Just now, Gu Qingfeng had released his divine sense to carefully probe Qing Xi's mysterious azure Fortune. The result was far more bizarre and complex than he had imagined.
The existence of that thing was extremely unique, even possessing an independent consciousness, as if it contained life itself.
While probing, Gu Qingfeng could clearly sense that the thing was filled with hostility towards his divine sense. Moreover, the aura of that Fortune was actually more sacred and radiant than even immortal spirit aura, like a seed in constant transformation—utterly miraculous.
For Qing Xi's safety, Gu Qingfeng did not probe deeper. He was truly afraid of cornering a desperate dog; if that thing were to trigger a backlash, he himself would be fine, but Qing Xi's mental consciousness would inevitably be affected.
"Stop this at once!"
At this moment, Qing Xi was frantically driving the Nascent Soul power within her body, as well as the might of her Transcendent Color Spirit at Great Perfection, the majestic power of her sea-like treasure scene, and the power of that endlessly transforming azure Fortune.
Gu Qingfeng was simply using a single finger to block the sword tip. No matter how frantically Qing Xi drove her power, even exhausting all her strength, she could never budge that single finger of Gu Qingfeng's.
"I told you before, fighting me will only deplete your own Spiritual Power; it won't affect me in the slightest. Why must you persist in this? Just be good and rest for a while."
Gu Qingfeng smiled faintly, as light as a breeze. He pinched the sword tip between two fingers and exerted a slight force. *Crack!* The flying sword instantly snapped. Qing Xi didn't even know what happened, only feeling a terrifying force transmitted through, causing her to grunt, her face instantly turning deathly pale as she was sent flying backward once more.
"The same goes for you all."
Gu Qingfeng, one hand strumming the guqin, the other lifting a wine pot to pour wine, said softly, "Disperse."
It was a very light sentence, his tone flat, his manner extremely calm. No radiance flickered around him, nor was there any surge of Spiritual Power. It was neither sonic might nor imposing aura.
However.
After those three words fell, the twenty to thirty people surrounding Gu Qingfeng—Wuhen, Wei Chaoqun, Li Qianhua, Chiyu, Wang Han, and others—instantly felt as if struck by lightning.
When the word "disperse" fell, the power unleashed by Wuhen, Wei Chaoqun, and the others—be it Nascent Soul power or Fortune power—was instantly shattered and scattered into nothingness.
Yes!
Shattered and scattered into nothingness.
Wuhen's two dragon-elephant powers, Wei Chaoqun's two immortal halos, Li Qianhua's evil skull—all their Fortunes were shattered and scattered into nothingness.
When the word "now" fell, Wuhen, Wei Chaoqun, and the others were shaken until blood spurted from their mouths and noses.
When the word "go" fell, over twenty people were sent flying, crashing to the ground. Most, like Fei Ying, Ding Rui, and Leng Yefei, were even paralyzed on the ground, unable to stand up. Although Wuhen, Wei Chaoqun, and Li Qianhua could still stand, that was all they could do. Each was disheveled and in a wretched state, standing there with bodies trembling uncontrollably.
No one knew what had happened.
Everyone found it unbelievable, found it hard to believe, and felt more fear, more terror.
Because no one knew what exactly had occurred.
Nor did anyone know why this Young Lord Chiyan, merely by uttering three words—words that couldn't even be considered an imposing aura or sonic might—could not only shatter and scatter the Fortunes of Wuhen and the others into nothingness but also send them flying and spitting blood.
The elders from various sects like Hunyuan Gate and Yaoyue Palace had originally been prepared to make a move. They had received news and coveted the Mystic Tortoise in Gu Qingfeng's hands. But now, having witnessed this scene with their own eyes, how could they still have the courage to act?
"Today is the Flower Festival of Wuse Mountain. I don't wish to take action here, but that's just a wish, not a promise that I won't."
Gu Qingfeng still stood within the pavilion, playing the guqin. His calm voice, accompanied by the heavy notes of the instrument, slowly reached everyone's ears. "Considering your youth, I'll let you off this once. Just this once, with absolutely no second chance. If you dare attack again, I won't mind sending you to meet your ancestors."
The surrounding crowd all stared wide-eyed at each other, looking at one another, retreating step by step. No one dared speak, no one dared make another move.
Outside the pavilion.
Old Master Ku Mu's Nascent Soul was still dissipating bit by bit. Having lost the support of Nascent Soul power, the old master's physical body was extremely weak, his face pale without a trace of blood. He seemed to be enduring intense pain, his body trembling uncontrollably, his features twisted.
Seeing this.
The Wuse Eighteen Swordsmen and Twenty-Four Junior Knights were pacing anxiously in circles. But facing the mysterious and bizarre Gu Qingfeng, apart from useless anxiety, they currently had no other recourse.
They couldn't defeat him.
They wanted to take the old master away but couldn't get close.
What to do?
They could only wait!
Yes!
They could only wait.
Liu Qingyan knew that Profound Heart had gone to invite the other Nine Solitary Elders of Wuse Mountain. Unfortunately, aside from Old Master Ku Mu, all the Nine Solitary Elders were in seclusion. They could neither be contacted via divine sense nor notified with message talismans; they could only be personally invited. Now she only hoped the Nine Solitary Elders would arrive quickly. Otherwise, Old Master Ku Mu would likely be in grave danger.
"My Wuse Mountain has no grievance with you! Why are you harming my Grand-Uncle!"
Within the scene, only Qing Xi was still unwilling to give up. She knew she was no match for Gu Qingfeng, so she tried to take Old Master Ku Mu away. Unfortunately, for some reason, she simply couldn't get close to the old master. It was as if an invisible wall of air surrounded him, blocking her out. No matter how she circulated her divine sense or unleashed her Fortune, she could never break through that intangible, untouchable wall of air.
"I said, the old master has shown me kindness. I should be repaying him, not harming him."
"Is this how you repay kindness?! My Grand-Uncle's Nascent Soul was already depleted, and you, using some unknown method, are causing his Nascent Soul to gradually dissipate..."
"The old master's Nascent Soul needs to be recast. And before recasting, his Nascent Soul must be completely dispersed, leaving not a trace. This is what is meant by 'breaking before establishing'."
"You!"
Qing Xi had heard of recasting a Nascent Soul, but only heard of it. She only knew it was a very ancient, ancient method listed as forbidden. She simply didn't believe Gu Qingfeng understood such a method. Moreover, with Gu Qingfeng's identity still unclear, Qing Xi was even less willing to take this risk. Most importantly, she might not understand what recasting a Nascent Soul entailed, but she could see clearly that the old master's Nascent Soul was dissipating. If the Nascent Soul dissipated, how could it be recast?
She tried frantically to get closer to the old master.
Alas!
It was useless!
Even exhausting all her strength, she failed to break through that wall of air.
She glanced towards Wuse Mountain. Senior Uncle Profound Heart had not yet returned with the Nine Solitary Elders. Looking at Old Master Ku Mu's twisted features, Qing Xi felt as if a knife were twisting in her heart. She roared in anger, unleashing all her Fortune in another attempt to charge through, but she still failed.
Time could not be wasted like this. Qing Xi finally gave up. She turned to look at Han Dong in the distance and said, "Senior Qian Shan, Miss Han Dong, Miss Ouyang Ye, I hope you can stop him! Please don't let him harm my Grand-Uncle! I beg of you!"