"Is that so? So that bastard is still alive?"
"Not only alive, but he's also the Grand Elder of Hunyuan Gate now. That guy had good fortune—his Primordial Spirit has already taken form. He's a top expert in our Great Northwest, and his disciples are all outstanding geniuses."
Mentioning Lei Pili, Fatty Li couldn't help but curse: "That old man is like a piece of sticky plaster. To this day, he's still pestering Daozun Qingyan shamelessly. A few years back, he even had the gall to come to Wuse Mountain to propose marriage!"
Old Man Liu sighed. "To avoid him, Daozun Qingyan has rarely presided over the Wuse Flower Festival since the modern era. Not only does she not host the festival, she rarely makes public appearances at all. To escape Lei Pili, she still often travels abroad. If it weren't for Senior Kumu this time, Daozun Qingyan probably wouldn't have returned."
"Damn it! How come the Monarch didn't beat that scoundrel Lei Pili to death back then!"
After Fatty Li spoke, Gu Qingfeng also sighed. "Who says otherwise? Why didn't they just kill Lei Pili back then?"
"Shh! Keep your voice down. Hunyuan Gate has brought quite a few people today."
"So what? Am I supposed to be afraid of them?"
Fatty Li puffed out his chest, but when he caught sight of the group from Hunyuan Gate, he quickly ducked his head back down and whispered, "Damn... Hunyuan Gate really brought a lot of people today. Seven or eight of the Nine Yin and Nine Yang are actually here."
The so-called Nine Yin and Nine Yang referred to the eighteen Direct Disciples of Hunyuan Gate.
Hunyuan Gate was one of the giants of the Great Northwest, with numerous disciples. Their eighteen Direct Disciples were all top-tier geniuses, one in ten thousand. Not only were their cultivation levels among the best of the younger generation, but their Spirit Hues and attainments were also extraordinary.
"Good heavens! That bastard Ding Rui is here too!"
Fatty Li seemed to realize something. "If Ding Rui is here, then his master Lei Pili will probably come too. That master-disciple pair are both rotten eggs—one shamelessly pestering Daozun Qingyan, the other harassing Miss Qingxi. They really deserve to die!"
Although Ding Rui wasn't the Heir Apparent of Hunyuan Gate, among their eighteen Direct Disciples, his strength definitely ranked within the top five.
It was said his Primordial Spirit had already manifested seventy-two times. Even more terrifying was that after his Spirit Hues reached the extraordinary level, they numbered a full sixty-five layers. On top of that, he had refined a unique Nine Yang Seed exclusive to Hunyuan Gate, plus wielded a top-grade Profound-tier flying sword. His strength was extremely formidable.
"Miss Qingxi, it's been a while!"
Ding Rui stood with his hands behind his back, looking arrogant and overbearing. Gazing at the busy Qingxi, a faint smile played on his lips. "Do you need my help?"
"Thank you, but no."
Qingxi replied indifferently and continued her work.
"Heh."
Ding Rui gave a light laugh, then turned his gaze toward Liu Qingyan. "Daozun Qingyan, during your years away, my master missed you terribly. He couldn't eat or drink properly, eagerly awaiting your return every day. When he heard the news of your return yesterday, he was overjoyed. The old master has specially prepared a grand gift for you, which will be delivered shortly."
"Is that so?"
Liu Qingyan didn't look up, still adjusting the somewhat worn-looking ancient zither in her hands. She replied softly, "Perfect timing. Today, I also have a grand gift to give him."
"Oh? What gift?"
"You'll know when your master arrives."
"Heh, I look forward to it."
Both Lei Pili and Ding Rui had rather poor, even foul, reputations in the Great Northwest. The reason was simple, just as Fatty Li had said: Lei Pili shamelessly pestered Liu Qingyan, and his disciple Ding Rui shamelessly pestered Liu Qingyan's disciple Qingxi. Master and disciple were cut from the same cloth—utterly shameless.
Regarding this, many people inwardly despised them, but they could only despise them in secret.
Not only were this master-disciple pair shameless, they were also sinister and ruthless. For ordinary cultivators, they couldn't afford to provoke Ding Rui, nor could they afford to provoke Lei Pili, let alone the giant power of Hunyuan Gate behind them.
Of course.
Just because ordinary cultivators couldn't afford to provoke them didn't mean others couldn't. As soon as Ding Rui's words fell, a voice rang out.
"I was wondering who was throwing their weight around so ostentatiously in the Wuse Gardens. So it's the famously 'great' Young Master Ding Rui of Hunyuan Gate!"
The crowd turned to look. A group of over ten people arrived majestically, riding the wind.
Seeing these people, a stir rippled through the venue, as most recognized them. They were the star disciples of Yao Yue Palace, including Direct Disciples, the so-called Thirteen Full Moons—Ji Shan, Zhu Yu—led by a handsome young man.
His name was Cold Leaf Flying.
This person was known as the Third Full Moon among Yao Yue Palace's Thirteen Full Moons. Both his cultivation attainments far surpassed those of other Direct Disciples like Ji Shan. It was said his cultivation had already reached sixty-seven Primordial Spirit manifestations, with Spirit Hues at a terrifying seventy-two layers. Rumor also had it he possessed a Treasure Body. His strength was so formidable he had once single-handedly challenged over ten Primordial Spirit Daozuns who had cultivated for a thousand years.
"Heh, so it's Brother Cold."
Ding Rui smiled. "Why don't I see Miss Bilan of your esteemed sect?"
Without waiting for a reply, he continued, "Ha! I almost forgot. I heard Miss Bilan was once kicked by that Young Lord Chiyan until she bled from all seven orifices. I wonder if she's recovered yet?"
Cold Leaf Flying knew Ding Rui was trying to use this opportunity to humiliate him. He smiled faintly. "Bilan only suffered minor injuries."
"Oh? Is that so?"
The playful smile never left Ding Rui's lips. "What a pity."
"What are you pitying?"
"With Brother Cold's talent and wisdom, you absolutely had the qualifications to replace Miss Handong and become your sect's Heir Apparent. But now it seems... heh."
Ding Rui sighed again. "Now that Miss Handong is the Dao-companion of that Young Lord Chiyan, with his help, your future prospects of becoming Yao Yue Palace's Heir Apparent are probably..."
"A mere Young Lord Chiyan. Let's not discuss whether he's even real for now. Even if he is, what is there to fear?"
"Heh, but he claims to be the successor of the Chixiao Monarch."
"The world is full of people claiming to be successors of the Chixiao Monarch. How many of them have you ever seen that were real?"
"Perhaps this one is."
Ding Rui laughed. "If he is real, then your Yao Yue Palace is in for big trouble this time."
"If that so-called Young Lord Chiyan really is the Monarch's successor, whether our Yao Yue Palace faces trouble or not, I don't know. But one thing I'm certain of is that your master Lei Pili will definitely be in trouble."
Cold Leaf Flying also smiled faintly. "Everyone under heaven knows your master was nearly beaten to death by the Monarch back then for pestering Daozun Qingyan. Now that the Monarch has passed, not only does your master show no remorse, he's become even more brazen. In my opinion, if that Young Lord Chiyan really is the Monarch's successor, your master had better watch his step whenever he goes out from now on!"
"That's my master's deep and unwavering affection for Daozun Qingyan. If he were afraid, he wouldn't have persisted for hundreds of years."
Ding Rui snorted coldly. "I'll return the words you just said to me right now. Never mind that Young Lord Chiyan is a fraud. Even if he really is the Monarch's successor, I am not afraid, and my master is even less afraid. Even if the Chixiao Monarch were reincarnated and standing before me, I would dare say the same!"