Seeing Old Master Ku Mu pointing at Gu Qingfeng, laughing and crying while saying something about him still being alive, everyone was utterly bewildered. Daozun Xuanxin of Wuse Mountain, Liu Qingyan, Qing Xi, and the others also had no idea what was happening, and they dared not think too deeply about it. They immediately went over to inquire, but no matter how they asked, Old Master Ku Mu seemed not to hear them at all, still weeping and laughing uncontrollably, his emotions extremely unstable.
"Guilt!
No!
The one who should truly feel guilty is me!"
Old Master Ku Mu cried, tears streaming down his aged face. "If it weren't for this old fool taking the initiative back then, bringing the Monarch to Daqing Mountain, the Monarch would never have...
embarked on that path of no return!"
This scene left everyone present deeply shocked and suspicious. They could all see that Old Master Ku Mu's intense emotions stemmed from guilt, but why was the old master reacting like this?
Could it be that he believed this person was the real Young Lord Chiyan?
Yes!
That must be it!
Otherwise, the old master would never be so agitated.
Thinking of this, the people from Wuse Mountain grew rather worried and somewhat exasperated.
Because they all knew that the old master, burdened by his lasting guilt towards the Monarch, was easily swayed into believing others. Fifty years ago, he had been similarly deceived by Gu Tiansheng, who claimed to be the Monarch's descendant. Who would have thought that fifty years later, he would now be believing this Young Lord Chiyan Gu Qingfeng, who claimed to be the Monarch's successor.
"Martial Uncle, whether this person is the real Young Lord Chiyan is still unknown. There's no need for you to be like this!" Liu Qingyan tried to persuade him. "Even if he is Young Lord Chiyan, it doesn't necessarily mean he is truly the Monarch's successor."
"Martial Uncle, Ancestor Fenglie was the Monarch's benefactor. If he were truly the Monarch's successor, how could he have brought himself to kill him?" Daozun Xuanxin also advised. "Moreover, the tune he played earlier was most likely an artistic conception derived through mental techniques. You must not be so quick to believe others."
The surrounding crowd also chimed in with persuasion, urging the old master not to believe so easily and not to forget the incident with Gu Tiansheng fifty years ago.
However.
Old Master Ku Mu turned a deaf ear. He seemed to have lost his mind entirely. Not only did he not heed their persuasion, he even shouted loudly at Wuse Mountain's Xuanxin and Liu Qingyan, "Silence!
Be silent!
Kneel!
All of you, kneel!"
Old Master Ku Mu's shouts were loud, as if he were straining his throat and mustering all his strength to cry out.
But his cry left everyone stunned.
Kneel?
Why was Old Master Ku Mu telling Xuanxin and the others to kneel?
Even if the old master believed this person was the real Young Lord Chiyan and believed him to be the Monarch's successor, there was still no need to kneel, was there?
Daozun Xuanxin and the others from Wuse Mountain stood there dumbfounded, at a complete loss.
"You bastards!
Kneel!
Kneel!"
Old Master Ku Mu's face flushed red with anger as he roared furiously.
Xuanxin, Liu Qingyan, and the others looked at each other, wide-eyed with confusion. Just as they were unsure what to do, an even more shocking scene unfolded. They saw Old Master Ku Mu drop to his knees with a thud and say, "This junior is ignorant, I beg...
I beg you not to take offense!"
Heavens!
What was going on?
Why had the old master knelt himself? And he was even apologizing to Young Lord Chiyan?
This...
Why?
Just why?
Taking a step back, even if this person really were the Monarch's successor, the old master had absolutely no need to kneel!
If anyone should kneel, it should be the Monarch's successor!
The onlookers stared at this scene, dumbstruck. In the distance, Han Dong and Ouyang Ye were even more shocked, unable to find words.
This scene felt familiar to them, terribly familiar.
Because Han Dong clearly remembered that not long ago, when she had taken Gu Qingfeng to Yaoyue Palace to visit her master, hoping to use Young Lord Chiyan's identity to help her master find peace... at that time...
It seemed her master had also inexplicably lost her mind, not only ordering Han Dong to kneel but kneeling herself as well.
As for why that happened,
Han Dong still didn't understand. She had asked her master, but Daozun Feiyan had only told her never to show the slightest disrespect to Young Lord Chiyan.
She still didn't know the reason.
First her master had acted that way, and now Old Master Ku Mu was doing the same.
And his reaction was even more intense than her master's had been.
How could this be!
Han Dong stared at Gu Qingfeng in disbelief.
At this moment,
Daozun Xuanxin and the others tried to help Old Master Ku Mu to his feet, but the moment they reached out, the old master berated them.
"Bastards!
Kneel!"
This time, the old master actually pressed down on Daozun Xuanxin's head, forcing him to kneel.
Inside the pavilion,
Gu Qingfeng watched this scene, his hands still stroking the guqin. He said softly, "Old Master, why must you be like this? I told you, I am only here on behalf of Gu Tianlang. There is no need for you to act this way."
"I know!
This old fool knows you come on behalf of the Monarch...
I know...
I understand. Precisely because you represent the Monarch...
that is why this old fool kneels to beg forgiveness!"
"You were kind to Gu Tianlang. Even if he were to come in person, the one who should kneel would be him, not you!"
"No!
The Monarch is the Monarch, forever the Chixiao Monarch of this world. This old fool is but a humble cultivator of this world. Kneeling to the Monarch is only right and proper. Moreover, this old fool has never shown the Monarch any kindness. Not only that, but instead...
I implicated the Monarch."
As he spoke, Old Master Ku Mu began weeping again, crying out repeatedly, "It was this old fool who implicated the Monarch...
This old fool failed the Monarch!
It's all this old fool's fault...
All this old fool's fault!"
Old Master Ku Mu cried as if his heart were breaking. The depth of his guilt was matched only by the intensity of his sobs.
Beside him, Wuse Mountain's Xuanxin, Liu Qingyan, Qing Xi, and the others were utterly dumbfounded. They completely failed to understand why Old Master Ku Mu, perfectly fine just moments ago, had suddenly become like this.
Even when he had been deceived by Gu Tiansheng fifty years ago, the old master had never knelt and wailed like this!
"Gratitude and grudges...
Causes and effects. No wonder since ancient times, grudges and grievances has been the hardest to untangle."
Gu Qingfeng shook his head with a sigh, then said, "Old Master, let what's past be past. I came this time simply to see you, and also to try and heal your injuries..."
"This old fool's injuries...
are of no consequence...
I dare not trouble..."
"Open your mind, shield away distracting thoughts, and listen as I play a tune."
Gu Qingfeng continued playing with one hand. With his other hand, he flipped his palm, producing a jar of fine wine. He opened the jar and directly tilted his head back, gulping down several mouthfuls.
The sound of the qin gradually shifted from its previous somber tone to a more vigorous one. His playing technique also transformed from ordinary to profoundly mysterious, his hands dancing over the strings so swiftly they left afterimages.
"It may be very painful. You must endure it."
As his words fell, Gu Qingfeng's playing grew faster and faster, the music becoming increasingly intense.
With a retching sound, blood sprayed from the old master's mouth and nose, then began to seep from all seven orifices.