Gu Qingfeng did not enjoy killing.
He never had.
In the past, he killed to survive—if he didn't kill, he would be killed. And after killing so many, he had truly had his fill of it. He was sick of killing, disgusted by it, utterly fed up.
That was the first reason.
The second.
He had cultivated for five hundred years. His path of cultivation had been more rugged and treacherous than anyone else's, and he understood better than anyone just how arduous this path truly was. Therefore, in many situations, he would avoid killing if he could, show mercy if possible, grant forgiveness where it was due.
Of course.
Forgiveness was forgiveness.
He could forgive once, but never a second time.
This had always been his principle.
It was true in the past, it was true now, and it would never change in the future.
Even though he was sick of killing and wished to kill no more, if someone crossed his bottom line, he would still kill without hesitation.
Even though he did not wish to, he had to admit that sometimes, only killing could resolve so-called troubles more directly and effectively.
He lifted his gaze to survey his surroundings.
When the surrounding crowd met his eyes, each one reacted as if they had seen a ghost or a god, filled with terror and fear, retreating uncontrollably.
The pavilion had long since become a pile of rubble.
And Old Master Ku Mu still knelt on the ground, though his Nascent Soul had already dispersed, and he seemed to have only a breath of life left.
Seeing Gu Qingfeng walk towards Old Master Ku Mu, Kuyu and the other Desolate Ancients immediately rushed over to shield Ku Mu. At the same time, Liu Qingyan, Qing Xi, and the others from the Five-Color Eighteen Swordsmen and Twenty-Four Junior Knights also rushed over without any hesitation.
Clearly.
They would rather fight to the death than stand by and watch Gu Qingfeng kill Ku Mu.
"Who exactly are you, sir!"
"What exactly do you intend to do to my Grandmaster Uncle!"
"I don't know how my Junior Brother Ku Mu has offended you, Young Lord, that you would go on such a killing spree on our Five-Color Mountain."
Gu Qingfeng's steps did not pause. He looked at them and said, "I've said it many times already. I don't wish to repeat myself."
"You!"
Kuyu and the others from Five-Color Mountain were frantic with anxiety, yet they didn't know what to do. They couldn't fight him, so what could they possibly do?
This man's single shout of power had not only shattered and dispersed the Five-Color Transformation Array but had also caused countless casualties among so many experts. Even the reincarnated Young Master Chanchu had been beaten to death by a few slaps from him. Faced with such a mysterious, bizarre, and shockingly powerful individual, they truly had no idea how to proceed.
As Gu Qingfeng advanced step by step, Kuyu and the others prepared to defend with their lives.
But for some reason, they suddenly felt a heavy weight in their hearts, as if a massive mountain were pressing down on them.
With each step Gu Qingfeng took, the pressure grew heavier, one mountain piling upon another, pressing down until they were drenched in sweat, trembling all over, their faces deathly pale.
With a thud, the Twenty-Four Junior Knights stiffened and collapsed to the ground.
Following them, the Eighteen Swordsmen did the same.
Then, Kuyu and the other five Desolate Ancients, and even Qing Xi, could no longer withstand this inexplicable pressure and were pressed down, paralyzed on the ground, unable to move.
Gu Qingfeng walked into the ruins of the pavilion. As he raised his hand, a shimmering light gathered in his palm, which he then gently placed atop Old Master Ku Mu's head. He glanced at Kuyu, Qing Xi, and the others paralyzed on the ground, shook his head, and let out a sigh.
After that sigh, the inexplicably terrifying pressure vanished without a trace in an instant. The people of Five-Color Mountain felt as if a great burden had been lifted; they slumped to the ground like mud, drenched in sweat, breathing heavily, utterly devoid of strength.
Gu Qingfeng swept his gaze across the crowd, his eyes passing over three individuals. They were three reincarnated beings who looked ordinary, even somewhat ugly.
"You're all wolves, so why pretend to be sheep? Cultivation is not easy; reincarnation is even harder. Since you managed to snatch a little life back from the great calamity, you should find a quiet place to cultivate honestly. Don't come out jumping around for no damn reason!"
Those three reincarnated beings seemed to have disguised or altered their appearances, but from their eyes, one could still see deep apprehension and embarrassment.
With a wave of Gu Qingfeng's hand, Old Master Ku Mu vanished without a trace. Just as he turned to leave, a young, worried voice called out: "Big Brother..." It was Xiao Jinr.
At this moment, Xiao Jinr stood together with Han Dong, Ouyang Ye, Qian Shan, and the others. Seeing Gu Qingfeng about to leave, Xiao Jinr quickly asked, "Big Brother, where are you going?"
"I need to find a quiet place to help the Old Master recast his Nascent Soul."
"Ah... But Big Brother, will it take very long?"
"Not sure. It shouldn't take too long."
"Big Brother, will you come back?"
"Of course. My business here isn't finished yet. I won't leave."
Hearing that Gu Qingfeng wouldn't leave, Xiao Jinr said happily, "Alright then, Big Brother. After you help the Old Master recast his Nascent Soul, remember to come find Jinr, okay? Jinr will wait for you."
Gu Qingfeng nodded and smiled.
"You! You! Who exactly are you?"
This question wasn't from Xiao Jinr, for Xiao Jinr had never doubted Gu Qingfeng's identity. The question came from Ouyang Ye.
To be honest.
She didn't believe that Gu Qingfeng, who had been reduced to ashes three years ago, could come back to life.
Yes.
She didn't believe it.
At least, she hadn't believed it before now.
But now, she no longer knew whether to believe or not.
She could accept that this Lao Jiu she had found to impersonate Chiyan Young Lord possessed the same indestructible Bedrock Physique as the real Chiyan Young Lord. She could also accept that he possessed the same peerless mastery of music.
She could even accept that he was proficient in mysterious and terrifying techniques.
But she could not accept that this Lao Jiu, like Chiyan Young Lord, was casually languid when happy, like a carefree young noble, nor could she accept that this Lao Jiu, when angered, was as aloof and domineering as Chiyan Young Lord, like a war god who looked down upon the world.
Because, whether it was the carefree young noble or the aloof, domineering war god, her heart had stirred for both.
No!
It wasn't just in the past.
Even now, she remembered clearly how leisurely and carefree Chiyan Young Lord had been at Yunxia Sect, and she remembered clearly how aloof and domineering Chiyan Young Lord had been at Tai Xuan Platform and Fengyun Branch.
Chiyan Young Lord had been like that.
And now, this Lao Jiu was exactly the same.
He was exactly identical to the Chiyan Young Lord in her memory, without any change.
Ouyang Ye could no longer distinguish whether the white-robed man before her was the Lao Jiu she had found to impersonate Chiyan Young Lord, or the Chiyan Young Lord who had stirred her heart and whom she could not forget to this day.
She didn't know.
She desperately wanted to know.
Not only she, but Han Dong and Qian Shan also desperately wanted to know the answer to this question. Originally, she had firmly believed that Lao Jiu could not possibly be Chiyan Young Lord, but this time, she too began to doubt. Frowning deeply, she asked in a heavy voice, "Are you truly Chiyan Young Lord?"
Gu Qingfeng looked at Ouyang Ye, then at Qian Shan, shook his head as if somewhat helpless, said nothing, and couldn't be bothered to explain anything further to them. With a wave of his hand, he took a step forward and vanished.