At this moment, Su Hua's heart was in turmoil.
There was excitement and exhilaration, admiration and astonishment, awkwardness and discomfort, and also regret.
What excited and exhilarated her was that Gu Qingfeng's modifications to the Little Blue Flower Language had broadened her horizons, made her aware of her own shortcomings, and allowed her to witness what it meant to have order within chaos, to transform the mundane into the miraculous.
What she admired and found astonishing was that this seemingly lazy, spoiled second-generation scion actually possessed such profound Musical Arts attainments. She was truly curious — since this fellow was neither a reincarnated soul nor a body-snatcher, how on earth did he come to possess such unfathomable skill in Musical Arts?
Could it really be innate talent?
No.
Even with the highest innate talent in Musical Arts, it was absolutely impossible to achieve such a level of attainment in a mere twenty years. That method of creating order within chaos, of transforming the mundane into the miraculous, was simply impossible without a vast accumulation of musical knowledge and skill. How did he do it?
She didn't know, and she wasn't clear.
Right now, Su Hua had no time to ponder this question. She felt awkward, extremely awkward, especially with Gu Qingfeng lying back in his chair across from her, looking as if he was about to fall asleep, making her feel like a complete joke.
Thinking about it carefully, it really seemed that way.
This fellow had been like this from the very beginning—indifferent and impatient toward her. And what about her? From the start, she had been led by the nose by this guy, step by step falling into his trap, until finally, in a fit of anger, she even agreed to serve as his maiden attendant. Thinking of this, Su Hua was filled with regret, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. She felt she had truly lost all face this time.
She had lived two lives. In her previous life, she had cultivated in the Nine Heavens for so long. Who would have thought that after reincarnating, she would lose to a little fellow barely over twenty years old, and now she even had to serve as his maiden attendant.
Heavens.
What should she do?
Su Hua felt like crying but had no tears.
"Have you looked over the score?"
Gu Qingfeng's leisurely voice came through. Su Hua nodded, feeling deeply embarrassed.
"Well?"
Gu Qingfeng turned on his side, slightly opening his eyes to look at Su Hua, and said with a smile, "Are my modifications to your satisfaction?"
Although Su Hua didn't want to, she had to admit that Gu Qingfeng's revised version of the Little Blue Flower Language was simpler, more perfectly profound, and more suitable for popularizing beginners than her original composition.
"Then what are you standing there for?"
Gu Qingfeng crooked a finger and said, "Come, let me sample this so-called Immortal Dynasty imperial craftsmanship of yours."
"You...
I..." Su Hua was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure how to respond. After all, she had given her word, and there was really nothing she could say.
"Hey, kid Gu, how about...
let's just forget it."
Huode grinned, trying to plead on Su Hua's behalf.
Gu Qingfeng glanced at him and responded indifferently, "Huode, earlier, out of respect for you, I already gave her one chance. However, Sister Su insisted that I point out the flaws in the Little Blue Flower Language... This isn't my fault, is it?"
"But..." Huode wanted to say more, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he noticed Gu Qingfeng's brow arching. Knowing his place, he promptly shut his mouth. Looking at the awkward Su Hua beside him, Huode could only shake his head helplessly and let out a heavy sigh.
Ouyang Ye stepped forward indignantly and said, "Gu... Gu Qingfeng, aren't you going too far? How can you make Elder Sister Su Hua serve as your maiden attendant?"
"Why can't I?"
Gu Qingfeng peeled a Red Leaf Monster Fruit unhurriedly and said, "Sister Ouyang, I told you long ago, I don't have noble sentiments. I don't want to, nor will I, engage in those acts of universal salvation. I'm just a common man, living in the mundane world, so naturally, I won't do business at a loss. Since I pointed out the flaws in the Little Blue Flower Language, your Elder Sister Su Hua agreed to serve as my maiden attendant for a few days. You heard it too; I didn't force her, did I?"
Ouyang Ye was seething with hatred inside. "But Elder Sister Su Hua is an Immortal Dynasty Envoy! How can she serve as your maiden attendant!"
"What's so special about being an Immortal Dynasty Envoy?"
Gu Qingfeng snapped his fingers, and Fei Kui immediately poured him wine. He continued, "Does an Immortal Dynasty Envoy have an extra head compared to others?
Or an extra leg?
Can they jump higher or leap farther than others?
Are they so unique that they can welch on a bet?"
As he spoke, he lifted his head and looked at Su Hua, saying calmly, "Don't say it's just an Immortal Dynasty Envoy; even if it were the Immortal Dynasty's ruler, or even the King of Heaven himself, if they lost, they'd have to admit it in front of me."
Su Hua knew Gu Qingfeng was mocking her. She was about to retort when an angry shout erupted.
"Arrogant fool!"
Whoosh!
Qian Shan, who stood behind Su Hua, instantly flashed to Gu Qingfeng's side and raised her hand, bringing a palm down toward Gu Qingfeng's shoulder.
Qian Shan stood three meters tall, like a human mountain. Her palm strike descended like a mountain crashing down, ferocious and terrifying in its momentum. There was no flow of spiritual power, no radiant light—just pure physical force. As her palm descended, the surrounding air instantly exploded, and the Spirit Seclusion Garden trembled violently.
"Stop!"
A white shadow flashed, and Su Hua's figure appeared in response. With a wave of her hand, a holy radiance blossomed forth, like a floating cloud, blocking the palm that was about to strike Gu Qingfeng's shoulder.
Others might not know, but Su Hua was well aware of how powerful Qian Shan's palm strike was. Without exaggeration, if Qian Shan willed it, a single slap from her could reduce even a Nascent Soul old monster who had cultivated for thousands of years to dust. One must know that a single shout from Qian Shan could shatter the air for a hundred miles around.
"Miss, this person is far too arrogant."
Qian Shan was Su Hua's follower and personal attendant. Similarly, she knew that Su Hua's existence was absolutely not limited to being just an Immortal Dynasty Envoy. She would not allow anyone to show disrespect to Su Hua. From the very beginning, when Gu Qingfeng's attitude toward Su Hua was hostile, if she hadn't known that Su Hua wanted to investigate Gu Qingfeng's background, she would have already taught him a lesson.
She had been enduring all along, but she never expected this fellow to become increasingly insolent, to the point where he now dared to mock Su Hua like this. Qian Shan could endure it no longer.
"Miss, someone like this deserves a harsh lesson! The more you tolerate him, the more insolent he becomes!"
Gu Qingfeng looked at the furious Qian Shan and nodded in approval. "Sister, I quite agree with what you said. Some people, indeed, the more you tolerate them, the more insolent they become. That's why I've always believed that for certain people, you must teach them a lesson so they remember. Only then will they know what they should and shouldn't do. What do you think, Sister Su?"
At this moment, Su Hua was staring at Gu Qingfeng with a peculiar look in her eyes — a mix of alarmed and suspicious, puzzled, and curiosity.
Because just now, when Qian Shan made her move, she noticed that Gu Qingfeng hadn't reacted at all. He just sat sideways in his chair, unhurriedly peeling the Red Leaf Monster Fruit. Throughout, he didn't even lift his head, didn't even blink his eyes, and his expression didn't change in the slightest. It was as if...
Qian Shan's palm wasn't aimed at him, but at someone else.
Could it be that Qian Shan was too fast?
So fast that he didn't have time to react?
Even if that were the case, he should have reacted afterward, right?
He should have felt fear, right?
Even if not fear, he should at least have been nervous, right?
Even if not nervous, he shouldn't be so at ease, right?
No.
There was nothing. No fear, no nervous. Not only that, but afterward, he even casually expressed agreement with what Qian Shan had said.
This couldn't help but make Su Hua feel extremely astonished, and it suddenly reminded her of a possibility that filled her with terrified.
If this fellow truly hadn't failed to react, then there were only two possibilities.
First, he simply didn't take Qian Shan's palm strike seriously at all.
Second, he saw that she would definitely intervene to stop it.
Either of these two possibilities was enough to prove that the person before her was even more mysterious and eerie than she had imagined.