Liuren Mountain was bustling with extraordinary liveliness.
Since there were particularly many guests arriving today, the several manors on the mountain were basically all filled.
Although seating was casual, with no distinction between high and low, noble and humble, some gardens truly couldn't be entered randomly, and some tables and chairs weren't for just anyone to sit at.
For example, the garden named Peach Blossom Manor. The people sitting inside were either esteemed seniors of the Liuli Great Region or elders from various major sects. Ordinary people really didn't dare to enter this place. It wasn't that they couldn't, but after entering and meeting these seniors, no matter who you were, you'd have to pay your respects, right? Moreover, the younger generation had little common language with these old fellows.
There was another garden where the people sitting inside might not be of high seniority, but their strength was formidable. They were all the mainstays of various major sects. Most were like Liuren Mountain's head disciple Feihe—powerful experts with status, background, and reputation in the Liuli Great Region.
Of course.
Not everyone liked to join the bustle. Some preferred peace and quiet. For this reason, Old Master Shi Tong had also arranged delicious food and fine wine in the mountain pavilions, towers, and small pavilions.
Gu Qingfeng found a pavilion with a relatively beautiful view and sat inside, leisurely enjoying some wine.
The pavilion wasn't large, only able to accommodate one table. Therefore, only he and Fei Kui were here.
"Young Master, are you alright?"
Fei Kui carefully poured fine wine for Gu Qingfeng. Remembering what had just happened, he was still somewhat fearful.
"A minor issue, nothing serious."
Gu Qingfeng had been observing the dusky lone star within his Purple Mansion that had affected his Heart-Mind. This thing had now lost its vitality again, and everything within his Purple Mansion had returned to normal.
What exactly was this dusky lone star? Why did it affect his Heart-Mind when it showed vitality? And why had it lost its vitality now? Gu Qingfeng pondered back and forth but couldn't figure it out. He tried to expel this thing, but it was still useless. The dusky lone star seemed to have fused with his Purple Mansion, making it impossible to remove.
Regarding this.
Gu Qingfeng couldn't be bothered to struggle with it anymore.
To be honest, this kind of situation wasn't something he hadn't encountered before. On the contrary, he had encountered far too many similar situations and was long accustomed to them.
When cultivating in his youth, he established his True Body and ended up with a Flame True Body. When forming his Golden Core, he formed eighty-one Golden Cores. When condensing his Nascent Soul, he also condensed a strange infant with three heads and six arms. When transforming his Primordial Spirit, he once transformed into a terrifying Primordial Spirit that blotted out the sky and sun. When forging his Dao-heart, he expelled a Demonic Dao-heart. When refining his Dharma Appearance, he refined one that even scared himself half to death...
Thinking carefully, ever since fusing with Yunxia Sect's Solar Seed back then, starting from establishing his True Body, his cultivation path had been filled with all sorts of unknowns, strangeness, mysteries, and sinister aspects. Even later, when he ascended to the Immortal Monster King Throne, then ascended to the Celestial Realm and ascended to the Nine Nethers Emperor Throne, it was all incredibly bizarre. Either some strange thing would inexplicably appear, or he would be inexplicably entangled by some sinister object.
Therefore, when this dusky lone star inexplicably appeared in his Purple Mansion, although it was utterly incomprehensible, that was all there was to it.
For things like this that were both incomprehensible and impossible to remove, Gu Qingfeng had always taken things one step at a time, because there was no other feasible method. If he stubbornly obsessed over it, it would only backfire. Rather than that, it was better to let nature take its course.
"Young Master, this humble one has something to say, but I don't know if I should speak."
"Speak."
Gu Qingfeng leaned against the stone pillar, sitting casually with his legs crossed, looking at Fei Kui with interest.
"If this humble one says something wrong, Young Master, please don't take offense."
Gu Qingfeng smiled, signaling him to continue.
"The disciples of Liuren Mountain aren't very friendly towards you, and the people from the Fire Cloud and Wind-Cloud Branch Halls are even more hostile towards you. I wonder why Young Master insists on attending this banquet."
"Old Master Shi Tong once showed me kindness. Since he invited me, I naturally wouldn't refuse."
Gu Qingfeng picked up his wine cup, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp, then added, "Of course, that's not the only reason. The old master is in danger, and I can't just stand by and watch him die."
"Old Master Shi Tong is in danger?"
"Someone has planted a Gu Insect in his Heart-Mind."
Hearing this, Fei Kui was greatly shocked. He was stunned for a long time before exclaiming in horror, "Old Master Shi Tong is highly respected and known throughout the Four Regions. He's even hailed as the Monarch's Teacher. Who would be so bold as to plant a Gu Insect in the old master's Heart-Mind?"
"That's an excellent question, and it's also the purpose of my visit today."
Gu Qingfeng was absolutely certain that the old master had been implanted with a Gu Insect. Moreover, ever since he first laid eyes on the old master in front of the Liuren Mansion in Wei City, he had already known. The Heart-Mind was different from other things; it was extremely sensitive. For an outsider to stealthily plant a Gu Insect in someone else's Heart-Mind was almost impossible. Someone like Old Master Shi Tong, who had cultivated for two thousand years, had a very powerful Heart-Mind. It was even more impossible for an outsider to plant a Gu Insect when he was off guard.
There was only one possibility: Old Master Shi Tong had the Gu Insect planted while his Heart-Mind was open.
For the old master to open his Heart-Mind willingly, it must have been someone he trusted, perhaps even a close relative.
As for who this person was, it was really hard to say.
Earlier, in the pavilion when the old master was examining him, Gu Qingfeng had secretly probed. The Gu Insect planted in the old master's Heart-Mind was a type of Endless Control Heart Gu, a very rare Gu Insect. Once implanted, the other party could use the Gu Insect to control the old master's Heart-Mind.
Since the Gu Insect had long since fused with the old master's Heart-Mind, Gu Qingfeng couldn't easily take forceful action. The old master's Heart-Mind was too fragile; the slightest mistake could cause it to collapse. Of course, if the old master trusted him and opened his Heart-Mind, allowing Gu Qingfeng to act, it wouldn't be too difficult for Gu Qingfeng.
The key issue was that this matter was hard to bring up.
Even if he said it, the old master might not believe him.
Even if he believed, he might not trust him.
After all, the old master didn't know Gu Qingfeng's identity. However, even if Gu Qingfeng said he was the Chixiao Monarch, the old master probably wouldn't believe him. Not only would he not believe, he might even consider him a fraud.
Even Huo De, who knew Gu Qingfeng best in this world and whom Gu Qingfeng regarded as family, thought he was a fraud when they first met, let alone others.
To be honest, if Gu Qingfeng had to prove he was the Chixiao Monarch Gu Tianlang, he really didn't know how to prove it.
Many things, even he himself couldn't explain clearly, so how could he convince others?
Therefore, Gu Qingfeng considered waiting and observing. Only when the old master himself realized a Gu Insect had been planted in his Heart-Mind would this matter be easier to handle.
As for how to make the old master realize it himself, that wasn't too difficult either. When he probed the old master's Heart-Mind earlier, he discovered the Gu Insect inside was becoming restless. In other words, the person who planted the Gu Insect in the old master should be about to make a move, perhaps even during today's banquet.
Just as Gu Qingfeng was deep in thought, a shout suddenly reached his ears.
"You good-for-nothing nouveau riche named Gu!
You really are here!"