Chen Yue was older than the little girl and had naturally experienced more. She didn't know what identity Gu Qingfeng held, nor who he truly was. She couldn't even be certain if this fellow was truly an Evil Cultivator. She only knew that Gu Qingfeng was mysterious and bizarre, and this alone made it easy for him to be mistaken for an Evil Cultivator. Coupled with Zhuo Feng now hoisting the banner of righteousness and standing on the moral high ground between good and evil, if she were to step forward now to defend Gu Qingfeng, she would most likely invite disaster upon herself.
The scene was in chaos. A dark mass of nearly a hundred people surrounded the pavilion in three tight rings.
Inside the pavilion.
The white-robed man still sat, pouring and drinking wine by himself.
Only his expression was no longer leisurely; it had turned solemn. His brows were knit, and his eyes held a trace of helplessness.
Evil Cultivator.
For Gu Qingfeng, this was an identity all too familiar, one he knew like the back of his hand.
In his youth, precisely because the True Body he had established was strange and peculiar, he had been branded with the label of Evil Cultivator.
Later, when he condensed eighty-one Golden Cores, his identity as an Evil Cultivator was practically confirmed.
Ever since then, the words 'Evil Cultivator' had followed him relentlessly. Even after later ascending to the throne of the Immortal Dao, he had never managed to shake off this label.
Now, watching so many people in the courtyard, each one seemingly pumped with adrenaline as they hoisted the banner of righteousness and shouted 'Evil Cultivator,' it truly stirred a wave of emotion within Gu Qingfeng's heart. It felt as if he had returned to those youthful days of the past.
"Everyone, let's join forces and kill him!"
"Right! Kill him!"
Suddenly.
A figure appeared in the pavilion. It was none other than Lan Feier. She hurriedly tried to dissuade them, "Everyone, listen to me. Don't act impulsively. If Gu... if Gu Qingfeng were truly an Evil Cultivator, he would definitely have an evil aura about him. But he doesn't."
"Miss Feier, the methods of Evil Cultivators have always been bizarre. It's possible he's concealing his evil aura."
Zhuo Feng was determined to kill Gu Qingfeng today, even if it meant offending the one he admired. He stepped forward and reprimanded, "Feier, you are, after all, the leader of the Nine Prodigies of the Wind-Cloud Branch Hall. The Wind-Cloud Branch Hall belongs to the Crimson-Letter Sect, and the very existence of our Crimson-Letter Sect is to eradicate demons and defend the Dao. Now, that nouveau riche surnamed Gu is clearly an Evil Cultivator. Not only do you not take action, but you keep protecting him everywhere. You truly disgrace the Crimson-Letter Sect. How can you face the Crimson-Letter Sect?"
"I'm not protecting anyone. I'm merely stating a fact. Zhuo Feng, don't you..." Lan Feier was cut off by Ye Rou.
"Hmph! Lan Feier, you are clearly protecting this Evil Cultivator surnamed Gu. I truly don't know what your intentions are. Could it be you're in cahoots with him?"
"Ye Rou! What are you saying!"
Although Lan Feier also hated Gu Qingfeng to the core, she was a person who distinguished personal grudges clearly. Hate was hate, but she would absolutely not randomly pin the label of Evil Cultivator on someone.
"Is what I said wrong? Otherwise, why would you protect an Evil Cultivator like this!"
"Feier, by protecting an Evil Cultivator like this, you'll cause misunderstandings among the disciples of our Wind-Cloud Branch Hall."
Kang Zhengqi also stepped forward, trying to persuade Lan Feier not to interfere in this matter.
"Damn it! I'm not protecting him! I'm protecting you!"
Seeing even the disciples of the Wind-Cloud Branch Hall step forward to refute her, Lan Feier could no longer bear it. She shouted, "You are no match for him at all! Don't you know you're courting death!"
It would have been better if Lan Feier hadn't said this. Once these words were out, the geniuses who were already unconvinced by Gu Qingfeng became even more indignant.
"What a joke! With so many of us, we're no match for this Evil Cultivator? Who does he think he is? A God?"
Zhuo Feng's face flushed red as he sneered, "Lan Feier, I warn you. As a disciple of the Crimson-Letter Sect's Wind-Cloud Branch Hall, if you continue to protect this Evil Cultivator surnamed Gu, then don't blame us for being impolite!"
"Feier, why bother with them? Since they're no match for Gu Qingfeng anyway, just let them go to their deaths."
Shui Yunruo did not intervene. Her temperament was cold and aloof; she rarely meddled in others' affairs, let alone such a disgusting mess. She naturally couldn't be bothered.
At this moment, Gu Qingfeng, who had remained silent all along, stood up. He walked over to the edge of the pavilion, stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looked at Zhuo Feng, and asked, "Your Crimson-Letter Sect keeps saying its duty is to eradicate demons and defend the Dao. Is this how you usually go about 'eradicating demons and defending the Dao'?"
"What? Are you scared?"
With so many people supporting him today, and this being Liuren Mountain where the seniors from the Wind-Cloud and Fire-Cloud Branch Halls of various major sects were present, Zhuo Feng naturally had no fear. He said arrogantly, "Ever since the reign of the Chixiao Monarch, our Crimson-Letter Sect has taken eradicating demons and defending the Dao as our duty, maintaining the underground order of this world. Evil Cultivators like you are precisely the targets our Crimson-Letter Sect seeks to eliminate!"
"Hahahaha!"
For some reason, Gu Qingfeng suddenly burst into loud laughter again.
His laughter carried a hint of self-mockery and also a touch of sarcasm.
He was mocking himself, and also satirizing himself.
After the Chixiao Monarch, the Crimson-Letter Sect was established. And now, he himself was being labeled an Evil Cultivator by the Crimson-Letter Sect. If this wasn't irony, what was?
"You little brat, can you be one hundred percent certain that I am an Evil Cultivator?"
Gu Qingfeng's tone was cold. "If you're unhappy with me because of the Black-Raven Secret Realm incident, I won't hold it against you. Get lost right now, and I can pretend this never happened. But if, out of personal hatred, you use the name of the Crimson-Letter Sect, hoist the banner of righteousness, stand on the moral high ground of good and evil, and randomly pin the label of Evil Cultivator on me... heh, then you're playing with fire."
As he turned, Gu Qingfeng drained the wine in his cup. "Think carefully before you answer. Otherwise, your next sentence will be the last one you ever utter in this lifetime!"
"Hahaha! Are you threatening me? With what? Just you?"
Zhuo Feng sneered, "You are an Evil Cultivator! Today, I, Zhuo Feng, will eradicate you, this Evil Cultivator, in the name of the Crimson-Letter Sect!"
Gu Qingfeng said nothing more. He had already said all that needed to be said. He merely began unbuttoning the collar of his robe.
Beside him, Fei Kui's expression changed slightly when he saw Gu Qingfeng make this move. He remembered very clearly: whenever the Young Master started unbuttoning his collar, it meant he was about to take action. Thinking of this, Fei Kui quickly stepped forward, gathered up the fine wine on the table, and then obediently retreated to the side.
Lan Feier sensed something was wrong and tried to dissuade him, "Gu... Gu Qingfeng, what are you doing? You mustn't act impulsively. This is Liuren Mountain, Elder Shi Tong's place. Moreover, many senior experts from the Glazed Great Domain are on the mountain. The Elders from both the Wind-Cloud and Fire-Cloud Branch Halls of the Crimson-Letter Sect are also here. You absolutely must not act rashly."
"Something has already happened on the old master's side, though it's not a big problem for now."
Gu Qingfeng finished unbuttoning his collar and began rolling up his sleeves. "Since the Elders from both the Wind-Cloud and Fire-Cloud Branch Halls of the Crimson-Letter Sect are here, that's perfect. It saves me the trouble of running around. Go and call them all over here for me."
What did he mean, something happened on the old master's side?
What did he mean, it saves him the trouble of running around?
Call them over?
Lan Feier was completely baffled. She asked, "Why do you want me to summon the Crimson-Letter Sect Elders?"
"To kill."