That night.
The moon was dark, the wind high.
In a pavilion beneath a desolate mountain within the Star-Moon Great Domain, Old Master Hong, Old Master Tang, Old Master Huang, the three banner masters of the Chixiao Sect—Heiming, Heiyan, and Heifeng—as well as Scar-face Kui sat facing each other. Across from them sat a young man, none other than Gu Qingfeng.
He took out a wine pot and poured a cup for each of them, yet none of the four drank. Gu Qingfeng raised his own cup and said with a smile, “It’s just a cup of wine. What, won’t you even give me that much face?”
The four exchanged glances. Old Master Hong raised his cup and said, “Today, we thank Lord Chiyan for your assistance. This old man will finish first as a sign of respect.”
After Old Master Hong drained his cup in one go, the other three followed suit.
Perhaps feeling that pouring cup by cup was too troublesome, Gu Qingfeng simply tossed out four jars of fine wine.
Both the three old banner masters and Scar-face Kui were connoisseurs of good wine and naturally recognized it as top-quality. Not only did they know it was top-quality, they also recognized it as the rare Peach Blossom Wine. Furthermore, they knew that under the heavens, only that eccentric and mysterious Peach Blossom Old Daoist from Peach Blossom Temple brewed this kind of wine. For ordinary people, hoping for a single jar was a luxury, let alone a single cup. At the very least, the three old banner masters did not have the face to obtain it, and Scar-face Kui had once gone there; in his attempt to get a jar of Peach Blossom Wine, he was nearly toyed to death by the Peach Blossom Old Daoist.
They didn’t know where Gu Qingfeng had gotten so much Peach Blossom Wine. At the moment, however, they had no mind to inquire. They only wanted to know what relationship this young man before them had with Lord Chixiao, and whether he had truly fused with a wisp of Lord Chixiao’s spiritual will.
Of course.
Before clarifying this matter, they were even more concerned about another issue. Old Master Hong asked, “Young Master, today you killed so many Immortal Dynasty Immortal Officials. If the Immortal Dynasty learns of this, they will surely be enraged and will not let the matter rest.”
“Whether they are enraged or refuse to let it rest makes no difference to me,” Gu Qingfeng said, raising his cup for a drink, his tone faint. “I’m already covered in troubles; one more from the Immortal Dynasty won’t make a difference.”
Gu Qingfeng did not like trouble.
It was just that, often, his nature compelled him, leaving him no choice.
Moreover, for the sake of his sworn brothers from back then, he was willing to take on all troubles proactively.
However, his words sounded like something else entirely to the ears of the four Chixiao veterans.
The four of them knew that the mess Gu Qingfeng had stirred up was more than just “trouble.” And he said he didn’t mind adding the Immortal Dynasty to the list?
Could there possibly be any trouble greater than provoking the Immortal Dynasty’s wrath?
They didn’t know.
The four couldn’t imagine any.
“There is one matter we wonder if the Young Master could truthfully tell us?”
Gu Qingfeng naturally also knew what the four wanted to ask, so he inquired, “What if I said I am Gu Tianlang? Would you believe me?”
The four seemed not to have expected Gu Qingfeng to suddenly utter such words. They were all shocked, stunned there, utterly dumbfounded, staring fixedly at Gu Qingfeng. After a moment, all four shook their heads.
Clearly.
None of them believed it.
“Please, Young Master, do not jest with us like this.”
Gu Qingfeng shook his head, smiling bitterly. “Do I look like I’m joking?”
“Kid, you think just because you can play a few of the Monarch’s tunes and condense the Chishang Seal Command, you can impersonate the Monarch and fool us as you please?” Scar-face Kui’s tone carried a hint of disdain and contempt. “Let me tell you, kid, you’re still green. And I’m not afraid to tell you, compared to the other few fellows impersonating the Monarch, you’re the least convincing one I’ve ever seen.”
“Where am I unconvincing?”
“Where?” Scar-face Kui looked Gu Qingfeng up and down, scoffing. “Everywhere. Those other few impersonators are, at the very least, reincarnated individuals. They have Heavenly Destiny, they have True Fate, they have great fortune. What the Monarch could do, they can do. What the Monarch couldn’t do, they can do too. Even if they aren’t reincarnated, they’re at least peerless Immortal-Demon physiques. Among them are those who have ascended to the Throne, and there are even two whose fortune and achievements are identical to the Monarch’s in life. We don’t even believe them. Do you think we’d believe you?”
Gu Qingfeng was inwardly astonished. Although he had heard from Huo De before that there were several people in this world impersonating him, and that it was hard to distinguish the real from the fake, he hadn’t expected it to be this unbelievably difficult.
What Heavenly Destiny, what True Fate.
And peerless Immortal-Demon physiques?
Individuals who have ascended to the Throne?
Damn!
What kind of characters were those impersonating him?
With that kind of ability, why bother impersonating him?
From Scar-face Kui’s meaning, it seemed there were even guys whose fortune was exactly the same as his from back then?
And not just one, but two?
Were there really people with nothing better to do?
No wonder Huo De said that although Fatso Wang was an emperor over in the Southern Sea, he lived like a grandson, spending his days serving several hard-to-distinguish Chixiao Monarchs.
“Those fellows who claim to be the Monarch all have convincing reasons, reasons we at least cannot refute and find hard to distinguish. You? Although your strength is bizarrely powerful, even if we argue till the heavens turn, you’re only at the Golden Core realm, right? If you were a reincarnated person, that would offer some persuasiveness, but you’re not a reincarnated person! Even so, you dare claim to be the Monarch?” Scar-face Kui picked up the wine jar again, took a hearty swig, and said disdainfully, “Is it just because you can play the Monarch’s tunes? Because you can condense the Chishang Seal Command? That makes us believe you’re the Monarch? Such petty tricks—forget impersonating Lord Chixiao, even swindlers impersonating the Monarch’s descendants can do them.”
“Forget it. Just treat what I said earlier as a joke.”
The most painful thing in life was proving that you were yourself. What was even more frustrating was that Gu Qingfeng had no idea how to prove he was himself. He also didn’t know how to make these brothers, who had once lived and died with him, believe him—especially since, before this, several other fellows had already “proven” they were him.
“Kid, tell me honestly: was that story about fusing with a wisp of the Monarch’s spiritual will also fabricated?”
“……” Gu Qingfeng stared at Scar-face Kui, truly at a loss for words.
“Kui Zi, mind your manners!” Old Master Hong chided. Although he didn’t know exactly who Gu Qingfeng was, nor could he confirm whether Gu Qingfeng had truly fused with a wisp of the Monarch’s spiritual will, the feeling of reverence emanating from the Dragon-Elephant Spirit could not deceive them. In their minds, even if this person before them had not fused with a wisp of the Monarch’s spiritual will, he absolutely had some connection to the Monarch.
This was certain.
And beyond doubt.
They trusted their own feelings, and they trusted the feelings of the Dragon-Elephant Spirit even more.
A successor of the Monarch could be impersonated. The Monarch himself could be impersonated. But the feeling from the Dragon-Elephant Spirit could never, under any circumstances, be impersonated.