Wei City, East District.
Liuren Mansion.
This was the residence of Old Master Shi Tong of Liuren Mountain. Ever since the news of the old master's emergence from seclusion spread, the stream of visitors had never ceased. Compared to usual days, today's visitors were exceptionally numerous; a long queue had already formed in front of Liuren Mansion early in the morning.
Most of them had come to deliver name cards.
This was the customary etiquette for a visit.
One would send a card before the visit, stating the reason. If the old master had time, he would make an appointment to meet. If not, it could only be postponed. After all, with so many visitors daily, and Old Master Shi Tong having just emerged from seclusion with many matters demanding his attention, appointments could only be scheduled based on the urgency of the matters.
"Are all these people here to visit Old Master Shi Tong?"
Observing the long queue in front of Liuren Mansion, Gu Qingfeng appeared somewhat puzzled.
"Pretty much all of them," Fei Kui replied, glancing at Gu Qingfeng. "The old master is a highly respected senior expert of great virtue and prestige in the Liuli Great Region. Moreover, he is one of the elders of the Four Regions Alliance. Many sects wish to join the alliance to jointly resist the Nine-Hua Alliance."
Fei Kui looked at Gu Qingfeng and suggested, "Young Lord, why don't you let this humble servant handle delivering the name card? Perhaps you could wait in that tavern over there first?"
Gu Qingfeng nodded. He didn't have any particularly important business; he simply wished to pay a visit to the old senior who had once offered him guidance in his youth. It was still early; there was no rush. He turned to look around, then walked into a tavern.
The tavern hall was spacious, filled with many patrons, and featured someone playing the qin and singing.
Gu Qingfeng found an empty table and chair, sat down, ordered a few delicacies, took out his Water-Cloud Wine and Taixu Cup, and began sipping his wine while listening to the tunes.
Perhaps it was because he had been too poor as a child, or because he had spent five hundred years in cultivation with his head constantly on the line, fighting and killing.
Deep in his heart, Gu Qingfeng had always yearned for a leisurely, carefree life.
Not the tranquil life of seclusion in the countryside.
Nor the miserable, boring life of idle cultivation in seclusion.
But this kind of life—sipping fine wine, listening to melodies, watching the lively bustle, free and unfettered.
This was his dream.
He had yearned for it since childhood.
He still did. Whenever he entered such a noisy, bustling tavern, his mood would become exceptionally relaxed. In one word: carefree.
The performer on the stage was a young woman. Perhaps she wasn't very famous, or perhaps her tunes weren't particularly captivating. Although the hall was crowded, few were attentively listening to the music. More were gathered in small groups of three or five, discussing the situation across the Four Great Regions.
"Now things are looking up! With Old Master Shi Tong stepping forward, our Liuli Great Region is saved. With the old master holding the fort, the Nine-Hua Alliance probably won't find it so easy to swallow up our various sects and factions."
"Of course! Who is Old Master Shi Tong? He's the renowned Teacher of the Monarch. Even if you gave the Nine-Hua Alliance three extra guts, they wouldn't dare lay a finger on the old master."
"Do you think the current Four Regions Alliance can stand against the Nine-Hua Alliance?"
"It should be possible, right? The so-called Four Regions Alliance is precisely our Four Great Regions joining forces to resist. Our Liuli Great Region has Old Master Shi Tong and others holding the fort. Eminent seniors and old masters from the Yujing Great Region and the Fengde Great Region have also emerged from seclusion one after another. Like Old Master Shi Tong, they are rallying the various sects and factions within their respective great regions."
"Indeed. The prestige of these old seniors is immense, each greater than the last. Not just in our Liuli Great Region, but in Yujing and Fengde as well—once those old masters issue the call, the response is overwhelming, with countless people joining."
"That's absolutely true. Take our Liuli Great Region, for example. I heard that Old Master Shi Tong and the others recently visited the Three Caves and Five Mountains. As you all know, the Three Caves and Five Mountains of our Liuli Great Region have always cultivated in seclusion, aloof from worldly affairs. I heard they're planning to emerge this time."
"Is that really true?"
"I can't confirm the others, but I heard that Taixing Cave, Jinyu Cave, as well as Black Crow Mountain, Jiangzhu Mountain, and Xuanze Mountain have agreed to emerge and lend their aid."
"Incredible! The Three Caves and Five Mountains have always remained aloof from worldly affairs. They didn't even emerge during the Calamity. It seems Old Master Shi Tong's prestige is truly immense. Each of the Three Caves and Five Mountains is unfathomably profound. If they are willing to emerge and help, our chances of winning this time are very high."
"And that's not all. I heard the Crimson-Letter Sect might also get involved this time..."
"The Crimson-Letter Sect? Impossible! Everyone under heaven knows the Crimson-Letter Sect never participates in any conflicts. How could they come out to help?"
"I don't know the full story behind this matter, nor the specifics. But I heard people say that the Ninth Young Lord of the Huoyun Branch and the Nine Spirit Prodigies of the Fengyun Branch in our Liuli Great Region might come out to help."
"Heavens! Could it really be true? If that's the case, then it's simply... simply too thrilling! The Huoyun Ninth Young Lord, the Fengyun Nine Prodigies—they are all top-tier geniuses!"
"I doubt it's true. The Crimson-Letter Sect never participates in earthly conflicts. If the Huoyun and Fengyun Branches get involved, they would be violating the Crimson-Letter Sect's rules and could be expelled. Even if they are the Huoyun Ninth Young Lord and the Fengyun Nine Prodigies, it would be no exception. Don't forget, the Crimson-Letter Sect's rules are very strict."
"That's hard to say. After all, Old Master Shi Tong once guided the Chixiao Monarch and is hailed as the Monarch's Father. If he personally steps forward, wouldn't the Crimson-Letter Sect give him face? Why is the Crimson-Letter Sect called the Crimson-Letter Sect? Ultimately, it's because of the Chixiao Monarch."
The tavern patrons chattered incessantly, one piece of hearsay after another.
Gu Qingfeng sat in the corner, leaning against the wall, legs crossed, taking occasional sips of his wine, listening with great interest. But as he listened, he began to feel something was off. Because, somehow, the topic of these people's discussion had shifted to himself. And when they mentioned Young Lord Chiyan, each one was filled with righteous indignation, harboring a deep-seated hatred.
"Don't even mention that Young Lord Chiyan, Gu Qingfeng! Hmph! Just hearing that name now makes me furious!"
"Me too! What does he think he is? Just because he has some skill, he really thinks he's something special?"
"Exactly! So many people wish to see Old Master Shi Tong but can't get an audience. The old master finally managed to spare some time from his busy schedule to personally go to the Yunxia Sect, hoping to arrange a meeting with that so-called Young Lord Chiyan. And then what? Ha... The old master waited there for over a full day. Not only did he not see Young Lord Chiyan, but he was actually turned away at the Yunxia Sect's gates!"
"The old master is broad-minded and didn't stoop to the Yunxia Sect's level. To show his sincerity, he even left his head disciple, Grand Manor Master Feihe, there to wait. How about that? Sincere enough? Putting aside his status as the old master's head disciple, Grand Manor Master Feihe is also a Grandmaster Real Person of our Liuli Great Region..."
"And guess what happened later? When that Young Lord Chiyan finally returned, he didn't even deign to meet Grand Manor Master Feihe. He directly sent Grand Manor Master Feihe packing! He just had some elder from the Yunxia Sect—what was his name? Huo De, some old fellow—relay a message, saying something about visiting the old master in a few days."
"What a colossal joke!"
"Does that so-called Young Lord Chiyan really think that highly of himself? When Old Master Shi Tong steps forward, even the aloof Three Caves and Five Mountains, and even the Crimson-Letter Sect, wouldn't dare refuse him face. Yet he turned the old master away at the gate? And even sent Grand Manor Master Feihe packing?"
"Daring to turn Old Master Shi Tong away at the gate—this so-called Young Lord Chiyan is really something! One would think he was the Chixiao Monarch himself!"