Translator: Anubis Translations
"Gu Feng!!!"
Seeing Gu Feng standing on the table, bold and unrestrained like the God of Wine, Zhu Tao's lips turned pale and trembled slightly, his expression extremely grim. He could not comprehend what was happening in the room.
Scattered wine pots and mountains of food made it obvious that the cost of this gathering had reached a terrifying level.
"Zhu... Zhu Senior Brother, you're here. Have... have a drink."
The disciple who had earlier informed Zhu Tao about Gu Feng's arrival stumbled over, reeking of alcohol, clearly on the verge of severe intoxication.
"Drink? Drink my ass! I'll make you drink!!"
Zhu Tao's eyes burned with fury as he grabbed a wine pot and smashed it onto the disciple's forehead, leaving a tomato-sized lump.
"Zhu Senior Brother??" The disciple, jolted awake, touched his forehead and couldn't help but groan. Seeing Zhu Tao's livid face, he shrank back in fear.
"Why... why didn't you tell me earlier!" Zhu Tao barely contained his anger, lowering his voice, but his words were still heard by everyone present.
"I... I came up to inform you, told you Gu Feng was downstairs," the disciple muttered, a hint of anger in his voice. He had told Zhu Tao, but the latter hadn't listened. What more could he do? Staying here was already a favor.
"But you didn't mention all these people feasting like this!"
Their conversation, seemingly oblivious to the others, silenced the room. Everyone wisely kept quiet, even the heavily intoxicated cultivators breathed more softly, creating an eerie atmosphere.
Only Gu Feng, still standing on the table, continued drinking, occasionally taunting his defeated opponents.
"Gu Feng, stop drinking. Zhu Tao is here," Wu Qi whispered, tugging at Gu Feng's pants leg.
Zhu Tao, a Sixth Level Qi Refining expert, was among the upper-middle tier in Carp Mountain, a formidable opponent not to be underestimated. Although Gu Feng had the impressive record of defeating thirty Third Level Qi Refining cultivators while still at the peak of Body Tempering, he was still far from matching Zhu Tao.
Zhu Tao might not openly confront Gu Feng, but outside the Sunset Glow Sect, danger lurked everywhere. Who could guarantee he wouldn't act against Gu Feng in secret?
"Zhu Tao? Who's Zhu Tao?!" Gu Feng glanced down at Wu Qi with bleary eyes, puzzled.
"Oh, Senior Brother Zhu. Wu Qi, I must say, you shouldn't casually mention Senior Brother Zhu's name. Whether in private or public, we must address him with respect."
Hearing this, not only did Wu Qi look strange, but the disciples from various sects also twitched their lips.
If their memories served them right, they clearly remembered Gu Feng boldly calling Zhu Tao a "little brat" during the earlier high spirits, even saying he was a coward who watched his brother die on the Wind and Cloud Platform without daring to raise a finger.
The audacity was unmatched. Yet now, "little brat" had become "Senior Brother Zhu"?
It was evident to everyone that the conflict between Gu Feng and Zhu Tao was no longer hidden.
"This Gu Feng is quite the character. He's really screwed Zhu Tao over."
"Blame Zhu Tao for showing off. We've already eaten and drunk our fill, so let's keep quiet and enjoy the benefits."
"Zhu Tao is no good. If I weren't weaker, I'd have dealt with him long ago."
"Coward, just admit you lack courage. Don't make excuses. Gu Feng is only at the First Level Qi Refining, yet he chooses to face it head-on!"
"..."
As the crowd whispered, Gu Feng waved his hand and jumped off the table. With Wu Qi's support, he staggered over to Zhu Tao and his group.
Gu Feng was somewhat famous in Cloud Prefecture, thanks to his former fiancée, Qu Yanran. Staying low-key was hard for him.
The prodigies beside Zhu Tao watched Gu Feng with interest, curious to see what sparks would fly between him and Zhu Tao.
Zhu Tao's eyes were sharp, murderous intent swirling within. Whether because of his brother or today's events, Gu Feng was a man he had to kill.
"Senior Brother Zhu, I've long admired your reputation. Ever since I joined the Outer Sect, I've heard of your greatness..."
Gu Feng walked and spoke with a smile, his words filled with reverence. Such respect from an enemy flattered Zhu Tao's vanity: 'Hmph, no matter what you say today, it won't change your fate of being killed by me later.'
He stood tall, hands behind his back, watching Gu Feng approach with pride.
The next moment, Gu Feng walked right past Zhu Tao.
Yes, he blatantly walked past, all while continuing to spout words of admiration.
He then approached another prodigy, excitedly saying, "Senior Brother Zhu, I was a bit worried about this mission to eliminate the evil. But with you here, I feel at ease. The evil is already halfway to the underworld."
The prodigy whose hand Gu Feng held twitched his eyelids, black lines appearing on his forehead: "I may share the surname Zhu, but I'm not from your Sunset Glow Sect."
This caught Gu Feng off guard. He hadn't expected to randomly grab someone who also bore the surname Zhu.
With an awkward yet polite smile, he cleared his throat and loudly addressed the group: "Which one of you is Senior Brother Zhu?"
As he spoke, he didn't even glance at Zhu Tao beside him, making the scene all the more ridiculous.
A burst of laughter erupted from somewhere, setting off a chain reaction of chuckles, giggles, and guffaws.
Zhu Tao's face turned green, his fists clenched tightly. If not for the public setting, he would have slapped Gu Feng dead on the spot.
"Junior Brother Gu? This is the Senior Brother Zhu you admire so much."
Senior Sister Yu, with short hair, covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes filled with amusement as she kindly reminded him. Her bright eyes watched this rising star of the Sunset Glow Sect with interest.
She was likely the person present, besides Wu Qi, who knew Gu Feng best, as she was a member of the Jade Maiden Sect.
She had experienced firsthand how troublesome this junior brother could be. In a short time, he had caused her sect two major issues.
The first time, their sect leader was swindled out of over a hundred thousand Spirit Stones, becoming a laughingstock. The second time was even more outrageous, nearly bankrupting the Jade Maiden Sect. She wasn't sure if the issue had been resolved yet. If not, returning might mean being homeless.
"Oh, so this is Zhu Tao. Hearing about him doesn't compare to seeing him in person!"
With that, under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Gu Feng turned and left with a look of disdain.
Zhu Tao was about to lose his mind, his eyes slightly red as if blood were flowing. If looks could kill, Gu Feng would have been torn to shreds.
"Waiter, the one paying the bill is here!"
Gu Feng's words momentarily halted Zhu Tao's rage. He realized the most pressing issue now was settling the bill. If not handled properly, he would become a laughingstock.
"Mr. Zhu, the total bill is 250,000 Spirit Stones, plus the packed food, totaling 500,000!"
This statement not only stunned Zhu Tao but also left the prodigies beside him in disbelief.
Spending over 200,000 on a meal wasn't shocking, given the number of people. But the packed food costing several times more than the meal itself was outrageous.
500,000 was an astronomical figure. Zhu Tao had paid a heavy price for his bravado. Even if he sold himself, he couldn't possibly come up with that much.
Gu Feng didn't care about Zhu Tao's predicament, loudly calling to the waiter, "Hurry up! Bring the packed food. Do you want to delay our mission to eliminate the evil?"
Seeing the waiter hesitate, Gu Feng added, "Senior Brother Zhu is a prodigy of our Sunset Glow Sect's Outer Sect. He's sure to enter the Inner Sect by year-end. With the prestige of an Inner Sect disciple, are you worried he'll skip the bill?"
The waiter thought it made sense and scurried off to pack the food.
As one bulging Storage Pouch after another was brought up, Zhu Tao's eyelids twitched, his heart bleeding with pain. His murderous intent towards Gu Feng surged through his veins, nearly making him lose control.
"Everyone, sobered up? Let's head out to eliminate the evil!"
Gu Feng took the most, nearly half of all the packed food. When he couldn't carry more, he had Wu Qi help him. Next was Tuoba Lei, a fearless individual who believed in taking advantage when possible. Knowing Gu Feng, he guessed the latter wasn't afraid of Zhu Tao anymore, though this conclusion was hard to believe.
Gu Feng swaggered to the stairway and soon disappeared from view.
The prodigies beside Zhu Tao exchanged glances with their fellow disciples, who also began to move.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhu, for your hospitality!"
"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhu!"
"Thank you!"
"..."
As the disciples passed Zhu Tao, they each expressed their gratitude, but to Zhu Tao, their expressions were filled with mockery and ridicule. In their eyes, he was nothing but a fool, a sucker.
"Brother Zhu, you might be delayed. We'll wait for you at the mountain entrance."
After the ordinary disciples left, the Fifth and Sixth Level Qi Refining prodigies also began to withdraw.
Now was the time to leave. If Zhu Tao asked for a loan, refusing would be awkward, but lending was out of the question. Better to leave now.
"Senior Brother Zhu, we'll head out first."
After the other sects left, Senior Sister Yu gave a meaningful look to the Sunset Glow Sect disciples, who promptly followed her lead.
Finally, only Zhu Tao and his lackeys remained in the restaurant.
The lackeys exchanged glances, seeing the bitterness in each other's eyes. They racked their brains, trying to figure out how to express their poverty without arousing Zhu Tao's suspicion.
An unsolvable dilemma!
Seeing the situation, the restaurant owner quickly sent a waiter to the city lord's mansion to report the incident, cutting off any thought Zhu Tao had of skipping the bill.
...
A large group set off towards the outskirts of Cloud Moon City.
"Gu Feng, you shouldn't have provoked Zhu Tao. He's sure to cause trouble now. We must be cautious," Wu Qi said, his mood heavy. With Chao Yuan and the others still missing and Gu Feng having offended Zhu Tao, the road ahead looked bleak.
"I killed Zhu Tao's brother on the Wind and Cloud Platform. Our hatred is irreconcilable. It doesn't matter if I offend him or not," Gu Feng said indifferently.
Tuoba Lei, beside him, agreed. Gu Feng was somewhat like him—never acting without confidence. Once he decided to act, it meant he was sure of victory. This wasn't reckless arrogance but backed by strength.
'If danger arises, sticking with Gu Feng is likely the best choice,' Tuoba Lei thought, glancing at Gu Feng. He resolved to stay close to Gu Feng if trouble arose, as his chances of survival would be highest.
"Gu Feng?" A light, brisk footsteps approached from behind. Senior Sister Yu, with her short hair, walked over with a heroic demeanor.
"I'm Yu Ying, from the Jade Maiden Sect!" Yu Ying introduced herself succinctly, earning Gu Feng's respect. She was a heroine among women.
"Senior Sister Yu!" Gu Feng smiled at her, showing goodwill.
"These are my fellow sect members. We've come together for a mission. I hope Junior Brother Gu will look out for us."
"With Senior Sister Yu here, there's no need for my help," Gu Feng replied with a smile. He didn't think Yu Ying truly needed his assistance. This was just polite talk; taking it seriously would be a mistake.
They began chatting, from Carp Mountain to the Outer Sect, and then to the Jade Maiden Sect.
"Your sect's issues are resolved. You'll make a fortune when you return," Gu Feng reassured Yu Ying, who had been worried.
"Huh—Zhu Tao is here already?" Gu Feng caught sight of Zhu Tao running towards them, surprised.
500,000 Spirit Stones—even an Inner Sect disciple would struggle to come up with that on short notice. Yet Zhu Tao had managed it so quickly. Indeed, appearances could be deceiving!
"You overestimate Zhu Tao. He probably took out a loan," Yu Ying explained, seeing Gu Feng's confusion.
"A loan?"
"Yes, as an Outer Sect disciple of the Sunset Glow Sect with a decent family background, he can borrow Spirit Stones from the bank."
"Can I borrow a few hundred million?" Gu Feng asked, intrigued.
"You?" Yu Ying paused, then laughed, shaking her head. "You lack family background and could perish in a Thunder Tribulation anytime. If your engagement to Qu Yanran were still on, you might have been able to borrow something. But now... Am I being too blunt?"
"Not blunt, just a bit hurtful!" Gu Feng pouted.
Zhu Tao, a Sixth Level Qi Refining expert, soon caught up with the group. His face was dark, and as he passed Gu Feng, he shot him a fierce glare. Gu Feng responded with a polite smile, unfazed.
"Once we enter the mountains, stick close to us. Don't give Zhu Tao any opportunities," Yu Ying said gravely. The additional Fifth Level Qi Refining cultivators with Zhu Tao made her deeply uneasy.
Gu Feng was strong, having shown prowess beyond the Third Level Qi Refining while still in the Body Tempering Realm. But he had only recently entered the Qi Refining Realm. While he might handle Fifth Level Qi Refining cultivators, he stood no chance against Zhu Tao.
"That's great. Honestly, I can't die yet. Your sect leader is waiting for me to return and make money with her."
Gu Feng was delighted, disregarding everyone's gazes as he followed closely behind Yu Ying and her group.
(End of the Chapter)
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