"Excellent!
Excellent!
Excellent!"
Shui De's face was filled with gratification. He couldn't help but stroke his long beard, his expression also quite excited as he said, "True Body Ninth Level cultivation, the Yellow Rank Great Luo Raging Elephant Technique at the Minor Completion Realm of Three-Nine, plus a Colored Foundation, Colored True Body, and dual-colored protection... Good disciple, your master will definitely push you to the Heir Apparent position when the time comes."
"Master, what about Senior Brother Mo Long..." Zhong Tianying was not the only disciple under Shui De, nor was he the strongest one. At least, in Zhong Tianying's view, Senior Brother Mo Long posed a great threat to him. Most importantly, Mo Long was the Heir Apparent designated by the Nine-Hua Alliance.
"Although the Alliance wants Mo Long to be the Heir Apparent, however... Mo Long is too arrogant. He doesn't even put me, his master, in his eyes. How can we let him become the Heir Apparent?"
The attending steward elders all nodded in agreement. Speaking of which, in terms of cultivation and strength, Zhong Tianying might be slightly inferior to Mo Long. Initially, everyone had high hopes for Mo Long, and the Nine-Hua Alliance felt the same way. But Mo Long's personality was too arrogant and overbearing. Aside from the Nine-Hua Alliance, he looked down on everyone else, which greatly disappointed Shui De and the others. After discussing among themselves, they decided to push Zhong Tianying to the top.
"Good disciple, rest assured. When the time comes to contend for the Heir Apparent position, we will do our utmost to push you into that role!"
Hearing this, Zhong Tianying's expression turned solemn. He knelt on one knee, bowing in gratitude for his master's kindness.
"Tianying ah..." At this moment, Feixue Zhenren walked over. She had shed her usual cold and aloof demeanor, now wearing a radiant, flower-like smile as she helped Zhong Tianying up, saying, "During your time in seclusion, Ye Ye has been talking about you every night, constantly asking me for news about you. If I hadn't stopped her, she would have gone to disturb your seclusion."
"Oh? How has Junior Sister Ouyang been lately?"
"She's been well, just missing you terribly."
"Feixue Zhenren, please don't jest. I heard that Junior Sister Ouyang fell in love at first sight with Young Master Chiyan, who is right here in our Yunxia Sect."
Feixue Zhenren scoffed disdainfully. "Hmph! That waste surnamed Gu has just been pestering Ye Ye, completely one-sided infatuation. Ye Ye doesn't pay him any attention at all."
"Is that so." Zhong Tianying wore a faint smile as he asked, "I heard Junior Sister Ouyang also forged a Colored Foundation?"
"Of course. If the two of you could become Dao companions in the future, you'd be a match made in heaven."
Elder Shui De also laughed. "That little girl Ouyang possesses extraordinary bloodline, her aptitude and comprehension are both remarkable. Now she has even forged a Colored Foundation. Forging a Colored True Body in the future won't be difficult either. Tianying, if you and that little girl Ouyang become Dao companions, it would bring immense benefits to both of you... Moreover, once you become the Heir Apparent Disciple, you must also find a suitable Dao companion. In my view, that little girl Ouyang is an excellent choice."
"I will follow Master's arrangements in everything."
...
The next day.
Spirit Seclusion Garden in the rear mountain.
Gu Qingfeng awoke from his cultivation, got out of bed, and stretched lazily. Every inch of his skin immediately crackled with popping sounds, each layer of skin and membrane trembling violently as if about to explode, even sparking with electric light and flames.
"Not bad, not bad... The Judgment's Breath still packs a punch."
Gu Qingfeng nodded in satisfaction. He had absorbed quite a bit of the Judgment's Breath from that mysterious space. This stuff was absolutely a rare treasure, hard to come by. The spiritual energy extracted after refining it was incredibly violent.
"Seems I should visit that place more often in the future. If a Judgment comes every now and then, I won't have to worry about food and drink for the rest of my life."
Gu Qingfeng didn't know what that strange crystal ore was, nor what the mysterious space inside it was.
He thought about it for a long time but still couldn't figure it out. Since that was the case, he simply stopped bothering. The myriad things of heaven and earth were profound and mysterious, filled with endless secrets and unknowns. Many things couldn't be understood just by thinking about them. If you couldn't figure it out, don't dwell on it. Continuing to ponder would only bring unnecessary trouble. Rather than that, it was better to let go and let nature take its course. What was meant to come would eventually come; what wasn't meant to be couldn't be sought.
Opening the door, he looked outside and realized it was already noon.
The weather today seemed quite nice, with a bright, shining sun. Gu Qingfeng put on his clothes and was washing up when Fei Kui walked over.
"Young Master, you're finally up."
"What is it?"
"The Old Master has gone out and asked me to come serve you."
"Out again? The Old Master is quite busy."
Gu Qingfeng casually washed his face. Fei Kui hurriedly handed him a towel, offering an apologetic smile. "The Old Master went out to take care of some matters. He'll be back in a couple of days."
After finishing his wash, Gu Qingfeng sat down on a rocking chair to bask in the sun. Fei Kui acted like a proper servant, bringing fresh fruits and fine wine. He stood respectfully to the side, bending slightly, poured a cup of wine, and handed it over, saying cautiously,
"Young Master, Feiyue Zhenren came looking for you this morning."
Feiyue Zhenren?
Gu Qingfeng took a sip of wine, his brow slightly furrowing. He had some impression of the name, but only a vague one. He couldn't quite remember who it was specifically. "Is she also from your Yunxia Sect?"
"She's a Guest Elder of our Yunxia Sect, also the manor master of First-Class Manor... and... she's Miss Ouyang Ye's aunt."
Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng's mind immediately conjured the image of a woman of the world.
He clearly remembered that woman was called Ouyang Feiyue. He had seen her once right after awakening in the cemetery. Later, this charming lady had come to find him a few times intermittently, saying she wanted to invite him to perform at First-Class Manor.
"What did she come to me for?"
"She didn't say what she wanted, but she asked me a lot of questions. Of course, I didn't say anything. It seemed like she wanted to investigate your identity, and... before this, to investigate you, she even bribed many of the laborers in the Spirit Seclusion Garden."
"That charming lady is quite cunning..." Gu Qingfeng chuckled. He didn't know if Ouyang Feiyue had discovered something or what. In recent days, she had often tested him intentionally or unintentionally. He hadn't expected that after failing to get anything through testing, she would resort to bribing the Spirit Seclusion Garden laborers.
Just as he was thinking this, Gu Qingfeng realized that none of the Spirit Seclusion Garden laborers were around anymore. Upon inquiry, Fei Kui said, "To avoid disturbing you, the Old Master drove all those laborers out long ago."
"Does Yunxia Sect have many Guest Elders?"
Almost every sect had Guest Elders, and Yunxia Sect was no exception. Usually, sects would invite people of high prestige, or those with profound cultivation and formidable strength. These Guest Elders could enjoy the sect's resources, usually without getting involved in sect affairs or having to abide by sect rules. Of course, in return, once the sect encountered danger, the Guest Elders had to lend assistance.
"Yunxia Sect indeed has quite a few Guest Elders, over a hundred. There are gang leaders, manor masters, and family heads. The Old Master has been busy outside all this time trying to win over these Guest Elders. These Guest Elders all have various interest relationships with Yunxia Sect. If we break with them, Yunxia Sect would suffer heavy losses..."
"How is the Old Master's recruitment going?"
"Some of these Guest Elders are Shui De's people, some are Jin De's people, but most remain neutral. However, they haven't agreed to the Old Master's overtures either. Most are watching and waiting. If Young Master you can pass the Trial Array and become a Direct Disciple of the Nine Halls... it would be easier for the Old Master to recruit them."
Gu Qingfeng nodded, somewhat understanding now. No wonder the Old Master kept insisting he follow the procedures to show off. Turns out it was to win over those Guest Elders. If they all had interest relationships with Yunxia Sect, they really couldn't be killed. Killing them would inevitably cause losses for Yunxia Sect.
Interests!
Interests again.
Once people got entangled in interests, what was the point of cultivating immortality or seeking the Dao?
However, Gu Qingfeng could more or less understand Huo De. After all, the Old Master grew up in Yunxia Sect and had deep feelings for it. He couldn't help but worry about Yunxia Sect's legacy; otherwise, he'd feel he had let down the sect's ancestors.
It's just that once you had worldly entanglements, cultivating immortality was basically hopeless.
Gu Qingfeng thought to himself that since he had agreed, he might as well help the Old Master settle this matter properly, to sever this one entanglement for him.
The two of them chatted idly about this and that when a woman walked into the Spirit Seclusion Garden.
The woman was as beautiful as a flower, dressed in a light gauze gown, her stunningly beautiful face wearing a charming, captivating smile. It was precisely Ouyang Ye's aunt, Ouyang Feiyue.
"Qingfeng little brother, long time no see."
Ouyang Feiyue was a bewitching woman; every smile and gesture carried a worldly flavor. She walked over with small steps. Gu Qingfeng shrugged, smiled, and said nothing.
"I heard little brother is now the Chief of the Twelve Courts of Yunxia Sect. Sister is very happy for you."
Ouyang Feiyue took out several jars of fine wine from her storage bag, smiling as she said, "That's why sister specially brought you a few jars of top-grade Blazing Flame Wine. We must celebrate properly today."
To say this charming lady was truly an expert who had navigated the world of pleasure and romance—she really knew how to talk to different people. Having met Gu Qingfeng only a few times, she already called herself 'sister' and addressed him as 'Qingfeng little brother' with such intimacy.
"I heard that during the competition for Chief, little brother Qingfeng was truly awe-inspiring, scaring Mu Zibai until he collapsed on the spot..." Ouyang Feiyue was quite the talker, flattering him while observing him closely.
Gu Qingfeng didn't speak either, silently drinking his wine, listening to her go on and on.
However, right at that moment, a sharp beam of light shot towards the Spirit Seclusion Garden. It was extremely fast, arriving in an instant.
With a thunderous explosion.
The light landed right at the entrance of the Spirit Seclusion Garden—it was actually a giant sword.