Gu Qingfeng's appearance had thrown the scene into utter chaos.
Su Hua could only focus on maintaining order first. Only after everyone's intense emotions had somewhat subsided did she finally turn to look at Gu Qingfeng.
Her peerlessly beautiful face wore a rather complicated expression.
It seemed to hold embarrassment, shameful anger, defiance, but most of all, curiosity.
The embarrassment stemmed from that time at the Yunxia Sect when she had probed Gu Qingfeng's consciousness, only to end up nearly consumed by Star-Eroding Lust.
The shameful anger naturally came from the same incident.
The defiance was because Gu Qingfeng had dismissed her Little Blue Flower Language as utterly worthless, which left Su Hua feeling somewhat indignant.
The curiosity was because she simply couldn't see through what kind of existence this fellow Gu Qingfeng truly was. Was he a fraud, or was he genuinely profound and unfathomable?
This point she truly couldn't discern. This guy looked and acted like a frivolous, spoiled young master, yet that lazy, indifferent attitude of his was utterly inscrutable. His words and actions seemed as if he cared about nothing, as if nothing in the world mattered to him—as if the entire heavens and earth weren't worth a glance from him. It wasn't arrogance, nor was it domineering, nor even a sense of superiority. It was... casualness.
Yes.
It was a kind of casualness.
A casualness that was brazen, a casualness that defied all rules, a casualness that did as it pleased, unfettered and unrestrained, carefree to an outrageous degree.
Su Hua, having lived two lives, could absolutely be said to have seen countless people, but she had never encountered anyone like the fellow before her.
Take right now, for example. The entire platform was packed with countless people eyeing him like tigers watching their prey, surrounding him in layer upon impenetrable layer. And this fellow? Ever since he appeared, he had just been standing there, patting the horse's head on one side while chatting idly with Huode.
Fear?
Terror?
Apprehension?
Worry?
None of it. All he had was leisure, that bone-deep leisure, which was truly enough to make one's teeth itch with hatred.
"So, what's the deal, Sis Su?"
Gu Qingfeng stood beside the four-horse carriage, pulling out some Redleaf Monster Fruitlets to feed the four steeds. He looked at Su Hua and grinned. "I heard you're not happy that I modified your Little Blue Flower Language, so you dragged all these people here today to give me trouble?"
It would have been better if Gu Qingfeng hadn't spoken. The moment he opened his mouth, the scene, which had just stabilized, erupted into chaos again.
Who was Su Hua?
She was a world-renowned fairy, the goddess in everyone's hearts. Whoever saw her had to respectfully address her as 'Fairy'. And this guy actually called her 'Sis Su' so blatantly?
How could everyone tolerate this? They all began shouting angrily, vowing to tear Gu Qingfeng's mouth apart, with some even charging forward, wanting to chop Gu Qingfeng into pieces.
However, the three-meter-tall Qianshan standing beside Su Hua stood there like a mountain peak, blocking everyone outside, emanating an intensely oppressive aura. No one dared to approach lightly.
"Young Master Chiyan, you misunderstand. Finding you today was also a matter of necessity."
Although Su Hua also very much wanted to know whether Gu Qingfeng had deceived her or not, today she was here to lecture on the Dao. She didn't want to take up everyone's time with her own affairs. However, while she thought this way, the crowd did not. Helplessly, Su Hua could only resolve this matter first, to give herself—and also everyone—an explanation.
"Hey, Gu Qingfeng, don't measure the heart of a gentleman with your own mean standards!"
Ouyang Ye stepped forward and said, "Everyone knows about that time you deceived Elder Sister Su Hua at the Yunxia Sect. Now they all suspect you're a fraud, saying the Little Blue Flower Language wasn't modified by you at all, that you just stumbled upon the score by chance. As a friend, I'm warning you—today you'd better be able to prove that you modified the Little Blue Flower Language, otherwise you'll die a horrible death!"
"Is that so?"
Gu Qingfeng lifted his gaze, looking over the countless people gathered on the Taixuan Platform, and smiled. "Seems like if I can't prove it today, whether I can return in one piece is still a question."
"Big Brother, they all say you're a fraud, that you deceived Elder Sister Su Hua, and that you've disrespected Elder Sister Su Hua. Jin'er knows Big Brother definitely isn't a fraud."
Xiao Jinr rushed in, ran up to Gu Qingfeng, lifted her little head, and said with grievance, "Big Brother, hurry up and prove it to them, so they won't dare call you a fraud anymore!"
"Kid Gu, a lot of people came today. We're all folks from the same region—there are elders and children here. Save your energy and just prove it."
Huode was genuinely worried that Gu Qingfeng would act as he had in the past, flying into a rage at the slightest provocation and unleashing a massacre.
So he specifically pointed out that among those who came to listen to the lecture today, there might be descendants of old acquaintances.
He knew that Gu Qingfeng valued sentiment and loyalty above all else—it was the only thing Gu Qingfeng truly cared about. Besides that, Huode also knew that although Gu Qingfeng had been bloodthirsty in the past, if there were children present, Gu Qingfeng would avoid fighting if possible. Even if he had to kill, he would avoid harming the children.
This was a principle, the only bottom line for not killing.
Huode knew even better that this guy Gu Qingfeng had absolutely no immunity towards children, especially innocent little girls. Looking at Xiao Jinr, Huode smiled and asked, "Little Jinr, do you want to see your Big Brother prove it to them?"
"Of course I do! Hmph! These people are slandering Big Brother as a fraud. Later, they'll definitely have to apologize to Big Brother!"
Xiao Jinr grabbed Gu Qingfeng's hand, shaking his arm, her eyes sparkling with anticipation as she pleaded, "Big Brother, hurry up and prove it to them. Jin'er believes Big Brother can do it."
In fact, what Huode said was completely correct. Although Gu Qingfeng had liked using violence to solve any problem in the past, that was only in the past.
Having spent so long in the Nine Nethers and having been judged by numerous Great Daos, although it hadn't smoothed out his sharp will or tempered his temperament, after a lifetime of fighting and killing, he was long tired of it. One could say he was long sick of fighting, sick of killing.
Most importantly, he truly had no immunity towards innocent little girls. Seeing the expectant look in Xiao Jinr's eyes, Gu Qingfeng reached out and gently tapped her delicate nose, then picked the little girl up. Looking at the crowd, he smiled. "Alright then. Today, for Little Jinr's sake, I'll prove it to you all."
Everyone in the venue looked at the fearless and utterly at-ease Gu Qingfeng with great disdain, thinking this guy must be putting on an act.
What did he mean, 'for Little Jinr's sake'?
Otherwise, what would he do?
Could it be that if he didn't prove it, he was planning to take action?
Did he have the guts for that?
If it wasn't putting on an act, then what was it?
Gu Qingfeng paid them no mind. Holding Xiao Jinr, he sat down on the four-horse carriage and chuckled. "Come, Little Jinr, Big Brother will show you something fun."
As he rummaged through his storage bag, pulling out various odds and ends, he said, "Alright, Sis Su, come on. How do you want me to prove it?"