancestral Patriarch Zhu Xia had lived three thousand years, meaning she had undergone at least three Longevity Tribulations. To have safely passed three Longevity Tribulations, even if her cultivation was only at the Golden Core stage, the spiritual power contained within that single Golden Core would absolutely be enough to scare someone to death.
After the Bingxuan Sect members performed their respectful greetings, the leaders of the various sects, gangs, and families who had come to attend the celebration also bowed one after another.
"This junior Wen Yansheng, on behalf of the various commanders of the Half-Moon Hall of the Nine-Hua Alliance, pays respects to Senior Zhu Xia."
Wen Yansheng, leading over twenty commanders of the Half-Moon Hall, bowed and then offered congratulations for the Bingxuan Sect's celebration. Immediately after, he took out a brocade box the size of a palm. Opening it revealed a pill shimmering with a misty purple radiance.
"Heavens!
That's a Purple Cloud Longevity Pill!"
In this world, Pills had always been a luxury.
Especially Pills used to assist in overcoming tribulations—they were the luxuries among luxuries. Even the most ordinary Longevity Tribulation Pill was a priceless treasure. A sect with a thousand-year heritage might not be able to trade for one, and that was just the most common Longevity Tribulation Pill, already so exorbitantly expensive.
As for the Purple Cloud Longevity Pill, it was the pinnacle among Longevity Tribulation Pills. This thing could no longer be measured in money; its value was simply unimaginable.
This couldn't help but make people marvel at the Wenyan family's formidable strength, and also marvel at how Wen Yansheng had truly gone all out this time to form a dual-cultivation partnership with Leng Yanqiu.
Before the surrounding crowd could recover from the shock brought by Wen Yansheng's Purple Cloud Longevity Pill, when Young Master Tianxiang, Tianxiang Yue, stepped forward to offer congratulations, they were once again plunged into deep astonishment.
Because what Tianxiang Yue presented was actually an Ancient Times Spirit Treasure, and moreover, an extremely famous Ancient Times Spirit Treasure in the surrounding region—the Profound Snow Jade Pendant.
Many had heard of this Ancient Times Spirit Treasure. It was said to have been forged by a famously renowned master artifact smith of the Ancient Times. Its value was similarly immeasurable, comparable to, if not exceeding, Wen Yansheng's Purple Cloud Longevity Pill.
Was that the end?
No!
Just as Tianxiang Yue presented the Ancient Times Spirit Treasure, Luo Wenzhenghao, leading six deputy hall masters and over a hundred commanders, also stepped forward. Similarly, he first paid his respects, then offered congratulations. With a wave of his hand, a commander directly carried out a large sealed chest. When opened, it was filled with glittering crystal fragments shimmering with a myriad of colors, so bright it was blinding.
"This is...
This is Five-Light Stone!"
Someone knowledgeable in the hall immediately recognized these crystal fragments.
Five-Light Stone was a type of rare natural resource. Because it contained the spiritual essence of the five lights of nature, its value was terrifyingly high. Even a single fragment was beyond what an ordinary person could imagine. And now, Luo Wenzhenghao had brought out an entire chest full.
"Today is not only the grand ceremony for your esteemed sect's succession, but also the three-thousand-year celebration of your esteemed sect. This junior Luo Wenzhenghao offers three thousand fragments of Five-Light Stone. First, to wish Senior Zhu Xia boundless longevity. Second, to wish your esteemed sect an eternal legacy..." Three thousand pieces.
Good heavens!
Hearing this, the surrounding crowd felt their scalps go numb.