"Hmph! Don't explain! Explaining is just making excuses!"
Gu Qingfeng gave a wry smile and couldn't be bothered to say anything more.
"Are you truly the Monarch's heir?"
The one asking was Tang Manqing.
Clearly, compared to the gossip-loving Shui'er, Tang Manqing was more concerned with Gu Qingfeng's true identity.
"You could say so."
Shui'er grumbled discontentedly, "Hey, either you are or you aren't. What do you mean 'you could say so'?"
"I could also say I am Gu Tianlang himself, but no one would believe me."
"You scoundrel! Not content with impersonating the Monarch's heir, now you're impersonating the Monarch himself! How despicable! Do you think we're easy to fool?"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head with a bitter smile.
Across from him, Tang Manqing also didn't believe this fellow before her was the so-called Heir of the Monarch.
The reason was also because over the years, there had been far, far too many swindlers impersonating the Monarch or his descendants—too many to count.
Yet, to say she didn't believe...
This fellow seemed able to play the famous compositions authored by the Monarch—"Drunken Chant of the Azure Sea," "Wind Rises Over Great Green Mountain," "Journey of Youth"—with their true artistic conception. Tang Manqing was quite knowledgeable about music and had studied the Monarch's compositions. She knew well that the Monarch's pieces contained many self-created melodies that others simply couldn't comprehend. Especially "Journey of Youth," which was born from the Monarch's reflections during his youth. In all the world, aside from the Monarch himself, probably no one could play that piece with its true artistic conception.
If the rumors were true, this person had likely truly fused with a wisp of the Monarch's Residual Consciousness. Otherwise, he simply couldn't play "Journey of Youth."
But that wasn't the important part.
The important part was that in the rumors, the Dragon-Elephant Spirits of the Chixiao people revered him immensely.
In Tang Manqing's mind, if Fairy Hua also believed this person was the Monarch's heir, it was probably for the same reason.
But...
Could this be real?
She didn't know.
Tang Manqing truly couldn't distinguish truth from falsehood.
"Hey, can you really play the Monarch's 'Journey of Youth' with its artistic conception?" Shui'er asked curiously. "I've never heard anyone who could play 'Journey of Youth' with its true conception. Forget you lot who claim to be the Monarch's heirs, even those who claim to be the Monarch himself haven't played it."
"Of course. They're all fakes, so naturally they can't play it. I've fused with the Monarch's Residual Consciousness, so playing 'Journey of Youth' with its conception is easy."
"Really? Then play it for us to hear."
"Alright, no problem. I'll play a tune for you when I have time."
"Why wait for 'when you have time'? Can't you do it now?"
"Big sister, right now just sitting here I feel utterly exhausted. Do you think in my current state I can play a tune?"
"That's true."
"Princess," Gu Qingfeng looked at Tang Manqing and asked, "Do you know the whereabouts of your aunt, Tang Hengxi?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Gu Tianlang entrusted me to bring a few words to your aunt."
"What words?"
"This... I think it's better to tell your aunt face-to-face."
Tang Manqing stared at Gu Qingfeng as if trying to see through him. After a moment, she shook her head and replied, "My aunt hasn't returned for a very long time. I don't know her whereabouts either."
"My parents will be back in a few days."
"Oh? Is that so? That's not bad either."
Gu Qingfeng thought to himself that if he couldn't see Tang Hengxi, meeting Tang Yunhao would also do.
"Did you truly fuse with a wisp of the Monarch's Residual Consciousness?"
Tang Manqing's skeptical voice came. Gu Qingfeng replied offhandedly, "You could say so."
"'You could say so' again?"
"If I said I am Gu Tianlang, would you believe me?"
As if not expecting Gu Qingfeng to suddenly say such a thing, Tang Manqing shook her head without thinking. She was already somewhat doubtful whether this fellow was the Monarch's heir; how could she possibly believe he was Lord Chixiao himself?
"You see, since you don't believe I'm Gu Tianlang, I can only settle for the next best thing and say I've fused with a wisp of his consciousness."
Tang Manqing was somewhat confused by Gu Qingfeng's words.
"Princess, this fellow claims to be the Monarch's heir one moment and the Monarch himself the next. He's clearly a habitual professional swindler. You mustn't believe him easily."
Shui'er shot Gu Qingfeng a disdainful glare and said, "As for fusing with the Monarch's Residual Consciousness... I think that's pure fabrication. If he truly fused with the Monarch's Residual Consciousness, that would mean the Monarch is dead. Which would mean all those countless Lord Chixiaos running around the world are fakes? Is that possible?"
Tang Manqing hadn't failed to consider this problem.
But if he hadn't fused with the Monarch's Residual Consciousness...
How could he play the Monarch's "Journey of Youth"?
And why would the Dragon-Elephant Spirits of those Chixiao people revere him?
A mental technique?
Impossible.
Dragon-Elephant Spirits don't even fear the might of the Great Dao; why would they fear mental pressure?
Everyone in the world knows that only one person can command the reverence of Dragon-Elephant Spirits: Lord Chixiao.
Thinking of this, Tang Manqing's heart skipped a beat. She suddenly remembered that just now, Gu Qingfeng had asked if she believed he was Lord Chixiao.
"You asked me just now if I believed you were Lord Chixiao?"
"What about it?"
"By asking that, can I understand it to mean that if I choose to believe, then you are Lord Chixiao?"
Gu Qingfeng shrugged, neither confirming nor denying.
Back in the Great Northwest, he hadn't wanted to reveal his identity because he didn't want to stir up trouble again.
After experiencing the incident with the Blood of Original Sin, Gu Qingfeng had come to understand completely: even if he didn't stir up trouble, the Three Thousand Great Daos wouldn't let him off. Since that was the case, there was no need to keep hiding his identity anymore. Time to start stirring things up.
There was another important reason.
Upon learning that Tang Hengxi was still searching for him, still waiting for him, Gu Qingfeng felt it was time to tell the whole world. He also wanted to tell Tang Hengxi: no need to wait any longer, no need to search anymore. Because the Gu Tianlang of back then has now returned.
"That's right. I am Gu Tianlang."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Shui'er across from him pointed at Gu Qingfeng and angrily rebuked, "You scoundrel! You really are an out-and-out swindler! First you claimed to be the Monarch's heir, now you claim to be the Monarch himself! Hmph! I truly feel sorry for Fairy Hua. She believed in you so much, even risking her reputation to shelter you. If Fairy Hua knew you were a swindler, how heartbroken she would be!"
Gu Qingfeng said unhurriedly, "Sister, Su Hua already knows I am Gu Tianlang. As for sheltering me, that's even more unfounded. When she said I was dead, she truly believed I was dead... That's all there is to it. It has nothing to do with sheltering or not sheltering."
"You dead swindler! At death's door and still talking tough! Do you really think we're all three-year-old children?!"
Shui'er grew angrier the more she spoke. As she talked, she stood up and shouted, "You dead swindler! Falling into our hands today is your bad luck. Let's see how this lady deals with you!"
Shui'er was about to make a move but was stopped by Tang Manqing.
"Princess, why are you stopping me? Don't tell me you believe this dead swindler's nonsense?"
"If he said he fused with a wisp of the Monarch's Residual Consciousness, I truly couldn't tell true from false. But if he claims to be the Monarch himself... I do have a way to verify that."