Before coming, the people from the Mingyu Branch Hall had already anticipated that the Mountain-River Branch Hall would certainly have experts assisting them. Therefore, when they saw Liu Yue, although somewhat surprised, it was only surprise and not much astonishment. Even if Liu Yue was the granddaughter of Black Buddha Lord with profound and unfathomable cultivation strength, they were not afraid. However, what none of the Mingyu Branch Hall people expected was that besides Liu Yue, there was actually someone else.
Who was this man in white?
They did not recognize him.
Nor had they ever seen him before.
What made them even more puzzled was that this person not only had not a trace of cultivation on his entire body, nor any Creation, but his physical body was also extremely weak and frail. Yet, beside him, Fei Kui was carefully attending to him like a servant.
They all knew Fei Kui—he was the one who managed business for Black Buddha Lord. Although not an exceptionally distinguished status, with that connection to Black Buddha Lord, no one dared to easily offend him. Now, he was actually serving someone else like a servant. What identity could this young man have?
To be honest.
If this man in white possessed some profound cultivation or powerful Creation, the people of the Mingyu Branch Hall might not be too wary. The strange thing was that this person had nothing on him at all, which left them somewhat baffled.
In the minds of the Mingyu Branch Hall people, since Fei Kui served like a servant, it indicated this person's identity was not simple. Now he appeared at the Mountain-River Branch Hall, and on this very day, it was clearly aimed at their Mingyu Branch Hall.
Most likely, he was someone arranged by Black Buddha Lord.
However, why would Black Buddha Lord arrange such a person here—someone who lacked everything and was weak?
Or was this person unfathomably deep, beyond their perception?
But.
Was that possible?
The people of the Mingyu Branch Hall continuously probed the man in white with their divine senses, but no matter how they probed, there was only one result: the man in white truly had no cultivation and no Creation—utterly destitute.
Yet they also did not believe Black Buddha Lord would arrange some weak and frail ordinary person to deal with the Mingyu Branch Hall.
There must be something peculiar about this.
The more than twenty pseudo-Earth Immortals led by Zhan Zhiming from the Mingyu Branch Hall thought so.
The Creation Heavenly Geniuses led by Lian Hao, Shang Gong, and Zhongxing also thought so.
The dozen or so ancient Earth Immortals, including the dozen or so Chixiao people, also could not figure it out. Not to mention them, even the branch master of the Mingyu Branch Hall, Tan Tong, was the same.
Only, he did not show it. Sitting upright in his chair, he raised a cup of fragrant tea, took a light sip, and smiled slightly. "Old Brother Fengxu, it seems your Mountain-River Branch Hall has another distinguished guest besides Miss Liu Yue today. Might you introduce us?"
As Tan Tong's words came, the expressions of Old Master Fengxu and the others turned somewhat odd, more or less awkward.
Introduce?
How to introduce?
Should they say he was an imposter pretending to be the Monarch?
If they really said that, they would certainly be ridiculed by the Mingyu Branch Hall. If word spread, others would think the Mountain-River Branch Hall, out of fear, had found a fake Monarch to bolster their courage. Then the Mountain-River Branch Hall would lose face completely.
Old Master Fengxu was not afraid of losing face or dignity; what he feared was the negative impact this matter might cause if spread.
Although most of the Crimson-Letter Sect branch halls within the Yanluo Kingdom had defected to the treacherous Old Master Zhou Taihe.
There were also some Crimson-Letter Sect branch halls that supported Black Buddha Lord, and among these, some were not so firm, hesitating and wavering.
If word spread now that the Mountain-River Branch Hall, out of fear, had found a fake Monarch to bolster their courage, wouldn't that clearly tell others that Black Buddha Lord could no longer contend with the treacherous Old Master and was beginning to panic?
Those originally hesitant and wavering Crimson-Letter Sect branch halls, upon learning this news, would likely all defect to the treacherous Old Master's side.
What to do now?
Driving him away was already too late and meaningless.
Most importantly, Old Master Fengxu knew Tan Tong too well. Even if he drove this fellow away now, Tan Tong probably would not agree and would certainly press for details. When the identity of the imposter pretending to be the Monarch was exposed, it would likely make the Mountain-River Branch Hall even more awkward and humiliated, causing an even greater negative impact.
"Branch Master Tan, I haven't had the chance to introduce him to you yet. My apologies."
At this moment, Liu Yue stepped forward, walking to Gu Qingfeng's side. As she raised her hand, she secretly struck a hand seal on Gu Qingfeng's back and said lightly, "This is Young Master Gu, who came with me."
Upon hearing this, Old Master Fengxu frowned tightly, looking at Liu Yue with confusion. At the same time, Liu Yue's secret voice transmission came: "Old Master, it's too late to drive him away now. If his identity as an imposter pretending to be the Monarch spreads, it will be bad for us and could ruin my grandmaster's plans. For now, we can only let him stay here. Rest assured, I've sealed his acupoints; he cannot speak."
Old Master Fengxu nodded secretly, knowing this was the only option now.
"Moreover, having him sit here might not necessarily be a bad thing for us. If I guess correctly, the people of the Mingyu Branch Hall must think he is an expert sent by my grandmaster. Even though he appears to have no cultivation or Creation, precisely because of that, the Mingyu Branch Hall people won't be able to gauge him. Because none of them would believe my grandmaster would arrange a weak and frail ordinary person here. And Tan Tong is not only cautious but also suspicious. Having such a mysterious, unknown person here whom he cannot figure out should make him hesitate to act rashly, which is very advantageous for us."
"But...
Will this work?"
Old Master Fengxu was somewhat worried and also surprised by Liu Yue's bold action.
"Now we can only try to make the best of a bad situation. Old Master, find an opportunity to change the subject and try not to let Tan Tong focus on this person to avoid raising suspicion."
The secret voice transmission between Liu Yue and Old Master Fengxu took only an instant; others were unaware.
"Young Master Gu?
And a Young Master Gu who came with Miss Liu Yue, heh heh."
Inside the grand hall, Tan Tong held his teacup, raised his head, squinted his eyes, and stared at Gu Qingfeng with a smiling expression, as if trying to see through him. "I wonder which Young Master Gu this is."
"Just Young Master Gu, that's all. Why must Branch Master Tan ask further?"
Liu Yue responded lightly while also secretly transmitting to Gu Qingfeng, threatening: "I've sealed your acupoints; you cannot speak now. But don't be nervous, and don't be afraid. Just sit here and continue drinking your wine as if nothing happened. If you dare make any other move, I will erase you on the spot!"
Gu Qingfeng glanced at her, shaking his head slightly as if somewhat helpless. He changed his posture, crossed his legs again, then looked at Tan Tong and asked, "So you are Tan Tong?"