Ever since she saw Fei Kui and Gu Qingfeng, Liu Yue had felt something was off, but couldn't quite place it. It was only when she saw Fei Kui offer him a seat and heard him address him as 'Young Master' that she finally remembered why.
Just last night, on her way to the Mountain-River Branch, she had incidentally heard a rumor.
It was said that another imposter claiming to be the Monarch had appeared in Yanluo Kingdom.
This imposter, who supposedly possessed neither cultivation nor fortune, had reportedly shaken the minds of everyone present with a single mighty shout. Moreover, at Linglong Mountain Villa, he had not only crippled the cultivation of Immortal Dynasty noble Peng Jia but also publicly toyed with the Great Sun Radiance Dharma Aspect, showing utter contempt for the Immortal Dynasty's prestige.
As for who this imposter was, no one knew.
All that was known was that Fei Kui, under Old Master Black Buddha, addressed him as 'Young Master'.
Now, Liu Yue stared at Gu Qingfeng sitting in the chair. She was quite certain he had no cultivation and no discernible fortune. Combined with Fei Kui's 'Young Master' address, she was almost sure the imposter from the rumors who had acted at Linglong Mountain Villa was definitely the man before her.
However, her words left Elder Fengxu and the others deeply puzzled. They didn't understand what she meant. Who was this imposter claiming to be the Monarch?
Liu Yue knew the events at Linglong Mountain Villa had happened just yesterday. Elder Fengxu had been preoccupied with the Mingyu Branch affairs all day yesterday, so naturally, he wouldn't know the outside rumors. She promptly recounted the events at the villa.
Upon hearing that an imposter claiming to be the Monarch had crippled an Immortal Dynasty noble at Linglong Mountain Villa, the entire hall of over a hundred people erupted in shock and uproar. Even Elder Fengxu and the other Chixiao veterans were no exception.
Crippling an Immortal Dynasty noble's cultivation?
Toying with the Great Sun Radiance Dharma Aspect?
Openly scorning the Immortal Dynasty's prestige?
Such an act would absolutely shake the world in the current era.
Because no one dared to do such a thing unless they truly had a death wish.
What baffled Elder Fengxu even more was how a person with no cultivation, no fortune, and a frail, weak body could cripple an Immortal Dynasty noble's cultivation with a single kick?
How could a single mighty shout scatter the minds of hundreds at the Linglong Mountain Villa gathering? It was said even the villa's Elder Wei, the chief steward—an ancient Earth Immortal—was among them. And Lin Xiang'er, whose cultivation strength and fortune were no less than Liu Yue's, was also reportedly paralyzed on the ground by the shock.
Was that possible?
No!
Absolutely impossible!
At least, Elder Fengxu and the other experienced, well-traveled old Chixiao veterans felt it was impossible. Truth be told, even Liu Yue found it hard to believe. She didn't know about the others, but she was very clear about Lin Xiang'er's strength. She was no ordinary figure and couldn't possibly have her mind scattered so easily by someone's shout.
Yet, that's what everyone was saying, and the rumors were spreading like wildfire.
She didn't know if they were true or false.
"Are you the imposter who claimed to be the Monarch at Linglong Mountain Villa yesterday?" Liu Yue fixed her deep gaze on Gu Qingfeng, her voice sharp with accusation.
In the grand hall, Gu Qingfeng, sitting in his chair, nodded. "That's right. It was me."
Hearing Gu Qingfeng admit it himself, Liu Yue couldn't help but take a quiet, deep breath. Even so, she still struggled to believe this person's power from a single shout could be that terrifying. She tried probing with her divine sense again, thoroughly convinced this person truly had no cultivation, no fortune, and a genuinely frail, weak body.
"However...
I am no imposter."
Gu Qingfeng's tone was flat, devoid of any emotional color. Yet, his words struck the others as somewhat laughable.
Not an imposter?
Nonsense!
Every imposter in this world who claimed to be the Monarch said they weren't an imposter. But so far, which one had been real?
"Of course, even if I said I am Gu Tianlang now, I'm afraid none of you would believe me."
Gu Qingfeng's voice came again, another statement the crowd considered equally nonsensical.
Because indeed, no one would believe it.
It was one thing if others hadn't seen Monarch Chixiao.
But currently seated in this hall were over a dozen Chixiao veterans who had followed Monarch Chixiao in conquering the world back in the day, including Elder Fengxu himself, a former banner leader of the Golden Glory Banner. They might not dare claim they could recognize the true Monarch Chixiao, but they could more or less distinguish a fake.
The true Monarch Chixiao—what a solitary, proud, and supremely domineering figure he was.
Even without cultivation or fortune, just sitting there, he would absolutely be a towering, indomitable presence. Before his world-destroying, earth-shattering aura, no one dared stand, no one dared raise their head, no one dared speak. A single glance from him was enough to reduce immortals and demons to ashes. A single word, a single character from him could make this world tremble.
And now he claimed to be Monarch Chixiao?
With that frail, weak, feeble appearance of his?
Not a shred of youthful vigor, like the setting sun, the dusk of day, an old man in his twilight years.
Leaning to the side, legs crossed?
That sloppy, lazy demeanor.
Aura?
Did he have any?
He didn't even have presence!
In his eyes, forget domineering—there wasn't a trace of arrogance.
How could such a person be Monarch Chixiao!
In their minds, the Monarch was the Monarch. Even if reincarnated, even if stripped of all cultivation, even reduced to a cripple, he would still be that towering, indomitable Monarch. His appearance might change, but that solitary, domineering essence of the Monarch would never vanish.
Yet this fellow had none of it.
Forget those several self-proclaimed Monarch Chixiao figures from the Southern Sea; even that other 'Monarch' in Yanluo Kingdom looked more like the Monarch than this guy.
If this had been years ago, seeing someone impersonate the Monarch would have enraged Elder Fengxu and the others, prompting them to obliterate the offender.
But after all these years, facing these imposters claiming to be the Monarch, they had long grown numb.
Moreover, they all wanted to know: what was an imposter claiming to be the Monarch, who had just crippled an Immortal Dynasty noble at a special place like Linglong Mountain Villa, doing at the Mountain-River Branch?
What was his purpose?
Fei Kui stood obediently to the side, holding a wine pot and pouring fine wine. Gu Qingfeng leaned against the left armrest, sitting casually with his legs crossed. Looking at Elder Fengxu on the high seat, he said in an indifferent tone, "It's nothing major, really. While chatting with Fei Kui, I heard you were injured, so I thought I'd come take a look. Seeing you're temporarily alright puts my mind at ease."
His words were light and casual, sounding harmless on the surface. But upon closer thought, the tone was undeniably presumptuous.
Heard the Old Master was injured?
So he came to take a look?
What did that mean?
Did he really think he was Monarch Chixiao?
Elder Fengxu and the other Chixiao veterans exchanged glances, their eyes revealing a peculiar light. Since the Monarch's disappearance three hundred years ago, they had encountered countless imposters claiming to be him. Without exception, those imposters would intentionally or unintentionally mimic the Monarch's tone and put on the Monarch's airs. But one who started with casual chit-chat like this fellow before them—this was truly their first encounter, and they found it rather novel.
Gu Qingfeng offered no explanation, made no attempt to prove his identity, and held no expectation that these people would believe him. He simply picked up a cup of wine, took a light sip, and continued, "I've also heard some things about Zhou Taihe. Whether they're true or false, I don't know. Since Zhou Taihe himself is nowhere to be found now, and I heard the people from Mingyu Branch are coming today, I thought I'd come take a look. I also wanted to see which of the old Chixiao brothers have grown capable over the years."