Upon hearing Gu Qingfeng say he would treat Old Master Kumu's injury, almost everyone present was convinced he was an out-and-out fraud!
It was common knowledge that the Old Master's Nascent Soul had already withered, like a flower that had dried up. Even watering and nurturing it further would be useless. More importantly, the Old Master's physical body simply couldn't withstand any more strain. If they let things be as they were, he might live a few more years. But if his Nascent Soul were to scatter, the Old Master's mortal shell would also wither and die.
"Young Master, I appreciate your kind intentions, but I understand my own condition well. There's no need for you to trouble yourself."
From Kumu's words, Gu Qingfeng knew the Old Master also definitely regarded him as a swindler. However, he didn't mind and continued, "Although the Old Master's Nascent Soul has withered, it's not beyond saving yet..." Just as he was speaking, Little Qinglian sneered, "Are you about to say your skills are so great you can help my Grand-Uncle Master recast his Nascent Soul?"
"You could say that."
"Heh heh heh..." Little Qinglian laughed mockingly, then added, "If I guess correctly, are you planning to use some 'brilliant' method to first disperse my Grand-Uncle Master's Nascent Soul, then recast it, after which you'll rely on an array to gently nurture it and nourish it with miraculous elixirs..."
"You...
Have you tried it?"
Gu Qingfeng was rather puzzled. Because to help the Old Master recast his Nascent Soul, one indeed had to do exactly that. It was just that this method was quite dangerous, to be precise, a forbidden technique. Not many should know about it. Why did Little Qinglian's tone sound as if she had experienced it before?
Little Qinglian, barely suppressing the fury in her heart, asked through gritted teeth, "Are you also going to say that helping the Old Master recast his Nascent Soul is a forbidden technique, that setting up the array requires many rare treasures, and that refining the elixir needs countless resources?"
Although Gu Qingfeng didn't want to admit it, this was the truth. He grew even more confused and asked, "Little sister, how do you know this?"
"How do I know? How utterly unreasonable!"
Little Qinglian glared at him with furious eyes and indignantly shouted, "I ask you swindlers, can't you come up with something new?"
"Fifty years ago, that Gu Tiansheng claimed to be the Monarch's descendant. Fifty years later, you claim to be the Monarch's heir!"
"Fifty years ago, that Gu Tiansheng visited my Grand-Uncle Master during the Flower Festival, saying he wanted to repay a debt of gratitude. Fifty years later, you actually say the same thing!"
"Fifty years ago, that Gu Tiansheng said he could help my Grand-Uncle Master recast his Nascent Soul. Fifty years later, you still say exactly that!"
"Fifty years ago, Gu Tiansheng said he had to use a forbidden technique. Fifty years later, you still say exactly that!"
"Fifty years ago, that damned Gu Tiansheng used this exact method to swindle away our Wuse Mountain's mountain-guarding spirit treasure! Are you also planning to use this method to cheat us out of our Wuse Mountain's mountain-guarding spirit treasure?"
"I say, aren't you swindlers just too shameless! Trying to deceive us twice with the same trick? Do you think our Wuse Mountain is easy to bully?"
Listening to Little Qinglian's tirade, Gu Qingfeng was utterly astonished.
He truly hadn't expected that fifty years ago, that Gu Tiansheng had used this method to swindle Wuse Mountain.
Also to repay a debt of gratitude?
Also to recast the Old Master's Nascent Soul?
Also planning to use a forbidden array?
Wasn't this just too much of a coincidence?
At this moment, whether it was Liu Qingyan and the other Five-Colors Eighteen Swords or Qing Xi and the other Wuse Mountain Twenty-Four Young Heroes, they were all glaring furiously at Gu Qingfeng.
To have been swindled once fifty years ago by a fraud claiming to be the Monarch's descendant was bad enough.
Fifty years later, there was actually a guy claiming to be the Monarch's heir, trying to deceive them a second time with the same method.
This was truly detestable!
Simply detestable to the extreme.
This was absolutely intolerable!
Even the gentle-natured Qing Xi, and even the dignified Liu Qingyan, couldn't help but want to strike and kill this swindler before their eyes. Everyone else in the venue also couldn't stand it, clamoring to tear Gu Qingfeng, this fraud, to pieces.
"Today is the Wuse Flower Festival. We won't make things difficult for you. We hope you will leave of your own accord."
Qing Xi said solemnly, "As for the resources I owe you, I will definitely repay them later."
Someone in the crowd said, "Miss Qing Xi, this swindler won against you using who knows what underhanded methods. You don't need to repay him at all!"
"Yes! Miss Qing Xi, he's a fraud to begin with. Why repay him? In my opinion, not only should you not repay him, you should make him hand over those Profound-grade superior flying swords he won from Senior Jinzhong!"
"He did not swindle. At least not during the chess game."
As soon as Qing Xi finished speaking, Liu Qingyan stepped forward. Raising her hand, a storage bag appeared in her palm. She tossed it over and said, "The resources inside are enough to match Jinzhong's Profound-grade supreme flying sword. Take it and leave the mountain on your own."
Gu Qingfeng caught the storage bag, glanced at it, then shook his head, a bitter smile spreading across his face.
He truly hadn't expected things to develop to this point.
The people of Wuse Mountain regarded him as a swindler. What should he do now?
Just leave?
No!
That won't do!
The Old Master's injury could no longer be delayed.
But how to save him?
He couldn't just resort to force and forcibly help the Old Master recast his Nascent Soul, could he?
If that were possible, it would indeed save a lot of trouble.
The key issue was that the method of recasting the Nascent Soul was inherently quite dangerous, and it was a forbidden technique to boot. The slightest mistake, and the Old Master would be utterly annihilated. Therefore, when recasting the Nascent Soul, the Old Master absolutely had to cooperate. If the Old Master didn't cooperate, this method simply wouldn't work.
Alas, the Old Master regarded him as a swindler. To gain his cooperation, he would first have to earn his trust.
In other words, make him believe that he was indeed his own heir.
No.
With this precedent, the Old Master probably wouldn't believe it again.
He couldn't use force.
The Old Master didn't believe him.
What should he do?
Gu Qingfeng felt a headache coming on.
"Hey, my Master has already given you so many resources. What are you still standing there for? Do we have to make a move before you're willing to leave?"
Seeing Gu Qingfeng standing motionless, the Wuse Mountain disciples all showed signs of wanting to take action.
At this moment, Old Master Kumu stepped forward and said, "Young Lord Chiyan, if you are here to participate in the Wuse Flower Festival, our Wuse Mountain welcomes you. If you have other purposes, this old man advises you to give up."
"Fine. Since everyone has seen through me as a swindler, I'll just honestly participate in the Wuse Flower Festival then."
Gu Qingfeng also couldn't be bothered to argue with them further, thinking he'd wait until the Old Master finished presiding over the Wuse Flower Festival before doing anything.
That was what he thought, but the people of Wuse Mountain certainly didn't see it that way. They all clamored, unwilling to rest until they drove Gu Qingfeng, this fraud, out. In the end, it was Old Master Kumu who stepped forward to quell the crowd's anger, signaling everyone to ignore him and let him be.
Since the Old Master said so, although the Wuse Mountain disciples were unwilling in their hearts, they had no choice but to relent. The others also couldn't say anything more, only sighing that Wuse Mountain was full of gentlemen, and sighing that Old Master Kumu's nature was far too kind.