"Hahahaha!
The Chixiao Dragon-Elephant dissipated and vanished on its own?
What a joke that defies all reason under heaven!"
Ma Qian laughed in extreme fury, his laughter as loud as his rage was fierce. His face flushed crimson, eyes glaring with murderous intent, he spat out each word deliberately: "Little! Girl! I! See! You! Are! Looking! For! Death!"
Whoosh!
Brilliant light flashed around Ma Qian as surging Primordial Spirit power erupted. At the same time, Xu Changfeng and the hundreds who had come from the Leiyun and Dianyun Branch Halls also circulated their spiritual power, ready to make a move.
The death of Dianyun Branch Hall's Young Hall Master Xu Jintong had already filled them with fury.
Although Ma Zhengtian was not dead, he was no different from a corpse. And now, Lan Feier actually claimed the Chixiao Dragon-Elephant had ended itself, dissipating and vanishing—this was nothing short of an insult, a blatant, naked insult!
"No one dares to act until this matter is clarified!"
Ziyang and the other eleven Chixiao People roared sternly, intimidating the forces of the two great Branch Halls, Leiyun and Dianyun. At the same time, they looked at Lan Feier with an extremely complex gaze, because her words insulted not just Ma Zhengtian, not just the Leiyun and Dianyun Branch Halls, but the entire Chixiao Sect, and all Chixiao People!
"Grandpa Ziyang, I meant no offense at all, it's just..." Lan Feier's face was tearful. How could she not know that saying such words was an insult to the very name 'Chixiao'? But the facts were as they were, and she could only steel herself and say: "I was there at the scene, I witnessed with my own eyes Ma Zhengtian's Chixiao Dragon-Elephant...
The Chixiao Dragon-Elephant...
First transformed into human form and...
First kowtowed nine times to Gu...
To Gu Qingfeng...
Then...
Then...
Then shot straight into the sky, dissipated...
Vanished..." Lan Feier truly used every ounce of her courage to stammer out these words, because she knew the Chixiao Dragon-Elephant dissipating and vanishing was already an insult to Chixiao, but to say it transformed into human form and kowtowed nine times to Gu Qingfeng...
This was no longer just insulting the name 'Chixiao'; it was insulting the Monarch Chixiao himself!
Who didn't know: 'While the Dragon-Elephant lives, Chixiao lives'!
Who didn't know: the Dragon-Elephant was the symbol of Chixiao.
Who didn't know: the Dragon-Elephant and the Monarch Chixiao were inseparable!
As a disciple of the Chixiao Fengyun Branch Hall, for Lan Feier to say the Chixiao Dragon-Elephant ended itself and vanished was already a great disrespect. Now she even claimed the Dragon-Elephant transformed into human form and kowtowed nine times to Gu Qingfeng. This was more than just great disrespect; it was outright treason!
Not only were the people from Fengyun and Dianyun furious beyond measure, even Ziyang, Wei Xuan, and the other eleven Chixiao People were enraged.
"You insolent wretch, kneel!"
Ziyang's furious roar shook Lan Feier's mind to the point of collapse. Her delicate face turned deathly pale. With a muffled groan, she was so terrified she immediately knelt on the ground, trembling as she said, "Grandpa Ziyang, I... I... I..." Faced with the wrath of Ziyang and the other eleven Chixiao People, how could Lan Feier dare continue? She was almost scared to death.
Beside her, Lan Feier's master, Ming Xin Zhenren, also knelt, pleading, "Master... Feier is young and ignorant. She spoke carelessly and offended the Monarch. Please, do not be angry!"
"Old Hall Master, Feier is not an impulsive person. She has always held the Monarch in the highest respect and never offended him before. If this matter were not fact, Feier would absolutely not dare speak of it. We beg the Old Hall Master to investigate clearly!"
Other elders of the Fengyun Branch Hall also knelt one after another, pleading for leniency. Their words did remind Ziyang and the others.
Ziyang had watched Lan Feier grow up. He knew her character very well, and knew that Feier had always idolized the Monarch Chixiao. She visited the mausoleum every year to pay respects, and for this reason had always been studying the famous compositions left by the Monarch. In her youth, if she heard anyone speak ill of the Monarch, she would be the first to angrily rush over. How could she now utter such treasonous words?
Could it be... it was really the truth?
But how was that possible!
The Dragon-Elephant Spirit was formed from the Chixiao Dragon-Elephant, containing within it the Dragon-Elephant's true soul. Perhaps it was not as ferocious as the Chixiao Dragon-Elephant, fearless of heaven and earth's might, suppressing demons above and terrifying ghosts below, but it would absolutely never kneel to anyone. Not to humans, not even to immortals or demons, not even to heaven and earth would the Dragon-Elephant kneel.
Between heaven and earth, there was only one person who could make the Dragon-Elephant kneel: that was the Monarch Chixiao.
Hmm?
Thinking of this, Ziyang's heart skipped a beat, and he recalled another matter.
The Chixiao Dragon-Elephant kowtowing to Gu Qingfeng... could it mean Gu Qingfeng really was the successor, the descendant of the Monarch Chixiao?
If that were truly the case, then Ma Zhengtian's Dragon-Elephant Spirit kowtowing to him wasn't entirely impossible.
Thinking this, Ziyang took a deep breath, calming his somewhat complicated thoughts, and asked seriously, "Feier, did you truly see with your own eyes Ma Zhengtian's Dragon-Elephant Spirit transform into human form, kowtow nine times to Gu Qingfeng, and then dissipate and vanish?"
"Grandpa Ziyang, I really saw it with my own eyes... I'm not lying to you."
Beside them, Shui Yunruo also said, "Senior Ziyang, I was also present at the time. I can testify that what Feier says is true."
Ziyang, Wei Xuan, and the other eleven Chixiao People exchanged glances, transmitting a secret message: "If what Feier says is really true, then the Chixiao Command Token in Gu Qingfeng's hand might be genuine. In other words, he might truly be the Monarch's successor, his descendant."
"This matter is full of doubts and far too bizarre. After the Great Calamity, too many inconceivable people have appeared in this world. Even the Great Sovereign Wang Fu cannot distinguish truth from falsehood. We should still be cautious and not fall into someone's trap."
"Xiao Jinr has the Soul-Link Bracelet refined by Gu Qingfeng. Whether it's true or false, we can force him out and ask for clarification."
"No!"
Ziyang said, "Once Gu Qingfeng shows himself, he will surely die. There are too many experts here, a mixed bag of snakes and dragons. With our strength, we are utterly insufficient to guarantee his safety. If he's a fraud, so be it. But if he truly is the descendant and successor of the Monarch Chixiao, and dies because of us... then we... we would have wronged the Monarch!"
Indeed.
There were too many experts.
Besides those present, many Dao Zun ancestors from various major sects were watching from the shadows.
Not only that.
Ziyang and the others could clearly sense that at least several dozen more experts' divine senses were locked firmly on them. Judging from these divine senses, the other parties were all unfathomably powerful masters.
"But for us to just stall like this isn't a solution either."
"For now, the priority is to protect Xiao Jinr. We absolutely cannot let the Soul-Link Bracelet in her hand fall into these people's grasp."
While Ziyang and the others were secretly discussing, Ma Qian's impatient voice rang out.
"Seniors, I have said all that needs to be said. I hope you will hand over the little girl!"
"This matter is of great importance. Xiao Jinr cannot be handed over to you."
Ziyang said gravely, "Is the Old Incense Master present? I need to see him."
"My master and Senior Yunhe have gone out on business and have not yet returned. However, I have already informed him of this matter. The master is on his way back and should arrive by tomorrow at the latest."
"In that case, let us wait until the Old Incense Master returns to discuss this."
"No! You must hand her over now!"
Ma Qian immediately flew into a rage, shouting, "I'm telling you, the master has always doted on Zhengtian. When he learned that Zhengtian is now neither human nor ghost, the master was so angry he spat blood! You'd better hand over the little girl immediately. Otherwise, don't blame me, Ma Qian, for turning hostile and showing no mercy today!"