One kick.
Just one kick.
And it was a purely physical kick, devoid of any Spiritual Power.
Bi Lan, the direct disciple of Yaoyue Palace, was sent flying, bleeding from all seven orifices, and collapsed on the ground, her fate unknown.
If this wasn't the indestructible Bedrock Physique, what was it?
If this wasn't the unstoppable Absolute Force, what was it?
If this wasn't Young Lord Chiyan, who else could it be?
"My disciple!"
Daozun Ziyu and the others from Yaoyue Palace, pushing aside their shock, immediately rushed over to check Bi Lan's injuries. Although her dantian was unharmed, many of her meridians were severed, and her Primordial Spirit was thrown into chaos. It would likely take eight to ten years of recuperation to recover.
"You! How dare you injure my disciple!"
Daozun Ziyu glared fiercely, her face pale with rage, teeth gritted.
"Injured she is," Gu Qingfeng responded lightly, his hands clasped behind his back. "So what?"
"You!"
Daozun Ziyu desperately wanted to strike back for Bi Lan, but Gu Qingfeng's strength filled her with immense dread. Having witnessed his power firsthand, the other members of Yaoyue Palace also lacked the courage to act, each one thoroughly frightened.
"Elder Zihao, will you just stand by and watch as a direct disciple of our Yaoyue Palace is injured by an outsider?"
Elder Zihao glanced at Bi Lan, bleeding from her seven orifices, then at Gu Qingfeng, and shook his head without a word. Besides, he had always supported Han Dong and had long grown weary of Daozun Ziyu and her faction.
"Fine! Fine! Fine! Very well!"
Daozun Ziyu spat out three 'fines' in succession, glaring at Han Dong as she raged, "What a fine Han Dong you are! What a fine Heir Apparent! You actually bring an outsider to bully our Yaoyue Palace disciples! Excellent! Truly excellent! You are indeed worthy of being our Yaoyue Palace's Heir Apparent!"
Han Dong merely looked back at her, silent.
She knew Daozun Ziyu's character all too well. Over the years, the woman had pinned countless false accusations on her. Han Dong was used to it and had never bothered to respond.
"And you! I don't care if you're the real Young Lord Chiyan or a fake! Even if you are the real Young Lord Chiyan, our Yaoyue Palace will not let this go!"
With that, Daozun Ziyu hastily departed with Bi Lan, the other Yaoyue Palace members following suit.
Once they left, the remaining onlookers dared not linger either, all hurriedly departing—including Flying Eagle, one of the Nine Dragons of the Changhong Branch.
He had originally wanted to test Gu Qingfeng, to see if the so-called Bedrock Physique was truly indestructible and if the Absolute Force was truly unstoppable. But after witnessing Gu Qingfeng kick Bi Lan until she bled from all seven orifices, he thought it over and ultimately gave up.
He might also be able to defeat Bi Lan in one move.
But it would be a 'move,' not a 'kick,' and certainly not a purely physical kick.
He didn't know if his strongest attack could shake Gu Qingfeng's supposedly indestructible Bedrock Physique, nor if he could withstand Gu Qingfeng's supposedly unstoppable Absolute Force.
They left.
Everyone left.
Even Elder Zihao, after bidding farewell to Han Dong, departed.
Once everyone was gone, Han Dong reactivated all the formation arrays, enveloping the mountain villa in layers of protection.
Ouyang Ye, however, seemed unable to snap out of her daze, staring blankly at Gu Qingfeng.
Because the moment Gu Qingfeng had struck, she couldn't help but feel an illusion.
For a fleeting moment, it seemed the person before her wasn't Old Sen possessed by Aunt Xue, but the real Gu Qingfeng.
It truly felt that way.
That clean, decisive kick was far too reminiscent of the real Gu Qingfeng.
That was exactly how Gu Qingfeng fought—never dragging things out. Either a slap or a kick, and after he struck, his opponents were invariably either dead or crippled, regardless of their cultivation level. There were never any exceptions.
Especially the calmness, the fearlessness, the casually arrogant indifference, the deathly, domineering aura after taking action—it was exactly like the Gu Qingfeng who had died three years ago.
Ouyang Ye wanted to ask what was going on, but then she remembered Xiao Jinr was still here.
They couldn't let the little girl know the truth.
And so.
Ouyang Ye coaxed and tricked Xiao Jinr into coming to her room, expending great effort to finally lull the child to sleep.
That night.
The moonlight was dim.
The stars lacked their usual brilliance.
At Zheqing Garden within Xiao Zhe Manor.
Gu Qingfeng lay reclined in a hammock, eyes closed, resting.
Beside him, Ouyang Ye, Han Dong, and Qian Shan all stared at him wide-eyed.
"Aunt Xue, you imitated Young Lord Chiyan so perfectly just now! I almost thought it was the real deal!"
"Aunt Xue! Tell me, how did you do it?"
"Didn't you say that after possession, you could only use your own Ghost Force blended with Old Sen's Spiritual Power?"
"Why were you able to crush the Great Nature’s Seven-Treasure Prismatic Crystal into sand without manifesting any Spiritual Power at all?"
"And how did you mold that sand into such a beautiful Seven-Color Phoenix?"
"Aunt Xue, did you use some incredibly profound technique to deceive us all?"
Ouyang Ye was far too curious, pouring out all the doubts in her heart in one breath. Her questions were also Han Dong's and Qian Shan's; both stared intently, awaiting answers.
But they waited and waited, with no response from Aunt Xue. She seemed to have fallen asleep, lying in the hammock.
"Possession consumes too much vital energy. Aunt Xue is probably exhausted. Perhaps we shouldn't disturb her," Han Dong said with concern.
"No! If I don't get this cleared up, I'll go crazy!"
Ouyang Ye walked over and shook Gu Qingfeng. "Aunt Xue, I know you're very tired now, but... could you sleep a little later? I really want to know! Right now, it feels like cat claws are scratching at my heart, I'm so uncomfortable! Aunt Xue! Have pity on me, just tell me, please."
"Aunt Xue! Aunt Xue! Are you there or not?"
Ouyang Ye shook him again.
Gu Qingfeng, thoroughly annoyed by the shaking, finally spoke. "I say, big sister, could you let this lord rest for a bit? This lord is truly somewhat weary."
Big sister?
Referring to himself as 'this lord'?
That wasn't right! There were no outsiders now; Aunt Xue didn't need to keep up the act!
Wait... Could it be that this guy wasn't Aunt Xue anymore?
Considering this, Ouyang Ye tentatively asked, "You're not Aunt Xue. You... are Old Sen?"
"Obviously!"
Hearing Gu Qingfeng admit it, Ouyang Ye, Han Dong, and Qian Shan exchanged glances, all confused. Had Aunt Xue silently slipped out of Old Sen's body just now?
"Where's Aunt Xue?"
"Resting inside."
Gu Qingfeng casually tossed the bracelet from his wrist over to them.
Ouyang Ye caught the bracelet and examined it closely. The bracelet seemed to have changed from a white-jade color to a jade-green hue. It appeared Aunt Xue really had come out. Just as she was about to ask more, Gu Qingfeng's impatient voice came again: "I say, you three big sisters, could you let this lord rest?"
"Hmph! As if you're so great! Who even wants you around!"
Ouyang Ye rolled her eyes, then cradled the bracelet with eager anticipation as she left.