It wasn't just Su Hua; many people present were speculating whether Gu Qingfeng was the successor disciple of Monarch Chixiao.
After all, the twelve Chixiao people from the Fengyun and Huoyun branches wouldn't acknowledge Gu Qingfeng as Monarch Chixiao's successor without reason.
And Ma Zhengtian's Chixiao Dragon-Elephant wouldn't show such reverence and fear toward Gu Qingfeng for no reason either.
Possessing peerless mastery in musical arts, intimately familiar with all the famous melodies of the world.
With so many signs, it was impossible not to suspect that this white-robed man before them might truly be the successor of Monarch Chixiao.
Yet suspicion was one thing; no one could be certain.
The only thing that could be confirmed was that this Gu Qingfeng's existence was truly as mysterious, profound, and unfathomable as the legends said. He was neither a reincarnated soul nor a body-snatcher reborn, possessing no acquired or innate fortunes whatsoever. Relying on mere Purple Mansion realm cultivation—no!
To be precise, he had done nothing. He simply sat there, and the combined efforts of the Ten Little Hidden Dragons and the Thirty-Six Huage Young Masters from the Four Great Regions had failed to budge him an inch.
How powerful his true body was, no one knew. Why he was so powerful, likewise, no one knew.
All they knew was that he was mysterious, unfathomable, and utterly astonishing.
Earlier, when Little Jin'er stood up to defend Gu Qingfeng, saying these people were no match for him, no one believed her. Now, everyone believed. No one dared to doubt anymore.
Earlier, when Little Jin'er said that in the Black Crow Secret Realm, Xiao Danrou, Lan Fei'er, and the other five Phoenix Hairpins, great and small, had exhausted all their means yet failed to move Gu Qingfeng an inch, similarly, no one had believed.
Even though the five Phoenix Hairpins, great and small, had vehemently denied it earlier, at this moment, everyone guessed it must be true.
In other words, it was all true: the five Phoenix Hairpins, great and small, had really been poisoned by the Hehuan toxin in the Black Crow Secret Realm; they might have really fought and scrambled to dual cultivate with Gu Qingfeng. All of it was true...
Facing the pointing fingers and whispers of the crowd, the expressions of the five Phoenix Hairpins—Lan Fei'er, Shui Yunruo, Huo Wu Chenyue, Xiao Danrou, and Qingzhu—grew increasingly unsightly, their demeanors increasingly awkward. They all hung their heads, faces burning with shame and embarrassment. If there were a crack in the ground right then, they would have gladly crawled in and never come out.
At this moment, none of the five stepped forward to deny it again.
Because they all knew that at this point, further denial or explanation would be futile and meaningless.
They understood better than anyone that once Gu Qingfeng took action, the events of the Black Crow Secret Realm would inevitably be confirmed.
They just hadn't expected the confirmation to be so utterly complete.
They knew Gu Qingfeng's strength was bizarrely powerful.
They just hadn't expected it to be so bizarre, so formidable.
Those were the Ten Little Hidden Dragons and the Thirty-Six Huage Young Masters from the Four Great Regions, each possessing various great fortunes! Even thousand-year-old Nascent Soul veterans wouldn't dare claim they could definitely defeat such a group. Yet this bunch, going all out and unleashing their Immortal Arts like madmen, hadn't been able to move this fellow an inch.
Was he even human?
Could he really be the successor or descendant of Monarch Chixiao?
The five women screamed inwardly, especially Lan Fei'er. She had always known the twelve Chixiao people from Fengyun and Huoyun wouldn't acknowledge Gu Qingfeng as the Monarch's successor descendant without reason. Only after witnessing the Chixiao Dragon-Elephant's docility before Gu Qingfeng did she realize there was a basis for their conviction.
But...
This fellow?
He was mysterious and bizarre, his strength world-shaking, his musical arts peerless. But aside from that, this fellow was utterly worthless! Lazy in character, frivolous in speech, casual in behavior—he looked every bit like an unaccomplished second-generation wastrel. Could someone like this really be the successor descendant of Monarch Chixiao?
To put it bluntly, if this fellow really were the Monarch's descendant successor, it would be nothing short of an insult to Monarch Chixiao.
At the Taixuan Platform.
Huo Dong, Ma Zhengtian, Tu Gao, and the other Ten Little Hidden Dragons and Thirty-Six Huage Young Masters stood there. No one dared to make another move. Gone was their previous arrogance; each looked somewhat disheveled, faces ashen, expressions shaken. They stared fixedly at Gu Qingfeng, their eyes filled with endless shock, panic, and lingering terror and confusion.
Opposite them.
Gu Qingfeng still sat tilted in his chair, casually crossing his legs, taking occasional sips of wine.
He had been like this from start to finish. Even when facing the combined assault of the Ten Little Hidden Dragons and the Thirty-Six Huage Young Masters, he hadn't risen.
Draining his cup, he finally stood up. Throwing his head back, he stretched mightily. The bones in his body crackled like firecrackers, a sound that sent shivers down spines. Rubbing his face, he glanced at the sun in the sky and let out a bored yawn.
This scene felt profoundly incongruous to everyone present.
Because the Gu Qingfeng at this moment gave no impression of having just experienced a great battle. It was more like...
More like he'd just woken from a nap, and by the looks of it, not a very comfortable one.
Indeed.
He kept stretching his arms, twisting his neck, then sat back down in the chair. Lifting his eyes to the Ten Little Hidden Dragons and the Thirty-Six Huage Young Masters, he asked, "Well then?
Had enough? If not, feel free to continue."
The Little Hidden Dragons and Huage Young Masters' hearts clenched. Staring at Gu Qingfeng, they clenched their fists, gritted their teeth, but none dared to act, none dared utter another word. Though resentment burned in their hearts, faced with Gu Qingfeng's bizarre and overwhelming strength, what could they do even if they were unwilling?
Pouring wine, drinking wine.
Gu Qingfeng looked toward the endless crowd opposite and asked, "How about you all? Anyone else want to have a go?"
Anyone else?
There was no one.
Having witnessed the earlier scene, that frantic spectacle, even the dozen or so thousand-year-old Nascent Soul veterans nearby didn't dare breathe loudly. Who would dare step forward now?
No one dared.
Suddenly.
People thought of two individuals: Ling Feng, seemingly hailed as the foremost among the Taixuan Young Masters, and Situ Zhengnan, one of the Twelve Princes, hadn't made a move yet.
That Ling Feng didn't dare was understandable. Though his strength was slightly greater than the Ten Little Hidden Dragons, it was only slightly. Now that the combined force of the Ten Little Hidden Dragons and the Thirty-Six Huage Young Masters couldn't budge Gu Qingfeng, presumably Ling Feng knew he was no match and didn't dare act.
But why hadn't Situ Zhengnan...
The cultivation and strength of the Twelve Princes had always been a mystery; no one truly knew.
But one didn't need to think hard to guess. Since the Twelve Princes were the personal disciples of the Jiuhua Alliance's Alliance Master, their strength was absolutely extraordinary. Rumors said each of the Twelve Princes possessed the ability to annihilate thousand-year-old Nascent Soul veterans.
If that were true, Situ Zhengnan shouldn't be afraid to act, should he?
Could it be he was also afraid?
Unknown.
No one was clear.