Wan Huaiyu was an extremely low-key person, so low-key that he never engaged in disputes with others. Those reincarnated souls who insulted him, he paid no mind to, not even sparing them a glance. He simply looked at Old Senior Zhuo and said solemnly, "Old Senior, please believe me. That person's existence is far too mysterious and bizarre. Whether he is the Young Lord Chiyan who turned to dust and smoke at the Tai Xuan Monument three years ago or not, he is not someone we can afford to provoke."
"We've long heard of your cowardice, and seeing it today truly lives up to the reputation! What nonsense about 'whether he is Young Lord Chiyan or not, we cannot afford to provoke him'? What a colossal joke!"
Beside them, Shentu Hao, one of the Twenty-Four Pride Immortals, sneered disdainfully. "What if he isn't Young Lord Chiyan? What if he is? Just because you can't afford to provoke him doesn't mean we can't!"
Han Feng also declared arrogantly, "What is there to fear from a mere Young Lord Chiyan? Even if it were the true Lord Chixiao himself, this Young Lord could still provoke him with ease!"
Wan Huaiyu, watching these arrogant and ignorant Pride Immortals, still offered no response. Qin Hao, however, uttered a single phrase: "You court death!"
"You trash surnamed Qin! What did you say?!"
"Don't think that just because you're a reincarnated soul, I wouldn't dare to touch you!"
"You're merely a Guest Elder of our Immortal Office! If we so wished, we could erase you at any moment!"
Qin Hao's words had enraged the Pride Immortals. Their faces flushed red with anger, and they seemed ready to teach Qin Hao a lesson. Unlike Wan Huaiyu's gentle temperament, Qin Hao, though also low-key, could not remain indifferent to the insults of these ignorant fools. He said in a deep voice, "Hah! Erase me? With just you bunch of death-seeking brats?"
Whoosh!
The two sides were at a standoff, as incompatible as fire and water.
Seeing this, Old Senior Zhuo immediately stepped forward to intervene. "I appreciate the goodwill of you two brothers, but please return now. This old man has already made up his mind."
Clearly, Old Senior Zhuo was determined to involve himself in this matter.
Wan Huaiyu knew that further persuasion would not only be futile but might also cause unnecessary trouble. He glanced at An Ran, signaling that he had done his best. An Ran, her heart filled with anxiety, said, "Old Senior Zhuo, others may think Senior Wan and Senior Qin are cowardly, but surely you don't believe that too? They have seen and know the power of that Young Lord Chiyan. They don't want you to take the risk, which is why they came to persuade you. How could you..."
"Miss An Ran, whether Young Lord Chiyan is powerful or not, this old man does not know. I only know that I am a Guest Elder of the Immortal Office. Now that people from the Immortal Office have been killed, how can I stand idly by? Moreover, it is precisely because of Young Lord Chiyan's mysterious and bizarre nature that I must personally come, to prevent further casualties within our Immortal Office."
"But..." An Ran had just begun to speak when Old Senior Zhuo shook his head. "This old man's mind is made up. I ask that Miss An Ran say no more."
Li Fu sneered coldly. "Old Senior Zhuo and the various Guest Elders still know to uphold the dignity of our Immortal Office. Yet you, as a Steward of the Immortal Office, not only fail to uphold it but instead boost the morale of others here. Miss An Ran, you truly live up to being a Grand Steward of our Immortal Office."
"Li Fu! Don't think I don't know what schemes you harbor. But acting like this will only harm these people!"
"How outrageous! An Ran, today, out of respect for Grand Steward An, we won't argue with you. I advise you not to push your luck!"
An Ran was speechless with anger, unsure of what to do. Wan Huaiyu and Qin Hao, knowing persuasion was useless, did not speak further. Just as they were about to leave, a voice rang out, halting them.
"Halt!"
The one who stopped them was Murong Tian, the foremost of the Immortal Office's Twenty-Four Pride Immortals.
Murong Tian stood suspended in mid-air, looking at Wan Huaiyu and Qin Hao with a faint, mocking smile. "Just now, I heard you two say that regardless of whether that person is Young Lord Chiyan or not, we cannot afford to provoke him. Is that correct?"
Wan Huaiyu remained silent. Qin Hao responded, "So what if it is?"
"Why?"
"No reason. You can't afford to provoke him, that's all!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Murong Tian's eyes flashed with a cold light, a sneer playing on his lips. "Since you two say so, why not stay? Today, I'll let you see whether I, Murong Tian, can afford to provoke him or not!"
"You cannot afford it. I also advise you not to provoke him. The price of provoking him is one you cannot bear!"
"Ha!" Murong Tian laughed wildly, his arrogance on full display. "There is no one in this world I, Murong Tian, cannot afford to provoke, and no price I cannot bear!"
"Fine! I'd also like to see if your strength matches the arrogance of your words!" Qin Hao was truly angered this time. He said sharply, "Young Lord Chiyan is right there in the manor. If you truly have the ability, go down there now. Do you dare? Do you have the guts?"
"You think I, Murong Tian, wouldn't dare?"
"I say you don't dare!"
Murong Tian stared at Gu Qingfeng in Xiao Zhe Manor, but he only stared; he did not make a move.
It wasn't that he didn't want to, but he truly did not dare.
To be precise, he was wary.
Even though he possessed quadruple immortal guardianship, a body blessed with profound fortune, and a cultivation that had condensed a Dao Heart, facing the leisurely Gu Qingfeng drinking wine at this moment, he still dared not act recklessly. It wasn't wariness towards Gu Qingfeng's identity as the heir of the Lord Chixiao, but wariness towards Gu Qingfeng's mysterious and unknown nature.
The might of a single roar that shook to death Wan Chaoqun, Wu Hen, and dozens of other geniuses.
The playing of a melody that stirred the Chixiao Thunderous artistic conception over the Great Green Mountain.
The use of a single move to erase the reincarnated soul, Young Lord Chanchu.
And the fact that he had performed an enlightenment-bestowing on Ancestor Fenglie, allowing his cultivation to evolve from Nascent Soul and condense a Dao Heart in just a few short days.
Coupled with Daozun Feiyan's fearful and respectful attitude towards him... this series of unbelievable and illogical events, without exception, made Murong Tian feel both bizarre and wary.
Especially now, facing the encirclement of the major sects, Gu Qingfeng sat on a chair as if nothing was wrong, leisurely drinking wine, completely disregarding the major sects. This composed bearing made Murong Tian even more uncertain—was it feigned calm, or genuine fearlessness?
"What? Scared? Don't dare?"
Seeing Qin Hao's anger, Wan Huaiyu wanted to persuade him to leave. But Qin Hao said, "Brother, since they won't listen to advice, we need not waste our efforts. Aren't they all incredibly arrogant? Don't they all think they're remarkable? Then let's wait and see just how arrogant and remarkable they are!"
At this moment, killing intent flashed violently in Murong Tian's eyes as he stared fixedly at Gu Qingfeng in Xiao Zhe Manor. Then he glanced at the Profound Water Venerable from the Black Wind Cave, and looked over at Wan Dongfang and the others from the Changhong Branch. After much hesitation, he ultimately did not dare to act. He took a deep breath, as if suppressing the fury in his heart, and said in a low, tense voice, "The timing is not right now. Later, I will definitely let you witness just how remarkable I, Murong Tian, am!"