In this world, there are two musical compositions that are extremely famous. One is Lord Chixiao's "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix," and the other is World-Venerable Lady Jun Xuanji's "Phoenix Seeking the Male Phoenix."
These two compositions are renowned throughout the world not only because their composers were Lord Chixiao and World-Venerable Lady, but more so because of the meaning they represent.
Almost everyone knows that back when the Immortal Dao passed its judgment, Lord Chixiao, bearing that judgment, played a rendition of "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix" in the void, beneath the heavens, right before the Nine Heavens, to tease World-Venerable Lady. It was meant as a tease, but World-Venerable Lady took it seriously. Later, World-Venerable Lady entered the Chixiao Sect and played this very piece, "Phoenix Seeking the Male Phoenix," for Lord Chixiao.
Both "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix" and "Phoenix Seeking the Male Phoenix" are considered peerless masterpieces.
Passed down to this day, they have become household names and a classic means for men and women to express their affection.
Men learn "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix" to express their admiration to the women they love.
Women learn "Phoenix Seeking the Male Phoenix" to express their love to the men they adore.
Many people can play them.
However, few can play out their Profound Mystery.
The hidden dragons and phoenix hairpins present here could all play them, perhaps even manage to bring out a hint of their Profound Mystery, but only a hint. They were like this, and even Situ Zhengnan, hailed as one of the Twelve Kings of the Nine-Hua Alliance, was the same—at best, he could play out a sliver of the Profound Mystery, but was powerless to do more.
Su Hua could play out the Profound Mystery, and could even fully manifest all the Profound Mystery contained within both compositions, but that was all. Whether it was "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix" or "Phoenix Seeking the Male Phoenix," she could never play out their artistic conception; she was always just that little bit short.
Now, Huo Wu Chenyue actually claimed that Gu Qingfeng, that fraud, not only played out the Profound Mystery of "Phoenix Seeking the Male Phoenix," but also played out its artistic conception.
This was truly rather laughable.
No one believed her words; it was simply impossible.
In everyone's minds, Huo Wu Chenyue must have also been deceived, just as Wei Jiaojiao had said earlier. In this world, frauds impersonating the Monarch's heir would often play the Monarch's compositions and use spiritual means to forge an artistic conception to deceive the ignorant.
Such methods were commonplace, the usual tricks of frauds impersonating the Monarch's heir.
Huo Wu Chenyue stepping forward not only failed to prove anything, but instead made everyone even more convinced that Gu Qingfeng was absolutely a thoroughgoing fraud.
First, he played "Drunken Chant of the Azure Sea" without a zither, and now it was "Phoenix Seeking the Male Phoenix." Only a fraud would dare claim to have played out the artistic conception of these two compositions. What was most unbearable for everyone was that this fraud had also deceived Immortal Su Hua with "Little Blue Flower Language," making the Immortal massage him. This was a defilement of the Immortal's pure reputation, absolutely unforgivable!
The crowd inside the venue buzzed with discussion, all indignant on the Immortal's behalf, shouting one after another about going to Yunxia Sect to capture that fraud Gu Qingfeng. The scene descended into chaos.
Regarding this.
Su Hua on the Taixuan Platform was utterly helpless. She truly hadn't expected this matter to provoke such an intense reaction from everyone. She tried to soothe and persuade them, but it was useless; the venue had completely descended into pandemonium.
"Everyone, please calm down and listen to me. Regarding the matter of Gu Qingfeng, I have my own judgment. Later, I will seek him out and inquire clearly, and will definitely give everyone an explanation. Today is the Dao Lecture Assembly; let me first lecture on the Dao for everyone."
As soon as Su Hua's voice fell, someone immediately stepped forward. It was none other than Tu Gao.
"Immortal! This matter is of great importance, concerning your reputation. We absolutely cannot let that Gu Qingfeng off lightly!"
The Immortal being deceived and insulted was something no one who revered Su Hua as their goddess could tolerate. Moreover, for anyone, this was a rare opportunity, especially for the Ten Minor Hidden Dragons. If they could personally punish Gu Qingfeng, not only could they vent the Immortal's anger and increase her favorable impression of them, but they could also establish their prestige across the Four Great Regions.
Tu Gao understood this point clearly. Not just him, Huo Dong, the Heir Apparent Disciple of Yuqing Sect, also stepped forward.
"That Gu Qingfeng showed disrespect to the Immortal, verbally teased her, deceived her, and defiled her pure reputation. If this matter is not resolved, we have no mood to listen to the Dao lecture!"
Then, Ma Zhengtian, the Young Helm of the Leiyun Branch, stepped forward, indignantly shouting, "Gu Qingfeng impersonating the Monarch's heir is already an insult to the Monarch. Now he has also defiled the Immortal's pure reputation. Our Crimson-Letter Manor Leiyun Branch will absolutely not tolerate such a thing!"
Following that, Ling Feng, leader of the Taixuan Young Masters, Wang He of the Huwei Family, Xu Jintong of the Dianyun Branch, and all the Minor Hidden Dragons and the young masters of the Thirty-Six Splendid Pavilions rushed to step forward.
Even the calm and composed Situ Zhengnan said, "The Immortal coming to our Four Great Regions to lecture on the Dao is our fortune and honor. Now, the Immortal has been teased and defiled by a despicable villain in our Four Great Regions, which is truly detestable to the extreme. It is also my negligence in care, only learning of it now. Here, on behalf of everyone in the Four Great Regions, I express my apologies to the Immortal."
Situ Zhengnan's voice was light, but everyone in the entire venue could hear it clearly. After speaking, he bowed, cupped his fists, lowered his head in a gesture of apology, and then said, "Immortal, please rest assured. I will definitely give you a satisfactory explanation regarding this matter."
"Young Master Situ, you are too polite. It's just that this matter is not as serious as everyone imagines, much less a defilement of my pure reputation."
Su Hua shook her head slightly. "Moreover, I have my own judgment on this matter; there is no need for everyone to worry."
"It is the Immortal who should not be polite. You were teased by a fraud in our Four Great Regions, which is originally our negligence in care. If we sit idly by, what face would our Four Great Regions and the Nine-Hua Alliance have to stand upon in the Northwest Frontier!"
Situ Zhengnan leaped up, facing the crowd, and loudly asked, "What does everyone think?"
Whoosh!
The countless people gathered at the Taixuan Platform flushed red with anger, shouting furiously.
Chaos!
Total chaos!
The originally somewhat stable order, with the appearance of the Ten Minor Hidden Dragons and Situ Zhengnan's question, descended into complete chaos. Major sects, families, and societies vowed to tear Gu Qingfeng to pieces. Some had even set off, preparing to head to Yunxia Sect.
One must know that the number of people gathered at the Taixuan Platform today was uncountable; for miles around, it was a sea of people.
This bout of chaos created a truly terrifying scene, as if a calamity had occurred, reminiscent of the chaos when demons ran amok.
At the foot of a mountain far from the Taixuan Platform, Huode craned his neck, his eyes wide, his complexion changing repeatedly. Looking at these frenzied people, Huode opened his mouth, words dying on his lips. He wanted to say something, but faced with such a mad scene before him, he truly didn't know what to say.
He had come today intending to listen to Su Hua's Dao lecture.
But he had never imagined such a thing would happen. He wasn't unaware of the earlier arguments at the Taixuan Platform, but he hadn't expected it to become so serious—so serious that now most of the people from the Four Great Regions were heading to Yunxia Sect.
"Old Master, Old Master, what should we do?"
Fei Kui was also badly frightened. Indeed, not to mention his originally small courage, even with greater courage, seeing so many people would scare one paralyzed.
"What should we do? How should I know what to do! Mad! Truly mad! These little bastards have all gone crazy trying to stand up for the Immortal!"
Huode shrank back into the large palanquin, anxiously shouting to Fei Kui, "What are you still doing hiding outside, kid? Hurry up and get in here! If someone sees us, these people could drown the two of us here with just one spit each!"
"Old Master, is hiding still in time now? On the way here, you greeted quite a few people, and beside us..." As Fei Kui was speaking, an angry shout reached his ears: "Everyone, come quick! Huode is here!!"