As Situ Zhengnan's words fell, the entire venue erupted in an uproar.
No one had expected this gloomy, unremarkable-looking old man to be the legendary reincarnated great power.
Everyone knew that those who reincarnated were called great powers because before their reincarnation, they were all Immortals, beings capable of ascending to immortality. Without a doubt, they were absolutely dragons and phoenixes among men. Even after reincarnation, with their cultivation gone and having to rebuild their foundation from scratch, their past life's worldly experience, cultivation knowledge, and insights into the Immortal Dao were absolutely incomparable to ordinary people.
Even the Nascent Soul Old Monsters from the Four Great Regions invited here today could not hold a candle to this reincarnated Old Senior Jin in terms of insights into the Immortal Dao.
"Old Senior Jin! So you're here too."
Ling Feng excitedly rushed over and performed a deep bow to Old Senior Jin, who accepted it graciously, replying, "Young Master Ling Feng, we meet again."
The Nine-Hua Alliance had always been a place where tigers and dragons hid, with many reincarnated great powers concealed within. However, most of these great powers cultivated in seclusion, rarely showing their faces. Various major sects had tried to recruit them, but all were refused. Seeing Ling Feng bowing to Old Senior Jin and the two seeming very familiar made many people feel strange.
"Old Senior Jin has been cultivating in seclusion for many years. Since you've come today to attend Fairy's lecture, why not join her on stage to lecture together?"
Situ Zhengnan always appeared calm and unruffled, even when facing the reincarnated Old Senior Jin. He then looked at Su Hua and said, "What does Fairy think?"
Su Hua nodded in agreement. "If Old Senior Jin is willing, that would be wonderful."
Ling Feng also pleaded, "Old Senior Jin is a reincarnated great power. If he could accompany Fairy in lecturing, it would be a great blessing for us juniors."
"Haha!" Old Senior Jin seemed to greatly enjoy these flattering words, stroking his beard. "Since Fairy Su Hua and Young Masters Situ and Ling Feng have extended such a warm invitation, this old man will humbly accept rather than decline."
After Old Senior Jin agreed, the happiest person was neither Su Hua nor Situ Zhengnan, but Ling Feng.
Although he was the leader of the Taixuan Young Masters, and whether in cultivation or destiny he was no worse than Huo Dong or Tu Gao—even surpassing them—his only weakness was his family background. Despite recruiting many sects and families over the years, he was still far behind compared to the Jade Pure Sect and the Seven Stars Sect.
Among the old seniors invited earlier to lecture were representatives from the Jade Pure Sect, the Thundercloud Branch, and the Seven Stars Sect, which had displeased Ling Feng and somewhat damaged his pride. However, Old Senior Jin's appearance allowed him to reclaim his lost face. Accompanying Old Senior Jin all the way to the Taixuan Platform, Ling Feng felt quite smug, having thoroughly shown up Tu Gao and those other little Hidden Dragons.
Just after Old Senior Jin accepted the invitation, Situ Zhengnan spoke again. "Senior Qin, Senior Wan, Old Senior Jin has already taken the stage to lecture. Why don't you two come up as well?"
Senior Qin? Senior Wan? Who were they?
Everyone looked around again and saw two young men standing in the crowd. One was a calm-looking man in a blue robe, the other a youth with white temples.
Both looked young. How could someone of Situ Zhengnan's status respectfully address them as 'Senior'? Could it be...
Everyone seemed to realize something and couldn't help but be greatly shocked. These two were also reincarnated great powers?
Indeed, that was the case.
Others might not know, but the leaders of the Nine-Hua Alliance's Thirty-Six Great Powers mostly recognized these two. One was Wan Huaiyu, the other named Qin Hao. Both were reincarnated great powers hiding within the Nine-Hua Alliance. They had tried to recruit them before, but all were refused.
"Brother Wan, Brother Qin, how come you're here too?"
Xia Pan'er ran over, greeting Wan Huaiyu and Qin Hao. Huo Wu Chen Yue also came over. She knew both of them and was on good terms, though outsiders were unaware.
After nodding to Huo Wu Chen Yue, Wan Huaiyu and Qin Hao looked at Situ Zhengnan. Neither had expected Situ Zhengnan to push them into the spotlight.
"We meet again, you two." It seemed Su Hua also knew them. "Since you're here, why not join us?"
Wan Huaiyu and Qin Hao had always kept a very low profile and hadn't expected to be thrust forward by Situ Zhengnan today. Faced with Fairy Su Hua's invitation, they pondered for a moment but did not refuse, nodding in agreement.
Looking at the Taixuan Platform, there was Fairy Su Hua, the leaders of various great powers, the Ten Great and Ten Small Hidden Dragons and Phoenix Hairpins, Situ Zhengnan the Royal Lord, Ling Feng the leader of the Taixuan Young Masters, plus the three reincarnated great powers: Old Senior Jin, Wan Huaiyu, and Qin Hao.
This scene was undeniably grand, arguably the most spectacular in the past hundred years since the Great Calamity. The crowd buzzed with excitement. Even if they gained no insights into the Immortal Dao from today's lecture, just witnessing so many important figures from the Four Great Regions made the trip worthwhile.
Looking around, the area within a hundred miles of the Taixuan Platform was packed with people. Those with status, background, and ability were at the front, while those without could only stay outside. However, this didn't hinder anyone from hearing the lecture. The Taixuan Platform stood tall and erect like a mountain peak, visible even from afar. Most importantly, when the Fairy lectured, she would employ wondrous sound techniques. Not just within a hundred miles, but the entire Four Great Regions could hear clearly.
At the foot of a mountain far from the Taixuan Platform, many carriages were parked. Among them, a bronze-colored carriage drawn by four horses was particularly eye-catching.
A short, fat man and a slovenly old man sat on the carriage, craning their necks with great interest as they watched the events unfolding on the Taixuan Platform.
Inside the carriage, a young man in white robes reclined lazily, looking as if he was about to fall asleep.
It was Gu Qingfeng, Huo De, and Fei Kui.
Huo De and Fei Kui were both looking forward to today's lecture. Gu Qingfeng had no interest, couldn't be bothered to listen, and didn't even care to watch the spectacle. Dragged here by Huo De, all he could do besides drink was sleep.
But someone just wouldn't let him sleep peacefully.
A woman.
An elusive woman, one Gu Qingfeng neither wished nor wanted to have any involvement with.
The woman who possessed the Original Sin Edict.
Last time, during the Yun Nishang incident, this woman had appeared, spouting a lot about causal black holes and saying Gu Qingfeng had already fallen into one. Although she hadn't stated it explicitly, Gu Qingfeng had deduced that it seemed the Original Sin people had some karma with him. This woman was worried he would drag their Original Sin person into the causal black hole too, and kept urging him to give up investigating the cause.
Later... well, there was no later. When persuasion failed, the woman with the Original Sin Edict disappeared and hadn't shown up since.
Today, she had inexplicably popped up from who knows where.
And she had been following him all the way from the Yunxia Sect to here.
Gu Qingfeng sat up, took a drink of wine, glanced at the sky, focused his mind, and vanished in a flash.