After Ku Mu and the others knelt in worship, Xuanxin, Liu Qingyan, Qingxi, the Eighteen Swords, and the Twenty-Four Young Heroes of Wuse Mountain also knelt one after another.
Their kneeling wasn't because they had guessed it was Gu Qingfeng. To be honest, they couldn't guess, nor could they imagine it.
The reason they knelt was entirely because all nine of Wuse Mountain's Juegu Elders had knelt. As juniors, they naturally had to kneel as well. Even if they were kneeling for inexplicable reasons, they could only do so. After all, they all knew Gu Qingfeng had saved Ku Mu. Even out of gratitude alone, kneeling was worthwhile.
However, their kneeling thoroughly bewildered many people present.
At the very least, Scarface Kui, the three Banner Masters, and the other Chixiao people were somewhat confused.
Although they had heard many tales about Gu Qingfeng before—his death and resurrection, the reverence of the Dragon Spirits, the artistic conception of the Youthful Journey, and even his ability to condense the Chishang Seal Token—as Chixiao people, they had seen far too many frauds impersonating the Monarch's heir over the years. Every fraud was convincing, and there had even been several impersonating the Monarch himself, each one difficult to distinguish from the real thing.
Ever since the Monarch was judged three hundred years ago, they had lost count of how many times they had been deceived. After experiencing hope and disappointment time and again, they had long since grown numb by now. Even if this Gu Qingfeng claimed to be the Monarch's heir, or even the Monarch himself, their hearts wouldn't stir with much emotion.
"Putting on a mysterious act! Seeking death!"
Whoosh!
A great sun's Radiant Dharma Form condensed and manifested. Liuguang Jiaoying, arrogant and overbearing, leaped forward, glaring at Gu Qingfeng in the distance, intending to go over and force him to kneel. But the moment he moved, someone stopped him.
Clad in white, surpassing snow like a celestial immortal.
Three thousand strands of long hair brushing away worldly dust.
Transcendent and peerless, capable of toppling cities and kingdoms.
The Mystic Maiden of the Nine Heavens, Fairy Hua.
"You reckless fool! Get lost!"
Su Hua raised a hand and pointed. As a faint, holy radiance flickered, Liuguang Jiaoying had no idea what happened. He only felt his mind tremble, grunted, and his body was sent flying uncontrollably sideways.
At that moment, Liuguang Qinghong caught him and rushed forward to demand, "Fairy Hua, this man previously killed dozens of our Immortal Dynasty's officials and even scorned the dignity of our Immortal Dynasty. His crimes are unforgivable! Do you truly intend to shield this criminal?"
"What if I do shield him?"
"You..." Even though Liuguang Qinghong had Young Master Long backing him and hailed from the prestigious Liuguang family, he still didn't dare to do anything to Su Hua.
Su Hua couldn't be bothered to say much more to them. Her beautiful eyes swept around as she declared softly but clearly, "From this moment on, if any member of the Immortal Dynasty dares to lay a hand on the Chiyan Young Master in my presence, I, Su Hua, will absolutely not let them off lightly."
Shielding him! A blatant, naked shield.
If anyone had still doubted whether Su Hua was shielding Gu Qingfeng, then when she publicly uttered these words, the last shred of doubt in their hearts vanished in that instant. They couldn't believe it, nor could they accept it. For the sake of shielding this criminal, Fairy Su Hua didn't even care about her own reputation. Not only did she personally break her own principles of conduct, but she also stepped forward to openly threaten and warn the Immortal Dynasty's nobles and everyone present.
Why! Why on earth!
Was it simply because this criminal Gu Qingfeng claimed to be the Monarch's heir?
They didn't know. No one understood.
Inside the pavilion, Gu Qingfeng held little Jin'er with one arm. Glancing at Ku Mu, Feiyan, and the others kneeling on the ground, he waved his hand, signaling for them to rise. Ku Mu and the others didn't dare to delay. After rising, they stood to the side with bowed heads.
"Well, well, Old Gu, taking a rest here, are we?"
The voice belonged to a slovenly old man—none other than Huode.
Gu Qingfeng said with a smile, "You old codger, why aren't you staying at Yunxia Mountain? What brings you running here?"
"Ever since you left, Yunxia Mountain's been just me, old man, all alone. Bored out of my mind every day. Heard there was some excitement here, so I came to take a look."
Huode sat down without the slightest courtesy, picked up the wine pot, poured himself a cup, and downed it in one gulp. He felt utterly comfortable all over. He examined the wine pot, sniffed it, and asked, "This wine seems familiar..." As he spoke, Huode seemed to remember something and exclaimed in shock, "Good heavens! This is Peach Blossom Wine!"
"Your old nose is pretty sharp."
"Old Gu, how do you have Peach Blossom Wine? This wine is Old Daoist Taohua's precious treasure... How could he bear to give it to you..."
"Of course he wouldn't bear to. I stole this wine."
"Stole it?" Huode was startled and quickly asked, "Does Old Daoist Taohua know?"
"Nonsense. If he knew, could it still be called stealing?"
"Then you're done for... If Old Daoist Taohua finds out... he'll definitely fight you to the death..."
"I just saw him a couple of days ago."
"You saw Old Daoist Taohua? And then... That old Daoist didn't do anything to you?"
"What could he do?" Gu Qingfeng poured another cup of wine, his eyes constantly drifting over to that group of Chixiao people not far away. "With his old arms and legs, he can't beat me. Knowing I stole his wine, he could only stare dryly. Did you think it was still like the old days?"
Huode curled his lip and muttered, "Of course, you're so awesome. Who in this world could possibly beat you, Old Gu?"
Gu Qingfeng smiled without speaking.
Beside him, Huode drank wine while puzzling over things in his mind.
Because Gu Qingfeng's attitude was somewhat different from what he had imagined.
In his memory, Gu Qingfeng's anger roughly came in three degrees.
The first was Thunderous Rage.
The second was Killing Intent Rage.
The third was Silent Stillness Rage.
The first, Thunderous Rage, was like a violent storm with thunder and lightning—everyone could feel it.
Based on his understanding of Gu Qingfeng, a Gu Qingfeng in Thunderous Rage wasn't that terrifying. At the very least, he would still listen to persuasion. But if it was the second, Killing Intent Rage, then no one could dissuade him. Once his killing intent was unleashed, it would inevitably lead to rivers of blood; not even the King of Heaven himself could stop it.
As for the third, Silent Stillness Rage, in Huode's memory, once Gu Qingfeng entered this state, he would become incredibly silent, not uttering a single word. That stillness was bone-deep stillness. He wouldn't fly into a thunderous rage, nor would killing intent be revealed. But this was when Gu Qingfeng was most terrifying.
A Gu Qingfeng in Killing Intent Rage wouldn't listen to persuasion, while a Gu Qingfeng in Silent Stillness Rage would kill anyone who tried to persuade him.
Therefore, upon discovering Gu Qingfeng, Huode had observed him for a while. If Gu Qingfeng was in a thunderous rage, he would come over and try to talk him down. If Gu Qingfeng was in killing intent rage, he would still try his best to persuade him. But if Gu Qingfeng was in silent stillness rage, then he could only tell these people to prepare their funeral arrangements. No one should try to persuade him; whoever did would die.
Back in the day, he had nearly been killed by Gu Qingfeng for trying to persuade him not to slaughter indiscriminately at Great Green Mountain. Having experienced that once, he had no desire for a second time.
In Huode's mind, if Gu Qingfeng had truly been here from the start, witnessing Jin He and the other Chixiao people submitting to the Immortal Dynasty, and knowing these Immortal Dynasty bastards were planning to move against the Chixiao Sect, he would definitely be in silent stillness rage—not uttering a word, then launching into a great slaughter. Because Huode knew this was Gu Qingfeng's reverse scale, his bottom line. Whoever touched it would die.
But what he never expected was that Gu Qingfeng was neither in thunderous rage, nor was killing intent revealed, nor was he silently still. Instead, he was here leisurely drinking wine, even chatting and laughing, as if he hadn't taken the earlier events to heart at all.
This couldn't help but puzzle Huode. Had this kid, after wandering around the Great Desolate Celestial Realm for a while, become more mature? Had his temperament changed? Had he come to terms with many things?