Stop him?
How could they stop him?
At the very least, Han Dong didn't know how to stop Gu Qingfeng.
Although she herself possessed considerable destiny and her cultivation strength was not weak, even Qing Xi and Wuhen along with so many others had been unable to harm Gu Qingfeng in the slightest. She knew that even if she made a move, the result would undoubtedly be the same.
Fighting was out of the question. Could she try to persuade him with words?
It wasn't that Han Dong didn't want to, but she knew she wasn't very familiar with Gu Qingfeng. How could she possibly persuade him?
She could only place her hopes on Qian Shan and Ouyang Ye.
Qian Shan's cultivation strength was very high, but after personally witnessing the formidable power of Gu Qingfeng's physical body, she wasn't confident she could shake him either. Of course, that wasn't the important part. What mattered was that she could no longer tell whether the Young Lord Chiyan in the pavilion was genuine or an impostor.
She felt this way.
Ouyang Ye felt it even more intensely.
Ever since she saw Gu Qingfeng perform the profound mysteries of 'Wind Rises Over Great Green Mountain' and the artistic conception of 'Youth's Journey', Ouyang Ye's mind had been in complete disarray. Even now, she hadn't returned to normal. Not only that, but she was growing increasingly confused, because the more she looked, the more she felt the Young Lord Chiyan in the pavilion resembled the Gu Qingfeng who had turned to ashes three years ago—they were practically identical.
The carefree, untroubled air that flowed from his every gesture.
The casual, unrestrained ease in his speech.
The unflustered composure he displayed when surrounded.
The faint trace of aloof pride, that wild, domineering arrogance when he acted—without exception, they all resembled the Gu Qingfeng who had died three years ago.
The true Young Lord Chiyan was like this.
Golden Core cultivation, an indestructible body that grew stronger with every trial, peerless musical talent, mysterious and powerful methods.
Now, this Old Jiu was the same. Could he really be the Young Lord Chiyan from three years ago?
She didn't know.
Ouyang Ye truly didn't know, and she didn't dare to think too deeply about it. In her heart, she hoped it was true, yet she also feared it wasn't.
Finally, she mustered her courage and asked in a low voice, "You...
Just who are you?"
Gu Qingfeng, who was in the middle of playing his piece, looked up at her and smiled faintly. "Whoever you think I am, that's who I am."
"You...
I..." This time, Ouyang Ye was truly bewildered.
Before, she had been one hundred percent certain that Gu Qingfeng was not the Young Lord Chiyan. But now, deep in her heart, she was at least fifty percent doubtful, perhaps even more.
She dared to shout and scold Old Jiu, and she even dared to fight him, even knowing his physical body was formidable. She wasn't afraid.
However.
She did not dare to shout and scold the true Young Lord Chiyan, much less fight him. Even if the true Young Lord Chiyan were weak and frail, even if she only had a fifty percent suspicion that Gu Qingfeng was the true Young Lord Chiyan, she still wouldn't dare.
It wasn't fear.
It was that she didn't dare, and she wouldn't.
Beside her, Han Dong spoke up in persuasion. "Young Lord Chiyan, I hope you will not harm Elder Kumu."
"I've said it before, I'm helping the Old Master recast his Nascent Soul."
Faced with Gu Qingfeng's response, Han Dong also didn't know how to reply. She glanced at Qing Xi, indicating she had no solution either.
Seeing this, Qing Xi looked toward Qian Shan. Qian Shan, in turn, gazed deeply at Gu Qingfeng, as if hesitating about something.
"I hope Senior Qian Shan, for the sake of our brief encounter last time, will save my grand-uncle. On behalf of the entire Wuse Mountain, I beg you."
Qing Xi knew Qian Shan's cultivation was profound and her strength immense. Moreover, she was a person close to the Immortal Suya. If she were willing to help, she could certainly stop that Young Lord Chiyan.
Qian Shan stepped forward and helped her up, saying, "Miss Qing Xi, it's not that I won't help you, it's just..." She paused, then continued, "Although I don't know exactly what he's doing, one thing is certain: with his strength, if he wanted to harm your grand-uncle, it would take but a snap of his fingers. He wouldn't need to go through all this trouble. In my opinion...
Don't be too hasty. It might be better to wait a while before deciding."
Qian Shan refrained from acting for two reasons. First, she also wasn't confident she could stop Gu Qingfeng.
Second, as she herself had said, if Gu Qingfeng wanted to kill Kumu, the Old Master would likely already be dead. Why would he be playing this piece, causing the Old Master's Nascent Soul to slowly dissipate like a frog slowly boiled in warm water? Clearly, he was doing this to take care of the Old Master's body. Otherwise, with a single slap, the Old Master's Nascent Soul would scatter on the spot.
As for whether Gu Qingfeng was truly recasting the Old Master's Nascent Soul,
Qian Shan truly didn't know and couldn't be sure.
Qing Xi wasn't unaware of this logic. She also understood that with Gu Qingfeng's strength, if he wanted to kill her grand-uncle, her grand-uncle wouldn't survive.
But knowing was one thing; accepting it was another.
She neither knew who Gu Qingfeng really was, nor what he truly intended to do.
If it was about recasting a Nascent Soul, she would never believe it no matter what.
Most importantly, watching her grand-uncle's Nascent Soul dissipate bit by bit right now, his pained expression twisting his features, Qing Xi's heart was also in agony. She didn't dare to gamble, much less trust a Young Lord Chiyan whose authenticity was completely unknown with her grand-uncle's life.
What should she do?
Qing Xi truly didn't know what to do.
At that moment, Liu Qingyan shouted, "We beseech the several reincarnated Seniors to lend your aid! The people of Wuse Mountain will be eternally grateful!"
Reincarnated Seniors?
Hearing Liu Qingyan's shout, many people only then remembered that there seemed to be several reincarnated great experts present at today's Wuse Mountain Flower Banquet.
Those who were reincarnated all carried a certain turbid aura about them, so identifying them wasn't difficult.
Everyone knew there were at least five or six reincarnated individuals present. However, these reincarnated individuals usually kept a very low profile, and not many people recognized them. Among them, two were relatively more recognized. One looked like a handsome, refined noble young master. No one knew his real name, only that he went by the title Young Master Toad.
Besides him, there was also an old man who appeared somewhat sinister, also a reincarnated great expert. Similarly, no one knew his name. Everyone only knew his surname was Jin, and those who knew him addressed him as Elder Jin.
Compared to other reincarnated great experts, these two were relatively more high-profile. They occasionally made appearances, and both Young Master Toad and Elder Jin were guest elders of the Immortal Manor, often attending its banquets. Hence, many people were familiar with them.
"Young Master Toad! Elder Jin!"
With a whoosh, Wei Chaoqun rushed over and greeted the two respectfully.
Perhaps because all his attention had been focused on Gu Qingfeng earlier, and he had been terrified by Gu Qingfeng's three casually spoken words, it was only now, coming back to his senses, that Wei Chaoqun remembered that Young Master Toad and Elder Jin—these two guest elders of the Immortal Manor—were still here.
"Young Master Toad, Elder Jin, I hope you can lend your aid, stop that Young Lord Chiyan, and save my grand-uncle."
After Liu Qingyan spoke, Qing Xi and the others from Wuse Mountain also came forward to plead earnestly.