Gong Yu pursed his lips and said nothing more.
However, Wang Anfeng clearly saw a gleeful sparkle in his eyes.
Just then, the Sect Leader seated at the head of the table cleared his throat lightly, drawing everyone's attention as he spoke gently, "You have come from afar, and it must have been tiring."
"There are no outsiders here, please have a seat."
Only then did Wang Anfeng and the others realize their lapse in manners, hurriedly bowed to apologize, and then took their seats on a wooden chair to one side, though no one dared to sit beside Elder Qingfeng Edge.
The Sect Leader chuckled without minding this detail, casually conversing with Wang Anfeng and the others, though, of course, most of the time it was the Sect Leader speaking, while Wang Anfeng and the others listened respectfully.
The conversation touched upon principles of martial arts and experiences in Jianghu, which deeply moved Wang Anfeng and the others, proving quite enlightening.
Meanwhile, the Great Elder remained calm, uttering not a word, his eyes serene as he looked at the teacup in his hands.
After all, Zhu Ling, being a prestigious Sect Leader, had many reasons for this meeting with Wang Anfeng and others, but with so much happening these days, it was impossible to stay much longer regardless of the reasons. Thus, after a short while, he stopped speaking, holding the teacup with a faint smile on his face, remaining silent.
Naturally sensing the mood, Wang Anfeng and his companions took their leave.
They walked out of the courtyard in silence.
As they stepped out of the courtyard, Wang Anfeng and the others almost simultaneously let out a breath, their expressions visibly relaxing.
Baili Feng tried to find a word to define the uneasy feeling he had experienced, but could only click his tongue repeatedly.
Xue Qinshuang chuckled lightly, feeling moved as she said,
"Being able to meet that Great Elder and the current Sect Leader of Qingfeng Edge is a fortunate fate for us."
Everyone nodded in agreement, yet their expressions varied as they thought of the Great Elder, who appeared no older than twenty.
Xue Qinshuang looked eager to try, whereas Tuoba Yue's face showed a hint of longing as he sighed,
"Upper Third Rank..."
"The Great Elder looked really good."
"You are quite cute too."
The voice came from ahead, startling everyone who then looked up to see the Great Elder in white.
With hair black as ink and clothes whiter than snow, the simple colors created a stark and impactful visage.
The latter quietly watched Tuoba Yue. For some reason, Tuoba felt irresistibly drawn to the Great Elder's charm, his heart beating faster as he hurriedly averted his gaze, daring not to look further.
At that moment, the Great Elder's gaze then shifted to Wang Anfeng, his eyes showing a flicker of emotion.
He spoke softly, "Is he still well?"
Wang Anfeng was momentarily stunned, then realizing who the Great Elder was referring to because of his own role as a caretaker of books, replied while bowing,
"I am not sure of his mood, Elder."
"I only know he reads daily and seems content."
Hearing the mention of reading, the Great Elder appeared melancholic, though Wang Anfeng might have misinterpreted his expression.
In the next instant, the figure in white was already gone.
This method, far beyond mere qinggong, nearly made him seem akin to a divine being, causing Tuoba Yue and Baili Feng to marvel at the grandmaster's skills.
Xue Qinshuang's expression shifted slightly, startled internally. Wang Anfeng unconsciously compared this with Mr. Ying, reluctant yet feeling that Mr. Ying might not be capable of such effortlessly powerful feats, his expression changing as he involuntarily took a sharp breath.
Xue Qinshuang, noticing the young man's unusual reaction, knew he felt the same as her. She exhaled softly before saying,
"Since relinquishing the position of Sect Leader, the Great Elder has left the Divine Weapon, the Five Phoenix Sword, and uses only a Wooden Sword to confront his enemies."
"Jianghu thought her strength had waned, but today we saw otherwise."
Wang Anfeng nodded solemnly.
Baili Feng seemed to hear Xue Qinshuang whispering but couldn't quite make it out. He turned around, confused, and asked,
"What are you all talking about?"
Xue Qinshuang stopped speaking, lightly laughed, and shook her head, saying,
"Nothing much, just marveling at the grandmaster's methods."
Baili Feng's confusion instantly cleared, but Tuoba Yue seemed somewhat unconvinced. He glanced at Wang Anfeng, then looked back at Xue Qinshuang, dressed as a man yet graceful as jade. A strange expression crossed his face, but then he seemed to remember something, and a hint of light flashed in his eyes. Looking at Wang Anfeng, he said,
"Brother Wang, you are the keeper of the books."
The young girl's eyes sparkled even more brightly as she stepped forward and asked in a low voice,
"Then, do you know about the affair between Elder Ren and the Great Elder of Qingfeng Edge?"
Wang Anfeng couldn't help but chuckle and also set aside his curiosity about the change in the girl's address, shaking his head and saying,
"How could I possibly know about such matters?"
Tuoba Yue's face showed a look of disappointment as she murmured softly,
"If it were told, I fear it might rival the story of the founder of Qingfeng Edge."
The group was momentarily stunned, their hearts mixed with laughter and tears at her wildly imaginative and unrealistic thoughts.
What she referred to was a well-known case in Jianghu.
The founder of Qingfeng Edge, three hundred years ago, was an astonishingly brilliant swordsman, breathtakingly beautiful, with divine sword skills and a purity of heart that could only be described by the words 'devoid of worldly thoughts.'
In those years, a young swordsman traveled with her through Jianghu, experiencing life and death together. After getting drunk, he confessed his feelings, only to be gently rejected.
Full of regret once sober, feeling he had been a nuisance, he swore to retreat to Heavenly Mountain, vowing never to return to Jianghu as long as she remained, to show he would no longer trouble his dear friend and put her at ease.
As for the founder of Qingfeng Edge, tired of the mundane world and unwilling to let the Divine Sword gather dust, she also retired to a mountain beyond the mountains, never again to set foot in Jianghu, sending her sword tassel and a letter to Heavenly Mountain.
Qingfeng Edge, who can understand Qingfeng's intent?
"I am already out of Jianghu.
"You need to come down from the mountain."
The young swordsman, holding the letter of just twenty-two characters, sat on the icy snow of Heavenly Mountain, his bottom turning blue from the cold, reading and rethinking, finally drew his sword and set out.
With his sword, he pressed down the demons of the world, cut down his enemies, defeated the bravest, and became famous for over a century, undefeated far and wide, passing down the teachings of Heavenly Mountain and earning the sect a place among the seven great sects and the distinguished title of Holy Land of Swordsmanship.
Having enjoyed a lifetime of fame and success, when he passed away, he still held only the sword tassel from those years.
Reflecting on the elegance of the predecessors, everyone was deeply moved. Xue Qinshuang, too, felt a mix of admiration and regret, sighing that she had not been born in the same era as those two astonishingly talented swordsmen. At that moment, Tuoba Yue tilted her head again, deep in thought, and seriously considered,
"What do you think, since the Great Elder... um, is so young."
"Might the founder of Qingfeng Edge still be alive?"
Upon hearing this, Baili Feng burst out in frustration, rolling his eyes and saying,
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"If that were the case, wouldn't there be Grandmasters of Upper Third Rank everywhere in Jianghu?"
Tuoba Yue was about to get angry when she heard Baili Feng's explanation. Her face stiffened a bit, and she seemed somewhat deflated as she said,