"Lao Jiu! Don't be nervous, stay absolutely calm, and act as if nothing is wrong!" Ouyang Ye's secret voice transmission came through. Gu Qingfeng laughed in response, "Little sister, I think you should be saying that to yourself."
"I..." Ouyang Ye was taken aback.
Indeed.
She was extremely nervous right now, nervous to the point of death, especially as Han Dong opened the formation and that swarm of people rushed in from outside—her heart was practically in her throat.
In contrast, this guy was still lounging leisurely with his legs crossed, sipping his little drink, not a shred of tension on him.
Damn it!
Was this guy really so obsessed with playing the role that he'd die for it, actually thinking he was the real Gu Qingfeng?
Or was his mental fortitude just that strong, his heart that big, his acting skills that sharp, allowing him to pretend flawlessly?
She felt this way, and Han Dong was no exception. Though she appeared as cold and aloof as ever on the surface, her heart was pounding nervously inside. Even knowing she had Aunt Xue and Qian Shan to help, she was still tense. A fake was ultimately a fake; no matter how well disguised, it couldn't become real. If they were publicly exposed, Han Dong truly didn't know how to handle it, nor could she imagine what terrifying consequences awaited her.
"Han Dong!"
Hearing someone call her name, Han Dong looked over and saw an elder walking toward her from the crowd.
Seeing this elder, Han Dong's expression shifted slightly, and she immediately bowed. "Elder Zihao, you... why..." Although many elders within Yaoyue Palace had sided with the Second Elder, that didn't mean no one supported Han Dong. Elder Zihao was one of them, and he held high prestige both within Yaoyue Palace and across the Great Northwest. However, the Second Elder's faction was powerful, and with the Immortal Mansion backing him, even if Elder Zihao wanted to support Han Dong, he was powerless.
"Hmph! Han Dong, how dare you ask Elder Zihao why he's here?" Bi Lan stepped forward and shouted. "You found someone to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan, claiming he's your Dao companion, deceiving our Yaoyue Palace. Why do you think Elder Zihao is here?"
Elder Zihao did support Han Dong. Months ago, when he learned that the famous Young Lord Chiyan was Han Dong's Dao companion, he was genuinely happy for her and felt Yaoyue Palace had hope. Initially, he hadn't doubted Young Lord Chiyan's authenticity, but as more and more people claimed he was an impostor, with seemingly reasonable evidence, he too began to grow suspicious.
Of course, it was only suspicion.
Elder Zihao trusted Han Dong's character, believing she wouldn't do such a thing, so he said, "Whether Young Lord Chiyan is real or fake, none of us know for sure. Let's not jump to conclusions too early."
"Elder Zihao, do you still believe her even now?" Bi Lan sneered. "I dare say this Young Lord Chiyan is definitely fake!"
"You can eat recklessly, but you can't speak recklessly." Han Dong's nature was cold and aloof; she wasn't good at expressing herself, nor at arguing or quarreling with others. She also wasn't comfortable in such situations. It was Ouyang Ye who stepped forward to speak. Looking at Bi Lan, she feigned calmness and smiled. "You keep saying Young Lord Chiyan is fake. Do you have any evidence?"
"Evidence? Hmph! Someone who was completely annihilated and utterly dead three years ago cannot be resurrected. Anyone who cultivates knows this is a law, a rule of the Dao."
"Others might not be able to, but that doesn't mean Young Lord Chiyan can't! Don't forget, Young Lord Chiyan is the successor of Monarch Chixiao!" Ouyang Ye, having dared to find someone to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan, naturally wasn't unprepared. "Who Monarch Chixiao is, I believe I don't need to say—you all should know, right? His deeds of nine lives and nine deaths back then are known throughout the world. Since Young Lord Chiyan is Monarch Chixiao's successor, he naturally possesses this ability of nine lives and nine deaths as well!"
The exchange between the two sparked discussions among the crowd.
The reason some believed Young Lord Chiyan was fake was precisely because of this so-called law or rule of the Dao. Those who believed he was real did so because he was Monarch Chixiao's successor, knowing full well that what were laws and rules for others meant nothing to Monarch Chixiao.
Monarch Chixiao's life spanned just over two hundred years. From his initial Blazing True Body, to his eighty-one Golden Cores, then his Heaven-Slaying Nascent Soul... and the Peerless Immortal-Demon Throne. His cultivation was destroyed and refined again, his life lost and revived... Laws? Rules? On Monarch Chixiao, there were no laws, no rules to speak of.
If the Monarch was like this, surely his disciple was no less.
This point left many deeply conflicted, even Elder Zihao, who supported Han Dong, was no exception, truly unsure whether Young Lord Chiyan was real or fake.
"Hey! Let me tell you, my Big Brother is Young Lord Chiyan!" Xiao Jinr also stood up and said. "You might all think Big Brother died three years ago. I don't blame you, because Sister Su Hua thought so too. Actually, the reason Jin'er told you all that Big Brother is living here is because I wanted you to know that my Big Brother didn't die back then."
Looking at Xiao Jinr standing up, Ouyang Ye smiled. "Do you all not know who she is? Let me tell you, she is Xiao Jinr, the little sister most beloved by Immortal Su Hua..." Hearing Ouyang Ye mention Immortal Su Hua, the surrounding crowd was astonished. Elder Ziyu of Yaoyue Palace stepped forward and said, "Miss Ouyang, we are discussing the matter of Young Lord Chiyan right now. Why bring up Immortal Su Hua?"
"Heh!" Ouyang Ye chuckled and continued, "Daozun Ziyu, I have no other meaning. I just want to tell everyone that Xiao Jinr is not only the little sister most beloved by Immortal Su Hua, but also the little sister most beloved by Young Lord Chiyan. If you've heard of Young Lord Chiyan's deeds, then you should also know who he fought for back then? That's right! It was for Xiao Jinr. If Young Lord Chiyan were fake, would Xiao Jinr not recognize him?"
"Who knows if she's in cahoots with you!" Bi Lan sneered. "Besides, she's just a young girl. How could she possibly distinguish truth from falsehood?"
"This elder sister, my Big Brother is real. I wouldn't lie to you." Xiao Jinr explained very seriously. "You doubt my Big Brother simply because of what happened back then. Just now, Big Brother already told Jin'er about what happened at the Tai Xuan Monument back then. Jin'er can tell you now: back then at the Tai Xuan Monument, it was because the Western Heaven Buddhas wanted to kill my Big Brother. My Big Brother didn't want to hurt them; he just drove them away. But they didn't let Big Brother go and even invited the Great Sun Tathagata Buddha... Left with no choice, Big Brother had to temporarily tie up the Great Sun Tathagata Buddha. But don't worry, my Big Brother means no harm. If the Western Heaven Buddhas stop trying to hurt my Big Brother, he will release the Great Sun Tathagata Buddha."